Talking "Echo," The Original Dollhouse Pilot

Saturday, I had the chance to guest on John Pavlich's SOFA DOGS podcast to discuss the original, unaired pilot of Dollhouse, "Echo."

I had a great time during my previous visit to the podcast to chat about another Whedon property, the sublime Cabin In The Woods, and this time was no different. Things we covered: Dollhouse would have made a great FX show. Is Eliza so criticized as an actress that she's actually underrated? A comparison of the two pilots and which one is actually better. FOX is not the evil empire and killer of genre shows. And of course, how fucking awesome is Olivia Williams/Adelle DeWitt? (on this I will brook no disagreement. The answer is "really fucking awesome").

Here's the page on the SOFA DOGS site where you can find the podcast.

Good TV Reminder

Yes, November sweeps are over, and the nation is breathlessly wondering "what the fuck is going on with Tiger Woods?!" But that doesn't mean there isn't tubey goodness to be had:

Tonight, we have the season 2 finale of FX's terrific outlaw biker drama Sons of Anarchy. And it's 90 minutes, so check your DVRs accordingly.

Also on tonight, there's a new show on the Science Channel called Sci-Fi Science hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku, author of "Physics of the Impossible." He will examine the scientific plausibility of things like lightsabers, warp drive and stargates. I want to build a time machine out of empty whiskey bottles, paper clips and my BlackBerry. I wonder if this will help.

There's a new Glee tomorrow, and hopefully it will be fake baby-free, or this plot will get aborted soon.

There's also a new Fringe Thursday. It's been struggling on Thursday nights, so show up and watch, y'all.

And Friday, there's not one BUT TWO brand spankin' new Dollhouse episodes (with Ray Wise! And Summer Glau!).

Oh, and if you'd given up on House after it squandered the potential of the wonderful season premiere, catch last night's "Wilson" episode on the intertubes. It was a great, "Zeppo" or "Lower Decks" look at Hugh Laurie's sidekick.

Why the Dollhouse cancellation doesn't make me suicidal

Of course, plenty of other things do, but strangely, the cancellation of my beloved, frustrating, challenging and almost always entertaining Dollhouse, doesn't.

Obviously, I'm a huge fan of Joss and his work. I've posted hundreds of times about the whedonverse (Angel, Buffy, Firefly, Dr. Horrible and Dollhouse included). Friday nights were appointment television as far as I was concerned. Amazon shipped the season one Dollhouse DVD the day it released, and of course, I'll be ordering the season two DVD the second it's announced. However, I'm not gnashing my teeth and rending my garments over the axe falling on Dollhouse (like I was over Firefly and Angel). Maybe it's because:

• We all knew it was coming. Even if you're not a hysterical Nielsen watcher (and I am), you knew the show was tanking in the ratings. I believe it was the lowest rated network show ever renewed for a second season, and in this day and age, you have to build on the numbers (or at least hold on to the meager audience you have) or you're getting the heave ho. Simple as that. Dollhouse didn't get the numbers it needed to survive, and the writing was on the wall after the first few episodes of S1.
• The second season feels like a bonus. It probably shouldn't have seen a second season, and the fact that we got one -- one that will be produced and (they're assuring us) aired -- is a pleasant surprise. Plus, Joss knows the situation as well as anyone (having planned the "end of the story" with the elegant and harrowing "Epitaph One") and is being given time to bring the show to a close knowing the renewal won't happen.
• At the end of the day, let's face it. Joss (and Dollhouse in particular) just wasn't well suited for traditional network TV. His gifts for challenging characters and long form storytelling weren't going to work in CSI: Dollhouse or NCIS: Rossum Corp. For 12 combined seasons, he was able to work his magic with Angel and Buffy on smaller "netlets" that didn't get the intense and soul-crushing ratings pressure that even a Friday night slot on a Big 4 (well, 3 if exclude on life support NBC) network engendered. It's much easier for a big network to throw up cheaply produced reality pap or slot a House rerun and draw a bigger number.
• There's no "bad guy." Joss (and to a certain degree, SMG) ended Buffy on its own terms. But the WB canceled Angel while the ratings were stable and it was in the middle of a creative resurgence. And lord knows we all realize how FOX fucked Firefly over from the very beginning. But this time? Despite the incompetence with which FOX handled the crew of Serenity, it was a completely different regime. Joss only put Dollhouse together, and on FOX, because of Eliza and her overall deal with the network. And despite some initial tinkering and requests for more procedural case of the weeks, they really, honestly were supportive. They put it one place and left it there. They promoted the hell out of it leading up launch. They said the right things even when the ratings were lackluster. They happily (though inexplicably, from a Nielsen standpoint) renewed it for a second season. They completely left Joss alone to do "his" show creatively for the balance of S1 and all of S2. And even though it was pulled for sweeps (and the numbers thus far bear out the business wisdom of that decision), they've financially committed to producing all 13 S2 eps, AND to airing all 13 eps, which is something many, many canceled shows just aren't afforded. So even though many are still bitter at FOX over Firefly (and justifiably so), you really can't hurl any invective at FOX this time. You can't blame them that people didn't show up to watch on Friday nights.

Will I miss Dollhouse? Yes, of course I will. It had its growing pains and foibles, but it was always "must see TV" for me. However, I understand the realities of the business and if you weren't expecting this result, you probably haven't been paying attention. We got two terrific seasons of a thought-provoking, interesting and unlike-anything-else-on-TV show and for that, we can be grateful. And from what I've read, there's a stream of unbridled awesomeness coming up as it draws to a close (Ray Wise! Summer! Alpha and Saunders return!) So congrats to Joss, Eliza, Dichen, Miracle, Enver, Olivia, Harry, Franz, Amy and rest of the wonderfully talented cast and crew for giving us such a terrific little show for as long as they did.

What To Watch: Fridays

Previously, on TNRLM's What To Watch: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Remember when Friday used to be a television graveyard? Well, times are a changin' (at least for those of us old, nerdy and socially averse to spend a Friday night on a couch. Or who, er, have a TiVo). Long the place used to dump unwanted programs or fill with cheap reality drivel, more nets are actually programming Friday with honest to goodness scripted programming. And most of it is actually watchable!

