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1.9 A Spy in the House of Love Echo: "Sometimes it *is* about the pain." This episode was just electrifying, in a brain wipey sort of way. Echo's dominatrix imprint in the opener signaled what this episode was about: betrayal of trust, punishment and pain. Dominic just got his. He's probably the last person I would have expected to be an NSA mole. But he wasn't the one who programmed Echo and November to talk to Paul Ballard. Dominic really was trying to take Echo out because she was a threat to the Dollhouse. And she just took *him* out because he was a threat to her. Which made me a lot more interested in Echo, who hasn't been well served in the character development department so far. I noticed that there were several inappropriate conversations in front of her, which must have set her off. But volunteering for an imprint so she could take Dominic out? How much did she know? What is going on inside of her? Is she directing all this, or is someone using her? Could it be both? Adelle DeWitt has been raiding the Dollhouse cookie jar. That was both shocking and surprisingly delicious. She's been getting more and more interesting as the series progresses. Here, she condemned Dominic to a living death without so much as blinking, and then punished herself for Victor by giving him up. And how about that bullet wound, huh? She just ignored it until she finished doing what she had to do, and then she made Claire patch her up with no anesthetic. She's a piece of work, as Dominic said. Gold acting stars for Olivia Williams. She pretty much covered several acting octaves in one episode. DeWitt kept talking about Victor/Roger being real when she knew damned well he was not. And she told him she used to work in a more useful division of Rossum, replacement organs out of stem cells, something she could tell her friends. Did she used to believe in Rossum, and now she doesn't? Do they have something on her, perhaps? Victor's British accent while imprinted made me wonder if the real Roger was someone she loved. Was the exotic sports car the real Roger's, too? Paul just got punished for getting too close. From here on out, he'll have to play a game with Mellie. He'll almost certainly have to have sex with her, even though he won't want to. Like a doll, but without an imprint. (Did November activate when Paul started to unbutton her dress? Or was that just a coincidence?) November told Paul that he needs to investigate *why* the Dollhouse exists, what their purpose is, not just try to take them down. Okay. Boyd wanted to stay with Echo, but he just got promoted to Dominic's job. Echo has a new handler named Travis. I don't like him, and I don't even know him. Bits and pieces: -- Sierra didn't get an emotional scene like everyone else, but she got to carry out an exciting mission while wearing an unbelievable set of heels. But wouldn't someone at the NSA have noticed that she wasn't Ms. Sato? Don't they work with her? -- And hey. The NSA is helping control the Dollhouse, not bring it down? That can't be good. -- The Attic is even worse than I expected: it's mental death without actual death. Permanent mind suck in a box. Horrible. (Boxed, like Battlestar). -- I was right. Claire Saunders doesn't leave the Dollhouse at all. -- Dominic nearly sacrificed Topher's gopher Ivy to save himself. (I'm going to miss Dominic. He's so vicious and creepy.) If Echo's body language test worked, which it did, then Ivy isn't the other mole who is helping Paul. Neither is Topher. -- Topher thought Boyd was the spy, and likes him so much that he gave him the heads up. Quotes: Dominic "You're behind schedule." Topher: "Somebody's a grumpeteer today." Grumpy puppeteer? Topher: "I make a cheerleader. They make a cheerleader that shoots people. Or an assassin that does cheers." Echo: "I'm not trying to incriminate you. I'm just trying to nail down your feelings about the Dollhouse." Boyd: "We're pimps and killers, but in a philanthropic way. Can I go now?" Best line in the episode. Dominic: "The agency will figure it out and they'll come looking for me." DeWitt: "And when they do, you'll tell them everything's fine. And then we'll put you back in your box." Echo: "I can take care of myself." Dominic: "I know. That's why I'm smiling. Because one day you'll be erasing them. Even after all this, they still won't see it coming." Now that was a really interesting exchange. He really did try to kill her because she was a threat to the Dollhouse, and for no other reason. And now he wants her to succeed. Outstanding. Four out of four dolls, Billie View all comments or post a comment. |
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