Britt's On

As a companion to my list of the Best Buffy Episodes Ever? I present to you my breakdown of the best Buffy seasons, in order this time. Partially inspired by the fact I just read Julie & Julia, and to J Powell's credit, she has good taste in TV shows.

Order goes from the BEST to the WORST:


SEASON 5 - Hands down, this is easily my favourite season. I was truly mystified how Buffy was going to overcome Glory, the twist and turns of the entire season were insane (albeit towards the end it got a bit jam-packed, I'm looking at you Knights of Whatever), and the finale ranks among the best finales - and Buffy has great finales. Some people argue that the story here was a little too steeped in mythology, but I always enjoyed the episodes and parts of the show that delved into what it means to be a slayer. The season opened up with this very premise in what I think may be the best season premiere - Buffy vs. Dracula - and followed it throughout the season, including the spellbinding episode 'Fool for Love' and the death of Joyce bringing home the weight of humanity in 'The Body'. There were a handful of snoozy episodes this season, but in general, it boasted the strongest overall story arc while still providing plenty of laughs and twists.


SEASON 6 - I thought about this long and hard, and it actually surprises me to put Season 6 in the second spot, but at the end of the day I was amazed at how deftly the show slowly unwound the consequences of Buffy's death and resurrection across the entire season. I might call this one a tie with Season 2, but unlike S2, I feel like Season 6 had very strong character / story arc episodes throughout, while the so-called filler episodes were for the most part, actually quite *good*. I always enjoy a good bait & switch, which the show throws at you in Seasons 2 & 6 most dramatically (and arguably a bit in 3 & 4 regarding Faith and Maggie Walsh respectively), and the four-part finale - although not made up of any of my individual favourite episodes - let to a pretty explosive ending. There's something special about this season and I think it boils down to the fact they overcame the impossible - Buffy's death - and did it well.


SEASON 2 - Most people will put S2 at the number one or two spot, and I don't disagree. It's when the show found its legs and cemented itself as a force to be reckoned with. The introduction of Spike and Drusilla, the bait & switch between them, and the second switcheroo with Angel at the helm was inspired, especially for all the fangirls out there that were in love with TV's most star-cross couple. The finale is possibly the best of all season finales, and the 'arc' episodes are among the strongest in the entire series. However, the reason why this drops to third on my list is there is still a ton of crappy monster of the week type episodes that not only detract from the main plot (Hello 'Go Fish', thrown in at the end of the season), but actually don't really do anything at all for the characters or the show. The difference between the filler episodes here and in season 6 are like night and day - I actually think I like S6 more *because* of the filler / fun episodes, versus S2 probably has stronger arc plots, making them more or less tied for second.


SEASON 4 - Again, a relatively unpopular choice, but I generally liked the post-high school years of Buffy better than the high school ones. S4 suffers the same counter-balance issues with S3 - I think I like S4 because the filler episodes, the overall change of pace and vigour with which Buffy says "Okay, we're doing the college thing, at least for this year" make this season stand out in terms its overall tone and messaging. Some of the funniest episodes of the entire series happen here, and I actually thought The Initiative and Riley were awesome the first time around. It also boasts some of the most memorable episodes, including 'Hush' and 'Restless'. Although the season's story arc probably sputtered out the most, the overall zesty rebrand of the series here puts it right in the middle of my list.


SEASON 3 - A lot of people tend to put S3 at number one or number two, and if you're partial to the high school years, that totally makes sense. It has the strongest continual development of the major story arc - The Mayor and Faith - with only a handful of filler episodes, and for the most part, even those tie into the major storyline with cameos from the aforementioned main players. I always want to like this season more, but I think because it lacks a ton of standout episodes for me - and I got irritated by this point at how old those high school seniors were looking - it has never resonated quite as much. It's still a great season, but I just don't get that excited about it.


SEASON 7 - Oh Buffy, what could have been. After a very strong start, the show kind of lost itself mid-season and never fully recovered. Like Season 5's weakness, it tried to do too much in too little time, throwing new villains and unnecessary twists at us, while also feeling like it was dragging on as the slayerites huddled down in Buffy's house. The lack of interaction with the outside world, other than glimpses at the high school, made this season feel strained and drawn out at times. That being said, there are a large number of episodes I quite liked this season, and the overall series finale left me feeling satisfied, so I can't totally bash this one.


SEASON 1 - Everyone and their dog drops Season 1 at the bottom and I'm no different. It's hard to convince people to watch the show when they have to sit through the cheese that is S1, particularly in the SFX department. That being said, the creators make the best of it, frequently referencing moments in S1 in later years for funny running jokes and half-decent payoffs. The show is definitely quite campy and funny this time around, but it shows glimmers of the razor sharp humour and kick-ass fearlessness that defines the show.

- Britt's On

I have to admit, sometimes when I'm feeling a wave of Buffy nostalgia, I'll just google around and hunt down new sites that have "Best Buffy Episodes" ranking lists - and there are plenty. It did direct me a couple of years ago to the incredibly thorough and thoughtful website Critically Touched, which has crazy in-depth reviews of each episode, season, and character. As a matter of fact, I was actually supposed to write this particular post - my own take on the best Buffy eps ever - eons ago, it was one of the things I thought for sure I'd do in this blog, but I just found it too challenging and shelved it for awhile.

Well folks, that ends today. I happened upon one of the worst compilations of Best Buffy Episodes ever today, and scoffed at the audacity of the creator to pick such a random group of 25 episodes - leaving out at least one universally revered episode, and several more that often make people's 'best' lists.

That being said, I understand every list is very subjective - there are often a handful of episodes out there that people will go 'Really?' to, and many that are quite polarizing. There are some that often make people's 'best' lists and they don't really make mine.

The other problem is the definition of 'best'. Some people define it as, plain and simple, what are the best episodes for character & plot development combined with artistic integrity? To that end, episodes like 'Hush' and 'The Body' are up there, even though the latter is generally pretty painful to watch in comparison to something fun like 'Halloween' or 'Storyteller'. I came across a web forum discussion at some point in my life that covered the debate between 'best' and 'favourite', which in the Buffyverse are generally two different things.

So here is my compromise. I've selected the top 20 episodes that I simply look forward to the most whenever I watch the series (or know that a friend of mine who has it on loan is about to watch). I've found in the three times I've watched the entire thing now, I get a general sensation as I go to hit the play button on each episode - sometimes doom - but even the dark but awesome episodes like 'The Body' generally give me the squee feeling of excitement, especially when it comes to someone new watching the show.