Show	Net	Day	Time	Priority
Law & Order	NBC	FRI	800	Sleepytime
Dollhouse	FOX	FRI	900	Watch
Monk	USA	FRI	900	DVR
Stargate Universe	SYFY	FRI	900	Watch
Numbers	CBS	FRI	1000	Sleepytime
Psych	USA	FRI	1000	DVR
Sanctuary	SYFY	FRI	1000	DVR
White Collar	USA	FRI	1000	Watch

Law & Order: The original returns for yet another season. This programming staple got re-energized with one of its signature cast revamps, and this collection of actors is the strongest the show has had since the Lenny Briscoe glory days. If you gave up some time around "is this because I'm a lesbian?" do yourself a favor and check out the new "kids." (Of course, there's nothing wrong with lesbians. Or Elisabeth Rohm. Or Elisabeth Rohm as a lesbian. I'll be in my bunk).

Dollhouse: Gather round the campfire, and settle in for a long one, because there's a lot to say here. First, and most surprising, is the fact that Dollhouse is coming back at all. Ratings started off low (when it was paired with the equally ambitious and well done Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), got lower, and then steadied at a level that said "see ya!" Yet FOX, perhaps seeing the show's concepts and presentation get sharper (which would be ironic, since their meddling is what made the first few shows so shaggy) or maybe fearing the wrath of Whedon fanboys (and girls) again after aborting the masterpiece that was Firefly, surprised everyone, including Joss himself, by renewing DH for a second season. They talked about online and DVR viewing, but I would guess one of the biggest factors in the renewal is that the show is produced by sister company 20th Century Fox, so all the ancillary revenue stays in the family, and Whedon fans are nothing, if not obsessive purchasers (he says, looking at his Dollhouse DVD set). Regardless of the reasons, we have season two coming, though it will be inexplicably paired with a couple of FOX's awful sitcoms as a lead in. Hey, you take what you can get. As for the show itself? I've written extensively about it (check the tags), but here's a good way to summarize my thoughts. The wonderful Galactica Quorum Podcast (which previously, was about just what you think it was) asked for feedback on Dollhouse, and I was only to happy to contribute. Most of this made it onto their Dollhouse ep, which you can listen to here. Below, you can find what I wrote to them:

Hey guys. In response to your twitter, here are a few thoughts on Dollhouse. But first, some background on my experiences with the previous Whedonverse series:

• I’m an unabashed Joss fan. That said, I’m not a mindless automaton who will accept everything he touches as handed down from on high.
• Buffy rightly deserves its place in the pantheon of great TV. The first season is a “finding our way” slog though, with a couple of breakout moments.
• Angel similarly took some time to find its voice in the first season, but resulted in a mature, apocalyptic noir that I may have enjoyed even more than the parent show (save the baby arc. For fuck’s sake, please don’t add babies to a show). I loved S5 and thought it got cancelled too soon.
• Firefly was pretty much fully formed and perfect out of the box, and got hosed by FOX.

I was giddy with excitement for Dollhouse. Great cast on paper, solid stable of writers and intriguing concept. Did it deliver on the premise and potential? Kind of:

The first five eps were hit and miss. Only “The Target” and “Gray Hour” worked as solid episodes, and “Stage Fright” is right up there with the worst television ever produced by Whedon (Angel’s “She” and “Provider” and Buffy’s “Teacher’s Pet,” “The Pack” and “Where the Wild Things Are” are similarly terrible). Too much cheesecake (and I say that as a straight male eminently appreciative of Dushku’s sexiness) and way too many “glitches” for a supposedly competent and high priced organization.

“Man on the Street” was the ep where things turned around, and it seemed they really grasped the potential of the series. The home stretch of season one was vastly improved, and very entertaining.

At first, they didn’t really make a case WHY someone would spend all that money to hire a doll. It was a plot hole that stuck out like a sore thumb. And one that could have been easily explained: what you pay for is not ONLY the “special skills” (whether it’s safecracking, midwifeing, spycraft, asskicking or whoring), but the ability to have all the knowledge and experienced wiped without a trace provides an anonymity you can’t get elsewhere.

The whole Alpha story was well done, and Tudyk gave an exceptional performance.

There were great plots twists, that kept you guessing. Alpha. November. Whiskey. Dominic. Adelle’s weekend rendezvous.

From an acting standpoint, there were some distinct highlights, include Olivia Williams (great hopped up on drugs in “Echoes” and revealing more about the character in “Spy in the House of Love”), Enver Gjokaj (good in everything he did), Harry Lennix (appropriately weary and stoic), Fran Kranz (yes, Topher is annoying, like a smarter, caffeinated Andrew from Buffy, but he was written that way and he delivered), Reed Diamond, Mark Sheppard (not given much to do) and of course, Amy Acker, who brings immeasurable depth to everything she does.

Lord knows I love me some Dushku. She was great as Faith, is hot as the surface of the sun, and is, by all account, a great person to boot (her recent trips to Africa, for example). She's smart, funny, ambitious and self-effacing in interviews and on commentaries. But I’m not sure she has the chops to pull off such a multifaceted and constantly changing role and inhabit it fully and believably (losing all traces of the “tough Southie broad.”) I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt, and hope she improves in S2.

Also, though I enjoyed Helo on BSG, Tahmoh was terrible here. I’m sure some of that was the fact that Paul Ballard was written as one of the stupidest characters on TV (Jason Stackhouse notwithstanding. At least Jason is funny).

There’s a lot of potential here, and the questions the show asks – what exactly are we? What is a “soul?” What makes a personality? What’s the morality of programming and renting people? -- are interesting and worth exploring in a weekly high concept drama. Whedon and company didn’t get a handle on it until late in the game of the first season, same as with Buffy and Angel, so here’s hoping that S2 results in a similar leap in storytelling and executional quality. I’d give the whole season a solid “B -.” (First half, C- and second half, A-)

That about sums it up, no? And you bet your ass I'll be watching.

Monk: I'm as weary of the Tony Shaloub Emmy parade as anyone (though he did initially deserve the recognition), but like Adrian Monk, I can be a little OCD, and unless a show totally craps the bed which Monk was verging on, if I have the time, I'm likely to see it through. This being the final season for Monk, I'll be tuning in. I'll give them this, the writing and guesting during this last go round has markedly improved. Ted Levine is underrated and Traylor Howard is adorable.

