Not being a mother, and not being a mother who's child has died, I didn't quite get Mellie/November's finding of her daughters gravesite to qualify as closure. More like old wounds ripped open anew. Same kinda goes for Sierra. She found Vincent Ventresca and confronted him, but didn't take him down, which doesn't seem like closure.

I was thinking that maybe she went into the dollhouse before she had allowed herself time to mourn properly? I didn't really like November's true personality as much as the others. I loved Sierra.

From TWoP, this articulated what really bugged about Sierra's story:

it's the handling of Sierra's situation that's made me absolutely vomitous. A man wanted her, couldn't have her, sold her, and now not only rapes her but brainwashes her into smiling about it. And the Dollhouse abets. That has added an entirely new and, in my view, unearned layer to the Dollhouse's operations. Sending actives out on sexual assignments with clients was one thing -- passive, in some way, about the motives involved. But it is impossible that, having bought Sierra from this dude, they don't know that this particular relationship is actively AGAINST Sierra's conscious wish.

Alan Sepinwall is on this too:

[link]

I'm in agreement. I'm actually nauseated with the Sierra situation. I'm not sure how to deal with it.

I'm curious to see what becomes of Tophers character after his confrontation with Caroline('s Echo). He had to do a lot of lying and hedging and obfuscating to answer her questions. Could possibly cause for some reflection. Or not.

Juliebird, I agree with you that it was absolutely appalling, and I think it was supposed to be. No matter how many times those that run the dollhouse try to justify themselves and what they do, there are these things that are absolutely unjustifiable, and it is why they ultimately have to be brought down.

Why did they have to put November is such a dull outfit compared to the other escaping actives?

I thought that it was interesting to note what they chose to wear in their own personalities. November chose that very frumpy, earth mother-y dress.

I wasn't terribly happy (and by not terribly I mean really unhappy) that the Dollhouse apparently accepts people against their will for the right amount of money. And I really shuddered when Nolan said "it will be even sweeter now"

Really enjoyed the immediate display of distinct personalities when the five wake up. Victor being all military and Echo/Caroline being all anti-animal-testing.

absolutely

And I totally don't like Sierra. I can't articulate what exactly it is about her, but I cannot stand her.

Maybe the way that she couldn't sustain her accent?

I think Sierra found closure not in confronting asshole rich dude, but in recognizing that Victor was there to protect her and she felt safe in that. That there was a man who would look out for her and not try to victimize her. That's where her closure was. But that confrontation had to be there for the contrast to become evident to her.

Absolutely love Victor. Still meh on Sierra, but definitely liking her better than before and she and Victor definitely are my OTP for this show.

I am curiously callous and strange in regard to November. Her story felt the most manufactured and manipulative towards the viewer, even more so than Sierra. Didn't work for me.

Really wish Echo had shot Adele.

I am curiously callous and strange in regard to November.

I was disappointed to discover her to be the weak timid one. Although, if this ends up having legs, I can see her having a lot of growth. But that's with a normal character with a real personality.

That's what distresses me about the show, with it's personality-lessness characters, moreso with the seeming reset on any glitches within the characters.

I really do love that Echo got a call out to Ballard during all the foufourah. I don't know if he'll have anyway to trace the call, but now he's got what seems to me positive proof that the Dollhouse exists.

I really do love that Echo got a call out to Ballard during all the foufourah

But why did she do that? If it was done when she was in that Caroline-without-her-memories state, would she have ever heard of Ballard? And as Echo she's a blank, or only knows what she's imprinted with. I don't get why she made the call.