Dollhouse, Season 2 Premiere Review

The new season of Dollhouse has arrived.  For those unfamiliar with the show’s past, as it ended its first season this past spring everyone was just about 100% sure that it would receive the big ax from FOX along with fellow sci-fi series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (RIP).  By the grace of the TV gods, though, FOX surprised everyone with a renewal.

The first season of Dollhouse was shaky.  It began somewhat interesting but for a while there never seemed enough to hold an audience together from week to week.  Then around its sixth episode, the plot and overall arc of the series received a dramatic twist and suddenly the tone of the show seemed to shift.  It wasn’t mind-blowing but it was plenty enough in terms of showing the audience a glimpse of what it was meant to be and not just another generic high-concept thriller type show.  No, it seems, there was far more.

Now, to be fair, though the season finale ended nicely it still wasn’t quite up to par with expectations.  But rumors had begun to stir about an unreleased 13th episode that was said to be extremely impressive.  It was.  That episode, entitled “Epitaph One,” showed those who were able to view it just how crazy and extreme the show could (and will eventually) go — FYI, the episode takes place years in the future, now a dystopia, where most of the population are suffering mind control brought upon from the technology the Dollhouse uses.

Of course, you don’t have to have seen this episode to pick up with season two — it starts off not long after season one ended.

So all of that said, how was the episode?

It was a damn fine hour of television is what it was!  Without all of the tacked-on gimmicky thrills the show is now far more dramatic and far more effective in its storytelling.  Honestly, I was expecting great things after “Epitaph One” and I can definitely say that I wasn’t let down in the least.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much I really don’t want to say a whole lot about the plot of the episode.  I will say, though, that the writing concerning Topher and Dr. Saunders was, aside from genius, a definite high point in the show and I look forward to more developments as the series progresses.  The episode will be up on Hulu and Fox.com tomorrow (I think) so do yourself a favor and please go enjoy this premiere episode.

And before I go I must also add that out of all of the shows I’ve reviewed on the main network channels (including Fringe, The Office, and Parks and Recreation) Dollhouse takes the cake by far as the series I’m most eager to follow this year.  That’s big for me considering I have a fondness for all of those shows as well.

Dollhouse airs Fridays at 9 P.M. EST on FOX.