The real. Used Fox actress was Summer Glau. It feels like all of her shows would get canceled. And if a show was going to be cancelled, they would add her to the cast, and move the show to Friday evening.
Part of my vendetta against Dollhouse was that it was reportedly between that and Terminator TSCC for which they cancelled, and as far as I'm concerned they chose poorly.
Dollhouse felt like a show with unlimited potential; Echo could have been literally anybody and it could have been a different genre every week. Instead they limped into "let's make her basically a prostitute again".
I sort of agree, but then I remember a lot of people commenting at the time that it didn’t really make a whole lot of sense why someone would be hiring a doll just for something like being a bodyguard or to look after a newborn when you could far more cheaply and easily just hire a regular person for the job. It did unfortunately make some sense that the primary reason someone would have to hire a doll would be for a specific sexual fantasy
I guess the argument could be (as shown) that unlike a regular bodyguard, a doll would be given the personality of someone who experienced a specific trauma, and has the skills as well as the personal motivation to prevent the child from such harm.
I thought that was the entire point of the concept. Which is why the dolls were supposed to be blank slates for the different imprinted personalities.
Not that this always worked of course (Alpha & Echo), but that was the whole point. It wasn't just about using skilled people to fill roles. It was about using specific people with their specific set of skills, when more often than not the original human with that personality had died.
One major issue I had with it was they'd program a doll with abilities that require muscle memory to be that adept with.
They never addressed that, how they could accelerate 10,000 hours of learned muscle memory onto the dolls when needed.
Except it wasn't? It was clearly billed as science fiction. By Whedon, Fox, and even in descriptors since.
Yet the science part was completely ignored. If they'd had a wizard making the dolls do things I'd have accepted that as magic. But if they want to make science fiction they need to give me at least some handwave it away explanation.
I enjoyed Dollhouse and Terminator.
The main problem with Dollhouse is that it's one of those shows everyone said "you have to watch until episode 7, then you'll like it!"
There were only 12 episodes in season 1! Lol. I actually did like it, but I heard that a lot at that time, and I get why it was said, but I think you either liked the premise or not.
Granted, I also love Agents of Shield and I've heard so many people say "just watch until episode 17!" Lol
Well, The Dollhouse catered mostly to Rich Men. I guess one of them could've requested, "A Doll smart enough to cure Pancreatic Cancer", but that's probably asking for a lot.
(My point being) stories were hemmed in by the logical environment they existed within.
Plus, being an essentially evil corporation catering to the basest desires, gave her more credibility to rebel against.
> A doll than can cure cancer
Imagine of they could program the dolls to literally do anything like that, and they just use it for porn.
I guess that's kind of the track record for humanity as a whole.
I loved TSCC, as well as Dollhouse and Tru Calling. And they were all canceled midway thru season 2 (as was Pushing Daisies). I started feeling like a jinx to shows I liked.
Dollhouse had a huge issue in that the first few episodes are very repetitive, and the main character is “different” episode to episode.
I think the show is awesome, but I understand why so many viewers tapped out and it was canceled.
Its funny because im pretty sure that was a corporate decision too. This was still back in the day when episodic tv was the norm. Think they were forced to keep self contained stories for a while. And with the nature of the show, that would make the main character “different” each episode
Never saw Tru Calling but Dollhouse was great. It took quite a few episodes to warm up but is worth sticking with, and I liked that it was more true sci-fi than other Whedon projects.
I’d say that Tru Calling also took a few episodes to find its groove, but it was pretty fun. It feels very much like a product of its time, but that’s a pretty nostalgic era for most of us in this sub.
I thought Tru Calling was getting really good right before it was cancelled. I found it a bit cheesy and repetitive at first but the addition of Jason Priestley’s character made the premise so much more interesting imo.
Yes, there was so much promise there. Apparently that’s what they planned on doing in S2 but I wish they’d introduced Jack a bit sooner and picked up the pace a bit. Some of the earlier episodes felt like filler anyway.
Tru Calling I remember being pretty standard network TV "mystery of the week". Dollhouse stood out to me as having a proper story arc with an actual ending - although some bits were rushed, it's the only Whedon show where they were able to properly wrap up the story and tie everything up in a real ending.
I really enjoyed Dollhouse, it was a shame it finished so abruptly. Eliza Dushku and Tamoh Penikket (sp?) were a great match and I fully enjoyed seeing Tamoh again after finishing Battlestar Galactica 😊
I remember watching Dollhouse and deciding that based on that performance, I think Tahmoh Penikett would have made a really good Batman.
But I also have to give it to the show for introducing me to actors like Fran Kranz (Topher), Dichen Lachman (Sierra) and Enver Gjokaj (Victor).
I was continually astonished for years afterward at how little I saw of him after that show.
He had a bit part in Avengers, one episode on Lie to Me, he was on Agent Carter and then reprised that character on Agents of SHIELD.
Based on his performance on Dollhouse, I was expecting him to be the next big thing. That scene where they loaded him up with a copy of Topher's brain and he has a phone conversation with actual Topher? Blew my mind.
Yes! I was hoping he and Fran Kranz would get more recognition. Those two, Sierra and Amy Acker's char were the highlights imo (they were so good it was hard to care about anyone else lol).
