Good luck to them. But if it's not coming from the network, and if genuine word of mouth isn't spreading, this game may be over.

Andy Dufresne | October 06, 16:34 CET

Gossi is my hero.

Seriously, this is really impressive for just a couple of days of work. Kudos to all involved. I've already done the twitter thing, and will find ways to use some of the other resources here--maybe print out some of the posters as flyers, post them in coffee-shops, that sort of thing.

erendis | October 06, 16:40 CET

I love Buffy, took a while to get into Angel, love Dr Horrrible, love Joss, love Eliza. Don't throw fruit - Dollhouse is kinda hard to get into. On a Friday, my brain doesn't want to work that hard. And I still have Reunion syndrome.

But

it's easier to follow TV now with all the options but back in the day (a few years ago) I really appreciated MarsInvestigations.net, which was, as I understand it, TWoP fans combined attempt to get new and lost fans up to speed on Veronica Mars complex plotlines, no matter now many eps they had seen.

Chuck fans used the product placement tie-in and kissed up to Subway (why not? cheap & yummy, not like we had to buy a car) as well as some help from TV Critics and Twitter - but really, I'd say it was the subway thing. Networks like money which comes from advertisers. You all know this - the two things you need are more eyeballs (SGU beat you last week - I didn't watch that either) and some help from someone on high with Money.

I can't really help with more than advice. So that's my (you've heard them before) 2 cents.

And of course, I should be giving it to the Save Dollhouse people directly, not you, but... this is where I ended up.

I want the best for Joss and Eliza, but my Save Show! batteries are depleted and I haven't even watched a season 2 ep yet (they are on the DVR still)

Pamelajaye | October 06, 16:53 CET

Seconding the impressed feeling, great work by everyone...
On a semi-related note, though this is probably more of a question to gossi personally: Are there any plans in place for people to contribute financially directly to the campaign? Not that I'm talking about huge amounts, of course (unless I find that gigantic stack of cash I misplaced- I swear it was around here somewhere.)

alqualond | October 06, 17:15 CET

Gossi is an organizer like no other. And I think Twitter may be something we have going for us this time around, something that didn't even exist when Firefly was in trouble. I posted a tweet last night linking to this ad set and within 2 hours the album had 200 views. I'm not as painfully optimistic as I was when we found out the show had been renewed for a second season, but I've still got some hope.

CrazyKidBen | October 06, 17:31 CET

The show is terrible and deserves a mercy killing. Let Fox broadcast Epitaph One and give the series a fitting ending.

arahdial | October 06, 17:48 CET

I fear it's a forlorn hope but hey

Forlorn hopes are a great tradition and it's good to go out fighting so best of luck.

debw | October 06, 17:50 CET

The same thing was said about Buffy, Angel and Firefly back in the day. I know we all like to look back on the 1997-2004 era with rose tinted glasses but the venom that was produced in reaction to those shows when they aired was something shocking.



Well it would be nice to win one for a change.

Simon | October 06, 18:13 CET

@Simon
True that. I INTEND to have a complete second season.

@arahdial
I don't know how you could say Dollhouse is horrible. It may not be your favorite show, but you think it's bad? I think its funny how many people have been sipping the Kool Aid this season because it's cool. This show is brave and fascinating despite occasional weak moments. I don't understand how anyone is so ready to throw it under the bus.

marvelknight616 | October 06, 18:45 CET

Perhaps the show is too thought provocative for most people? It's theme is not an easy one, nor the narration. It's not a show for everyone.

But since I'm from Europe, there's only so much I can do. Actually bought the UK dvd set (it's not for sale in my country *pout*)

Krusher | October 06, 18:51 CET

CrazyKidBen's ads are awesome.

b!X | October 06, 18:56 CET

I want to echo all of the impressed feelings of both Gossi's organizing and CrazyKidBen's ads. You guys have done amazing work and I've already placed a few of the graphics places!

jiggyfly | October 06, 22:33 CET

I'm glad all this is going on, and I'm going to help out in any way that I can, but I'm not sure I have much hope of the fans being able to save the show. However, perhaps these antics could delay the (possibly) inevitable a bit so that at least the 13 episode order gets made and they can have some conclusion to the story, even if only for DVD? How long would we have to delay cancellation for that to happen?

flugufrelsarinn | October 06, 23:10 CET

I'm not entirely convinced that fans alone can do it either. (I have notions on how to jump start some other angles, but they're basically non-starters at the moment.) That said, if the fan campaign wasn't there at all, it would be worse. At the very least (and hopefully more than that), a clear environment of fans backing the show needs to exist, and presumably that ground level is established at this point.

b!X | October 06, 23:15 CET

Well, according to what gossi twittered today here and here, the studio is happy with the product and will at least finish the initial order of 13 episodes.

