Whedonesque : Comments on 21726 : Dollhouse discovered to be real.

I'd totally hire a friend if that was available.

Oh Gossi, I'll be your friend.

:)

didifallasleep | September 21, 22:38 CET

I've always said that I'd "get a life" when I could buy one from Amazon.

Is Amazon selling Dolls yet?

Sure, of the Bratz variety. That's almost the same as a doll.

;)

didifallasleep | September 21, 22:44 CET

Ha. That actually feels a bit more like - in flavor - the "Happy Time" agency folks in the Pushing Daisies episode "Frescorts".

[ edited by QuoterGal on 2009-09-21 23:20 ]

QuoterGal | September 21, 23:22 CET

That's what I was thinking too, QuoterGal, but I couldn't remember the name of it. I wonder if they have a hugging machine too.

hacksaway | September 21, 23:37 CET

Frescorts being real is rather less terrifying on a conceptual level.

Craig Oxbrow | September 21, 23:37 CET

I would totally be a doll if it existed in the states. Sign me up!

BlindHawkeyes | September 21, 23:44 CET

Link to the Guardian article quoted by Scifiwire here.

mr_waterproof | September 21, 23:49 CET

I just wonder if this was the real first step to the idea of Actives, followed by reprogramming human brains, etc. Yikes!

impalergeneral | September 22, 00:01 CET

Ah, Japan. If it was going to be anywhere... Haha.

The First Weevil | September 22, 00:37 CET

Can I get a doll that looks just like Christina Hendricks? I'll stop whining about not being able to have a flying car if I can own a person who looks just like Christina Hendricks. Bonus points if she's a robot that can shoot lasers out of her eyeballs and protect me from the coming apocalypse and stuff. That'd be awesome!

*Rod Serling materializes into the thread thanks to CGI*

"No you can't have a Christina Hendricks robot, but we can get you a Felicia Day clone."

Does she have laser eyeballs and ninja moves?

"No, she's a clone and not a robot. But you can dress her up like a pirate and make her go Aarrrr!"

Cool! That's awesome! Thanks Mister Rod Serling's Ghost dude! You're a pal!

ZachsMind | September 22, 01:33 CET

Sure - if you aren't capable of actually having a life, you should be able to rent one for a time.

baxter | September 22, 01:50 CET

If it’s anywhere, it’s in Japan!

I will get there… someday…

Mirage | September 22, 01:52 CET

After watching "Epitaph One", the idea of anything resembling the Dollhouse in real life utterly terrifies me. However, as this is just pathetic people paying other people to pretend to be their friends, I won't be losing any sleep over it yet.

Taaroko | September 22, 02:44 CET

If you read the Guardian link, you'll see the guy interviewed seems to have a humanitarian streak... it almost sounds like he's getting as much emotional validation out of it as his clients do.

"We're losers and frauds, but in a philanthropic way."

ManEnoughToAdmitIt | September 22, 04:49 CET

Go ahead and shrug your shoulders at the idea. Laugh it off. Giving them the perfect opportunity to start creating the first Dollhouse right under our noses. See? it's already begun! Stay frosty, guys.

electricspacegirl | September 22, 05:04 CET

QuoterGal, you're spot on. Frescorts seems less scary, but it also certainly feels like the first step in the direction of the Dollhouse. I'm reminded of the answer Joss gave at ComicCon this year about why he writes evil corporations. News like this makes me paranoid in a Mad Eye Moody kind of way.

JCapra | September 22, 06:41 CET

Nothing new under the Sun.

Satai (with Punsch) | September 22, 07:00 CET

Ahhh, other people remembering frescorts... The sad thing is I actually don't know if I'd feel more inclined to be a renter or rentee. (In the case of actives I think I'd rather be one than hire one for the cost of a small nation, but that's got the bonus of five years disappearing, some undisclosed amount of money, living in a swank spa where I would be conditioned to actually like working out, and hopefully subconscious cheerleading assassin training.)

Plus to some extent this is way less sketchy than a dollhouse proper. Or real escorts for that matter. Like in Japan I know they have these pet-stroking cafes and maybe even pet rental agencies for people who are too busy or live in too small of a space to actually be able to keep one themselves, so this is just sort of a service to compensate for the lack of time.

I do question some of the moral fuzziness though. Do people hire bosses to yell at them and keep them motivated regarding their personal work/job search? Or is it they're hired liars to be fake contacts in the event a job wants references?

