I think of Joss as being a self-identified feminist, who is conscious of the issues and history of sexism and yet has some grotesque blind spots that he keeps going back to.

So a human being in other words.

I dunno. I have issues around the whole issue of debating whether someone is or is not a feminist. I feel much more comfortable saying that my take on feminism and his take do not always match up. Then again, I say the same thing about a colleague of mine who works in the women's studies department.

I am Burrell.

Makes sense to me too,but I took too long to get there.

When we first met Fred, she had survived 5 years in a hell dimension without her head being exploded. Despite how she died, I think she had a fair amount of kickassedness and agency until then.

Yeah. That's why her death irked me so much, because it was an agency free zone for a character who shouldn't have gone that way.

And then there's Dr. Horrible.

Sigh.

and yet has some grotesque blind spots that he keeps going back to.

I have no idea who is or is not a feminist in real life. (I'm not even sure I know how one defines "feminist" these days.) I think that most writers have those kind of blind spots. Some are just more noticeable than others.

I do wish that Joss would talk less about being a feminist in interviews. Because, personally, when he talks about empowering women, I feel burdened (by my annoyance).

Oh hey. Maybe that's what he meant.

Yeah. That's why her death irked me so much, because it was an agency free zone for a character who shouldn't have gone that way.

I didn't so much mind that she had no way to save herself—to my mind a human vs. Great Old One cage match only has one possible outcome. And a bit of crying and whimpering is certainly understandable when you're being devoured body and soul. I think the thing that was off-putting to me was all the guys swearing devotion while gathered around her bed, like Joss had been chomping at the bit to stage a production of La Traviata.

Things got better once Illyria made its entrance.

I guess what I should have said is that Tim has fewer blind spots in his recent writing than Joss has in his. I just was mad enough about those blind spots to put it in a more inflamatory way than perhaps I should have. But I do think there will be much less ick in a Dollhouse with Tim in control than a Dollhouse with Joss in control.

Is Joss gone? I know Tim's been named executive producer, and someone mentioned showrunners leaving, but Joss wasn't showrunner on later Buffy or a lot of Angel, was he?

I'm thinking if Tim is showrunner, it's going to be much like previous Tim/Joss shows. However, I think where things ended up at the end of the season are WAY more interesting than where they started, and I also can't help but wonder if this is where Joss wanted it to be before Fox started "improving" on it.

I'm fairly sure that Joss is still there. I have no idea whether or not Tim's change in title translates to him being Dollhouse's showrunner.

Also, being a feminist isn't a contest.

Ding ding ding! Yes.

Or, as they say in the biz, show, don't tell.

Or as they say in the fandom, "If I didn't see it on screen it didn't happen."

I love Joss like I love chocolate and/or red wine (not usually together, because that way lies migraines), but I couldn't watch Dollhouse, because...well, no. Just no. It pains me, because I'm a completist, but just no.

Tim, what happened to that Preacher Man show you were pitching. Okay, that's way far from the right title or description, but you know what I mean. My long-buried fundamentalist is longing for it.