Stargate Universe: The whole Stargate franchise is an interesting one. While they tried to tackle some big ideas on occasion (a la Trek) with SG1 and Atlantis, it was primarily a light Friday night action adventure diversion, where the heroes dispatched the bad guys with a smile and quip, usually on a planet that looked amazingly similar to a forest in Vancouver. The good thing is that they usually cast very well, and gave viewers the sci-fi equivalent of an Outback Steakhouse. You know what you're going to get, and it went down well. With Universe, they're attempting to break the mold, go a little darker and a little more realistic, and provide an entry point for new viewers unfamiliar with 15+ seasons of Daniel Jackson, Rodney McKay, Samantha Cater and mythology based aliens masquerading as "gods." Will it work? I don't know, but from everything I've seen, they are putting their best foot forward, and having Robert Carlyle as the lead certainly helps establish their quality bona fides.

Numbers: Something I've added to the bedroom TiVo as another enjoyable, funky concept (use math to solve crimes!) procedural. If you're not watching yet, there's probably no need to.

Psych: About to wrap up for the season, to make way for another USA new series, but always fun. How can you not love a show about a fake crime solving psychic that displays such an unabashed love for everything 80s pop culture? Leads James Roday and Dule Hill have unbelievable chemistry, and the rest of the ensemble is solid (and Maggie Lawson is cute as a button). The mysteries, like with Monk, are no great shakes, but the laughs are found in the execution, which offers far more hits than misses.

Sanctuary: This show started as a web only, totally greenscreen/CGI limited series about a mysterious scientist who seeks to assist and study paranormal creatures. The first season, to be honest, was a bit of a snore, picking up toward the end of its run with a deepening mythology and sharper character work. I'll give it another chance, if for nothing else than the boundless charms of lead Amanda Tapping (late of the Stargate franchise). If you've ever seen her in interviews or listened to one of her DVD commentaries, you'll fall hopelessly in love with her. She's hot, smart, funny, sweet as a fresh from the oven cookie and overwhelmingly appreciative of fans.

White Collar: This is USA's latest character based show, about a master thief recruited by the government to help them solve crimes. Track record plays an important role here, as USA has done a fantastic job developing new shows, from the mildly entertaining (Monk, In Plain Sight) to the terrifically executed and must watch (Burn Notice, Psych and even the sadly little watched American adaptation of Touching Evil, which also featured Jeffrey Donovan). Only Royal Pains, which was a ratings success, has felt flat to me. So I'll check out White Collar, which has a good premise and an intriguing cast (Matt Bomer, Tim Dekay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson and recently added cast regular Natalie Morales, late of last year's Best. Damned. New. Show. The Middleman).

TV Quickies

USA's In Plain Sight is a mildly entertaining diversion, but the best reason to watch that show continues to be the droll wit of Fred Weller's Marshall Mann sidekick. Oh, and the show's creator is leaving after this season, and doesn't sound exactly happy about it. At least he's taking Jinx with him.

Speaking of mildly entertaining summer diversions, I like the cast of Leverage, but can't for the life of me figure out Beth Riesgraf. She's either one of the worst actors on television who can't facially convey normal human emotions in any scene she's in, particularly when she's not the center of focus, OR she's absolutely brilliant, giving her somewhat mysterious and off kilter character perplexing line readings and throwing exaggeratedly muggy (and adorable) expressions from her visage.

The Dollhouse DVD is fantastic. "Epitaph One" is truly the mind-blowing revelation you've heard about, and pulls brilliant, heartbreaking performances out of everyone involved (especially Topher!). And the original pilot is much, much better than the aired pilot, with 100% less head-scratching hostage negotiation. The special features are entertaining, and similar to what you've seen on other Whedon discs. (I hope to catch the commentaries later this week).

I had a coupon for a free movie on DirecTV on demand, and used it on the third Underworld movie. If you're going to watch a silly, blue tinted movie about the emancipation of werewolves, it certainly helps to have thespians Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy around to chew scenery and class up the place a bit. (Pouty Rhona Mitra as an undead kickass princess doesn't hurt, either).

The Burn Notice finale was great, though I did think they wasted too much time this season with the woefully miscast Moon Bloodgood as Det. Paxson. Some online reaction was surprising, in that people complained (SPOILER) that Michael shot Strickler "in cold blood." First, Strickler had a gun on him, so it wasn't exactly "cold blood," and second, I was glad that Michael took direct action against a rather unsavory character. Too often on Burn Notice, the bad guys wind up arrested or humiliated or driven out of town. I think that someone with Michael's background wouldn't hesitate to put someone down if they needed putting down, unless the act itself interfered with completion of the mission or hampered his long term plans. And while he was killing things that needed killing, he could have shot all the Irish accents that came out of a community theatre production of Darby O'Gill and the Little People.

Similarly, I've been catching up on Bruce Campbell's one season cult classic Brisco County Jr., which is a trippy Wild Wild West like show combining frontier adventure with dollops of sci-fi (it was co-created by Lost EP Carlton Cuse, if that tells you something). It's a fun show, particularly for fans of The Chin, but I think at the time it might have played things for the kids too much, since hardly anyone ever gets shot - on a show full of bounty hunters and quick-drawing gunslingers.

I also decided to pick up some reruns of Sons of Anarchy on FX, and after the first two eps, I have to say it's quite intriguing. Don't know why I missed this first time around, but it shows quite a bit of promise.

Speaking of FX, I think I've mentioned this before, but I blazed through the entire series run of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and it's got to be one of subversively funniest things I've ever seen. It's absolutely, gloriously politically incorrect, and for that, I love its shriveled, dark heart.

Warehouse 13, SyFy's new (Bones + X-Files / The Librarian x Friday the 13th: The Series) show, gets better each and every week. It's really well cast and a lot of fun, though the writing (and plot machinations) could use some tightening.

