It’s been some five years since Joss Whedon has had a series on network television.  First there was the popular and critical success, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which I and others with far more impressive cred’s continue to consider as one of the best drama series on television – ever.  Joss’s spin-off, Angel, ran successfully for some five seasons, but got into trouble once someone got the not very bright idea to make Cordelia a god of sorts.  Then there was the short-lived space western, Firefly, which Fox placed ignominiously in the attic in mid-sentence.  Joss replied with his feature film, Serenity.

Fast forward to February 2009, after hesitations and memos on the part of the network and other interested parties, Dollhouse aired its second attempt at an approved pilot.  Immersed in controversy about its alleged misogynist theme, the series did not find its mission or its proper voice until Episode 6 (Man in the Street).  It strikes me as – how shall I say it? – bad faith to imagine that, of all people, Joss Whedon would suddenly have an anti-feminist meltdown.  So I can only conclude that such reaction is simply political nervousness, fearful that the network would be deluged with protests and angry letters from viewers too lazy too stick around long enough to see what the show is trying to do.

And what is that?  At one level, Dollhouse is about offering very wealthy clients (as well as the occasional pro bono assignment) the fulfillment of their most personal fantasy – or: need, as it is sold by Adele DeWitt (Olivia Williams), the director of just one of several such Dollhouses throughout the world. That fantasy will involve the participation of a Dollhouse "Active" – a man or woman, who has "voluntarily" given up their personality for five years in exchange for a series of exciting assignments (which they won't remember anyway).  At another level, Whedon asks all the right questions about needs and desires, informed consent and coercion, slave and master, wealth and power.

As for the plot, there are three –make that, four – main arcs: the one involving the Active called "Echo" (Eliza Dushku), whose core personality cannot be completely erased and who seems to catalyze other more pliant Actives even in their dormant state.  Another follows FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) and his endless investigations into a missing person case – that would be "Caroline" (Ms. Dushku, again) and the existence of the Dollhouse itself – at this point in the plot, considered by the general public and national security agencies little more than an urban legend. 

Then there are the machinations of the particular Dollhouse that concerns us in Season One: the science team led by the maddenly endearing Topher Brink (Fran Kranz), who makes certain that memories are erased and new personalities, complete with the requisite physical and kinetic abilities, are installed for each assignment; the various Actives – in addition to Echo, we get to know Victor (Enver Gjokaj), Sierra (Dichen Lachman) and two others who shall remain anonymous so as not to spoil the fun of their outing, the scarred but caring Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) and the aforementioned Miss DeWitt.  Then there are the "handlers" who monitor their assigned actives in the field to ensure that they complete their mission and don't get into any serious trouble while doing it.  Well, it would be a pretty dull series if these guys weren't kept busy – Boyd Langton (Harry Lennix), Echo's handler, most of all.

The fourth arc involves the medical research company that funds the Dollhouses.  The fees collected from their clients pays for the research, but we are led to believe there is another agenda lurking in the wings.

So much for the story.  What about the execution?  I may be of a minority opinion but, so far, I find the concept of the series exceeds its execution.  I feel that Whedon has overestimated Eliza Dushku's talents.  The pre-2009 Eliza model may be more talented in many areas than were evident 6-10 years ago: she may be faster, prettier, and more linguistically capable, but her concentration isn't as focused and the footage of her dancing with Buffy was hotter and sexier.  Her character on BTVS and Angel was allowed to take shape over many episodes, even years, and though we would all agree she nailed Faith from the start, her writers and directors were able to take the necessary time to shepherd the actress through Faith's dissolution and eventual resurrection, so to speak.  But here, she is asked to persuade us that she is a new personality every episode, yet maintains a vague sense of a core that gradually comes to learn what she is about.  

This would be difficult for any actor, but Eliza really hasn't the acting chops for this, unlike double-lifers like Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow or Michael C. Hall as Dexter.  Other Dollhouse Actives become their characters more convincingly, especially Enver Gjokaj as Victor.  Enver doesn't get as much screen time as Eliza, but whatever new personality Victor inhabits, he is that character, and we believe that those around him accept him as such.  I often felt that Eliza was acting the part instead of owning it and so I would like to believe I would not have asked for my money back were I a client.  In a backhanded complement, I'm not sure that it serves the series very well that Olivia Williams is so mismatched to the rest of the cast.  Of the principals, she is the only serious actor among them.  Amy Acker and Enver do a journeyman job, but most everyone else seems studied and lacking spontaneity.  Alan Tudyk has the opposite problem – and we are swept along in his tour de force, even he's more than a little overwhelming.

Remember Marshall Flinkman, the tech wizard from Alias, and how Kevin Weisman's nervous bits that were at first endearing eventually became cloying and annoying?  Fran Kranz plays Topher Brink like Marshall to the third power.  My opinion: a kid in a candy store is not the sort of scientist that the likes of Adele DeWitt would trust with her store.

A quick word about Tahmoh Penikett: Agent Paul Ballard is one righteous dude, and Tahmoh plays him that way – but where did he get that walk!  It's like Paul Newman (whom he resembles, as he does Jean Paul Belmondo with a little Laurence Fishburne thrown in) crossed with the all-shoulders walking style of animé figures.