Dollhouse: The Public Eye (2009)
Season 2, Episode 5
8/10
Miss Echo goes to Washington
9 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The good; Laugh out loud at the scene where Topher tries out his disruptor only to knock out a random passing doll, sending them tumbling down the stairs. The conspiracy storyline really kicks in and lovely to see Mellie back once again. Masterful bait and switch that Perrin is the doll and his wife is the handler, she seems so threatening to Ballard even when she's a tiny little woman and he's this towering ripped martial arts expert.

The bad; Not much, heck of a good ep. One question, if Perrin is so security conscious how do they dope his drink?

Best line; Adele; "An emergency measure for when things get hot" Ballard; "I'd say things are warmish" plus Ballard; (pointing to Topher's gizmo) "What is that?" Topher; (nervously) "It's the thing that if it doesn't work won't get me in trouble" and Perrin; "You're a doll" Echo/Bree; "You're cute too" also Echo/Bree; "If you want to do the right thing don't bring your hooker mistress to meet your wife" not to mention; Cindy Perrin; "If this plan doesn't work we're going to be demoted to being dead"

Packing heat; Echo;8 Boyd; 8 Dominic; 9 Sierra; 4 Victor; 3 Ballard; 10 November; 1 Echo kissage; 4

Kinky dinky; Echo in hooker-wear and almost naked Senator Perrin for the Alexis fans.

Capt subtext; Echo/Bree is into the idea of threesomes with the Senator and his wife but charges extra for them. Washington Doll 'Hades' is out servicing a 'closeted' councilman (Hades the god of the underworld).

Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Echo/Bree and Perrin Echo; 5 definite, 2 possible November; 1 Ballard; 1 Victor; 1 Adele; 1 Sierra 1 Topher; 1 possible

How'd they get away with that? Bennet tortures Echo very nastily indeed.

This weeks fantasy; Echo is likeably enthusiastic and kinky nympho call-girl Bree who says she 'likes it a bit rough' and is attracted to Perrin because he's 'twisted'.

What do we think of the client? Adele's plan for Perrin is rather underhand, seducing and blackmailing him. But compared to robbing him of his free will and brainwashing him into their slave it's pretty minor.

Total number personalities; Echo is call girl Bree Echo; 29 Sierra; 12 Victor; 10 November; 3 Total dolls; we meet the petite and lovely Kilo 9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

Topher is a bit geeky; He refer to disruptor's and Star Trek (weapons that the Romulans use, right?)

Bondage; Echo/Bree offers to tie Senator Perrin up. She is tied up by Bennet at the end Sierra tied up; 1 Ballard; 1 Echo; 1

Knocked out; Echo twice by Topher's gadget Echo; 4 November; 1 Sierra; 1 Victor; 1 Topher; 2

Kills; Sierra; 3 kills Echo; 3 November;1

Dolls injured; Poor Echo get's pistol-whipped then brutally tortured by Bennet.

Happy hookers; Echo is imprinted as call girl Bree, a happy hooker who wanted to be a dancer but found she prefers escort work which is also more lucrative.

Know the face? It's hot in here, it must be summer! Summer Glau, another hattrick. Also Maurissa Tanchon who in addition to being a Dollhouse writer featured on Dr Horrible 14-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse).

Whedon clichés; Characters with just one arm (like Lindsey in Angel). Rich and powerful families who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children.

Breaking the programming; Echo can now refuse the offer of a treatment and is aware of her past personalities even when imprinted. She speaks of being able to see the patterns of her past imprints as though they are 'seams'

Questions and observations; Perrin is an interesting comparison to George W Bush who also came from an influential political family, also went to Yale and was also a drunken wastrel well into his thirties. He got religion whilst Perrin got 'dolled'. Did you notice Bennett's computer keyboard adapted for a user with only one hand? Or the statue of Romulus and Remus (the she-wolf suckling the human infants) in her bookcase. She also get's rid of everyone else before torturing Echo BUT she refers to her as Caroline. So we have history here? No Victor or Sierra at all this ep. So the DC Dollhouse names it's actives after Greek mythological characters? Love to see Hercules, Appollo etc and especially Xena and Callisto.

Central point here is that Perrin might have been wasting his life but it was his life to waste, once again as we saw with Sierra in Belonging, Rossum are quite prepared to take away people's freedom and exploit them if it suits their purposes, slavery plain and simple.

Marks out of 10; 8/10, very good stuff
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