She's also the lead in a video game
https://preview.redd.it/c5i9zglucwad1.jpeg?width=472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3e207b6802f5e353822c885a4b32576a5da0217
Played it back when it came out, loved Eliza doing the VA for it and the combat was fun as I recall. Unfortunately I rage quit the game because it had a sequence where she dives out of a plane or something and you have to dodge a bunch of debris, tried a few dozen times and couldn't get past that part. Hate those bits in Dead Space too.
I was always so disappointed that Drive was canceled as well, without even ending the show. It was a great show with Nathan Fillion and Amy Acker, but they didn’t even finish the full season
Joss Whedon wrote Dollhouse specifically about the acting industry making Eliza Dushku wear many faces and sexualising her. The irony that he was exactly the kind of creep that he wrote this show about gives the whole thing an added layer of disturbing. Eliza Dushku is such a fantastic actress, and she deserved complex roles that lasted, not repeated cancellations and rushed endings.
This. I watched the show prior to the real public allegations against him came out. He is basically the Topher character, just like he was Zander on Buffy. It's so easy to see his little man baby feelings in his male characters.
For Dollhouse, might I recommend watching the season finales together after watching the entire series? The season 1 finale and the season 2 finale go together like a movie, a glimpse of the future, and while it's interesting to watch a season, get a peek, watch a season, get a peek, it was MUCH more enjoyable to watch both seasons and then peek. 😊 Man I wish I could see it again for the first time!
I hear that! I guess since I wasn't binge- watching the first time around, there was enough time between the finales that I didn't hold on to all the details and feelings, you know? When I watched it years later with a friend, and put the finales together, we had a blast even though we took weeks between watching sessions. So maybe it depends on how you watch or how much you retain!
I like the idea of rewatching the finales back to back, but having the finales be a glimpse of that world’s future was a nice idea. Not only that, but teasing the long game that way was actually innovative for the time.
I do agree that it should have been the culmination after a few more seasons though.
I loved them both, but with all the recent accusations towards Joss, Dollhouse seems creepier. It was already somewhat creepy, but now, it just hits differently. The actors and characters are great though.
EXACTLY!!! I loved Dollhouse when it came out, but after the Joss revelations, the premise of a doll who could be programmed to be anything the client wanted had more…sinister?…undertones. I loved how Echo was a badass, but I think Sierra was treated the way that would’ve much more realistic of how a woman would’ve experienced being a doll.
Oh god I know, I still really enjoy the show and the characters, and it felt like they were always pretty clear about the inherent wrongness of taking over someone’s mind like that, but it’s going to be so weird rewatching it now after reading an article with an ex of Joss’s talking about how he would get her to role play at being a doll…
None of the stories about Whedon have any similarities to Dollhouse. He called a pregnant woman fat and cut off her storyline, he didn't sexually assault anyone.
The general misogynistic treatment of women would be the theme of his writing and his personality. He has harassed actors, treated women terribly and there are definitely stories we don't know the half of, like why it was in writing that he could not be alone in a room with (underaged) Michelle while she was starring on Buffy.
That we know of.
Remember though, there was a very strict rule on the set of Buffy that under no circumstances was Michelle Trachtenberg to EVER be alone with Joss.
After buffy ended there was so many TV shows I watched that got cancelled after 1 season it put me off watching a lot of TV after that, with streaming I at least can just wait and see what actually was successful before watching.
It’s on a lot of the free streaming sites like gomovies if you don’t mind clicking out of a few ads. That’s where I watch most of the older shows that aren’t on the main streaming platforms.
There’s a few graphic novels that accompany Dollhouse if you find yourself really enjoying the show (it’s not a whole extra season, so a deeper exploration of a few storylines). AND there’s a lot of familiar actors you’ll meet from past Mutant Enemy projects.
During the time of the series’ first season, FOX felt like the pilot was too confusing so Whedon had to create a new pilot that slowed the story (so parts of that original pilot are spread throughout the first season). The closing shot of the second to last episode of season one is actually the original closing shot of the original pilot. And as others have mentioned, the season one finale wasn’t originally aired.
You also get this show as the first one with Whedon collaborating with his half brother and sister-in-law (Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen), which strengthens some of the storytelling in the show. This duo also contributed to Dr. Horrible and are the co-creators of Agents of SHIELD. (Maurissa usually cameos in most of her projects, so you’ll see her appear towards the end of Dollhouse.)
Westworld and Severance are series that have notable echoes as well if you love Dollhouse and want to explore other morally ambiguous shows.
Echo climbs into her bed chamber with the other actives going to their respective spaces and as the door closes, Echo whispers her actual name, Caroline…
Season two of Dollhouse is superb and it kills me that the first season was what it was (a mess), the premise and execution of season two is such a big tv "what could have been" for me.
I don't know, I've read that script and it is very good but I really liked the way it played out on the air. I liked that they had a few episodes of "business as usual" before blowing the lid off of it.
When episode six comes around and you start to see what's really happening, it was pretty amazing to see it all open up.
"The third flower is green."
Watched them both at the time and bought the DVD's. I prefer Eliza in Tru calling which in turn made me appreciate Faith more (wasn't a big fan of Faith originally). Dollhouse has some hilarious episodes, I wish they had let it run a bit longer but it does have a complete story arc.
