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Dollhouse: Season One. Twentieth Century Fox/ Fox Broadcasting System. 2009. Via Netflix.

The Plot: Echo (Caroline) is a "doll" in the "dollhouse." High paying clients pay to hire a doll to be anything the client wants. This isn't acting or pretending; the "dolls" original personality has been removed, and depending on the assignment, a new personality is downloaded into the doll and the doll becomes -- the perfect girlfriend. Hostage negotiator. A singer. Whatever you want.

It's not exactly legal; so FBI Agent Paul Ballard is investigating, looking to find Caroline with only a photograph, a first name, and rumors as a lead. How far will the Dollhouse go to stop Ballard? And does the Dollhouse have any limits in what it will -- and won't -- do to fulfill a client's wishes?

The Good: As you know, I began watching this last season with some reservations. I'll address them in a bit; first, what I liked about this show.

Dollhouse works great as a "sit down and watch all 12 episodes over 4 days" TV show. In many ways, it's stronger when you can see one episode after the other, the character development, the multi-episode story arc. Each Dollhouse episode works as a standalone; but there is also a season-long question (Who is the mysterious Alpha doll who went crazy and killed or mutilated several people before escaping the Dollhouse?) and a series question (What is the Dollhouse, really?)

As a viewer, it can be a bit hard to connect with the dolls who are a different person each week, reverting to a child-like state between jobs. For this reason, perhaps, the Dollhouse staff, despite the fact that they, well, treat people like dolls, are more sympathetic -- or at least easier to know -- than the dolls. If a person changes every week, how can I get to know them? How can I like them? Despite this limitation, or maybe because of this, Enver Gjokaj (doll Victor) and Dichen Lachman (doll Sierra) give stunning performances and show an incredible range of character. You actually look forward to them being someone different each week because they bring their A game each time.

If you read my prior posts, you'll see I'm a bit pissy at Joss for saying these shows are about yadda yadda yadda. What is the Dollhouse metaphor? Is this show about feminism? About employers wanting an unquestioning workforce? About acting, with "meat puppet" actors manipulated by directors and producers and writers? I've flirted with all ideas (well, except for the feminism one. That is Joss's idea and I don't agree). Ultimately, I think its a reflection of today's world wanting only to talk; never to listen; to say they want communication and relationships, but the truth is they only want that when it's one-sided, convenient, and easy; and ultimately, to always be in control and not have to compromise.

What didn't I like? Joss's talk before hand about the show yadda yadda yadda was a bit turn off; I much prefer discovering the truths about the show by myself, not for it to be hammered at me. Also, I'm a bit tired of Joss having his cake and eating it, too. He says he is a feminist; but the amount of short skirts and skin shown actually gets tiresome. I also have an inherent distrust of a show with a built-in rewind/eraser; i.e., when in doubt, say it's programming and a doll! It gets a bit tiring knowing that nothing can truly be trusted. But please note that sometimes I do like that type of storytelling, such as with Justine Larbalestier's Liar.

DVD Extras: there are two bonus episodes. One is an epilogue, of sorts, set ten years in the future (or, at least, one possible future). I LOVED the epilogue; and truthfully? Would have loved to see more storytelling like that. The other is the pilot that was deemed not a good pilot. What's funny is that some scenes from the pilot made it into other episodes; and an actress who was featured returned in a different role for a different episode. I do admire Joss's loyalty to actors and staff and crew.

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© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

thirtysomething: The Complete First Season 1987, Personal copy

Episode 1 does a brilliant job of setting up this series. Hope and Michael, the thirtysomething couple with a baby and their circle of family and friends. Ellyn, Hope's best friend from childhood. Gary, Michael's best friend from college. Melissa, Michael's cousin. Elliot, Michael's business partner, and Elliot's wife, Nancy. A created family, revolving around the orbit of Hope and Michael.

thirtysomething was a show about, well, nothing. And everything. It was about life -- friendships, career, children. Small choices, big events. Running a business; losing and finding love; figuring out how to have balance in life. And doing so not with family. Melissa and Michael are cousins; but aside from that, family is not a priority. What is the priority is the family these group of friends have created amongst themselves. Even then, the first season shows that it was not always a group; Nancy is simply "Elliot's wife," at first Ellyn isn't really friendly with "Michael's friends," Melissa and Gary.

