Quickly about Dollhouse : here is a warm home to the strereotypes you love (or hate)

[alexandral]

There have been only 5 episodes of Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" so far, but it is on it's speedy way to win "the best friend of stereotypes and cliches" award. Following stereotypes are just the top of the list:

1. Evil but incompetent Russian mafia

2. Religious cult folks that attempted to burn themselves . They were also selling guns under the cover of their pacifism.

3. Young ladies habitually wearing next to nothing in every other scene.

4. Beefy , righteous but slightly dim FBI agent played by "I can't act to save my life. But I have big muscles that you can ogle" Tahmoh Penikett.

6. Immature white male computer genius with a flirty Asian female assistant.

7. A female Asian character with blond hair.

Remembering race-related critiques of Whedon's "Firefly" I don't really see any improvement in the new show and the pattern seems to be continually emerging. Add to it blatant objectification of female and (surprise!) male characters. It seems that Joss Whedon had taken some of his old success-guaranteed recipes and mixed them with successful recipes he had seen in other TV shows but didn't add anything new whatsoever.

This all said, I am watching "Dollhouse" every week and I can also imagine this show to be popular with white male geeky types.

Comments

[linfer.livejournal.com]

I think Tahmoh Penikett can act ( ;) ) and I started watching it because of him, but oh god, no, I finished the pilot and that was it.
I thought of watching at least the second and third episode, but although I have those flying around I havn't done it yet.
The stupidity of too many things just hurt too much, including the non-existent acting capabilities of Eliza Dushku.
It'd be only a waste of time.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

In a very odd way, "Dollhouse" makes me think of a dream of 15-year old white male geek. I am in it for the doctor (Fred in Angel) and Echo's handler Boyd. I has to agree with you on Eliza Dushku - Echo seems to forever have a doe expression that is very slightly annoying.

[linfer.livejournal.com]

This kind of role needs an actress who is able to portay so many different characters. I don't see Eliza Dushku doing so. Its sad, it could be such an awesome show. When I first read about it it sounded like an updated version of The Pretender, but well, this update has too many bugs. ;)

And yeah, love your icon! :) Reminds me that I should finish "The Legend", I've seen only the first 7 episodes so far.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

When I first read about it it sounded like an updated version of The Pretender, but well, this update has too many bugs. ;)

I was also interested in the premise, it sounded like something slightly Matrix and virtual reality. I love this things. But as far as I can see it is all about having a show about girls in the shower. Together. (I am exaggerating :D).

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

You're not wrong... unfortunately.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am watching it for the doctor-who-was-Fred and Boyd. They seem to be not as two-dimensional as the other characters.

[siljamus]

See, I haven't seen a single ep of the show and I'm certain I won't ever take the time, because your reaction seems to be pretty common. And I've kind of had enough right now, you know?

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

You see, this is how I feel too. When I watched "Firefly" I didn't concentrate on all the problems with the show that has pseudo Chinese with a touch of Russian lingo but no Asian characters whatsoever. But now, when someone pointed out these things to me, I can't really pretend they are not there. It seems that Whedon tried to compensate this time by having an Asian character, Sierra. But - I only realised she is Asian when I had read her biography because she is blond and very European looking. ** Sorry for going on about these things again **

Gosh, the same thing happened with "Supernatural" - I can't see it in the same way anymore.

[siljamus]

** Sorry for going on about these things again **

Hee, as you know I tend to go on about these issues too :D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

The latest fandom events were a bit on an eye-opener for me.

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

I only made it to ep 2. It was just all way too creepy for me. It was like they'd put a male geek's wet dream on the scream.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I like doctor-who-was -Fred so much (I have been missing Fred like mad!) and she seems to have an OTP with Echo's handler Boyd, so I am sticking for now.

It was like they'd put a male geek's wet dream on the scream.

Exactly. The last episode was especially male-geek dream inclinde. :D

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen enough episodes to get attached to anyone, but Doctor Fred seemed pretty interesting. I've also heard a recent casting spoiler about alpha which might make me watch the rest of the episodes if it is true.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Please?????? Spoil me??????????? ** puppy eyes **

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

Sure! Have you seen Firefly? Well, the guy who played Wash there, Alan Tudyk, is supposed to play Alpha. I don't know about you but I love him like crazy. Now, I can't remember the exact place I heard these spoilers, so I can't go back and check if they're very reliable, but at least it makes me hope.

[lage-nom-ai.livejournal.com]

LOL!
Is it me, or does Eliza Dushku only have one expression? And, like Kiera Knightley, she NEVER SHUTS HER MOUTH! Augh!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

You lie! She has two! Vixen and Doe. So there.