One final thing I'd like to point out - the seasons that typically have a stronger season-long story arc are the ones with less individual standout episodes. Seasons 3 and 5 in particular had a great continual thread, but less knock-em-dead episodes. Meanwhile seasons 4, 6, and 7 are generally regarded as weaker seasons, but they have a few amazing standouts each. Without further ado, these are my favourite Buffy episodes, ranked by order of appearance. Please don't ask me to actually rank them. I will crumble...this was hard enough!

SEASON 1


Episode 12: Prophecy Girl
Here's the thing about Season 1 of Buffy: it's generally universally regarded as a campy joke, and in general, it's hard to convince people of the show's awesomeness as they go through eleven episodes of monster-of-the-week hokeyness. That being said, the show cleverly interweaves mythology from Season 1 in a humorous way in future seasons (particularly in regards to jokes about Xander) to make it an integral part of the Buffy watching experience. The good news is, the season finale of the show's first season gives a solid glimpse into the world to come and Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting chops. The scene in the library when Buffy overhears her prophesied death and yells and Angel and Giles to tell her what her fortune is shows the emotional weight the show manages to pack, even in a relatively light season, and rewards the dedicated viewer with a teaser of just how good the show can get. Plus, Buffy's death sets up a variety of interesting scenarios with long-lasting repercussions on the show. Shame about the hokey library monster though :)

SEASON 2


Episode 17: Passion
Much like the Season 1 finale, Passion showed us how grim Joss Whedon was willing to get, shockingly killing off a major non-evil character and then setting up one of the series most brutal send-offs with Giles' discovering the deceased Jenny in a decidedly creepy faux romantic scene. Rewatching the series, this is the episode of all the evil Angel episodes that told me this guy meant business, and got me truly nervous for what was to come.


Episode 22: Becoming Part II
Generally considered the best season finale (or at least up there), this episode makes me cry every single time I watch it. There are so many emotions running so high - Willow is in the hospital! Xander is hellbent on seeing Angel die! Buffy and Angel swordplay! Giles is being tortured! Angel backstory! Spike is making bargains! Plus the devastating final scene between Buffy and Angel, I mean...it was incredible. Plus I enjoyed the very clear beginnings of outlining the true burdens of being the chosen ONE that were particularly highlighted in this episode towards the end, and the sacrifices Buffy will continually have to make in her life. Fantastic!

SEASON 3


Episode 22: Graduation Day Part II
I feel weird not picking out more episodes in Season 3, but I've always felt like the season suffered a little in the balance between too many monster-of-the-week main plots with b-plot story arc development. There are several others I considered - Earshot and The Prom being key - but ultimately I feel like giving a nod to the Season 3 finale is a nod to the general solidness of this entire season. There are a lot of classic moments here, including the set-up for the Season 5 finale (I mean really!), Angel feeding on Buffy, the dream sequence that - like many others for Buffy - unlocks the key to her success, and the final epic battle. Mixed in with all of the drama we had genuinely touching moments between Anya and Xander, Willow and Oz, and Buffy and just about everyone. Great solid episode representing the culmination of Buffy's first consistently solid, tied together storyline.

SEASON 4

Episode 10: Hush
Many people thought Hush was the best Buffy episode ever, until they saw Season 5 of course. Hush was just about the mid-point of the series and tied in the monster-of-the-week set-up of the earlier seasons with the mythology / plot arc-heavy style of the later ones. We got some truly hilarious scenes and moments - Giles' lecture being the number one example - as well as the series' most creepy villains, ever. This episode ranks high for artistry, and even higher for wiggins' inducement.


Episode 16: Who Are You?
I often forget about this episode, but I actually really love it. I always manage to suspend my disbelief and get into the headspace with any body switching storyline that they really *have* switched bodies, and Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting here is a testament to how believable this plot device can be. I liked how even a brief reintroduction of Faith shook up the slayer's world so thoroughly, while also giving new depth to the character. Seeing Buffy through Faith's eyes kind of made me as a loyal Team Buffy fan step back and go, hm, maybe she is a little too Suzy Sunshine for her own good. It's certainly a creative way to get the viewer to look at both characters in a new light, so kudos there!


Episode 22: Restless
For the record, I don't put as much stock in this episode as other people do. I simply appreciate it for its artistry more than anything - there are many little memorable scenes and moments that I've never asked to make sense, I just simply enjoy. I've read many interpretations of what the episode is foreshadowing, exploring, and revealing but at the end of the day, there is some ethereal quality about this episode that makes it worth rewatching, versus a Lost-esque "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" curiosity. Of course, knowing some of the obvious hints - like the references to Dawn - are satisfying to pick up on as you watch it, and making observations that may have nothing to do with Whedon's original intent or lack thereof is always a fun game. Also, I tend to really enjoy episodes that explore specific elements of Slayer mythology, and the introduction of the first slayer here is done in an interesting way that sets up her return in the future. I could point to scenes in the Season 5 opener, and many in Season 7 that could be plucked from each episode for their excellence at building a portrait of what it means to be the slayer.

SEASON 5

Episode 7: Fool For Love
I decided to do this post (note: in multiple sittings, go save drafts!) because the latest 'best Buffy episodes' list that I read did NOT include this fantastic ep in the top 30. For the record, I tend to love the stories that explore the characters beyond the Buffyverse, which is why episodes like Becoming, Selfless, and even Hell's Bells appeal to me so much. The development of Spike here sets up his arc quite well for the remainder of the series, and the continued development of 'What does it mean to be a slayer' is seen through a vampire's eyes. I actually use Spike's commentary of 'They had a bad day and I had a good day' when it comes to killing slayers as a metaphor for when a favoured sports team just can't make a big W happen.


Episode 16: The Body
Many people call this not only the finest hour of Buffy, but the finest hour of television ever created - including Entertainment Weekly's look at the top 100 pop culture moments of the past 20 years. I was emotionally devastated when I watched this episode, and repeated feelings make it feel no less raw. The sheer genius of subtle shifts in what we're used to as viewers and Buffy fans - no score, single scene 'acts', and humanity interfering in a world dominated by the supernatural. It's crushing. It's not my favourite episode owing to how dark it is, but it's easily the *best* episode of Buffy.


Episode 21: The Weight Of The World
This is an obscure one to be on any person's list, but it's always resonated with me for some reason. I thought it was a very interesting set-up to the dilemma Buffy faced in the season finale, and the reverse of what we saw at the end of S4 (action-packed finale followed by dream sequence). Deciphering what was going through Buffy's head and actually being told what was going on was a welcome change from 'Restless' however.


Episode 22: The Gift
Season 5 was my favourite season, and the season finale had a lot to do with that - it culminated in a truly heartwrenching climax, but really the entire episode was enjoyable. I spent the whole season wondering how Buffy would overcome this super demon and was truly nervous for her in the end - and Whedon surprised us all by giving us an ol' you win some, you lose some smackdown. The image for this episode is possibly one of the most famous of the series.

