Whedonesque : Comments on 22221 : Is Kurt Sutter referencing Dollhouse?

This site will work and look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

October 30 2009

Is Kurt Sutter referencing Dollhouse? TV By The Numbers thinks so. This is a strange little article, but you have to hand it to Sutter. He certainly has some good points.

GoldDust8912 | Dollhouse | 21:30 CET | 31 comments total | tags: dollhouse kurt sutter

Be sure to read thru to Sutter's blog on development execs. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Joss' shows should be on F/X.

IMMORTAL | October 30, 21:41 CET

This is very funny. I don't think the conversation ever happened, but the clues do very much read like he's referencing Dollhouse.

wiesengrund | October 30, 21:42 CET

How odd. Yet interesting. And hostile. Yet interesting. And funny. Are there any other shows besides Dollhouse that have been yanked for reruns?

[ edited by phlebotinin on 2009-10-30 21:56 ]

phlebotinin | October 30, 22:01 CET

Sons of Anarchy is my favourite show on air at the moment ( and that's present company included).
If Sutter is a Dollhouse fan that makes me love him even more.
He and Joss are the most intelligent creatives working in TV, Ron Moore coming a close third.
If neither Dollhouse and Sons don't get renewed next year, 2010 will be very much the poorer for it.

strangeaction | October 30, 22:01 CET

Are there any other shows besides Dollhouse that have been yanked for reruns?

Brothers and 'Til Death.

Sunfire | October 30, 22:04 CET

Heh, yeah. But might there be others outside Fox? He doesn't mention which network.

phlebotinin | October 30, 22:07 CET

I edited the title. I'm not sure I want to keep this but for now I'll point out:
-- it may not have happened
-- it was almost certainly embellished a bit for a good story
-- it could be one of 3 shows

Given the overall context though it does suggest if true it's FOX (who just did the much discussed sweeps replacement) and probably Dollhouse.

Sunfire | October 30, 22:08 CET

Yeah, I was a little unsure of whether or not to post it, but since the actual article on TVbtN cites Dollhouse, I figured it was probably fair game, but I don't know. I'll shoot 'em and you admins can sort 'em out. :)

GoldDust8912 | October 30, 22:14 CET

Just to be sure, can we certainly rule out the possibility that Dollhouse isn't the second show? Like given the two parties it is slightly possible that they're speaking of what they know of the shows versus actually watching it. Lord knows that Dollhouse still has a bit of a "but weren't the first five episodes" weak stigma. I am mostly used to this idea that all scripted TV shows sort of band together in face of the oncoming reality TV storm but I've also gotten the impression certain shows or showrunners have a more competitive mindset since it's like they're all competing for a smaller pool of timeslots. (Incidentally, given how much vitriol there is it's nice to see him explicitly say stuff like "don't blame Leno" even if I'm not much of a fan of his.)

orangewaxlion | October 30, 22:24 CET

Well in the post where Sutter is actually bashing network TV he says that SoA went through the same "the first few episodes the network was hard to work with"-process. I guess he wouldn't judge Dollhouse on those grounds, since he could relate to that via his own show.

And also, consider that Sutter has worked with Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain on "The Shield". I think Dollhouse, if referenced, was more probably the first show than the second.

Anyone else thinking that "CJ" is Shawn Ryan?

[ edited by wiesengrund on 2009-10-30 22:28 ]

wiesengrund | October 30, 22:30 CET

I don't really think this happened the way he says it happened...

Dana5140 | October 30, 22:44 CET

It could be Dollhouse. Probably is. But, there's also Brothers and 'Till Death (which, in my opinion, should have been cancelled seasons ago). I'm just hoping every night Dollhouse doesn't get cancelled.

