I expected this week's episode to usher in a new status quo, possibly building up to a final showdown between the dolls and the dollhouse in the finale, but of course, that is way too obvious.
It begins with a meeting among the staff of the dollhouse. Adelle describing that a tide is rising, referring to the shenanigans of the previous episodes. Memory drugs, Echo's veering off course and various other anomalies the show has presented to us so far. Then without warning, we cut to our favourite actives. It seems they've become aware, original personalities intact sans memory, but with little hints sprouted about, giving them a sense of purpose. Seemingly without reason. In the night they awake, screaming, afraid, and determined. Sneaking around, pretending to be dolls, they hatch a plan, to get out together. The first bombshell is dropped when Echo/Caroline announces that she's going back into the dollhouse to free the other dolls. Right away we realize this is Caroline from the animal testing days. Idealistic, rash, a girl on a mission. She confronts Topher, and Adelle. Her rhetoric no match for the keeper of the house, yet determined, in her purpose, in her belief that the dolls should be freed. Meanwhile, Sierra faces the man who put her in the dollhouse, who seems unsurprised at her sudden appearance with Victor. Victor, slowly developping his crush on Sierra, climaxing with them kissing. Melly remembers her daughter, and seeks her out, only to find a tombstone in a cemetery. For a while it seems like the dolls have won, they've mostly evaded capture, and Echo convinced Adelle to set the dolls free, with a gun. Then without warning, the dolls shut down. Adelle looks pleased as we flash back to the beginning. In which it's reveled that our dolls are being set free, to achieve resolution, closures with conflicts they've developed whilst in the dollhouse. Hence Victor's kiss, Sierra's meeting with the man who took away her freedom, Melly's grief for her daughter and Echo's desire to free captive animals. A sedative released once they have satisfied their needs. Finally, another bombshell, while Echo was semi-lucid she recalled Paul Ballard's name and has left him a message. I'm not sure how this will play out, but as we race closer and closer to this season's finale, the only thing left is to pray for a second season.
Slowly but surely, this show is turning into a meditation on the societal condition. Subtexts abound, but aren't really required to enjoy the story. Has Joss Whedon delivered on his promise? Sort of. We can be sure there will be no more suicidal pop-stars from here on out. There's less Whedonism in dollhouse, and that may turn off the average whedonite, but dollhouse, as it stands is a work of considerable maturity. Reserved in it's execution, but insightful and subversive nonetheless.
We're seeing the slow blossoming of this show's vision. "Man on the street" gave us a glimpse of it. "Needs" expands it. Silencing more naysayers every week. The dolls it seems, have proven themselves to be more than dolls.
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