[Review] Dollhouse 1.07 Echoes

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Writer:	Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain
Director:	James A. Contner
Actors:	Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, Olivia Williams, Fran Kranz, Harry J. Lennix, Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachman, Reed Diamond, Miracle Laurie
Guest:	Brett Claywell, Philip Casnoff, Mechad Brooks, Octavia Spencer

A deadly virus outbreak on a college campus and sends Echo back to school where pieces of her past come into focus.

My Thoughts:

First off, that opening scene with Owen bashing his brains out on the window? Yeah, I could have lived without that. For some reason, that kind of scene really creeps me out. However, Topher going all fanboi on Clive Ambrose made me almost like him. Almost. And, though I don't like the character, I love a lot of the lines he's given. His whole drug shpiel had me smiling from start to finish. However, I found it a bit beyond belief that Rossom has a team of scientist that can come up with this memory drug, yet they have to come to Topher for an antidote? Unless he's a secret doll, I'm not buying it. The scene would have been better served if Ambrose had said they'd appreciate Topher's input in addition to their teams work.

Seeing Echo's outfit, this is where I'd normally rant on how TV shows never get how a real woman would actually dress. I won't this time, I'll just hand wave that by assuming the client specified the type, if not the exact outfit 'Alice' was to wear. And, in the bedroom scene, before the campus came up on the news, Alice was so very cute. However, I can't really say I liked or even felt for Caroline in the flashbacks. she came off as very self-righteous and a bit on the dumb side. To be honest, once Alice got the to the campus, I can't say I liked her very much. I know Eliza can knock it out of the ballpark, but I haven't really felt it much during most of these episodes. What's up with that?

Did anyone else go all mushy when Paul was making breakfast for Mellie?

"It's kind of late, but since I'm a gentleman of leisure and you've taken up professional sleeping... Didn't know I could cook, did you?"

"Nope."

"Good, you won't be disappointed when you find out I can't."

However shortly after that, it goes downhill. His obsession is starting to wear thin. To maintain that level of focus, he's going to have to go batshit at some point. I just fear what it will mean for my doomed!OTP.

When Mellie/November was in the dollhouse, I loved her interaction with Topher ["Your brain rocks!"], but her breakdown broke my little heart. I just have one question; why didn't November remembering the trigger phrase, you know, trigger her? Unless it was just because that programming had been wiped... but, then, how would she remember the phrase? I've just confused myself.

Now, all the parts at the campus involving the dolls and the handlers was totally made of win. I want lots of NSA/CDC agent fanfic for Victor/Sierra. That would be too cute. And who didn't love when Victor/Tom pulled rank on Dominic? Though, I do have to say I loved Dominic when he was mind-tripping, as was Boyd. The scene with Boyd and the random college girl ["There are mansions in your eyes. You can see the doors."] was a nice give away about the drug being passed by touch before Topher made the full reveal.

Speaking of Topher, I giggled like a loon over his and DeWitt's reactions to the drug. While Topher was just a more exaggerated version of himself [makes sense to me], DeWitt went completely off script. They were just too cute. "Secret Agent Victor is so lofty." *snerk* And the both of them getting all emotional over Boyd's piano play was just too funny.

The scene with DeWitt and Dominic would have made more sense if it was DeWitt and Topher. There was far too much tension between them for two characters that didn't interact while under the influence.

I'd have to say that this episode was mostly 'meh' with some great scenes thrown in. I could have done without most of the Caroline/Alice stuff, to be honest. It pains me to say that since I adore Eliza's acting so much usually.