anyone watching Dollhouse (FOX show)?

[ISiddiqui]

As I've pointed out, the main problem is that Fox is the only broadcast network with 10:00 local news. On any other network, a juggernaut like American Idol would be used to promote new shows, so Dollhouse would go on after AI and probably keep a Tuesday 10PM slot.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

As I've pointed out, the main problem is that Fox is the only broadcast network with 10:00 local news. On any other network, a juggernaut like American Idol would be used to promote new shows, so Dollhouse would go on after AI and probably keep a Tuesday 10PM slot.

Isn't NBC creating that problem for themselves soon with the whole Jay Leno thing? I don't watch late night talk show, so it effectively removes an hour of my possible watching of NBC each night.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Isn't NBC creating that problem for themselves soon with the whole Jay Leno thing? I don't watch late night talk show, so it effectively removes an hour of my possible watching of NBC each night.

And, more importantly, 5 less spots per week to try something out to make a hit. After all, networks are pretty much hit driven.

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Isn't NBC creating that problem for themselves soon with the whole Jay Leno thing? I don't watch late night talk show, so it effectively removes an hour of my possible watching of NBC each night.

Yep... though NBC is doing it because the vast majority of their 10:00 shows are doing crap in ratings, IIRC.

[lordscarlet]

To CT and wade's points:

Spoiler

If you watched the promo thing after the first episode, it appears they are not going that route with Echo. It seems that Echo is going to go rogue and perhaps attempt to stop the project. So you'll see Dushku (in all her hotness) play a singular role for most of the show, or at least that's what I got from the preview bit at the end of the episode.

put in spoiler tags -- I didn't know the stuff in the preview after the show was off limits.

[jeff061]

Spoiler

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

To CT and wade's points:

If you watched the promo thing after the first episode, it appears they are not going that route with Echo. It seems that Echo is going to go rogue and perhaps attempt to stop the project. So you'll see Dushku (in all her hotness) play a singular role for most of the show, or at least that's what I got from the preview bit at the end of the episode.

That's kind of what I had in mind. Most shows are serialized to some extent these days. Replaying the pilot over and over with a small change wouldn't make sense.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

And, more importantly, 5 less spots per week to try something out to make a hit. After all, networks are pretty much hit driven.

At this point though it's more important that NBC (and I imagine most of the networks not named CBS) stop the bleeding on paying for 5 hours of programming per week that they can't sell for what it costs them.

Incidentally, the latest projection is that total advertising spending in the U.S. will be down by more than 11% this year, with broadcast TV expected to be down 14.2% versus last year (which was 8.5% from 07 to 08) and cable down 6.3% more than reversing the 07 to 08 increase of 3.8%. Heck, even online ads are now projected to be down this year vs last year although that's more a function of people using cheaper vehicles (paid search over banner/display) than of a reduction in units. And the "recovery" expected in 2010 is pegged at a whopping 0.1% increase over 2009.

In total, the latest expectation is for the ratio of ad spending to GDP to drop to its lowest level since 1946, meaning virtually no one in the business in any fashion has ever been through anything this tight before.

NBC was the first to take drastic measures, I can't imagine they (and MyNetwork) are going to be the only.

[lordscarlet]

OK, this is supposed to be the original Dollhouse script and is supposed to show how FOX screwed it up. I haven't read it.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/3236356/...se_1x01_-_Echo

[Travis]

Boo. More than a few parts in there that Fox omitted from the premier that I really hope make it into the next couple episodes.

[BrianD]

Good read. That would have been a more interesting first episode.

[lordscarlet]

I don't know how you guys can sit through reading it -- I see 54 pages and close the link.

[BrianD]

A 54 page script equates to about a 7-page book.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I don't know how you guys can sit through reading it -- I see 54 pages and close the link.

1) I'm at work

2) It's Whedon's work which I'll usually make time for.

3) I was curious to see how badly Fox mishandled this, truly wasn't disappointed by their (supposed) continued ineptitude.

[cthomer5000]

Anyone still with this? I thought tonight's episode was pretty clearly the strongest yet.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Anyone still with this? I thought tonight's episode was pretty clearly the strongest yet.

I am watching it still. I thought tonight's episode was fine, but I haven't had too many complaints about the previous episodes either.

[cthomer5000]

Also, re: the ratings

Apparently both Dollhouse and Terminator are picking up 30% + in ratings numbers the week after when the live+DVR numbers get released.

'Dollhouse,' 'Terminator' get DVR boost


1. Hopefully we'll get a complete season 1 before any decision is made about it's future.
2. Hopefully the final numbers will be encouraging enough so that we get a season two.


