It being Paul's place also explains how they knew where to send Echo. They've got the camera.

I think, from Topher's perspective, that the difference is that the engagements are meant to be wiped, but that there's not really a procedure in place for wiping the neutral state.

Or are we just talking about her rape as child abuse because of the way she couldn't consent?

Yeah, I meant this. The scene really played that way for me, and I think it was intended to. The phrasing her abuser used was like what would be said to a child, referencing "the game" and said patronizingly.

And yeah, the neutral state is supposed to be just that. And the experiences they have in that state are not supposed to have any long term persistence. Like it was remarkable for Victor and Echo and Sierra to eat together repeatedly.

But if it's contiguous in some way, then that introduces complications for the company.

Um, can't Alpha be logically the inside guy?

I don't think so, but he could have imprinted somebody on the inside.

I want to know Adelle's backstory.

Patton Oswalt was wonderful.

Who is Patton Oswalt? Was he the creepy commemorating-his-dead-wife-by-paying-for-a-mindwiped-whore-every-year guy?

And should I know him from other stuff?

I wonder whether there really is someone on the inside trying to undermine the dollhouse or if it was part of Echo's programming to throw Ballard even further off the case.

I think there has to be someone on the inside, otherwise the show really has no place to go, plotwise, except repeating the same skeevy stuff over and over.

So angry about Sierra's child abuse, btw. Not letting that slide. Angry.

Glad to know you've made it all better for her. Except, oh yeah, you haven't.

I'm right there with you. The scene with her handler almost made me run into the bathroom. It was revolting.

Except, on the other hand, if I am to buy into the "it's rape" when the dolls have sex, then the whole thing is rape.

Well, YEAH.

t edit I truly don't see the hotness of Ballard (he falls in my category with Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion, etc., where I *so* don't get it even while scores of people around me drool), but I really REALLY love his "Bitch, PLEASE" face. As seen during the conversation with skeevy anniverary whore-buying guy.

Who is Patton Oswalt? Was he the creepy commemorating-his-dead-wife-by-paying-for-a-mindwiped-whore-every-year guy?

He's a stand-up comic and also a writer. He wrote a very funny piece for The Onion on the KFC all-in-one bowl. He's also a proper science fiction/comics geek. He's best known as the voice of the rat in Ratatouille.

He's best known as the voice of the rat in Ratatouille.

That puts all the emphasis on "Bouncy the Rat" in a whole new light.

Patton Oswalt is the source of my current tagline.

But the thing is, I don't think the "dead wife" sex is presented as OK. I think it is intended to be skeevy. (Echo's wanting to "finish" is the reaction of a very damaged person.) I don't think it is analogous to some of the earlier stuff, cause I don't think it is made appealing.

I thought they made it appealing. They spent a lot of time letting Patton Oswalt plead his case, and then they had a happy-smiley ending. Echo wanted to "finish" the happy-smiley home.

I read the end as "We're playing this as good and wholesome, can you maintain your outrage?"