Dollhouse: "Man on the Street"

Various sources (Joss Whedon, Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, et al.) have reported that "Man on the Street" was the episode where Dollhouse would finally find its voice and its vision would become clear. Did it deliver? Absolutely! Is the show now perfect? Not by a long shot. But there's definitely a marked improvement.

Until now, Dollhouse was struggling. It felt like simply an episodic mission show (imprint active, send them on mission, be successful despite issues arising, wipe active) set in an environment that was creepy all. the. time. And there was one lone FBI agent obsessing about bringing it down and saving one girl. But thanks to "Man on the Street" and the great visionary that is Joss Whedon, there is now a grander scope in place -- "Fantasy is their business, but it is not their purpose." Previous limitations were broken and we know much more than we had previously (more than twenty dollhouses exist all over the world, Mellie is a sleeper active and seemingly the first long-term one, and Echo/Caroline has been a doll for at least seven years.)

The dollhouse, which has always felt wrong and disturbing, now appears to be flat-out evil, untouchable, and far-reaching. The theories behind the operation have always made me uncomfortable, but what was being done felt glossed over and it always left me with a disconnect to the series. How could I watch, and more importantly enjoy, a show that seemed to show no remorse for robbing possibly innocent people of their lives and their personalities? How could I engage and invest in a show that glibly robbed people of the elements that make them inherently human? I can now do all of the above because I know that I'm supposed to feel distressed about the dollhouse and supposed to root for its downfall.

Which brings me to Adelle DeWitt -- easily the most complex and intriguing character of the series. If Echo/Caroline has been a doll for roughly seven years, why does DeWitt's focused interest in Echo feel so fresh? Is there more to the story -- a more personal connection? What is being done to these people, and especially to these women, seems as though it should disgust any strong and intelligent female who has pride in herself and her gender. DeWitt, for the position that she's achieved and the power that she wields, should very firmly be a feminist, but how can she be when she's so willing to rob women of their choices in life and their potential? What is she truly capable of? Who is she, and what brought her to the dollhouse?

"I played a very bad hand very well. There's a distinction." -- Adelle DeWitt

Randoms...

• We've known for a while that the dolls are broken (original personalities breaking through, awareness) but why? The technology is so advanced and Topher seems to be a genius, so why can't he fix it? Is he secretly the mole and therefore doesn't want to fix it? That would be a nice surprise seeing as Topher seems to delight in his work which is unnerving given that his position in the dollhouse might be the most reprehensible of all. He's the conduit.
• Boyd's police training came in handy as he "did the work" and exposed Hearn's flagrant unremitting abuse of Sierra. Boyd genuinely cares about Echo (and the other dolls) and feels like a protector of sorts beyond his role as handler, so why is he there? Ostensibly, the dollhouse should turn his stomach as he appears to be an upstanding guy. The dollhouse thrives on illusion. Appearances can be deceiving, but I don't know that I like the idea that Boyd may not be as good as he seems. The dolls need at least one internal ally if they are to survive.
• Patton Oswalt was touching as a grieving widower who's only desire was to share in the "perfect moment" with his "wife" that she was never able to experience. Mynor's motives appeared to be altruistic, but his human nature prevented the "mission" from being entirely noble. Fantasy drives us and illusion is tempting. Must we deny our most base instincts to be truly virtuous?
• The various fight scenes were made of awesome -- magnificently constructed, choreographed, and filmed. But... wouldn't Tahmoh Penikett be able to crush someone Eliza Dushku's size with his pinky?
• "PORN!" Heh. Trademark Joss Whedon humor.
  
• Mellie proves that the dolls are Cylons. They are effectively machines wired to do the job. Personalities and consciousness are downloaded into them, but they feel and fall in love. And as time passes, they grow into their own. Free will, or a flaw in the plan?

As Mynor told Ballard, fantasy is necessary for survival. To reference Lost, we need a "constant" to maintain our sanity. If we as human beings do not have a greater focus, imagined or otherwise, then we can potentially lose ourselves. Will technology be our downfall or will it be monotony?

"If that technology exists, it'll be used. It'll be abused. It'll be global. And we will be over. As a species, we will cease to matter. I don't know. Maybe we should." -- Professor in the "Documentary"

Thoughts?