So, Paula Abdul is off American Idol. To which I say, thank Zeus. Look, the other two chair fillers to Simon's right are just as inept. Randy is a self-absorbed ("Did you know I worked with Mariah, dawg? And I toured with Journey?") fountain of idiotic catch phrases ("for me, for you" "molten hot" "work it out" "aiight" "dawg") that doesn't do a think to elevate the contestant critiques. Given her background in the industry and CV, I had hopes for Kara. But whether it was her role as the "fourth wheel" on a panel that tended to drone on already (when it wasn't interrupted by witless audience reaction, wasting even more time in already overstuffed shows), the criminally incompetent directing and production that actually reduced the meaningful content of the shows (the singing) while allowing it to consistently bloat beyond all reason and fuck with DVRs all across America, or her own cosmic gift for malaprops (Studio 57, for example) and incoherence ("early" Aerosmith and "artistry"), she didn't exactly make a great first impression. Still, given a choice of whom to boot among Kara, Randy and Paula, I would have given Paula the pink slip. The former have more "credibility" on their actual resumes than Paula, a performer never known for her "vocals" (or production or songwriting) anyway. And I prefer my entertainment scripted if I want to watch someone strung out on pills (Greg House), verbally incomprehensible (Tracy Jordan) or endearingly supportive (Hurley). Personally, I would have wiped out all the judges sans Simon and started over, but hopefully, given the contract situations, that can be taken care of after next season. (Kara had a one year option picked up, and Randy is signed through next year). Almost anyone would be better. What about Elton John? Jody Watley? Susanna Hoffs? Or my personal choice, Harry Connick Jr. (mentioned back in a 2008 "how to fix Idol" post, along with some other fixes for common Idol problems). Initially the silver lining (inside of the gold lining of 86ing the less intellectually gifted half of the duo who sang "Opposites Attract") in all this was that we'd be back to a somewhat more streamlined panel of three, instead of the performance eradicating blight and bloat of four that submarined much of this last season. However, the producers have stated that they plan to press on with four judges in a yet to be determined fashion, whether it be with a permanent replacement or rotating guest judges (such as they're doing early on with Posh Spice and Katy Perry). Sigh.

Frakkin' good news for Dollhouse

With season 2 of Dollhouse starting production, and the recent Comic-con panel, lots of tidbits are spilling forth:

• The criminally underused Alexis Denisof (Wesley!) will be joining the show for several episodes.
• Amy Acker, who was cast in the new ABC production Happy Town, will still be appearing on Dollhouse for 3 episodes or so.
• Joss is talking about Summer Glau also making appearance, but nothing is final on that front yet.
• We'll see more snippets of Felicia Day, who appeared in the "lost" 13th episode, the stellar and haunting "Epitaph One."
• For a good interview with (versatile actors and bane of spellcheckers) Enver Gjokaj and Dichen Lachman, check out this Mo Ryan video from a recent TCA set visit.
  

Missing Battlestar Galactica? Well, we already have Helo as a regular on Dollhouse (and Romo Lampkin popping up occasionally, too). But Apollo and Saul Motherfucking Tigh are also making a visit. Jamie Bamber will guest on the first episode of the season, and word just broke that the incredible Michael Hogan will now guest on the second episode. Awesome, no?

Speaking of BSG, that show was named "Program of the Year" by the Television Critics Association last night. So Say We All.

Dollhouse sneak peek

The Dollhouse season 1 DVD (I love saying "season 1" and not "entire canceled series") will be shipping later this month, and it contains the never aired episode "Epitaph One."

It was produced for the DVD release to fulfill production commitments, and not originally intended to air on FOX, so no one has yet seen it (though it will get an airing at the upcoming Comic-Con). For the shows I care about, I've tried to avoid spoilers, but some of the particulars about "Epitaph One" have made their way into the geek infostream, and I've absorbed some (turn away now if you don't want to know ANYTHING about the episode) of the basics: the lovely and talented Felicia Day is a guest star, and the episode takes place in a somewhat dystopian future. Most of the regulars will appear in some fashion, and it was directed by Joss and written by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen (from a story by Joss).

Today, a sneak peek found its way into the wild, and I have to say I'm.....intrigued. It doesn't give away much of the plot, but does provide a glimpse of a character that seems a little different from when we last saw them. Hmmmm. If you want to peep it for yourself, I think you can see it here.

Emmy Shortlist: Drama Supporting Actors

TNRLM Shortlist: Supporting Actress/Drama

Hope Davis, In Treatment: Davis took a character that on the surface - baby crazy, daddy issues, aggressive mood swings, inappropriately flirtatious – could have been an annoying cliché, and turned Mia into a mesmerizing foil for Paul. She was sexy, demanding, vulnerable and electric and totally believable.

Allison Pill, In Treatment: In Treatment has been a showcase for young actresses that I wasn’t that familiar with: last year, it was Mia Wasikowska and this year, it was Allison Pill. Pill was riveting as the cancer patient reticent to pursue medical treatment, and her sessions on Paul’s couch were as honest as they were showstopping.

Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost: Juliet has long been my favorite female character on the show, and Mitchell, despite how they wrote her character in the last hour of the season, was outstanding throughout the trek back to 1977. Mitchell and Josh Holloway made the audience totally invest in the Sawyer/Juliet pairing, and Mitchell is a master of conveying a lot with a little. The Dharma times were good, but her scenes at the drilling shaft in “The Incident” were heartbreaking.

Annie Wersching, 24: It’s hard to be the “sidekick” on 24, because you’re probably going to wind up dead or a mole. Agent Walker turned out to be neither of those, and we were the better for it. Wersching brought a touch of sass and emotional depth to the role, and helped frame Jack Bauer’s humanity and struggles to do the right thing.



Dianne Wiest, In Treatment: Wiest was fantastic as Paul’s friend/therapist Gina this season, and her character had her hands full as Paul dealt with a lawsuit, familial troubles and crises of professional faith.


Olivia Williams, Dollhouse: Adelle DeWitt could have been a Machiavellian, clichéd icy Brit (and at first, she was), but as the layers of the Dollhouse were peeled back, so too were the layers of the character. DeWitt showed us additional colors in two episodes (the one where she and Topher were under the effects of a drug that caused them to “loosen up,” where she was hilarious, and the one where we learned about her personal uses for Victor), and Williams knocked those out of the park.

TNRLM Shortlist: Supporting Actor/Drama

Jeremy Davies, Lost: Nobody was more crucial to Lost’s time trippy fifth season than Daniel Faraday, and Davies imbued the doomed, damaged scientist with a tragic nobility. If his scenes with Charlotte didn’t bring tears to your eyes, you don’t have a heart, and his note perfect acting grounded the loopier plot elements.


