Whedonesque : Comments on 16304 : Variety confirms mid-season pickup for Dollhouse.

Still no more episodes ordered, that we've heard of.

There's a lot of 'expecteds' and 'perhapses' in there for a so-called confirmation. Not saying it's not true, just saying I expect confirmations to come with Fox or ME names attached.

cabri | May 12, 13:14 CET

Why would they order more episodes before seeing the ratings of the first batch?

Anywho, a Monday night of Dollhouse, Prison Break and 24 would be pretty awesome. If that's what the article is suggesting.

Vaughn | May 12, 13:15 CET

just saying I expect confirmations to come with Fox or ME names attached.

Fox and Boston Diva Productions probably won't confirm it officially till the upfronts which is Thursday(?). But if Variety is saying it, it's pretty much set in stone.

Simon | May 12, 13:17 CET

Why would they order more episodes before seeing the ratings of the first batch?

That's not so unusual. It happened with Wonderfalls, all 13 episodes were already shot before the first one made it to the air. I think FOX definetly has high hopes for Dollhouse, it's Joss Whedon afterall.

danielgm86 | May 12, 13:22 CET

Can't wait until the new year, must have dose of Dollhouse now otherwise will have to go to Josspital!?!!

Jossaholic | May 12, 13:25 CET

That's not so unusual. It happened with Wonderfalls, all 13 episodes were already shot before the first one made it to the air. I think FOX definetly has high hopes for Dollhouse, it's Joss Whedon afterall.

There's a big difference between getting a 7 ep order and then getting additional episodes added on, and having a 13 ep order up front. Plus, Wonderfalls was meant to premiere earlier, but was held back, hence why they got more finished before it aired.

[ edited by Vaughn on 2008-05-12 10:27 ]

Vaughn | May 12, 13:26 CET

Oh, I got it. Anyways, I hope the nice people at FOX know they have a show with great potential. I like House, I kinda like Lost, but come on, anything Joss does surpasses those other "hit" shows by far. It makes me sad people don't see that and amazing things get the axe for low viewrship.

danielgm86 | May 12, 13:39 CET

Well, technically they ordered seven episodes without even seeing a script, so they could definitely add some more episodes after seeing the pilot and I hope they at least decide to do so, if they want to keep us waiting until midseason. If the show got cancelled and they want to sell a DVD-set, then 13 episodes definitely sell themselves better than only 7. But on the other hand, they only gave "Drive" six episodes, so it might be unlikely that they add any more episodes. :(

Donnie | May 12, 13:46 CET

I'm just so excited to watch this, and I hope it lasts for years. I'm still mourning Veronica Mars :(

danielgm86 | May 12, 13:50 CET

Nerts to the wait. But, like some people have pointed out, mid-season on Fox could mean it has a better chance of success, and if that's the case, it's worth the wait.

I think FOX definetly has high hopes for Dollhouse, it's Joss Whedon afterall.

They should. Even Joss's canceled shows make more money than most average successful shows. (I don't have any hard numbers to back that up-- I'm just betting that Firefly DVD sales have made more money than most "average" shows, even though it ran less than a full season).

dispatch | May 12, 14:09 CET

Firefly did sell a lot of DVDs, which is one of the reasons Universal decided to go with the movie. And I remember reading somewhere that Buffy was one of the first shows in history to sell one million DVD sets in the United States. FOX needs to advertise Dollhouse massively, like UPN did for Buffy's sixth season premiere.

danielgm86 | May 12, 14:19 CET

They should. Even Joss's canceled shows make more money than most average successful shows. (I don't have any hard numbers to back that up-- I'm just betting that Firefly DVD sales have made more money than most "average" shows, even though it ran less than a full season).

Well, they wouldn't do new extras for a BluRay-release of "Firefly" if the DVDs din't sell well. And while some shows have higher ratings on TV than Joss-shows, I can imagine that the DVD sales of Joss-shows are better than the DVD-sales of TV's most popular shows, because although Joss's fanbase is rather small, his fanbase is more dedicated and more loyal than most fanbases.