Standalone episodes are combined with longer season and series arcs. From the start, Nancy talks of writing a children's book; Michael and Elliot's business struggles; Michael talks of writing yet doesn't act on it; Elliot is interested in film; Hope and Michael try to find a way to have an Interfaith marriage. The friends fight as drastically and bitterly as family, and reconcile just as family does.

Is this dated? I think the idea of finding ones way, of seeking balance is still current; and the challenges, dreams and hopes of this group (who would now be fiftysomething!) are the same today. So what if no one has a cell phone and computers are a big scary machine? So what if a tattoo is a big deal? Today, an airplane and terrorist joke would not be made; someone dating their boss, a professor dating students, wouldn't be so accepted.

What isn't dated? The method of storytelling, unwinding, including various people. Using fantasies and flashbacks and multiple points of view still work and the people are still real. The little touches -- people wearing a favorite sweater, houses in constant stages of repair, recurring characters and jokes -- work.

I'm looking forward to the other seasons; to Miles Drentell (hey, did he ever refer to these people in Once and Again?); to Susannah coming and not being friends; to Nancy's blossoming; Melissa's successes. Even the death.

Now, the Hope Question. I guess you either love her or hate her. OK, hate is strong. And I don't want to get into other seasons. But Hope, well, she's tough. When her mother visits, we find it's the first time her parents have visited since the baby was born, yet Hope is pissy about the visit. She and her mother are in constant conflict; yet later, we find out the parents helped Hope and Michael with a downpayment for the house. Actually, most of the people on this show don't get along with their parents, are still rebelling against their parents, struggle to not define themselves through their parents' eyes. (Watching this thinking that Mad Men are the parents of this generation is interesting!)

And Michael; Ken Olin's performance is memorable. Who else could have made Michael sexy and attractive, yet insecure and jealous? Olin is fearless as he exposes every weakness of Michael. Yet, Michael never turns into a whiner, a complainer. As I think about the nuances in Olin's performance, I realize part of the problem with Hope is that she is beautiful -- and that Mel Harris isn't as strong an actress, so with that depth lacking Hope came across as shrill rather than searching. Judgmental rather than strong.

The other two standout performances are Melanie Mayron, showing a believable mix of insecurity and confidence, as Melissa, the talented photographer who struggles to grow so that she stops picking the wrong men and Patricia Wittig as Nancy. Yes, its the future seasons that really give Wittig a chance to shine (I still remember, word for word, the scene where she fears dying when her daughter is too young). Wittig portrays Nancy as trapped in a role she didn't want, distanced from her husband, unsure of what to do, having lost who she once was and never realizing, until now, that her life isn't what she thought it was or what she hoped it would be. Slowly realizing she cannot blame others for her own choices. In lesser hands, Nancy could have been shrill, pathetic, clingy -- in other words, seen only as Elliot sees her -- but we see her depth, her possibility, her own struggles.

I enjoyed the many DVD extras, including glimpses into how the stories came about. They wanted to give someone cancer -- who would it be? At some point, almost every actor on the show ended up directing; some went on to careers that are now more directing than acting, and they credit this show with encouraging that type of creativity. There is also some interesting "history of TV" stuff, including the show's use of music (which held up the release of the DVD) which most viewers would think isn't a lot. But at the time, it was. Also -- for those of you who watched this in syndication? You've been missing seven minutes. In the twenty years since thirtysomething aired, we've lost seven minutes of TV shows to ads.


© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Starsky and Hutch old school (1975)


OK, so I'm cheating a wee bit by using the Season 2 opening credits. The music is different, it's now "&" instead of "and", but, like the credits of Season 1, there is a surprisingly large number of clips from the first two episodes.

