Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE FOX TV series - FANSITE - Watching Dollhouse

Great news Dollhouse fans! Joss Whedon is following in the footsteps of “LOST” by producing 13 webisodes for Dollhouse:

“LOST” fans will know all about this type of online entertainment (”mobisodes“) and how much fun they can be. The ‘Dollysodes’ will only be 3 minutes in length per episode, but trust me, when you’re starving for some quality content, this is a good way to stay engaged with the show.

The only worry is that FOX might think it’s too “dark” and “noir” and will ask Joss to re-shoot the webisode pilot for something more ‘accessible‘..like only making it available via pigeon mail, just in case people don’t ’get it’. I jest.

Source: THR.com Thanks: TruEcho!

By now many of you will know that Joss Whedon will be shooting a 2nd pilot for Dollhouse. The man himself infers that he wants to ‘hit the nail on the head more succinctly’, for the lead in to the series.

Whilst I can certainly understand the need to have an explosive opening, I do worry whether in doing so he’ll end up spoon-feeding the Dollhouse audience? Listening to him speaking here, suggests that FOX want him to take a more (dare I say) ’obvious’ approach with the show.

I think that Joss is talented enough to strike a balance between engaging the audience immediately without having to ‘dumb-down’ his original premise. However, it’s clear that a re-think has taken place on some level.

Is Joss bowing down to network pressure? Should FOX just let the man do his thing and not interfere? Will this 2nd pilot count as one of the 13 episodes that FOX have already ordered? Questions, questions.

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I suppose it’s actually a good thing that the original pilot is not getting scrapped - this way we’ll be able to compare both pilots and see just how much of a rethink Joss had.

Source: [Whedon Audio: TV Barn]

Joss Whedon has been posting on Whedonesque and has revealed that he will be shooting a new Dollhouse Pilot, however the already filmed pilot won’t be buried and will still air as planned. Confused? Read the words of Whedon:

Hi guys. Well, it’s been an eventful week. While all of you have been enjoying (and in some cases, suddenly NOT enjoying) our adorable little musical romp “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” (exclusively available on iTunes!) (And I lied about some people not enjoying it!) I’ve been busying myself with a little something I like to call DOLLHOUSE. Finishing a new episode. Finishing a new… here’s the headline… FIRST episode.

What’s that, you say? A second first? How can such a thing be? Does it defy the laws of all physics? Well, I sat down with Rutherford D. Actualperson to do a quick Q&A and give you all the skinny on the progress of my new series (Available on iTunes at some point one would assume!)

Rutherford D. Actualperson: Joss. You are a legend in the industry, and your forehead is a normal size proportionate to your face. Tell me about the idea behind doing a new first episode. Didn’t you already shoot one?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie, I did. And it was grand, simply grand.

R.D.A: Then why shoot another? Also, your teeth are whitish.

Joss: I said it was grand, I didn’t say it was comprehensible. I showed some scenes to David Lynch and he’s all, “whuh?” Bad sign. But I kid.

The fact is, I’m very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone – I was in a dark, noir kind of place (where, as many of you know, I make my home), and didn’t bring the visceral pop the network had expected from the script. The network was cool about it, but not sure how to come out of the gate with the ep.

R.D.A.: So they made you do another. It’s Firefly all over again! Run! For the love of God, HE’S CALLING FROM THE HOUSE!!!

Joss: Wow. Good panic.

R.D.A.: I try. But I am genuinely concerned. Also your smooth skin and elegant hands are making me bi-curious.

Joss: Well, the idea to do a new first episode wasn’t the network’s. It was mine. I understood their consternation, and saw the gap between my style and their expectations, and I suggested I shoot a new ep and make the one I’d shot the second. It isn’t going to be buried, like the pilot of Firefly. It’s simply coming after another, slightly cleaner ep. And because unlike Firefly, it isn’t a two hour epic which introduces everyone to each other, the onus isn’t on the new ep to explain a million things.

The fact is, Fox ordered the series before we shot a frame and then, after the strike, I had literally two months to write and prep the whole thing. Which means simply that the network has to figure out what they might want to tweak AFTER it was shot, unlike a pilot. Buffy didn’t make the fall sched, Angel got shut down when they saw the second ep outline… it’s birth pangs. The network truly gets the premise (this is a whole new crew, as you know), loves the cast, is excited about the show – but they’re also specific about how they want to bring people to the show and I not only respect that, I kinda have to slap my forehead that I didn’t tailor my tone and structure to the network’s needs, since that’s something I pride myself on.

This also means that there will be no Dollhouse teaser shown at Comic-Con, but on the plus side Dollhouse’s second (or is that second-first?) episode ’should’ be truly awesome. Not that the original pilot wont.

Read Joss Whedon’s entire Dollhouse post over at Whedonesque.

Thanks: Whedonesque & TruEcho

You’ve seen the Eliza Dushku interview, now check out TV Guide’s Joss Whedon and Tahmoh Penikett videos, as they talk Dollhouse. Click below to watch:

TV Guide Interview Joss Whedon:

TV Guide Interview Tahmoh Penikett:

Thanks: TV Guide and TruEcho!

Earlier today Joss Whedon took part in a ’fan-chat’ session with the Washington Post. Unfortunately “Dollhouse” probing was thin on the ground but Joss did have this to say about his upcoming show:

When asked about the amount of humour and drama Dollhouse will have compared to “Buffy” or “Firefly”, he revealed:

“Less overt humor — “Dollhouse” is more a real-world piece. But asking me not to make jokes is like asking Monet to lose the lilypads. We’ve all got our tics.”

To be honest, I want Dollhouse to be ‘dark’and fairly serious, but I’m glad he’ll look to strike a balance.

Source: Washington Post. Thanks: TruEcho & Whedonesque.

The Comic-Con website has been updated to reveal that Tahmoh Penikett will be appearing alongside Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku on the Dollhouse panel (Sat July 26 @ 1-2PM):

1:00-2:00 Dollhouse— When news broke that Joss Whedon was returning to television with a vehicle for “Buffy” alum Eliza Dushku, legions of fans around the world rejoiced. Although most will have to wait until January to learn more about the exciting new project, Comic-Con fans will hear it straight from Joss, Eliza, and actor Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) in person! Ballroom 20

According to Entertainment Weekly “Whedon, Dushku, and Penikett will show a teaser reel”. How exciting! Although I think most of us would hope that it is a ‘teaser reel’ and not out and out spoilers.

Thanks: All About Tahmoh Penikett

“Fringe” creator JJ. Abrams believes that “Dollhouse” and “Fringe” wont be competition, instead he predicts that the two shows will help each other to be stronger, since they are both on FOX. Abrams also gives a shout-out to Joss Whedon, calling him a “genius”:

“Lost” creator JJ. Abrams reveals that he’s a “huge fan” of Joss Whedon and that he would have loved to have worked with Joss and Drew Goddard on “Cabin in the Woods”, in this recent interview with TV Week:

(Click below to watch. Whedon/Goddard mention at apprx 3.10 mins):

Kristin from E! grabs a minute or two with the much in-demand and always interesting Joss Whedon at the FOX shindig earlier this week. He confirms that Dollhouse shooting will resume in a “couple of weeks” and mentions the “phenomenal” Dollhouse cast and more! Watch with your eyes:

Thanks: E! and TruEcho!