I watched Tru Calling when it originally aired and loved it, I was genuinely so upset when it got cancelled although I felt like I was the only one lol and Dollhouse was really good too
A show with Eliza and Jason Priestley shoulda been a hit with a 90’s audience. I can’t understand how they can cancel some shows so quickly once TiVo then DVR and now streaming became things. I’m sure they have some math equations in there, but some of these shows coulda become hit$ a little later on if given some time. I have no real clue about these shows specifically.
SFF was more expensive to produce at the time and the margins were far slimmer than on most other shows, hence these expensive shows need to do far better comparatively.
I think Tru Calling just took too long to find its footing and most people lost interest. Jason Priestley didn’t show up until episode 14 and that’s when things really started to get good. Imo what we got of S2 was fantastic but it was probably too late by then, ratings-wise.
I do agree that the show probably would’ve done better on the WB/CW.
That's cool so many people are saying these were great. I remember being so excited for them but couldn't get into either so I always assumed the cancelations were fair.
Tru Calling could have been better. The minor characters were quite forgettable and that show frequently has Tru receiving a call that lasts only 3 lines!!!!! As for Dollhouse, I remember during its airtime many people complained about how bad it was. Many things about the plot just didn't make sense. A lot of people just had issues with the premise. Both shows could have been a lot better.
That Interesting, I guess my assumptions weren't wrong but maybe people find nostalgia in them even tho the quality isn't there. I don't think I'll even try them again lol I don't have that pull to them.
I think the buffy fan in me just wanted more Faith. Imagine if they had done a spin off with her as the main slayer. Man this could have been a ongoing franchise!
I think the main problem with both shows is that they took too long to find their footing, so I can definitely see why people lost interest.
The first 13 episodes of Tru Calling were pretty average imo but I really enjoyed the rest. I loved the 6 episodes of S2 and was really disappointed about the cancellation.
I’m also a Dollhouse fan but they really didn’t do a great job of introducing the show. It was a bit confusing and repetitive at first, and by the time it really sucked you in most people had stopped watching. This one annoys me the most because it had so much promise and the actors were fantastic.
Dollhouse started out sort of slow and episode-of-the-week. But then it hit it’s stride and became SOOO good. And in the end they made it so all of those episodes-of-the-week were actually playing into something so much bigger and more important than we would have thought at the time, which makes the re-watch even better. One of the most criminally underrated shows EVER.
Dollhouse was one of my favourites, they had planned for 5 seasons but found out midway season 2 that they were cancelled and had to wrap everything up quickly so it feels a bit disjointed, but still one of my favourite shows!
Dollhouse was rushed and inconsistent; felt like they knew they were being cancelled from the start and kept accelerating plot points. Enver and Dichen are probably the best actors in the Whedonverse. Unfortunately, Riley 2.0 and November are much more important, and not great. The best episodes were really exceptional, but the worst ones dragged.
Tru Calling was pretty good. The acting was good across the board. It definitely got cancelled early. The plot line that was supposed to unfold in the next season sounded great.
I liked Tru Calling. I tried to get into Dollhouse and just didn’t. I need to figure out a way to rewatch my Tru Calling DVDs and maybe give Dollhouse another try.
Seen them both and they were pretty good! Tru Calling was more episodic and feel good while Dollhouse was definitely purely more grim but both had good storylines and you’d like both if you watched and liked Buffy
Really enjoyed Dollhouse I told my mom Faith was in it so she bought it for me lol, I specifically remember the episodes when she’s being hunted in the woods by some guy and the pop star being stalked, the guy stalking Rayna used to give me the heebie jeebies.
I have both seasons of Tru Calling on DVD. I read somewhere that they were to explore that maybe Jack was right about some people needing to stay dead and that they were going to uses Tru's new boyfriend Jenson as a reason why. There were going to have it be that something evil came back in his place, thus proving Jack right about people needing to stay dead. Don't know if any of it was true, but if it were true, then it would have been an interesting take.
Binged Dollhouse in 2020 and really enjoyed it. I watched a bit of Tru Calling when it aired but it didn't keep my interest. I considering binging it years later until I found out that it ends with lots of unresolved plotlines.
Dollhouse was great.
I thought Epitaph 1 was soooo good the first time I saw it, and it got me hyped when they announced the series finale was called Epitaph 2….and well…not a good finale unfortunately.
But overall, I loved the show. Well worth your time.
I loved Dollhouse and it had one of the worst network endings of any show ever.
They cancelled the show but allowed them to make a hurried two parter ending for the whole thing. But only showed part-two of the two parter on TV.
They didn't make a rushed two-parter after it was canceled.
They made Epitaph Part One to be part of the 1st season, not realizing that Fox was counting the unaired pilot as part of their 13-episode order, so Fox never aired it and it was exclusive to the DVD box set.
Dollhouse has its good moments, had great potential as a concept. Tru Calling was a bit cheesy but enjoyed it, ends on a tease for the future which is annoying.
I have the first season of Dollhouse on dvd, have had it for a LOOOOOOOONG time now. Still haven't tried watching it. I remember enjoying it when it was on.
