Whedonesque : Comments on 19505 : (SPOILER) Major Dollhouse Spoiler: Picture of Alpha?

Well... so there ya have it. On the one hand I'm excited. But on the other I'm not 100% ready to give up my Ballard-is-Alpha idea. *shrug*

Haunt | March 16, 01:12 CET

Oh wow. When I heard the rumours, I wasn't sure if the actor was suited to the role. But seeing him in that scene... Wow.

MattK | March 16, 01:14 CET

The lair of a madman. This is a place where very bad things happen to people who do not deserve it.

The knife and the hostage kinda gave that away, but yeah. Badness.

Sunfire | March 16, 01:18 CET

He's listed as Alpha on imdb now.

Taaroko | March 16, 01:18 CET

But...but...Alpha was a brunette in the pilot. Unless that wasn't Alpha? Maybe it was the guy who is hostage here?

ShanshuBugaboo | March 16, 01:20 CET

I have no self control. None. And now I really reget looking at that picture... oh well. Life goes on, and I was pretty happy bout that "certain casting rumor" anyway.

Creepy.

pancakegirl | March 16, 01:21 CET

Those are gorgeous sets. Even the lair's very interesting, and it could've been just so much foreboding basement stuff.

Also I'm pretty sure Alpha's going to be deeply scary, looking at that photo. Yikes.

Sunfire | March 16, 01:30 CET

Yay, Morgan Freeman!

[ edited by The One True b!X on 2009-03-16 01:31 ]

The One True b!X | March 16, 01:31 CET

Is it worth seeing? I don't know if I can wait!

Rikardo | March 16, 01:34 CET

Does anyone remember the casting sides? Because that picture of him reminds me of one of them. I'd be a little less vague if I knew how to do the invisi-text thing.

Racoon Boy | March 16, 01:49 CET

Honestly, I don't understand why the casting of Alpha is seen as a major spoiler. He's a guy who we haven't seen yet. But that was more or less obvious, right? What he looks like isn't really a plot point.

nasarius | March 16, 01:56 CET

Racoon Boy, instructions are here.

swanjun | March 16, 01:57 CET

Unless we do see him before he's revealed to be Alpha.

The One True b!X | March 16, 01:57 CET

Yes, but there was one Dollhouse fansite who ruined it for me. They put the picture in the main page. I think it's safer as a spoiler.

Rikardo | March 16, 02:02 CET

Honestly, I don't understand why the casting of Alpha is seen as a major spoiler. He's a guy who we haven't seen yet. But that was more or less obvious, right? What he looks like isn't really a plot point.

This. Who cares what he looks like or who the actor is. That's not important and not really meant to be a big mystery. Its the CHARACTER and his ROLE in the story that's important, not what he looks like. To me, this isn't a spoiler at all.

recoil | March 16, 02:04 CET

Knowing the identity of the actor playing him means that if Alpha enters the plot pretending to be someone else, and the writing doesn't give that away until a climatic moment later, the viewer is in fact spoiled for part of the story.

Sunfire | March 16, 02:06 CET

Again... Unless he is suposed to apear in episode, lets say, 7, and play a character named Jummy Pfiffengerstin and you are not suposed to kno w that he is Alpha..

[ edited by Darkness on 2009-03-16 02:09 ]

What sunfire said. (i was a bit late)

[ edited by Darkness on 2009-03-16 02:09 ]

Darkness | March 16, 02:09 CET

What sunfire said. (i was a bit late)

Which is also what I said earlier. ;)

The One True b!X | March 16, 02:16 CET

Put another way, knowing that Enver plays Victor was a spoiler for some people who missed or forgot the early promotional photos showing Enver as an Active and who watched the first few episodes thinking Lubov was really who he seemed to be. Victor's the first of (I suspect) many mindfuck moments to come.

People were asking about Enver's apparent reshuffling of cast role here for awhile and people who knew what was going on were fairly careful to avoid answering the question or to give an answer that satisfied curiosity but didn't give the ruse away. I think someone posted the answer invisibled since it was a point of confusion that was really bothering a few people and kept coming up.

Similarly, people have speculated that Miracle's recasting as Mellie might just no such thing, she's just November on long-term assignment. Illusions of identity and plot twists about who people really are are big parts of this show's thematic structure so who's playing Alpha potentially carries a lot more weight as a revelation than the same information would for a different show.

