Moral Dilemmas on the Small Screen
May. 4th, 2009 06:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deird_ljI have a confession for you all.
...one which most of you won't care about in the slightest, and the rest of you will probably disagree with me about.
But here it is, for what it's worth:
I don't think that Dollhouse is morally simple (black/white, good/evil)
- but if it is, I'm on the side of the bad guys.
See, here's the thing. Sierra's handler does something insanely evil? Adelle finds out? I cheer as Adelle kills the bastard in a very ironic manner.
Dominic is secretly working for the NSA against the Dollhouse? Adelle finds out? I cheer as Adelle sends him to the attic.
Paul breaks into the Dollhouse to get Caroline out?
...he takes down Topher, and I gasp in horror.
...he opens November's pod, and I want to hit him.
...he smashes through Victor's pod, and I want to hit him harder.
...he takes on Boyd, and I hope desperately that Boyd wins.
...he tries to take Echo outside, and I shriek "No! You bastard! Poor Echo!"
...he gets punched by Boyd, and I think about poor Topher, lying tazered and unconcious upstairs, and clap Boyd enthusiastically.
...Echo pulls him down the stairs, and I cheer!
...Adelle ties him up in her office and smiles nastily at him, and I cheer some more!
This has never happened to me before.
I liked Jack Harper, but I still wanted him to lose to Tru every week.
I loved Lilah Morgan, but I still wanted Wolfram & Hart's schemes to fail.
But, you see, I care about the Dollhouse employees.
Adelle is lovely (if insanely ruthless and more than a little bitchy), and she does seem to think that they're doing altruistic work.
Ditto with Topher.
Claire and Boyd? They're protecting the dolls, more than anything else. (Plus, Claire wins major woobie-points for her face.)
And the actives themselves are just cute as anything.
...whereas Paul is basically an utter bastard. Who is slowly going insane.
So, if you insist that it's a black and white situation, with "Paul demolishes the Dollhouse, and sets Caroline, et al, free (thus sending the others to jail, and dissolving the Doll personalities as the real people resume their lives)" on one side, and "Adelle, Topher, Claire, and Boyd all continue to run the Dollhouse, the Dolls continue to paint and go swimming, and Paul goes down" on the other side, I'm going to be lining up on the Evil side of the equation.
I just care so much more about those people...
...one which most of you won't care about in the slightest, and the rest of you will probably disagree with me about.
But here it is, for what it's worth:
- but if it is, I'm on the side of the bad guys.
See, here's the thing. Sierra's handler does something insanely evil? Adelle finds out? I cheer as Adelle kills the bastard in a very ironic manner.
Dominic is secretly working for the NSA against the Dollhouse? Adelle finds out? I cheer as Adelle sends him to the attic.
Paul breaks into the Dollhouse to get Caroline out?
...he takes down Topher, and I gasp in horror.
...he opens November's pod, and I want to hit him.
...he smashes through Victor's pod, and I want to hit him harder.
...he takes on Boyd, and I hope desperately that Boyd wins.
...he tries to take Echo outside, and I shriek "No! You bastard! Poor Echo!"
...he gets punched by Boyd, and I think about poor Topher, lying tazered and unconcious upstairs, and clap Boyd enthusiastically.
...Echo pulls him down the stairs, and I cheer!
...Adelle ties him up in her office and smiles nastily at him, and I cheer some more!
This has never happened to me before.
I liked Jack Harper, but I still wanted him to lose to Tru every week.
I loved Lilah Morgan, but I still wanted Wolfram & Hart's schemes to fail.
But, you see, I care about the Dollhouse employees.
Adelle is lovely (if insanely ruthless and more than a little bitchy), and she does seem to think that they're doing altruistic work.
Ditto with Topher.
Claire and Boyd? They're protecting the dolls, more than anything else. (Plus, Claire wins major woobie-points for her face.)
And the actives themselves are just cute as anything.
...whereas Paul is basically an utter bastard. Who is slowly going insane.
So, if you insist that it's a black and white situation, with "Paul demolishes the Dollhouse, and sets Caroline, et al, free (thus sending the others to jail, and dissolving the Doll personalities as the real people resume their lives)" on one side, and "Adelle, Topher, Claire, and Boyd all continue to run the Dollhouse, the Dolls continue to paint and go swimming, and Paul goes down" on the other side, I'm going to be lining up on the Evil side of the equation.
I just care so much more about those people...
From Laney
Date: 2009-05-04 09:29 am (UTC)I saw an episode of Angel the other night. It came on while I was feeding Josh very late, and we ended up enjoying it too much and watching it. And getting very tired.
Here are my questions:
1) Matt and I reckon you would think Wesley is cute. And also Cordelia, and that you might ship them. Are we right?
