New Whedon TV Show starring Eliza Dushku. Dollhouse. [Archive]

Jenni Lou

01-11-07, 08:08 AM

Who's happy to have Joss (And Eliza!) back to tv? News just broke about a seven-episode order for their new series Dollhouse to air on Fox.

Ouch. Fox. They don't have a good record with either of those two. Anyway, here's the premise.

Echo (Eliza Dushku) [is] a young woman who is literally everybody's fantasy. She is one of a group of men and women who can be imprinted with personality packages, including memories, skills, language—even muscle memory—for different assignments. The assignments can be romantic, adventurous, outlandish, uplifting, sexual and/or very illegal. When not imprinted with a personality package, Echo and the others are basically mind-wiped, living like children in a futuristic dorm/lab dubbed the Dollhouse, with no memory of their assignments—or of much else. The show revolves around the childlike Echo's burgeoning self-awareness, and her desire to know who she was before, a desire that begins to seep into her various imprinted personalities and puts her in danger both in the field and in the closely monitored confines of the Dollhouse.

For more info and interviews:

Watch with Kristin (http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=972f7d73-e0a2-43ea-abad-0abf6afba1f3)
The Ausiello Report (http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Eliza-Dushku-Lures/800026169)

Sound off below!

KingofCretins

01-11-07, 08:11 AM

Thppppt... I posted before you on Other Shows ;)

But, really, this is big enough to be everywhere. I think the premise of the show sounds really cool. Eliza is getting a producer credit, which I also think is great, because both her and Joss make it sound like this is a real creative collaboration. I'm also reassured that they both think FOX really believes in the idea.

The only bad news is that apparently my dream woman is dating Brad Penny?

Jenni Lou

01-11-07, 08:12 AM

I just started new thread about this in the Jossverse forum because I wouldn't have thought to look here! Oops.

In any case, this is good news based solely on the fact that it has already been given a seven episode order without a pilot even having been shot yet! :)

Jenni Lou

01-11-07, 08:17 AM

Well, I hope that the people at FOX have realized the error of their ways. Lord knows they have never been the best at standing behind some of their series. And we all know what series I am talking about! Firefly, Tru Calling, Wonderfalls, the Inside, Drive...

Also, I do like the produder credit for Eliza. Joss + TV = good watchin'!

I also asked one of the mods to merge the two threads. I think it's better suited in Jossverse. It's why I didn't notice your thread! :D

KingofCretins

01-11-07, 08:20 AM

I thought of posting it here, but for so long "Jossverse" has meant "Buffyverse" that I didn't realize... it IS the Jossverse! Also... the Dushverse!

alexa

01-11-07, 08:59 AM

:eek: omg I just saw this on tvweek, and e etc. It's so awesome!
But yeah I'm also worried that it's airing on FOX... I just recently posted about how there are so many Joss fans in the wilderness now, that any show by him would be successful... I hope so. I must start writing to channel 7 to buy it! :hf2: Plus with Tim Minear, woot!

ciderdrinker

01-11-07, 09:05 AM

Everything, and I mean everything I could hope for - a totally new concept (cos Joss is great at creating "worlds" that are totally believable), a Buffy alum in a starring role, and my favourite writer all locked in.

This is the most amazing news I've heard in ages. Thanks guys for sharing. Lets just keep our fingers crossed that it will be successful and doesn't get pulled after just 7 eps - dunno if I could take that again!

Phoenix

01-11-07, 09:17 AM

Thats awesome, I cant wait for it!

I love Eliza, and with her working with Joss it should be amazing! This is the best news I've heard in a while :D

alexa

01-11-07, 09:19 AM

Lets just keep our fingers crossed that it will be successful and doesn't get pulled after just 7 eps - dunno if I could take that again!

Yeah me neither. I think FOX would have crazed psychotic Whedon fans attack the studios... Whedon fans gone wild.. cept without the toplessness.. probably

Veverka

01-11-07, 09:29 AM

The only bad news is that apparently my dream woman is dating Brad Penny?

Poor Dan... :1pet:

This is super shiny, as mentioned in the other thread! It sounds like Joss and Eliza have a really great connection and really share a vision, which is awesome and I find it really inspiring that this wasn't something he/they were initally pushing/selling to Fox, but something that has come up organically. It really gives me hope that it's gonna become something kick-arse.

My only (initial) concern would be that a plot like that could be too plot driven since the characters' memories are wiped each ep... but luckily, it's Joss, and I trust in his brilliance, soooo.... :drinkup:

vampmogs

01-11-07, 09:31 AM

This is wonderful news, it is amazing to see Whedonesque and the excitment there, they are already up to 190 + comments on the subject, in a matter of a few hours.

It is a little annoying that Whedon, Minear and the leading lady herself, Eliza, are all doing a project together.... but it isn't about Faith. Kind of a tease don't ya think? But owell, this could still be incredibly good!

I love the plot behind it, it will open up to all different kinds of episodes and I'm excited to see how the show turns out.

Plus Eliza in the leading role of a Whedon project.. :heart: who could ask for more...

Andrew

01-11-07, 09:33 AM

First off: YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! :D:D:D

Second: Fox? Crap.

Hopefully Fox doesn't jerk the series around like Firefly. I'm also really hoping that Channel Seven in Australia picks it up, possibly FastTracked(i.e. in sync with America). However, this seems like bad news for Ripper, Goners and even that Serenity 2 rumour going round. I'm a bit nervous about the concept, it sounds pretty good but I'm not sure where the witty Jossisms would fit in...

Nikki

01-11-07, 10:45 AM

I have merged these two threads about Dollhouse here because this is the General Jossverse section and it does belong here :)

DigitalLeonardo

01-11-07, 10:45 AM

Happy! Scared mostly though... I remember the Tru Calling season 2! 6 episodes then nothing... I would have rathered just them to cap off season 1 v.v... Oh well, maybe Fox has finally learned that Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku are fan favorites.

I like the idea of the series, and am MORE then happy to see Eliza back on the smallscreen. She looks hot in the latest Nickelback video and I can't wait to see what her producer credit will mean for the show. I am glad actors are starting to get more credit, like when the Charmed girls became producers and Lauren Graham on Gilmore Girls.

Joss and Eliza will equal a good team, in all of Joss' commentaries that had Eliza in the episode, he always said she was always giving him good ideas and they had great times together.
Plus I smell RWGS! (Random Whedonverse Guest Stars!)

Phoenix

01-11-07, 11:19 AM

^ Haha, RWGS! Exactly what i was thinking! Well not that exactly.. but the general idea :) YAY!

Cori

01-11-07, 11:21 AM

Okay I posted in the other thread but apparently my post was lost. :confused:

Anyways I just wanted to say that this is fantastic news! :D A new Joss show! :bounce: And with Eliza, one of my favourite Jossverse actresses! :bounce:

The premise does sound very interesting, very sci fi (which we know Joss does well) but also with emotions and drama behind it. I think Eliza is a versatile actress who will be able to pull off the layers required for the part of Echo (strange name btw). :)

I'm a bit worried that the show will air on Fox but at least Joss already has a 7 episode deal so at least there is not the horrible possibility of the show being cancelled after the pilot. Hopefully, the strike won't mess things up too much.

carousel_girl8

01-11-07, 11:27 AM

It sounds intriguing, I hope it does well so us British viewers get to see it too. I'm glad that Eliza has been given another show too. Very exciting!

Wolfie Gilmore

01-11-07, 12:16 PM

I'm having coniptions. Is coniptions a word? Oh my. Oh my. Oh my. I can't type anymore, I'm freaking out too much. Woot and Yayay!

Thanks for sharing, Dan!

It's spelled differently but I'm too excited to look it up!!!!! Wow!!!! I may have to go and have a lie down!

It's Joss does Manga! Wow! I am soooooooooooooooo very. Yup. Excited.

Thanks for the linky Dan.

ShinyFirefly

01-11-07, 12:57 PM

It is a little annoying that Whedon, Minear and the leading lady herself, Eliza, are all doing a project together.... but it isn't about Faith. Kind of a tease don't ya think? But owell, this could still be incredibly good!
.

I feel exactly the opposite. At least the Buffyverse as a whole got 12 seasons on TV and now canon comics. A Faith spin-off would have been nice and all, but I can't wait for something new from The Man!!

Enisy

01-11-07, 03:13 PM

Best news since Buffy Season 8. Seriously. I can't shake this huge grin off my face.

KingofCretins

01-11-07, 03:16 PM

The only caution I have about it is that I'm still *more* excited by Season 8 and I don't want Joss to let Season 8 get away from him for "Dollhouse". Especially since he's still got movie scripts circulating.

LRae12

01-11-07, 03:36 PM

Oooh, this show sounds good...thanks for the info, Dan! :)

I wouldn't worry about Joss letting S8 go, Dan...he's not JJ Abrams...:roll:

ferdy-m

01-11-07, 05:11 PM

Be still my beating heart :bounce: - reads soooo solid, a solid thang. Something completely different, except for the ineradicable jossverse elements, humanity, sci-fi, getting people, getting people waking up to what's really going on - a vulnerable woman programmed to ... okaaay, a (R)river crossing sign there, but, next question, the Big Damn Strike?

Which JW is up for, equally as he's up for going with this one, so, keep breathing, keep beating, heart :)

Arashmaharr

01-11-07, 06:22 PM

I just read this on MySpace and checked it before coming here to post and realised it already is. I'm so excited for this to be happening! Especially since it has both Joss and Eliza involved in it.

The only thing that would be better with those two could be a Faith show. I think this show sounds pretty damn awesome though. Can't wait for it happening and hopefully they get enough of it done before the big strike comes around.

basakbangel

01-11-07, 08:38 PM

This is amazing!!!! Oh my god!! JUST SUPERB!

After watching Buffy we all expect something to come out amazing. Well, I expect:D:D I'm so excited to hear that Joss is still working on something new. And a hope that Buffy's creator is still "living".

Sassy

01-11-07, 09:14 PM

:2party: :hf2: New Joss show, awesome! Sounds interesting, but it's Joss so it doesn't surpirse me. I only have one problem, Fox. They cancel too many good shows. So we're looking at Febuary if not later for it?

KingofCretins

01-11-07, 09:23 PM

February would actually be ideal. Reason is simple -- football. Baseball killed Firefly more than any malicious agenda of FOX. FOX was wrong about changing the episode order, wrong about the pilot, but they hiatus' were easy decisions -- MLB playoffs draw more ratings. NFL playoffs draw more than... well, most things. Better to have it come in February after the season is over.