Donnie | May 12, 14:22 CET

Firefly did sell a lot of DVDs, which is one of the reasons Universal decided to go with the movie.

That's more of an urban myth than anything. Universal were chatting to Joss about Serenity well before the DVD came out.

Simon | May 12, 14:25 CET

Boo. :( But then... one less show to distract me when I should be writing.

I think I'll still wait for Joss or Upfront confirmation.

Braeden Fireheart | May 12, 16:21 CET

At least Dollhouse won't get interrupted by baseball as a midseason replacement. I think that's what kills alot of Fox shows that start in the fall.

Still hoping they don't put it up against Chuck/Heroes, Lost/Ugly Betty/Grey's. Or on Friday night, that's just death.

TiffintheOK | May 12, 17:27 CET

Still hoping they don't put it up against Chuck/Heroes, Lost/Ugly Betty/Grey's. Or on Friday night, that's just death.

Along with those shows, I'm hoping like mad they don't put it up against Nathan's Castle. I fear the networks will each try to grab the Jossverse fans by pitting these two shows against each other.

[ edited by Amrita on 2008-05-12 15:33 ]

Amrita | May 12, 18:27 CET

Wednesday would be my preferred night for Dollhouse, if I could pick one. I don't remember there being anything that bad for it go up against on Wednesdays. Of course, I may be dead wrong.

Supersymmetrical | May 12, 18:28 CET

If Joss & Eliza can get even one complete season out of Dollhouse (heck, if it gets even one more hour of programming than Firefly), I will consider it a success.

Fox is a schizophrenic network. Seven episodes mid-season does not sound like a commitment from the network. It's merely a flirtation.

I will believe Fox is committed to this show's success when they order additional episodes before the show launches (based on liking what they've seen, but we haven't) AND when I see ads for Dollhouse EVERYWHERE ad nauseam (but the good kind of nauseam).

Fox has Faith. Now they need to have faith.

Hjermsted | May 12, 18:29 CET

I just need a few weeks notice to tell everyone I know to watch. And so I know when to start popping the popcorn. Popcorn-- it goes well with plot twists and unexpected deaths.

Sunfire | May 12, 18:40 CET

I hope it's not a Monday night show, my Mondays are already so full. Tuesday or Wednesday would be perfect. Although I'm bummed we have to wait to long, I'm hopeful this time. I hope my heart doesn't get broken again.

jnr616 | May 12, 18:47 CET

I am just happy Dollhouse will not conflict with the only show I currently watch - Bones. Now, Bones at 8pm and Dollhouse at 9pm would simply be delicious! A girl can dream.

Spikeslady | May 12, 19:00 CET

Seven episodes mid-season does not sound like a committment from the network.

Yesterday I would have agreed with that. I was pretty pessimistic, primarily because Dollhouse being held back to January didn't sound like there was much enthusiasm from Fox. After all, they'd seen the first episode and it hadn't inspired them enough to chance a fall start. Didn't bode well, I thought.
But the article stated that Fox's general strategy now is to launch new shows at mid-season, so I'm more hopeful.

[ edited by shambleau on 2008-05-12 16:33 ]

shambleau | May 12, 19:16 CET

a Monday night of Dollhouse, Prison Break and 24 would be pretty awesome

Except FOX primetime is only two hours long, not three.

theonetruebix | May 12, 19:35 CET

At least Dollhouse won't get interrupted by baseball as a midseason replacement. I think that's what kills alot of Fox shows that start in the fall.

Ditto! I think Dollhouse has a MUCH better chance as a midseason series. I am really excited!

Will they show a preview at the upfronts or maybe the first epi?

jenofthejungle | May 12, 19:59 CET

Is it too early to start sending Fox execs rag dolls and the like in the mail to show our support? Start now and avoid the rush later when Fox starts being, well, Fox.

