Welcome to another edition of TV or Not TV where I’m getting all caught up.
Two weeks ago was the season finale of Dollhouse. This freshman show on FOX had a rocky start, but the potential was there. The finale, titled Omega, paid off that potential in spades.
As the series has progressed we had a lot of questions about the active gone psycho named Alpha who seemed to go on a killing spree in the Dollhouse but for some reason sparing Echo. We wondered what made him snap, why did he spare Echo and who the heck was he? All of these questions are answered as the story unfolds.
The one stand out from both this episode and the one prior is the amazing performance by Alan Tudyk. Tudyk played the character of Wash in the other Whedon FOX project Firefly with such amazing charm and wit to such a great extreme that he was probably my favorite character from that show. His eco-environmentalist personality reflected some of this, but his real range popped when he changed before our eyes to Alpha. It turns out that Alpha had several cards stacked against him before the series started, one of these being the accidental implantation of all of his prior imprints, making him one body with several people melded together inside his head. This was played out wonderfully with both the acting and editing as we see Alpha deal with and argue with his many personalities.
The other issues this tricky show dealt with was with the question of what really makes a person a person? FBI Agent Ballard brings up the notion of “What about his soul?” when it is revealed that Alpha had destroyed the carts with his original persona. This is, of course, a question that the show has sort of been making us ask all along. Are people made up of just the memories and experiences that we have or is there something in the very fiber of our being that helps to move that along. The season finale addresses this and even gives us a very solid take on it when we discover that Alpha is doing what it was that he seemed to be moving towards prior to his becoming a doll. Even though the person was stripped out of the mind he still seemed to follow the path he was made for, where his soul lead him.
I think they wrapped up this first season very well and I’m excited to learn that FOX has in fact given Dollhouse a second chance with the pick-up for a new season. I hope that the network will also trust Joss Whedon to do what it is that he does well so that we can see where the vision behind this show can actually take us.
Now that I’m all caught up let’s take a look at what the rest of the week holds for us. Not a wealth of choices this week as most of the remaining shows are having their finales.
MONDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: The clock finally runs out on another day of 24. Will Kim Bauer survive being used as a tool to manipulate Jack? Will Tony Almeda get away? Will Jack finally get treated with that experimental cure? Based on the renewal for next season we at least know the answer to one of those questions!
CBS – 8:30 PM: How I Met Your Mother‘s season finale promises to have the goat alluded to last season during Ted’s 31st surprise party. Tune in with me and watch all the awkward ways they block Robin and Lily‘s stomachs with stuff.
ABC – 9:00 PM: Once again the alphabet network turns failure into feature as Jillian Harris tries to find her perfect man (again) on The Bachelorette.
TUESDAY
ABC – 9:00 PM: I never watch it but by the ratings a whole ton of people will be tuning in for the finale of Dancing with the Stars. I still don’t get it.
CBS – 9:00 PM: It’s the season finale of The Mentalist so you just know it has to be an episode with a Red John story line (still sounds more like a drinking game than a serial killer).
FOX – 9:00 PM: You may think that Glee is nothing but a High School Musical rip-off. Let me tell you, the language and story lines would never play on Disney Channel.
WEDNESDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: Prepare for two hours hosted by the automaton Ryan Seacrest only to find out in the last two minutes who walks away as this year’s American Idol.
CBS – 8:00 PM: It’s season finale night on CBS with The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, and Criminal Minds.
STYLE- 10:00 PM: Get ready to feel good about where you live when you watch Clean House: Search for the Messiest Home in the Country.
THURSDAY
ABC – 8:00 PM: Ugly Betty follows suit with the rest of the shows on the network by having her two hours season finale.
NBC – 10:00 PM: Freshman show Southland has it’s season finale as well. Didn’t this show just start?
FOX – 8:00 PM: Another season of So You Think You Can Dance? kicks off, once again guaranteeing I won’t watch FOX for at least one time slot during the summer.
FRIDAY
TLC – 5:00 PM: You can tell that TLC is gearing up for the final cha… ahem… new season of Jon & Kate Plus 8 with an entire weekend marathon that kicks off with the original specials about this couple and their kids that lead to the series.
FOX – 8:00 PM: Prison Break and Dollhouse are gone, so what do you do FOX? You roll out new episodes of Don’t Forget the Lyrics. Tonight have meatloaf while watching Meat Loaf.
STARZ – 10:00 PM: Dr. Goode sits down with Jerry Seinfeld for the season finale of Head Case. If you haven’t watched it and have Starz OnDemand I’d recommend you take it all in.
SATURDAY
AMC – 10:30 AM: A Fistful of Dollars immediately followed by A Few Dollars More? Wow, I may not be leaving the house until the afternoon.
DISCOVERY – 1:00 PM: Oh man, a marathon of Deadliest Catch? It’s like they don’t want me to leave the house today at all!
ABC Family – 8:00 PM: Enjoy the Lohan about two years pre-implosion in Mean Girls. Yes, I like this movie. Don’t judge me!
SUNDAY
G4 – 7:00 PM: For some reason I’m always fascinated by Hollywood film making drama. The Onion Movie is one of those films, but only if you know the back story. I’m not saying you should watch it, just sharing some info.
NBC – 9:00 PM: Did you miss The Last Templar the first time it aired? You get a second chance to catch it if you want.
ABC – 9:00 PM: ABC may not be known for their mini-series any more, but Diamonds takes a look at the diamond trade from beginning to end as it weaves the stories of people affected. Think of it as the diamond version of Traffic or New Jack City.
– Will Wilkins may have had some portions cut that did not affect the outcome of the game.
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