All I want from FOX is a promise to advertise it with the commitment that NBC has shown its new genre start-ups, like Chuck and Bionic Woman. Like they're going to undoubtedly promote Sarah Connor Chronicles. I also hope a seven episode commitment does mean that they will be showing seven episodes *in order*.

LRae12

01-11-07, 09:35 PM

KingofCretins

01-11-07, 09:51 PM

They've committed to letting him make seven episodes, it doesn't guarantee they all air -- network can always pull a show that isn't drawing numbers.

BlasterBoy

02-11-07, 12:35 AM

Okay....wow....you're kidding, right?

This is AMAZING! :heart: :heart: :bounce: I'm so frickin' excited about this!

But, a little scared, at the same time. As you've all said, this IS FOX we're talking about. So, it could be gone within minutes :lol: But, I hope they've realized that everybody LOVES Joss and Eliza!

When will it start? Fall, next year? Or will it be a mid-season show? :s

KingofCretins

02-11-07, 01:14 AM

Leaving aside the impending work stoppage, February-ish.

ShinyFirefly

02-11-07, 01:16 AM

This might answer your question:

So, if the strike were to take place, it would delay the project...
This would delay everything. This is certainly no exception to anything. The strike has to happen. I wish it didn't, but it has to, and it has to go on for as long as it has to. When that is done, this will start and a few months after that, we will be filming. If there were no strike, we would be looking at something like February.

I don't know anything about the writer's strike myself but I guess it would affect when the show aired.

Jenni Lou

02-11-07, 04:41 AM

Sarah Connor Chronicles? Like from Terminator? Or something else...*is oblivious* I usually skip over all commercials and such so I'm never up on new shows coming out.

So is this set in stone? The show WILL have 7 eps at least?

Right, Terminator. I've seen the pilot and liked it! :) It will be premiering in midseason. There hasn't actually been much advertisement on it so it makes sense you haven't heard of it. I do have some promo pics on my site though!

I don't know what's going to go on with this writer's strike. I really hope it can be resolved before any show productions get too backed up. :( I would hate for it to essentially halt the tv season! But, of course, writers have rights so I have nothing against them! I am a Fiction Writer graduate after all! ;)

So I hope Dollhouse doesn't get backed up by the strike either.

Storm_Warning

02-11-07, 05:23 AM

NOOOOO! Fox will ruin it! They can't help themselve but ruin it. I thought Joss vowed never to work with Fox EVER again?! FOOLS!

Oh well. I'll watch it, but I've already accepted the fact that there won't be a second season and moved on.

Jenni Lou

02-11-07, 05:52 AM

Well, I think FOX has new execs now.

Although that still doesn't explain their canceling of Drive. :down:

But I agree. Out of all the networks, FOX is the worst with nurturing their new shows. Which is unfortunate since they have had some pretty good ones they just threw away. :rolleyes:

Ehlwyen

02-11-07, 06:42 AM

Fox does suck at nurturing shows but it does give opportunities to shows that other networks wouldn't dare. So it's great Fox is up for the challenge again. And truth be told, they have so few scripted shows they do put a bit more advertising into all the shows than before.

I do think Dollhouse has a better chance at gaining a following if first airing in next fall's lineup. Usually by the time spring comes around, people are less likely to get committed to a show and wrongfully believe that new shows started in that time are of inferior quality and the studio is trying to "burn off" the episodes.

I really fell in love with Eliza on Tru so I'm looking forward to seeing her again! :heart:

KingofCretins

02-11-07, 06:57 AM

As long as FOX has a contract with MLB for the playoffs, new shows on FOX in the fall are going to be facing an uphill battle for growing a new audience. I think a show like this will work better as a midseason replacement. Especially since FOX has a mega-hit in "24" that they can hopefully promote "Dollhouse" during.

I would love a clearer sense of what the premise of this show is beyond what they've given us. Like, I get that "they" can turn Echo into basically anyone for any purpose, but that could be a private company that hires out assassins and prostitutes and electricians and therapists on demand, or it could be a secret agency for whom people like Echo are the perfect undercover agents and they are essentially spies or crimefighters.

Ehlwyen

02-11-07, 07:37 AM

Midseason starting around the New Year is definitely a strong point for Fox. But I thought it said they wouldn't even start filming until February even without the strike. So it will miss that opportunity.

Usually by spring, American Idol grows weary (to me) and I give up on the channel except for my regular shows. I imagine I'm not alone in thinking American Idol has the greatest launching power when its season first starts.

But I agree MLB destroys Fox's fall season. But who can argue against those guaranteed advertising dollars. I think Fox would do well to start new shows in mid August so they can get a six week run and fanbase before MLB starts.

And that's a good question. I'm willing to bet that's one of the mysteries that Echo will have to puzzle out though. :lol:

I guess I overlooked it, but did it say if the show was supposed to be futuristic or more of a present time?

vampmogs

02-11-07, 07:39 AM

This show does seem like it is more audience friendly than Joss' previous shows. I think it probably has the best chance of succeeding since Buffy and if promoted *right* can certainly attract great ratings.

However, excuse me for my stupidity but what are the writers striking about exactly? I didn't hear about any writers strike until the news of 'Dollhouse', up until then I was clueless. Could someone fill me in?

Veverka

02-11-07, 08:41 AM

Here's a link with some answers about the strike (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071102/ap_en_tv/hollywood_labor_45) for Vampmogs and others.

Wondering though if we should start a new thread about said strike in the misc section instead, so we can all keep up with the news...?

sherrilina

02-11-07, 10:49 AM

Now, the series is set for FOX, which means we should probably all stop from getting *overly* excited since FOX already throttled "Firefly" and "Drive", but damn, it sure sounds good to know that Joss is doing something on TV again.

Tru(e) ;) (though Drive wasn't exactly brilliant--yet I think it goes to show that Tim Minear + Fox = Cancelled!), but there may be hope yet--Bones has been surviving alright so far with Boreanaz!

Sounds interesting...pretty weird, but interesting. So are they detectives/spies or whores, lol?

Will be nice to see Joss and Eliza again at least! :D

ferdy-m

02-11-07, 11:02 AM

ciderdrinker

02-11-07, 01:20 PM

That would be good. If it happens it'll be MASSIVE. Without writers, nothing happens ;)

After reading the link I have to say that I think that's the reason why they are striking!!

Can someone with more knowledge answer me a couple of questions regarding Fox and US TV in general?

What are the "golden" times to show drama shows such as Joss's shows? If you had a choice when would you air Dollhouse, so that it stood the highest chance of success? (I'm presuming that in the US the networks show certain things at certain times, when they know most people are watching - 9 and 10pm weekdays for example, just like they do in the UK) Does what is on before or after it affect it's likely success? How does the time of year it's being shown make any difference?

I ask because I see a lot of talk on this thread about playoffs and American Idol, and I don't really understand why this would affect the success/longevity of a new show such as Dollhouse, more than good advertising of a new show? Surely, if a network is willing to invest in a show then they want it to have the greatest chance of success?

As I understand it (and I could be completely wrong) in the UK, when a series is commissioned the timeslot for it has already been decided. The BBC and other channels will buy (or pay to produce) a show for a particular timeslot and that will affect how much they pay for it. So anything that's going out at 9pm on a Friday Night on Channel 4 will have been heavily invested in and widely advertised as it is that channels most watched time (thanks mostly to them putting Friends in that slot when it first started and was attracting the most viewers) but something on at 11.30pm on BBC Three will be much more likely to be cheaply made, probably cutting edge or different and not widely advertised outside of certain circles. Also, I'm not so sure that the time of year really affects it - we have season long shows on all year, although there is definately an emphasis on new stuff in the Autumn and Spring. The only difference is Christmas - when everything you love watching is put off for a few weeks to show variety shows, christmas specials and traditional christmas films but I expect that's the same in the US!

It seems to me that in the US they buy/commission shows and then decide where to put it, and that can spell the end for shows before they've even started if they're put in a terrible timeslot. I obviously don't want to see that for any new Joss show, you know because a) I want years of episodes to come and hours of DVD watching and obsessing over and b) I want the world to remember how much of a genius our Joss is and not let his Whedonship get disheartened again

sherrilina

02-11-07, 06:36 PM

I ask because I see a lot of talk on this thread about playoffs and American Idol, and I don't really understand why this would affect the success/longevity of a new show such as Dollhouse, more than good advertising of a new show? Surely, if a network is willing to invest in a show then they want it to have the greatest chance of success?

As I understand it (and I could be completely wrong) in the UK, when a series is commissioned the timeslot for it has already been decided.
Well one problem with American Idol is that it's like a virus--it spreads into other time slots, messing with the schedule, so that there will be weeks when a show that is supposed to go on at a certain time does not, to make way for extra American Idol (ugh). Bones ran into this problem all the time last year--I can't count the number of times Bones was pushed back (sometimes even at the last minute, where even after advertising that the show would return on a certain night for weeks they suddenly decide to push the return back another week for the sake of American Idiot) b/c of stupid American Idiot! So the timeslots on Fox are all subject to American Idol's whims and pleasure, since they worship that show as an idol practically--and when a show isn't regularly on b/c of interference from things like AI or baseball (which means a hiatus of several weeks), it causes viewership to drop. Plus AI usurps 2 HOURS a week in the spring--which means for example I have no idea when Bones will be moved to, since AI takes up that slot on Tuesday nights--which again, is bad for viewership when midway through the season it changes nights and times b/c of stupid AI.

So the problem is that neither the 8 pm slot on Tues. or Wed. are safe from the infection/ravages of the insatiable AI beast, and Friday would be a bad day as well (b/c no one watches). That's partly what killed Firefly....

Honestly, I have no idea which slot would be good, since there are already certain est. slots, and then there's competition from other networks...

KingofCretins

02-11-07, 06:50 PM

What I think they should do is pair it up either before or after "24". Or maybe "Bones". "Dollhouse" and "Sarah Connor Chronicles" both.

The model to use here is what NBC has done on Mondays -- put "Chuck" before, and "Journeyman" after "Heroes". Now, maybe don't do it with "24" specifically, because I don't want "Dollhouse" to be losing ratings to "Chuck" or "Journeyman", but doing something similar to give it a lead-in or lead-out audience would be a sign that FOX believes in the show.

sherrilina

02-11-07, 07:24 PM

What I think they should do is pair it up either before or after "24". Or maybe "Bones". "Dollhouse" and "Sarah Connor Chronicles" both.

