Discuss DOLLHOUSE Season 2 Episode 4 – Belonging
What do you all think of tonight’s episode?
51 Responses 
Dollverse (c) 2007-2009 Kevin Beaumont. Dollhouse (c) 20th Century Fox.
What do you all think of tonight’s episode?
51 Responses
Good to see that Jonathan Frakes is still getting work. Actually his direction elevated the episode. It seemed more involved and steady then the usual direction. I thought the moral dilemma was believable. Probably the best episode of the season, in my opinion.
It was pretty intense! But is it true that its not going to be on again until december??
Way cool character development for Sierra. Echo is waking up really fast. Maybe to fast for possible future seasons?
Yeah, sad but true. But in December they will be playing back to back episodes of Dollhouse which is like a silver lining i guess. This episode was really amazing. I do love all the other ones as well. I don’t really care too much that Frakes did it, but you could see a difference for sure. And Jed & Mo writing is so awesome! Loved Boyd being a cleanup guy, pretty creepy stuff, And Adell! Granted she cared but i would think she would try a bit harder. Pretty sweet seeing seiarra kill that AHOLE, intense…
What’re the chances that Adelle, in her Chessmaster-y way, sort of anticipated that Topher would try something like that? I had a hard time taking the conversation between Boyd and Adelle at face value, considering the way things in the Dollhouse are…
I think Adelle clearly understood what had transpired, and was pleased. I don’t believe she orchestrated it though. Topher acted uncharacteristically, and I don’t think she could have anticipated that.
This episode was a real breakthrough for the show. It had heart, and purpose. It made Sierra interesting for about the first time, too – and a little teaser with some progression for Echo. I’m so impressed with the character depth in Dollhouse. Yay!
This episode started a bit slow for me but I was soon on board, and by the end I think it’s arguably the best one yet from Season 2.
Also can we see some advertising for this show, pretty please? I’ve been sick all week and have seen possibly 2 (extremely short) promos. If I wasn’t a fan I wouldn’t even know this show existed, much less that it got pushed back to December 4th (boo!).
Then again, Summer Glau (yay!).
We’ll be lucky to get a third season – I’m not holding my breath, since it’s still in a trash spot, and SG:U is at the same time.
Fortunately, it is better than SG:U beyond the telling of it. Time will tell…
Oh boy, I was a rabid fan of SG-1, but both Atlantis and especially SGU have just plain lagged.
As soon as I finish getting brain stains out of my carpet from when it melted out of my ears about halfway through the episode, I’ll let you know what I thought. But that in and of itself should say something right there.
I think that insufficient advertising and it’s current time-slot are what are contributing significantly to Dollhouse’s low ratings. Really, what percentage of people who are of Dollhouse-watching age/inclination are likely to be home on a Friday night? I think Monday or Tuesday would probably be PERFECT to get a little ratings actions going on.
Anyways, I agree, I think this episode’s the best of the season so far, concentrating more on making the characters real, three-dimensional people who are interesting in their own right, rather than the fading novelty of programmable human Barbies and Kens. Writers always forget that good, even great, stories can lose their sparkle if the people IN them are cardboard cutouts. I thought this episode was complex, suspenseful, emotionally captivating, and just plain RAD. Especially since it wasn’t all about Echo this time around.
I really think we’ve an over-abundance of medical dramas/dramedies/dramsteries/dractions, yada yada, and not enough sci-fi/fantasy/good-shows-period on primetime telly. Maybe if there was better healthcare, or wider medical coverage, people wouldn’t be so obsessed with the Hollywood versions of what goes on (or doesn’t) behind hospital walls *shrugs*.
Whatever, we need Dollhouse!!! It helps to calm the Voices. And you really don’t want me listening to the Voices. They tell me to do things. Dark, twisted, anti-television-network-who-doesn’t-get-Dollhouse-and-is-thinking-of-cancelling-it things…
Best episode yet. After developing the background, characters, context, the show is finally ascending to a higher level of complexity — one that reflects life. I hope this trend continues. The show is finally starting to live up to its promise. It has been a long time coming. There were flashes here and there. Less screen time for Eliza, but I the ensemble cast is critical. Good to see the focus shift away from just one character.
This episode was so great!!
i leked so much.The show be in another level,better!
sorry for my inglish,i’m spanish
It’s okay, everyone can pretty much figure out what you mean. If you want a “corrected” version to compare with, though:
This episode was so great!!
I liked it so much. It took the show to a whole new level! Sorry for my English, I’m Spanish.
