I've noticed Dollhouse being sold as a spy show before but I'm just not seeing it. The London Times called it a spy romp but I dunno, either it sells well as a concept to the general public or Fox PR don't have a clue how to market it.

Simon | February 09, 18:35 CET

And umh, since when is Echo a lab-created being who's implanted in each episode with a new personality?

I thought she was just a human being whose mind had been wiped.

[ edited by druzilla on 2009-02-09 18:46 ]

druzilla | February 09, 18:43 CET

Well you could argue that "Echo" was created in a lab but the pre-Echo character is not.

Simon | February 09, 18:59 CET

Somebody emailed me to say they mention Dollverse inside Maxim, which is nice. Although I'm not sure how I feel about my website being in, well, Maxim.

gossi | February 09, 19:24 CET

The rolling headline above the pics, "Senate Debate on Stimulus Package", is appropriate. Though I don't really find these photos sexy when every inch has been repainted with artificial light and texture. Dollhouse indeed. Best Eliza pics ever imo were the ones of her doing kung fu on the beach, with the temporary Faith tattoo on her arm.

will.bueche | February 09, 20:00 CET

You love it, just so you know. You're welcome ;)

zeitgeist | February 09, 20:09 CET

Well you could argue that "Echo" was created in a lab but the pre-Echo character is not.
Simon | February 09, 18:59 CET

True. :D

druzilla | February 09, 20:24 CET

I've noticed Dollhouse being sold as a spy show before but I'm just not seeing it.

She can't be a good spy if she forgets everything at the end of every mission. :)

I guess it's a difficult concept to convey in a couple of words. In terms of the shows structure it's very much like a spy show, someone pretending to be someone else and going undercover, so it's easy to just describe it a spy show and leave people to discover more when they start watching.

zz9 | February 09, 20:43 CET

I've noticed Dollhouse being sold as a spy show before but I'm just not seeing it.

Chuck has been called a spy romp too. I think Fox would love a piece of that pie.

alexreager | February 09, 21:46 CET

I dunno...This is totally speculative, but I have a feeling that when Joss pitched the show, a little light went of in Fox's head that said "Alias" (Sydney did wear a lot of different outfits and pretend to be different people) and that's what they were expecting. Hence the issues when the pilot wasn't, well, Alias. But why would they think Joss would do a version of someone else's show?

On the other hand, I do see why they refer to it as a spy show. It's sort of a heuristic that reaches out to the type of people that might like Dollhouse. I just think a lot of people who go in thinking that might be confused and disappointed. Isn't it the network's job to figure out how to accurately market a show.

MoonOnAString | February 09, 21:56 CET

I've the feeling Joss is going to steer clear of the "Alias" bio. And, I really don't think he's setting it up as a spy show as well, more of a person of the week perhaps?

Madhatter | February 09, 22:06 CET

Yeah.. Here's hoping we don't see Russian zombies and a giant floating red ball on 'Dollhouse' anytime soon.

QuanticoMVP | February 09, 22:26 CET

Hard to sum up, but that's life, isn't it?

korkster | February 09, 22:29 CET

This is a key issue not just for Dollhouse, but also around some others shows I've been watching recently. For example, let's take "Lie to Me" (the TV show, not the Buffy episode).
"Lie to Me" has a great gimmick, which will attract people and carry the show awhile. (Full Disclosure; I knew about the science behind "Lie to Me" before it was a gleam in Sam Baums's eye, so when I heard about it, I was sooooo there already).
However, it is a gimmick. It will attract viewers in the beginning, but they won't stick around if there aren't compelling stories to follow. To paraphrase Joss, what is the question this show is answering, week after week? After awhile, the neat gimmick will grow stale. By that time, the writing has to have moved the audience into following the characters, the stories. They have a short time to hook the audience.
So how does this relate to marketing Dollhouse? Well, you can't hook an audience with nuance and compelling long-term storylines. Joss fans know that's what we're going to get, because we have faith in Joss. But you won't hook Joe Blow that way. However, pretty sexy Eliza might just hook enough Joe Blows, who might stick around then to follow the stories.
All in all, I think FOX has the marketing angle right on this one; true, it doesn't appeal to us. But as Joss pointedly said, fans are called fans for a reason. They don't need to market to us. They need to market to all of the non-fans out there who buy stuff from advertisers.