Didn't 24 jump the shark last year though, essentially? And you never know, they had Drive before 24 last year and when the ratings were crappy for 24 they stupidly blamed it on Drive and cancelled it--so not necessarily a safe bet...

That is kind of one redeeming thing about AI--it could provide with a good lead-in/lead out (pre-tuning in people seeing the end of the show), though that's at th cost of all the harmful preemptings....

That'd be funny if it was paired with Bones--"Buffy alum night" ;)--but I think Bones still needs to get help from the juggernauts, rather than the other way around. That's the problem with Fox--unless something is a real ratings Juggernaut (AI, 24, now House and Prison Break), they don't show much care for the show at all....and then they cancel!

Right now I feel like Dollhouse won't make it--not to be pessimistic or say it'll be a bad show, but that's just my gut feeling--b/c it would be too good to be true if it lasted....and given Fox and it's history with Tim Minear shows...

ciderdrinker

02-11-07, 07:47 PM

Right now I feel like Dollhouse won't make it--not to be pessimistic or say it'll be a bad show, but that's just my gut feeling--b/c it would be too good to be true if it lasted....and given Fox and it's history with Tim Minear shows...

Have you seen the first couple of episodes of a show called Buffy The Vampire Slayer? That was pretty dire at first but it lasted seven seasons. There are things out there that are too good to be true. Fox must realise by now that Joss has a loyal fanbase and with the right promotion to the right sections of the TV watching public then a show from him could be huge (or is that my wishful thinking?)

After the fallout from Firefly, the websites, the conventions, the guerilla tactics that some of the browncoats showed and the show going on to be made into a reasonably financially successful movie, the Fox execs must know that a new Joss show will be taken VERY seriously by his fans. I mean look how excited we've all got and it's only been announced this week. Imagine the excitement when we start seeing promos for it (not me of course being stuck in stupid England!) It would seem monumentally stupid of the Fox execs to hit this show as many problems as Firefly got. Bear in mind that they have signed him up for 7 eps already - to me that sounds cautiously optimistic. Maybe they have learned their lessons and are willing to give it another try...

KingofCretins

02-11-07, 07:56 PM

The very fact that we, as a website titled after one of Joss' shows, on a forum named after Joss' creations, are expressing doubt about show's chances specifically because it's on FOX should be something the network thinks about.

FOX' previous treatment of its scripted genre shows, like "Firefly", like "Drive", like "Tru Calling", pretty much any of them since "The X-Files" has been so consistently awful that great fans of similar shows actually tend to stay away because they don't want to get hooked on something they know will get cancelled.

It's the point of decision for FOX, I think. If they commit to new genre entries like "Dollhouse" and "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and let them grown an audience, they could find themselves with reliable, bankable genre hits like other networks have. If they do the same crap with them as they have before, they might as well stop producing pilots of genre shows and put on more reality TV or a couple new procedurals, because genre fans won't show up anymore.

Jenni Lou

02-11-07, 08:34 PM

7
Can someone with more knowledge answer me a couple of questions regarding Fox and US TV in general?

sherillina sums it up pretty well. The problem basically lies in scheduling. The networks--all of them--will swap timelsots for shows to see if they will perform better at different slots. Moreover, FOX has sports and American Idol and what happens is that the essentially put a number of shows on the backburner, aka hiatus, while the sports/AI are running. What happens is that the shows that are put on hiatus will lose some of their audience because they won't realize it when the show does return. The bottom line is, it makes it next to impossible to help bring its scripted shows a secure fanbase simply because the shows are off the air for a number of weeks to months.

Have you seen the first couple of episodes of a show called Buffy The Vampire Slayer? That was pretty dire at first but it lasted seven seasons. There are things out there that are too good to be true.

Bear in mind that they have signed him up for 7 eps already - to me that sounds cautiously optimistic. Maybe they have learned their lessons and are willing to give it another try...

1. Sure. But Buffy was running a new network at the time and so that network was willing to invest more time in developing both the show and the fanbase. FOX never seems as willing.

2. Yes, I do think this is a good sign. On the other hand, they may be promising him those seven eps as a sign of commitment. They still reserve the right to not even air all those episodes. They yanked Wonderfalls after 4 eps and Drive after 4 or 5. So I don't know what to make of it exactly. :/

It's the point of decision for FOX, I think. If they commit to new genre entries like "Dollhouse" and "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and let them grown an audience, they could find themselves with reliable, bankable genre hits like other networks have. If they do the same crap with them as they have before, they might as well stop producing pilots of genre shows and put on more reality TV or a couple new procedurals, because genre fans won't show up anymore.

Couldn't have said it better! :)

selenspuffy

02-11-07, 09:05 PM

That's great!! I mean really:):) !! To see some people from Buffy cast with similar stuff, it sounds cool:) I hope we'll like it:) And thanks for informing us:)

skinless

02-11-07, 09:20 PM

I would Love to see this Show soon But I dont think it gonna happen for right Now as the Writer's contracts Ended on Nov 1st So Big possibility of Strike Now. But when its does Happen I will Jump for joy.

Chosen1

06-11-07, 12:06 AM

The show sounds awesome. I love Eliza! Maybe she'll have better luck with this one than she did with Tru Calling. I loved that show too.

alexa

06-11-07, 09:17 AM

The writers stike, even made headlines over here. They say the American networks have organized months of repeats and reality tv incase of the strike... so we're looking at 2+ month delay if there are no negotiations. Usually I wouldn't really care because we wait till Feb for the new seasons anyway, but this year they decided to air them at the same time as the US. Oh well. I agree with the WGA's pov, but does suck a bit.

Here's a bit of this article... little scary :p

Writers Strike - NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/media/06strike.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)
“We were on strike for five months in 1988,” Mr. Counter said. “The issues this time are more difficult and more complex.”

Mr. Counter said companies were prepared to use alternative programming like reality shows, reruns and movies to fill broadcast and cable networks during a walkout that might last, by his estimation, 9 or 10 months.

Southpaw

06-11-07, 10:05 AM

The only bad news is that apparently my dream woman is dating Brad Penny?

Yeah, its pretty disgusting. I don't know what she sees in him, of course besides the fact hes a rich professional athlete. But that doesn't change the fact that he's been "touched" by Alyssa Milano.

Its great to hear about Eliza's new show though. Hopefully everything works out with it.

http://www.e-dushku.com/gallery/albums/albums/public/her-luau-at-the-mansion-21-7-07/normal_hq009.jpg

Dark Ages

05-12-07, 02:31 PM

Well I'm very excited for our girl Eliza to be working again. I think she deserves to have a good running show since she's been screwed over with Tru Callings and Nurses. The only thing that worries me is the fact that FOX is behind Dollhouse. They have a very sorry and pathetic reputation on keeping shows that are good up and running. I really like the idea of the show and I will be watching every episode. Suporting my girl Eliza. And her boy friend is one sexy beast!!!!:roll:

vampmogs

05-12-07, 03:07 PM

KingofCretins

05-12-07, 03:30 PM

While the ratings and publicity would probably be lower, by definition, I would really love to see things like "Sci-Fi's new original series, "Dollhouse"", or even TNT's new original series "Dollhouse" (because TNT really commits to promoting promoting promoting promoting their original shows, to the result of huge ratings winners).

buffyholic

26-12-07, 04:27 PM

I am just freaking out with "Dollhouse". I mean, Joss and Eliza again? Great and the show seems very promising.

Creamy Coolness

26-12-07, 07:10 PM

I'm a bit late but I'm really glad to hear that Joss is back ! Good news for us after such a long break. The synopsis is kinda promising ! I'm eager to have more information about it :)

OkinawanSteel

07-01-08, 04:00 PM

I was thinking about Dollhouse earlier, and I just wanted to put a question to you all. Now that we know Joss is trying to distance this project from other Buffyverse actors, are there any other actors out there you'd particularly like to him and Eliza work with?

I think it would be cool if Joss got to work with some of the actors from other shows we know he's fond of, like Veronica Mars and BSG. It's kind of perfect timing for BSG as it's finishing it's last season just as Dollhouse is starting. And, really, I'm at a loss to think of anything more potentially awesome than Eliza kicking arse alongside or against Katee Sackhoff.

Wolfie Gilmore

07-01-08, 04:08 PM

buffyholic

01-02-08, 02:19 PM

When do you think Dollhouse will start? Any thoughts on that?
I hear Eliza is hard at work, preparing her character.

Phoenix

02-02-08, 02:45 AM

I guess it depends on the whole writes strike, I dont keep up to date with it so i have no idea whats going on with it.

But I hope we dont have to wait too long, this show is going to be awesome :D

KingofCretins

02-02-08, 08:01 PM

Joss told Wizard Magazine in an interview that he will begin work on "Dollhouse" the day the strike ends, and not the day before. So it's been on his mind.

He also described more clearly that Echo's story is going to focus on her growing self-awareness between missions when she's in her 'child-like' state.

vampmogs

12-02-08, 04:45 AM

Joss has just stated that 'Dollhouse' is the 'most morally grey' show he's ever done and that it may even anger some of his fans. Anyone else exicted?

scoobydoo321

14-02-08, 03:34 AM

Im so excited about this show. I'm a huge fan of both Eliza and Joss so why wouldn't I be lol. *sigh* Eliza back on my tv. Yesssss

OkinawanSteel

15-02-08, 05:58 PM

Joss has just stated that 'Dollhouse' is the 'most morally grey' show he's ever done and that it may even anger some of his fans. Anyone else exicted?

I am! I am! I love grey characters, so a show promising such greyness? Sweet as, mate.

Saw this on Whedon.info

According to the Los Angeles Times, The chairman of 20th Century Fox Television says :

"Joss Whedon is now busy writing both the pilot script and scenes for auditions for the ’Dollhouse’ Tv Series."

I'm really hoping they cast some awesome co-stars for Eliza. This is going to be an ensemble show, so they won't be able to rely on her brilliance in every scene. Other than that, my only thought is:

:2party:

Cori

16-02-08, 02:34 PM

Joss has just stated that 'Dollhouse' is the 'most morally grey' show he's ever done and that it may even anger some of his fans. Anyone else exicted?

