Mmh, apparently, editing the news ate my comment... next try:
While there wasn't much news in the article, the bits about the interaction between Joss and RDJ were quite interesting -- I would've loved to eavesdrop on the two of them!

Xhil | April 11, 16:19 CET

GlengarryTimecop!

The One True b!X | April 11, 16:29 CET

The condensed description of ATS as 'a spinoff about one of Buffy’s undead paramours' nearly killed me. Hee.

skittledog | April 11, 16:45 CET

Very interesting to read about the inclusion (and then rejection) of a scene with Peggy Carter. The relationship between Peggy and Steve Rogers was one of the highlights of Captain America and it's a shame that the difference in time periods means that it can't be continued in any sequels.

Night On My Side | April 11, 16:49 CET

FWIW, just after tweeting one of these articles, Warren Ellis said, "With Joss talking so much about Wastelanders lately, I guess that means we start writing it next month. I detect the threat of WORK."

The One True b!X | April 11, 17:09 CET

Joss is "rangy" now! I thought he'd been looking skinny lately.

Also, they said "whedon-esque."

Thus ends my insightful commentary.

jcs | April 11, 17:09 CET

"Eviscerated". I've never seen Joss use that kind of language about Dollhouse.

daylight | April 11, 17:49 CET

I love the comparison of The Avengers to the Wu-Tang Clan. :)

deepgirl187 | April 11, 17:51 CET

They've all been getting more honest/blunt about Dollhouse, finally. J-Mo's discussion of early S1 on the Nerdist Writers Panel, too.

The One True b!X | April 11, 17:55 CET

I am literally salivating at the thought of Wastelanders - wiping my chin and everything. I have a gut feeling that it's going to be my favorite Joss-made thing of 2012, over Cabin, Avengers, Much Ado, even Dr. Horrible 2.

Calling it “a drama about people who save the world and how unbelievably unhappy they are,” Mr. Whedon worried — up to a point — that its rougher edges could alienate even his dedicated fans.

“It’s very dark and very grown-up,” he said. “But it’s the next thing that I want to say, so I can’t worry about ‘Well, where’s the empowerment narrative that people love?’”

Joss pushing boundaries in his storytelling? Worrying about alienating fans? Yes, please!

dottikin | April 11, 23:29 CET

I'm in the corner with dottikin on this one. Dark, tortured and fucked up stories from Joss Whedon and Warren Ellis has to be the best thing ever. It just has to be.

IrrationaliTV | April 11, 23:41 CET

“That,” Mr. Whedon said, “will always be the story of my life.” He paused and corrected himself: “Not, sadly, of my life, but of my writing. If it had happened to me, I wouldn’t have to write about it so much.”

Aw. :(

[ edited by Giles_314 on 2012-04-11 23:50 ]

Giles_314 | April 11, 23:50 CET

The story of Dollhouse's behind the scenes have barely been touched, and I'm not sure it will ever get told. But it should when there's distance, as it's pretty much a case study on how to screw up a creative vision, and so the show. They got to tell some epic tales and ultimately I love it, but man, talk about disheartening process. If you're wondering why Joss isn't rushing back to TV...

gossi | April 12, 00:03 CET

The first picture made me think he's introducing a line of Josswear. And feel great fan-pride. Look, he *does* have layers.

[ edited by Pointy on 2012-04-12 00:22 ]

Pointy | April 12, 00:19 CET

gossi, even more so than Firefly? Wow.

Dana5140 | April 12, 00:48 CET

gossi: "The story of Dollhouse's behind the scenes have barely been touched, and I'm not sure it will ever get told. But it should when there's distance, as it's pretty much a case study on how to screw up a creative vision, and so the show."

This seemed clear at the time, despite the many & varied assurances to the contrary - i.e., the end result(s). There was a brave (and bullet-biting) face put on it all at the time, of necessity, but I didn't buy it. For a minute.

I'm not saying I was insightful, I'm saying it was obvious. ("Stage Fright.") And painful. My withers was wrung for everyone involved. There was so much that was good, but there were palpably different sensibilities pulling it in different directions.

Yeah, I'm still angry.

QuoterGal | April 12, 00:50 CET

Some of the early Dollhouse story is told on the Nerdist Writers Panel with Jed and Maurissa, including just how the infamous bodyguard-to-a-pop-star episode happened.

The One True b!X | April 12, 00:53 CET

Cool - I was just putting that on, in fact - 'cos it occurred to me that your comment above might suggest just that, and I hadn't listened yet.

QuoterGal | April 12, 01:02 CET

Finally listening to it myself. Been meaning to for ages. Thanks for the reminder, b!X.

IrrationaliTV | April 12, 01:15 CET

Indeed, that story Maurissa tells makes me yearn for the Dollhouse that would've been. One of my favorite things about Joss's work is his unpredictability from episode to episode (and scene to scene) and the idea of him making a Quantum Leap-esque show where you don't know if each week will be hilarious or tear-jerking, well. Sounds pretty cool.

sumogrip | April 12, 01:35 CET

Going out on a limb here, but I think the idea was too dark, too challenging, for mainstream consumption, and I can see why the network asked for changes. Where they screwed up was buying it and rushing it into production without really analysing what they had bought. Ultimately they've got to protect their brand and sell their shows to unimaginative advertisers, so it's not hard to see why the "pop star" pitch appealed to a network whose biggest hit is American Idol, or why they balked at what could easily be perceived as glorifying prostitution.

I mean I much preferred the original opening episode to what actually aired, but some of it did make me feel uncomfortable.

[ edited by daylight on 2012-04-12 12:58 ]

daylight | April 12, 12:57 CET