I find myself astonished at how clunky the show is: it's like an unfinished piece of wood where they can't be bothered to hide anything. I understand that they want slick and sexy while also wanting to pretend to some sort of commentary on the objectification of and traffic in women, but they can't really manage slick and sexy. Which surprises me a bit given how experienced the writers are: I know people keep saying this is due to network interference, but it's so poorly done. Which is where I think all the cliches come in - it's screenwriting by stereotype.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I know people keep saying this is due to network interference, but it's so poorly done.

You see, this is what I am starting to think - we heard all the cries from Whedon about "How evil networks spoiled Firefly and robbed it from the eternal glory it deserved". I think he is going to say the same after "Dollhouse" is going to go down .

On the other hand, the show might become popular in the prime audience of 15-30 males and last for several seasons. :D

[lage-nom-ai.livejournal.com]

She has two! Vixen and Doe. So there.. I stand corrected! Though I think it's cheating because she wears DIFFERENT skimpy clothes for each look.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

And, like Kiera Knightley, she NEVER SHUTS HER MOUTH! Augh!

This is so distracting. I end up saying again and again in my mind "close your mouth, close your mouth". ** sigh **

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

Hee. I love that the cliches in Dollhouse are so numerous and obvious that you can list them just like this. So yeah, i think I'm holding out on watching "Dollhouse" just yet.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

hee! The list is longer than in "The Mentalist", I think, which seemed impossible just a month ago. But at least, "The Mentalist" doesn't seem to pretend that it is a show that brings an important message to your home and is not just a show about Simon Baker being criminally good looking.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

You forgot that religious leaders are evil, compare their followers to Satan, and beat their followers, and that people of faith are brainless sheep. And the black woman who first appears in a cage, and equates her career to her being her audience's slave.

There are plenty more, but those are the ones that jumped out at me.

But I don't think the asian techie girl was meant to be flirty. To me, she came across as annoyed with Topher's attempts at flirting.

And while I have no doubts that Dichen Lachman was cast as Sierra at least partly due to her very unique features (I kind of love her looks and how unconventional they are for Hollywood) every picture I can find of her online has her with blonde or light brown hair (and the light brown looks more like highlights to me than the blonde does) which makes me think that she prefers it died-or that her hair is naturally lighter-rather than it being a part of the show, though that could have contributed to her being cast.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

To me, she came across as annoyed with Topher's attempts at flirting.

But she (while clearly being a tech, not his personal assistant) was buying his food, etc? I was a tech some years ago and doing personal errands for my boss was totally not in my job description.

which makes me think that she prefers it died-or that her hair is naturally lighter-rather than it being a part of the show, though that could have contributed to her being cast.

It might have contributed, i think. Take me right - I like the actress herself, I haven't seen her enough to make my mind concerning her acting capabilities yet, but I like her.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I dunno. Here, at least, it really isn't unusual to get food for your coworkers when you go get your own. At my work, one person will usually take other people's money and go get their food. There's also the fact that the Dollhouse isn't a "normal" organization.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

We buy food for each other too, but we have out t-tetris thing ( read here : http://alexandral.livejournal.com/197358.html#cutid1 ) where we monitor how much each of us bought, as well as how many cups of tea we make for each other. And it would have been a total no-no to do it for someone who is your boss/ in senior position.

You see, Topher's exchange with the female tech felt a bit off for me but I might read too much into it. I will give them another chance.

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

Is the imamture white male computer geek at least cute? :D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

No, he is rather annoying kind, the kind that gets on your nerves so much you want to hit him.

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

Awww... computer geeks should nto be allowed unless they are cute.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Agreed!!!!!!!

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

Like Marco int eh 4400 for instance... he was both a bit annoying, but also cute.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I hear you. I'm watching. It has massive racefail and genderfail. I'm speechless.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I might be totally wrong but sometimes I think Topher is Whedon's alter ego. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

*shudders* That's scarily plausible...

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

If it is possible, I found the last episode (1.06) even weirder than the rest.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I watched it! I found it... odd. I gather it is the episode where it's all meant to come together and I see a few people on my flist saying it worked for them. It feels a bit more like brainwashing for me, though I'm yet to turn away...

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am still watching this too! The FBI!Helo's neighbour is a doll, right? I so expected this.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

She's a doll, yeah. So now ALL the women (except the head of the department and Im skeptical on her too) are dolls. *facepalm*

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

But Doctor Fred is not a doll, is she??????

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah... forgot about her!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

She wasn't in the couple of the recent eps - such a pity!!!!