Tru Calling was just getting really good and they pulled it mid series. It's one thing I hate about American shows, if they don't top the viewing charts they're scrapped. In the UK a show can run for 3 years before anyone discovers it.
I don't remember Tru Calling that well, I think I only actually saw it up until around the time Jason Priestly turned up before I lost touch with it in the timeslot reshuffle, but I do remember enjoying it.
Dollhouse, on the other hand, is REALLY good even if it does feel a bit rushed towards the end. It really sucks that it was canned so quickly because it really hit its stride in season 2.
I greatly enjoyed both! Dollhouse finale is something I still think about once or twice a week. The fundamental statement of when do you stop being you? If your consciousness is ‘printed’ into another body is it still you? Honestly fucks with my head.
You missed out. Let me re-watch Tru Calling, it's been years. I wish she would have done the Faith spin off, but Eliza was ready to play a different character...
I also feel like they landed on a really cool set design with the LA Dollhouse.
They used some of the same aspects as WR&H and Firefly, and created a really warm and appealing space. I imagine that it was a good space to shoot in too.
Fucking AMAZING SHOW that was canceled wayyyyyyyyy too soon.
I both want everyone to watch this while also saying do not watch it because it is very very clear it was not "done" and I will leave it at that to try so hard to not give anything even more feelings spoilers than I just did
I still haven’t watched Dollhouse, I was also hoping it would be on Disney uk. I watched Tru calling when it aired, can’t remember too much but I remember I liked it.
Keep it that way. Both suck. Tru calling is just forgettable. Noting about is engaging. Dollhouse has a the wrong actress in the lead. Eliza just can't do the Sidney Bristow clone role like at all. Amy Acker could've. As she did on Person of interest.
I enjoyed both & they were both cancelled way too soon.
They made me feel like Eliza was cursed. Great shows but boo to cancellation!
The real. Used Fox actress was Summer Glau. It feels like all of her shows would get canceled. And if a show was going to be cancelled, they would add her to the cast, and move the show to Friday evening.
Part of my vendetta against Dollhouse was that it was reportedly between that and Terminator TSCC for which they cancelled, and as far as I'm concerned they chose poorly. Dollhouse felt like a show with unlimited potential; Echo could have been literally anybody and it could have been a different genre every week. Instead they limped into "let's make her basically a prostitute again".
I sort of agree, but then I remember a lot of people commenting at the time that it didn’t really make a whole lot of sense why someone would be hiring a doll just for something like being a bodyguard or to look after a newborn when you could far more cheaply and easily just hire a regular person for the job. It did unfortunately make some sense that the primary reason someone would have to hire a doll would be for a specific sexual fantasy
I guess the argument could be (as shown) that unlike a regular bodyguard, a doll would be given the personality of someone who experienced a specific trauma, and has the skills as well as the personal motivation to prevent the child from such harm.
I thought that was the entire point of the concept. Which is why the dolls were supposed to be blank slates for the different imprinted personalities. Not that this always worked of course (Alpha & Echo), but that was the whole point. It wasn't just about using skilled people to fill roles. It was about using specific people with their specific set of skills, when more often than not the original human with that personality had died.
One major issue I had with it was they'd program a doll with abilities that require muscle memory to be that adept with. They never addressed that, how they could accelerate 10,000 hours of learned muscle memory onto the dolls when needed.
Well it is a fantasy series, I'd say it's based in the Whedonverse, not the real world.
Except it wasn't? It was clearly billed as science fiction. By Whedon, Fox, and even in descriptors since. Yet the science part was completely ignored. If they'd had a wizard making the dolls do things I'd have accepted that as magic. But if they want to make science fiction they need to give me at least some handwave it away explanation.
The show was so rapey.
It's even creepier in retrospect now
I enjoyed Dollhouse and Terminator. The main problem with Dollhouse is that it's one of those shows everyone said "you have to watch until episode 7, then you'll like it!" There were only 12 episodes in season 1! Lol. I actually did like it, but I heard that a lot at that time, and I get why it was said, but I think you either liked the premise or not. Granted, I also love Agents of Shield and I've heard so many people say "just watch until episode 17!" Lol
Well, The Dollhouse catered mostly to Rich Men. I guess one of them could've requested, "A Doll smart enough to cure Pancreatic Cancer", but that's probably asking for a lot. (My point being) stories were hemmed in by the logical environment they existed within. Plus, being an essentially evil corporation catering to the basest desires, gave her more credibility to rebel against.
> A doll than can cure cancer Imagine of they could program the dolls to literally do anything like that, and they just use it for porn. I guess that's kind of the track record for humanity as a whole.
Sarah Connor Chronicles was so good, I miss that show. Fuck Fox.
I loved TSCC, as well as Dollhouse and Tru Calling. And they were all canceled midway thru season 2 (as was Pushing Daisies). I started feeling like a jinx to shows I liked.
Pushing Daisies was an incredible show. Sadly the writer's strike was an absolute savage around that time.
I love Summer too. Maybe I’m the one who’s cursed?? Aaaaahhhhhh!