SEASON 6


Episode 3: After Life
The success of this episode really lies in the scene this screencap is from. When I first unpacked my complete series, I randomly but specifically sought out this particular episode just to rewatch this scene. That being said, the rest of the episode is a welcome change of pace from the razzle dazzle hocus pocus of the season opener - it doesn't let Buffy off the hook right away, and it explains why to the viewers by the end of the episode. I also found the villain (minus the final fight) pretty creeptastic.


Episode 5: Life Serial
There are a lot of dark humour episodes in Season 6 that I like - Tabula Rasa and Gone among them - but for whatever reason Life Serial goes down as one of my fave fun episodes in the entire series. The four-act set-up lends itself brilliantly as an introduction to our so-called villains, and I particularly enjoy the claw scene the most. The final drunken scene is relatively funny as well...kitten poker anyone?


Episode 7: Once More, With Feeling
How could a top episodes list not include the Buffy musical, Once More With Feeling? I own the soundtrack to this and know pretty much every lyric, which while not the most sophisticated stuff ever written, certainly is clever and on point with the plot development. The fact that an episode that was such a departure from the show could gel with it so incredibly well speaks volumes about how damn good this show actually is!


Episode 17: Normal Again
Unlike 'The Wish', which shows up on most people's top lists, 'Normal Again' is the episode for me that turns the series on its head. In fact I often tell people it's my favourite episode because it doesn't ram this potential explanation down your throat - it simply inserts a level of reasonable doubt into your mind for the remainder of the series. Obviously fans would have been disappointed if this were the series finale, but it wasn't, and it put all of Buffy's angst and struggling into perspective. Loved it!

SEASON 7


Episode 3: Help
Another random choice, up there with 'WOTW' (S5), but I've always enjoyed this episode and look forward to watching it. There are echoes of Joyce's death here, except this time Buffy is given fair warning. The message in both is the same however - that sometimes you can stop humanity from interfering. The actress that plays Cassie (Azura Skye) is what makes this particularly convincing for me -hope she gets some future work in Hollywood.


Episode 5: Selfless
I always thought this episode occurred earlier in the series, and last time I watched it I was so choked you have to wait this long for a brilliant Anya-centric episode in the same vein of Spike's S5 turn in 'Fool For Love'. The flashbacks mix hilarity with heartbreak (the revisit to the musical episode and 'Mrs.' put S6 into perspective) and the actual real-world storyline between Anya, Xander, and Buffy was a shake-up like none other. Plus the payoff of Season 2, with the truth finally coming out about Xander's lie to Buffy when she was off to kill Angel in a similar fashion.


Episode 7: Conversations With Dead People
Wow, three really strong episodes in the first string of Season 7. What went wrong? Sigh. Regardless, I didn't get what all the hype with this episode was until I rewatched the series. There is something magical at work here, and I once again enjoyed the decision to separate the storyline based on the four-act structure of the show. The creepiness by the end of the episode set up high expectations for the rest of the season, which sadly were never met.


Episode 16: Storyteller
I always loved Andrew as the newcomer to the nerd trio in Season 6 - his self-deprecating unintentional humour was a welcome change to Jonathan's backstabbing and Warren's downright scariness. Keeping him around in Season 7 paid off both hilariously and emotionally in this episode as we once again - my fave! - get to watch the Slayerverse through an outsider's eyes - that which hilariously echoes the fanboy to end all fanboys of the show.


Episode 22: Chosen
Whenever I lend the series out to people, this is what I say: don't worry, it ends well. I had NO clue how Whedon could successfully end the show, and yet he did. He didn't wuss out too badly when it came to some final bloodshed (although I totally forgot about one of the major deaths and was shellshocked the last time I watched it), and he provided a successful resolution to the weight of being the chosen one, at least within Sunnydale. Brilliant and epic in an uneven season.

And for the record, episodes I know people LOVE that for whatever reason just didn't make my cut:

- Season 2 'Innocence' - I know this is a really classic episode of Buffy and the major turning point of Season 2 (plus rocket launcher) but for whatever reason it doesn't resonate with me. I always find it kind of uncomfortable to watch Buffy have to continually reveal what exactly might have made Angel wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

- Season 3 'The Wish' - Another episode I know people view as critical to the series. At the end of the day, I always go into this ep thinking that I will love it, but I never do as much as I think I will, tingly "Press Play" feelings aside. It's fun to see the characters in an alternate state, and weird to see Cordelia in such a main role, and Giles' line of 'Because it has to be!' is one of the greats of that season, but I just can't put my finger on why I'm not blown away by this one.

Also, some honorable mentions:

Season 1
Nightmares - The first episode I ever saw, and a precursor to another honorable mention in Season 4, Fear, Itself. A good example of foreshadowing re: Buffy's fear of dying.

Season 2
Halloween - The first episode I really remember being eager to make. sure. I. taped. and discussed with friends. I know I had been watching Season 2 up to that point, but this episode always sticks out in my mind and has many fun moments. Again, kind of a precursor to another hon. mention in Season 6, Tabula Rasa.

What's My Line Parts 1 & 2 - I know a lot of people hated Kendra, but the whole other slayer thing was such a 'WHOA!' concept to me that I quite enjoyed this two-parter. Plus, the start of Xandelia!

Ted - Although this follows the MOTW format I kind of eschew, John Ritter's performance here makes this episode memorable, funny, and creepy.

Innocence - See the above. I know it should be in my top 20.

I Only Have Eyes For You - I actually really love this episode and was tempted to put it in my top 20, but alas, here it sits, a notch or two shy of greatness. The main thing I will highlight here is that this episode eases us into a 'What if Angel *could* be good again?' scenario, which makes the season 2 finale that much more crushing.

Becoming Part 1 - I like the Angel development here, and the set-up for part 2 is a-ok in my books.

Season 3
Lover's Walk - Great character development here that sets up Angel's departure, adds depth to Spike, and has some heartbreaking moments between the b-characters.

The Wish - I know I know. It's a great episode.

Consequences - The contrasts between Buffy & Faith throughout this episode brilliant set up the race to the finish line.

Doppelgangland - Return of evil Willow, plus good Willow as evil Willow! Funny stuff.

Earshot - This episode mixes humour with one last 'after school special' issue that the show so brilliantly turns into metaphors throughout its existence. From feeling invisible to turning invisible in Season 1 to feeling unheard and wanting to eliminate oneself in this season, the show has always done a good job at highlighting the oddballs (given Buffy and her friends are outcasts themselves).