I, personally, agree 100% with what you’re saying. Frakes is a brilliant director and I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing more of his work on Dollhouse in future episodes. It was also a well-needed and refreshing break from the plot-driven and imprint-of-the-week storylines with Echo, who isn’t unentertaining, but definitely doesn’t have the kind of weight to pull a whole show.
Mo and Jed are the dreamteam.
Dichen is obviously better cut out for character depth than Eliza. (Don’t get me wrong, I love Eliza.)
And of course the best episode of the SERIES (yeah, I’ll say it again. Best. Episode. Of the Series.) comes right before the show is benched for a month.
And without a doubt, if they’re benching it for a month, there will be no season 3.
This episode was amazing, the show so far, with a few exceptions, has been passable. Without a doubt, the show took too long to get great.
Dichen is obviously better cut out for character depth than Eliza. (Don’t get me wrong, I love Eliza.)
You remember Faith’s collapse in Five By Five or her torturing of Wes in the same episode? Problem isn’t with Eliza, it’s with the material she’s being given.
Whedon and Eliza needs to start shopping the series around some other networks… preferably cable. They’ve got all of November to plan this; I don’t want the series to end, but I’m also a realist. FOX is going to cancel it after it’s December airing. No more sugar coating.
As great as that would be, they can’t shop it around because Eliza’s locked in a couple year production deal with Fox and Dollhouse was created expressly for that deal. And even if Joss was able to take it somewhere else, Eliza wouldn’t be able to go with it as cast member or executive producer.
Not that Joss would need to take it elsewhere since he has so many other projects going on, too.
Well, that wouldn’t be the end of the world for a lot of the fans. I like her, but even I was starting to seriously burn out on Echo by the time Belonging came along. It had just the right amount of Echo, and sets a good template in that regard for the episodes between here and the finale.
I think the best course of action would be to have Echo leave the show in a sudden blaze of glory at the end of the Season, hopefully in such a way to redeem her to the highly prevalent Dushku-haters in Dollhouse fandom. Of course, I haven’t seen Epitaph One yet (argh, wanna wanna wanna), so I don’t know if this strategy messes up anything integral to the long-term plot.
i agree with dave, they are trying their hardest to end it, and fast. The best move they can possibly do is sell it to syfy. I hate fox for sayin they are putting faith in joss and than as soon as numbers dont agree, jump shift and fast. They knew this was going to happen again. After december, im not watching fox again. They burned me with tru calling, dark angel and now this.
whoops, btw love the 4th ep alot
Great episode! It’s now on Hulu.com too. I wonder if we can make it popular on Hulu and Digg? http://digg.com/d3188Fz
Thanks to everyone on Dollhouse team.
I’m so excited to see where things are going! Thank you Fox for airing all of season 2.
Amazing work guys,
But where the hell is Amy Acker?
Sare3
Out stalking Alpha, obviously! =0)
We haven’t seen the last of those crazy kids.
It’s clear they are burning up the remaining episodes in December and then cancel it.
Gotta say, just finished watching this, and instead of heading to bed I wanted to get on here and say this was possibly the best episode of Dollhouse yet. I’d say “ever,” but I know we got more good stuff to come.
So many new facets to the characters, so much new information, and the most important thing is how devoted to the Dolls all the supposed impartial leaders of the House are – Topher, Boyd and, most fiercely, Adelle. Do not mess with that woman!
Just one question – where is Paul?
There’s a saying that goes something like, “If you’ve got nothing to say, don’t say it.” I think they made a good choice applying this to Paul. He really wouldn’t have anything to contribute to this ep anyways except maybe some detective work. Really, until we get more character revelations about him (maybe some backstory that wasn’t revealed in early Season 1 or something), I can’t bring myself to care about him all that much.
This was the first episode of the second season that I felt really interested me and made me want to watch more. I now have hope for a better time-slot and more viewers.
Did anyone catch the quick conversation between Boyd and Topher during the bathroom scene? Something about being a doctor or studying it in school? It made me perk up on my seat and also think about what Adelle said about Topher in an earlier scene, as to why he was picked to work for the Dollhouse.
That said, Adelle is the ultimate Chessmaster and I love her. As a woman, I wish I could have her confidence and strength. I was totally expecting, from the previews, that Sierra’s backstory would be tragic, but even I didn’t expect some of the things that came out. The bird motif was a really nice touch, though, and Dichen Lachman is just…brilliant. I have to say I was actually glad that they kept the Echo appearance at a minimum so as to keep from robbing any of our focus from Sierra and her story.