Michael Emerson, Lost: Originally intended to be nothing more than a guest for 3 or 4 episodes, Emerson turned Benjamin Linus into a must watch linchpin for the entire series. With his dry line readings and unique spin on the material, Emerson is fascinating to watch, and nobody makes persistent prevarication this entertaining.


Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica: Since donning the patch after the exodus from New Caprica, Hogan has done more with one eye than most actors do with their entire faces. In the final season, Saul Tigh dealt with the nature of his Cylon heritage, the loss of a child and the reappearance of his long lost true love, and Hogan was stellar.


John Mahoney, In Treatment: Mahoney’s Walter was one of the more difficult patients on the couch this year, and watching Mahoney and Byrne go toe to toe through the character’s arc was a delight.



John Noble, Fringe: Was there another character on a drama this year more fun to watch? Walter Bishop was indeed the stereotypical mad scientist, but Noble gave him more than just a childlike id and wonderment and obsession with cows and snacks. He also showed us a man struggling with his sanity and tenuous grasp on reality, and living with the ramifications of the things he believes he’s done.

Terry O'Quinn, Lost: Few things on TV this year were more heartbreaking than Locke’s “final moments” in that run down apartment in “The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham. No matter what the producers ask him to do, O’Quinn always delivers, and his “reappearance” in the final episodes of the season as a more confident, motivated John Locke was no exception.

Jon Scurti, Rescue Me: The show has come back with a vengeance this season, and Scurti continues to shine as the funniest member of the crew. Nobody on the show is better with a joke, but we also saw different sides of Lou as he dealt with his memories of 911 with the French reporter, and in what should be his Emmy highlight reel, castigated Tommy for his ongoing self-absorption.

Season Finale Haiku

Chuck
"Guys. I know kung fu!"
Happily, not the last words,
We will hear Chuck say.

Lost
Not all black and white.
Lots of secrets to Un-Locke.
Kate still fucks it up.

Bones
What the hell was that?
Babies, brain tumors and sex?
I want amnesia.

How I Met Your Mother
Mom is in the class?
Don't care since we have Barney,
Robin and Aldrins.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Goodbye, smart sci-fi.
Loved the cast, and this John C,
Won't scream at DP.

American Idol
"Golden Idols" suck,
Homophobia clouds vote,
Kara fun at last.

House
Hallucination?
Only good cuz of Cutthroat.
Hugh still awesome, though.

Dollhouse
Wash is a badass.
Love for Adelle knows no bounds.
Bring on season 2.

Battlestar Galactica
All just chess pieces,
Cuz god did it all along.
Where did Starbuck go?

Fringe
Dimension doorway,
Hey look! It's Spock! Walter rocks.
Peter spry for dead.

Desperate Housewives
Please, Dave, kill Susan.
Did anything fun happen?
Why do I still watch?

The Office
God no! Not babies!
Always kills a show for me.
Picnics are awkward.

Supernatural
Heaven has cold beer.
And burgers. Angels are dicks.
Ruby can't act. Bye!

24
Kim and no cougar.
Red is hot and goes Jack-side.
Quiet end. Good day.

Heroes
More lame upon lame.
Put B. Fuller on GOOD show.
Cast can't save plotting.

I'll take potpourri for $6,100, Alex

Good Saturday morning everyone. Grab some java and settle in for a fun grab bag of links and miscellany!

Does anyone know where I can buy some good old fashioned lye? I need to bleach my eyeballs.

In which people refer to Jesus, and yet prove, by their very existence and notoriety, that he can't possibly exist as a figure who has mankind's best interests in mind (from EW):

ABC unveils some fun looking new promos for the fall television season. (Will Jack kill everyone on Wisteria Lane because he misses Kate?)

Speaking of Lost, this t-shirt TV Guide's Matt Mittovich is wearing sums up my feelings quite well:

The 11 Worst College Football Coaching Performances of the 21st Century.

Empire magazine looks at the Best and Worst eppys of each Trek series.

Extensive look (with clips!) of the Best and Worst death scenes from movies.

9 Resons why Dollhouse Season Two is a good thing.

The Daily Beast looks at 14 TV shows they want back.

i09 chats with Supernatural producer/writer Sera Gamble about whether the show, recently focused on an apocalyptic struggle between angels, demons and Lucifer, works for atheists. (Speaking as one, yeah, it does).

Between Lost, Terminator and Trek, there's a whole lotta time travel going on in pop fiction lately. Here's a scientific "primer." Also, Discover Magazine offers "rules" for time travel. How Stuff Works also has some goodies on time travel.

TWOP's Best and Worst of season finales.

Mike Vick to Seattle? Uh, don't think so. But wasn't Jim Mora Vick's coach - and supporter - in Atlanta? Seems he was a little disingenuous about his belief in the dog murdering QB back in the day. Yeah, thanks for that Jim.

Captain Kirk, NOOOOOOO! You're better off making out with a Horta. (although, add a "w" and it's about the same)

Dark UFO has started their season ending polls on all things Lost. Interesting and fun results.

Televisionary reviews (with spoilers, so beware) the pilot of V. Can't frakkin' wait for this to air.

Are these the 10 worst team names?

TV Crunch lists the 25 worst sitcoms ever.

Also, the 25 worst dramas ever. (Not sure I agree with all their choices, and surely there are some more fitting candidates, but I like their venom for the do-goody schmaltz).

LA Times chats with Dan Aykroyd about a potential Ghostbusters 3, with a younger generation picking up the proton packs. Both Eliza Dushku and Alyssa Milano are referenced (though both later denied any knowledge of it via twitter). If they're looking for a younger cast, how about:

• Alan Tudyk
• John Krasinski
• Craig Robinson
• Ryan Reynolds
• Alyson Hannigan
• Anne Hathaway

Any other suggestions?

Oh, professional athletes, how I love your fauxpieocity (faux + piety + hypocricy). Check out this awesome commentary from Deadspin about Dwight Howard:

Dwight Howard. Congratulations to the Magic center for securing himself a solid spot in the alpha dog upper echelon of NBA superstars: His obligatory cash advances from fake-nutritious colored water products are already on the way, I'm sure. Howard's one of those guys who is difficult to figure out. On one hand, he makes a big show of being a devout Christian — going so far as claiming he only listens to gospel music, which I highly, highly doubt — and on the other, he had a baby with a team dancer (seriously, a team dancer) and leaves tickets for porn stars. I have no specific problem with this, of course — who would?! — but when the spotlight focuses on him a little more, you wonder if roaches might sneak around when someone flips the switch. But man, I hope not. Considering the Magic are likely to be down 3-0 by the time the next one of these columns run, I won't stick around long enough to find out, I promise.