I liked both but would trade both for an actual Faith spinoff
Dollhouse drew out its plot too long. Too many monster of the week episodes. It just started to get interesting as it was cancelled.
n
nnn
Dollhouse was very good, but it was ended too hastily
Dollhouse had a huge issue in that the first few episodes are very repetitive, and the main character is “different” episode to episode. I think the show is awesome, but I understand why so many viewers tapped out and it was canceled.
Its funny because im pretty sure that was a corporate decision too. This was still back in the day when episodic tv was the norm. Think they were forced to keep self contained stories for a while. And with the nature of the show, that would make the main character “different” each episode
That's right, Whedon wanted to be more serialized right away but Fox was not exactly a forward-thinking network.
Never saw Tru Calling but Dollhouse was great. It took quite a few episodes to warm up but is worth sticking with, and I liked that it was more true sci-fi than other Whedon projects.
I’d say that Tru Calling also took a few episodes to find its groove, but it was pretty fun. It feels very much like a product of its time, but that’s a pretty nostalgic era for most of us in this sub.
I thought Tru Calling was getting really good right before it was cancelled. I found it a bit cheesy and repetitive at first but the addition of Jason Priestley’s character made the premise so much more interesting imo.
That definitely helped. I really wish the show had been able to develop him and his storyline a bit more.
Yes, there was so much promise there. Apparently that’s what they planned on doing in S2 but I wish they’d introduced Jack a bit sooner and picked up the pace a bit. Some of the earlier episodes felt like filler anyway.
I thought that looked like him!!!!!!!
Yes! He was surprisingly great as the villain. I just wasn’t expecting it after watching 90210 lmao
Hehe, is he a villain though? 😏
He's more of a foil and they were so going to kiss! We were robbed of that kiss!
Same here. I've heard good things about Tru Calling though. I keep meaning to track it down so I can check it out.
Tru Calling I remember being pretty standard network TV "mystery of the week". Dollhouse stood out to me as having a proper story arc with an actual ending - although some bits were rushed, it's the only Whedon show where they were able to properly wrap up the story and tie everything up in a real ending.
When Alan Tudyk showed up … wow.
I really enjoyed Dollhouse, it was a shame it finished so abruptly. Eliza Dushku and Tamoh Penikket (sp?) were a great match and I fully enjoyed seeing Tamoh again after finishing Battlestar Galactica 😊
I remember watching Dollhouse and deciding that based on that performance, I think Tahmoh Penikett would have made a really good Batman. But I also have to give it to the show for introducing me to actors like Fran Kranz (Topher), Dichen Lachman (Sierra) and Enver Gjokaj (Victor).
That's an interesting thought! And I agree, the actors and storylines were really good :-)
If you like Fran Kranz, I'm assuming you've seen The Cabin in the Woods
He also has a role on Supernatural.
That's good to know! I never really got into Supernatural, but maybe now I have a reason to lol
He's in s9 so it'll take awhile to get to him.
The dollhouse show was filled with talent...but that dude who played the "Russian" doll was INCREDIBLE
I was continually astonished for years afterward at how little I saw of him after that show. He had a bit part in Avengers, one episode on Lie to Me, he was on Agent Carter and then reprised that character on Agents of SHIELD. Based on his performance on Dollhouse, I was expecting him to be the next big thing. That scene where they loaded him up with a copy of Topher's brain and he has a phone conversation with actual Topher? Blew my mind.
Yessss. Love him in agent carter and shield. Seems crazy to me that he isn’t a bigger name.
He is in Resident Alien now.
Yes! I was hoping he and Fran Kranz would get more recognition. Those two, Sierra and Amy Acker's char were the highlights imo (they were so good it was hard to care about anyone else lol).
Victor!!! Victor-as-Topher is my favorite scene of the series
It's such a mind fuck in the best possible way watching Enver Gjokaj playing Topher 🤯
I loved Tru Calling and Dollhouse was excellent! To bad Tru Calling was canceled and Dollhouse was rushed to end.
She's also the lead in a video game https://preview.redd.it/c5i9zglucwad1.jpeg?width=472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3e207b6802f5e353822c885a4b32576a5da0217
She also voiced Shaundi in Saints Row 2.
I know, wish she stuck around in later ones too. Daniel Dae Kim voiced Johnny Gat and he played Gavin Park in Angel
I kind of liked that Eliza was only the voice of "Fun Shaundi."
I've had WET for years, must get round to playing it!
Played it back when it came out, loved Eliza doing the VA for it and the combat was fun as I recall. Unfortunately I rage quit the game because it had a sequence where she dives out of a plane or something and you have to dodge a bunch of debris, tried a few dozen times and couldn't get past that part. Hate those bits in Dead Space too.
Tru Calling was getting *so good* when they canceled it.
Both of them were great.. damn cancelations suck.
I was always so disappointed that Drive was canceled as well, without even ending the show. It was a great show with Nathan Fillion and Amy Acker, but they didn’t even finish the full season
Looooved Tru Calling!
I preferred it to *Dollhouse.*
Me too!
Huzzah! There were things about *Dollhouse* I found too disturbing. I never watched the 2nd season.
I remember watching Tru Calling when it was airing, it was pretty cool!
Liked the show. Loved the theme song.
Just looked up the theme song - it slaps!
