DOLLHOUSE: “The Public Eye”

Photo credit: Spoiler TV/ Fox.

Read on for my recap and review of Dollhouse episode 2×05, “The Public Eye,” aired December 4th, 2009:

Last week we were treated to two stellar episodes that left us wanting more.  The first of these two episodes is the one which I will discuss here. Summer Glau, as the D.C. Topher, Bennett Halverson, returned to TV with a combination of creepy and adorable that was a joy to watch.  Additionally, Alexis Denisof reprised his role as Senator Daniel Perrin, and shared some familiar scenes with his Angel co-star, Eliza Dushku, for the first time in years.  His character was also part of a shocking twist, when we learned that he was, in fact, a doll—or at least, “a doll version of himself.”  We learned a lot more about Rossum and its plans for the future, and how far the company is willing to go.  For the first time this season, Paul’s waste of a character mattered again (seriously, I had forgotten that his character existed, despite my love for Tahmoh), and he shared a significant moment of closure with Madeline/ Mellie/ November.  We also learned about another Dollhouse, this one based in Washington, D.C. and featuring a classicist naming schema, rather than the military alphabet.  Hades and Aphrodite?  I could have fun making up the rest of the mythological names.  Bellerophon?  Ceres?  Demeter?  Eros?  Gaia?  Iris?  Jupiter?   Leda?  Minerva?  Neptune?  Orpheus?  Persephone?  Romulus?  Saturn?  Theseus?  Uranus?  Venus?  OK, I’m having too much fun … on to the recap.

We open on Senator Perrin and his wife Cindy preparing for a press conference.  Senator Perrin is worried about subjecting their witness to scrutiny, but his wife comforts him: “Remind me why I love you so much.”  Daniel: “I’m your white knight.”  Cindy: “And I’m your beautiful damsel.”  Daniel: “Ever after.”  Blech.  When I first watched the episode this creeped me out big time, and was definitely a sign that something was wrong with their relationship.  Especially on a Whedon show—we can’t have such lovey-dovey crap.  One of them had to be evil, right?  The reveal that this was the trust exercise between handler and active, however, was beyond my imagination, and makes it far more fascinating.

Daniel (it is taking every fiber of my being to prevent myself from calling him Wesley in this recap, so I hope that you appreciate it) goes to podium and begins to speak about charges he has leveled against Rossum.  He notes that hearings begin in DC that week, and continues: “At those hearings, you will hear a most innocent word.  A word that will take on a new and grim meaning.  A word that will become synonymous with human trafficking, prostitution, and unconscionable abuses of neuro-technology, directly traceable to the Rossum Corporation.  That word is Dollhouse.  An urban myth that has become all too real. Where people have their memories erased and are brainwashed to do things that would appall even the most cynical among us.  Today, I want to put a face on this issue.  I have a witness who has lost three years of her life to the Dollhouse.”  Good speech, Wesley. D’oh!

The reveal, ruined by the promos, is that said witness is none other than Madeline/ Mellie/ November.  She walks onto the podium and she gives a speech: “My name is Madeline Costley.  Three years of my life are gone, stolen by the Dollhouse.  They preyed on me when I was at my weakest and forced me … and forced me do things, things that I never would’ve believed, until Senator Perrin showed me evidence.  I almost wish I hadn’t seen it, but then I wouldn’t be here.  And there are still people being held captive by the Dollhouse, and they don’t even know that they need help, so that means that we must help.”  She is very earnest, and very upset, and I must know more.

Cut to Agent Lundy from Dexter (Keith Carradine), who is a higher-up at Rossum.  He is in the L.A. Dollhouse, in Adelle’s office, and is not thrilled that our Adelle released Madeline.  Hmph.  He is worried about Adelle’s judgment.  Shut up, Agent Lundy.  Adelle doesn’t need my defense, however, as she is quite capable of sticking up for her decision all by herself (just one of many reasons that I adore her).  Lundy: “Rossum already has a plan in place to deal with Madeline.”   He doesn’t say more, and Paul wonders what that means.  I guess Paul remembered that he used have sex with Madeline, and supposedly cared about her.  Nice. Lundy: “Your house will be covered.  It’s handled.  That’s all you’ve got to know.”  I think not.

