Episode 1 – Ghost – Your musings
I’m going to give my musings on the Good and the Bad, and then we want you guys and gals to chip in during the comments.
The Good
I actually dig the fact we didn’t see much of Caroline before she became Echo. It helps create more of a, well, blank slate. I’m sure that will change, though.
Boyd. Oh Boyd, you’re the morality this gig seems to sadly lack. You’re the angel on Joss’s shoulder. Don’t stop speaking.
Topher. I think I’m one of the few people who actually likes Topher. Yes, he’s creepy as fuck. Yes, he bothers me. And yes, I’d like to go for a beer with him, to get inside that little mind of his.
Sierra. The minute she walks in and starts shootin’ up the place (through walls, people!) I knew she was going to be the stand out from this show.
The locations. What more can I say about that? They picked some fantastic places to film.
The cast. Everybody nails their role, from script to screen, with one exception…
The Bad
I didn’t buy Eliza in the second role. The funny thing is, I don’t think it’s actually Eliza’s fault, it was more that I found the inhaler and glasses stuff jarring. I buy as Eliza as an actress, but when they dress her hair up and give her props, I see Eliza with different hair and props. When she started to get into the character, I started to follow her. It was, simply, too immediately jarring for my brain to handle. I found myself thinking “Is she a good actress?” instead of thinking about the story and the characters. Whilst Eliza bears some of the responsibility, so do the writers.
The opening bike thing. SO POOR I’m writing in CAPITALS. Seriously, though – Echo’s a bit pants on a bike, she crashes, so she takes off her helmet, swishes her hair around and then drives on? Oh dear. I get that FOX is the Action Network, but this didn’t work for me at all.
The Boxing Thing. I get that Paul is a) pissed off and b) determined, but I tell that from the conversation he was having. Still, though – there some hip porn here so it’s not all bad.
Paul. If I didn’t already know things about the show, I wouldn’t know Paul is the male lead. His story has no apparently connection to the characters at this point. It’s an odd way to introduce a character.
Overall
I give the episode, as it turned out, 7 out of 10. I think the show premise is sound – the show can be anything each week, because the characters can be anything and anyone – but it’s not involving enough. Yet.
There’s nobody for the audience to connect with other than Boyd. And the reason the audience can bond with Boyd is because he doesn’t like what’s happening in the Dollhouse – that’s an odd thing to like a character for if you’re creating a new TV show about the Dollhouse. There’s no way to bond with the Actives yet. There’s no bonding between the characters in the Dollhouse – these people hate each other.
Joss Whedon’s work is traditionally about the notions of found family and connection, and this is a show about shame, sexuality and identity. It’s very different to anything Whedon has done before, and as such needs to be judged on it’s own merits. I’m not sure it will fly on the merits of “Ghost”, though. Roll on Friday.
12 Responses 
I think Boyd is my favorite character already.
The more I think about the show, the dizzier I get. Which is a cool thing.
I wasn’t a fan of the motorcross through LA either.
When she took off her helmet I actually said out loud (sitting in a room by myself) "Oh, come ON!" It was just so hockey.
I was really impressed with Eliza in the first character/role/job of her evening. It was so carefree & fun & different from what we have seen from her before.
I didn't have any problems with the second role once she got into it, but it did take her a little bit of time to warm up to it, I think. When the drama started, that's when it got GOOD.
I think Joss will pull it off if we give him space and time. He always does. And I agree, it's about the interactions between the characters for him. That's what I hope it will be this time, too.
People make too much fuss over the motorcycle scene. For one thing, it’s pretty short. For another thing, I saw it as kind of a puzzle. (“What is this scene about? Is it a chase? Is one of them bad? Then why are their motorcycles so similar? Oh, it’s a birthday party! Didn’t expect that.”) For another thing, the part where Echo falls is yet another instance of the dolls having flaws. Plus it causes Echo to be curious about her injury later on.
And the boxing scene served its purpose pretty well, I thought. It may not have been necessary, but that’s not the point. It was just an indirect way of telling you what’s going on with Paul and of showing you how personal his quest is.
Boyd does seem like a likable force for good. “So, who does she think she is?” Double meaning, anyone?
If I had a problem with the first episode, it was that I wanted the characters to interact more. A significant chunk of the episode almost (but not quite) felt like Echo doing a procedural crime drama all by herself. But that could change…
I’d describe my overall impression of the episode as pretty good the first time I watched it, and better the second time. And obviously I know the show is going to get really good because this is Joss we’re talking about.
I enjoyed the second character once I got over the initial shock. The ‘schoolmarm’ was just so different than the first fun and carefree character. I had no problem buying Elia as Elenore Penn.
As for Echo removing her helmet, it was just so we would know who was under there. One minute we see Caroline desperate and worn out, and the next she’s in a motorcycle race without a care in the world? Huh? I loved it.
Echo is already starting to remember little things like seeing Sierra being made into an Active. This could make her life majorly dangerous should Adelle find out. Definitely looking forward to that. I’m already a little worried about Echo.
What problems did Caroline get herself into? Why didn’t Topher mind wipe work 100%? The best parts? Adelle and Eliza as Echo.
Best lines: Echo “Something fell one me”. Topher “I bet it was something great”.