The Plot:

Starsky and Hutch, two cops, fight crime.

The Good:

Gather round, children. Here is an example of old school TV; when there was no such thing as routine multiple episode story arcs.

I'm mocking with love; S&H holds up quite well. Sure, it's fun to mock the lack of cell phones, the typewriters, the clothes. Actually, the clothes aren't that bad, at least not during first season. Starsky & Hutch's cool clothes, high waisted as the may be, aren't as "old" as the bad guys in their three piece suits. And a lot of the episodes still work, and the guys are still funny.

What this show brings is edge. I'm on episode five as I type this, and in over half the episodes, their is no final arrest because the bad guys are dead. It's nice, simple, if brutal -- shoot first. I have yet to hear any Miranda warnings. Sixth episode in is the first time the w-word (warrant) is mentioned. The shoot outs are clunky at times; but it seems more realistic than the stylized choreography that is part of many of today's gun fights.

It's also rough; I'm talking sweaty guys. Underarm stains. And the scruffiness of Hutch following his forced heroin bender --. Ah. Good times. Oh, another thing; a limited wardrobe budget! I love that I see the guys wearing the same clothes over and over.

Since it is 1975, we don't have the language, or the outright sex; but it's there, lurking, in Hutch's girlfriend who is obviously a call girl. And the boys stripping down to talk to a bad guy in a steam bath. (No, I'm not making that up.)

Another thing the show lacks is much character development. In a very old school way, each ep works as a stand alone. Actors today have much more material to work with. But, then, this is one of the cool things about shows like Starsky & Hutch -- the scripts didn't bring it, so it was up to the actor's to build the build the characters and add depth to the characters. Here's the example; one week, Hutch is kidnapped and forcibly given heroin for some plot point. The next week, Starsky & Hutch are accused of being bad cops who are selling cocaine on the street. And no one mentions Hutch's drugfest and withdrawals from the week before.

Speaking of scripts; this is one of the shows were I've heard that scripts from other shows were used. I'd also heard that with other shows: Charlie's Angels using old Mod Squad scripts. Is this true? Or just urban legend?

Why was I staying up that late? Actually, I have no idea. I think I watched the later seasons while babysitting or in reruns.

Bonus Question: So, who was my TV boyfriend? Starsky or Hutch?

Chapter 7 of The Graveyard Book still isn't done, but that's fine. It's going really well. I think when it's finished this chapter will be twice as long as any of the other stories in the book. It ties them all together, too, to make a set of short stories into a novel.

Yesterday I reached the moment I'd been dreading for years, where you learn why the things that happened in the first chapter happened (which I hadn't known when I wrote them. I knew that they had happened, but not why) and as I started to write it, I realised that it was pretty obvious, so I wrote it, and learned a lot. This was an enormous relief. It does not always work out this way.

Chapter 6 is all typed and tidied and there's no evidence from what you'd read that it was a nightmare to write and that I had no idea what was happening paragraph to paragraph, or felt like I was making it up as I went along (a terrible thing for an author to feel).

Right. Here are three blogs you could be reading while I'm being mostly absent:

Hi Neil,

Someone has had the brilliant idea of setting up a blog to help reunite people with their lost cameras/memory cards/films by posting a couple of photos from said lost items. The blog is here: http://ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com/

I think this is a great idea deserving of wide circulation (I know I'd be very upset if I lost my camera and delighted if it were returned, more for the photos than the camera itself). If you also like it, would you mind passing it on to your readership please?


Thanks! Regards, Camilla Brokking

and this one broke my heart...

Dear Neil,


I found a blog that was strange and sad and beautiful. A vegan veterinary technician records all the animals that she euthanizes.


http://whatikilledtoday.blogspot.com/


I think you should read it.


-Alex

and I found this a few months ago and meant to post it, and lost it again, and now Mistress Mousey says...


Kurt found this website. I've been shaking my head in shame while laughing
for pretty much the last 15 minutes straight.

http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Hope you're well. Can't wait to see how the Graveyard Book turns out. :D

Hugs,
michelle

...

