Two Slashes

I know Justin briefly went over the first episode of the show, but I have nothing else to discuss, save for the two episodes which are fairly fresh in my head.  Here goes nothing.

Before I get anywhere, I should probably mention that I don’t know that much about Joss Whedon.  I know that he’s behind Buffy and Firefly, but I deemed those shows a little too far out there for my tastes.  (I’ll probably be giving them a shot somewhere down the line, though.)  Additionally (and shockingly, to some people), I don’t really gravitate towards the science-fiction scene (which explains why the only show I watch regularly is House).  However, I caught on with the hype behind Whedon’s latest work and decided that it might be worth checking out.

The premise behind Dollhouse isn’t too elaborate, though it takes a little getting used to (at least, it did for me).  Imagine a reprogrammable human (a “doll” in Whedon parlance), one you could give any number of special abilities through the exploitation of memory (though with some foreseen, yet unknown, costs).  Now, imagine a secret organization that revolves around and capitalizes on this principle, add in the appropriate levels of law enforcement trying to locate said organization to taste, and think on it at 350°F.  Voilà, Dollhouse.

After two episodes, though, I’m wondering whether the show is going to be as big a hit as everyone’s hoping it is.  While they’re starting to get into the explanations of how the in-show “present” came about, I wonder whether the number of plotlines they’ve introduced are a great idea this early in the show (and I’m getting a vague feeling of Swiss Cheese Syndrome to match).  I won’t give anything away, but let’s just say that they should have consulted an engineer before they broke ground.

Even if Dollhouse doesn’t take off, the people involved should really be applauded for the work they’ve put in.  The acting (so far, at least) is convincing enough for me, and they’re at least mildly creative in where they draw the plots for each show from.  They could really use a new song for the opening credits, though.  I don’t know why, but it irks me. 

If you’re interested in checking out the show for yourself, both of the first two episodes have found their way to Hulu.  I suggest you watch them before Hulu pulls them.  Heck, let me know what you think while you’re at it.