The Prom - I hate the 'monster' in this episode and find much of the Buffy/Angel stuff superfluous by this point - the set-up was all there between Lover's Walk and the Mayor's speech in Consequences I think. That being said, it's fun to see the show's take on prom, and Jonathan's little heart-tugging speech on Class Protector (an award that is symbolically destroyed at the beginning of next season).

Graduation Day Part I - Lots of great set-up here, including the epic battle between Faith and Buffy.

Season 4
Fear, Itself - I like this revisit to Season 1's 'Nightmares'. It's funny yet also insightful at continuing to delve into our character's psyche's in supernatural ways. Possibly the best of the 3 Halloween episodes.

Pangs - This is one of the stupidest episodes in terms of Buffy lore (with an obligatory Angel appearance and an uninteresting and kind of offensive villain), but also one of the funniest. Unfortunately for it, the *best* episodes combine both.

Something Blue - I know some people don't like this episode for whatever reason, but I always have. Seeing the characters in a different light as we do in Halloween, Once More With Feeling, and Tabula Rasa is always a treat.

The I In Team - This is sort of the peak of The Initiative episodes - in some ways I felt like our insider introduction was followed by too swift a kick to the ass out, but I always enjoy this most revealing look inside and the big mid-season cliffhanger that happens at the end.

Superstar - Buffy's hair is awesome for these last few episodes, can I just say that? Why didn't she keep it like this always? Whatever. This episode was a clever way to reintroduce Jonathan and keep him somewhat top of mind before season 6, and it was done in a funny way that still advanced the plot a bit.

Primevil - There are things I like about Primevil, but I'm glad it wasn't a season finale. The rebonding of the Scoobies, and the first big exploration of just how powerful Willow has become makes this a decent episode.

SEASON 5
Buffy Vs Dracula - My favourite season opener, although I always enjoyed 'Anne' and 'The Freshman' as well. Slayer lore abounds here as the show pays homage to the ultimate vampire.

No Place Like Home - The big reveal about Dawn was thankfully done relatively early in the series, plus we got a taste of the big bad unlike any other we've seen before. She's not aiming for immortality like our past villians, she's got that in spades kittens.

Intervention - This episode combines more of my fave slayer lore stuff (plus sets up the finale perfectly) while also featuring a pretty hilarious look at the Buffybot, she of a thousand lives.

SEASON 6
Tabula Rasa: If you couldn't tell by now, I like this episode, a lot. The last time I watched it I didn't love it as much as a few other similar episodes so it's just a hair shy of the top 20, but I think it's another fun 'What If' scenario the show plays with while also putting the final nail in the Willow/Tara relationship, and a 'No Turning Back' label on Willow's use of magic.

Gone: As I mentioned when talking about Life Serial, there are many fun episodes in this season, and Gone is one of them. We've had several bouts of invisibility here, but none as interesting as the slayer's, and the dark emotional feelings behind it.

Dead Things: The morality lessons of Season 3 come back to bite Buffy as she grapples with having blood on her hands. Plus the gang finally figures out who they're up against.

Hell's Bells: Another episode I wish I could have room for in the top 20 - definitely in the top 25. I didn't like the payoff for who the 'old Xander' really was, but the glimpses into the future and Anya's heartbreak made this one of the best character episodes in the entire series.

Season 6 4-Part Finale: This is the only finale that did not make my list of top 20 episodes. I think it's partially because it spreads across these four episodes so it's hard to pick one single episode that rocks the most. I liked the bait and switch of the real villain in town, and there are tons of great epic battles, and mortality via human-oriented murder was a big shocker.

SEASON 7
Get It Done - I was pretty generous in awarding 5 episodes from season 7 among my faves. In fact as I write this I'm considering swapping 'Help' for something like 'Tabula Rasa' or 'Hell's Bells', but whatever. As a result, the only other episode worth mentioning in my books is 'Get It Done', which explores the final themes leading up to the battle side of the finale - Willow tapping into dark magic, Buffy and the shadowmen and understanding where her power comes from, and the big reveal of just what they're up against make this the best of the otherwise pretty weak story-arc episodes.

Phew! That was done over a couple of sittings. Sorry for the EPIC length but this is an EPIC show!

I’ve been writing in this blog a lot lately. I guess as the year comes to a close I have a lot of reflecting – shallow or not – to do. It’s funny that in my ‘real life’ blog, my entries are pretty short. I would call the entries here more entertainment essays, or manifestos than anything.

I won’t expound on the joys of a PVR too much other than to say, once you have one, you’ll never go back. Ever. It enables you to do things like keep several episodes of Dollhouse on your PVR at once to skip over Fox’s ultra-annoying giant gap for the MLB playoffs. Also sadly for the dearly departed (soon to be anyway) Dollhouse, it’s not really a show that warrants immediate watching, so you can kind of cruise through them whenever you want. Namely, I finished catching up as of this weekend, and I’m quite enjoying the two-packs the episodes have been coming in as we ramp up to the final three or four.

But alas, where have we gone wrong? Joss Whedon has groupies like few other TV producers – he’s kind of the quirky answer to JJ Abrams more polished, super-budget pedigree. I myself am a massive Buffy fan (I think the show has more tags than anything in this blog), and have been curious to watch Angel, and Firefly. Despite being hailed / being a name brand producer, Joss hasn’t really had a major hit since Buffy, and arguably Angel following on its coattails. I could argue for quite awhile that Buffy in itself is a singularly wonderful show that is quite unlike anything Joss or any producer has done in the way it mixed reality, fantasy, horror, humour, and heart.

With that in mind, what’s up with Dollhouse? Well Season 1 maybe would have worked a decade ago, much as Buffy’s Season 1 ‘Monster of the Week’ managed to hook audiences long enough to keep the show growing, but these days there was no motivation to continue onwards, no end game in sight.

Another major problem was the complicated feelings I still have towards the Dollhouse. The concept of the house is incredibly disturbing and perverse, and although the people in the LA house the show focuses on seem to have more of a moral compass / family-like care for the key dolls, you still can’t shake the feeling that you don’t really want to be on their side. Nor did I particularly want to be on Paul Ballard’s side last season – he wasn’t a sympathetic protagonist, and just seemed like a reckless vigilante. I still don’t know why he was so hell bent on finding Caroline.

On that note, Caroline / Echo is another big flaw of the show. A lot of people have argued Eliza Dushku is a one note actress and this show highlights that with the demanding number of roles they ask her to take on. I would disagree – I think Eliza has the potential to play other types of roles other than Faith redux, but on a more consistent basis. Playing a bunch of different party girl types and transforming into Echo, a mere shell of a person, does not a great actress make.