A fantastic look at the "moebius" theory of time travel on Lost.

Joss's comments on the Dollhouse renewal.

Trek scribes talk address some of the issues surrounding the plot. Also, they have a nice Q&A with fans at TrekMovie. And they also had a part 2.

Thursday Traffic Jam and Dollhouse Pickup

Fellow TV Junkies, this is the week when the networks present their "upfronts," outlining their schedules for advertisers. While the schedules often change (FOX is notorious for saying something will be in one slot, only to change it later), it's notable for what shows are actually picked up and which shows aren't.

Geeks (like me) got a lot of great news this weekend, what with Chuck and Dollhouse both picked up for 13 episodes (albeit with reduced budgets). Better Off Ted, a very funny and underrated sitcom, also got a pick up. The sad news is that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, has been terminated.

The Dollhouse pick up, while rewarding, was a bit perplexing, given ratings as skimpy as Eliza Dushku's costumes. From what I've read, the primary reasons seem to be:

• "Bet on creativity with Joss," according to FOX president Kevin Reilly.
• DH is produced by Fox Studios, a sister company of the broadcast network. Therefore, all ancillary revenues (such as DVD purchases, like yours truly already pre-ordered) stay "in the family."
• Whedon fans are incredibly motivated, and did their job with tweets, DVD purchases, phone calls, emails and their usual support.
• DH had very strong "outside the Nielsen" numbers (DVR, Hulu, Online, iTunes, etc.), and networks are increasingly taking these into consideration (though they're still decidedly "soft" metrics at this stage of an evolving landscape).
• Financial concessions from Joss and the production studio on the budget.

Will the raw viewing numbers increase next year? Time will tell. DH will be back on Fridays at night, with a sketchy leadin of two sitcoms.

Also, as the "official" schedule has been released (check out a grid here), it looks like the ultra competitive Thursday night has gotten even worse. On Thursdays at 9 PM EST, I watch:

1. Supernatural
2. CSI: Original Recipe
3. The Office / 30 Rock
4. Fringe (now moved here)

Damn. For some reason, I've wound up with 2 west coast feeds on DirecTV (ABC and CBS), so I usually timeshift CSI to a later airing. Even with dual tuners, that still forces a Sophie's Choice at 9. I'll probably move the NBC comedies to the bedroom TV, as both Supernatural and Fringe deserve the "big TV" treatment. (That's not even counting potential overlap with Burn Notice, which might have part of the season stretch into the network time. At least USA shows multiple repeats).

More TV fun to come this week, I'm sure.

I'll take potpourri for $6,000, Alex

The Lost finale is still cooking my noodle, and I'll have more on that next week. However, here's an overstuffed basket of potpourri for your Saturday morning enjoyment:

Need a quick way to identify which Trek movie you're watching? Here's a handy chart.

How does Spock's mom stay so young looking? Big gulps of water, apparently. (Plus, any chance to indulge my lifelong crush on Winona Ryder is always welcome).

How big is the new Enterprise? Pretty fucking big.

i09's 5 favorite Trek ripoffs (and you really have to click the video for the "Phoenix 5.")

Here's a great podcast about movie scores. You'll find at the top of the list a episode about the music of Trek. Good stuff.

More Trek! Here's the wallpaper on my CrackBerry:

io9 has compiled a great collection of Trek Top 10 lists.

More Trek goodies, including a trivia quiz administered by "Q." (Yeah, I scored 20 out of 20).

Great set of annotations to the new Trek movie.

Can you tell that I FLOVED the new Trek film? Okay, on to other things...

This is AWESOME. The "world's three best visual illusions."

Flat screen TV's are now an apparent danger to children. Here's a solution: keep your fucking kids away from the TV. Here's another: get your priorities in line. TVs are much more important; don't spawn in the first place.

One man's take on why Fringe is attracting more viewers than Dollhouse.

Speaking of Fringe, how about that fantastic finale? Here's a closeup of a newspaper from the other dimension. JFK is still alive! (Does Oliver Stone have no career in this other dimension?) Len Bias still alive, and leading the Celts to a title! Stock market closed! White House rebuilt!

Michael Emerson chats with the AV Club.

Joss Whedon's "7 Things I Love About Sci-Fi."

io9 posits that Dollhouse is Joss's "greatest work." (I don't agree, but it's an interesting read nonetheless).

The gorgeous Juliet Landau talks about writing Drusilla for the Buffy comics.

Nathan Fillion Q&A with EW about Castle (which also got renewed, along with Better Off Ted. Yippee!). More Nathan here.

An oldie but a goodie from PJ O'Rourke, "I agree with me."

This cracks me up: the "history of everything" in timeline form. Which option makes more sense?

Asteroids couldn't have killed the dinosaurs. Wait, all this happened in 6,000 years?

Oh yeah. Marriage equality leads to bestiality, pedophilia and polygamy. Keep talking, Pat. It makes everyone else look smarter.

Thoughts on Joss's script for Alien Resurrection, and what happened as it was translated by the director.

Nice Interview with Jim Beaver, from Supernatural. (And damn, was I glad Bobby lived through that kickass finale).

Wizard Universe lists the "TV Greatest Sci-Fi Shows Ever."

How cool is this? The Tarantino Mixtape:

The Tarantino Mixtape from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

Today in Idiocy: I watch the Weather Channel occasionally, but didn't realize there was a type of "wind" that would only blow in the direction of nipples, while leaving the hair unmoved.

Quickies

Short takes:

Last week's Lost was a great "set up" eppy for the season finale tomorrow. (Although I wish someone would explain the "origin" of the compass, that seems to be caught in a time loop paradox). I'm completely unspoiled, and have no idea what to expect.

Dollhouse finished STRONG, creatively, although the ratings were down again. I have no faith in Nielsen viewers. If this is it for the show (and I hope it isn't), at least it went out firing on all cylinders.