Adelle and Paul go downstairs and Paul asks just how dangerous this is for Madeline.  Adelle: “A former active once made a passing reference to us in his blog.  That was his last entry.”  Uh oh.  Am I in danger?  Adelle is not letting this go, so Paul reminds her that Lundy told them not to do anything.  Adelle: “Indeed he did not.  And given the context, I would call his response a suggestion.”  Ha!  I love Adelle.  She is convinced that Madeline is being used, and more importantly, used against her.   Bad idea, whoever you are.  Paul asks what their next move is.  Adelle wants to determine what game is being played. Dun dun dun.

Cut to Boyd expositing about Senator Perrin.  Topher calls the senator a demagogue, but I don’t think he is one to judge.  Echo interrupts, per usual, and tells them that November is sad.  They’re all like “Yeah yeah, we know,” but then Echo says that “she’s not right,” this time referring to Cindy Perrin. [Pause for gasp of breathe.]  Then we watch on the TV monitor while Senator Perrin tells an interviewer: “I couldn’t let her get away.  She’s perfect.  It’s like they made her just for me.”  Gasp!  Cue the credits: La la la laa la la la, la la la laa laa laa, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la laa laa laaaa.”  Or something like that.

Back at the Dollhouse, Adelle and Paul talk about Cindy Perrin, and Paul explains that her records are forgeries.  Adelle is convinced that Cindy is a sleeper doll.  Paul is all like “An assassin like Mellie?”  Adelle’s response to this is classic: “Oh, please.  She didn’t kill you.”  Ha!  Later, Boyd and Paul look at blueprints of the Perrins’ house.  Adelle tries to prepare Paul for what he will be facing, by showing video footage of Mellie killing Hearn.  Oooh, we get to see that bastard Hearn get killed all over again.  Fun times.  Also: “There are three flowers in a vase.  The third flower is green.”  Love it.  In real time, Adelle, noticing Paul’s disturbed expression, whispers: “Any sympathy for Hearn would be misplaced. He was a serial rapist.”  Paul: “I wasn’t thinking of him.”  Wow (my replacement for insightful comments on this fascinating scene).

Meanwhile, Madeline and Cindy Perrin are at the Perrin residence and looking at a photo of Paul.  I don’t judge, as I’ve been known to look at a picture of Tahmoh myself time and again.  Or a lot.  It IS a good way to pass the time.  Madeline can’t believe that such an adorable man turned out to be so bad.  Me either.  Cindy: “You can never tell what monsters are hiding inside.”  Madeline: “Like me.”  It is revealed that Madeline knows that she killed someone and is very upset.  Of course no one has told her that the man she killed was an awful serial rapist, and no one misses him one bit.  Instead, Cindy tells her that she didn’t do this.  The Dollhouse did. Then Daniel calls, from a hotel, and after they talk briefly, she asks him (again), “Remind me why I love you so much?”  The two repeat the white knight damsel routine.  Hmmm.  Suspicious.

Back at the Dollhouse, Adelle and Paul approach Topher, who has a new piece of tech.  Uh oh, who’s going to turn into a serial killer this week?  When asked what he made, Topher explains: “It’s the thing that if it doesn’t work exactly like it should won’t get me in trouble.  I call it a Disrupter.  That’s not too Star Trek is it?  DOS?  No?  It’s based on what I could deconstruct from Alpha’s remote wipe tech.”  Hehe.  Paul, clearly reading my mind, responds: “This is the same tech that turned Echo into a serial killer?”  Topher petulantly responds: “We said we wouldn’t dwell on that.  He’s dwelling.”  Ha!  However, I was distracted from my amusement at that point by the entrance of Maurissa Tancharoen—also known as Groupie #1 from Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog–seriously, her pigtails were inspiring.  On a more serious note, she is, of course, one of the fabulous writers for Dr. Horrible and Dollhouse.  It turns out that she is a doll, and her name is, adorably, Kilo.  Topher: “Isn’t she so cute and tiny.  I love it when a doll’s name is so on the nose.  [Pause for no comment.]  Because she weighs one kilo.  [Silent pause.]  It’s a unit of measurement. [He makes a dismissive gesture.] Ah, so alone.”  Poor Topher.  However, I feel less sorry for him when he uses his Disrupter to give poor Kilo a headache and nosebleed, and cause her to fall over.  In the background, another doll falls down the stairs.  She may have broken her neck, but no one seems to care.  Sigh.  Topher’s reaction: “Make that a fifty foot radius.”  Adelle says that if Madeline is in range, she will also be affected, as she still has Dollhouse “architecture” inside her head.  Paul is surprised and unhappy with this reveal: “No one really leaves here, do they?”  What did you expect, Paul?  Not the brightest crayon in the box, but still, adorable.