Which brings me to another problem – the lack of cast camaraderie which emerges from these previous two points. Because everyone has this deep layer of sinister motivation, it fails to make the core non-Doll cast connect (Dewitt, Boyd, and Topher – plus Dr. Saunders and Topher’s assistant). Beyond that you’ve also got these walking shells that are supposed to have this strong yet vacant friendship. The Victor / Sierra romance grew nicely in the last season but it was choppily done before that. Echo’s sudden “I need to find my friends” diatribe in the last couple of episodes felt unrealistic as the ‘grouping’ dolls seemed so much less aware of what they meant to her versus Echo’s fully realized persona.

And moving on from there – the unrealisticness of the show’s concept. The whole government taking down the Dollhouse scenario kind of brought up the “why didn’t this happen before?”. Or more obviously on two different levels – it seems pretty easy for all these Richie riches to find the Dollhouse, why couldn’t the government? And realistically, given the exorbitant cost we’re led to believe an engagement costs, how many of these scenarios are realistic on a continual basis to make the house so successful? Also the huge lack of moral relativity is pretty disturbing if it has any shred of accuracy to it.

Finally we’ve got the muddled mythology of the show. So many new elements are introduced all the time that it’s hard to keep them straight. I still have so many questions that will never be answered…or maybe they have been and I just forgot. Why is Ballard so determined to find (and eventually free) Caroline / Echo? Why did Echo end up in the Dollhouse in the first place? What happened to Dr. Saunders? What’s up with Echo and that crazy doctor (but well acted by Summer Glau) that made an appearance? What’s going on with Mellie? What happened to the government subplot? How did Boyd dispose of that crazy Sierra-rapist’s body? Why wasn’t Victor simply freed after his army chip was disengaged? How did Alpha evolve on his own? Where did Alpha disappear to after his last little Dollhouse excursion? Do the admin staff basically live at the Dollhouse? Do they have lives on the outside? Oh and I could go on…

That was a blast of negativity there, but necessary to examine why the show has failed. That being said, I’ve enjoyed the progression this season, even if it seems dramatic compared to last season’s lack of forward movement. Echo becoming an Alpha-esque person was a neat twist and smart way to evolve the character, although I still don’t quite get who she is or how she exists. Topher and Dewitt continue to bring solid, complex performances although it’s more likely the scripts favour their development over the more robotic Boyd and Ballard. There’s been more humour, more intrigue, more twists, more action the last few episodes than the entire series to date – although not every twist has worked (I still don’t get why Dewitt was so blatantly evil only to be developing a team to take down Rossum).

I am a little sad to see Dollhouse go, but at the same time I recognize that were Joss not forced to show his hand this season, we wouldn’t have gotten the rapid progression we’ve gotten over the last few weeks. Truthfully, the fact I could leave episodes on my PVR for so long probably speaks to the fact this is one show that was headed for the attic no matter what.

Till next time,

Britt’s On

My friend Dana and I lend one another TV on DVD series. So far, she's lent me Lost (I devoured the first four seasons literally just in time for the 5th season premiere) and the first 3 seasons of Alias. I lent her Buffy and Gilmore Girls - both of which she's loved.

I was a bit resistant towards Alias and wasn't clamouring quite as badly between episodes to watch it as I was with Lost, but overall I'll admit, I enjoy the show. JJ Abrams seems to have been a fan of Buffy and all the girl power / kick butt messaging it stood for - he even borrowed several of the minor characters to play small roles on Alias.

But overall, I have to concede that Buffy dominates Alias. I think it all comes down to the reality of the two series. In Buffyverse...everything is rooted in the paranormal. The relationships throughout Buffy - which are a big feature on both shows - are firmly related to fantasy...vampires, witches, demons, monsters, soldier slayers, sons of slayers...these are the people Buffy and her cohorts get involved with, and everything in their world - except perhaps, why people choose to live in Sunnydale - can be explained or connected to magic and the hellmouth.

The same is not true with Alias. Aside from a penchant for wiping the slate clean / being free of consequences, JJ Abrams has a problem with motivations. The character motivations are generally pretty clear in terms of how they react to things, but the crux of the show surrounds various characters' involvement with terrorist organizations. Perhaps I'm ignorant as to why you'd ever want to be a part of a terrorist organization, but JJ gives no inclination as to why his characters are involved at all. Thus, the show is asking you to believe in reality and is rooted in reality...yet every organization - evil & good - is interested in this mythology related to a 14th century prophet / inventor named Milo Rambaldi. Not only do we have a lack of motivation for why, we have a lack of explanation of how Milo Rambaldi exists and why at this specific moment in time his works are coming to light (presumably Rambaldi predicted it and we're just tuning in at the right time) conveniently involving Sydney and her family.

While on Buffy you can believe various characters' involvement - from the Mayor to the school principal to various mythological groups - because of their nature of being involved in this whole other fantasy world, on Alias, the fantasy world seems quite far-fetched in a world of somewhat fantastical CIA spy work.

I suppose my other problem would be character history. Buffy is probably best loved for its insane amount of character development and connections. Many shows shy away from referencing moments in their earlier seasons, but Buffy, despite having a blah first season, makes frequent references - in conversation, plot, and character - to defining and not-so-defining moments for every character, big and small. While some of these are ongoing puns - Xander the demon magnet as a good example - other huge character moments feel so realistic and well-developed because of the history infused into each character. See: every storyline and character development related to Buffy, particularly leading up to and after the Season 5 finale.

Alias on the flipside, is like one big continuous loop that quickly forgives and forgets its past action. Aside from a few references to early Rambaldi discoveries (namely the early prophecy related to Sydney) there is almost no back story from the first season that plays a part in the daily actions of the characters - largely because JJ is uninterested in providing you with how the actions of the first few seasons play into the behaviours, motivations, and emotions of the characters as the show progresses. Perhaps that is its greatest downfall, although not to fear as many shows suffer from it. And JJ did make a solid effort - when he was still at the helm anyway - to eradicate this glaring error in Lost by making the show equally about characters (and their back stories) and plot.

That being said, I'm curious enough to finish out Alias. Dana doesn't have seasons 4 & 5 so I'll have to track them down one way or another...I've heard they're not the greatest, and for my complaints during Seasons 1-3, I don't expect things to improve in the character roots front at all.

Ah well!

- Britt's On

Trying to pick my favourite episodes of Sex and the City is similar to trying to pick my favourite seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each show has great 'standalone' episodes (and on Buffy, some episodes are characterized by such eps, while others are more about the season-long arc) that are more memorable, yet the episode-spanning story arcs like Carrie's affair with Big or Charlotte's marital troubles with Trey are the heart of the show, and what really captured your attention over the endless parade of bachelors the girls worked their way through. If you haven't watched the show or movie and don't care to be spoiled, don't read on.