Frick | October 30, 22:46 CET

If FOX wanted to cancel Dollhouse now, why bring it back after sweeps? They could get better ratings with HOUSE reruns. We all know that. They know that. Yet they're keeping it on air. Sez somethin'.

gossi | October 30, 23:02 CET

Put a house rerun instead of Brothers and 'Til Death for a lead-in. ;D

Frick | October 30, 23:08 CET

You have a point, gossi. If they were going to cancel it now, it would make more financial sense at that point to NOT air all those eps in December, so that people would be more inclined to buy the inevitable DVDs. Then again, I don't work in home entertainment, so what do I know? :)

I still believe a Fringe encore would be a good lead in for Dollhouse. I hear Fringe isn't doing too well in the ratings, but that's because they never should have moved it out of its Tuesday night sweet spot to Thursdays, I feel.

[ edited by kungfubear on 2009-10-30 23:14 ]

kungfubear | October 30, 23:12 CET

Right? How does a Fringe/Dollhouse double header on Tuesdays not make perfect sense?

GoldDust8912 | October 30, 23:18 CET

As positive as I like to think I am, in my mind I can see the only reasoning behind actually showing the episodes after the sweeps is out of respect to Joss and its fans. Hope I'm wrong, though.

Also, been on that blog a few times now thanks to TVBTN and I kinda like Sutter. I've always been turned off but Sons, but I will get around to watching it at some point. Especially if he's liking the Dollhouse.

Jayme | October 30, 23:23 CET

Which reminds me, did everyone see Shawn Ryan's tweet about Felicia Day guesting on Lie to Me?

The First Weevil | October 31, 00:08 CET

I adore Kurt Sutter. Truly adore him. I'll eat my hat if he isn't talking about Dollhouse. No one would ever confuse Brothers for a good show, so you can rule that out.

This may be a bit embellished/punched up, but his blog is a great entertaining read and you can't beat his "in their face" honesty. I really wish there were more like him and that he keeps pissing people off and saying whatever he feels.

TamaraC | October 31, 00:09 CET

That was really great. I haven't heard of him before but he's a very entertaining writer

Let Down | October 31, 01:26 CET

"Right? How does a Fringe/Dollhouse double header on Tuesdays not make perfect sense?"

If that happened perhaps ratings for both would increase, but then what would keep us on constant edge after each episode airing while waiting for the numbers to role in? Don't want to lose that constant nervous anxiety after all. ;)

silent knight | October 31, 02:41 CET

I really don't think they will move new eps of Fringe to Friday nights, like, ever. Repeats maybe. Fringe may not be killing the ratings, but it is helping FOX be more competitive on Thursday nights than ever before.

TamaraC | October 31, 02:53 CET

Yeah, I was proposing new episodes of Fringe be rerun the next night on Friday, as a good lead in for Dollhouse. Either that, or Fringe should go back to Tuesday nights where it was doing just fine. However, if that were to happen, I think it would be competing with "V". Probably not a good idea. :)

kungfubear | October 31, 03:13 CET

Interesting photo from Hart Hanson; SR VP of Current Programming @ 20th Century Fox Jeffrey Glaser. Trick or Treat? So is this one of the guys that holds Dollhouse's fate? We're doomed.

RavenU | October 31, 04:57 CET

RavenU, Mr. Glaser works for the studio and is one of the good guys. Just thought you should know. Horrors of all horrors that the creative part of the company should have a little fun at Halloween. :)

TamaraC | October 31, 07:18 CET

TamaraC - I was refering to the costume and lack of imagination, I mean he's friends with Hart. I'm sure Hart could have hooked him up with something better and a little scarier than a sailor outfit for Halloween.

RavenU | October 31, 16:33 CET

I don't see what a specific executive's Halloween costume has to do with anything we're talking about here.

Sunfire | October 31, 17:17 CET

Glaser is one of the reasons DH is still on the air.

gossi | October 31, 18:44 CET

His Halloween costume is beside the point though.

Sunfire | October 31, 21:13 CET

Unless first prize in the "Best Fancy Dress" contest was "Pick one show you'd like to renew despite its ratings".

Saje | October 31, 22:02 CET

Well, it would be easy to go as an Active. (If you're really good-looking.)

jcs | October 31, 22:07 CET

You need to log in to be able to post comments.
About membership.

« Older The Big Damn Replica now available... | Why I Watch has Dollhouse shirts a... Newer »