Oooh that sounds awesome! :D Can you give a link to the Joss interview where he said that, Adam?

I love grey area characters and I always thought that Joss had a knack for writing such characters so I'm beyond excited as to what he will come up with. :2party:

vampmogs

17-02-08, 03:50 AM

Here ya go Cori :)

http://io9.com/354790/joss-whedon-wants-to-dance

sherrilina

17-02-08, 09:57 PM

Here ya go Cori :)

http://io9.com/354790/joss-whedon-wants-to-dance
Heh, of course Joss Whedon wants to dance! ("Do the dance of Joy!" :lol: ).

Hmmm, sounds more interesting, I can't wait to see it!

Phoenix

18-02-08, 03:27 AM

Thanks for that link.

Makes it more interesting now, really looking forward to this show! Eliza is perfect for the role imo, and I miss seeing her on tv :)

Paradise

18-02-08, 03:50 AM

I LOVE Eliza. I can't wait for this show. I hope Fox is smarter now. When will it air? Anyone know???

TravelingBandsman

18-02-08, 05:53 AM

this sounds like it may be good. I'll have to check it out when it starts.

KingofCretins

18-02-08, 04:27 PM

It'll either be this fall on FOX, or midseason. I hope it's on in the fall and not given a friday timeslot. Unless they are keeping Bones on Friday and put them together. The ideal timeslot, to me, is before House (not that they should steal it from Bones).

It'll be interesting to see what casting rumors get started. Michael Muhney (Sheriff Don Lamb from "Veronica Mars") publicly stated he wants in because he wants to work with Joss.

Shin

27-02-08, 08:21 PM

Angel writers joining:
http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/02/murder-club-cre.html

Thomas

29-02-08, 01:18 AM

We've got writers, now we've got some characters:

Echo (Eliza Dushku) — Main character.
Adelle Dewitt — Fortyish iceberg who runs the Dollhouse where the human Etch-a-Sketches reside.
Paul Ballard — Thirtysomething G-Man who is slated to become an offbeat love interest for Echo.
Boyd Langton — Echo's handler and father figure.
Topher Brink — Technogeek who enjoys his job as a Doll programmer maybe a little too much.
Sierra — Knockout Doll who is as close to a friend as Echo has.
Victor — Distractingly handsome Doll who is called upon to play everyone from Errol Flynn to Robert De Niro.
November — The Tracy Turnblad of the Dolls.
Dr. Claire Sanders — Beautiful older woman with whom Topher is smittenSo, just for fun, who would you like to play these parts?

vampmogs

29-02-08, 07:06 AM

Wow a character list, that's great. I have no idea who should play those characters, I think I'll have to think about that some more. But thanks for posting that, it's fab :D

alexa

29-02-08, 11:20 AM

Wow a character list, that's great. I have no idea who should play those characters, I think I'll have to think about that some more. But thanks for posting that, it's fab :D

Hey vm.. yep calling you vm now. :D
How should we go about petitioning channel 7 to pick up Dollhouse? I know Buffy dowunder used to (got them to air Firefly and other Whedon shows), but they don't seem to be so active over there anymore.

vampmogs

29-02-08, 11:34 AM

Lol you can call me VM if you like :lol:

I'm really not sure. I suspect that if a channel is going to pick it up, it will be channel 7 as they were the ones who had every other Joss Whedon show, but I can't say for certain. I think one channel will pick it up without a doubt, the networks in Australia know the power of Whedon show if they catch on, evident by Ten's reference to VM as being "Buffy creator Joss Whedons favourite show" in their advertisments, and the four page spread on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when it was coming to an end back in 2003.

I think the thing I'm more concerned about is the timeslot. 'Firefly' was put on at 12:30am with no advertisements whatsoever, because of how badly it did on US TV. So it is really dependant on how it goes in the US. It'd be amazing if they put it on in a 9:30 or 8:30 timeslot and advertised the hell out of it, but since Buffy and Angel were always on at 10:30 wouldn't be surprised if Dollhouse follows suit. As long as it is advertised, it should do well.

Channel 7 was incredibly loyal to Buffy, did advertise it a fair bit and made sure people knew the countdown to the end was on. It took great pride in the show, even if it was in the 10:30 timeslot. Admitedly after Btvs ended they screwed Ats around a bit, at once stage it went to 11:30 for a while, but if 'Dollhouse' gets a decent amount of viewers in the US, 7 should treat it well. Given what we've heard of Dollhouse it seems like the concept behind it is a little more main stream than Firefly for example, which gives it better chances.

But I suppose you could always email Channel 7 and see if you get a response?

OkinawanSteel

29-02-08, 03:55 PM

Sehr intressant. So, the Dolls are named after the Nato Alphabet, eh? I guess that gives us a limit to how many there are in total.

I'm struggling to think who I'd cast for those parts right now, but I read TV Guide's (I think) suggestions and obviously I'd love to see J. August Richards. Michelle Forbes as Claire? (or Dewitt, she could absolutely pull that off) Yes. Please.

dev

29-02-08, 07:57 PM

There's copy of the casting scripts going round at the moment and I got a look at it a few hours ago, doesn't give a whole lot away really but still had me squeeing like a little girl. And it's so good to hear new Joss one-liners.

ALPHA - "You are a man of great integrity. I'm thinking about lighting you on fire."

*dies happy*

alexa

01-03-08, 05:48 AM

But I suppose you could always email Channel 7 and see if you get a response?

Thanks for the response. Do you know how to find an email address?
I might go over to BDUc and ask them.. Be cool if I didn't have to download it. Probably not airing for a few months though.

If we found an email address, I could get all the Aussie Whedon fans I know to pester them :p

Veverka

01-03-08, 06:57 AM

Gosh, channel seven... you know what, I'm so disillusioned with TV stations that when I read this I was like 'Huh. TV stations might broadcast a TV show... interesting.' It just hadn't occurred to me that a show I plan to watch could simply be available. Last time I tried to follow a show on TV, channel ten said 'screw you, and your Veronica Mars fascination', and I simply didn't think of a network in Oz broadcasting this... But yeah, that would be way cool. :roll:

Otherwise, if it's not airing soon after it's US premier, it's back to the old fashioned way, I guess.

vampmogs

01-03-08, 04:35 PM

I got my hands on the casting sides as well. And I must say, Joss is at his best here. This show is going to be amazing, now all we need is some great cast to bring it to life! I still think Stephanie (Lilah) should play Adelle, she'd be superb in that role.

alexa

02-03-08, 02:35 AM

How do you people get these secret items like casting scripts? Your real name isn't Tim Minear is it vm?

vampmogs

02-03-08, 03:14 AM

Oh you caught me!

Lol na, I just ask around from people I see who have said they have them. :D

KingofCretins

03-03-08, 04:29 PM

Well, cough up, man. I want some casting sides. All I saw was the Ausiello column linked on Whedonesque that describes the main characters --

"Dollhouse" characters (http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Help/800034438?rssDate=12345678)

ADELLE DEWITT
The fortyish iceberg who runs the Dollhouse where the human Etch-a-Sketches reside
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Juliet Landau, so creepily heartbreaking as ubervamp Drusilla. They don't come any cooler, or hotter, than her.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Shohreh Aghdashloo. The onetime 24 Mommie Dearest is the scariest thing we've ever seen that didn't have fangs.

PAUL BALLARD
The thirtysomething G-man who is slated to become an offbeat love interest for Dushku's "impressionable" Echo
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: J. August Richards, whose long run as Angel's sidekick, Gunn, only hinted at the dark side we have zero doubt he would bring to this conflicted character.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Hands down, Ben Browder. The Stargate SG-1 heartthrob has proven a million times over — or at least in every single episode of Farscape — that he was born to speak Whedon's zippy dialogue.

BOYD LANGTON
Echo's handler and father figure
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Duh. With its Watcher overtones, Boyd is a character tailor-made for Anthony Stewart Head, aka Buffy's surrogate dad, Giles.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Mitch Pileggi, who brought unexpected heart to what could have been the one-note role of The X-Files' gruff taskmaster, Skinner.

TOPHER BRINK
The technogeek who enjoys his job as a Doll programmer maybe a little too much
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Tom Lenk, who made such an indelible impression as Andrew, the amoral, ambiguously gay member of the Trio, Buffy's dorky "archnemeses."
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Jason Yachanin, the adorkable Troma action hero who deserves so much better than Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead. (Hey, don't judge him based on his résumé!)

SIERRA
The knockout Doll who is as close to a friend as Echo has
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Bianca Lawson, if only so we can finally see alterna-Slayer Kendra play a part without the Jar Jar Binks patois.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Die Hard 4 butt-kicker Maggie Q. Too bad, what with her busy film career and all, she's probably gonna be a little too busy for the gig.

VICTOR
The distractingly handsome Doll who is called upon to play everyone from Errol Flynn to Robert DeNiro
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Charlie Weber, who had the thankless role of bubbleheaded goddess Glory's male alter ego, Ben, during Season 5 of Buffy.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Matthew Bomer. The Tru Calling/Traveler alum is as versatile as he is pretty.

NOVEMBER
The Tracy Turnblad of the Dolls
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: How about giving a second chance to Riff Regan, the plus-sized actress who played Willow in the Buffy pilot?
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Well, we did describe the character as the show's resident Tracy Turnblad, so who better than that Hairspray hoofer's portrayer, Nikki Blonsky?

DR. CLAIRE SANDERS
The beautiful older woman with whom Topher is smitten
• If the part is cast from within the Buffyverse: Angel and Firefly's Gina Torres, who is as adept at throwing a punch as she is at landing a punch line.
• If the part is cast from outside the Buffyverse: Try Battlestar Galactica's sublime Michelle Forbes. She seems so like Whedon's kind of actress, it's a wonder they haven't collaborated before. — Additional reporting by Ben Katner

vampmogs

03-03-08, 10:28 PM

Anyone who wants the casting sides just send me a PM and I can email them to you :)

alexa

04-03-08, 08:50 AM

Suppose we can't talk too much about them on here? But they're really exciting.. has the feel of a thriller type of show.. but with all the other genres of course, being Joss tv. Especially with a particular scene with Victor.. wish Alexis Denisof could play him. Or Alpha but not sure if he's a regular. What I've read also seems a little reminiscent of The Matrix.

vampmogs

04-03-08, 09:21 AM

Here's a new link with a more detailed description of Joss' new Dollhouse characters. They all sound incredibly interesting;

http://spoilertv.blogspot.com/2008/03/dollhouse-casting-news.html

OkinawanSteel

05-03-08, 09:01 PM

They all sound incredibly interesting.