I have no reason to write this entry, other than I was just thinking of the hot and humid weather, which segued into 'Hot Child & The City' (a fave SATC ep...not sure if it ranks top 10...read on to find out), which made me think about the movie coming out next summer.

To be totally honest, I'm not sure how I feel about the movie. I loved getting back into the show with some new content, and I loved analyzing the endless parade of fashions...but it really just made me miss the show and all its brilliance. They coulda, shoulda, woulda (?) continued it on methinks. The movie was missing a lot of things the show did - the humour was more slapstick than sassy (think: Charlotte's poo-kipsie incident), the so-called happy ending was hard to cheer for after the shocking level of depression shown by Carrie, and overall the film suffered by its length. While you never wanted a SATC episode to end (ah how I love the bite-size episodes), they were all very tightly wound in terms of themes (at times, laughably so). The movie felt like endless sketches and lacked that cohesiveness.

Still, I will be there opening day.

Back to my entry. I'm doing this off the cuff. I've spent zero hours thinking about this really, so I'm not going to actually rank these episodes from fave to least fave - they'll be ranked by season of appearance. And without further ado...my top 10 episodes of a little show that introduced us to Big and Carrie (blah). Oh and for the record...I tend to like the episodes of momentous occasion. You'll see what I mean.

S2 - Series Episode #29 - Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women: This is one of the eps that sees the women outside of NYC for a rollicking good time. Charlotte's entire faux-twentyhood is awesome and hilarious. This was one of the episodes that really put the whole setting of the show in perspective (as someone who first saw the show as a teen) and clearly demonstrated what stage of life these women were in. As much as I felt like I could relate to them (and still do), seeing twenty-somethings through their eyes was hilarious in this instance (and not quite as malicious / pie-in-the-face as 'Attack of the 5'10 Woman' in S3).

S3 - Series Episode #41 - Running With Scissors
As one of many loyal Aidan devotees, it was hard but amazing to watch Carrie engage in her affair with Big. As if he didn't jerk her around enough in the first two seasons (and again, why it hard to support the ending of the series / film)...anyway! This is the best of the entire affair storyline, although I enjoyed the previous ep or two ago where Big and Aidan actually meet at the furniture show. The show isn't afraid to not only dig into "Why would you ever have an affair?", but also to highlight that things are degenerating between Big and Carrie as shown in the opening montage from swanky 5-star to seedy motel. Plus the confrontation at the end with Natasha and Carrie, and Big at the hospital? Handled so shockingly / grippingly! Who doesn't love the little details like Natasha slamming the cab door shut when Carrie attempts to accompany her to the hospital?

S3 - Series Episode #45 - Hot Child In The City
Apparently I love me some pot-smoking Carrie, despite being anti-drugs. I couldn't *not* include this episode as it's literally the first one I ever saw, and to this day makes me giggle. All four storylines are hilarious / awesome / insightful; Carrie's fried chicken afternoons with Wade? Charlotte's 'Rebecca' and Trey's 'Schooner'? Miranda's gawk-ward braces? Samantha's showdown with a tween a-lister (future emo teen star Kat Dennings of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist)? I love an episode that manages to be hilarious, self-deprecating, and insightful at the same time, all wrapped up in tightly-linked storylines.

S4 - Series Episode #50 - The Real Me
This is a perfect example of Sex and the City catering to its fans; giving you a does of celebrity stardom and showcasing one of the show's stars: fashion. Not only that, but one of the funniest scenes of the entire series - fashion roadkill! - takes place. The rest of the episode is pretty whatever and doesn't impact much future happenings, but Carrie's fashion storyline more than makes up for it.

S4 - Series Episode #63 - Change of a Dress
Possibly my favourite episode of the entire series...for the Aidan and Carrie storyline. They have a much more interesting, deep, defined, and prototypically flawed relationship this season, and everything that happens in this episode has been simmering for the first 2/3rds of Season 4. The horrible wedding dress scene, and the truly beautiful break-up scene outside the fountains...it's painful. The other girls really aren't important in this episode, but the Carrie/Aidan drama (and actually the next episode, which follows it up SO well) is worth it.

S4 - Series Episode #66 - I Heart NY
This is a prime example of a very 'big moment' (not Big moment...) the show purposefully orchestrated. This is my friend Robyn's fave episode, and for good reason. I actually love the final four episodes of S4 with almost equal ardor - Carrie's post-breakup lament here is probably her most genuine (save for the movie), the stint at Vogue is a nice fashion-y diversion, and this episode is just pure magic. It's interesting they launched us towards Big again so soon, but they were smart to do so - giving Carrie a kind of bittersweet clean slate, and finally showing some grown-up romance and interaction between these two. Did I mention I love Moon River? There are just so many great scenes here...and clothes for that matter, I want almost everything Carrie wears this episode. Miranda's season-long arc also comes to a fitting end, and Charlotte has her last interaction with Trey (he did film a guest appearance in the s5 finale, but they cut it out to preserve love for Harry). Not only is the message of this episode sweet and memorable...we finally have a change of season!

S5 - Series Episode #72 - Critical Condition
I quite like the episodes where the characters kind of dwell on past break-ups. It makes for more cohesiveness when they're all going through a sort of single gal phase. This particular episode does things in a humorous but harsh way when Carrie gets "the face" from the next chick to date Aidan after her, which altogether makes for a funny takeaway. Who hasn't talked about this episode and made 'the face' with their friends? On top of that, we have the *awesome* Samantha / vibrator storyline, and the introduction of Harry. Joy!

S5 - Series Episode #74 - I Love A Charade
There are definitely elements of this episode that harken back to the S4 finale...but I somehow find this one more genuinely sentimental, romantic, and most importantly realistic. While S4 was all about wrapping things up with a pretty bow, this episode was really about transitioning these women into the final wrap-up of the show. Carrie is finally open to new possibilities (and believing in love again after the sham-marriage she's invited to). Miranda realizes it's not as easy as she thought to live happily ever after. Samantha finally moves past Richard. And Charlotte finally (albeit a tad reluctantly) accepts Harry as a full-fledged part of her life. I have a strange affinity for this episode, despite not liking S5 as a whole.

S6 - Series Episode #81- The Post-It Always Sticks Twice
Words cannot describe my love for (parts of) this episode. I actually wrote a paper on the Carrie-blows-up-in-Bed scene on communication theories. This is one of the funniest / best break-up stories the show puts out there, and possibly my fave comedic episode of the series. Aside from that, I like that Miranda finally gets a non-frumpy moment with her 'skinny jeans', and copious amounts of sexy Smith and happy Charlotte are always nice as well.

