Dollhouse - Review

Joss Whedon has had his share of hits and misses, or rather I should say: Whedon has had bad luck with television.

Now don't get me wrong, Buffy the Vampire Slayer can be considered a success. The show based on the movie of the same name thrived for five seasons on the WB until it was cancelled with it's 100th episode. It was then picked up for two seasons by the fledgling UPN network, where the show held it's following until Whedon pulled the plug.

Angel, Buffy's vampie-beau spinoff held on for five seasons on the WB (which is surprising since two of them were after it's lead-in show Buffy had been moved to the UPN), until the show was canned.

Whedon's third foray into television, Firefly didn't even last a season. Out of 14 episodes filmed only 11 were shown, and the episodes that did make the air were shown out of order. But thanks to strong DVD sales Firefly resurfaced as the motion picture Serenity, and gave fans some closure and answers to some of the programs questions.

Which leads us to the now with Whedon's first venture into tv since Serenity's cancellation in 2002: Dollhouse.

While Whedon fans hold their breath waiting for bad news about this show, Joss himself remains hopeful noting that "these are different people, they didn't do to me what was done to Firefly". Noting that hopefully this changing of the guard will usher in a new era in the so-called "Whedonverse".

Dollhouse focuses on an organization which uses humans known as Dolls to preform various "engagments". These Dolls can be imprinted with memories, skills and personalities for whatever job they are to take on next. Once the job is completed, the Doll is mind-wiped and put away in the Dollhouse until the next time they are needed.

The Dollhouse as well as the show it's self dwell within the moral gray area, making this more akin to Firefly (people doing what they need to get by, good or bad) than Buffy (the greater good). In the first episode we're given a taste of this as lead character, Echo (played by Whedon favorite Eliza Dushku) takes on two separate engagements. The first being to accompany a young man for the weekend to see just how much fun they can have in three days, with the second being act as a negotiator for a kidnapping. What we as viewers are treated to is a main character who can and will be a different person in each episode.

It seems the main plot will revolve around Echo as she slowly becomes aware of her surroundings and what is going on around her. As this was only the pilot, we're treated to possible subplots that may unfold over time such as what lead Echo to become part of the Dollhouse, a federal agent named Paul Ballard running in circles trying to figure out anything he can about the seemingly fictional Dollhouse, as well as a rouge Doll named Alpha who is on the loose.

While the show may draw inital comparisons to J.J Abrams Alias, it will definitely stand out on its own. Supporting characters such as Topher, the scientist who programs the Dolls with for their engagements, Dr. Saunders the scarred female who cares for the Dolls post- and pre-engagement, and Boyd the Handler who watches out for Echo during her missions, seem to be willing to carry the brunt of the storytelling across the arcs as Echo herself has a limited knowledge of just what's going on around her.

Dollhouse looks to be another intriguing exploration of character in true Whedon fashion, here's hoping we'll get to see it through.

Dollhouse airs at 9pm Eastern on Fox, following Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The first episode "Ghost" and subsequent episodes can be viewed on Hulu the day after their premire.

Comic Book Alphabet Of Awesomeness - C

There are certain characters that develop fan bases for some reasons that I just don't understand. Probably asthetics more than anything, but one such character leads us to the letter C in the Comic Book Alphabet of Awesomeness:

Cable.

Here's the thing that's always bugged me about Cable, and has always irked me about comics in general.

Time travel.

Cable is the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey from the future who after being infected with a techno-organic virus was sent into the future to be cured, then sent back in time to his parents, and then sent back further in time to fight X-Men villains Apocolypse and Stryfe.

Gifted with the gifts of telekinesis and telepathy (which is what it seems like everyone in the Marvel Universe has if they don't have a cooler powers), which aid in him holding back the techno virus that threatens to overtake his body.

But what Cables real power is, is having lots of places to put things and some really big guns.

Cable has come to represent a big part of what comics were in the 90's: big, over the top, testosterone and angst filled yarns that were more focused on grim and grit than story.

This I feel was mostly thanks in part to the guiding hand of Rob Liefeld, a creator known for some rather, well odd anatomy, a failure to draw feet in anything and everyone gritting their teeth like they're trying to push their skull out of their forehead.