NOLA64 | May 12, 20:08 CET

I suppose it would be too much to hope that the show starts airing in the UK in January too? If it doesn't, we'll probably have to wait until October. *wails*

kispexi2 | May 12, 20:25 CET

I hear you, kispexi2. It will probably take another half to a full season before Dollhouse hits the radar of any networks here in Norway. Hopefully, it will be sooner and when it does, I hope it gets the respect they showed Buffy, which had a decent and regualr slot, unlike Angel, which was showed at increasingly later time slots and often got preempted or disappeared all together for periods.

I wonder if any of those execs read this? I'm going to go find some candles to blow out. Maybe I might get my wish.

[ edited by MysticSlug on 2008-05-12 17:55 ]

MysticSlug | May 12, 20:54 CET

kispexi2, no UK networks have picked it up yet. We're going to have an international effort to get Dollhouse on the screen on Dollverse soon.

By the way, this whole premiere date thing is hilarious for a few reasons.

jen - as I understand it the idea is going to be to show a section of the pilot at the upfronts. I think it's the first act, but I'm not 100%.

[ edited by gossi on 2008-05-12 18:00 ]

gossi | May 12, 20:58 CET

So share, gossi. What reasons?

MysticSlug | May 12, 21:01 CET

I'd have to shoot you, MysticSlug. Or more accurately, it's not really my tale to tell. There's been a bit of confusion - a right old British farce - over the penciled air date, anyway, put it that way.

On the plus side, I'm near certain this means we get more episodes of Dollhouse than 7. 'cos there's only 6 left to shoot, and 6 months to shoot them. An episode doesn't take a month to shoot. I think we're getting at least 13 episodes.

[ edited by gossi on 2008-05-12 18:06 ]

gossi | May 12, 21:05 CET

When you say a British farce, does this perhaps mean that someone got the month and days wrong?

Instead of say the second of September, it turned out to be the ninth of February? (hypothetical dates)

[ edited by brynmars on 2008-05-12 18:38 ]

brynmars | May 12, 21:37 CET

Nope. I'm just farce happy.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Fringe looks like, by the way.

gossi | May 12, 21:43 CET

Not to mind. I was prepared to wait longer than everyone else, no matter what farces take place. On the other hand, we do sometimes get lucky here. Bones got here rather quickly. I think we're only half a season behind. It just hasn't come back after the strike yet because they are showing Shark in that time slot and we have to wait until that's done before they'll air new episodes of anything else. 'Course we might have to wait through another round of Prison Break first, too. Ew. No....

Panic! It's just too much, all the waiting. I'm going to go crawl under a nice pile of mulch. This is clearly not healthy thinking for a slug.

MysticSlug | May 12, 21:58 CET

Based on how these things work--because I have no idea--will they announce at the upfronts a more exact air date? Or will they probably just say, "It's coming midseason," and announce details (like, say, a month...?) later?

I hope it's the former. :(

Jobo | May 12, 22:00 CET

Does it make any real sense to launch new shows in midseason? It does not to me, nothwithstanding the fact that buffy was obviously a midseason show. The way I see it, by that time new shows have had time to build viewer loyalty and so it becomes harder to gain your audience quickly, which is what Fox always seems to want. You might pick up a few viewers who defected from some who they began to watch but that did not meet their needs, but you have to fight off the ones that have done well. This particular move to me is not I favor.

Dana5140 | May 12, 22:13 CET

I'm hoping we (the UK) might get Dollhouse just a month later than the US as that is how it was with T:SCC. I'm also hoping Virgin 1 get it over Sky One.

Count me in for some letter/email/postcard writing though gossi.

Leaf | May 12, 22:28 CET

Chuck Norris doesn't start shows mid-season. A new era of television starts whenever he appears in a pilot episode.

Sunfire | May 12, 22:29 CET

I can't say I'm too surprised by the news since Nikki Finke tends to be more right than wrong with her earlier report.

