I enjoyed the episode.  It wasn't as good as the last few episodes, but I still thought it was fun. 

I'm not sure which show you were watching, but Ballard didn't see who Mellie really was or other dolls.  The prints kicked back an ID of Mellie.  He thought that was the real Mellie, but then more pics and with different names Mellie has gone by as a doll popped up and then quickly disappeared.  Who knows if the first image and name was acurrate it was probably just another ID she used as a doll.

And why can't the Dollhouse have someone's life an experiences imprinted onto a doll after they have died?  That's what they do on a daily basis.  Just look at the imprint they used on Echo to get the kidnapped girl back in the first couple of episodes.  They imprinted Echo with a number of scans from other people and one ended up having been kidnapped herself and Echo remembered it.  I think that within the framework of this series that they've set-up that it would be possible to scan a person's brain and imprint that onto a doll.  As it stood in this episode, the imprint was a month or more old, so Echo didn't have any memories during that time.

I thought the Topher stuff was great this week too.  It's not that his job takes up SO much of his life that he has no social life.  It's that he's too much of a nerd or to shy to actually pick-up girls on his own.  Adelle knows this and like her sexcapades with Victor, she understands.  It's interesting in the development of these characters too.  They know the experience is not real, but the only other choice is to be completely alone.  Also, we have no idea who Serria was supposed to be whether she was supposed to be a friend, lover, sibling, who knows.  We probably will never know since this show is on the chopping block.

Anyway, this definitely was not a "D-" episode...maybe a "B-". 

Also next week's episode looks to be pretty darn good.

I think the back from the dead thing works in t context of the implanted memories the,me too.  I agree it isnt much different than the hostage negotiatror persona in the first episode.  She relived the real template's kidnapping.  It was good to see Topher humanized a bit so he doesn't seem like a compete bastar, how ever funny.  

The Ballard and Mellie stuff worked to advance the story.  At least Ballrd has an ally now.

Not really the best eepisode theyve had or as  good as the last few.  But it wasnt bad enough to ake me want to see the series die and next weeks ep. looks pretty awesome.  We may even meet Alpha. 

Just a gut feeling............probably crazy, but i'm betting that Paul is in fact the one and only often discussed but never seen "ALPHA". Let's see next week.

Tritan, I'm in total agreement with you.  A lot of people are saying that Alan Tudyk's designer of the Dollhouse role is Alpha.  But I've been thinking over the last few weeks that Ballard is Alpha.  The couple of shadowy and shots from behind (at the end of the first episode) that we've seen of Alpha made me think that Ballard fits the body type for him.  Guess we'll find out at the end of this week's episode.

I also thought the "back from the dead" thing worked. Adelle said that her friend had come in for repeated and painful memory downloads over the course of a year. And in the end, it wasn't perfect - Echo's personality still came through. It was her word phrasing in the final Will. So, they hinted that the "back from the dead" scenario wouldn't work because the doll's personality would try to surface after a certain period of time.

Personally I think you missed the mark reviewing this show.

It always amazes me when reviewers totally miss plot points.

I would think that anyone reviewing a show,  would use their DVR to its full potential and actually reweind if they miss something. 

That being said,  I enjoyed the episode.  I live in a world where I dont spend every living moment trudging towards the end of my existence,  so taking the time to explore mild tangents to bother me so much.  Im in no real hurry to see 'the end game' played out because all that signifies is the 'end'.

As far as Tophers 'friend' went.  I actually think he imprinted himself on to the doll.

I dont think it mattered whether it was a girl or boy,  he didnt ask for either.  Just a 'doll'.  Which leads me to belive topher is more of a 'child like' personality.  He just wanted someone like him to play with.

If you watch the show again,  almost all of the dolls movements and such, mimic his.

i'd probably give it a b-.