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When “Dollhouse” debuted last season, it was one of the most stylish, creepy and confusing shows to be found on television, but in a very clear case of evolve or die, it returns this fall as a noticeably more defined serial drama.
Creator Joss Whedon is done trying to walk the line between one-off mysteries and bigger storytelling. “Dollhouse” is all about the big picture now, and while that focus may cause Fox executives to clench their buttocks, fans should breathe a sigh of relief. The writing is cleaner, the performances much more fun and the clunky back-story all seems to be out of the way.
But what is the big picture? After tinkering with the key plot points in the first few episodes, Whedon seems to have settled on the people behind the actual Dollhouse, the Rossum Corporation, as the most interesting threat. Upcoming episodes introduce employees of the company, the other houses and a senator bent on exposing their technology.
The buzz: Now that so many of the mysterious characters have become fully developed as individuals, the second season is all about how they fit together. Ballard and Echo will grow closer, Sierra (Dichen Lachman) and Victor’s (Enver Gjokaj) love connection resurfaces, and in the first episode back, Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) confronts Topher (Franz Kanz) about why she programmed her to hate him so much. It’s not all talking though. Cast and crew have promised a season filled with sex and murder. Huzzah!
The verdict: “Dollhouse” now moves at a fevered pace, and even the episodes that don’t further reveal the shadowy organization’s true intentions promise to satisfy any cravings you might have for snappy banter, snazzier ninja fighting and pretty, pretty faces.
Did you know? “Dollhouse” is the lowest rated television drama to ever get renewed by a major American network in the last two decades.
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