Whedonesque : Comments on 19090 : Metacritic scorecard for Dollhouse.

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February 13 2009

Metacritic scorecard for Dollhouse. Some people expressed interest in the Metacritic score Dollhouse would receive in the recent "reviews" post, so here it is.

You guys who predicted mixed reviews nailed it. It's slightly disappointing results, but could be far worse.

RCM | Dollhouse | 20:55 CET | 36 comments total | tags: review, dollhouse

Just to let people know that despite the hecticness today on the front page, Whedonesque will have its own "Discuss the first episode of Dollhouse" thread later on tonight.

I would give the first episode a low 2:1.

Simon | February 13, 20:58 CET

2 out of 1?

By the way, I'm near certain that's a higher score than Firefly and Buffy would have gotten from reviews. The Metacritic score.

[ edited by gossi on 2009-02-13 21:05 ]

gossi | February 13, 21:01 CET

Is that based on the first episode?

Krusher | February 13, 21:07 CET

Krusher, some reviews are of the first episode, some of the first 3, some of the first 4.

gossi | February 13, 21:07 CET

That review in the Miami Herald is just vicious.

Derf | February 13, 21:08 CET

Well, I'm going to watch the darn thing and make up my own mind. :)

I think Simon is rating the chances that Whedonesqitos will like the first episode. Kind of like what Entertainment Weekly does for oscar contenders.

[ edited by RBB on 2009-02-13 21:16 ]

RBB | February 13, 21:13 CET

The Variety review is pretty offensive! "Dushku does wonderful things to a tank top..."

glorificus314 | February 13, 21:14 CET

I guess we have to see for our selves then. Most Joss shows tend to get better and better over time anyway. I'm looking forward to actually watch the show myself. Too bad that I'm not in the USA, so I have to wait just a little more.

Krusher | February 13, 21:15 CET

The Tom Shales bit in the Washington Post is also vicious.

But to counterbalance, there is the lovely Bianculli piece "Joss's fourth TV triumph," plus the praise in Salon, Slate, and to some degree in many other places.

So, of course we should all watch and make up our own minds.

Simon, what does 2:1 mean? I am innumerate and, also, blonde.

phlebotinin | February 13, 21:15 CET

A lot of good art is polarizing. I love Solaris and The Fragile by NIN, both received mixed reviews upon release. This show has cult classic written all over it, it wont be for everyone like all Whedons' shows. I could care less what the reviews are its Joss, I'm watching.

Richard The 3rd | February 13, 21:21 CET

Solaris, the Andrei Tarkovsky film or Steven Soderbergh film?

RCM | February 13, 21:26 CET

Soderbergh's version, I love that movie. Have the soundtrack on my iPod.

Richard The 3rd | February 13, 21:27 CET

Simon, what does 2:1 mean? I am innumerate and, also, blonde.

Like the degree result ? 2:1 is just under a first so something like a fairly solid B (or maybe B- since it's a "low 2:1").

[ edited by Saje on 2009-02-13 21:35 ]

Saje | February 13, 21:34 CET

The Fragile is one of my favourite albums of all time, I'm gonna be ok.

Pretty_Hate_Machine | February 13, 21:39 CET

PHM, we're all gonna be OK. We're In This Together Now, Dollhouse will be Just Like You Imagined. Hopefully Fox wont bite The Hand That Feeds. Ok, I'm done.

Richard The 3rd | February 13, 21:53 CET

Oh, thanks, Saje. A grading system thing from the UK. So, considering I'm not from the UK, not a blonde or innumeracy thing (whew).

phlebotinin | February 13, 22:27 CET

You've gotta give Joss at least three episodes to win over critics. They hated Buffy from the premise and now they sing it's praises on a nearly daily basis without anyone else even bringing it up.

Joss will wow them, I have no doubt. Especially with this mysterious awesome sixth episode.

BrownCoat_Tabz | February 13, 22:37 CET

So, considering I'm not from the UK, not a blonde or innumeracy thing (whew).

Nope, your blondely innumerate secret is safe ;-).

(cue Simon telling us he meant something totally different, thus confirming me as an honourary blond ;)

Saje | February 13, 22:43 CET

TV by the numbers compiles reviews too, and predicts a "6.3 million and a 2.3 rating among 18-49 year olds for Friday’s premiere."

Sounds very reasonable to me, although I think Dollhouse will crack that 2.5-mark in the demo.