Hi, Neil--

I've seen on your blog that you're a big fan of Joe Hill, too. We sent an advance copy of his new comic, LOCKE & KEY, to your attention. Hope you like it--the artist is Gabriel Rodriguez, the BEOWULF artist, too, and its just an amazing read.

We also put together a trailer for the comic that we're going to send around soon:

http://charliefoxtrotfilms.com/tom/

We're trying to push this book in a big way. Joe deserves it. It's such an assured and enthralling first issue.

Chris

I really enjoyed it, although I wished it had been double the length, or had come with a black and white preview of the next issue or something. I fear that I'm losing the periodical comics buzz, and have been conditioned to want graphic novel sized chunks of story. I no longer go "I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT ISSUE!". Now I go, "And then what?" But it was a great start...


I just finished Steinbeck's Journal of a Novel and Working Days, which were amazing texts on the art of writing and a writers' struggles. In reading your journal it occurred to me that the updates on your progress through the Graveyard book and similar past entries could make for an interesting compilation reminiscent of these two books. Is this something you'd ever consider?

Oddly enough, I got an email a few weeks ago from a publisher wanting to know if they could make a book up from this blog. I imagine that it would be possible to go excavating the million and sixty-eight thousand words (according to the always fascinating http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/clouds/words/) and dig out enough stuff for a book or two, perhaps much in the way that the old http://quotableneil.blogspot.com/ did. But it'll have to wait until I have a bit more time to even think about it.

Meanwhile...

I understand that Hill House are sending out all the copies of the limited edition of ANANSI BOYS, and have a dedicated email address to confirm people's postal addresses -- details at http://hillhousepublishers.com/hh-update-28dec07-01.htm
and Lisa Snellings wants me to tell the world she has a sale on at http://stores.ebay.com/Poppet-Art-by-Lisa-Snellings-Clark

Next post: is Dr Who actually a Fennic Fox? You be the judge... Read the rest of this post

I just opened up the blogger tab, and found this sitting there:

My sleeping is all messed up. Fell asleep at 6.00pm and slept until 7.15pm and now wide awake at gone midnight. Argh. Going to try to sleep.

If you join up at http://www.playbill.com/club/offers/ you can get into the New Victory Theater's WOLVES IN THE WALLS production at a substantial discount.

I assume I wrote it because the probability that elves crept in late last night and left half-finished blog entries is a very small one indeed. I think I was asleep within a few minutes of posting it, if I didn't actually start blogging in my sleep.

I was interviewed yesterday, then napped, then had a wonderful sushi dinner with the people from UIP. So far today I've been interviewed about seven times, but the interviews have been longer and more in depth and the questions are different.

I'll close a few tabs....

Beckett for Babies: of course! I hope that someone will actually publish this.

Someone tries to sell Belgium on eBay. Again, of course! Next time, perhaps they'll succeed.

Jeff Vandemeer's enormous book sale. 819 books still available.

Cory Doctorow on giving away free e-books. I think he's mostly right, and even where I'm unconvinced his research is useful and exhaustive.

There's a meteor in Peru that may be emitting noxious fumes. I have seen enough bad movies to know that the local scientist who told the state press agency that a fallen meteorite did not present any danger unless it hit some structure on impact."None of the meteorites that fall in Peru and make perforations of varied sizes are harmful for people, unless they fall on a house," he said, and denies the reality of noxious fumes will get his comeuppance somewhere in the middle of the second act, about the point where the things start crawling out of the crater.

Stephen Fry is blogging. About smartphones right now, but wait long enough and he'll be writing about his cat just like everyone else. (For those of you who were about to run to the Ask Neil form, I've been away from home for over a month. I have no idea how my cats are.)

There's a second Beowulf trailer up at http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/beowulf/
which feels more like the film probably does than the first trailer did. Lots of bits of footage in it I'd not seen.

Okay. People have come to take me downstairs for the next round of interviews. Back on my head...