I agree. I'm absolutely giving it the benefit of the doubt.
That said, this episode was worse than the first two. Badly, awkwardly acted. The plot was lame. The writing completely failed to garner any sympathy for the main character Echo is protecting. But to be fair, this wasn't a JW episode.
So, let us know what you think.
I think you hit the nail on the head with "The writing completely failed to garner any sympathy".
As I was watching the episode, I realised what's so poopy about the show.
Echo is unlikeable. And she's surrounded by unlikeable characters.
The characters surrounding her, with the exception of the latino father in the first episode, are not very likable at all. They're vastly rich and selfish and manipulative. The first one, the father, was likable enough because he just wanted to protect his daughter. The second was a total jack-***. The third was saved because the actor was endearing, even though the character was so vapid you didn't really care.
And therein lies the problem - if the supporting ensemble that
generates the story each week doesn't draw your empathy, you won't care if Echo succeeds or fails. Nothing matters. And this is what we've had so far.
What's more, is that if you're going to do that kind of show (and they work; this is the same formula as QUANTUM LEAP after all), then the major character
has to be delightful. Sam Beckett is terrific, and Scott Bakula is terrific as him. But in DOLLHOUSE Echo, by her very nature, has no personality. Every episode she's an unconvincing facade, less interesting than a secret identity because she's not
pretending. Imagine if each week, instead of Dushku playing Echo, we got a completely different actor/ress to play a different Doll. If every episode of LAW AND ORDER was replaced by different actors. It'd be hard enough to draw a consistent empathy. Then, imagine, if these shows were shot from behind the scenes, so you saw the rehearsing and outtakes by the actors. That is essentially, why DOLLHOUSE isn't drawing anyone's empathy or interest. There's no one to care about. Dushku is fine as an actress, but she's not magnificent. She's not so brilliant that she can effectively generate empathy for a brand new character each episode. The show would tax the best of actors to be entertaining. It's really damn hard.
While it does seem like Echo is actually turning into a full-fledged character, in the interim, she's vapid and boring - and that means the situations she's in seem needless, vapid, and boring.
So what happens? Well, we like Boyle. We like Helo. Because they're the only characters in the show. I recall that every good scene we've had so far is with one of those two characters. Echo is the dull bit of the show, which is kinda like saying "I only like the scenes in QUANTUM LEAP with Al and not Sam."
For example, in this episode there was a
brilliant plot twist that has been set up since the pilot: Helo's Russian mobster is Victor and part of the Dollhouse. It's a terrific plot twist and it plays off well in the episode. But, then the show cut to and stayed with the bull**** diva storyline, a storyline with horrific cliches all over it. (Yes, her suicide fantasy was interesting, but all it did was make me like her less, and I already hated her and had no one else to like in that story.) Instead of following up the interesting plot line with Helo and Victor, we're treated to genre mush.
So, there's the problem with the show. The only likable characters are the tertiary cast. Everyone else is boring and no one cares about them.
I think, the show will work once one of two things happen: Alpha shows up (as at that point, Echo will composite into having a personality), or Helo becomes the major character and the show becomes about him tracking down this 'Dollhouse'. Boyle's doing just fine. They need to give Helo more screen time, and Echo a
personality.
Not awful TV. Just boring. But there's something there, lurking in the background...
I'm just amazed that people
fought so hard for FIREFLY and it got cancelled, and this one is being bashed to hell and back and it seems like it's going to get its full first season. Don't make no kind of gorram sense.