And how is he not turning any sort of a profit on this kind of a thing?

orangewaxlion | September 22, 07:18 CET

I just love the idea that if an actual, real Dollhouse were found to exist, Whedonesque would break the news first.

MattManic7325 | September 22, 08:03 CET

Aww paying people to act out a fantasy is nothing new. Only in the Western world, we call them 'hos', 'actors' and 'LARP-ers'.
Or sometimes 'trophy wives'.

missb | September 22, 12:47 CET

Bonus points if she's a robot that can shoot lasers out of her eyeballs and protect me from the coming apocalypse and stuff. That'd be awesome!

...'hos', 'actors' and 'LARP-ers'.

Had to call out these two lines which made me laugh out loud. Cheers for that! I saw this the other day and considered posting it, guess I should've :).

zeitgeist | September 22, 14:37 CET

but that's got the bonus of five years disappearing, some undisclosed amount of money, living in a swank spa where I would be conditioned to actually like working out

Heck, I'd do it if they just promised to leave the liking working out part in my brain after the term was up.

barboo | September 22, 17:51 CET

I wasn't aware that Happy Time made an appearance in Pushing Daisies, just that it was the temp agency in Dead Like Me. Interesting.

The idea of handing over five years of my life in exchange for spa treatments and a fit body at the end of my contract is tempting, but there are also a lot of risks. Rogue actives cutting up people's faces, clients showing no regard for the active's safety, and then there's the possibility that the end of your contract may never be honored. Like Taaroko, Epitaph One scared me out of wanting to be a doll.

It's fascinating to see how the interviewee does come across feeling good about the work he does. Reminds me of Saunders' comment in the unaired pilot about humanitarian engagements being good for the actives. Why shouldn't we feel good about helping others? People need to be needed and someone somewhere always needs somebody.

CrazyKidBen | September 22, 18:06 CET

Leave it to the Japanese to take a fictional concept and try and make it real. I'm still awaiting their giant robots and skyscraper-tall reptilian beasts to start toppling US cities.

Astonishing_Chaos | September 22, 19:43 CET

Y'know, rather than these guys I think i'd be tempted to hire a prostitute to take to sports days/weddings etc. Just seems fairer to cut someone a break that really needs it and I doubt they'd hate an afternoon off (especially if there was cake).

Not much to do with the dollhouse concept right enough but who can get enough of these "nowt as queer as folk" stories ?

Saje | September 22, 21:49 CET

CrazyKidBen - I guess it was actually called, "My Best Friend, Inc." - think I was just choosing to believe Bryan Fuller had carried his "Happy Time" name over from Dead Like Me.

But I was wrong - dead wrong.

SAJE: Y'know, rather than these guys I think i'd be tempted to hire a prostitute to take to sports days/weddings etc. Just seems fairer to cut someone a break that really needs it and I doubt they'd hate an afternoon off (especially if there was cake).

Ah, yes - Deconstructing Saje. I think I saw it.

ETF: One of them damn phantom g's wot happens when I cut-n-paste sloppily. For shame, etc. ; >

ETA: There isn't a whole lot of the Woody Allen oeuvre post-Deconstructing Harry that I'm terribly fond of, Saje - although I thought Celebrity had a few moments.

It's just sad is wot it is.

[ edited by QuoterGal on 2009-09-23 09:06 ]

QuoterGal | September 22, 23:32 CET

IIRC, they used "Happy Time" in the 2nd season premiere when Ned temped at Betty's Bees to keep an eye on Chuck. Fuller loves his crossovers.

hacksaway | September 22, 23:38 CET

Yeah, and few TV things have made me happier than watching Pushing Daisies and hearing the little Dead Like Me " Der Waffle Haus" yodel.

QuoterGal | September 22, 23:50 CET

Seen the film ? **spoilers** They killed the Waffle House !!

Ah, yes - Deconstructing Saje. I think I saw it.

That link really puzzled me until I realised another of your phantom 'g's had appeared on the end QG ;). Sounds interesting BTW, not seen much of Woody Allen's stuff from the last 10-15 years.

Saje | September 23, 07:19 CET

Ooops - I've amended & addended my post above, Saje - thankee.

Yeah, I saw the Dead Like Me film - I so wanted it to be better. :(

QuoterGal | September 23, 08:27 CET

Yeah the story wasn't bad but the missing cast members were, well, missed. As kinda sorta resolutions go I actually preferred the kinda sorta one at the end of the series.

Saje | September 23, 10:26 CET

September 21 2009