Dollhouse: Vows -- Echo finally gets hitched! Post your comments about the season premiere here.

POSTED BY: Haken
UPDATED: Monday, October 5, 2009 07:32
VIEWED: 5366
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BYTEMITE

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:47 PM

I know it's not cut and dry, and yeah, I give some credit for figuring out what was really happening with Echo and using it, but that doesn't make that the ONLY option they had, nor does it make it right. It was the easy way out, to hit Echo and exacerbate the trauma she's going through. If he REALLY cared about Echo, he wouldn't have put Echo up to the engagement in the first place! That little scene, where he's torturing himself while she's out having sex with the arms dealer (which, I'm sorry, but because Caroline and Echo aren't aware of it, I consider it rape), that's his fault too.

Ends don't justify the means. Ballard knows it's not right, did it anyway, because he felt he was justified. This will let me catch this arm dealer I've been after. Just like with Mellie. This will let me get to the Dollhouse and save the dolls. And again, when he apologizes to Echo for what he did, and then goes on to perpetuate the abuse Echo is being made to endure by becoming her handler. This will let me help her.

When he got to the Dollhouse, did he save the dolls? No, though he made a deal to free November out of guilt, not because he cared for her. Is he going to save Echo? We'll see, but I doubt it.

Ballard's a conflicted character, and he recognizes what's wrong, but in each case he keeps falling on the side of unethical and selfish. They say you can tell who's a hero by what you do when faced with the hard choices. Ballard isn't a heroic character.

ASARIAN

Sunday, October 4, 2009 7:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
I know it's not cut and dry, and yeah, I give some credit for figuring out what was really happening with Echo and using it, but that doesn't make that the ONLY option they had, nor does it make it right. It was the easy way out, to hit Echo and exacerbate the trauma she's going through. If he REALLY cared about Echo, he wouldn't have put Echo up to the engagement in the first place! That little scene, where he's torturing himself while she's out having sex with the arms dealer (which, I'm sorry, but because Caroline and Echo aren't aware of it, I consider it rape), that's his fault too.

Ends don't justify the means. Ballard knows it's not right, did it anyway, because he felt he was justified. This will let me catch this arm dealer I've been after. Just like with Mellie. This will let me get to the Dollhouse and save the dolls. And again, when he apologizes to Echo for what he did, and then goes on to perpetuate the abuse Echo is being made to endure by becoming her handler. This will let me help her.

When he got to the Dollhouse, did he save the dolls? No, though he made a deal to free November out of guilt, not because he cared for her. Is he going to save Echo? We'll see, but I doubt it.

Ballard's a conflicted character, and he recognizes what's wrong, but in each case he keeps falling on the side of unethical and selfish. They say you can tell who's a hero by what you do when faced with the hard choices. Ballard isn't a heroic character.

Might I suggest that, on an overall level, the constant ambiguity is exactly what Joss intended to convey with the show? They ALL rationalize. Adelle genuinely believed she could help people when she took the job. Boyd, ex cop, is there, yes, why really? He thoroughly disapproves, and yet goes along with everything nonetheless. The lovely Dr. Saunders, she despises Topher and all he stands for; but she too never quit (even though her imprinted persona apparently allows for disloyalty to the House). Mr. Dominic, fancying himself to keep things in check for the larger benefit of humanity, is complicit to keeping the show running to the highest degree. And Ballard himself, yes, he gets drawn in too, deluding himself he's working to destroy the Dollhouse from the inside out.

So, perhaps, as a commentary on man's uncanning ability to become entangled in a web of lies and deceit, with no shortage of denial and justification, Dollhouse is not as great a failure as the superficial story about pimping out hot girls really is. Never thought about it that way before, really. :) Maybe it was never really about whether or not it's prostitution, human trafficing, rape, etc. Maybe it was really just that: a huge stage to show us how people get drawn into doing things they never thought they'd do. How easy and gradual we become co-conspirators to the evils of our day.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

MANGOLO

Sunday, October 4, 2009 8:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Might I suggest that, on an overall level, the constant ambiguity is exactly what Joss intended to convey with the show?

I concur. Joss truly enjoys a challenge in writing. Breaking certain conventions. What are actors but Dolls in Joss' Dollhouse of Dollhouses? It is an incredible metaphor for the business he is actually in - selling dreams in multi-million dollar human meat driven packages - show business. I have been intrigued with the premise from the beginning, but the execution has me at a loss.

BYTEMITE

Sunday, October 4, 2009 4:25 PM

Oh, I AGREE that this is Joss' intention, which is why I wanted to point it out.

Doesn't mean I have to like Ballard's character, which I don't, even though I can appreciate the puppet strings that are making him work. The problem with Ballard, the reason I don't like him, are the moments like this, and the way that these actions skirt the line of spinning him into a heroic character who's just caught in a hard place.

Some here clearly interpret him as heroic. That's fine, they're entitled to their opinion, but I find Ballard more than a little disturbing because unlike the other characters, he seems to be completely unaware of his justifications, so I see him as having the potential to do the greatest amount of damage.

Remember the line in the movie Serenity? "A hero is someone who gets other people killed." I think we're going to see that here.

SHINYGOODGUY

Monday, October 5, 2009 7:32 AM

Asarian

So, perhaps, as a commentary on man's uncanning ability to become entangled in a web of lies and deceit, with no shortage of denial and justification, Dollhouse is not as great a failure as the superficial story about pimping out hot girls really is. Never thought about it that way before, really. :) Maybe it was never really about whether or not it's prostitution, human trafficing, rape, etc. Maybe it was really just that: a huge stage to show us how people get drawn into doing things they never thought they'd do. How easy and gradual we become co-conspirators to the evils of our day.
----------------------------------------------------
I agree.
You make some very good points and astute observations. Joss' writing has become more profound, but he needs to bring the character development on stronger and less exposition.

I do very much like ep 2 - Instinct - a lot better since I began to think of some of the themes he brought out with Echo and then the dad. Very good indeed, but not strong enough. There should be more eps with Harry Lennix as Boyd (his strongest character aside from Dr. Saunders). The actor playing Ballard doesn't convince me. Miracle Laurie (Mellie/November) is strong as well, she conveys so much more than Eliza ever could in just a few minutes.

Speaking of which, I believe Mellie is still under the influence and was never really wiped, but actually re-programmed. Just a hunch.

SGG

Tawabawho?

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