They do indeed. I'm getting very excited about this now. Everything's sounding brill.

Thinking a bit more about the casting, it's tough to predict what kind of things Joss is going to go for. Names? New discoveries? We know he doesn't want too many Buffyverse alums, but he didn't rule them out completely. I'd love to see some of the Buffy/Angel players who only had smaller roles become main or recurring characters on Dollhouse. Like Alexa Davalos, for example.

One of those descriptions specifically mentioned an Asian girl. Grace Park, anyone? He needs a BSG cast member in there somewhere. It'll soften the blow of that show ending.

How about Lucy Lawless as Adelle? She's so very good at being twisted and bad.

I could throw hundreds of names about honestly. Anyone have any idea when we might start hearing some definitive casting news? Are they auditioning already?

BlasterBoy

05-03-08, 10:20 PM

Does anyone know when "Dollhouse" is due to start? Is it supposed to start as part of Fox's fall lineup? Or later?

BTW, Adelle Dewitt, IMO, sounds the most interesting so far :D

vampmogs

06-03-08, 08:14 AM

Does anyone know when "Dollhouse" is due to start? Is it supposed to start as part of Fox's fall lineup? Or later?

I think it's supposed to start on Fox's fall lineup. That's certainly the date their pushing for.

BTW, Adelle Dewitt, IMO, sounds the most interesting so far :D

I think Stephanie (Lilah) would be superb in that role, she's a very underrated actress IMO.

Veverka

06-03-08, 01:02 PM

I think Stephanie (Lilah) would be superb in that role, she's a very underrated actress IMO. (in relation to Adelle)

I do agree 100%, but hesitate to bring it too much to my ideas of who is who... I just want to see and fall in love/hate with whoever is presented to me... :2party:

KingofCretins

06-03-08, 01:03 PM

vampmogs

06-03-08, 01:10 PM

I actually think Tamzin Outhwaite, Rebecca from BBC's "Hotel Babylon", would be great as Adelle. I like Stephanie Romanov for it, but I don't want to think too much about Jossverse people, since you know Joss won't cast many if any, and I want Alexis or Sean Maher for Paul.

I thought Stephanie could work because she wasn't focused on as much as other actors, which is why I've always felt she was underrated. Whereas, casting anyone like James Masters, Anthony Steward Head.. or even really Alexis IMO, would bring too much attention. She's remained relatively under the radar in the fandom.

Veverka

08-03-08, 02:20 AM

Does anyone know when "Dollhouse" is due to start? Is it supposed to start as part of Fox's fall lineup? Or later?

BTW, Adelle Dewitt, IMO, sounds the most interesting so far :D

Just read on Whedonesque that production of the pilot starts April 23... that's soon!!!

alexa

18-03-08, 07:48 AM

Anyone notice this?

Kelly Manners moves into the Dollhouse

Another alum of past Whedon shows signs up for the new series, taking the position of Line Producer.

Dollhouse team so far

Echo........................... Eliza Dushku

Creator ...................... Joss Whedon

Show runner................. Joss Whedon

Executive producer......... Joss Whedon

Producer....................... Sarah Fain

Producer....................... Elizabeth Craft
Producer....................... Eliza Dushku

Line Producer................. Kelly Manners

Consulting Producer.......... Tim Minear

source (http://www.dollverse.com/index.php/News/Latest/Kelly-Manners-joins-Dollhouse.html)

NileQT87

18-03-08, 08:43 AM

tim minear!!! mi amor (seriously)!

sarah fain and elizabeth craft also wrote some good episodes of angel (i absolutely love that its mostly ats writers)... soulless and underneath being absolutely fantastic.

and yes! on stephanie romanov. i think she's fantastic. and 40ish iceberg bitch queen in power works perfectly for her.

LRae12

22-03-08, 01:55 AM

So with the writers stirke now over, has there been any news about this show? Is it going to get done, or have they tanked it?

KingofCretins

22-03-08, 02:04 AM

Almost the whole last page of information is post-strike, LRae :) We've seen lists of the main characters, gotten casting sides, seen most of the creative team take shape. Mutant Enemy reopens its doors officially on April 23rd (although Boston Diva will also be producing, as that's Eliza's production company).

LRae12

22-03-08, 02:20 AM

oh, I didn't realize....:blush: That's so exciting! I haven't looked forward to a new show this much in a very long time....:heart:

I was just reading through the last page, and I stubled across some of the character descriptions.

For my imput....

I'd love to see Roberta Watson in the role of Adelle....she played Madeline on the show La Femme Nikita, and she was also in half of a season of 24 - the director who's daughter committed suicide. She would be soooo perfect in this role, and soon as I read the description, her face came to mind.

Paul, the love interest for Eliza....I'm kinda leaning towards Michael Vartan here....I think the two would have great chemistry, and that newer show he's in seems like it's gonna tank to me....:p

I actually have to agree with whoever wrote the article about Mitch Pileggi playing her father figure...I think it'd be a good fit.

Just my opinion...:p

KingofCretins

27-03-08, 05:10 AM

First casting reports are coming in...

"Dollhouse" cast (http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/)

Helo from BSG is Paul Smith, the male lead. I don't watch BSG, but that should make a lot of people happy.

alexa

27-03-08, 08:21 AM

Thanks Kings :D

I don't watch BSG.. so doesn't mean much to me. But they kinda look the parts.

And Omg that Dichen chick is from Neighbours! Oh no... now I like her cause she's Australian and dislike her because she's on a usually crap tv soap :p

Veverka

27-03-08, 08:30 AM

None of those mean a thing to me, but Neighbours... *is fearful...*

vampmogs

27-03-08, 11:59 AM

Yikes Neighbours woman! That brings back some memories! Good to see an Aussie in the main cast though! To be fair she was one of the better actors on that show. Finally we're getting some cast confirmations, incredibly exciting!

Phoenix

28-03-08, 05:43 AM

Dichen :| The one that played Katya in Neighbours? Oh please no. I could not stand her at all. And not a very good actress imo. But I may just think that because I hated her character :p And I havent seen her act in anything else.. so I guess I cant judge her just yet ;) But yay for cast confirmations :D Cannot wait for this show, its going to be so amazing!

sherrilina

28-03-08, 05:55 AM

tim minear!!! mi amor (seriously)!

Yeah, but that just makes me worried, because Tim Minear seems cursed....everything he's done since Buffy has been pulled from the air in record time! :err: Firefly, Wonderfalls, Drive....hopefully it won't be the case this time!

BlueyMcPhluey

31-03-08, 04:53 AM

oh darn. I was excited about more Helo action until I read that Joss wanted Matthew Bomer. It would've been like Tru and Luc back together again :(

I honestly don't care if it gets axed after one season. A lot of my favourite shows only have 1 season and I think that they may actually be better for it... maybe. But hey, with Joss, Eliza and Tim it's gonna be one heck of a season/seven episodes. :P

I just can't wait for promos!

vampmogs

31-03-08, 12:41 PM

I just remembered that Dichen starred in the great New Zealand show 'Outrageous Fortune' and she was quite good in that. I'm certainly willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, Joss has a knack for selecting incredible actors. And hey, Russel Crow and Guy Pearce both started out on 'Neighbours' as well, and I think both are pretty solid actors. Can't say the same for Kyle Minogue though :roll:

And if you think about it, an actor's choices don't always define their abilities. I mean Alyson did star in 'Date Movie' after all....

buffyholic

02-04-08, 04:42 PM

Does anyone has a date for its airing yet?

vampmogs

04-04-08, 01:54 PM

The character of Adelle has been cast, here's the link;

http://www.televisionaryblog.com/2008/04/casting-couch-legal-damages-williams-to.html

Spots are filling up now, it's very exciting!! And she's apparently great, looking forward to this very much!

Phoenix

05-04-08, 03:15 AM

Olivia Williams! Well Im happy with that :D She was in "the Heart of Me" with Helena Bonham Carter :D <3 Helena. This is so exciting, I can see myself getting all fangirl mode again :p

Nina

17-04-08, 08:06 PM

Joss Whedon reports on his website that “Angel” icon Amy Acker (“Alias” “Drive”) has been cast in Whedon’s coming Fox series “Dollhouse” as Dr. Claire Saunders.

Acker joins the project alongside a number of “Angel” vets, including writer-producers Whedon, Tim Minear, Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, as well as “Dollhouse” lead Eliza Dushku – who played Faith on both “Angel” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.”

The series, which hits Fox next season, is about secret agents who are programmed with memories and personalities for their missions but have no memories or personalities of their own. Until one of the agents, Echo, somehow grows some.

Olivia Williams (“The Sixth Sense”), Tahmoh Penikett (“Battlestar Galactica”), Fran Krantz (“Welcome to the Captain”), and Harry Lennix (the “Matrix” sequels) are also in the cast.

Dushku plays Echo. All the blank-slate Dollhouse agents have Whiskey Tango Foxtrot phonetic alphabet names. Dichen Lachman (“Aquamarine”) plays Sierra. Enver Gjokaj (the TV-movie “The Path to 9/11”) plays Victor. Miracle Laurie (“Medical Investigation”) plays November.

I already hoped that it would be Amy when there were rumours about more BtVS/Ats castmembers. :2party:

sherrilina

17-04-08, 08:46 PM

Olivia Williams! Well Im happy with that :D She was in "the Heart of Me" with Helena Bonham Carter :D <3 Helena. This is so exciting, I can see myself getting all fangirl mode again :p
Oh her! I saw her in "Tara Road" and in Kate Beckingsale's "Emma"--she was good, though I don't know if I can see her in the role of Adelle if that was the one people were originally thinking Stephanie Romanov would be good for....OW wasn't that kind of character in either thing I saw her in....:err:

I already hoped that it would be Amy when there were rumours about more BtVS/Ats castmembers. :2party:
Really?! Oh awesome, I LOVE her! That was really the best part of drive--seeing her in those tiny snippets! :2party:

BlasterBoy

17-04-08, 11:31 PM

OMG! That news is amazing! GO AMY! I love her :heart: I was just reading E!Online and I saw that, too:

"November (who will be recurring but does not appear in the pilot) will be played by the luminous Miracle Laurie. And Dr. Claire Saunders will be played by... yet another name I'm gonna have trouble remembering how to spell... Amy Acker."

