Reactions and screen caps. Spoilers, duh.

Echo
So I've been hearing forever and ever how much better the original pilot was than "Ghost." I read the script once "Man on the Street" aired, and was very meh about it, but I was willing to hold final judgment until I've actually seen it...

That waitress Alpha and Echo kidnapped in the finale? Not so random, it seems. She even says, "What am I supposed to do, go home and be a waitress?" She was a pro bono case like the little girl in "Briar Rose." (Different from the script I read - MUCH BETTER.)


Sierra's part was tiny, and wasted. She was just there. Seeing her getting wiped the first time in "Ghost" is one of the creepiest bits of imagery ever. Also, no Victor climbing the rock wall. Hell, the Lubov-is-Victor reveal is kind of meh...I much prefer the getting jerked around for multiple episodes version ;)



DeWitt also wasn't badass enough. Stylish as always, though. (And there was, like, two seconds of Dominic.)


Caroline/Echo and Paul come face-to-face sooner. I'm kind of eh on this storyline, but Eliza Dushku's performance is great. (And major LOL at Paul running around cleaning his living room, and the "Wife...ex..." line.)


No matter how many times Topher insists, Dr. Saunders was not creepy ENOUGH. Hell, she was bordering on goody-goody. I like the Saunders we got instead. Topher is also extremely self-aware of his own creepiness; again, I prefer the Topher we got. (LOL @ 3 chess games.) "Love is a selfish emotion." Yeah, they were definitely pushing Topher/Saunders. Still don't see it in what's aired.


Paul is not stupid. Wow. That was pretty awesome. There's no Mellie in this, but Shauna!Echo was pulling a similar act, so I was surprised when he didn't fall for it.


Shauna!Echo, seriously one of the best imprints ever.


Even though Eliza Dushku still carried more of the episode, it felt more like an ensemble cast. Unfortunately, there's no hint at the Boyd and Echo relationship, or even that Boyd is new(ish). So Boyd seems kind of...there to say "ZOMG CONSPIRACY THAT I AM COMPLICIT IN."

The episode felt like it dragged a bit in the second half. I don't know if that's because I already basically knew what happens or what. The ending was kind of flat. "Ghost" left me dying for more. BUT. I do think the introduction to the concept of the Dollhouse was much better. The first 15min are superior to "Ghost," but the rest is just okay.

Final verdict: Enjoyable. Ultimately about equal to "Ghost," but not OMG SO MUCH BETTER.




Epitaph One
Oh man, I know I'm excited just to get some answers to some very, very confusing spoilers. Which all actually make complete sense, oddly enough. "Epitaph One" is like what Fray is to Buffy. It also reminded me of the feeling of REALLY GOOD fanfiction. Or an awesome movie sequel.

Starts out with Penny talking, me no understandy, then she cries, and the title "Dollhouse" appears, but no usual intro. The major WTFage if this had aired would have been great.


Apparently, people are randomly getting wiped and their bodies stolen. Creeeeeepy. They find the Dollhouse and the imprinting chair, with technology apparently very different from what's around now. They decide to try it out on the dude 'cause his brains are already wiped clean.


Aaaand flashback! Main characters are in the episode, just not the main plotline. Kind of. Yeah, so, Topher's first time at the Dollhouse.


Topher did not create the technology, he "just" improved upon it. A lot.


Topher and Dominic were lolarious in this scene. And DeWitt. I was dying. "Get that man a refrigerator."


One moment of the episode that made go "WHUT?": "Gee, I think I'll take a shower RIGHT NOW. And you, little girl, go off into the dark and use the bathrooms in this strange place we're not even sure is entirely safe!" Uh-huh.


Fox's April Fools all makes sense now...


Paul and Caroline are working together WHAT. She seems she's pulling an Alpha and can switch between being Caroline and whatever imprint Topher put into her. And she's having crazy headaches.


Boyd is on the run. Saunders is freaking. Boyd/Saunders shippers rejoice.



Heeeeeere's Whiskey! (...Guess Boyd didn't come back for you after all.)
And this is when I have to say: "Epitaph One" is all Amy Acker. Seriously. She's great.


Another flashback. Topher and DeWitt look creeped-out with good reason. The Rossum corporation is now offering body upgrades - i.e., selling the actives' bodies. Can I say it again? CREEEPY. "We're no longer just above the law - we get to write it."



Mind. Gutter. Clearly, I'm reading too much fanfic, because my first thought was, "KINKY SEX GAME? I KNEW IT." And then everything out of Dominic's mouth sounded dirty. ("The things you did to my body"?) Oops. But, anyway, Dominic has returned from the Attic.


DeWitt's self-loathing. It burns. You can hear the world in chaos outside.


Sierra/Priya. (Did I mention she has her name carved into her back? I forgot to take a cap of it. Uh...creepy and morbid.)


Victor...I forget his real name. Oops.


Shippers rejoice.


"Oh, right, we don't do that anymore." Shippers are sad.


Everyone in the Dollhouse is praying. And are thankful for their memories.


Crazy!Topher. The guilt drove him insane, it seems...


I see what Fran Kranz was talking about with the mother/son vibe. Oh god, DeWitt even tries to read to him wtf T_T



Caroline and Paul return to the Dollhouse. Caroline plans to back up her personality.


Caroline and Paul are NOT together. Like that. Alpha is also helping them, apparently.
And, the Caroline-DeWitt dynamic just keeps getting more and more interesting.


Whiskey goes to sleep while our heroes escape.


What's become of DeWitt's office. (DeWitt, on the other hand, a mystery.)


Meet Caroline.


This is where it continues to be interesting.


Mellie/November. There's something up here. Priya mentions her earlier, about "not ending up like November," and then she says, "Which one?" Either the Dollhouse lied to Paul, or something went wrong with the imprinting. Otherwise, why is Mellie running around with other actives?


Caroline hopes she's still alive. In which case, there would be two of her.


And our heroes continue on their way to Safe Haven. To be continued...?


Soo...main characters not in the episode? They're technically not in the main plot. No Saunders, but Whiskey. No Echo, but Caroline - and in a different body, at that. We see the main cast in flashbacks galore. Dumb spoiler, but I see what it was getting at.

Also, why no one looked any older? 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL FLASHBACKS.

Some capslocking:
- THEY SHOULD HAVE AIRED IT. WTF.
- THEY SHOULD HAVE AIRED IT. WTF.
- JOSS IS MY MASTER.
- FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.
- FIREFLY WAS NEVER THIS GOOD. SUCK ON THAT.

Final verdict: AWESOME. Except for that shower thing.