Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse “Needs”

Tantalizing bits of the Actives’ backstories are revealed in this episode.

The Actives’ glitches finally come to the fore, when several of them make a break for freedom.

Hmmm.  I guess the teaser confirms that Agent Wrong-Page apparently views Caroline and Mellie in purely sexual terms.  He also sees himself as their knight in shining armor.  He is slowly catching up; who knows, he might almost save the day.

I was interested to see a full staff meeting, and see the status of the main characters in this setting.  I was surprised at the relative gravitas that Dr.  Saunders opinions had.  Toffler and Laurence seemed to view her as a subordinate and even Boyd interacts with her as a peer.  I was also pleased to see that she cared in her own way about the poor Dolls.

I do not like like Laurence.  I suppose he’s only speaking the truth but the contempt behind his statements makes me angry.

I liked DeWitt’s outfit.

I have to say that I find November annoying.  I don’t know if it’s the actress who displeases me or the way her character has been directed or written.  I’ll have to ponder my reaction to her.  I was amused and surprised by her exhibitionist tendencies.  I also felt very little pity for the revelation of her past.  It just seemed too easy.

I was delighted, as I think I was meant to, in Sierra warning Victor to behave like a gentleman in the shower.  I like their instinctive attraction to each other, it’s very sweet which means they’re never going to survive.

Since I like Sierra a lot, I was hurting bad for her in this episode.  The wretchedness of her life past and present is unbearable.  It’s obvious that DeWitt lies about everything she does in the Dollhouse.  But it seems the distance between truth and falsehood is more of chasm in the Dollhouse than I had guessed.

The various theories the Dolls about the House are pretty amusing, especially Victor’s assessment: “we’re all gonna die.”

Here’s a crazy idea, is Echo/Caroline a relative of DeWitt’s?  DeWitt said some strange things about Echo’s behavior.

I want to see Alpha pretty soon. It was OK that the Reavers were not seen but I think Alpha should come out and play.

This was a good episode, with all the character interplay and painful revelations that I like in a Whedon show.

episode 1 GHOSTS

episode 2 THE TARGET

episode 3 STAGE FRIGHT

episode 4 GRAY HOUR

episode 5 TRUE BELIEVER

episode 6 MAN ON THE STREET

episode 7 ECHOES

episode 8 NEEDS

episode 9 A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE

episode 10 HAUNTED

episode 11 BRIAR ROSE

episode 12 OMEGA