Woot! Woot!

Joss also reveals that the table read begins today and: "All in all, pound for pound, soup to nuts, man vs. beast, it's a pretty amazing ensemble. I'm not sure how I landed this troupe, but rest assured I'm gonna write bestest good word for talkacting to them yes! They're in good hands."

Um, ya think?!

I had to fix the spelling...she said Joss was Josh :( Depressing :lol:

But, seriously, I'm so psyched for this show. Amazing cast, recognizable faces, amazing writers, JOSS, Mutant Enemy, and a TV show! This looks so good, but it would look better if FOX wasn't in this equation. *sigh*

sherrilina

18-04-08, 12:35 AM

But, seriously, I'm so psyched for this show. Amazing cast, recognizable faces, amazing writers, JOSS, Mutant Enemy, and a TV show! This looks so good, but it would look better if FOX wasn't in this equation. *sigh*
Yeah, Fox is such an annoying wildcard....especially when they drop everything for American IdiotIdol beginning in the spring, at the expense often of the quality shows...:(

But then again Buffy was on for a while, as was Angel....if it has a lot of the same elements as that, and with all the excitement from Jossverse fans, I think it could be different and survive....

Jenni Lou

18-04-08, 02:17 AM

I think it's awesome for Amy. I have missed her. She's so sweet and quirky. I really liked watching her for her brief time on Alias and I don't feel like I have seen much of her since. SO this is great news. :)

KingofCretins

18-04-08, 04:08 AM

Simply wonderful that Amy is on board. Another important piece of casting news... Harry Lennix has been cast as Boyd, Echo's father figure/bodyguard. Most genre fans will probably remember him best as Commander Locke from the "Matrix" sequels, Morpheus' personal and romantic rival.

Sacred Knight

18-04-08, 04:59 AM

When I first heard the premise of this show I automatically looked back to the Fred/Illyria moments in season 5 and thought she'd be a perfect fit for this show. Granted I was imagining her as an Active like Echo, but hey I'm far from picky. Just knowing her talent is going to be showcased on television again period is a treat. This is awesome news. :thumbup:

I don't know how reliable this is, but I picked this up off the Wiki page for Dollhouse:
Dr. Claire Saunders played by Amy Acker - Looks after the physical well-being of the dolls. Has an acid wit that she usually reserves for Topher, who may only be kidding about being smitten with her. (Or he may not). She is scarred from a razor attack.

My two favorite shows on television right now feature main characters name Claire. How funny it will be if this makes three. :)

vampmogs

18-04-08, 06:48 AM

Amy! That's fantastic news! And I pretty much loved everything Harry Lennix has been in, or at least his scenes anyway. He brings a very nice intensity to the screen, you really pay attention to him, great news. :)

Phoenix

18-04-08, 09:57 AM

Amy Acker :D Thats great news. She'll make the character so loveable im sure, shes such a great actress. Look forward to it heaps :D

Parker

18-04-08, 01:25 PM

Great news! I just hope she gets to be more badass like she was in Alias & end of Angel s5.

buffyholic

18-04-08, 01:53 PM

That is just amazing! Great news! Amy is gonna an awesome job and Harry Lennix too.

Bring on Dollhouse!!

sherrilina

18-04-08, 10:32 PM

Lol, after Angel season 5 we're already used to seeing Amy in a long white labcoat! ;) So it shouldn't be hard to imagine her as a doctor taking care fo the dolls--and she did have her moments of acid wit on Angel....

Phoenix

19-04-08, 07:59 AM

In the Advertiser today there was a little mention of Dollhouse, it was about Aussie actors over in the U.S or something. Was pretty cool :D

Veverka

23-04-08, 03:16 PM

According to whedonesque, filming starts today. *hyperventilates*
Hurrah! :celebration:

[erin nicole]

30-04-08, 06:19 AM

I heard about this a couple of months ago during the writer's strike. When I read it I almost fell out of my chair from excitement. Hehe, I yelled and actually scared my roommate. He came running out to see what my commotion was about and than just rolled his eyes when I told him.:xd

I think everyone is going to be on tiptoes with it contracted to Fox. We all know their track record, what with shows like Firefly, Tru Calling, and Drive. Joss seems to think that it will work out this time as there is some new faces at Fox and since they gave him a 7 episode contract instead of just a pilot right off the bat. I hope he's right. I dunno if I can make it through another cancelation.

oss has a huge fanbase surrounding him. As long as the word gets out it should get ratings...especially with Joss and Eliza being in on it. The thought of them working together again is enough to bring in viewers! Plus, now with word of Amy Acker joining the cast! *squee* :2party:

I keep trying not to get to excited because the disappointment would be killer, but its just to gorram hard not to!

Also, I was just looking at the Fox website searching for the 2 unairred episodes of Drive since this got me thinking about this, and Dollhouse has officially started filming! [info found @ fox.com]

Ripping Off the Plastic Wrapper
April 23rd, 2008

Joss started directing Dollhouse this morning. While the cool-ass sets are housed on the Fox lot, today they are shooting in downtown Los Angeles.

buffyholic

01-05-08, 05:28 PM

I am super excited! I cannot wait to see this. I´m sure Eliza and Amy are gonna an excellent job.

Jenni Lou

15-05-08, 09:50 PM

Got some promo pics! :)

http://img218.imagevenue.com/loc336/th_81064_DL_001_122_336lo.jpg (http://img218.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=81064_DL_001_122_336lo.jpg) http://img224.imagevenue.com/loc184/th_81072_DL_002_122_184lo.jpg (http://img224.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=81072_DL_002_122_184lo.jpg) http://img207.imagevenue.com/loc238/th_81082_DL_003_122_238lo.jpg (http://img207.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=81082_DL_003_122_238lo.jpg)

Eliza looks great as always.

vampmogs

16-05-08, 05:35 AM

YAY!!

Finally we get some promos! Thanks Jenny! :)

It's great to put kind of a face on this whole thing and to get a sense of the feel and look of the series.

alexa

16-05-08, 06:32 AM

Did you guys see the trailers?
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=eV6egKoZEHM

This is the main one.. but there's a link to another on whedonesque.
It looks so much fun! Although... grr at the cheesy papyrus font.

vampmogs

16-05-08, 07:57 AM

Wow! That's fantastic! I hadn't seen that before thanks so much alexa! It looks bloody great I can't wait for this series.

Did anyone else catch the Graduation Day Part I shot in there though? Haha good to see Buffy still getting in the promos! :roll:

alexa

16-05-08, 08:16 AM

Did anyone else catch the Graduation Day Part I shot in there though? Haha good to see Buffy still getting in the promos! :roll:

Yeah I know. She's backhanding Buffy's face! :p Guess they don't have any cool punching shots yet? .. or Joss just wants to see if we spotted it.
Happens right after Eliza is speaking spanish.. apparently she's saying something like 'if you cause trouble ill kick your ass':s

Phoenix

16-05-08, 08:18 AM

oh man those promos are amazing! its great to finally see some :D

vampmogs

16-05-08, 08:35 AM

Yeah I know. She's backhanding Buffy's face! :p Guess they don't have any cool punching shots yet? .. or Joss just wants to see if we spotted it.
Happens right after Eliza is speaking spanish.. apparently she's saying something like 'if you cause trouble ill kick your ass':s

Apparently this is just a rough draft which explains the shotty text it's just to show execs in New York and they'll fix it up before it comes on to our screens. I still thought it was awesome though.

And here's a preview of a scene they've released :D

http://seat42f.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2369&Itemid=9

skinless

16-05-08, 06:12 PM

That promo was awesome, I cant wait to see more of the show. I love Eliza in anything she's in. Plus the addition of AmyAcker is even better.

Retrograde

16-05-08, 10:37 PM

alexa

17-05-08, 04:02 AM

Oh man I just watched the clip posted a couple up ^ and I am so excited for this! Sorry if this has already been answered but I'm feeling lazy today - normally I would read the thread. Is this going to be in the UK as well as America or am I going to have to wait until it comes out on DVD? Because that would suck :(

Depends whether/when a UK station buys the rights to air it. I hope they buy it in Australia also... although pretty sure they will, they bought every other Joss show, and related show.

Parker

17-05-08, 12:24 PM

I'm sure Sky One will snap up the rights in the UK.

buffyholic

19-05-08, 03:28 PM

Is it really true? Dollhouse will only premiere next year? That´s just torture to have to wait so long.....
Please, tell me something!

Parker

19-05-08, 11:13 PM

Here's the revised and improved version of the trailer....
http://io9.com/391498/final-dollhouse-trailer-kicks-100-percent-more-ass

LRae12

20-05-08, 12:44 AM

wow, that trailer was awesome! I am so super pumped for this show...especially with Helo from BG as the FBI dude! This looks even better than I pictured it, and that's saying something. I heard that it'll be the lead in on Monday night's at 8 before 24, that there's all ready a confirmed 13 episodes with the option for 22, and that the show will be run with less advertising, making each eppy at least 50 minutes instead of the standard 42...it sounds like FOX is going all out for this one, so let's hope that that keeps up! :xd (oh, and the source of that info I got from www.dollverse.com)

sherrilina

20-05-08, 01:02 AM

Here's the revised and improved version of the trailer....
http://io9.com/391498/final-dollhouse-trailer-kicks-100-percent-more-ass
That looks the same as the other trailer....I still don't understand what the woman is saying that the beginning! :p

Ah well, I'll definitely give it a try...

Veverka

20-05-08, 03:08 AM

They changed the text a lot- it looked pretty amateur in the first version.

Parker

20-05-08, 09:09 AM

Yeah, a few of the clips were changed as well.

buffyholic

27-05-08, 01:50 PM

I´m a little confused: is Dollhouse gonna premiere only next year or in August, this year? Because I´ve heard some people say that Dollhouse is still gonna premiere this year. Can you answer me that, please?

Veverka

27-05-08, 02:00 PM

I think it's gonna premier in Feb, I think I read that on whedonesque.

vampmogs

27-05-08, 02:04 PM

I'm pretty sure it will premiere in January 09 :)

LRae12

27-05-08, 02:19 PM

It's going to premeire in January running in the 8:00 slot on Monday nights as a lead-in to 24...:xd So, I think if the show can hold it's own that it'll do well in that slot....:)

skinless

27-05-08, 04:36 PM

24 is like my favorite show so I cant wait til it's paired up with Doll house. YAY Eliza and JW Goodness

dev

27-05-08, 07:15 PM

It will indeed premier in January and be the lead-in to 24. The confusion came about as two different parts of Fox weren't communicating with one another.

