Episode 6 – Man On The Street – Your Thoughts
Y’all know the deal by now. Hop into the comments, or over to the forum topic.
31 Responses 
Dollverse (c) 2007-2009 Kevin Beaumont. Dollhouse (c) 20th Century Fox.
Y’all know the deal by now. Hop into the comments, or over to the forum topic.
31 Responses
Does anyone know the name of the song at the end of this episode?
Love love love!!! Fox better not cancel!!! I am hooked now!!!!
Song: Sweet Dream by Greg Laswell.
eeeeeeeeeeek! ♥
i loved that sososo much!
i didn’t even mind that eliza didn’t play as much of a big roll, compared to previous episodes.
and as anonymous said, what’s the name of the song at the ennnd?
^_^ joss is bosss♥
OMFG that’s what we’ve been waiting for…Joss is the Master (not the one from Buffy!!!)
i think saunders corrupted the imprint. i believe she feels a slight disdain for the dollhouse, even disgust.
I don’t think Saunders feels disdain; indeed, I think she’s going to end up playing a larger role in whatever the Dollhouses are eventually revealed to be really for.
Bets ep so far!
I loved this episode. I was so shocked by Mellie’s and Paul’s relationship that I fell out of the episode for about 45 seconds completely stunned and wondering where in the hell this came from. I had just assumed from the previous episodes that Paul had no interest in her and if anything considered her an annoyance. However, none of this was of importance because I was covering my face and peeking through my fingers hoping, possibly praying that nothing happened to her as Paul was racing back to her apartment.
Wonderful episode.
Anonymous, I think Paul’s noticing of Mellie came from two things:
- Internet mogul telling Paul to live in the real world.
- C’mon, it’s Miracle Laurie. I just want to give her a big squishy hug.
I think Dewitt might be imprint corrupter…
Okay – this was a very good episode, and the first to give me hope for the series as a whole.
The ideas the episode explores are grounded in characters and relationships rather than in bad, philosophy 101-esque allegory – in particular, I think this episode offered some thoughtful exploration of the question of whether or not people ever genuinely connect with/love one another or whether they just love/connect with what they want people to be. Pretty much any of the developing relationships on the show toyed with this issue in one way or another, with the romance between Ballard and Mellie being the most obvious.
The show also invites consideration of fantasy, and whether or not there’s any such thing as an innocent or victimless fantasy – and thank god the episode didn’t offer a preachy answer at the end.
Plot-wise, the reveal of Mellie as a doll (it was obvious she was a doll) was much better than I thought it would be – first, Adelle pretending that Mellie was a normal civilian cast doubt on what seemed to me to be Mellie’s obvious status as a doll, which made the reveal of Mellie as a doll more exciting than it otherwise would have been. Additionally, because Mellie had been set up at the start of the episode as the “real girl” that Ballard is missing out on as he pursues Caroline, it’s satisfying to see that in reality, she’s no more real than Caroline, which calls into question the very categories of fantasy and reality. Whedon did the same trick with the categories of “good” and “evil” in Buffy and Angel, and if Dollhouse also turns out to be a meditation on power, I won’t be disappointed.
That an FBI agent would trust, shag, and confide in his pasta-baking neighbor all in one episode we shall overlook and forgive in light of the strength of the episode as a whole.
Finally, in terms of the potential of the series to go somewhere interesting with both plot and characters, it is excellent that we can’t know if the “person on the inside” is an actual person, Adelle’s creation, or Caroline/the emergent Echo herself. That is quite interesting – much more interesting than Alpha, though it’s good to have him/it in the mix, too. The idea that the DollhouseS could have some larger purpose also has potential.
And of course, finally, the fact that this was actually a true ensemble episode helped it along a lot. Hope that trend continues.
For the first time since the series started, I am interested to see what happens next week.
Really good points, knitcrit! I’m still trying to work out how Ballard “heard” of Victor’s character since he’s supposed to be a gangster. It really makes me wonder how long these undercover Actives have been in place!
Best so far!
Loved the use of Buffy-esque fight moves, it was great to see Eliza’s still got a little Faith in her.
Also enjoyed seeing Joss’ word fun come out with “spankitude”.
And once again, hot cop is hot!
finally! Joss is back– witty conversation, tense situations, clever outcomes and all over goodness. So glad we hung in there to get the to the goodies of the DollVerse!
I can truly feel myself really caring for these characters – I was relieved when I found out Victor didn’t do anything wrong, and even more relieved when that slimeball who abused Sierra didn’t rape Mellie.
The Actives really do remind you of children, not just blank people. I didn’t cry, but I could feel my heart becoming heavy when Echo asked Victor what he did wrong and he said, “no one will tell me,” and the scene where Sierra was almost abused (I actually almost did cry.)
Pretty much up until now I’ve hated Laurence Dominnic for being so accusing of Echo, but I like watching him interact with Adelle, and I appreciated that he didn’t want to leave her alone with the abusive handler. He kind of reminded me of Boyd, almost, where it’s not just his job, he really cares.
