After the sprawling futuristic mess that was the season one finale “Epitaph One”, it was a relief to see that the show had returned to the main story. This season opens as the Active’s (living human dolls) and the staff of the LA Dollhouse pick up the pieces following the aftermath of Alpha’s rampage. Disgraced FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penmickett) has agreed to work for the Dollhouse and asks to work with Echo (Eliza Dushku) in a deep undercover investigation of English businessman Martin Klar (guest star Jamie Bamber turning in a slick villainous performance), who may in fact be a hi-tech weapons broker. The operation seems to go well with Echo successfully in place as Klar’s newly wedded wife and Ballard keeping surveillance in the background. However Echo starts to behave strangely, and is troubled by visions which she cannot explain, hence jeopardising the operation.
Meanwhile back at the Dollhouse, Dr Saunders (Amy Acker) struggles to accept her personality is an imprint and that she is an Active called Whiskey, taking her frustrations out on the scientist and her creator, Topher Brink (Fran Kranz). Adelle De Witt (Olivia Williams) is concerned with Senator Daniel Perrin (guest star Alexis Denisof) targeting the Dollhouse’s parent company, The Rossum Corporation, which he claims conspired to withhold medical advances. Newly appointed security Chief Boyd Langton (Henry Lennix) meanwhile is suspicious of Ballard believing him to be a continuing threat of exposure for the Dollhouse as well as still being obsessed with finding Echo's real identity, Caroline.
Whedon’s Magic
"Vows" has all the mix of drama, chills and humour you would expect from its creator Joss Whedon, which should be no surprise since he wrote and directed the episode. The dramatic change in the dynamics of the characters' relationships with one another since the first series proves to be very interesting, something that Whedon has shown he can do and do well, as evident from his previous ventures. Whereas the story arc was previously concerned with Ballard’s crusade to expose the Dollhouse, we are now presented with more intricate, far reaching and possibly deadly outcomes. The script is tightly packed with plenty of gripping content for a standard forty five minute episode. There is a lot going yet Whedon somehow manages to keep you enthralled switching from scene to scene without losing pace or attention, and the interweaving of various plot twists culminating at the end pack an emotional punch (even if some were predictable).
As director, Whedon manages to get amazing performances from his talented cast. Eliza Dushku yet again displays her penchant for flawlessly portraying different characters convincingly, particular in one moment where some of Echo's previous personalities start to surface. Dushku also handles her action scenes as skillful and ferocious as ever. Amy Acker, as the troubled Whiskey, also gets to exercise some versatility by tapping into the vulnerable emotion she portrayed in Angel, as we follow Whiskey's struggle to come to terms with her identity or lack thereof. Acker also gets to show her mischievous and sensual side, and have some fun taunting Topher with an assortment of pranks, and advances. Penmickett is as engaging, seamlessly combining the bitter determination of his agent in disgrace with the sensitivity and affection for Echo. Whilst Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt portrays her sinister authoritarian well, it is Lennix as Boyd Langton who shines as the multi-layered security chief whose affection for Echo and the protection of the Dollhouse never seem at odds. The potentially amorous relations with Whiskey that seem to be hinted at here also looks set to test Langton's loyalties even more.
The Joss of Things to Come
All in all, this was an excellent start to what promises to be a thrillingly sinister series. It also indicates that whilst there will no doubt be the trademark Whedon humour, the story arcs established episode may potentially lead to darker revelations, and action packed emotional drama that will test the limits of its protagonists, and continue to keep at the forefront the moral questions of the Dollhouse's purpose.
Whedon, is a gifted writer and has pulled out all the stops with this tantalizing episode which makes for compelling viewing, showing us once again he can deliver emotionally charged drama in any genre whilst keeping the humour very much evident. He also gives the cast some meaty emotional scenes with which to flex their thespian muscles. If the quality of episodes to follow are as good if not better than this one, then the fans efforts to get the show renewed (after series one had been cancelled due to poor ratings) would most definitely have not been in vein.
Dollhouse received its UK television premier on the sci-fi channel and can be seen every Tuesday night at 10pm.
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