The closer the premire got, the more I actually started to think: The ratings of the second episode will be more important, actually. They will show us if there's an upward-trend. And since "The Target" seems to be the best of the first bunch, that could be quite essential regarding the future of the show.

wiesengrund | February 13, 23:10 CET

6.3 million for the premiere would be disconcerting (2nd episode upticks do happen but they're relatively rare from what I gather).

(obviously I mean i'd be disconcerted if gossi hadn't promised us 12 seasons ;)

Saje | February 13, 23:17 CET

Does anyone know if CBS will be showing a new episode or a rerun of Flashpoint next week against "The Target"? Cause this week they switched it in the last moment to have a new ep up against Dollhouse.

wiesengrund | February 13, 23:30 CET

2 out of 1?

2:1 as in the classification for university degrees in the UK. Better than a 2:2 and nowhere near a first.

Simon | February 13, 23:31 CET

I still don't udnerstand it. But I suppose if it were important to me, I'd Wikipedia it.

The One True b!X | February 13, 23:33 CET

Maybe something like 'cum laude' in the US ? But I don't really get your system either. Like I say though, not top grade but most students wouldn't be devastated if they graduated with a 2:1.

Saje | February 14, 00:01 CET

R3, I just hope Dollhouse isn't Ripe With Decay, 'cause if Fox cancels it, I'm gonna be all like No, You Don't! And I WILL bite them With Teeth!

Pretty_Hate_Machine | February 14, 00:21 CET

The Brit 2:1 thing makes me think of gambling...there isn't a degree in craps, is there? Casinology?

Emmie | February 14, 00:31 CET

Almost ;).

Saje | February 14, 00:34 CET

wiesengrund, the new double issue of TV Guide lists a repeat of CBS's Flashpoint airing on 2/20 at 9PM. The next one is a new episode airing at 9PM on 2/27.

Little Green Kid | February 14, 01:07 CET

thx, Little Green Kid! That sounds good.

wiesengrund | February 14, 01:12 CET

Maybe something like 'cum laude' in the US ? But I don't really get your system either. Like I say though, not top grade but most students wouldn't be devastated if they graduated with a 2:1.

Magna cum laude or summa cum laude?

(Just want to show that crazy inexplicable distinctions proliferate in every system).

By the way, the difference is that a magna cum laude is equal to the maximum weight a European Swallow can bear, but the summa cum laude is equal to the maximum weight borne by the African Swallow.

snot monster from outer space | February 14, 02:02 CET

Nice PHM. I could make like two more but, I'll spare everyone.

Richard The 3rd | February 14, 02:34 CET

By the way, the difference is that a magna cum laude is equal to the maximum weight a European Swallow can bear, but the summa cum laude is equal to the maximum weight borne by the African Swallow.

Is that over land or water ?

(and I thought 'cum laude' was an actual grade by itself ? Under 'summa cum laude' which is under 'magna cum laude' which is the best of the best, like a first with honours maybe ? I may understand the US system even less than I thought ;)

Saje | February 14, 11:15 CET

Usually, 'cum laude' refers to your overall academic standing at school. So you'd get As, Bs, Cs, etc in individual classes but then an overall grade point average out of 4.

At my university, a 3.8 out of 4 over the whole course of study meant summa cum laude. A 3.6 was magna cum laude, and a 3.5 was just cum laude.

Having studied both in the UK and in the US, I would estimate that a first could equal any of the cum laudes; summa and magna are just degrees of first-ness. But it's definitely not an exact science (having translated marks back and forth many times!), so take that with a grain of salt.

Ildeth | February 14, 14:44 CET

Ah right, ta ;). So if they're all basically types of 1st, what's the equivalent of a 2:1, 2:2 and 3rd then (or isn't there one) ?

Saje | February 14, 14:51 CET

I know this is really late, but just in case you're still scratching your head, Saje:

It gets a bit more complicated lower down, I think... for example, a 2:1 would definitely be a B, a high 2:2 might be a B or a B-, a middling 2:2 would be a C, a high 3rd would be a C, a medium 3rd might be a C- or a D.

It also seems to vary depending on what course you do - the scientists on our exchange program use a slightly different scale to the art students. It's mostly because in the UK you can get 100% in some science exams, but you can't in the arts; it just makes comparison between the US and UK systems harder.

This is why most exchange programs treat the year abroad as just credit time, or a very small percentage of the overall marks. Really the two systems are so different it's hard to reliably compare them!

Ildeth | February 15, 11:07 CET

Edge Magazine has a very interesting article on the effect of Metacritic on the games industry. I wonder how it will be before it hits the world of tv in such a manner.

Simon | February 15, 13:05 CET

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