As for revealing Mellie is an Active – BRILLIANT! I loved how it was done.
I chuckled to myself when Mellie used the “cup of sugar” line and playfully tap-punched Paul, it reminded me of myself when I try to be ladylike and diffuse sexual tension with members of the opposite sex. ;P
I loved the interviews at the beginning of each segment. Also seeing the other characters in bigger roles was great. Having a more unique format set this episode apart from the rest. And what a sweet ending, Sierra and Victor reading together was pretty romantic in a way. Sharing a favorite toy or book is a very childlike and innocent way to show affection.
My thing in this great episode was to see the show reaching for an international dimension (“Dollhouses in major cities around the world”). What potential that has! Also, I want to say, this blog itself is becomming something worth reading, I mean, where else in the world would I meet “knitcrit” and some others if not here. Irony abounds in this life, thank God.
Best episode so far, and something new for Whedon — a way to tackle larger ideas without affecting a jokey voice to avoid seeming pretentious. He struck just the right tone in this episode, and found ways to make the scope larger and the interpersonal dynamics more (I hate using this worn word) subversive. The flatly serious tone in earlier episodes (and in parts of Serenity) is opening up at last, just as Buffy’s picaresque did in a satirical way. Dollhouse might not have been designed “for the zeitgeist,” as Buffy was, but the latest episode does work on deeper levels. Nice touch, having Echo fight him (in scenes suggesting carnal interplay as well as martial arts), pretend to be his confidante and betray him in the course of a few minutes. It was as if the tragic love affair the agent secretly wants had happened in meth lab time.
And I really like Millie as a character. The Manchurian candidate kill side suggests what I think Whedon wanted: That the seemingly perfect girlfriend who bakes cookies and reassures us with self-deprecating compliments is always but one part of a more complex individual with independence to respect and anger to express.
Before this, I’d have kept watching. After this, I can recommend Dollhouse to friends who claim not to watch television but do.
WOW! This episode floored me.
The fight scene: intense, vicious, and with the added element of the story of these two characters, I was literally standing up to watch it–just to be closer to the action.
The revelation that comes after: pure perfection. Of course it couldn’t be as simple as it seemed–and it never seemed simple at all.
Once again, as with Firefly, I am falling in love with every single one of these characters, even the ones I don’t like.
Thank you Eliza Dushku, Thank you Tahmoh, thank you Joss, thank you to ever single person behind the cameras and on stage who are making this the best show I have ever loved.
I can’t wait for the next installment.
Loved it! The Mellie angle was a great surprise. I didn’t see that coming. And I like seeing the growing investment in Paul finding Caroline. Am enjoying his emotional side…
Also like the Victor Sierra story…
Mellie as a doll… that was genius, especially since Joss told fans awhile back that Miracle Laurie wouldn’t be playing November (I’m assuming that Mellie’s doll name is November).
I have a feeling that the person working inside the dollhouse that messed with Echo’s parameters was Topher’s assistant. Although it’s still too early in the season to tell. Either her, or bunnies.
Is Boyd reminding anyone else of Giles?
And I am sooo happy to see Mellie and Paul together, and happier to see Sierra and Victor on the right track. But it won’t last long. This is Joss, he’s not happy until someone in the pairing is dead or their both unhappy and will break up. *sigh*…
so on tv.com, Man on the Street so far only has an 8.1/10 so everyone has got to rate it so it will go up and hopefully convince more ppl to watch it
http://www.tv.com/dollhouse/man-on-the-street/episode/1233811/summary.html?user_rating=100&rating_ref_type=103
Yeah, I think the only person who could mess with echo´s imprint was topher´s asian assistant. No one else knows how to handle this technologies, saunders is a doctor not a scientist, I don´t think even Adelle knows how to mess with imprints.
I also thought it was her that did the remote wipe on ep 4. she appear out of nowhere and she takes part in this very secret world, yet she acts like a student on college lerning from the teacher, it´s weird…
Hey Kevin,
I see what you are saying about the scene between the internet mogul and Paul, but when I was watching the episode it didn’t register as a pivotal moment for Paul, at least as I was in the flow of the show.
However your second point is completely valid. Here’s to Big Squishy Hugs!
knitcrit: Good post. Over the last few episodes I was beginning to suspect you were one of those who just racks down on everything and everyone for the sake of it. Now I see that you have a critical eye and meant what you said. I will pay close attention to your posts in the future.
–DA/cuardin
I think episode six should be retitled: episode 1, since 1-5 were actually one long pilot needed to set up the audience for the real start to the show.
I was just rewatching the episode and I noticed- the actor who plays pissed off FBI agent who’s always fighting with Ballard is the same guy who played Badger on Firefly! Agent Badger!
I keep wondering who Boyd is working with–if in fact Echo’s revelation is genuine rather than fabricated–since he was the one who distracted Topher when he was creating Echo’s imprint.
I watch the show for Paul Ballard.
I love how obsessed he is, I love how INSANELY obsessed he is.
I just hope it’s for a bigger reason than a cheesy love.