Joss went so far as to lie about it when directly asked at a convention, so I don't think we're wrong in thinking this is important information. Unless he's just practicing for Cabin.

Sunfire | March 16, 02:17 CET

But...but...Alpha was a brunette in the pilot.

So was I... once.

redeem147 | March 16, 02:17 CET

He was in disguise! As a... naked homicidal madman.

Sunfire | March 16, 02:19 CET

He looked like a blond to me. And Alpha was certainly blond in The Target.

The Dark Shape | March 16, 02:25 CET

Does he look insanely hot in that photo or is it just me?

StylishYetAffordableBoots | March 16, 02:31 CET

UPDATE: The link seems to be down. Bummer.

The Irish Cowgirl | March 16, 02:36 CET

Seems it's been taken down?

KernelM | March 16, 02:36 CET

Yep, darn. Looks like someone what's to save us from ourselves. lol!

RobinInSeoul | March 16, 02:47 CET

Even with that particular picture down, I'd say go look anyway. Some neat pictures of Dollhouse and Angel sets remain.

kishi | March 16, 02:55 CET

I hope nobody got fired.

redeem147 | March 16, 03:06 CET

I hope someone got a mirror of it. Also, I'm still hoping for Sean Maher.

edit: These ANGEL sets are still cool. The Hyperion was a fully built lobby!

[ edited by John Darc on 2009-03-16 03:10 ]

John Darc | March 16, 03:09 CET

Wow, ok, almost all the Dollhouse photos are now gone. Even seemingly innocuous ones. Chinese restaurant? Really? Echo at a mansion?

John Darc | March 16, 03:13 CET

I want to see the picture! Anyone grab it?

AthenaMuze | March 16, 03:13 CET

Ugh....I check this site so often, and now the picture is gone? How frustrating. Did anyone save it? I'd love to see it! I don't really imagine it will spoil any plot points for me. And if it does, I'm OK with that.

5X5B | March 16, 03:21 CET

I don't get it. The picture is gone, can anyone just say what exactly was in the picture??? Is it really who we thought Alpha is?

danielgm | March 16, 03:39 CET

You can still view the photos, if you get a bit creative with it. I'll try to avoid any trouble, but I will say that most people tend to follow a pretty obvious formula, when naming their files, especially their photo files...

Knuckleball | March 16, 03:40 CET

Smiling thru teeth! I told you.

Madhatter | March 16, 03:45 CET

Knuckleball, cryptic much?? But I *finally* understood what you said, managed to see the photo, thanks. But really, didn't we already know that? When I read the topic I thought it was a completely different person and that the casting spoiler was a mislead.

Also, who said the naked guy from the pilot was Alpha? It's all speculation, that guy could be anyone.

[ edited by danielgm86 on 2009-03-16 03:48 ]

danielgm | March 16, 03:47 CET

Is it really who we thought Alpha is? Maybe it is. Maybe I'm Alpha. Maybe you're Alpha. Don't we all have a little bit of Alpha inside all of us? And, more importantly, doesn't Alpha have a little bit of us inside of him? The answer to all of these questions is "yes," or "no," or "maybe," or "that question doesn't even make sense!"

kishi | March 16, 03:48 CET

ha ha ha

danielgm | March 16, 03:48 CET

Ummm, yeah could someone PLEASE tell us (in invisible-ness) who/what was in the photos? Cuz, I missed it and now it's gone and I don't know what you mean, knuckleball. I don't know how to be "a bit creative". And I don't believe ya, b!X, sorry.

Linnea1928 | March 16, 03:50 CET

What I found most interesting was a certain prop that was present in Alpha's lair. I think we could definitely be in for some frightening mindfucks.

Since my previous instructions were a bit vague, highlight below:

http://leonardharman.com/FILM/IMAGES/DollLair1.jpg
http://leonardharman.com/FILM/IMAGES/DollLair2.jpg
http://leonardharman.com/FILM/IMAGES/DollLair3.jpg

Knuckleball | March 16, 03:54 CET

Okay, it wasn't Morgan Freeman, it was Angela Lansbury.

The One True b!X | March 16, 03:54 CET

The picture is here

edit: picture was taken down

[ edited by danielgm86 on 2009-03-16 23:45 ]

danielgm | March 16, 03:55 CET

Thank you for being more specific, Knucklehead. I'm a little computer illiterate and I need help sometimes.
And thanks danielgm86 for the link as well.
And thanks for that mental image, b!X; traumatizing (since we saw the naked man-ish butt of Alpha).

