Hm, I am reading a court case about human research and consent ( Grimes v. Kennedy Krieger Institute ) and this section of the decision made me think of the discussions we have had here about Dollhouse:

Additionally, there are conflicting views in respect to nontherapeutic research, as to whether consent, even of a person capable of consenting, can justify a research protocol that is otherwise unjustifiable.

'This 'justifying' side of consent raises some timeless and thorny questions. What if people consent to activities and results which are repugnant, or even evil? Even John Stuart Mill worried about consensual slavery... Today, we wonder whether a woman's consent to appear in graphic, demeaning, or even violent pornography justifies or immunizes the pornographer. If she appears to consent to a relationship in which she is repeatedly brutalized, does her consent stymie our efforts to stop the brutality or punish the brute?

These problems make us squirm a little, just as they did Mill. We have three ways out: We can say, first, 'Yes, consent justifies whatever is consented to - you consented, so case closed;' second, 'This particular consent is deficient - you did not really consent and so the result or action is not justified;' or third. 'You consented, but your consent cannot justify this action or result.'...

Note the subtle yet crucial difference between these three options: In the first, consent is king, while the third option assumes a moral universe shaped and governed by extra-consensual considerations. The second option, however, reflects the tension between the other two. We might block the consented-to action, but we pay lip service to consent's justifying role by assuring ourselves that had the consent been untainted, had it been 'informed,' it would have had moral force. In fact, we pay lip service precisely because we often silently suspect that consent cannot and does not always justify. Rather than admit that the consent does not and could not justify the act, we denigrate the consent and, necessarily, the consenter as well.

This is cheating; it is a subterfuge designed to hide our unease and to allow us to profess simultaneous commitment to values that often conflict."

"We should worry about the behavior of the experimenter, about our own culpability, and not about the subject's choosing capacities."

Okay, that episode was about a hundred times better than the others. I forgot to see who wrote it but it didn't have the creepy icky or the giant falling anvils. I mean, yeah there was still some squick and some hinting at the identity themes but the dialogue was good.

Who did he play in JoA? He looked familiar, but I kept trying not to see him as BatManuel, who is on Lost, anyway.

He was Detective Carlisle, Will's subordinate in the second season. He was usually eating a sandwich.

I forgot to see who wrote it

Tim! I've seen good response to his ep. Let's hope the supposedly boffo episode six retains that goodwill.

This episode was much more like what I thought the show could be. It was a logical use of an Active, and it included many evocative clues and sharp writing.

I think Topher is pretty much the classic guy who lives in his parents' basement. He has the 13-year-old "Ooh, boobies," but the discomfort with talking about sexual issues. He's much happier with his creations being sexless creatures.

The cow-eyed crush girl neighbor portrayal is really getting on my nerves. I want her to either rip off those unflattering clothes to reveal her Supergirl costume or I want her to go away.

Ginger, I'm writing a fanfic about Mellie as Supergirl RIGHT NOW.

The cow-eyed crush girl neighbor portrayal is really getting on my nerves.

Wait, she has a crush on Agent Helo? YOU DON'T SAY.

Her jealousy of Caroline bugs me. "The picture didn't do her justice, huh?" What? There was nothing particularly hot about Caroline in her little graduation video; okay, she has a crush and her reactions are over-the-top, but that's what bugs. She's jealous of Caroline like Agent Helo is looking for a DATE or something. He is an FBI agent. She is a missing person. Geez.

Tim's done a full length commentary of this episode, available for download here: [link]

At this point, I'm really hoping that Mellie is an Active. Or that her plotline goes somewhere. Soon. Otherwise, "vaugely frumpy neighbor who's carrying a torch for Our Hero" has gotten old.

The cow-eyed crush girl neighbor portrayal is really getting on my nerves. I want her to either rip off those unflattering clothes to reveal her Supergirl costume or I want her to go away.

Wait, was I the only one who thought her cleavage-y outfit this episode was WAY better than the first? And actually sexy?

Yeah, I definitely liked this episode better than the previous ones. I would like for Echo to stop getting smacked around by men, but I suppose this is groundwork. And, you know, deus ex machina to break the cameras.

I thought that Smarmy hit her directly in the face, that he'd broken her nose, but evidently no. Because it seems like no matter what your conditioning was, when you woke up and were feeling like going for a swim, you'd also be all, "Damn, my face hurts."