The new Star Trek movie is all that it's purported to be, and then some. Simply amazing. It gets by on casting, acting, characterization, momentum, score, direction and effects, despite some plot holes you could fly V'Ger through. I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Speaking of which, I fell prey to the "FauxMax" charade. (See more about this from Aziz Ansari here). Was the sound and picture quality outstanding? Yeah. But the screen was about the same size as a "regular" screen. Fortunately, I didn't pay the full ride for the ticket, but I have to admit, I was disappointed once I saw the size of the screen in my supposed "Imax" theatre. I saw various Matrix and LOTR flicks back in GA on a huge Imax set up, and there was no comparison with what I just witnessed. Sad.

Why aren't Better Off Ted and Party Down getting more attention? Damn, these are funny shows.

I'll take potpourri for $5,900, Alex

Happy Birthday, Christina Hendricks!

109 has a look at sci-fi time loops.

Wil Wheaton remembers the Atari. God, I loved that machine. I tried a few times to get into a Nintendo, Sega or X-Box, but there are just too many damned buttons. Joystick and red button, and blow shit up. That's the ticket.

Banning comic sans, the ugliest and most overused font EVER.

Has Chuck been saved? Hey, I bought my $5 footlong! More Chuck, please!

Gillian Anderson on Doctor Who? Swoon.

Swine Flu panic? Let the movies show you how to handle it.

Lostpedia interviews Darlton.

A Lost "in memoriam."

Favorite TV hangouts.

Holier than thou gasbag Sean Hannity calls Kim Kardashian a "role model" for girls. A. I don't think he does much research, and B. when his daughter is getting fucked on camera for a porn tape, maybe he might want to revisit that statement.

Galactica Sitrep found these odd little videos, with animated characters bitching about BSG to a clown standing for Ron Moore.

If this is the case, I should be the least lonely person alive.

E! talks to Dollhouse's Topher.

Paleyfest report on Fringe.

Fake tits, "real" marriage and empty heads.

Anna Faris will start in a new comedy about that age old relationship irritant: What's Your Number? Apparently, her character sets a limit on the number of dudes she can bang in her lifetime: 20. If one of my exes had done that, she'd have hung up her panties during recess.

Speaking of which, I find it odd that this headline was from Columbus Ohio.

Yep, that's my home state. Forget the fish, bread and eternal life. Nothing says benevolent mythological deity like an affordable Korean car.

Like a lot of sci-fi fans, I enjoyed Ender's Game. But the author is a whackjob, and just joined the NOM, to "declare war on the government" if they recognize marriage equality. I guess giant space insects are bigots, too.

Another good interview with Darlton, from Variety.

Televisionary talks with Caprica showrunner (and writer of Friday's AWESOME Dollhouse ep, "Briar Rose") Jane Espenson. BTW, I saw Caprica on DVD, and it was terrific. Highly recommended.

Atlanta sports fans rejoice. Our long national nightmare is over: Terence Moore leaves the AJC. (Typical column: bad owners, race, Aaron, Braves suck, race, bad sentence, race, Big Red Machine, race. Oh, and race).

Good look at UGA from Tony Barnhart.

The 5 Hardest Things to do in Acting. I guess "read dialogue in a George Lucas movie" or "convey emotion in a Michael Bay movie" just missed the cut.

Bubble Watch

It's that time of the year when TV show renewals are in the air, and that brings the dreaded "bubble watch."

Because the great unwashed masses are generally too dumb or inattentive to appreciate quality work, or because of the limited broad appeal of genre fare, many of the shows I wind up loving often face the damned bubble. Fortunately, some of my most loved shows are already guaranteed (or almost a lock for) a place on the schedule next year, such as Lost, Supernatural, Fringe and Big Bang Theory (among 50+ others with a place of honor among my Season Passes). Others aren't so lucky:

How it would hurt if these shows were cancelled:

Gaping, sucking chest wound; punctured eyeballs; followed by being set on fire:

• Chuck (The most charming show on TV. A little bit of everything: espionage, laughs, romance, intrigue, action. Go buy a Subway sub on Monday!)
• Dollhouse (Like most of Joss's shows, this is really hitting its stride as it gets deeper into the mythology and characterizations. Been nuthin' but AWESOME since "Man on the Street.")
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Is there no room on TV for intelligent, well written sci-fi?)

Compound fracture of the tibia:

• Castle (A cut above the usual procedural with likable characters and charisma to burn).
• Reaper (wandering and amiable, but holding its own against the Idol juggernaut. The addition of Nina and Morgan has helped, Ben is a deadpan master, and Ray Wise's Devil is Emmy worthy).
• Party Down (Really funny, with distinct characters and an offbeat tone).

Vicious punch to the solar plexus:

• Better Off Ted (Why isn't this fantastical workplace sitcom, which never fails to make me laugh, getting more attention?)
• The Unusuals (Another cop show, sure, but at least it's trying something different).
• Law & Order (I've been with it from the beginning, and this current cast is fantastic and the best since the glory days).
• Lie to Me (Unique premise that's held up better than I thought it would thus far. Tim Roth and Kelli Williams are great, and Jennifer Beals showed up last night as Roth's ex-wife. Good stuff).
  

Hangover:

• Samantha Who (Yeah, it's kind of slight, but Christina Applegate is a fantastic comic actress).
• My Name is Earl (Even when it aims and misses, Earl has a great top to bottom cast who can handle anything from farce to heartwarming).

I'll take potpourri for $5,800, Alex

io9 has a good summary of "Evil Corporations." I actually have t-shirts for Blue Sun, Weyland-Yutani and Cyberdyne Systems. (I wanted to link to the video from the Angel episode "Harm's Way," with featured a Wolfram & Hart new employee orientation video, but I couldn't find it online. In it, you see that the evil law firm represents many of the companies listed here. Funny stuff).

MoMass has seen his draft stock improve lately. Good for him. I think he'll make a very good possession receiver in the NFL. (And good god, he did everything -- except make a tackle -- to keep us in that last regular season game of which we shall not speak). Several folks put him now with the Bears.

Awwwwww.

Some good behind the scenes stuff from Mo Ryan on CSI's totally geektastic episode on Thursday. And Hodges? I don't care how much you love your job, if Wendy wants you to come over to watch sci-fi, the answer is always YES.

Coverage of Dollhouse at last week's PaleyFest.

Hilarious! "Uncomfortable Plot Summaries".

Empire looks at 5 shows that should be movies. Good ideas, no?