And whoa, Victor. I loved him since the very first episode, and I didn’t think it was possible to love him more, but as of this episode I stand corrected. Enver Gjokaj is a very good character actor, no? He’s very well suited for the different imprints and he’s just absolutely adorable as Victor.
I don’t think you need me to go on about how cute I find the Sierra/Victor moments. Let’s just say it made my girlish heart happy. ^^;
(As for Ballard–where the hell was he? My friend and I think he was off searching for his lips. XD He’s gotten a bit more likable this season, but he has barely any lips! *hums “I Love My Lips”*)
had the same reaction on the topher boyd discussion honestla how old is he ?
My guess is that the character is somewhere between his mid- to late-twenties, early-thirties? *shrug* Considering Topher is pretty much a super-genius, it’s quite likely he was a teenager who went into college/graduate school early…
I really liked the questions raised by this episode and that this episode highlights. Like, what exactly is the dynamic between Adelle and Topher? We’ve seen how weirdly close they are before, especially in Epitaph One. It’s like Adelle has maternal feelings for him or something… but was anyone else creeped out by the scene where she tells him that he has no morals so matter-of-factly?
And one of the things I really hope they end up expanding upon is the idea that all the administrators are there because of previous moral indiscretions. What did Boyd do? And Adelle?
I think this episode has been by far the best of second season. I want it to be December already!!
I too am intrigued by the whole “moral indescretion” element. Thinking about it from that angle, Adelle’s protectiveness and, for lack of a better term, “morality,” seems very much like a sort of attempt at self-redemption, I get a real “I will never fail them again” vibe off of her.
OMG what an episode!!! i think for me this has just topped Epitaph One for the best episode.
it felt more like i was watching a drama than a sci fi show, i half expected to hear the law and order sound.
outstanding acting all round especially dichen who should be emmy nomintated for this episode.
also loved seeing adelle and tropher struggle and hint of how they ended up in Epitaph One.
this show is so amazing & different!!
i wish they would just move it to another night and then the ratings will shoot up!!! i mean look at what happened to ugly betty when its latest season premiered ON A FRIDAY!
oh and sierra & victor was so AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW SO CUTE!!!!
I don#t exactly get the euphoria about this episode.
I mean the concept was good and all but ….
i think they should have taken more time to show the developement of the characters.
more specific tophers.
and yeah if boyd is working in the dollhouse that means evil background but cutting the guy into pieces? thats a whole diferent thing than shooting someone.
and whats up with the victor and sierra thing so their allowed to lie in one bed?
really had the feeling that some things just don#t add up
I agree that the cutting-guy-up was a little twisted, but if you think about it practically, it’s easier for the “evidence” to dissolve in the acid if it’s in small pieces. Less suspicion from the cops if there’s no body.
As with the Sierra-in-Victor’s bed thing, that shot was only in the show for a few seconds. It was supposed to be a cute image, and out-of-screen, they would have time to separate the two.
I definitely agree that they need more background on the non-dolls. I want to know more about how Adelle got her position, why Topher is the way he is, and what Boyd was like before he was hired by the Dollhouse
I don’t think Boyd fits the ‘we’re here cause we don’t have morals’ motif of the others. Clearly Topher had to be of questionable morals to be willing to erase peoples brains, and Adelle as well to be so willing to rent out human beings, ostensibly acting as a pimp for a customizable line of people. And Sierra’s old handler… well he clearly had no moral qualms about how he felt about dealing with the dolls.
Boyd’s… well he’s different. When we got that look at his introduction in season 1 (through flashbacks) he seemed rather … uncomfortable with the whole thing. But ever since he’s been fiercly protective of Echo. I mean, this episode he catches her in a rather ‘lucid’ moment, and knows that she’s learning to read. But, rather than have Topher rewipe her, which would seem the correct thing to do, he just tells her to be careful.
I think Boyd’s an undercover agent and that he was hired by the dollhouse under false pretenses. I’ve felt this way ever since he distracted Topher while he was imprinting Echo to go beat the tar out of Ballard. I know that story of the ‘mole’ inside the dollhouse outed the old head of security, but it doesn’t really jive. I mean the man tried multiple times to kill echo, he thought her unstable. Why use her to entice Ballard to stay in the game?
No no, Boyd’s not of questionable moral fiber, he’s an undercover government agent there to investigate the dollhouse and possibly bring it down from within.
