I am getting increasingly nervous that a lot of people are just not going to bother sticking with the show after the first episode

Also, I'm sorry for being the guy demanding spoiler warnings on everything ... but doesn't this qualify? I had to jump over the bits where it discussed episode plots and characters' past and quoted dialogue

Let Down | February 11, 23:02 CET

I wasn't sure if really broad plot details qualified (unless you were planning on going in clean, it's really pretty light on spoilers - Sepinwall hates spoilers) and it can pretty much be assumed that any review will contain a few plot details. Still, I changed it.

zach | February 11, 23:12 CET

Fair enough, I wasn't trying to criticise you for it. I'm probably more spoiler sensitive than most and I am trying to go in as clean as possible (good idea if Joss is rigt about the show making us feel dirty)

Let Down | February 11, 23:21 CET

Heres a short piece about the timeslot from EW (my hyperlinks never work so sorry)http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/dollhouse-will.html

jighooligan101 | February 11, 23:51 CET

I just want to point out that the reviewer claims that Joss said he and the network are on the same page, but he was only saying that about the later episodes. The rest of the review seems fair though.

I'm really hoping that the early episodes work to pull in the viewers that aren't Joss fans, and that all the Joss fans decided to stick through the first half if they don't love it. Though I guess a lot of them will be brought back in fairly easily if they're told it got a lot better.

Then again, Dollhouse could just be mediocre all the way through. Though I'm doubting that.

Racoon Boy | February 12, 00:03 CET

Mixed reviews are what happens when Joss has to compromise his vision for a bunch of suits. If Joss was just allowed to write as Joss without Fox interference, what do you think the critical response would be?

Nebula1400 | February 12, 00:26 CET

Yes, but see: we don't know that. We also don't know that Dollhouse won't end up The Greatest Thing Ever. Prematurely blaming FOX for killing Joss' vision - while understandable - isn't going to help anyone.

I for one have enough faith in Joss that when he says that the first half of the season has its problems, but they're hitting their stride in the second part, he's telling the truth. Plus, Joss - pretty good writer. Even with nagging executives he should be able to push out something good, as should the other members of the writing staff. This isn't the first time they've been round the block, after all.

But the question if the show would've been better had Fox not gotten involved? That's something we'll never actually get an answer to. Barring the original pilot script, that is, and that's only an indication at best. I'm currently kinda scared that if large parts of the fandom end up disliking the first few episodes, we'll have a massive "we hate Fox"-party (please note that I'm not singling you out, Nebula1400, or even directly replying to you anymore, it's just that your comment sparked this line of thought :)). That's something I'm not looking forward to. It also wouldn't be honest, because in the end it's not just Fox that makes the show. If it ends up being great, we won't be giving them credit, but if it ends up bad, we'll bring on the hate-fest... doesn't seem very fair.

As for me? I'm not picnicking (It's just too damned cold for a picnick). I'm assuming the show won't start out great (as Joss' words and early reviews seem to indicate that), but not bad either. Just different from what we're used to from Joss in both style and - maybe, maybe not - quality.

If the show does end up being 'meh': so be it. If it ends up great: all the better! Let's just all wait and see. The premiere is nearly upon us, after all. Time to be excited, instead of the other thing.

GVH | February 12, 00:48 CET

Mixed reviews are what happens when Joss has to compromise his vision for a bunch of suits.

Not to defend the 'suits' or anything, but most of the ‘mixedness’ in this particular review lies along the familiar lines of ‘we’re not sure we’re buying the premise’, ‘we’re not sure we can sufficiently identify with a “clean slate”’ and ‘we’re not sure Eliza can pull it off’.

[ edited by Effulgent on 2009-02-12 01:05 ]

Effulgent | February 12, 01:01 CET

I just wanted to say that I have a brother who liked Firefly and Serenity, but otherwise isn't a huge Whedon fan. But he saw the ads on Fox, and he is psyched about Dollhouse. I did talk to him and say that the first episode might not be a strong one but to stick with it, and he seemed to be OK with that.

So, the ads may attract new viewers, like my brother. I just hope that the first episode doesn't drive people away. If it intrigues people even a little, hopefully they will give it a shot for a week or two longer.

palehorse | February 12, 01:08 CET

I think this is the third time this has been posted, but it is already linked to in an earlier thread.

Dana5140 | February 12, 02:23 CET