TV Goodness

For all us poor stiffs not having fun at NESCBWI or the Nebs this weekend:

Haunted. Echo is programmed with the memories of a dead woman in the hopes that she can help solve the woman's murder. Topher secretly prepares Sierra for an engagement, and Ballard looks into Mellie's past.

I'm a little worried since the standalones are my least favorites so far, but the show has been on a roll lately and perhaps this'll be the first truly good one.

Well, we knew the rumblings of cancellation were coming at some point, right? Of course, the truly surprising thing is that Fox is committed to airing 12 episodes, not that they aren't airing the 13th. Tonight's ep is:

I must admit that the main show I'm still pulling for to escape cancellation isn't this one–it's Life. That was some finale, and if it has to be the series finale, it'll work, and almost beautifully. But there's still a lot of (::groan, eyeroll::) life left in that show. Come on, NBC execs. Don't be jerks this time.

(p.s. I think we're going to take in a movie this afternoon. Any suggestions? We haven't seen anything that's come out in the last, oh, two months.)

Forgot to post yesterday (and won't watch till later today):  

And tonight we have:

Echoes. Echo goes undercover at a college to investigate a deadly virus outbreak. 

Outbreak investigation, huh? I. Can't. Wait. (Of course, we have to watch the Basketball Werewolf Show first.)

This is supposed to be the one where we all get completely on board, right?

I'm looking forward to it… ::ominous use of ellipses::

And after this week it's supposed to get really good, right? Right?

There's a potential for some seriously cringe-inducing television machine if the Dushku as blind person performance isn't flat-out nailed. Affleck as Daredevil, anyone? I have fears.

Other miscellaneous TeeVee-related things:

1. I'm almost to the end of my re-watch of Buffy season three. Why isn't there television like this on anymore? Sigh. 

2. Castle was actually quite enjoyable–I wish the female lead had more charisma or at least was written with a bigger personality, but Nathan Fillion and his family were a lot of fun. We'll keep watching. 

3. This season of ANTM is shaping up to be one of the best ever. 

4. Life is still the most awesome show on TV.

It's supposed to be getting more interesting around now, right?

Comments after if you got 'em. Also, anyone planning to watch the new Nathan Fillion show? I believe it starts next week.

Have a nice weekend, y'all.

And episode three:

I have to say that the description of episode five alone will keep me hanging in until then. But let's hope for less girl running and screaming this week.

And this week's ep is:

Post thoughts in the comments after if you got 'em.

See also:

Maureen Ryan's interview with Tahmoh Penikett over at The Watcher, where he says a couple of things that give me hope things will get good if we hang in there:

To help viewers understand "Dollhouse's" provocative concept, the first few episodes are self-contained hours focused on Echo's weekly adventures. But Penikett says that midway through the show’s 13-episode season, the mythology will kick into high gear.

"Halfway through the season, you'll start seeing some of the main story lines and arcs developed in a more serious way, around the fifth episode. I think that's when Joss and his writing team really found their feet and said, 'OK, this is what we wanted. This is what we were aiming at and we’ve got it now,'" Penikett said.

"I can't tell you how confidence-building it is when you experience that," the actor added. "Because as everyone knows, we had somewhat of a tumultuous start. There was a lot of speculation, a lot of bad press, and you inevitably get caught up in it a little bit. … Once I read the fifth and sixth episode, specifically [Episode 6, the Whedon-penned] 'Man on the Street,' I was like, 'This is it. This is the show.'"

And if you want to see some interesting thoughts about the first episode, check out this Coffee & Ink post.

I know, I know, I'm just asking to get my heart broken, but demonstrating my faith that the Show Will Be Good (much cheered by this i09 review) and also because I miss our TV chatter of old (see: the Gilmore Gossip Circle, Veronica Mars Talk, Heroes Yammer), here is a place for, um, discussion after Dollhouse airs.

Episode description ahoy:

Fingers crossed.