To help get ready for the second Season Premiere of Dollhouse, which airs tonight, I thought I take the time to review the show. 

More after the jump.

The plot of Dollhouse is sinisterly simple. Eliza Dushku plays a young woman called Echo, a member of a group of people known as "Actives" or "Dolls". The Dolls, who are named after the NATO phonetic alphabet, are people whose personalities and existence in the world have been wiped clean to be imprinted with any number of new personas. The Actives are then hired out for particular jobs, which can be anything from committing a crime to enacting a fantasy to performing the occasional good deed. In between engagements they are mind-wiped into a child-like state and live in a futuristic dorm/laboratory, a hidden facility nicknamed "The Dollhouse", which  is located somewhere in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) is a determined federal agent who is trying to find the Dollhouse.

Here is the trailer:

Like Fringe, Dollhouse was part of Fox's "Remote-Free TV", which meant that episodes are about six minutes longer than standard one-hour dramas on Fox television because they aired with half as many commercials. The second season will have normal commercials since Fox has cancelled Remote-Free TV.

I remember seeing the premiere for this show at New York ComicCon. Joss Whedon and Tahmoh Penikett introduced clips and TV Guide's Matt Roush moderated the panel.  Matt had seen the first six episodes at that time and said something very important.  He warned people that the series started off slow, but if you waited, it would be well worth it.  He was correct.  The first four or so episodes set up the background, the characters, and the plot (although not bad, these episodes are not that great).  Once the setup is done, the season kicks into high gear.  The dialogue, while not as good as other Whedon shows is snappy and the action is fantastic.

 There are thirteen episodes in the first season (sort of).  Due to a contract dispute, Fox counted a never aired 'pilot' episode as part of the 13 episode commitment even though it was scrapped and used piecemeal foe scenes in several later episodes.   Unfortunately, Whedon had filmed a real thirteenth episode, "Epitaph One," which was not aired in the US.  I got to see this episode at a special premiere at the 2009 Comic-Con in San Diego.  It may be the best episode of the season.  (Dr. Horrible fans will also note that Miracle Laurie stars in the episode and will be in the second season).  (I also bought the ridiculously overpriced limited edition Blu Ray, which had a special message from Joss Whedon and is still in the shrink wrap). We learned during that panel that this season will have several guest stars that will be familiar to fans of Joss Whedon.  Alexis Denisof (Angel) will be joining the cast as Senator Daniel Perrin (who already has his own viral site here, and Summer Glau (Firefly) is scheduled to appear in at least two episodes as Bennett, a character who is working inside a Dollhouse.

Jamie Bamber (BSG) will have a cameo in the season premiere episode "Vows," which airs tonight at 9 pm. The show is on the same night as Smallville on the WB.  I wonder who will win the demographic war for the night.  My money is on Eliza.  Here is the trailer for the episode:

But, if you just want to catch up before tonight's show (or need a refresher).  Watch the following eleven minute spoiler-filled video.

The first season is available at Amazon.com.  If you plan on buying it, it is available in both DVD and Blu Ray formats, and you will be supporting the site by buying it through my links.