Cut to Boyd, who goes to get Echo for her treatment.  Echo: “Do I get to help November?  If he makes me into someone else, I won’t be able to help her.”  Boyd: “It’s ok.  The person Topher is going to make you is going to help us.”  Wow.  I love how no one is even trying to pretend that Echo is totally conscious.  They make their way into the imprint room, and while Echo is becoming someone who can help, Boyd points out to Adelle that this will not please Paul that Echo is being sent out without him.  Adelle: “Mr. Ballard’s unhappy with a great many things at the moment.”  Ha!

Cut to Senator Perrin in his hotel room.  He takes a drink, but as it is clearly drugged, he gets foggy and passes out.  When he wakes up in bed, he is with Echo/ Bree, who is holding a video camera and filming him.  ”Wake up Mr. Senator.  I want to make sure I get your good side.”  She is all laughs and smiles.  Perrin says that he blacked out, but Echo/ Bree just wants champagne.  She’s a simple girl.  She says that she’ll leave, but first, she has a message: “Back off.”  How eloquent.  Perrin thinks that Rossum sent her.  She has no idea what in the world he is talking about, so she tries to play along, telling him that she likes it a little rough.  I start to get Faith/ Wesley flashbacks at this point (and this only increases as the episode proceeds).  Perrin: “Rossum would never send a call girl, not when they can send a girl whose memory they can erase instead.”  Thus, Echo/ Bree is evidence, so he takes her to see his wife.

Cut briefly to Paul, outside the Perrin house.  He has Boyd take out the cameras, and then moves in.  This will not end well, will it?  Poor Paul.

Meanwhile, Perrin and Echo/ Bree are in the car, on their way to Perrin’s house.  Echo/ Bree is totally clueless: “So is this some sort of fantasy scenario?  Cause I don’t get it.  When do we get naked again?”  NOT my favorite line.  Sigh.  Perrin tries to prove that she’s a doll by asking questions about her past.  He clearly does NOT understand the technology.  Echo/ Bree: “You’re very sweet, but I like what I do.  You’re not the first John who tried to save me.”  Perrin just wants to do the right thing.  Right.  Echo/ Bree: “Senator, no offense, but if you want to do the right thing, bringing your hooker mistress to your wife is probably not a good idea.”  Best Bree line all night.  Perrin says that Cindy knows the top neurologists in the country, and that Bree/ Echo is evidence.

Meanwhile, Paul surprises Madeline, who is scared of him.  He uses the Disruptor when Cindy approaches, but only Madeline drops.  Interesting.  Major twist!!!  But it gets better.  Having just arrived in the driveway, both Echo/ Bree AND Senator Perrin drop outside. Um, wow (again, wow replaces intelligent commentary—I’m exhausted and I’ve possibly had three glasses of wine).

Back at the Dollhouse, Topher and Adelle and Boyd realize that Echo was brought down by the device.  Somehow, they figure out that the Senator is a doll, and Cindy his handler.  They’re smart.  They call Ballard, but get no response.  Adelle is not sure why this is happening: “I don’t know.  Unless he’s trying to sabotage this house specifically.”  Bingo.

Meanwhile, Echo goes off with Wesley Daniel.  As they drive away, Echo/ Bree flashes.  No, not like in Lost.  She has flashes of her imprints, and we get to see some of our faves.  Echo/ Bree: “Everything you said is true.  There are gaps.  Things that aren’t filled in.  I can see other people, other lives through them.  It’s like I can see the scenes, how they’re all constructed.  I’m not real.  I’m not who I think I am.  I’m a doll.”  Oh, this will end well.  I predict her in terrible pain soon.  However, at least in this episode she is not beat up by a man.  That is saved for the next episode.  Sigh.

