Review: Dollhouse 201 Vows

Overall Rating: 9.5

Ballard gets to play as a client of the Dollhouse.  He has Echo marry a British arms dealer to resolve one of his FBI cases.  Echo runs into touble as she is sporadically remembering her past imprints due to Alpha making her into Omega.  Watch the episode streaming online Below. 

What a great season opener.  Joss hits the ground running with Vows.  In the interview he said that he wanted this episode to explore the most messed up things possible and how did he ever.  We get to see many characters beyond Echo in messed up situations especially the conflict within Dr. Saunders.  I'm so glad the show is back.

Why do you think Ballard is at the Dollhouse?

For more detailed conversation check out “Playing In The Dollhouse” a Dollhouse podcast here.  Where we discuss and geek out on everything Dollhouse including episode reviews, news, and fun fan bits.

Likes

• Dr. Saunders v Topher conflict

• Tempura Joe was both funny and sick use of the Dollhouse

• Topher sleeping in the computer room makes so much sense, so geeky.  I love it.

• Amazing acting job from everyone especially:
  

  • Eliza Dushku as Echo she had to flip from one character to another within seconds and made each one believable.

  • Dichen Lachman as Sierra she did a great job as a W.A.S.P.

  • Jamie Bamber as Martin Klar he kept up the accent and made for a brilliant bond villain

• Joss' subtle social commentary through Sierra's scene on the unconscious raciest.

• Joss' commentary on excuses was poignant and insightful.  They are blamed for keeping us from doing what we want and need to do but in the end they are just excuses.

• The tension in the conversation between Echo and Whiskey was so palatable.

• Introduction of first antagonist for the season.

• The scene where we get to see the art of reading someone.

• How the episode ends with a vow, putting a double meaning into the title.

• Topher and Whiskey's long conversation.

• Whiskey's fear of dying as a personality construct.

• We find out what Omega's goals are.

Dislikes / Concerns

• None it was just awesome!!!

Favorite Quotes

• “Put the rats back into the maze topher before one of them bite you” - Whiskey

• “I’m justice I’m blind when I need to be blind” - Echo

• "You don’t know me… that’s the contract.  you don’t know me and I don’t know you not fully not ever." - Topher

[reus name="Dollhouse"]

Next Week: Instinct
When Echo is imprinted as a mother with a new born baby, she takes to strongly to motherhood as a result of Topher's modifications.  Meanwhile; Adelle pays November a visit, and Perrin ramps up his investigation into the Rossum Corporation.

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Spoiler Alert

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Image via Wikipedia

I loved the conflict between Dr. Saunders and Topher.  I love the use of the symbolism in showing the Bride of Frankenstein and telling Topher to get the rats back into the maze.

More support for Topher and Dr. Saunders being brother and sister

• Topher knows her from before to so deeply believe that she is better then him and to program her with questioning and fighting for her beliefs

• Topher being beyond uncomfortable by her sexual advances.

• They are not allowed to know each other being part of the contract.

• There is a sadness behind Topher when he is explaining that they aren't allowed to know each other.

• His confusion on why Whiskey does not look into who she really is.

Do you think when echo said “I’m justice I’m blind when I need to be blind” that it was actually Caroline speaking?

What did you think about the tension in the conversation scene between Whiskey and Echo?  Knowing Joss would not have Whiskey go all Alpha with the knife I still felt the tension and in the moment genuinely believed she was going to cut Echo.

Do you think Boyd's initial interest in Whiskey is to smooth over the conflict between her an Topher?

Discoveries

• Echo is up to 40 personalities after the vows engagement.

• Topher is scared of rats

• Echo has 3 years left on her contract

• Dewitt tolerates Echo to study her, though I suspect there is a deeper reason that will be revealed latter.  Dewitt's interest started back with Caroline.

• Echo admits to being Omega, being all of her personalities yet none of them are her.

• Omega wants to find her real self and the real self for everyone in the Dollhouse

• Ballard swears a vow to help Omega in her quest.