Linnea1928 | March 16, 04:06 CET

I'm not sure if these pictures will be online for long, could someone from Dollverse save them and post them there maybe?

danielgm | March 16, 04:08 CET

Here, there be tigers.

Madhatter | March 16, 04:08 CET

Thanks for the links, Knuckleball.

I wasn't spoiled by this because I had inadvertently seen Alpha's identity elsewhere a while ago. Pretty cool lair. I do hope that we won't see Alpha introduced as "Jummy Pfiffengerstin" first. That'd be a bummer (including having to pronounce that name!) But oh well. What will be, will be.

phlebotinin | March 16, 04:20 CET

I'm hearing that is exactly how it will go down. Alpha being Alpha will be a twist on the lines of Dobson and Angel.

edit:@KnuckleBall, I think we're all expecting it will come into play. But now it's just a Red Scare, as we'll all be assuming anyone and everyone is one.

double edit: Man, properly lit, these places don't look scary at all.

[ edited by John Darc on 2009-03-16 04:30 ]

John Darc | March 16, 04:27 CET

Epic-major-giant-mega-SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

[code]This makes me happy.[/code]

mouse | March 16, 04:30 CET

First comment I ever had to remove. That'll teach me not to read the rest of the comments first...

Thanks for the links, Knuckleball.

[ edited by Mercenary on 2009-03-16 04:41 ]

Mercenary | March 16, 04:39 CET

Alpha is played by Felicia Day! The lair is a dark and dangerous laundrymat.

Sunfire | March 16, 04:59 CET

LOL.

The One True b!X | March 16, 05:04 CET

And the link is now dead

Edit: the one posted by danielgm86

[ edited by crhobbs42 on 2009-03-16 05:12 ]

crhobbs42 | March 16, 05:10 CET

I sure hope this whole escapade didn't get Mr. Harman into hot water.

Tin Ear Tom | March 16, 05:29 CET

Anyone here have an iPhone? Because I have no idea how (if it's even possible) to see the invisible text with my phone.

Deanna_Lynne | March 16, 05:57 CET

Well, this really stinks; I got here too late and I have no idea who it is, and I love spoilers. Oh well.

spikeangellover | March 16, 06:13 CET

spikeangellover, you can read WHO it is from previous posts, just not what they look like in the role...I'm bummed about it too.

TOASTERslayer | March 16, 06:25 CET

Uh, I guess I'm dense, TOASTERslayer, because I went through the posts again and I don't understand. All the links are gone.

spikeangellover | March 16, 06:46 CET

This is the worst kept secret in showbiz. Well, okay, that's a lie, but since IMDB has Alpha down as BLAH BLAH I'VE TAKEN THIS NAME DOWN, I think a lot of people probably already know, and don't know they're spoiling each other.

edited.

[ edited by gossi on 2009-03-16 07:00 ]

gossi | March 16, 06:48 CET

Anyone here have an iPhone? Because I have no idea how (if it's even possible) to see the invisible text with my phone.

Illyria | March 16, 05:57 CET

Just played with mine.
Won't be possible in Mobile Safari until firmware 3.0 (July-ish)
When we get c/c/p!

The sneeky photos seem to have been erased off the server as well as the pages they were on.:(
Is the "Dollhouse" Title the official type?
It doesn't look right to me...

P.S. Who do I talk to (or pay) to get a iPhone icon put on the server so there is a pretty icon to touch for these awesome discussions?
129x129 PNG labeled "apple-touch-icon.png" <--in the root of your web documents(thank you)

Wilhelm | March 16, 06:48 CET

Okay, I think I figured it out, but I don't see anything on imdb either. Thanks for the hint, Gossi.

spikeangellover | March 16, 06:53 CET

Okay, I'm an idiot. I've checked IMDB and although they've got the actor down, they've done it in a way where it's not immediately obvious.

gossi | March 16, 07:01 CET

Okay, I thought it was me; don't see it on the IMDB Dollhouse page, but when you go to the actor, it's listed. At least that's the only place I see it. If it's in the series page it must be buried somewhere that I'm not seeing.

Scratch that, it's listed under the episode.

[ edited by spikeangellover on 2009-03-16 07:18 ]

[ edited by spikeangellover on 2009-03-16 07:46 ]

spikeangellover | March 16, 07:18 CET

Should I take my previous post down? I guess I'm adding to the hints?

spikeangellover | March 16, 07:49 CET

Curse you Joss! Using Firefly alum to get me slightly more interested in this show.