All these things culminate into Cable being the poster boy for everything that was wrong with comics in the 90's and has sort of become almost an archetype or at least set himself up for parody as seen in DC's Kingdom Come.

How can a character who is basically a caricature and representative of what is widely considered to be the darkest time for comics still be relavent and more importantly liked?

Well that's what comics do.

There's something about every character that people can latch onto. It might not be apparent to everyone but there is something that people gravitate towards, be it adolescent power fantasy or something entirely different.

Comic Book Alphabet Of Awesomeness - B

Here in the second installment of the Comic Book Alphabet Of Awesomeness, we'll explore the second letter of the Alphabet - B.

Which will make this possibly the most badass of the letters, because B is for Batman.

I've been told many times that Batman is a crappy superhero, that he's only a rich guy who decided to fight crime.

Sure that may be true but let's think of other fictional rich people. What have they done that's so great?

What makes Bruce Wayne so great is that he's not just rich, but he's also batshit crazy. Here's a man who has dedicated his life to being a paranoid schizophrenic who beats up other crazy people.

Sure Batman's done a lot of good keeping the revolving door prison system of Gotham City busy, but as has Bruce Wayne he's done other wonderful things. Wayne has set up charities, built hospitals, libraries, parks and also adopted three children, to whom he's tried to give better lives than he had.

Jason Todd gets his skull bashed in by the Joker. With a crow bar.

It didn't always work.

Tim Drake's father is murdered by Captain Boomerang

Ever really.

Dick Grayson gets his

Ok, THAT one didn't happen. But that meme is hysterical.

But still, the fact remains that Batman has kids running around working for him, a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed in the DC Universe, where people belive that Batman run secret orphanages that he recruits Robin's from since they only have a shelf life of a couple months before they're killed in the line of duty.

Yes, people in Batman's own city think he's that crazy.

Now people may compare Batman to other heroes, and here's where the whole "he doesn't have super powers" argument comes in.

But you know what? He doesn't need them.

This is what Batman thinks of your superpowers

Yes. That is Superman getting KTFO by Batman.

Batman is indeed that sweet. While you were probably enjoying the Early Bird at Denny's right now, Batman is kicking a national icon's ass.

How did Batman get to be such a tough guy? It wasn't training with the top martial artists in the world, and honing his body and mind into being the perfect weapons. It was years of having to defend himself in the wake of crappy movies and tv shows.

Holy career paralysis Batman!

Yeah, when it comes to media adaptations Batman has had some winners, but he's also had some really, really terrible media. But how to really tell a measure of a character is the quality of thei fan videos.

And Batman arguably has the best.



Fact.

More Movies for 2009

I don't know how this one escaped me when I typed up my list of "Movies To See In 2009" but it did, and for that I am sorry.



While usually Dreamworks Animation stuff is hit or miss with me, but this one seems really solid. A strong, recognizable cast (Seth Rogen, Steven Colbert, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett and Reese Witherspoon), top quality animation and more importantly a fun story. Dreamworks may as they say be on a roll.

Because I haven't used an image yet

Which factors in well if you're a reader of Jim Hill Media where today's article is about how Disney should get out of the CG animation business and focus solely on their hand drawn feature animation again and leave the CG to their Pixar division.

But I digress.

Now that the Super Bowl has happened we've been allowed looks at two other blockbusters for this coming summer. Strangely enough, both of them based off of cartoons that were created in the 80's to sell toys.



G.I. Joe looks promising, but if not for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow bouncing around you really wouldn't be able to tell what you were watching until they threw up the title at the end.

I think a better title would probably be: Holy Crap Ninjas and Sienna Miller in Glasses! But that really doesn't look too good on an action figure blister.

Still seeing this

Transformers looks to have more of exactly what people liked in the first one, namely giant transforming robots, explosions and Megan Fox. It's like a Michael Bay wet dream.

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But regardless, how awesome is it to be an 80's kid right now?

Hopefully soon we'll get a kick ass Thundercats flick and all will be right with the world.