Back at the Perrin residence, Cindy is having fun mocking Paul: “Paul Ballard, L.A. Dollhouse’s latest idiot hire.  DeWitt had specific instructions to leave this alone.”  Paul: “I think it was more a suggestion.”  Ha!  Also, Cindy asks her goons to throw Paul in the river, but Paul is just amused by this.  We’ll know why later.

Cut to Daniel, who starts having flashes too.  They pull over the car and Echo/ Bree tells her companion: “I think you’re a doll, like me.”  He doesn’t want to believe it, and says that he knows who he is.  Again, he REALLY does NOT understand the technology.

Conveniently, Topher does know who Daniel is.  He is Senator Daniel Perrin but he’s ALSO a doll:  “He’s a doll version of himself.”  Does your brain hurt yet?  It turns out that Daniel was a party boy screw up, and was selected by Rossum for his pedigree.  “Somebody else gave him his ambition.”  Wow (yeah, you know what that means by now).

Meanwhile, Paul takes out his kidnappers, with his hands tied.  Yeah.  It is rather awesome.  I heart Paul again.  Nice to see him beat up people who AREN’T Echo.

Cut to Echo/ Bree, who calls into her escort agency.  Of course, the number reaches the Dollhouse.  Adelle asks if the senator is with her.  Echo: “If he is the senator.  Right now he just looks like a basket case.”  Hehe.  Daniel takes the phone, and he’s angry.  He says that he is who he is.  Adelle: “No, you’re not, strictly speaking.  You were born Daniel Perrin, but the man that you are today is part manufactured.”  Get the advil!  Adelle says that someone is controlling him, and if she had wanted him dead, he would be already.  Daniel: “Yay, you don’t want me dead.  I feel like we’re really bonding.”  It’s all in the delivery.  Hee.  Just then, Cindy shows up.  She wants to go, and Daniel to come with her, but Echo/ Bree is not having that.  Cindy fights dirty: “Remind me why I love you so much?”  Daniel: “I’m your white knight.”  Cindy: “And I’m your beautiful damsel.”  Daniel: “Ever after.”  Blech.  Cue a flash, and Daniel remembers that their little dialogue was the trust exercise used when he was imprinted.  Cindy turns her gun on him, and threatens him.  Daniel: “You won’t shoot me, you’re my handler.”  Wesley Daniel said that line a little funny, but I will try not to dwell.  Adjustment to non-British-accented Alexis Denisof is hard.  Cindy threatens to shoot Echo/ Bree instead, and goes as far as to hit Echo/ Bree.  Cindy: “You love me.  Good.  That’s it.  Now we have to go.”  Not so easy.  Daniel is not buying it, and Echo/ Bree steps in: “You just woke up a lot of people, and they all think you’re a bitch.”  Ha!  Daniel waffles a bit, and tries to stop both Cindy and Echo/ Bree from getting beaten up.  Echo/ Bree tries to clear things up for him: “I’m on your team.”  It is actually quite hilarious.  Daniel: “I love her.”  Echo/ Bree: “I know.  [Cue Echo knocking out Daniel.]  But I don’t have that problem.”  Hee.  She sees flashes of ninja Echo from “Man on the Street” and has no problem taking out Cindy.  Daniel is not so sure about leaving with Bree/ Echo, but she assures him, “I think her bad guys are badder than my bad guys.”  Hee.

Cut to Madeline, arriving at the airport.  Paul approaches, which makes her Rossum employee companions nervous, but Madeline wants to confront him.  She asks her former lover, “Who was I?  Who was I that made you so obsessed with me?”  He fills her in.  Awkward.  She thinks she was his fantasy, and that he was a client, but he tells her that the Dollhouse tricked him too. Further, he tells her that he freed her.  Madeline is not an idiot, so she wonders why he is working for the Dollhouse now.  Paul: “I want them to fall, just as much as you do.”  Then he gets confused: “Mellie, if you do this, it would be a mistake.”  Madeline is like, “I’m not Mellie!” and questions his sincerity: “You said you freed me.  When someone’s free, they get to make mistakes.  Am I free?”  I really like that Paul and Madeline/ Mellie/ November had a chance for some closure.  Also, Paul got several awesome scenes in this episode.  Good for him.

Cut to Wesley and Faith Daniel and Echo/ Bree.  Just when they think that they’re home free, Cindy uses the Disruptor on them.

