fannishliss

was running from a bowhunter and also, there were flashbacks to when her handler and she were first imprinting -- so that set up how she rejected his reassurances that everything would be all right, and how she turned the tables on the idea of who would do the protecting.

we assumed that the Client had posed as someone who wanted to show his girl the ropes at outdoor skills, but then he really wanted the Most Dangerous Game.  we assumed that the Dollhouse folks would not be so foolish as to expend their valuable Active on a snuff adventure.   Then they also confirmed at the end, that the client was some sort of Setup (esp. since his cronies attached Handler and co)  and they thought they had just bungled the background check till they realized Bowhunter never really existed.

we also got to see that the Handler has a great deal of disdain for the dollhouse management, and is overcoming that disdain for Echo and what she is imprinted to do.   I think he evidences a ruined career in law enforcement and consequently, a ruined self image.  He still believes in Justice, even though he has taken a job where Justice is not part of the equation.

I went over to wikipedia to see if there was info about the second ep, and i read the character synopses...  I haven't picked up on sierra yet, that's for sure....  it also said that Boss Lady "truly believes that the Dollhouse helps people"  which is clearly contradicted by the show.  She is in it for the money  -- tho of course her secondary concerns are #2 the satisfaction of the Client, and #3, the eventual redemption of the Dolls, who will be given "clean slates" from whatever was on their records that made them into dolls.

What I found most fascinating about this episode, of course, was the new information about "Alpha."  We're told that Alpha was killed, but we don't believe that.  We guess that the naked guy from the end of ep 1 might be Alpha?  but the coolest part is, that there is a flaw in the wiping system that allowed Alpha to come into existence, and clearly, Echo is able to take advantage of that same flaw.  Handler told her she "was not imprinted" with the necessary skills to survive, to beat the Crazy Bowhunter, but she DID have the skills.  Courage, perseverance, cleverness, and then she drew out some fairly impressive fighting skills. 

Could Echo herself develop into another Alpha? I definitely think yes, but also, WAS SHE ALPHA IN THE FIRST PLACE -- the only doll to escape the crazy knife fest?

She sure did slash Bowhunter lethally in the throat, and we saw in ep1 that she sometimes flashes "out of imprint" -- even without the psychoactive drugs she was dosed with in ep 2. 

Most interesting as well is the Multiple views of herself -- she is not flashing back to her originary personality, but to other imprints -- INCLUDING THOSE SKILLSETS.

so, to harken back to my review of ep 1, Joss is all about Girl Heroes.  We're watching the creation of an UberDoll.

Make no mistake, this girl is NOT SIMPLY A WHORE. I think we as viewers would be Wrong to simply "pity the whore"  or even condemn the system.  Echo is being set up for us as the Doll who breaks the system. 

Typically, Joss surrounds his Hero with a Posse. 

i think Echo herself IS THE POSSE. 

This is SO EXCITING FOLKS. 

Ok, let's bring it down.  Deep breaths all around.

so i looked it up, and Firefly aired in Sept 2002.  DUDES!!! that was over SIX YEARS  for the Joss worshippers to build their Temples.  JOSS IS NOT GOD.  but he is pretty clever.  so let's keep our expectations in check and trust him to come up with some quality storytelling. 

I'm excited to see what happens next!


PS -- Girl across the hall is CLEARLY A PLANT.  is she Doll or Alpha doll?   or some yet unknown third party threat?

PPS.  Bored of FBI guy.  Hope he gets interesting soon.  TERRIBLY bored of Russian mafia.      YAWNNNNNN. "Each episode I am kissink new girl.  Am alway in middle of unsavory fun!"  Comedian husband claims it was Never his Intention for me to write down his every riff.  did we mention we have a hefty shot of tequila in us, um, each?  :)