(Why they would do that without FBC's licensing fee and awesome DVD sales from S1 to make them hopeful for awesome sales for S2 is still beyond me, but hey, I'm flying blind here too. :)

ETA the quote I was referring to.

[ edited by wiesengrund on 2009-10-06 23:18 ]

wiesengrund | October 06, 23:18 CET

If true (not doubting gossi just, y'know, doubting full stop ;) then that's excellent news. A truncated season 2 DVD was my worst fear but at least it seems like we'll have 13 eps and (hopefully) some sort of semi-resolution.

What's the latest Fox can leave any potential pick up of the back 9 ?

Saje | October 06, 23:22 CET

Well, they're currently shooting episode 7, and Maurissa tweeted that episode 10 is being written. If that helps try to establish a timeline.

b!X | October 06, 23:26 CET

I think usually back 9 orders happen in October (though out-of-the-gate hits like Glee get one in September too, sometimes). But obviously with Friday being a weird spot on the schedule anything can happen. Hell, I even consider it possible that they don't pickup up a back 9 but a 13-episode Season 3 at the upfronts in May. Yes, I'm that imaginative. :)

wiesengrund | October 06, 23:28 CET

I'd take it ;). And to some extent we stepped into the Twilight Zone with the S2 renewal so anything can happen.

But latest pick-up... What is it, about 4 weeks from breaking to script ? So in about 12-ish weeks they'll have written up to 13, so I guess about the middle of January, latest, will be when they'd need to start on episodes 14 and up ?

EETA: Actually, that must be utter bollocks. If true it'd mean 36 weeks to write the back 9 so they'd finish by July. Thinking not a good estimate, probably because the writing of episodes overlaps. Anyone who actually has a clue want to share it ?[/EETA]


ETA: And good work BTW gossi. It's worth a shot, however long it may be.

[ edited by Saje on 2009-10-06 23:33 ]

[ edited by Saje on 2009-10-06 23:53 ]

Saje | October 06, 23:30 CET

CrazyKidBen's ads are indeed very awesome.

And so is the news that 13 will be shot. Twenty-six is better than fourteen.

jcs | October 06, 23:34 CET

Fourteen? If we're talking about SHOT, not AIRED, they've shot six so far this season. So even if they said "stop" right now, we'd have 19 total.

b!X | October 06, 23:35 CET

Gossi's report made me all squealy, which is bad since I'm at work and stuff. But yay! I mean, cancellation would be awful. I want many years of Dollhouse stories. But at least they'll do their 13, probably. That makes me happy.

sumogrip | October 06, 23:36 CET

So even if they said "stop" right now, we'd have 19 total.

Yeah but 26 is still better than 14.

;-)

Saje | October 06, 23:37 CET

Well you see there were 14 Firefly episodes. It was a perfectly obvious connection if you were in my mind.
Which, fortunately for you, you weren't.

jcs | October 06, 23:44 CET

This week I'm barely in my own.

b!X | October 06, 23:47 CET

Gossi's tweets made me all squealy, too, Jobo. Fingers crossed. As an enthusiastic fan of Dollhouse, I deeply appreciate gossi's and other's efforts on the show's behalf. Fan efforts may often be for naught, but sometimes they work (e.g., Jericho, at least for a time) and it's noble to at least try.

phlebotinin | October 06, 23:49 CET

Ah, didn't spot Gossi's tweeting. That is certainly very good news, and I would guess that with all the rumours of cancellation so early, Joss and co will make the effort to finish with a conclusion of sorts, but room to continue, much in the way epitaph one was.

flugufrelsarinn | October 07, 00:25 CET

Huzzah for encouraging tweets! I realize everything's up in the air right now, but just knowing that we'll probably get all 13 episodes eventually (whether they air or not) makes me much happier.

erendis | October 07, 01:00 CET

Thanks for those tweets Gossi. After pretty much resigning myself over the last few days to the show being dead, any bit of good news is great to hear.

At this point, I'll just be content if 13 eps do get shot and are released on the season 2 dvd, even if they don't all air. If we get any more eps beyond that, whether a back 9 or a season 3 or both, then that'll be an amazing surprise, just like the season 2 renewal was in the first place.

It's crazy how much of a rollercoaster ride being a Whedon fan is at times isn't it?

SteveJ2008 | October 07, 03:04 CET

Can anyone point me at some numbers on per-ep productions costs on Dollhouse? I want to do the math on a direct-to-fans approach... (or, if someone's already done the math, you could just point me at that instead)

crystalsinger | October 07, 04:20 CET

People have speculated that the budget for this season is somewhere in the range of 650k per ep, give or take.

SteveJ2008 | October 07, 04:24 CET