2) I don't find Angel one bit attractive. Yet I find David B. quite attractive in Bones. This may have to do with the fact that Angel does not appear to exhibit a sense of humour.
Or does he? Did I get the wrong episode / season?
3) I LOVE the evil lawyer corporation with senior partners concept. And I REALLY like that grey-haired guy who seems to be the main Wolfram&Hart dude. He looks familiar. Has he been in something else I should know?
4) I thought Spike was in Angel. Is he? I feel like you showed me a cool scene on youtube or something.
5) Are we supposed to ship Angel with anyone? Or is the idea that he's meant to be tragically in love with Buffy but unable to be with her for the rest of eternity?
6) The prophecy last night was that Angel would become human. Does he?
None of this has anything to do with Dollhouse, I realise. But you did mention WR&H, so I seized the opening.
Plus, I suppose I could ask you whether finding people attractive when they have a cool sense of humour is relevant to your Dollhouse 'Go, baddies, go!' issue. It seems a bit like your Tempus guy being too ridiculously cool (or The Master, for that matter).
(Incidentally, I would loooove to discuss That Video...)
Re: From Laney
Date: 2009-05-04 11:39 am (UTC)Why does she get major woobie points for her face? Unless she's played by Eliza D., in which case I think I'd be awarding woobie points every time she made the shot.
Okay. This woman (who is played by one of the most gorgeous actresses I know of - see my icon) was, about a year previously, slashed across the face with a knife by our villain.
Her entire face is covered in long disfiguring scars.
And she's so lovely, and rather self-conscious, and you just end up wanting to give her lots of big hugs and chocolate...
Onto Angel...
Which episode are we talking about, here? I'm guessing, just from the 'prophecy' mention, that it was the finale of season 1. But I'm not entirely sure. More details on the plot would help?
Matt and I reckon you would think Wesley is cute.
Wesley is incredibly cute. You really do have to witness the progression from "glasses-wearing dork" to "stubbly shotgun-user" to truly understand how awesome he is - I'll show you pictures sometime.
And also Cordelia, and that you might ship them. Are we right?
Heh. Not even close, on this one (although they were a very cute almost-couple on Buffy).
I would ship Cordelia with Dennis The Ghost, or occasionally with Angel.
Wesley I tend to ship with Fred (again - see the icon), and otherwise with Lilah (evil, but incredible) or Illyria (blue-haired version of Fred... sort of).
I don't find Angel one bit attractive. Yet I find David B. quite attractive in Bones. This may have to do with the fact that Angel does not appear to exhibit a sense of humour.
Or does he? Did I get the wrong episode / season?
His sense of humour only appears occasionally - but it's just wonderful when it does. Angel smiling just lights up everything.
I'll show you clips, at some point, and you'll see what I mean...
I LOVE the evil lawyer corporation with senior partners concept.
Uh-huh. Really works well for the show.
And I REALLY like that grey-haired guy who seems to be the main Wolfram&Hart dude. He looks familiar. Has he been in something else I should know?
Hmm. Once again, it would help to know which episode we're talking about here. The "main W&H person" changes several times.
I'm guessing you mean Holland Manners - who is pretty cool.
I thought Spike was in Angel. Is he?
He is. In season 5. (Which definitely wasn't the season you saw.)
Are we supposed to ship Angel with anyone? Or is the idea that he's meant to be tragically in love with Buffy but unable to be with her for the rest of eternity?
Hmm... Good question... Sort of both...
Angel is Dark And Tragic, because he is forever Doomed To Be Apart From The Love Of His Life.
Who the said L.O.H.L. actually is depends on who you ask, and when we're talking about.
At any one point in time, the Love Of His Life From Whom He Shall Eternally Be Parted could be Buffy, Darla, and Cordelia all at the same time. It gets slightly confusing.
Personally, I ship Angel/Darla like nothing else (because they're AWESOME), but that's possibly just me...
The prophecy last night was that Angel would become human. Does he?
It... gets complicated. I'll explain it sometime.
None of this has anything to do with Dollhouse, I realise. But you did mention WR&H, so I seized the opening.
Hey, anytime. I'm always happy to discuss almost any of the shows in which I have an interest.
Plus, I suppose I could ask you whether finding people attractive when they have a cool sense of humour is relevant to your Dollhouse 'Go, baddies, go!' issue. It seems a bit like your Tempus guy being too ridiculously cool (or The Master, for that matter).
Ooh. Good point. Although I never actually wanted Tempus to succeed...
(Incidentally, I would loooove to discuss That Video...)
(We'll talk.)
Re: From Laney
Date: 2009-05-04 10:31 pm (UTC)The prophecy last night was that Angel would become human. Does he?
It... gets complicated. I'll explain it sometime.
Especially if one includes that "Season 6" comics...