Well, I think anyway.
I think you might be right because im certain as well that Mr. domnik wasn’t the one who programmed echo to talk to ballard.
just realized what s bugging me about the episode it’s not “Jossish” enough ( besides the hell and l.a. comparison)
This was a fairly solid episode. I do however agree with Shadine on a few counts. There’s a lot of it I have trouble buying.
Things seem to transpire with a little too much ease sometimes. I still don’t quite think I have a good feel for the (non-active) characters yet, so they can feel a little inconsistent.
Anyway, suspension of disbelief and all that… still enjoyable enough. I have a feeling this show may never quite be what I want it to be.
I wanted the feel of the original (unaired) pilot continued right through to Epitaph One. Then I’d have been singing the show’s praises from a very a tall building. Shame FOX had to meddle with the initial formula. Although that’s no excuse for Joss and co not to revert back to that kind of quality when given the chance.
Hopefully the rest of the season will continue to improve.
Tis a shame that the end of Dollhouse is quite near(I have to wait until Dec.4?!?! Im a nerd, what the hell am I to do??LOL) This episode, though a bit flawed, was great. It was one of the most emotional ones yet and hope to see more of the other characters in the future. I love Eliza, but her range only goes so far(ok, not very far) The only thing I can pray for now is a Dollhouse movie a la Firefly/Serenity to tie up the loose ends. Guess until then I’ll go read a book or something,lol.
AMAZING!!! What an amazing episode. Blown away. THIS is what I always knew the show could be. I’ve watched it like 6 times already. Great acting, pacing, action, writing, directing. One of the best episodes of tv I’ve ever, ever seen, period.
Didn’t miss Ballard at all, episode was much improved with him missing and Boyd having more to do than throughout the combined three previous episodes.
Fran blew me away and Carradine actually came across as more sleazy than the guy playing Nolan.
Glau next sigh, good to see she was her normal robotic self. Everything else on the next ep looks great though.
I really hope there is something in the remaining episodes to make Ballard more interesting/likeable. Still not feeling him.
However, I’am warming up to Echo increasingly each episode. Starting to care about her now!
Dollhouse continues to deliver moment after moment of grace. Beautiful!
what strikes me about this episode is that it just felt like we were watching a movie, and it was only 43 min wow lol but what i also notice is that every critic that has seen that episode and even that crapfest Ign.com is actually saying this was the hands down best episode. It just tells me one thing, Fox dropped the ball. Im surprised that Joss and co actually got to write these amazing stories within just a few weeks after the renewel. Thats amazing!! As for Echo, i love her, the fact that she is getting more interesting is actually liberating in a sense. She is trying to save herself and everyone else. As for Sierra, i have always loved her character as well as Victor.
The episodes are increasingly awesome! but what the heck with pulling the show off air during sweeps?!
It seriously feels like Fox are contractually obligated to run the show but are doing everything possible to sabotage it. Is it payback for Joss’ continuing success after the last fallout? Fox certainly aren’t making a good impression as a network to want to work with. (Back-to-back shows are nice to look forward to, sure, but it’s hard for people to free up that much time during the last month of the year!)
If they’re truly concerned about ratings they should count TiVo recordings too. I’m one of those that can’t watch it live but make sure I TiVo and it’s a “keep until I delete” show.
Fox needs to swallow whatever prideful thing is going on, acknowledge they have a way-above-average show (at least once past the 5th episode, 1st season. The 9th episode kicked the show into the realm of awesome and there it has stayed, only getting better)and start supporting it – they’re doing all the things you learn NOT to in ‘Marketing 101′ for goodness sake!
Personally, I’ll aim for optimism and hope for Dollhouse (and the awesome team under it’s banner WITH Joss attached) to survive these ridiculous odds against it and prove to be a show that strengthens and grows. Not only is it excellent entertainment but it’s good for the brain too. A good show that makes you think? Not many of those out there. This show could make Fox look really good – if they let it.
An awesome episode. Adelle’s interview with Kinnard was stupidly-well written and acted; especially her line:
‘given you’re a raping scumbag one tick short of a murderer – do you take sugar?’
To have the tables turned on her quite so brutally a few minutes later was even more effective. It’s some time since she’s been anything other than in control.
Now a quick question – anyone know the name of the song being played right at the end of the episode?
Many thanks,
M.
Personally my favourite episode to date! Brilliant to see Topher, Victor and Sierra get so much screen time and do such a wonderful job of carrying the show. Awesome work by the writers and cast!