Also look up Remains - it is a song recorded for the show. So good. It was on my daily playlist for months.
Joss Whedon wrote Dollhouse specifically about the acting industry making Eliza Dushku wear many faces and sexualising her. The irony that he was exactly the kind of creep that he wrote this show about gives the whole thing an added layer of disturbing. Eliza Dushku is such a fantastic actress, and she deserved complex roles that lasted, not repeated cancellations and rushed endings.
This. I watched the show prior to the real public allegations against him came out. He is basically the Topher character, just like he was Zander on Buffy. It's so easy to see his little man baby feelings in his male characters.
For Dollhouse, might I recommend watching the season finales together after watching the entire series? The season 1 finale and the season 2 finale go together like a movie, a glimpse of the future, and while it's interesting to watch a season, get a peek, watch a season, get a peek, it was MUCH more enjoyable to watch both seasons and then peek. 😊 Man I wish I could see it again for the first time!
naaaaah, strongly disagree! seeing the first season finale and then having s2 be a question of how did they get there goes SO hard
I hear that! I guess since I wasn't binge- watching the first time around, there was enough time between the finales that I didn't hold on to all the details and feelings, you know? When I watched it years later with a friend, and put the finales together, we had a blast even though we took weeks between watching sessions. So maybe it depends on how you watch or how much you retain!
I like the idea of rewatching the finales back to back, but having the finales be a glimpse of that world’s future was a nice idea. Not only that, but teasing the long game that way was actually innovative for the time. I do agree that it should have been the culmination after a few more seasons though.
I loved them both, but with all the recent accusations towards Joss, Dollhouse seems creepier. It was already somewhat creepy, but now, it just hits differently. The actors and characters are great though.
EXACTLY!!! I loved Dollhouse when it came out, but after the Joss revelations, the premise of a doll who could be programmed to be anything the client wanted had more…sinister?…undertones. I loved how Echo was a badass, but I think Sierra was treated the way that would’ve much more realistic of how a woman would’ve experienced being a doll.
Before that it didn't have sinister undertones? That's one of the main themes of the show!
Oh god I know, I still really enjoy the show and the characters, and it felt like they were always pretty clear about the inherent wrongness of taking over someone’s mind like that, but it’s going to be so weird rewatching it now after reading an article with an ex of Joss’s talking about how he would get her to role play at being a doll…
None of the stories about Whedon have any similarities to Dollhouse. He called a pregnant woman fat and cut off her storyline, he didn't sexually assault anyone.
The general misogynistic treatment of women would be the theme of his writing and his personality. He has harassed actors, treated women terribly and there are definitely stories we don't know the half of, like why it was in writing that he could not be alone in a room with (underaged) Michelle while she was starring on Buffy.
That we know of. Remember though, there was a very strict rule on the set of Buffy that under no circumstances was Michelle Trachtenberg to EVER be alone with Joss.
After buffy ended there was so many TV shows I watched that got cancelled after 1 season it put me off watching a lot of TV after that, with streaming I at least can just wait and see what actually was successful before watching.
Tru Calling isn’t streaming on any platform in the US either. I’ve wanted to watch it for years so I’m hoping one day it’ll pop up on something.
It’s on a lot of the free streaming sites like gomovies if you don’t mind clicking out of a few ads. That’s where I watch most of the older shows that aren’t on the main streaming platforms.
Okay I’ll give that a shot. Thanks 🙏
how safe is that site?
Tru calling was one of my favorites and was always so sad it was cancelled way to soon.
There’s a few graphic novels that accompany Dollhouse if you find yourself really enjoying the show (it’s not a whole extra season, so a deeper exploration of a few storylines). AND there’s a lot of familiar actors you’ll meet from past Mutant Enemy projects. During the time of the series’ first season, FOX felt like the pilot was too confusing so Whedon had to create a new pilot that slowed the story (so parts of that original pilot are spread throughout the first season). The closing shot of the second to last episode of season one is actually the original closing shot of the original pilot. And as others have mentioned, the season one finale wasn’t originally aired. You also get this show as the first one with Whedon collaborating with his half brother and sister-in-law (Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen), which strengthens some of the storytelling in the show. This duo also contributed to Dr. Horrible and are the co-creators of Agents of SHIELD. (Maurissa usually cameos in most of her projects, so you’ll see her appear towards the end of Dollhouse.) Westworld and Severance are series that have notable echoes as well if you love Dollhouse and want to explore other morally ambiguous shows.
What was the closing shot you’re referring to? I forget
Echo climbs into her bed chamber with the other actives going to their respective spaces and as the door closes, Echo whispers her actual name, Caroline…
Tru Calling is the one cancelled show in all of the cancelled shows ever I would choose to bring back if I could
I just did a Tru Calling rewatch. It still holds up in my opinion. I still need to watch Dollhouse. I haven’t gotten to it yet.
I have both seasons of dollhouse and only one😭 of tru calling and feel like they both hold up really well. Also the music in both shows is so good.
Dollhouse was cool. I should watch it again
Dollhouse was so fucking good
Season two of Dollhouse is superb and it kills me that the first season was what it was (a mess), the premise and execution of season two is such a big tv "what could have been" for me.
Fox foxed it up. The original pilot script was great. I’m sure you can find it online if you dig a little bit.