Meanwhile, Topher realizes that Echo was taken down.  Boyd calls Adelle and fills her in.  She tells him to call Ballard, but he avoids the call.  What is that Paul up to?  Hmmm.

Back at the Dollhouse, Boyd wonders why Rossum would turn against one of their own.  Adelle is one smart lady, and so she has figured out Rossum’s plan: “With Perrin under their power, Harding (ah, so that is Agent Lundy’s name—good to know) controls how far the damage goes.  The senate sub-committee will clear Rossum of all connection to us.  Perrin will be hailed as a conquering hero, who has rescued all these poor souls.  He’ll have the political capital to pass whatever laws and regulations Rossum’s programmed him to.”  From “Epitaph One,” we know what that legislation entails, and that it results in the apocalypse.  Oops?  Boyd: “He’ll be unstoppable.  So what do we do?”  Adelle: “Stop them.”  I told you that she was smart.

Cut to the D.C. Dollhouse, and we see Summer Glau!  [Excuse my geeking out moment.  OK, I’m better.]  She is wearing adorkable glasses.  On a chain.  She is also wearing an adorable barrette.  She only has a working right hand, and her left hand is in a creepy black sling.  She is clearly an evil genius.  Her assistant admires her (and possibly has a crush on her), and is also really familiar, but I can’t quite place her.  Comment below if you know.  Summer’s character is named Bennett, and Bennett warns her awkward assistant: “Keep your mind on your work. At soon as you start wondering about the people upstairs, they start thinking about you.  That is nothing you want.  We have urges, and we are in the business of urges, so why not?”  I’m not sure that she’s sincere.  She’s not.  Bennett asks her assistant how many sugars she put in her tea, and when she finds out that it was TWO WHOLE SPOONFULS, she says, “But we can’t.”  Also, Bennett references the names of two different dolls: Aphrodite and Hades.  Love the naming schema at this house!  Bennett is not happy to see Hades still on the table, and it is clear that you won’t like her when she’s angry: “Is he unconscious?  I can’t work him if he’s unconscious.”  She is high strung, and perhaps disturbed [yes, very disturbed, as we learn later].  She asks her assistant to leave, and massages her temple.  The way she did it reminded me of crazy Kimberly on the original Melrose Place.  What?  Is that reference too lowbrow for you?

Then, Cindy comes in, and asks about the migraine.  They clearly know each other well.  Bennett shrugs it off: “All in my head.”  Yeah, her crazy head.  They discuss how to cover for Cindy’s injuries, which according to Bennett are all superficial.  Cindy recommend saying that the senator beats his wife, half jokingly, but Bennett is not amused.  “The senator does not beat his wife.”  Cindy shows her the Disruptor, which is far more pleasing to Bennett.  Bennett: “I know this hand.  This is Topher Brink.  I always wanted to meet his tech.”  Before Bennett knocks out the whole Dollhouse, Cindy warns her about the effects.  Cindy also tries to hurry her, but Bennett is too thrilled about the Disruptor.  The two ladies go to see Perrin, who is bound on a table.  Bennett: “Fun time for me.  We’ll see how much cognitive damage the imprint sustained.”  Perrin wakes up and yells, “Get away!”  He begs her to not erase him, crying, “It’s my head.”  Bennett: “Not for some time now.”  Cold.  Daniel wonders who she is, and Cindy tells him: “She’s God, honey, and you’ve heartily offended her.”  Ha!  Despite Cindy comparing her to God, Bennett still wants her out of there, the better to sneak in to see Echo, I’m sure.  Under the pretext of checking if L.A. can track them, she sends Cindy away.  Daniel tells her that she’s sick.

Bennett proves him right when she goes to greet Caroline.  Yes, she calls Echo Caroline:  “Caroline.  You always promised that you’d come back to me.  Let’s play.”  Dun dun dun.  Cue the scary electric shock torture.   Grrr. Argh.

I loved the episode, and the one following it was even better.  I hope to have my recap for “The Left Hand” up soon.  So, what did you think?  Comment below.

Related posts:

• DOLLHOUSE: “Epitaph 2: The Return”
• DOLLHOUSE: “Getting Closer”
• DOLLHOUSE: “A Love Supreme”
• DOLLHOUSE: “Meet Jane Doe”
• DOLLHOUSE: “The Left Hand”