Echo said that her imprint had been tampered with - so probably they just added in the message but kept the rest.

Okay, if they can do that with Mellie - why don't they do that with other dolls?

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.

This episode definitely made things more interesting.

Okay, that was good.

(1) Evil!handler. I totally didn't see that coming.

(2) Mellie is a doll -- well, people here were predicting it, so I wasn't totally surprised, though I really didn't expect the reveal to work the way it did.

(3) Someone on the inside who tampered with the imprint -- was it the female computer tech? Or Dr. Fred? And is Echo's handler in on it? Because the only time the imprint could have been tampered with was when Computer Guy stepped out into the hall to talk to Echo's handler. (One day I'll learn all the characters' names, I swear.)

Finally, I realized something tonight: when they're in the dollhouse, the actives talk like lolcats. "I have a book!" (My book, let me show you it.)

3) I had just assumed that Adelle had Topher imprint Echo with the double agent/"tampered" imprint personality. That the tampering was a deliberate ruse on Adelle's part to get Paul to back off.

3) I had just assumed that Adelle had Topher imprint Echo with the double agent/"tampered" imprint personality. That the tampering was a deliberate ruse on Adelle's part to get Paul to back off.

Really? I took it at face value, because the idea of someone on the inside is -- potentially -- a game-changer, and a really great idea if this show is going to be anything other than week after week of mind-wiped whores.

the idea of someone on the inside is -- potentially -- a game-changer, and a really great idea

I definitely agree, it just didn't occur to me at the time. I'll blame it being sleepy and not entirely engaged.

I haz a bed. It's comfy. Feels nice. Warm.

I can haz a kitteh footwarmer?

It seems like that could have been the pilot, pretty much -- wasn't someone here wondering why the series started when it did? There was no specific starting point, but now things are changing, and it feels like the show can/will move forward.

They clearly have a whole lot of story to tell -- I really really really hope they get to tell it, damn it.

Boy, they pack a lot of story into an episode! I actually thought this one was over about halfway through -- how'd they DO that?

Also, have we gotten any explanation as to why Ballard is SUCH a badass? Don't get me wrong, I'm loving that he shook off a tasering and semi-casually took out five or six guys with complete assurance that none of them was permanently harmed, but it does strain the credulity a bit.

No, wait. It totally doesn't. He's just a total badass. I love it.

Does anyone here have discussions around water coolers?

I kinda sit near the water cooler, so ... frequently!

Mellie is a doll -- well, people here were predicting it, so I wasn't totally surprised, though I really didn't expect the reveal to work the way it did.

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.)

No, wait. It totally doesn't. He's just a total badass. I love it.

We had slashbacks -- note: the last word was a typo, but I've decided to keep it -- to him boxing in the first episode. Also, he got tough fighting Cylons.

Did anyone else watch 'Dollhouse" and "BSG" back to back, and have serious system shock from seeing Tahmoh Penikett and Mark Sheppard in both?

I liked the way that played out. Also glad she got have sex and live. Earlier int he 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.)

Me too! I was thinking "maybe she isn't an active, because they're about to kill her" She wasn't hot to me until this episode, I think because she showed some intelligence and personality. I loved the post-coital scene where she was teasing him about if she said it was a mistake.

And I confess I yelled out I KNEW IT when the three red flowers thing happened. Joss fucking Whedon, bitches!

I think I'm developing a little crush on our Agent Ballard. He was such a badass in this ep, and a little bit of a woobie, too.

I think that the message was real, they made too much of Topher stepping away and leaving the imprint untended in the machine. I think that Echo's mission was to get Paul off the case, which she did by having him shooting the cop. Of course, I don't understand how they just overlooked the fact that there was another person there, who has presumably disappeared, but whatev. I mean, he didn't get the shit kicked out of him by no one.

I kinda loved this ep. And not just because of shirtless, "gun show" Paul.