You should include funniest or most memorable line for each episode. Knowing Joss, there will be a lot.
When Echo was holding the necklace and chatting happily to Topher, and then he wiped her mind clean and she dropped the necklace, that really pulled on my heart a bit…it made me feel sympathetic for Echo.
I love Boyd. Everyone loves Boyd! I look forward to more scenes with him interacting with Echo.
Oddly enough, I don’t have much against Topher. He’s kind of deluded, yeah; I have a feeling, though, that sooner or later something dramatic enough will happen that will make him go, “Oh horrors, we really ARE the bad guys!” Like how Lindsay was in Angel.
I was a little disappointed with Adelle. I thought the actress was wonderful, but I expected her to intimidate me more as a bad guy.
Amy Ackers’ character has SCARS on her face! I smell a story there!!
Bottom line, I can’t wait for what comes next.
Disagree on Paul entirely. Watch The Wire and get over the idea that shows have the be dealt on a episode to episode basis; if you got it (the hint is Alpha people; I’ll confess I didn’t get it till the second watch through… Maybe I’m still wrong! Isn’t that part of the thrill though?) then you have a little treat; if you didn’t then isn’t the intrigue MEANT to be the point to get you to keep watching the show??
I thought it was a good pilot. Joss never made his best eps on pilots or season premieres, don´t know why A lot of people want to throw stones at him, the show hasn´t even started yet!
The good:
I liked everything about the dollhouse itself, the set is amazing, the whole cast and characters inside. the talks between topher and boyd are the best, they reflect the whole dollhouse dilema.
I also liked that the persona that echo turned into had more development than i expected, the whole past of someone else coming back at her and her flaws like asthma…
The bad:
there was a lack of humour on the pilot that I hope will change later…didn´t like much the scene of the party and the whole negotiation with kidnappers…
but overall it´s good to know that the part I really like (the dollhouse) will continue, while the kidnapping thing is gone…
re: the above comment:
I wouldn’t agree that there is a lack of humour; it’s just a LOT darker humour than I’ve previously seen from Mr. Whedon
I hate to say it, but this pilot just really didn’t live up to his other stuff at all. Moreover, it didn’t seem like he was much in control of the show. I only say this because it stands in such contrast to his other works. The characters weren’t very interesting, with the exeption of maybe one or two, there were a bunch of just really unnecessary sequences that did nothing but make the viewer realize Whedon would have developed the characters in much subtler, more compelling ways, not just thrown them on motorcycles or shown them inexplicably boxing in the middle of a conversation. That might work somewhere (maybe) but it doesn’t seem to be his style at all. A lot of really clichéd stuff, which is also weird for a Joss Whedon show, as he has often made fun of clichés in the past. As for the humor, there wasn’t actually a lot, and the humor it did have (I wouldn’t say it was at all “dark” compared to some of the humor in his other shows) seemed like the only thing he really might have contributed to the show. Even the filming seemed wrong, like it was an attempt to make this show seem like every other canned action show on television. Compare this show film-wise to Buffy or Firefly, and it’s a little disappointing how generic the camera shots and scenery were (with the exeption of the Dollhouse itself, which was well-done). A few good things happened. Personally, I thought it was a bad or at least mediocre plot for the first episode. I totally disagree with those who said his other pilots weren’t good–they were way better than this one. Firefly’s in particular was as good as one of the other episodes.
Continued (Sorry, but needs more criticism to balance the forum out)
Maybe the second episode was better (I missed it(sadface)), but if I had to rate the show so far, I’d place it above quite a few shows in terms of quality. Fringe had to be the worst show I’ve seen in ages, so it beats that. Frighteningly enough, the two have some things in common! A lot of bland characters. The good-guy ex-cop who was in charge of Echo had potential, but was kinda disappointing. So was the woman who ran the Dollhouse. If there were more development and less restrictive, generic situations to put them in, they might actually have seen some character development. I personally could not stop seeing Echo as Faith, not matter what she was doing. She’s not a bad actor, I’m just not sure she was the right one for the role. Maybe she’ll prove me wrong.
Overall, mediocre but not horrible. Would be interesting to know exactly how much of a stranglehold FOX has on it, seems like a big one. Hope something changes (ex. top FOX exec has a fever of 110 degrees and gives Whedon absolute permanent control of the series). Hope the second episode was way better, I hate to be this critical but I’m a huge fan of Whedon’s other stuff. Thanks for reading all that, if anyone did.
I personally wondered where her pants went, during the party scene. And the taking off of the helmet annoyed me, but I know it was just a way to show that it was Eliza under there.
I actually like Topher. I don’t think he’s creepy at all. Maybe it’s because I first heard him descriped as this show’s Xander, and I see that. I see him as kind of a sad nerd with a lot to hide.
oh my god!
you guys are actually amazing.
and, kev, i think tim minear is great, tooo!
i’m actually going to look for him on facebook, right now xD
as if. i’m so sad.
butbutbut.
this is the first time i came across your podcast,
and i really love it ^^
i listened to the one for ep 3 first.
and then the one for ep 1.
which is a bit weird.
i’ll definitely listen to your next one.
i’ve already bookmarked your site.
i love dollhouse, and joss of course, so i’m really happy you’re taking your time to do this.
thank you! :]
-krystyna.