S6 - Series Episode #86 - One
This episode mostly ranks high because of the Steve & Miranda resolution. Don't get me wrong, I loved Dr. Robert Leeds, but these two are truly meant to be (at least in TV fantasy world). I know most people hated the Russian, but I liked this quirky introduction to his character that really set the stage for their relationship (him running the show and over-the-top bizarre romance) - plus Carrie's dress on their date was amazing. I also like Charlotte's story here, a nice return to form from an intermittently pandering character during the latter half of the show.

Honorable Mentions:
- S1: Secret Sex
- S2: The Chicken Dance, Evolution, La Douleur Exquise!, Games People Play, The Fuck Buddy
- S3: Politically Erect, Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl..., Easy Come Easy Go, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Escape From New York / Sex & Another City, What Goes Around Comes Around
- S4: Baby Talk Is Cheap (hot Aidan), My Motherboard My Self, Sex & The Country, Belles of the Balls, Just Say Yes, Ring A Ding Ding, A Vogue Idea
- S5: Luck Be An Old Lady, Plus One Is The Loneliest Number (Grey's Papaya!), The Big Journey
- S6: Pick-A-Little Talk-A-Little, Hop Skip & A Week, The Domino Effect, The Ick Factor, Splat, American Girl In Paris Parts Une & Deux

Fave Season: Four! Each of the ladies had an interesting - and at times, heart-wrenching - relationship this season, and 3 of the guys had a real good chance of developing their characters and stories this season (before being chucked anyway).

What are your top 10? Choose carefully. Looking at my list again, I would probably scrap my S2 choice and subsitute it for something like the S3 LA episodes, Ring A Ding Ding or a Vogue Idea, or the series finales...I just can't pick one I like the best out of those, so it stays.

But yeah, that's my top 10! Now all I want to do is rewatch the series for the millionth time. Love.

- Britt's On

So two of the shows I regularly watch - One Tree Hill, and Friday Night Lights, are in seemingly paradoxical states.

Okay, different, but somehow similar. One Tree Hill, currently in its sixth season, is facing the imminent departure of the shows two stars - Hilarie Burton (Peyton) and Chad Michael Murry (Lucas, er, kind of THE star of the show). Worst of all, it looks like they'll pull a cheesy wedding day death based on a totally random, spontaneous incident where Peyton having a baby is vaguely fatal. While Lucas and Peyton have never ever ever been my fave characters, their story is kind of the heart of the show - much like Karen and Keith's was a few seasons ago (again not my faves). Without them, I'm not sure where they're planning to take the series...but we'll get back to that.

On the flipside, Friday Night Lights (FNL) has gone through 3 seasons - the latter two of which they've stretched the age of some of the main characters - Tyra, Lyla, and Tim in particular all seemed to be seniors or at least juniors in Season 1, yet are just graduating now with established sophomores come seniors Landry and Matt. The funny thing is, FNL was taped about a year ago, aired on Direct TV about eight months ago, and got renewed for two more seasons two weeks ago. So you do the math - it's been a few very swan song, poignant episodes packed with tears and drama and heart. Now the big question on all the fans lips is where do we go from here? I stated my theory already, Coach T is going to get fired and head for team underdog at East Dillon High - which gives them more flexibility if they stayed at their current school with a new cast. My friend Sarah thinks they might move to San Antonio to keep dreamtastic Timmy Riggins on the show. We'll see...

So here is the paradox. Both shows are losing some of their core cast members. What now?

One Tree Hill has suffered a bit last season, but moreso this one, because the show lacks the momentum of the four high school years (in fairness! they stretched each year - 11 and 12 - over two seasons and acknowledged it). Back then, it was about the State Championship and getting out of high school alive. The producers made a relatively wise choice of fast forwarding past college - more tideous basketball and watching them grow apart - and brought things together in a emotionally fraught and interesting season last year.

This year however, there's been zero momentum. The interesting career positions each character was in at the beginning of S5 have all been erased - Lucas' career options recently abruptly shutdown, Peyton is semi-managing a record label under a mega label, Brooke is doing nothing but working in an empty storefront and designing endless wedding dresses, Hayley has quit her teaching job but also isn't interested in singing again, and Nathan is in a minor league for basketball but with little to show for it on the home or work front. Where are we going? Where's the ambition? I want things to *finally* happen for Brooke, and I want the writers to decide whether they want to give Hayley or Nathan a fairy tale career ending as they snatched them away over the last two years. S6 did start off with a bang (literally) but it's quickly degressed from there without a final build-up.

My question with OTH in relation to FNL is would OTH have benefitted from college years? I'm not sure. I think the lateral drift of the characters would have been depressing, as it is on most shows that go to college, but at the same time the forced closeness (and desire to stay in Tree Hill) today is equally irritating. So is the prospect of killing off a major character for contractual / dramatic reasons. Just have her leave people. Have you learned nothing from S3 of The OC?

FNL...I'm guessing the grads will not be seen in college. The writers have two choices as I've mentioned - to send them off gracefully with a story arc like Smash & Street, or to feature them as minor recurring characters in their other lives. Another theory my friend Sarah had was Coach Taylor might end up at San Antonio state, thus giving him a chance to at least continue coaching Riggins, but we'll see.

Before I depart, let's rank the success of college seasons on other shows I've watched:

Dawson's Creek - 3.5/5: The show actually did a decent job of portraying college in its 90s pretentious way, Joey got better hair, and they finally did away with Dawson by making him exist in a world separate from the rest of the Creekers.
Pros: Less Dawson, continued enjoyable drama, the awesome episode with Joey and Pacey in the K-Mart.
Cons: Noticeable (although acknowledged) drift of the characters, Extreme emo Dawson and the death of his father, Busy Phillips as Audrey = worst cast addition ever.

Gilmore Girls - 4/5: A friend of mine is watching GG for the first time on DVD right now (thanks to moi) and it's making me reflect that the high school years really were fun - with the wider cast of characters from Rory's school definitely outweighing her college castmates. That being said, the show was about Rory's academics / future more than her friends, and ultimately, about family ties which the show never lost - other than that patch at the beginning of S6.
Pros: Smart move on the writers to make Rory choose Yale - it invoked serious family drama, but ultimately kept the family bonds in tact with Rory/Lorilei, Also Logan was a welcome change of pace from Dean, and seeing Rory evolve into someone more confident was nice. Plus Paris (realistically) stuck around. Also the show just let Rory grow more because it wasn't just about "getting into college" it was about boyfriends and futures and careers.
Cons: Some people complain Rory became too stylized in college which I somewhat agree with. Also, the loss of Madeline, Louise, the Puffs, and the various other high school castmates was sad, but realistic.