I'm not completely sold on it myself yet, but so far I have no reason not to trust Joss Whedon - i've immensely enjoyed all his works so far, and would state that those that went beyond one season certainly got even better.

[Scoobz0202]

Hmm... I actually took it off my DVR and stopped watching it halfway through last weeks episode. Im not to up to snuff on the lead actress(forget her name) but combined with her and the musician chick I couldn't handle the acting + screenwriting

[Glengoyne]

Last week I was disappointed, but this week's episode has really sucked me in. I'm starting to buy in.

[Lorena]

So is anyone still watching? It's a pretty good show.

[RainMaker]

I caught one episode where they were in some bank vault. Seemed interesting but didn't feel like getting involved right now. If it gets renewed, I'll definitely pick up the DVD after it's released to catch up.

Sad, but with shows getting the axe so quickly, I usually wait don't get into them till the 2nd season and watch the first on DVD.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Lorena

So is anyone still watching? It's a pretty good show.

Caught all the episodes and getting much more into it as the story progresses. This past episode had a lot of humor in it (again, sorry about the whole burning alive thing) which was a nice changeup from the heavier episode they had previously and what looks to be another one next week.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Sad, but with shows getting the axe so quickly, I usually wait don't get into them till the 2nd season and watch the first on DVD.

I hear ya, we got pretty involved with a few shows that ended up getting canceled. Sucks to invest so much time on a show that will never have an ending. Like Fringe.. what the heck happened to it? I think it's been over a month since a new episode came out.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Lorena

Like Fringe.. what the heck happened to it? I think it's been over a month since a new episode came out.

Just found there's a new episode on April 7th.

[Glengoyne]

I've been watching. I'm liking what I've seen so far. Friday Fox "glitched" with about 30 seconds left in the show. Just in the Pitch "So if you give us your life for five years, we'll...." I'm going to have to sit through the whole episode online just to see the last sentence or two.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Lorena

So is anyone still watching? It's a pretty good show.

Yep, I am still watching. I stopped posting about it on here because it felt like I was alone. I thought it was going to be another show like Journeyman, where I seemed to be the only one on this board who liked it.

[DaddyTorgo]

Hey - I liked Journeyman Alan.

And I'll watch Dollhouse more often than not - although often that's just because I've been sitting there watching it's lead in, but it tends to retain me for the whole episode once I start.

[sachmo71]

This is a good series, but then again so was Journeyman. And Wonder Falls. And Firefly.

[cthomer5000]

I think it's settling in pretty well. More often than not i've thought "that was the best episode yet" after watching.

Hopefully it will have the ratings to justify a 2nd season. Or at the very least I hope they don't rush judgement on the 2nd season, if they think DVD sales will help boost it's allure. So they'd better have some decent turnaround time on the DVD set.

[lordscarlet]

Not to be "that guy", but I don't understand that people still have any sense of a "lead in" show or "sitting down and watching" tv. I don't even know what night have the shows I watch are on.

Dollhouse is working well enough for me. I don't love it, but I like it.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Not to be "that guy", but I don't understand that people still have any sense of a "lead in" show or "sitting down and watching" tv. I don't even know what night have the shows I watch are on.

Dollhouse is working well enough for me. I don't love it, but I like it.

well it's on right after Terminator. And I have no social life, so I spend the vast majority of nights on the couch in front of the TV. I may DVR stuff to speed through commercials, but I tend to watch most stuff the night it's taped.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

well it's on right after Terminator. And I have no social life, so I spend the vast majority of nights on the couch in front of the TV. I may DVR stuff to speed through commercials, but I tend to watch most stuff the night it's taped.

I mean, I do now when Dollhouse is on and what it's lead-in is, but lead-ins and nights of the week are pretty meaningless to me. [shrug] I watch shows the night of that I know will be talked about at work, but outside of that I just watch it when I have time.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Not to be "that guy", but I don't understand that people still have any sense of a "lead in" show or "sitting down and watching" tv. I don't even know what night have the shows I watch are on.

I do worry about the long-term with this. The ONLY thing i watch live are very, very select sporting events. I even DVR most of those.

The problem is, once everyone is doing this, advertising ceases to be profitable (because no one is watching it), and at that point running a network becomes unprofitable.

What's the long-term future?

[lordscarlet]

Forcing companies like tivo to put ads into fast-forwarding, which they have done.

Making shows accessible on a network-sponsored feed (a la hulu) which makes it super easy to get shows whenever you want but hard to skip commercials.

[albionmoonlight]

I think that you might also see more of the product placement within shows. Someone told me that Pottery Barn experienced a noticable increase in business after the Pottery Barn episode of Friends aired.

