Friday, May 08, 2009

Dollhouse "Omega" - Change Your Heart, I'll Astound You

Enjoyed the season (series?) finale for Dollhouse, but not nearly as much as I thought I would after last week's mind-bender. The episode (and the series) really worked much better when the focus wasn't on Eliza Dushku. It was a kick seeing Whedon vets Alan Tudyk (Firefly) and Amy Acker (Angel) burn the small screen, but it also made it even more apparent that perhaps Dushku shouldn't be the star here.

The series thus far has resisted using popular music, so it was a bit of a surprise to hear first the White Plains' "My Baby Loves Lovin'" in radio as Alpha and Echo drive in their stolen car. Then writer/director of the episode Tim Minnear (the go-to-guy for dark-y Whedon) has his Tarantino moment, with Roy Orbison playing ("In Dreams") in the background to a torture scene. But the prize goes to using Beck's fine cover of "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometimes," which many will recognize as the song from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a film who's science obviously lines up nicely with Dollhouse.

The episode didn't feel like a series ending, and I hope that Dollhouse comes back for another go, because it really started to get its legs once the standalone episodes were burned and the mythology was able to develop. I fear, though, that this might very well be the end. The ratings have continued to sink, drying up a lot of hope that we'll get to see Alan Tudyk exercise the 48 imprint workout again.

Music from Dollhouse - Episode 1.13 ("Omega")
1. "My Baby Loves Lovin'" - White Plains - Alpha and Echo in the stolen car
2. "In Dreams" - Roy Orbison - Alpha tortures a client
3. "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometimes" - Beck - ending montage

4 comments:

Arjan said...

I liked the finale, but it was sometimes a bit of confusing in which time frame they were in(switching between the past and present).

*spoiler, but then again, I guess people who read this post have already seen the finale*

I'll find my way to the torrents again if they are 'alowed' to make a 2nd season, but thankfully there wasn't a cliffhanger that makes you scream out loud for a 2nd season. Alpha got away and there is still plenty to tell, but at least some ends got tied.

Vladimir Cazacu said...

Any idea what the song after In Dreams is? The one when they actualy torture the client the rocky/echoy one , I cant find it anywhere.
Please help.

youreviltwin said...

yeah, i get the tarantino thing, but it had all SORTS of stuff thrown in- the dude being tortured seemed to want to have a three way with woody and juliette in natural born killers, and the whole "that's what you said when you came to get me when i was thirteen" thing was right out of the stone film. me, i felt like it was less tarantino and MUCH MORE wild at heart by david lynch, especially the scene with whiskey dancing in the smoke. the roy orbison music, though, that was pretty evocative of resevoir dogs. you have to love minear for really making it COUNT, though, don't you?

Anonymous said...

@Vladimir... I know this is years later... "Whisky and Alpha" by Robsimonsen
http://robsimonsen.com/listen/tv/dollhouse