PaulfromSunnydale | February 09, 22:37 CET

Simon: I've noticed Dollhouse being sold as a spy show before but I'm just not seeing it.

Sure, in the same way that Hogan's Heroes is always advertised as a spy thriller. And Sgt. Schultz was a Doll-prototype. ("I know nothing!")

OneTeV | February 09, 22:59 CET

I think I prefer non-airbrushed Eliza. Also, the "article" mentions Eliza's tattoos... but I don't see them... did they airbrush them out? If so that's very odd that they would do that even though she mentions she has them.And yeah, Dollhouse isn't a spy show.

And PaulfromSunnydale, when I saw the commercials for "Lie to Me", I have to say I thought it was incredibly lame. I really hope that most people feel the same way, so that the show tanks, which will make Dollhouse look better.

SteppeMerc | February 09, 23:02 CET

I really hope that most people feel the same way, so that the show tanks, which will make Dollhouse look better.

I'm not sure rooting for one Fox show to tank will necessarily boost the other Fox show. I would probably even lean towards the "other" direction.

Lie to Me has been fun so far, serial-wise. I am glad to see hints seeping through the episodes on just how much being a "human lie detector" could impact your relationship to other people. Which makes the decisions of Tim Roth's character all the more interesting.

korkster | February 09, 23:23 CET

Why not? I mean obviously I'm rooting for T:SCC to do well, since A. its an incredible show and B. being pared with Dollhouse may somehow make the other stronger or something. But if one of Fox's new shows does poorly, wouldn't that make them want the other one to last longer?

SteppeMerc | February 10, 00:10 CET

I think I prefer non-airbrushed Eliza. Also, the "article" mentions Eliza's tattoos... but I don't see them... did they airbrush them out?

ISTR she had an Albanian Eagle tattooed behind her shoulder. I dunno 'bout any others.

And - aside, referring to a quote from the interview - I have plenty of scars myself from robust outdoor adventures, but have no innate appreciation of skin ink. I need a piercing like I need another hole in my head (which is to say not at all) and my feeling about getting ink done is about the same.

fanbuoyant | February 10, 00:43 CET

Well, once again a men's magazine has taken a fine specimen of a woman and turned her into plastique. I was expecting as well, as someone upthread there, to see Ms. Eliza in all her tattoo-loving sensuality and find Eliza Barbie instead. She seems to be having a good time, getting some goofing shots in, but too much makeup and airbrushing only tells me what I already know; these magazines are afraid, afraid, afraid of celebrating what makes a woman attractive down to the bone. What a shame. I would have applauded a well-considered sensual photo gallery.

Tonya J | February 10, 04:00 CET

Tonya,
Or they're posting pictures of what the editors believe men will find attractive. If they're wrong I'm sure the consumers will vote with their feet...

SmileTime | February 10, 10:25 CET

Well, once again a men's magazine has taken a fine specimen of a woman and turned her into plastique.

To be fair, every magazine does this, from just evening skin tone or removing "blemishes" (or character as some of us call it) to shaving hips, narrowing noses, mirroring eyes, shadowing cleavage etc. etc. And especially for covers. Maybe it's worse when women's magazines do it (cos arguably they should know better/care more), maybe not but pointing the finger solely at men's magazines isn't pointing enough fingers IMO ;).

Other than that, apart from the first two (and the cover itself) those photos are very old, I first saw them years ago (and the copyright date on them is 2001).

('Lie to Me' is diverting enough I reckon though i'm not sure i'll stick with it unless it moves beyond its current status of "House-lite but with an English English guy instead of an American English guy". Not really a fan of hoping other shows fail though, just seems slightly mean-spirited)

Saje | February 10, 12:37 CET

Re-used photos? Unbelievable.

Maybe Outside Magazine or Sports Illustrated would do a better job with our adventure-seeking Eliza.

Tonya J | February 10, 14:43 CET