Nice to hear that "City of Angel" is still active. Back when Angel was still on air, it was my favourite site dedicated to the Fang Gang and the awesome show that revolved around them.

Anuris | March 11, 23:18 CET

I've read both of those interviews a few days ago somewhere else. City of Angel used to be my favorite Angel site too. Those were better times. I always took Buffy and Angel for granted in the sense that I never worried wether or not they'd be back the next year, Dollhouse is making me panick.

danielgm86 | March 11, 23:59 CET

That was awesome.

I've been fascinated by the questions of identity and identity manipulation, both self-imposed and otherwise; the idea of avatars and fantasy and the little insular world that we've been able to create for ourselves with our computers and with our extraordinarily specific medications. And I think it's something that's become a part of the world really just in the last 10 years.

That brings up a point that I've missed in connecting with. My own self-imposed box that I built by myself. Interesting.

Part of the mandate of the show is to make people nervous. It's to make them identify with people they don't like and get into situations that they don't approve of, and also look at some of the heroic side of things and wonder if maybe they were wrong about what motivated those as well. We're out to make people uncomfortable, but not maybe so much our bosses.

I think this is mostly what all of us have viewed, felt, or discussed in some depth here. He sums it up nicely.

Ultimately, this is a show where people will hopefully become intrigued and then hang in, that really builds, so it needs the 13 weeks of people paying attention, but not so much attention that it gets burned out in the glare of the spotlight. I've always worked best under the radar.

Again, we've talked about this at length. But one thing I hear from the "I don't love it yet" crowd is that they are intrigued enough to hang it. Seems like the plan is working.

korkster | March 12, 00:03 CET

Asked what keeps him going in the highly competitive medium of television, Whedon responded, "You know, the thing that keeps me going, chardonnay. I shouldn't have said that," he quipped, eliciting some laughs.

Ha! And also...

*revenge smites korkster* ;)

Emmie | March 12, 03:30 CET

Kudos for the balls-out attitude . . . but you have to get people to *like* the show enough to want to pay attention, etc. It is entertainment, after all, not a lecture. I am certainly intrigued, but I'm not sure I *like* the show particularly. All this wanting to make people nervous and identify with people they don't like is fine, but I'm not sure how reassuring that is when I find it hard to sit down and watch it to begin with. (Shades of Veronica Mars a little bit, for me, which I could see was "quality", but which I never actually enjoyed watching.). As always, of course, I don't claim to be representative (or part of a "crowd") of anyone but myself.

SoddingNancyTribe | March 12, 04:24 CET

That, right there? Describes my feelings toward BSG, SNT. I can see it's quality, but don't really enjoy watching it, so I understand what you mean.

However, I enjoy Dollhouse and love Veronica Mars to pieces.

pat32082 | March 12, 04:46 CET

*gasp* Veronica Mars is a fun-filled, joy ride for me. Sorry to see it didn't catch you, SNT.

Emmie | March 12, 05:02 CET

SoddingNancyTribe, you've described exactly what I just came here to post.

gossi | March 12, 08:49 CET

I also identify with the quality vs. enjoyment argument, though I'm enjoying Dollhouse just fine (and looking forward to some Minear up in this piece). For me, Battlestar represents quality without enjoyment, and Heroes enjoyment largely sans quality.

Mercenary | March 12, 08:57 CET

I totally enjoyed Veronica Mars - well, using the formula VM1>VM2>VM3. It was quality and fun, for me.

I enjoy Dollhouse as well - and have no problem sitting down to watch it. Battlestar Galactica, too.

My shows that I "know" are quality, but can't (so far) watch more than sporadically, and kinda through my fingers? The Sopranos and The Wire. Just can't do it. Can theoretically admire well-done grit or violence or rawness, but can't "enjoy" it - I truly try to put off watching them.

QuoterGal | March 12, 09:32 CET

I've never even had the slightest interest in The Sopranos. The Wire = pure awesome, except for the near total misfire of season two. Your formula for Veronica Mars is exactly right. (Meanwhile, Friday in Portland = Katee Sackhoff at the Bagdad for BSG, so I'll be taping Dollhouse.)

[ edited by The One True b!X on 2009-03-12 09:36 ]

The One True b!X | March 12, 09:35 CET

SNT is a wise man.
The holy trifecta of HBO dark character drama The Sopranos, The Wire and Deadwood still makes me want to hug my tv set. Struggling with Dollhouse, mostly having a problem with my feelings that so far the online discussions of the show is so much more entertaining than the show itself.

jpr | March 12, 10:56 CET

I'm having issues with watching the Wire. I watched the whole first season, and it was good enough, I suppose. But I just cannot get started on season two, and the constant negative reviews I hear for it don't exactly encourage me.

But my friend is a huge fan of the show, and keeps trying to get me to watch. And as someone who has gone through the pains of trying to get someone to love a show (B/A/F/D), I feel guilty not watching. Something about the show just isn't hooking me, though. I don't feel like I absolutely have to watch the next episode (which is how I feel about Supernatural at the moment... kinda loving that show). Dollhouse, on the other hand, had me at "Did I fall asleep?"

Jobo | March 12, 19:57 CET