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Dollhouse Review

Mania Grade: F-

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Info:
  • TV Series: Dollhouse
  • Episode: Stage Fright
  • Starring: Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, Olivia Williams, Harry Lennix
  • Written By: Maurissa Tancharoen
  • Directed By: David Solomon
  • Network: Fox
  • Series: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Stage Fright

This Week Echo Must Sing, Nothing Good Can Come From this.

By Stephen Lackey     March 02, 2009


No singing should be allowed in DOLLHOUSE:STAGE FRIGHT(2009).
© Fox

 

It’s a simple story really, a pop star needs protecting and her manager hires a pro to do just that. What was done in the entire episode of Dollhouse was better executed in 10 minutes of the recent film Taken. What follows in the episode of Dollhouse is plenty of cringe inducing pop songs and even more cringe inducing stereotypical diva activity and not “campy enough to be fun” dialogue. Echo is given the the ability to sing (sort of anyway) and to hand out beat downs to protect a pop singer who is being stalked by her biggest fan. Didn’t we already have to endure The Bodyguard? The scenes of Dushku attempting to sing were laughable and they weren’t supposed to be.
Sadly, there’s just not a lot to this episode of Dollhouse. There’s one small twist with the singer and the stalker that just comes off as soap opera melodrama. The episode feels like a connect the dots game where the dots are connected all they way tot eh end of the episode. There’s no real excitement in the story at all. The side story involving the FBI agent still trying to track down the Dollhouse is slightly more interesting but the twist set up for that story is underplayed. The idea is to set the people who run the Dollhouse as willing to do anything to protect their interests and while the point is made, it just doesn’t feel ominous at all. There’s a little bit of fighting and a new handler is introduced but none of it seems to matter. In the end Dollhouse is starting to feel more like a low budget poorly written syndicated series rather than a premiere new show from the creators of Firefly.
The episode is written by Maurissa Tancharoen who also worked with Joss Whedon on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog. She has a writing credit on that project too! Dr. Horrible is clever and funny while this episode of Dollhouse is flat and cliche. Sometimes, it’s smart to keep family and friends separate from professional work because there isn’t a better example than this episode of Dollhouse of what can happen when the two get mixed. Maurissa is engaged to Joss’ brother so maybe Joss wanted to give her a hand by letting her write an episode of his new series. Episodes like this one will destroy said series though. Dollhouse is getting cut a lot of slack in the fandom world because it’s Joss Whedon’s new project but, a bad show is a bad show. Many new series need a few episodes to get started, usually four is a good number. Dollhouse has two more to prove itself. At this point, Supernanny is getting better ratings that this show. Last week’s episode was entertaining, but this one is a complete mess.
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1 
Hobbs 3/2/2009 12:52:22 PM

I heard there were rumors that Joss was having issues with Fox, yet again, over this show.  I have to agree with your review.  Anymore like this one and I can see why the studio was getting nervous.

LittleNell1824 3/2/2009 1:40:47 PM

Wow. F-. LoL That's going to bring down Whedon's GPA. Why does Joss Whedon continue to partner with Fox? It seems like he had more creative control on the cable channels, and let's face, some of those cable channels produce some really good shows.

darkheart00 3/2/2009 5:18:14 PM

I don't know what the hell Whedon was thinking with this turd of a show. The review is being kind.

Having said that, Jaime Lee Kirchner (the diva) was working the hell out of that gold, metal.....bikini thing! YIKES!

 

snallygaster 3/3/2009 3:09:53 AM

I really cringed when I saw the previews for this episode. One thing I've learned by watching way too much tv over the years is that these pop-star episodes are always dreadful. Dollhouse is increasing reminding me of Alias, but in doing so also reveals how much better Alias was.

Sorry Joss, I'm officially taking Dollhouse off my tv-viewing schedule. I'll blame the results on Fox's meddling, but a mediocre series is a mediocre series. Even if the series turns around in quality, I suspect it won't last the season before Fox trashes it for something cheaper to produce anyway.

foolspike 3/3/2009 10:34:29 AM

F-? That's just ridiculous! Yeah, it was a pretty bad episode, but it was still better than any episode of the last 2 season of Heroes and that show never gets a grade so low here on Mania. F-? I've seen far worse things on television and you've seen it too, you know that.

ddiaz28 3/4/2009 6:34:57 AM

I enjoyed the first two episodes but this one was a definite step way down.  I'm not ready to give it up yet.  I like Eliza's character and where the show seems to be going as a whole but the characters they put her with are so cheesy ala the stereotypical pop diva with a suicide complex, and the meathead, robin hood.  Hopefully this show finds a solid footing soon and concentrates on this Alpha plot.  I'm glad Helo kicks ass in ths show too.

NotAFan 3/4/2009 4:25:07 PM

When the subplot is more interesting than the main plot, you know you're in trouble. F- is too kind. I rate this episode a "0.0". BTW there are way too many closeups on her face. It is not atractive and distracting. Someway along the lines her face took a "Wrong Turn". <-- See what I did there. So young to have hit the wall! (sigh) Oh well!

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