Cyantre | March 16, 08:00 CET

Guess not, the hints continue.

spikeangellover | March 16, 08:01 CET

The pic of Alan doesn't seem to be there anymore so I've added a caveat to the entry.

Simon | March 16, 08:15 CET

Bleh. None of the links are working for me.

Sarrava | March 16, 08:29 CET

Well, yes, that's because, as the thread says, they took it all down. ;)

The One True b!X | March 16, 08:30 CET

And I wouldn't rely on IMDB pages for serious casting news. The user content element makes it a bit iffy. They had David Boreanaz appearing in Charmed after all.

Simon | March 16, 08:30 CET

And as one of the sisters, no less.

The One True b!X | March 16, 08:33 CET

Advanced warning, somebody has grabbed these pictures and posted them elsewhere on a Dollhouse fan site. (Not mine).

gossi | March 16, 09:11 CET

link to pictures (deleted)

[ edited by J.I.G. on 2009-03-16 11:29 ]

J.I.G. | March 16, 11:19 CET

I would imagine if they've been taken offline, they've been taken offline for a good reason. So probably not the best idea to post links to where the pics can be found.

Simon | March 16, 11:29 CET

Good grief this site is getting just like the government..taking care of the little idiot people that can't think for themselves.

rehabber | March 16, 13:17 CET

rehabber: if you have a problem with the running of Whedonesque, at least have the courtesy of emailing us about it per our rules.

Simon | March 16, 13:25 CET

Am I totally insane, or didn't we get a fairly clear look at Alpha at either the end of True Believer, or the trailer for the next ep? I definitely recognized him, unless I'm having psychic dreams. ;)
And can I just say Yay! Gotta love casting against type, ('verse type anyhow, I'm kinda unfamiliar, otherwise) when the actor is almost certainly good enough to pull it off.

Shey | March 16, 13:46 CET

He played a paedophile in CSI. I haven't seen the episode but I heard he freaked some fans out.

Simon | March 16, 14:13 CET

He freaked me out in that episode, Simon. A lot. Still, a creepily pathetic pedophile (how he played it) is a different kind of beast than what Alpha seems to be. It'll be interesting to see how he pulls it off. I'm sure he will.

Shey, *did* we get a clear look at Alpha? Bizarre. I hadn't noticed that.

Also, I'd swear they haven't been using this actor to "play" Alpha so far - you know, in the nudie scenes, shot from behind. It just doesn't...look like his physique. How would I know that? Not from up close experience, I assure you. Still.

phlebotinin | March 16, 14:53 CET

Yes, he can definitely play creepy guy. I think this is going to rock.

And about IMDB: Yesterday, he WAS listed on the main Dollhouse page. It seems to have been taken back down. But it is still listed on his page.

It seems a stand-in was used in the first ep for the scenes of Alpha from the back, but on the side views, where he is handling the photo, it does appear that it could be him.

[ edited by mouse on 2009-03-16 15:01 ]

mouse | March 16, 14:57 CET

I'm so disappointed I missed it. Plus I'm lacking the will to search it out where ever it may be hiding online now.

Emmie | March 16, 15:09 CET

Violent Alpha action (movie clips).

Sunfire | March 16, 15:10 CET

OK I'm covering part of the screen with my hand now as I write this: can someone tell me if we're going to find out who Alpha is in the next episode or two? (Not sure how you'd know that, something in the pictures or something :p) It's just that I've avoided the spoiler so far, but I don't think I'll be able to do it for more than a week or so, so if it's an episode 13 reveal or something I might as well get it over with.

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | March 16, 15:46 CET

ThorpeWithoutShrimp - No, you won't.

zeitgeist | March 16, 15:55 CET

Is it actually known when Alpha first appears? I don't think it is.

Edit (slightly reworded).

[ edited by gossi on 2009-03-16 16:46 ]

gossi | March 16, 16:06 CET

There's a quote where Joss said something like we come face to face with Alpha in the last episode, so that suggests Ep 13, but who really knows. And I didn't see the quote sourced, either.

Sunfire | March 16, 16:10 CET

Yeah, I was wondering when he's actually going to show up. I can't wait to see him on the show.

Ameer | March 16, 16:11 CET

Well, I blew it (dammit gossi)... but I couldn't be happier.

