Stephanie, the client in this episode had insider information (and references). Echo specifically was recruited so she could be taken out. That was the suggestion, I think. Boyd points out during the final scene with Claire it was probably Alpha who organised it, but it's worth watching Claire's facial expressions during that scene. Unless I'm totally wrong.

if you're not cool with the prospect of sex with blank slates,

You misspelled "cool with rape."

you won't like the show 'cos that's part of the premise

Which is a swell premise for a show: "watch these Actives -- actually, just the one young, white, nubile female, who you the viewer are supposed to IDENTIFY WITH -- get raped every week!"

But I don't entirely buy that that the show is about how mindwiping and whoring are wrong. I think they're the wrongs that are taken as the given of the show.

What the Dollhouse does is bad enough -- eliminating people's identity, turning them into children, and (as we saw this week) letting them wander around the Dollhouse unable to even protect themselves. Fine. I'm actually on board with the idea that I the viewer am supposed to say, "Wow, is that wrong!" And I think it could have been a really interesting premise to explore, though, honestly, not in a serial medium like TV. I would be mostly okay with it *if* it didn't involve what is essentially nonconsensual prostitution, but instead all the other assignments.

But watching the Actives -- no, again, just the one young, white, nubile, female Active -- get sent out to get raped 75% of the time so far is revolting. What, exactly, is that supposed to say about identity?

That's a serious question, BTW.

And is it worth it for Joss, or the show, to be so goddamn exploitative of women to make a point about identity?

She's also a backup singer wearing one of the shortest skirts in the world.

You know, I think there's some kind of Eliza Factor going on with Fox right now. Last night I was way more skeeved by the Hulu ad featuring her than I was the show. Baldwin gets a sharp suit and an alien tentacle adjusting his tie in his commercial, and Eliza gets a tight tank top and a creepy alien tongue wrapping sexily around a phallic object.

I wonder if pushing some of the sexually-related engagements to the very start of the show is intended to "hook" some of the male audience, because "They" think that the only way to get guys to watch this show is to show Eliza in a lot of skimpy clothes really early on?

From where I'm watching, I thought this episode pretty clearly demonstrates that whoever's running the Dollhouse doesn't care at all about these people, personality-wise or body-wise. And it showed what happened when the Dollhouse took its actives for granted (the flashbacks about Alpha). I think the meat of the show is going to be about when people within the organization (Boyd, the doctor, not!Warren) start to realize what they're involved in and why they don't approve.

But I can understand how the consent issues can make it difficult to get there.

Joss' Original Dollhouse script

Compare and contrast the show he intended to do with what Fox has on the air.

Yeah, I'm officially a bit skeeved. I keep thinking that if this were not a Joss show but all else remained the same, I'd be really offended. Especially the titillating aspects. You know there are dudes out there getting off on it, wishing there were a real Dollhouse for their very own use.

Joss, where you going with this?

This episode was definitely better than the pilot, but I'm really having a hard time getting over the rape.

Cheers for the link, Hec!

I don't know how it compares to what has aired, but I thought that script was something I'd have happily watched. Intriguing, sets out the premise of the show well, not overly titillating or skeevy, asks questions about self and identity - I liked it.

Well, the unaired pilot had a whole lot less skeeve for me and more self=awareness blossoming. And Joss can't spell percocet to save his life.

I can accept the implausibility of the premise, but there's no good reason for a woman running for her life to randomly take off her shirt--especially when she's running through the woods. Among other things.

Maybe her imprint learned wilderness survival skills from watching Bear Grylls?

But you're right. It was clearly warm enough for Keeslar to be skulking around in a tank top, so no pressing need to get out of wet clothes to avoid pneumonia. And given that Echo had her adrenaline pumping and was running for her life I doubt any discomfort short of sharp pain would have bothered her enough to make her strip down.

Okay, I liked the 2nd episode alot better than the first one despite the skeeviness of her assignment. I liked learning her backstory and as far as I'm concerned I was happy when she took off that white shirt while running through the woods because WHITE stands out like a beacon in the woods. Dark red is much better cover when you're trying to hide from somebody.