Two dates were originally looked at, and the earlier one, this year, was going to be when they went ahead, and they even got as far as timing the Blu-Ray release of Firefly and Tru Calling to coincide with the beginning of Dollhouse, and then plumped for the later January date, so that they could pair it with 24. And then promptly failed to tell those involved with the Blu-Ray release. Hence two dates being mentioned.

Good old Fox.

NileQT87

28-05-08, 05:00 AM

sherrilina

28-05-08, 05:40 AM

now, if only they'd move dollhouse and bones into the same day... i'd be vibrating into another dimension with giddiness.

but no... bones got knocked to friday. ::grumble:: granted, i don't have a schedule, so that works just fine as ever for me... but i do know that's the death slot.
I wouldn't worry about Bones being moved to Fridays at this point, this is at least the third time they've threatened to do it, and it's never happened yet....;)

I think Bones is better paired with House though, they're very similar.....while Dollhouse I think would go better with another more action/genre-ish show....

skinless

28-05-08, 06:39 AM

sherrilina

28-05-08, 07:07 AM

Yea, They put the shows that they dont want on fridays and For the most part they Die. Like she said its a death slot for all networks. I think House and Bones are great together But as soon as American Idol comes on in Janurary, Fox should have a stacked lineup IMO and I will be watching their station all week long proly (Except Thurs. and Fri. Nights as I work then).
But as I said, they said they'd put Bones on Fridays for at least two other years, and it never happened....some other new show always goes or something....

Let's hope that happens this year, though at the moment I'm not too happy with Bones anyway....I want both Dollhouse and Bones to be on a weeknight! :err:

Throw in the Sarah Connor Chronicles and it's quite the Jossverse-alum-filled lineup! ;)

BangelFan2202

28-05-08, 10:06 AM

It's going to premeire in January running in the 8:00 slot on Monday nights as a lead-in to 24...:xd So, I think if the show can hold it's own that it'll do well in that slot....:)

I was wondering about when its going to premiere so thank you for the information. I don't watch 24 but its going to be good for me because I normally don't have anything to watch on Monday's.

Trish

skinless

28-05-08, 10:38 AM

wraith

29-05-08, 12:14 AM

Well Fox is the only big 4 network that doesnt have 10:00 Programming Right? I havent seen the schedule for Fox but come janurary my guess is it'll be AI on Tuesday @ 8 and Weds @ 9. 24 and Dollhouse on mondays, Bones and house taking the other spots on wedsnday and tuesdays. And is that new show with joshua jackson gonna be on Fox?

Huh, what? He's got a new show??...yeah!

But Dollhouse...super stoked. Love Eliza; love her with Joss...and Helo from BSG is on board. Yumm yumm.

skinless

29-05-08, 01:09 AM

Huh, what? He's got a new show??...yeah!

But Dollhouse...super stoked. Love Eliza; love her with Joss...and Helo from BSG is on board. Yumm yumm. Yeah, Dont forget that Amy Acker (Fred/Illyria) is also slated to be in the series. I cant wait either

wraith

29-05-08, 01:45 AM

Yeah, Dont forget that Amy Acker (Fred/Illyria) is also slated to be in the series. I cant wait either

Yes, I forgot about that too...I also love how many people have shown up on HIMYM...I hope more do in the future.

litzie

29-05-08, 12:40 PM

Yes, I forgot about that too...I also love how many people have shown up on HIMYM...I hope more do in the future.

So true re HIMYM...Alexis Denisoff and his hair helmet are some of my favorite moments of television!

I wonder if that will happen a lot with Dollhouse? I kind of hope so, even though I sometimes feel like it pigeonholes actors to appear always in the same producers' shows.

-Andrew-

05-06-08, 04:28 PM

VERY excited about this. Joss is my all time favourite writer/ producer person and its brilliant that he's working on TV again. As much as I like the comics and I feel they are well written, it gets OTT sometimes because budgets are nothing of a worry, hence they get away with these ridiculously lavish and decorative effects and set ups which would never happen on the show, and that I would never want to happen on the show! :(

Ok, I'm rambling. I am a bit concerned over it being on Fox, WHY anyone sells shows to them is beyond me, but I wasn't expecting 'The Sarah Connor Chronicles' to be picked up for a 2nd season, due to its lowish ratings, but it was!! :hug: So atleast there is some hope that it will be given a chance........

Oh and Eliza Dushku :heart:

dev

06-06-08, 09:41 AM

-Andrew-, in case you haven't heard all the news associated with Dollhouse in terms of how it is to be presented to the public, let me enlighten you.

Much as of course there are never any guarantees with any network, moreso with Fox, all the indications so far are very positive. They have chosen to hold back on it's release so that it can be paired up with 24 in January, this is very good for those of us hoping for a long run for Dollhouse. 24 has repeatedly been one of Fox's big shows and by having Dollhouse as a lead-in to it, Fox are actively trying to build a market for the show, so that's good for the shows chances as a whole and also shows that Fox is committed to try and make this show a hit.

Also, Fox had upped the order off episodes from 7 to 13 before the upfronts, this once again shows a level of commitment and belief from Fox that we have not seen previously. Of course the people at Fox have all changed since the days of Firefly, having said that, it is the same people who killed Drive the same night it premiered.

And there is Fox's new "Remote-Free Viewing" strategy. Basically they've pretty much cut in half the length of adverts throughout the show. The idea obviously being that people are less likely to switch over during a commercial break. Fox are toting this as the way forward and are starting with just two shows. The ad space is more expensive to allow for the decrease in ad slots and from what has been reported back following the upfronts, most of the adspace on Dollhouse has been sold already, suggesting that the advertisers are enthusiastic about Dollhouse as well.

Basically it all looks good, that said, any new show has to prove it's worth, and Fox does rather seem to be one of the flakiest of the networks, so until I'm watching the end of season 7 I wont ever stop worrying entirely, but things are looking good right now.

Cori

15-07-08, 06:28 PM

Here is a short interview with Fox president Kevin Reilly on Joss Whedon and Dollhouse:

On whether Joss was hesitant to come to Fox after his bad experience with Firefly:

"No. Joss wasn't on my list because we thought there was no way he would do it. But Joss will tell you himself he had an idea he couldn't walk away from. He's respected Eliza Dushku as an actress and wanted to work with her. They got together and when he left that lunch he said, 'Damn, I have an idea now I have to do it.' I have not seen any skittishness. In fact, I've enjoyed working with the guy and his reputation is well-earned."

Source: http://uk.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=ae0c9ec2-4140-4f38-8a6f-142234d24102

Hopefully, Fox won't let Joss down again!

TheChosen

15-07-08, 08:51 PM

I'm sure we will not be dissapointed. Eliza is amazing and i have no doubts she will do fantastic and Joss will not fail our expectations. Dollhouse here we come! Let's just hope Fox makes the right choice this time and doesn't let us down....again....

Fehmina

15-07-08, 10:57 PM

I've just seen the trailer... looks amazing.
I'm dead excited!
:D

x

NileQT87

16-07-08, 07:18 AM

hey, check what i just found via a dollhouse forum/blog and whedonesque:

joss, eliza and... david!

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/3647/41518celebutopiaelizadulm1.jpg

Nina

16-07-08, 11:28 AM

I saw another one, with David shaking the hand of Joss. If I find that one back, I'll post it.

It's fun to see those people together ... :)

buffyholic

16-07-08, 12:39 PM

There´s a fan base in Facebook. You should go there and become a fan.

I´m actually saddened because Dollhouse premieres in the Us on January and I have no idea when it will air here, maybe March only or if it´s like VM, never!
That´s a frightening thought!:err:

Phoenix

17-07-08, 05:54 AM

That picture makes me happy ^__^

Does anyone know when Dollhouse will be aired in Australia?

sherrilina

18-07-08, 03:26 AM

David looks ridiculously hot and sexy in that pic! :p He and Eliza look great together too! Why was he there anyway?

Heather

18-07-08, 03:41 AM

That's such a cute picture! So great seeing Angel and Faith reunited again. :p And David does look absolutely gorgeous in that picture...Yummy...Oh, and Eliza is stunning as always. That just goes without saying! :lol:

David looks ridiculously hot and sexy in that pic! :p He and Eliza look great together too! Why was he there anyway?

That picture is from a party that FOX threw to celebrate the new season. It was a press junket for all of the shows as well. I only know this because I watched awesome videos with stars and creators of FOX shows on Michael Ausiello's blog on EW.com. :p And, thanks to those videos, I've fallen in love with Tamoh Penikett (Eliza's love interest on "Dollhouse"). Joss and Eliza were there for "Dollhouse," obviously, and David was there for "Bones." ;)

vampmogs

18-07-08, 01:26 PM

Since the girls drooled over "the DB"... thought I'd add in... in the hotness of Eliza in that pic. She's absaloutely gorgeous.

And it's a great pic, thanks for posting Nile. Really nice to see these three together again :)

Vampmaster

18-07-08, 08:36 PM

I too got to add that Eliza looks pretty much hot in that pic :). She's always been gorgeous though. I know this is really weird feature to focus on, but I love her teeth :D

Does anyone have any ideas about when Dollhouse will air in the UK?

BlasterBoy

18-07-08, 08:39 PM

Yeah, Eliza is totally beautiful in that picture, and Vampmaster :lol: I know what you're saying, she has a great smile :)

David, Eliza, Joss, and Abrams (I know, random) all on the same channel? Holy frak, yes.

ciderdrinker

22-07-08, 10:34 AM

This was posted on Whedonesque today from the Whedon man himself. If Joss is not worried, why should we be?:-

Hi guys. Well, it’s been an eventful week. While all of you have been enjoying (and in some cases, suddenly NOT enjoying) our adorable little musical romp “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” (exclusively available on iTunes!) (And I lied about some people not enjoying it!) I’ve been busying myself with a little something I like to call DOLLHOUSE. Finishing a new episode. Finishing a new… here’s the headline… FIRST episode.

What’s that, you say? A second first? How can such a thing be? Does it defy the laws of all physics? Well, I sat down with Rutherford D. Actualperson to do a quick Q&A and give you all the skinny on the progress of my new series (Available on iTunes at some point one would assume!)