Just hoping he doesn't play a side character or something a few episodes before it's revealed he's Alpha, though it wouldn't be a Whedon series without me getting a big honking spoiler. Thanks to Alyson Hannigan's wiki page I watched the first three seasons of Buffy knowing Willow would go from "a shy wallflower to a powerful lesbian witch".

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | March 16, 16:36 CET

gossi - it is known to some ;).

zeitgeist | March 16, 16:39 CET

Thorpe - sorry! I've reworded my post ever so slightly.

gossi | March 16, 16:48 CET

Haha, no worries. I was actually under the bizarre impression that it was going to be a bulked up Tom Lenk and that Alpha was Topher's twin after quickly scanning the original thread comments, so it was probably best I got put out of my misery.

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | March 16, 16:56 CET

The episode/s he appears in is/are on his imdb page, if anyone is interested.

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | March 16, 16:58 CET

Just to say it - if you were Mr. Whedon, and you wanted to do a brain %$@# on your fans and lead them down the wrong path, who would you turn to as a partner in crime? I'd go to Nathan Fillion, myself, but if he were locked in a Castle somewhere, I know where I'd go next.

Personally, I thought the story was going to reveal that the person we saw at the end of Episode 1 was NOT Alpha, but was instead Victor - who was really behind what happened when Alpha escaped. I thought we'd find out that Victor is the one that remembers things, and that he put a crazy persona in Alpha and set him free...

jgsugden | March 16, 18:24 CET

When will we be properly introduced to Alpha?

Although, as ThorpeWithoutShrimp said, it might be well possible, that he will play a side character for a few episodes before it's revealed that he's Alpha.

Anuris | March 16, 19:57 CET

Unless he's impersonating someone already. My money is on Adelle's assistant.

Simon | March 16, 19:59 CET

He can't be impersonating somebody in the DH, because they would notice him. Unless he's very, very good at wigs and cross dressing. In which case, he's Echo!

gossi | March 16, 20:05 CET

My money's on someone Echo (or maybe Boyd) runs into on assignment.

Might be more fun if he runs into Paul first though. I suspect they have a bit in common.

Sunfire | March 16, 20:06 CET

Gossi, couldn't he have downloaded his own mind into someone else? Someone no one would recognise?

zz9 | March 16, 20:08 CET

zz9, SHUSH! (OH NO! the possibilities)

Wilhelm | March 16, 20:49 CET

Gah! Boyd!

Sunfire | March 16, 20:51 CET

zz9 said:

Gossi, couldn't he have downloaded his own mind into someone else? Someone no one would recognise?

Yeah, and maybe he'll put it into a 3 year old child.

AthenaMuze | March 16, 20:53 CET

Pics are up on IO9, if anyone wants to see. What naughty little scamps they are.

curlymynci | March 16, 21:50 CET

I found this interesting.. it could be wrong, BUT.

According to IMDB, the episode with Alpha in it is called 'Omega', which is episode 12, not the finale. Only 6 weeks to go!

schumi_girl | March 16, 22:23 CET

Pics are also up on Spoilertv :D

Rosalind | March 17, 01:15 CET

I totally missed the chair originally. Whoa. This is going to be AWESOME.

Sunfire | March 17, 02:00 CET

"Couldn't he have downloaded his own mind into someone else? Someone no one would recognise?"--zz9

I think there was a scene between Topher and Dr. Saunders (or maybe it was Topher and Adelle) an episode or two ago where they say Alpha had the intelligence and ability to pull that off.

JesusSavedIn01 | March 17, 20:44 CET

"Downloaded his own mind into someone else"...

I don't think the technology works that way - it's more about making bodies act like other people, than it is about being ale to "switch bodies". He might be able to make a doll act like him, but he wouldn't be able to actually experience things from their point of view.

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | March 18, 07:03 CET

If one can imprint a blank slate doll with a made-up personality, why couldn't one imprint a blank slate doll with a real personality -- you'd have to in order to restore a doll's original personality at the end of their term anyway.

Granted, in the hypothetical Alpha scenario being pondered here, it would first require dumping his personality into the computers, blanking out his own body, and then imprinting someone else's blank slate body with his personality, and then after the assignment, reversing it to put his personality back in his own body.

Not the sort of thing someone could do alone. So if Alpha's put this into action, he's got help.

[ edited by The One True b!X on 2009-03-18 07:14 ]

The One True b!X | March 18, 07:13 CET

March 16 2009