Dollhouse: the review

I want to like the new Joss Whedon series, "Dollhouse." I am still sincerely disgusted by the untimely demise of the fantastic "Firefly," Whedon's most recent foray into series television after "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." Not only was it conceptually brilliant, but it also had fantastic writing and an excellent, talented cast. That it lasted less than a year on Fox shows what a lousy job that network does at nurturing quality programming. His writers' strike amuse-bouche, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog" was similarly entertaining and well-crafted (though I didn't care for the ending). So I had high hopes for his new offering.

In brief, "Buffy" alum Eliza Dushku (who also executive produces) plays Echo, a young woman employed (possessed? leased?) by a shadowy corporation, run by the crisply efficient Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams). She spends her off time wandering around a luxe, sunny condo with her fellow "Actives," awaiting assignment. When the services of the Dollhouse are retained, Echo's brain is imprinted with a composite of memories and skills that suit her to the needs of the particular client. After three episodes, she's been a hostage negotiator, an outdoorsy survivalist chick, and a back-up singer-cum-bodyguard. Following succesful completion of the assignment, Echo's wind is wiped clean and she returns to yoga and massages in a state of placid stupefaction.

Unfortunately, after seeing as many episodes as the critics were allowed to see, I am just not all that into the show. There are no "good guys" to root for, first of all. Echo is a cipher, so while you don't want to see anything bad happen to her, neither is it her interests that are being served by her success. Her handler/protector and the FBI agent trying to crack Dollhouse's (presumably illegal) business are both good, after a fashion, but they are both peripheral.

Similarly, there is little vicarious pleasure in watching the characters interact. In both "Buffy" and "Firefly," the central characters had affection for each other, and created a sense that it would be fun (if dangerous) to be a part of their group. There are hints that Echo and another Active may have begun to emerge from their inter-assignment stupor and formed a bond, but so far that's all we've got. Otherwise, the only thing binding the characters together is a menancing threat posed by a homocidal rogue Active, a plot point I think is too dark to have been introduced so early. Who wants to identify with a bunch of mindless puppets that might, for all we know, get knifed by a psychopath?

And that's my last and most damning beef with the show. It's too dark, and not nearly enough fun. More specifically, it's not funny. All of the other Whedon series have been an artful, if sometimes cheesy, mix of the sinister and the glib. His characters banter and kid, even when beset by demons or cannibalistic deep-space brigands. Hardly anybody on "Dollhouse" has a sense of humor, and so the show misses a signature Whedon element.

I'm curious enough at this point to stick around for a while. But it's hardly the kind of response I imagine Whedon is hoping for from one of his legion of ardent fans.