Belonging

SPOILER WARNING. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Finally, a Sierra-centric episode of Dollhouse, and its a doozy. I mean really, where do I start?

Topher's as good a place as any, I suppose. Good God, Topher. I've loved him from the very first episode - I mean, hey, he's the Xander/Wash character, that funny guy who always finds his way into Joss' shows. But there's a dark undertone to Topher that neither Xander nor Wash ever had. We learned early on that Topher doesn't care so much about the consequences of what he's doing, just as long as he gets to use his fancy toys and show off his brilliance. And in this episode, we find out that his lack of morals is exactly why he was chosen to work at the Dollhouse. So what does Topher do when his conscience finally starts to get to him? He gets a painful lesson in consequences - one that was chilling and well-executed by the writer and director (who, by the way, was Jonathan "Commander Riker" Frakes, don't forget). This episode seems like a turning point for Topher's character, and I wonder where he will go from here. I can't imagine him leaving the Dollhouse - I'm not even sure if they'd let him - but I don't think he'll be able to do imprints with the same nonchalance anymore. Maybe he'll join Ballard and Echo in taking down the Dollhouse?

Moving on to Boyd: Holy crap! There is a LOT we don't know about this guy. For starters: How the heck does he know so much about getting rid of bodies? I don't think we were ever told what he did before the Dollhouse, and now I'm somewhat afraid to know. Also, why is he working at the Dollhouse in the first place? He obviously doesn't like the idea of the organization very much.
Might he have been forced into service? I did like the bit where Boyd figures out that Echo can remember and then gives her the All Access card key. The "coming storm" bit is intriguing too... I wonder if Joss is setting up a final showdown as a way to wrap up the series if Fox decides not to renew.

Finally, the cuteness: I LOVE Sierra and Victor. And I love that their feelings are real, in the sense that they love each other and remember each other even when they are not in their doll state. I like the idea that love is something that transcends science and brainwaves and all of that. It's in the soul, and you can't mess with that. <3

Well, that's it for now. No new Dollhouse until December 4. The show won't be on during November sweeps, which is NOT a good sign. On the plus side, the next episode will feature a guest spot by Summer Glau, who played our favorite crazy genius River Tam on Firefly.