I don't know, I've read that script and it is very good but I really liked the way it played out on the air. I liked that they had a few episodes of "business as usual" before blowing the lid off of it. When episode six comes around and you start to see what's really happening, it was pretty amazing to see it all open up. "The third flower is green."
I don’t want to wait five episodes to get to amazing. I want it naur! 
Opposite for me, I like season 1 and I couldn't finish season 2
I loved Doll House. I've never seen the other show. I'll have to give it a go.
Dollhouse was great. Such a shame it got cancelled
Watched them both at the time and bought the DVD's. I prefer Eliza in Tru calling which in turn made me appreciate Faith more (wasn't a big fan of Faith originally). Dollhouse has some hilarious episodes, I wish they had let it run a bit longer but it does have a complete story arc.
I watched Tru Calling when it originally aired and loved it, I was genuinely so upset when it got cancelled although I felt like I was the only one lol and Dollhouse was really good too
A show with Eliza and Jason Priestley shoulda been a hit with a 90’s audience. I can’t understand how they can cancel some shows so quickly once TiVo then DVR and now streaming became things. I’m sure they have some math equations in there, but some of these shows coulda become hit$ a little later on if given some time. I have no real clue about these shows specifically.
I think Scifi shows just didn't have enough of an audience for fox, Both these shows would have lasted longer if they were on the wb/cw instead.
SFF was more expensive to produce at the time and the margins were far slimmer than on most other shows, hence these expensive shows need to do far better comparatively.
I think Tru Calling just took too long to find its footing and most people lost interest. Jason Priestley didn’t show up until episode 14 and that’s when things really started to get good. Imo what we got of S2 was fantastic but it was probably too late by then, ratings-wise. I do agree that the show probably would’ve done better on the WB/CW.
Dollhouse is AMAZING!! And Zach Galifianakis is INCREDIBLE in Tru Callings, I hate that now he’s just treated like a gag guy, show was so good.
That's cool so many people are saying these were great. I remember being so excited for them but couldn't get into either so I always assumed the cancelations were fair.
Tru Calling could have been better. The minor characters were quite forgettable and that show frequently has Tru receiving a call that lasts only 3 lines!!!!! As for Dollhouse, I remember during its airtime many people complained about how bad it was. Many things about the plot just didn't make sense. A lot of people just had issues with the premise. Both shows could have been a lot better.
That Interesting, I guess my assumptions weren't wrong but maybe people find nostalgia in them even tho the quality isn't there. I don't think I'll even try them again lol I don't have that pull to them. I think the buffy fan in me just wanted more Faith. Imagine if they had done a spin off with her as the main slayer. Man this could have been a ongoing franchise!
I think the main problem with both shows is that they took too long to find their footing, so I can definitely see why people lost interest. The first 13 episodes of Tru Calling were pretty average imo but I really enjoyed the rest. I loved the 6 episodes of S2 and was really disappointed about the cancellation. I’m also a Dollhouse fan but they really didn’t do a great job of introducing the show. It was a bit confusing and repetitive at first, and by the time it really sucked you in most people had stopped watching. This one annoys me the most because it had so much promise and the actors were fantastic.
If dollhouse had been given more time it would have eventually made some of the best episodes of TV with how amazing the cast was
Dollhouse - not just a Faith spin-off. It's a Faith and Fred spin-off.
I watched Tru Calling!! I remember loving it. Never got into Dollhouse though.
Tru calling I loved so much
Loved them both. I rewatch Dollhouse every few years!
Oh man True Calling was very good!
I'm actually rewatching Dollhouse right now. I really wish we got more of that show.
Dollhouse started out sort of slow and episode-of-the-week. But then it hit it’s stride and became SOOO good. And in the end they made it so all of those episodes-of-the-week were actually playing into something so much bigger and more important than we would have thought at the time, which makes the re-watch even better. One of the most criminally underrated shows EVER.
"Did I fall asleep?"
“For a little while”
Dollhouse was one of my favourites, they had planned for 5 seasons but found out midway season 2 that they were cancelled and had to wrap everything up quickly so it feels a bit disjointed, but still one of my favourite shows!
Love Eliza, really wish there would’ve been a Faith show…
Dollhouse was rushed and inconsistent; felt like they knew they were being cancelled from the start and kept accelerating plot points. Enver and Dichen are probably the best actors in the Whedonverse. Unfortunately, Riley 2.0 and November are much more important, and not great. The best episodes were really exceptional, but the worst ones dragged. Tru Calling was pretty good. The acting was good across the board. It definitely got cancelled early. The plot line that was supposed to unfold in the next season sounded great.
Dollhouse was fun and interesting Tru Calling was meh.
Tru calling was great and only just started to expand it's story when it was cancelled.
I liked Tru Calling. I tried to get into Dollhouse and just didn’t. I need to figure out a way to rewatch my Tru Calling DVDs and maybe give Dollhouse another try.
Never saw Tru Calling but Dollhouse SLAPS
Doll House had potential but they messed it up
Dollhouse is great
Tru Calling is one of my favorite shows! I was so mad when they cancelled it. There's a second season with 6 episodes as well.