Rutherford D. Actualperson: Joss. You are a legend in the industry, and your forehead is a normal size proportionate to your face. Tell me about the idea behind doing a new first episode. Didn’t you already shoot one?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie, I did. And it was grand, simply grand.

R.D.A: Then why shoot another? Also, your teeth are whitish.

Joss: I said it was grand, I didn’t say it was comprehensible. I showed some scenes to David Lynch and he’s all, “whuh?” Bad sign. But I kid.

The fact is, I’m very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone – I was in a dark, noir kind of place (where, as many of you know, I make my home), and didn’t bring the visceral pop the network had expected from the script. The network was cool about it, but not sure how to come out of the gate with the ep.

R.D.A.: So they made you do another. It’s Firefly all over again! Run! For the love of God, HE’S CALLING FROM THE HOUSE!!!

Joss: Wow. Good panic.

R.D.A.: I try. But I am genuinely concerned. Also your smooth skin and elegant hands are making me bi-curious.

Joss: Well, the idea to do a new first episode wasn’t the network’s. It was mine. I understood their consternation, and saw the gap between my style and their expectations, and I suggested I shoot a new ep and make the one I’d shot the second. It isn’t going to be buried, like the pilot of Firefly. It’s simply coming after another, slightly cleaner ep. And because unlike Firefly, it isn’t a two hour epic which introduces everyone to each other, the onus isn’t on the new ep to explain a million things.

The fact is, Fox ordered the series before we shot a frame and then, after the strike, I had literally two months to write and prep the whole thing. Which means simply that the network has to figure out what they might want to tweak AFTER it was shot, unlike a pilot. Buffy didn’t make the fall sched, Angel got shut down when they saw the second ep outline… it’s birth pangs. The network truly gets the premise (this is a whole new crew, as you know), loves the cast, is excited about the show – but they’re also specific about how they want to bring people to the show and I not only respect that, I kinda have to slap my forehead that I didn’t tailor my tone and structure to the network’s needs, since that’s something I pride myself on.

R.D.A.: You’re not just being the good soldier?

Joss: We both know from years of experience that I’m a crap soldier, though I am an accomplished fan-dancer. No, this is a very cold look at what’s going on, and it’s not an Us vs Them. The truth is, I’m in love with this world, and I don’t care how people get into it. I have a million things to say about (and through) all of these characters, and I don’t mind which ones I say first. I think I just turned in a pretty cool pilot script. [Editor’s note: that means someone TOLD him THEY thought it was cool. He has no judgement of his own. This is sad, but on the plus side, it was probably one of his writers, who actually ARE cool. So rest easy.]

R.D.A.: So what does this mean for production?

Joss: We’ve pushed an extra few days so I can prep this bitch within an inch of its life, i.e., read it once more.

R.D.A.: But how will this affect the foundation of the very turning of our precious earth, and by that I mean Comiccon?

Joss: Yeah. Unfortunately, we won’t have a new teaser to show, since we’ll start shooting after the con. People will have to settle for chatting with Eliza and Tahmoh. But they’re likeable folk. (Sadly, Tahmoh only speaks Canadian, though he has a lovely translator at his side, like Isabella Rosselini in “White Nights”.) We’ll still rock the panel, but showing clips is kind of a tradition, so my emoticon doth frown.

R.D.A.: And the first first episode?

Joss: I’ll reshoot a few scenes, but it’ll basically air as is. When I was given seven episodes, I referred to them as “the Seven Pilots”, ‘cause you always have to lay out the premise one way or another in those early eps. So instead of Grumpy, this particular episode will be Sneezy. (Seriously. Eliza fights POLLEN! Sooo sexy.)

R.D.A.: So Eliza’s still a different character every week?

Joss: Often several.

R.D.A: And in the Dollhouse, the amazing-looking facility where all the beautiful people whose memories have been wiped live in a state of unselfconscious innocence, the showers are co-ed? [Editor’s note: the showers are co-ed?]

Joss: The showers are co-ed. [Editor’s note: HOT damn.]

R.D.A.: So nothing of substance has been changed. Shower-wise.

Joss: You are a sad, lonely actual man, Actualman.

R.D.A.: So true, so true. Thank you for talking/fan-dancing to me. Anything else you’d like to add?

Joss: Available exclusively on iTunes! Oh. About Dollhouse? Only that it’s going to be a funhouse ride of excitement, fear, existential angst and co-ed showers. That I love it. Love the writers, love the cast, and already blissfully live in the strange, compelling world of the removable self. Hmm. When I pitched it to Eliza, she said “My God, it’s my life!” But after that sentence, I think maybe it’s mine.

R.D.A.: I guess we’ll have to wait till January to see what you’ve cooked up.

Joss: And I’ll probably keep cooking till the moment I serve.

R.D.A.: Would you hold me?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie. Yes I will.

[Editor’s note in Strongbad’s voice: IT’S OVER!]

Here's the link, for anyone who wants to read the comments:-
http://whedonesque.com/comments/17005

NileQT87

27-07-08, 01:32 PM

another comic-con goodie (more david and eliza):

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/1655/001ml7.jpg

litzie

27-07-08, 02:10 PM

Ok, I like DB, but dude, someone needs to get that man a bit of powder...he's gone SHINY.

NileQT87

27-07-08, 02:23 PM

that's called au natural skin and moisturizer. he's just not wearing t.v. makeup (or any makeup for that matter), whereas eliza has full-makeup on.

...although, i think somewhere around btvs 7 and ats 4-5, the jossverse also stopped airbrushing the actors when most of them were really starting to need it. season 2 btvs was the season everybody looked like they were painted dolls.

litzie

27-07-08, 02:32 PM

I know it's natural moisture...I just figure if he's doing lots of press shots and promo pics, he should really either have a bit of powder on or else carry a hankerchief... ;)

NileQT87

27-07-08, 02:50 PM

looks like he has vaseline (or a moisturizer like that) on his face--look at his eyebrows.

actually, i find it refreshing for a male actor to be unapologetically male.

i've heard david say before that he isn't a lipgloss kind of guy.

Phoenix

28-07-08, 07:34 AM

sorry if this has been posted, i just saw it now :)

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080726/Celebs/Dollhouse-Eliza_l.jpg

skinless

31-07-08, 04:10 AM

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/interviews_profiles/e3i0e5e7151b1d77bebfe18c76891c8b97d?imw=Y

Here's a new Joss Whedon interview. He talks about Dollhouse, The Buffy Comics and More.

litzie

31-07-08, 09:35 AM

And here's the comicon panel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdhFE-KdlFo)...

litzie

04-08-08, 02:11 PM

Without question, best line: Eliza calling Joss her "career brassiere". :D Hee!

Wolfie Gilmore

04-08-08, 03:15 PM

Very interesting idea that the dolls are actors, a metaphor for the acting profession - or film and television in general.

Retrograde

04-08-08, 04:39 PM

Oh man I just saw the full-length trailer on Youtube, and would just like to reiterate excitement for this - looks like there'll be a lot of issues to go in-depth with and really looking forward to discussing it with everyone :)

I haven't been able to find anything anywhere about any plans for this to air in England - can anyone help me with this? Especially as I don't have Sky One :(

buffyholic

14-08-08, 12:27 PM

I saw some interviews and the Comic con and it seems to me that the three of them, but mainly Eliza and Joss just have a great time together. They show up all giggly, friendly and happy.

Have I said that I cannot wait for Dollhouse? Well, it´s true. I cannot wait for this to start.

Nina

05-09-08, 11:03 AM

Interview with Amy Acker;

Once you're in the Jossverse, it's hard to escape, Amy Acker has discovered. Not that you'd really want to. There are worse things than being associated with Joss Whedon, the writer-director-producer whose cult-like fans worship his creations: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and the upcoming Fox SF series Dollhouse.

When Acker, who played Winifred "Fred" Burkle on Angel for three years, heard that Whedon was developing Dollhouse, she naturally wanted in.

Co-created with Eliza Dushku, another Whedon veteran, Dollhouse centers around a secret organization that programs specially modified humans--known as "dolls"--with temporary memories and personalities suited to different assignments. Acker plays the role of Dr. Claire Saunders, the caretaker of the dolls, who has a mysterious past of her own. The role was originally written for a woman in her 40s or 50s, but Whedon ultimately decided to adapt it for Acker based on his experience working with her and their ongoing friendship.

Acker spoke with SCI FI Wire exclusively in a phone interview last week and talked about reuniting with Whedon, with a peek at what Jossverse fans can expect from the new series. Dollhouse is set for a January premiere on Fox and will air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

How did you get involved in the show?

Acker: Joss is also one of my very best friends since Angel, so he had told us about Dollhouse, and I kept telling him how jealous I was of Eliza and all the other people. And he was like, "Yeah, I wish I could write a show for my friends." And then about a week or something before they shot the pilot, my husband picked up the phone and was like, "Joss wants to know if you're going to come do the thing for Dollhouse." And I was like, "What? What's he talking about?" And this character sort of came in later.

So it wasn't originally written for you?

Acker: Originally it was going to be an older woman, like in her 40s or 50s. And then I think he was worried about having a crossover between Buffy or Angel and this, and then finally he just said, "Ultimately I kind of thought you were the right person for it." So they brought me on. And I was like, "Um, thank you," because I was asking if I could do makeup or wardrobe or something. I just wanted to be a part of it. It sounded really cool.

Tell us about your role.

Acker: I'm the doctor who takes care of all of the dolls in the Dollhouse, and I have these horrible scars all over my face, so you get the sense that there's a little history to my character, and you're going to find out what happened to her and why she got these and why she kept them and all of that stuff.

So she's a bit mysterious?

Acker: Yes. I'm always hiding in the shadows. It's a really fun character.

How similar is it in tone to Buffy and Angel?

Acker: It's hard to say. We're only on the second episode now. I definitely see some similarities, just because most of the writers are people who were on Buffy or Angel or Alias [in which Acker also had a role, as an assassin] or all of those shows. So they all have such a familiarity. They're all really familiar with each other, and they all just write so well together. It'll be a little bit different, but I think the stuff that people love about the writing is all going to be there.

Is there a lot of humor in it, or is it a more straightforward drama?

Acker: The great thing about it is that it can really be anything. There's going to be some dramatic stuff, and then I think episode th