And I know that whatever company owns Doritos paid to have the snack machine in The Office filled with Doritos products in the episode after the Super Bowl.

So maybe that is the way to make money going forward. Which is fine with me. If the ads become too obtrusive, it will start to make the show suck, and I won't watch it. And if it is not obtrusive, then it won't bother me and I will watch it.

In terms of "what's the long term future," I will say that the longer they let us go without having to watch commercials, the harder it will be to get us back.

Between DVR and podcasting, I pretty much don't listen to/watch commercials anymore.

[albionmoonlight]

dola--

Which I don't say to sound all high and mighty like I am too good for ads. Just as a way of noting that if a guy like me, who is far from an early adopter of technology, has managed to use technology to get rid of ads, then lots of people are getting used to a world without them.

As a quick example--my iPod recently broke, and I have been buring podcasts onto blank CDs rather than listen to the radio in the car. That's how much ads jar me now.

[cthomer5000]

I will say i am 100% fine with the level of ads on Hulu shows. In fact, i find i really actively watch them when they are short and infrequent.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Yep, I am still watching. I stopped posting about it on here because it felt like I was alone. I thought it was going to be another show like Journeyman, where I seemed to be the only one on this board who liked it.

Journeyman was great. I'm about 4 episodes behind on Dollhouse, going to try and catch up this week.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

In terms of "what's the long term future," I will say that the longer they let us go without having to watch commercials, the harder it will be to get us back.

Which means, of course, the advertisers will realize that commercials in TV are pointless and thus stop paying shows. Which will also mean the budget of shows for everything but paid cable will go incredibly in the toilet. That won't be pretty.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I will say i am 100% fine with the level of ads on Hulu shows. In fact, i find i really actively watch them when they are short and infrequent.

yeah - absolutely

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

yeah - absolutely

+2

[cthomer5000]

After getting caught up on the last two episodes, I'll stick with my statement that the show has basically gotten better with each episode.

I see right now that the last episode is the #2 TV show on the itunes TV chart. Hopefully there are enough week to week sales, and there will be enough TV sales, etc... to give the show enough promise to get a 2nd season. I'll be bummed if it doesn't.

[Lorena]

CAught up now, this last episode was definitely one of the better ones, I especially like the way it ended.

[ISiddiqui]

A biiiiit silly in the "look how awesomely we planned this" though. What if she decides to shoot Topher instead because he's too dangerous?

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

A biiiiit silly in the "look how awesomely we planned this" though. What if she decides to shoot Topher instead because he's too dangerous?

Yeah that's what Ant and I were talking about... they'd be so screwed.

[Travis]

Given that there is more than one Dollhouse I get the feeling that while Topher may have "invented' the process, that he's not the only one with knowledge of it now. I mean he's even training his potential replacement at this location.

[ISiddiqui]

Yah, but obviously he's the best (from what we've seen). And you don't allow something like that to even come CLOSE to happening!

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I think that you might also see more of the product placement within shows. Someone told me that Pottery Barn experienced a noticable increase in business after the Pottery Barn episode of Friends aired.

They're also planning to heavily start targeted advertising in a scroll at the bottom of the screen during shows, much like they do now with other show promos.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

The problem is, once everyone is doing this, advertising ceases to be profitable (because no one is watching it), and at that point running a network becomes unprofitable.

You're probably still at least a couple of decades away from that being truly critical mass though. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 to 80 percent of commercials are still watched on DVR, every study to date has shown there's actually surprisingly little fast forwarding going on. People still use the commercials to go to the bathroom, hit the kitchen, etc., similar to the way they always have.

Some (okay, most) of the handwringing about that comes from my side of the business, but it's really played up just to try to counter pricing that's remained higher than it should during decreasing total viewership. It's as much gamesmanship at this point than a major issue. We just can't admit that since we need to get the prices down to something more realistic.

[cthomer5000]

The 'Dollhouse' situation and what Whedon should do next | The Watcher


Very weird situation with the 13th episode of Dollhouse.... worth reading.

I can't decide if it's a bad sign, there was some terrible communication between the production company and Fox, or if there is 'nothing to see here.'

In short, there is a 13th episode that will not air on Fox but will be on DVD. This also, supposedly, is no indication of the future of the series.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

The 'Dollhouse' situation and what Whedon should do next | The Watcher


Very weird situation with the 13th episode of Dollhouse.... worth reading.

I can't decide if it's a bad sign, there was some terrible communication between the production company and Fox, or if there is 'nothing to see here.'

In short, there is a 13th episode that will not air on Fox but will be on DVD. This also, supposedly, is no indication of the future of the series.

is there eliza dushku nakedness on it? cuz if there's nakedness i'm buying the dvd's