Seen them both and they were pretty good! Tru Calling was more episodic and feel good while Dollhouse was definitely purely more grim but both had good storylines and you’d like both if you watched and liked Buffy
Dollhouse season 1 was great, season two bored me so fast I couldn't finish it. Haven't watched Tru Calling yet.
Really enjoyed Dollhouse I told my mom Faith was in it so she bought it for me lol, I specifically remember the episodes when she’s being hunted in the woods by some guy and the pop star being stalked, the guy stalking Rayna used to give me the heebie jeebies.
I have both seasons of Tru Calling on DVD. I read somewhere that they were to explore that maybe Jack was right about some people needing to stay dead and that they were going to uses Tru's new boyfriend Jenson as a reason why. There were going to have it be that something evil came back in his place, thus proving Jack right about people needing to stay dead. Don't know if any of it was true, but if it were true, then it would have been an interesting take.
I had such a crush on her growing up
Binged Dollhouse in 2020 and really enjoyed it. I watched a bit of Tru Calling when it aired but it didn't keep my interest. I considering binging it years later until I found out that it ends with lots of unresolved plotlines.
Both brilliant. Dushku is a great lead. She deserved more success.
Dollhouse was amazing.
Dollhouse was great. I thought Epitaph 1 was soooo good the first time I saw it, and it got me hyped when they announced the series finale was called Epitaph 2….and well…not a good finale unfortunately. But overall, I loved the show. Well worth your time.
I loved Dollhouse and it had one of the worst network endings of any show ever. They cancelled the show but allowed them to make a hurried two parter ending for the whole thing. But only showed part-two of the two parter on TV.
They didn't make a rushed two-parter after it was canceled. They made Epitaph Part One to be part of the 1st season, not realizing that Fox was counting the unaired pilot as part of their 13-episode order, so Fox never aired it and it was exclusive to the DVD box set.
I started dollhouse when I had Hulu. Really loved it
Me neither, but they are both really good!
wait til you hear what was planned for the rest of s2 of tru calling.
I saw tru calling when it first aired , it was decent .
Dollhouse has its good moments, had great potential as a concept. Tru Calling was a bit cheesy but enjoyed it, ends on a tease for the future which is annoying.
I liked Tru Calling. I haven't seen Dollhouse.
I believe you can watch it for free on the CWTV website along with many other shows.
Thank you!
I have the first season of Dollhouse on dvd, have had it for a LOOOOOOOONG time now. Still haven't tried watching it. I remember enjoying it when it was on.
Tru Calling was just getting really good and they pulled it mid series. It's one thing I hate about American shows, if they don't top the viewing charts they're scrapped. In the UK a show can run for 3 years before anyone discovers it.
Dollhouse has not aged well, especially post Whedon revelations.
In so jealous of anyone getting to watch try calling for the first time! Such great tv
I've tried to watch Dollhouse but I just couldn't get into it.
I watched some but never finished them. I wish they were streamable.
Both good shows. Dollhouse streams on the CW app in the US. Where did you get the DVDs and were they brand new or pre owned? thanks
eBay, pre-owned.
I don't remember Tru Calling that well, I think I only actually saw it up until around the time Jason Priestly turned up before I lost touch with it in the timeslot reshuffle, but I do remember enjoying it. Dollhouse, on the other hand, is REALLY good even if it does feel a bit rushed towards the end. It really sucks that it was canned so quickly because it really hit its stride in season 2.
I greatly enjoyed both! Dollhouse finale is something I still think about once or twice a week. The fundamental statement of when do you stop being you? If your consciousness is ‘printed’ into another body is it still you? Honestly fucks with my head.
Both amazing shows!
You missed out. Let me re-watch Tru Calling, it's been years. I wish she would have done the Faith spin off, but Eliza was ready to play a different character...
I loved Tru Calling!
Doll House was fun. I’ve never seen (or heard of) Tru Calling
Dollhouse is AMAZING. Tru Calling... not so much 😅
We used to watch Tru Calling with my mum. Too bad it ended when the plot got really interesting.
Doll house is fire if they didn't cancel it would've been so good
Doll house was amazing!
God a faith spin off would have been amazing. I really enjoyed dollhouse
The best episodes of Dolll House are the unaired Epitaph episodes.
I also feel like they landed on a really cool set design with the LA Dollhouse. They used some of the same aspects as WR&H and Firefly, and created a really warm and appealing space. I imagine that it was a good space to shoot in too.
Fucking AMAZING SHOW that was canceled wayyyyyyyyy too soon. I both want everyone to watch this while also saying do not watch it because it is very very clear it was not "done" and I will leave it at that to try so hard to not give anything even more feelings spoilers than I just did
Remember that the last few episodes of dollhouse were great sci Fi. Found tru calling bad guy in season 2 was naff.
I still haven’t watched Dollhouse, I was also hoping it would be on Disney uk. I watched Tru calling when it aired, can’t remember too much but I remember I liked it.
Keep it that way. Both suck. Tru calling is just forgettable. Noting about is engaging. Dollhouse has a the wrong actress in the lead. Eliza just can't do the Sidney Bristow clone role like at all. Amy Acker could've. As she did on Person of interest.
Not sure why you're being downvoted just for having your own opinion.