Jane Espenson talks to AMC about Caprica. On DVD next week, right?

Brian Austin Green talks to CBR about T:TSCC. Prison Break did even worse than TSCC and Dollhouse on Friday. Good news for our favorite sci-fi shows? Or does this just mean FOX will go back to cheap reality crap there?

I was gonna complain about morons scheduling their lives around fictional characters, but then remembered that I needed to be home on a Friday night to find out what happened to Starbuck and Baltar.

TWOP's "Supporting Characters that we Hate." Randy Jackson and Mohinder. One has exquisite command of the English language and one has a "word a day" calendar that only runs for 3 weeks, yet neither says anything comprehensible. And here are their Best Sidekicks. (I think personally, Cameron and Sam & Fi would be most useful).

Den of Geek lists Top 10 English psychopaths in American movies.

A chat with Johnny Galecki of Big Bang Theory.

Chuck Lorre's title card addresses the current economic downturn. With references to Skynet and Cylons.

Awesome Toby Ng charts. And I feel better about my place in the flame.

More about HIMYM with Mo Ryan.

And now, a quick break for politics:

• I understand the frustration behind the tea parties, but the loonies turning out aren't doing the excessive taxation movement any favors.
• Anti-equality bigot Maggie Gallagher, the "brains" behind the idiotic "gathering storm" video, seems tone deaf in more ways than one. This is funny.
• National Review recently had a stupefying and intolerant editorial against equality. Several thoughts on that are here, here and here.
• Newsweek looks at the "end of Christian America."
• On the same subject, Hitchens completely dismantles some poor stammering boob.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Coach Richt is in it for the long haul. I say "huzzah."

Cinematical lists & TV Stars Who Should Be In More Movies.

Jason Whitlock speaks the truth about "The Answer."

Most quotable movies?

Forbes looks at what TV shows make the most money.

Lots of pop culture "last suppers." (h/t Pop Candy)

Quickies

The posting has been lighter than usual around these parts, because I've been in a bit of a funk, and had a lingering migraine-esque brain intrusion. But here are a few quickies:

I think that the daughter on Castle and Rory Gilmore are the only two kids (not involved with vampires) that I've ever liked on TV. And that show really is a charming and easy procedural, like Bones used to be (and occasionally still is).

Last Friday's Dollhouse was the best episode of the series, even better than "Man on the Street" two weeks ago. It figures that just as it is getting to the "must watch/I love this show" stage, FOX will put it on death row. Please Joss, go to cable next time. I'm sure all your fans know how to change the channel.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles sure ended with a bang, didn't it? I love this show, too, but the handwriting has been on the wall for some time with it, so the inevitable cancellation won't crush me. So, did John (and Weaver) wind up exactly "when" they were supposed to all along, or is this a separate, and new, branch in the timeline?

I'm more of a Marvel than DC fan (though I understand the corporate sensibilities involved with producing Big Bang Theory), but the nerds were spot on with their comic book references last night, weren't they?

It was nice to see UGA football on the television Saturday, even though it was about as exciting as standing in line at the DMV. With Cox, Gray and even Murray, I'm not worried about the QB position. Someone needs to break out at the RB position, and let's hope that we don't have another season of WR "dropsies" spreading like leprosy. And of course, as it did last year, a good deal of the season will come down to what Willie does with his talent.

That final round of The Masters was a joy to behold. Phil certainly let one get away, giving up about 4 strokes (rinsing the tee shot at 12, and missing makeable putts on 15 and 17, not even couting a bogie on 18).

I usually watch CSI: Original Recipe, but this is just can't miss:



Okay, I'll be back tomorrow with Idol thoughts. Time for some Advil and whiskey.

Dollhouse rumors set the twitterverse afire

It all started with a simple tweet, when earlier today Felicia Day indicated that the episode of Dollhouse she appears in, titled "Epitaph One," was not going to air on FOX.

Tweets and blogs went wild, and people were getting their pitchforks and torches ready to storm the network. (Again, as Browncoats might recall).

The reality is, there's nothing underhanded going on here by FOX, the TV network. (Yet). They plan to air every single episode they ordered, and the aired season finale will serve as an appropriate season finale.

But there is a more complicated situation:

20th Century Fox is the production company.
FOX is the TV network.
They are two different entities.

FOX ordered, and paid for, 13 episodes. One of those episodes was the original pilot, which Joss and TPTB decided to scrap entirely, though some of the elements filmed for that scrapped pilot (like Victor chatting with Ballard on the roof) were used in other episodes.
So that leaves 12 episodes, and all of those will air on FOX, up to the season finale, entitled "Omega."
However, 20th Century Fox ordered an additional episode for the DVD release of Dollhouse Season One, and that episode was produced. It is entitled "Epitaph One." Details on the plot are murky at this point, and I'm staying as far away from spoilers as I can, but indications are that it doesn't necessarily resolve any huge elements from the 12 eps that will have aired on FOX the TV Network. It could serve as a launching point for Season 2, should that come about, or just be a bonus ep for those of us who purchase the DVDs.
No decision has been made for Season 2 at this point, and it probably won't be until next month.

Mo Ryan has an excellent collection of links to the various reports at her blog here. In that post, she makes the exact same point that I made back in February (scroll down to see my rant about Joss working with the broadcast networks). Bottom line: The Joss we know and love does ongoing, serialized, high concept dramas that just won't deliver the mainstream audiences necessary for sustained life on broadcast networks that can cheaply put out reality crap that brings in twice as many viewers. The numbers back it up.

If Dollhouse was going to get any life for a second season, my best guess is that a move to FX would make the most sense, but I don't have any idea how the production and talent deals with Joss, Eliza and the rest of the gang work, nor do I know interested FX would be. NBC did the same type of thing with their shows and USA (USA is owned by the same parent as NBC, same as with FOX and FX); when they shared Law & Order: Criminal Intent and tried sharing summer airings of Monk and Psych. FX could make A LOT of geeks happy if they took both Sarah Connor and Dollhouse over to FX for 12 - 16 episode seasons.

That aside, as I said in my post and Ryan also urges, Joss's next move should be to cable (Showtime, HBO, FX, USA, TNT, AMC, SyFy or wherever) instead of playing the ultimately futile "numbers game" on a field that isn't titled in his favor.

Sigh.