I was upset when I first heard the news, like geez we have to wait almost another year to see the show? However I see both good and bad sides of it now (with the bad parts already mentioned above). The good part is that if they schedule it on American Idol nights, it gives the show a very strong chance of being renewed for a second season, like SCC. (Let's hope it doesn't get scheduled on a non-AI night and goes the way of Drive and Wonderfalls). A second possible good part is if there is a SAG strike and it's prolonged to similar length of the writer's strike, the show will have less competition when it's being aired, also like SCC. As Gossi said above, it's likely for the show to get the 13 episode pickup if Fox likes what they see from the first 7 eps too.

spiralout9 | May 12, 22:29 CET

There is a PBS station in my viewing area that buys a lot of British shows that weren't originally made with an American audience in mind. As a result, I have gotten accustomed to the British short form series.

Seven episodes of Dollhouse, promoted by the network and aired in the right order, would suit me fine, provided they are soon followed by seven episodes of something else equally good. The premature end of Firefly was a tragic waste, but if a show is written with hope but no expectation of multiple yearlong story arcs, it can still be satisfying to create and to watch. One of my favorite British scifi series was Star Cops, which had fewer than ten episodes IIRC. Sandbaggers was brilliant and only a season long, I think.

janef | May 12, 22:31 CET

I hope Fox never gives a 7 episode order again since no one seems to really understand how that works. It doesn't mean that only 7 will be made. It means that the first 7 are guaranteed and that there is some kind of financial penalty attached if they don't get made and aired. I think 13-22 will be made depending on the premiere date.

TamaraC | May 12, 22:56 CET

My guess is that FOX will see how the first couple of episodes do ratings wise, then order up another 6 or 7, making for a decent number of episodes for the DVD.
Based on the DVD sales/pre-orders they'll then decide whether to order a second season. I'd imagine the DVD sales for Firefly (and Buffy/Angel which they also benefitted from) is the main reason they're willing to put their faith back in Joss. After all selling 500,000 DVDs must be worth around the same as 2/3 million viewers financially.

Personally, I wouldn't be happy with just one season of Dollhouse: the excitement I get from reading the new Buffy comics is about 10% of the excitement I got watching a new episode of said show every week. It'd be great to have that on a regular basis for many many years to come, and it'll be a tragedy if FOX steals it away from us again.

applie | May 12, 22:57 CET

I can't imagine Fox will only make 7 eps for Dollhouse unless they're really unhappy with those episodes. They're not going to be able to wait for the ratings for first 2 episodes because it'll be too expensive and wasteful to stop production after 7 eps and continue a few months down the line. My guess is that it's going to fall along the lines of Wonderfalls with production starting in late summer/early fall and continuing with 13 episodes straight. I think the only way it might be less than 13 is if the strike is longer than expected and it'll be shortened like SCC's season was.

As for the DVDs, that has nothing to do with FBC since it's 20th Century that earns the money from DVD sales. But again, if Dollhouse can make more than 7 eps, it'll be more likely to get a DVD release plus a more complete story so at least we'll have that.

spiralout9 | May 12, 23:15 CET

I'm hoping we (the UK) might get Dollhouse just a month later than the US as that is how it was with T:SCC.

We actually do pretty well these days with most US shows playing a few weeks/months behind and some even playing ahead in the UK (OK, technically the Stargates are Canadian but still...).

Sandbaggers was brilliant and only a season long, I think.

'The Sandbaggers' actually ran for 3 series originally janef but being a UK show (especially from back then) that only equates to a total of 20 episodes (so about one - shortish - US "season").

Saje | May 12, 23:17 CET

Not sure if this is worthy of it's own post but Kristin says that Dollhouse will be "perhaps in a Monday timeslot".

Saje, episodes of Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty have also aired here before they aired in the US.

[ edited by Leaf on 2008-05-12 23:55 ]

Leaf | May 13, 02:54 CET

May 12 2008