Is that what it's supposed to be a metaphor for? I don't think I knew that.

Well, I'm extrapolating that from Joss describing his initial inspiration while talking to Eliza. That she saw her experience as an actress in Hollywood in the premise.

Tamara, b.org is filled with Whedon/Minear extreme early adopters. The show is probably not going to premiere for what, 8 months? People on b.org have already been thinking about the show's concept for at least four months while even most Whedon fans haven't even heard of the show yet. We don't know enough about the show to imagine how it will go right (which basically comes down to execution anyways) but we do know enough about it to imagine all the possible ways it can go wrong. And after four months, that's a lot of different ways...

In light of recent posts, I feel I should downgrade my "squick" to a "bleh" since my issues are far less weighty.

I respect the squick and can see where it comes from. It doesn't bother me that way, but I get it.

Personally, I'm really intrigued and excited by the trailer.

b.org is filled with Whedon/Minear extreme early adopters

I don't think it's so much early adopters as early deciders.

My squick belongs to the exploitation as the main component to the show.

I mean, Buffy was exploited by the Watcher's Council, and Angel was exploited by TPTB, but it wasn't the base point...I mean, once the exploitation stops, what is the show? It's a show about perpetual exploitation.

It squicked me in La Femme Nikita. Squicks me with Dollhouse. It isn't a feminist thing, it's humanist. It's very human trafficking. I can't watch documentaries on human trafficking, and exploitation, let alone something being billed as entertaining.

I don't think it's so much early adopters as early deciders.

This is what I am beginning to understand. I just can't do that. I am incapable of thinking about all the things I am not going to like. My brain pretty much just gets focused on the things I think I am going to like. I'm just wired that way.

I wouldn't call it deciding, personally. It's more of a wariness born of prior experience with seemingly similar themes handled by some of the same people.

bad pings about the Geek Trio mind-controling Warren's ex, and the Buffybot, and the sexbot in Serenity, and even Inara to some degree. He's gone back to that theme several times and it hasn't gotten more illuminating or deconstructed the stereotype. It pings kind of icky.

Specifically, these themes. And yes, I know the dolls won't be purely sexbots, but sex has been explicitly mentioned.

I want to love this show. I hope it's the awesomest thing ever. I hope Joss and Tim and Eliza and Tahmoh and everyone really do some interesting things with the material. There's definitely potential for challenging the way young women, actors, are treated.

In light of recent posts, I feel I should downgrade my "squick" to a "bleh" since my issues are far less weighty.

I should note this is not my beautiful squick, but I'm afraid that a few tonal missteps could swamp popular engagement with the show.

All very interesting and thoughtful.

Gee, but it's nice to be on someone else's show for a while. All other things aside, I was at a particularly nostalgic stage when this came up. I was missing, well, Angel, actually. And Joss and all them that was. And since it's not my show, I get to do a little flying under the radar. When I'm under the protection of The Godfather, no real harm can come to me. When I told Liz and Sarah I had an idea for a two parter and they mentioned it to Joss before I could pitch it, he said, "do you think Tim would direct both parts?" Would I?

On my own shows, it's always a fight to get the PTBs to let me direct. Joss had me approved before I could even bring it up. Love that guy.