Buffy - 4.5/5: Let me clarify. Buffy herself went to college for approximately 1.5 seasons - but really, Season 4 of the show was "the college year" that made lots of puns and metaphors, and also heartbreaking drama, of typical college experiences (one night stands, missing home, and getting stupidly hammered to name a few). By the middle of season 5 we had nary a class scene with Buffy, who dropped out as explanation, and returned for one ill-fated class at the beginning of S6. That being said - I give Buffy a 4.5/5 for the college years because to me, Seasons 4-7 are the best of the series (4-6 really), and Willow was attending college for most of them. Season 4 was a transition / turning point, and thus, I gave it a solid mark.
Pros: The show always used typical high school drama as metaphors for the monsters it created (ex: Angel in S2). In college (s4), it did the same thing, but with a few seasons of doing this under their belt, it was much better executed (imo), and generally the funniest season of the show. S5-S7 were just way better in overriding story arcs than the earlier seasons. The fact Buffy never seemed to be in class (nor did Willow or Xander) was finally more logical, and honestly, freeing. Also, glad they acknowledged that Xander was the Pacey of the bunch - not in school, and struggling a bit, but ultimately both work it out.
Cons: S4 in particular had a relatively weak story arc, and mostly rested on its funny / smart college metaphors. Also, Buffy & friends never complete schooling which somewhat makes this a moot show.

The OC - 1/5: Marissa (Mischa Barton) died at the end of Season 3. It was stupid. The one thing I was looking forward to was seeing Ryan go to college, move on, and possibly add a new interesting female to the cast (and playing a guessing game as to who it would be?!?!). Well. The writers decided to predictably - for casting reasons, not for actual story / character relevance - pair him up with goody two shoes/show ruiner Taylor (Autumn Reeser), which, if you watch the beginning of S3 again, is ludicrous. Aside from that, Seth - the token brainiac - wasted away his unwanted gap year and decided to randomly become a movie critic by season's end, and Summer's experience at Brown was laughably bad - thus she dropped out early.
Pros: None. I hated all the characters added / focused on at this point (especially Taylor, Katelin, and Summer's stupid hippie friend) and the 3 main young leads felt disconnected without bonding together to save the day for Marissa.
Cons: Everything. See above.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head...till next time.

Britt's On

Not every show a major name in the TV biz creates is gold. In fact, most TV production stars get their name from their first hit show, and carry it through several less awesome shows, until they are (hopefully) redeemed with an awesome show again.

Consider - Josh Schwartz rocked the world with the OC, which ended on a sour note, and landed a plum job at the helm of the TV adaptation of Gossip Girl, which truly pales in comparison to dear ol' Orange County.

JJ Abrams has built up a following over the years - first through Felicity, then through Alias, and finally through Lost - but he's also built up resentment by abandoning his projects towards the end and letting them suffer (as Lost currently is, and Alias did for S4 & S5). Don't forget, he's also had a couple of failed projects - What About Brian & Six Degrees, and Fringe isn't exactly storming the nation.

Then of course, we have Joss Whedon, best known for one of the best shows of all time - Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I'm not afraid to say I'm a fan of this show, I've watched the entire series several times over and love every second of it. As most fans will tell you, the show was an amazing mix of humour, introspectiveness, psychology, character development, passion, action, spookiness, and reality.

Things have not entirely fared well for Joss beyond Buffy (and its spin-off, Angel). His pet project Firefly (and movie Serenity) died out after one season - although I've heard it was a *great* season, and one I must watch. He's also laid pretty low on the radar since Buffy ended in 2003, and Angel in 2004, with his first major television project being launched this year on Fox - Dollhouse.

I decided to give Dollhouse a shot, mostly because my friend was rewatching Buffy at the time promotions started coming up, and I was craving a return to Buffyverse without actually rewatching the series. Well Dollhouse ain't no Buffy. If you don't know the show, essentially it's about a secret organization that signs people on for five years to have their minds reprogrammed to be whatever their multi-million dollar clients want them to. Although a fair number of the engagements are of the romantic (yuck) nature, they're also called upon for high-end thriller missions - from acting as security to helping to rob a secret vault to taking down a cult. When the 'dolls' aren't programmed, they are in a childlike state and simply exist in a very peaceful, zenlike, spa retreat.

Let me count the ways the show lacks in Buffy quality:
- There is no protagonist. In theory it would be Eliza Dushku's character, but Eliza doesn't have the acting chops, nor the character development required to make this work. She's either forced into some hokey role (with horrible costumes) each week, or she's a vacant doll, hanging around the compound. The alternative would be Paul Ballard, but the actor is wooden and the character can be downright annoying.

- The secondary characters fit neatly into Buffy-created roles, but they pale in comparison. Topher is a diet Xander (god, even their names are both short for another name), Sierra is a bizarre choice for proxy Willow (and equally as boring as Echo), Boyd is a boring version of Giles, and the other characters are wholly one-dimensional.

- There doesn't appear to be a solid direction for the show. While the same could be said of lots of shows, I've always at least felt like there was a purpose. I suppose on Dollhouse it would be for the dolls to realize what's happening to them and vive la revolution! but if that's the solution, the show would no longer exist - unless the dolls chose to continue on by choice, and be themselves instead of doll-like when not on engagements (unlikely).

- The show is rooted in science, rather than fantasy as Buffy/Angel were, which doesn't give it as much legs. Everything continues to be brought down to earth - but it's hard to envision anything on the show actually being plausible.

- It's just not as funny. The last episode this week did a decent job of being amusing, and Topher usually gets the show's rare funny parts, but as a 'forget who you are' episode, I could name 3 episodes off the top of my head on Buffy that did a much better job of being amusing in this same scenario (Halloween, Something Blue, Tabula Rasa).

That being said, I - like most other Whedon fans out there - am still holding out the show will manage to capture me once and for all.

I still feel like the characters are being underused, perhaps with too wide of a cast and not one unified location for them all to be in (like Lost), Whedon is struggling to make the time balance work. I also feel like Eliza Dushku was the wrong choice for this role - she's relatively one note, and having been in a previous Whedon vehicle in that very note, it's hard to seperate her into the myriad of roles she's asked to play each week. Finally, the blatant sexuality of the show is a put-off. The sexual aspect of the Dollhouse is creepy and hard to look past, and Eliza Dushku's wardrobe in general is horrible. This is definitely not appealing to all ages as Buffy once was.

Regardless, like I said, I am hoping for the show to go somewhere good and take me with it.

Till then,

Britt's On