Tamoh Penikett called me a sweetheart last year at Dragoncon.

Clearly, he calls 'em like he sees 'em.

He's totally dreamy.

So the GF and I had a TV-watching marathon this weekend and got caught up on Heroes (4 episodes) and Dollhouse (6 episodes). I think watching the Dollhouse episodes straight through like that helped, because I think if I'd to wait a week after the 2nd and 3rd episodes, I'd probably have given up.

Still not loving the show, but I am enjoying it.

Side note, since there was a lot of complaining about it, I thought the woman giving birth in episode 4 or whatever it was said "I don't want to forget", though I could have mis-heard.

It seems like her programming is more complicated than that of the others. Maybe she is an experiment? Do others think she has three distinct personalities programmed within her? That was the impression I got from the three flowers thing.

I hadn't thought about Mellie having three personalities, but that actually makes sense. Third flower (or whichever number Adele said) is "green"= personality three is now active. Third flower is "yellow", third personality is now in a standby state, revert to default personality. (With Red potentially meaning the personality is offline until she gets another "treatment".) I wonder what the third personality is, beyond the Mellie and Ninja personalities.

Also, have we gotten any explanation as to why Ballard is SUCH a badass?

Not beyond the kickboxing scene with Toa in the pilot. Though he very much is, and Tamoh moves really well which make his fights a lot of fun to watch. Ballard also seems to enjoy fighting. There was absolutely no hestitation or sense of him holding back in his fight with Echo, and he actively closed the distance again a couple times when he could have tried to escape had he wanted.

I liked the way that played out. Also glad she got have sex and live. Earlier in the episode, Lea and I were saying "Oh, she's doomed." It's a formula I was a little bored of, so ... kudos! (Also, she is still damn hot.)

I agree with you on all points.

who the hell uses an answering machine anymore, anyway?

I do. Voicemail doesn't let you screen your calls while it's recording and potentially pick them up if it's someone you want to talk to whose number you didn't recognize.

Random other thought: Why motorcycle guy needed to go to the Dollhouse makes sense now (since we were all questioning his original engagement with Echo in the first episode.) His fantasy seems to be turning a "good girl" into a "bad girl".

Having read the original pilot script, I definitely think I would have been onboard much more-readily with the show as Joss originally envisioned it.

As for who the inside man/men is, I'm agreeing the people voting for Boyd, Tech Girl and Dr. Saunders. It's got to be at least two of the three, IMO. I can't see why else Boyd would want to be at the Dollhouse, barring something from his backstory we haven't learned yet (which is entirely possible).

I enjoyed the hell out of Lubov, and am sorry we probably won't see that imprint again (though the actor playing Victor is definitely a lot of fun to watch in his other roles). Poor Ballard, everyone around him is a CylonActive.

Definitely want to see more of FBI computer lady, too.

I thought the woman giving birth in episode 4 or whatever it was said "I don't want to forget", though I could have mis-heard.

That's what I heard too.

And you've reminded me of how much I loved Ballard's "I don't care if you're her, I'm going to fuck you up" face when he was fighting Echo. When he threw stuff at her it was marvellous. He just has this way of closing distance that's the hottest thing he's done.

I do wonder what they're going to do with him now that they've taken away everyone we may have liked seeing him with. No harshing on Tahmoh, but I don't know if Paul can hold my attention.

Judging from my appreciation of the show, Eliza can't, really. She's so not the most interesting or entertaining part of it for me.

Victor is the doll I like to watch. He goes from little innocent boy to competent in charge to mob guy -- and they are different yet him.

and they trying to understand the Dollhouse. Not the actual answer -- more the process and the way ( boy I sound like a librarian )

Victor's definitely my doll. His dollness is interesting, which Echo's isn't, despite her retaining so much. And his characters have been fun so far.

It's a shame Ballard can't bring the Dollhouse down simply by kicking the crap out of random Russian mobsters and private security guys, because that would be entertaining (and I agree with you, ita, about his "I'm gonna fuck you up" face during his fight with Echo.) His actual investigations, sans Lubov and computer chick, not so much.

Of the principles, the weakest for me are Ballard, Dominic (snarky/drugged!Dominic in the most recent episode aside) and sadly Dr. Saunders. As much as I love Amy Acker, she hasn't been given much to work with so far, beyond being the disapproving/"Don't do this dangerous thing you're going to do anyway because if you didn't there'd be no show" person.

I did love Topher's line about her and Boyd having scowly babies, though.

I'm also kind of annoyed that they haven't sent Echo to the Attic (whatever that is).

It's starting to sound like a pretty empty threat. Then again, maybe the point is to make them seem like bad parental figures.

I kinda feel like the previews for next week revealed the inside man, but that might have been a misdirect.

Judging from my appreciation of the show, Eliza can't, really. She's so not the most interesting or entertaining part of it for me.

fwiw, I never found SMG or Buffy the most interesting or entertaining parts of BtVS. I didn't dislike her, and I actively liked a lot of her work, but I was always engaged with the show as an ensemble piece. Is Dollhouse seeming like it might have that ensemble vibe developing, or is it very much an Eliza vehicle at this point?

It's not really ensemble-y. Although individual characters are starting to blossom.