Thoughts on last week’s Dollhouse (and some on Kings as well)

27Mar09

I decided to post this one here, as it at least somewhat pertains to what I’m going to be writing about. There’s a bit about Kings in here, as well as my thoughts on last week’s episode of Dollhouse. Since that what this shit is all about, I figured I’d put it here instead of over on Vox. At least, part of it. The rest will likely be found over on my Vox. (ok, how do i add links in the damn post? do i need to figure out how to fucking html them? shiiiiiiiit.) (hahaha, nevermind, i figured it out. duh, html tab right in front of my face!)

I played at couch potato this weekend (that would be last weekend). It was rather refreshing (and only a wee bit depressing, but I think that was mostly for other reasons that I just don’t feel like thinking about anymore. I’ve spent too much time worrying already; I’d like to be done with it now. At least for a while. Is that too much to ask?). I caught up on all the television I wanted to get caught up on, and I watched a couple of movies as well. I’m trying not to let the money I pay for Netflix go to waste; I’ve been falling down on that job of late.

The first thing I watched was Kings, on the wonder that is Hulu. (I ❤ Hulu!) I’ve enjoyed it so far, with only two real episodes to base it on. I’m partial to Ian McShane, mostly because of Al Swearengen, but also because he’s got a great voice. It’s rather sinister, isn’t it? Anyway, I like what they’re doing so far. It seems to me that someone did a bit of research, which I like. There are definite elements of some really old traditions—the notion that the land (slash god(s) slash Nature slash et cetera) chooses the right ruler goes back ages upon ages. Plus I’m rather interested in the hows and whys of a modern empire, simply because we don’t live in that sort of society. I think even people who do live as subjects of a ruler these days don’t live under an absolute ruler, at least not in most places. Anyway, I’m enjoying the concept and the story so far (and that David guy isn’t hard to look at, either, although he seems awfully naïve. Almost ridiculously so. Thus far, however, I am able to suspend my disbelief.)

I like that the show has those elements of the otherworldly or divine or whathaveyou, but for the most part is trying to maintain a sense of reality as well.

Chances are it’ll be cancelled before the season is out. Which makes me sad; I’ll probably be really attached by then.

After that, I watched Friday’s episode of Dollhouse. Finally, things are starting to come together. This is a hard show to like. I don’t hate it; I mostly am ‘meh’ about it, thus far. There’s no one to really care about aside from Agent Ballard. All the actives are lobotomized robots, when they’re not on assignment; you can’t get attached to a character that is only around for three quarters of a single episode. And all of the folks who work for the Dollhouse are almost completely amoral. They’re all grey—and I understand the reasoning behind that. They can’t be reprehensible people for the most part, but they can’t quite be likeable because of the strangeness of what they do. But that makes them harder to sympathize with, in a lot of ways. I don’t plan on spending any of my spare time wondering if I’d be so quick to do that job, were it presented to me.

But that leaves me in the position of having almost no interest in finding out what happens to these people. Ok, yeah, Echo used to be a normal person called Caroline. Yeah, and? Caroline is gone. She was erased. I don’t care about Echo, because she’s not an actual person. She’s just an empty shell.

So I suppose it is Ballard that I’m interested in, and perhaps Boyd. Boyd seems to be the least grey of the folks who work for the dollhouse.

Anyway, I did enjoy this episode more than the last several, simply because there seems to be more… action, for lack of a better term. Joss is finally starting to reveal some of the inner workings of the Dollhouse, and hints of the conspiracy. I’m definitely of the opinion that Echo will be having one of those compilation events sooner rather than later, and will probably end up going rogue or something, looking for her past and doing whatever it takes to bring the company down. Or something. Whatevs.

After watching Dollhouse, I debated between the finale of Battlestar Galactica and the movies I had from Netflix. I went with the movies—I wasn’t quite ready for the end of BSG. Not at that point in my day.

I gave some thought to why i volunteered to do this recapping thing. And I definitely admit to not being a huge fan of this show. But, I think that might actually work out in my favor. Or our favor, rather. Because I won’t be one of those fangirls over this show (yet), I’m hoping I’ll be able to give y’all some pretty balanced recaps.

Of course, I’ll have to add my two cents. And snark. Because, hey, that’s what I do. Anyway, get comfy, this will (hopefully) be fun!

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Tags: dollhouse, kings, musings