Originally slated to premiere on September 18, Dollhouse’s season debut is being moved to Sept. 25 give Glee’s Sept. 16 premiere an encore opportunity on September 18.
via press release:
“DOLLHOUSE” PREMIERES FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, ON FOX
Premiere Episode Written and Directed by Series Creator Joss Whedon
The second season of Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE will premiere Friday, Sept. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon will write and direct the episode that will set the stage for Season Two.
In DOLLHOUSE, Eliza Dushku stars as “Echo,” an “Active” in a highly illegal and underground group of individuals whose personalities have been wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas. Confined between missions to a secret facility known as the “Dollhouse,” the Actives are hired by the wealthy, powerful and connected to wholly become – with mind, personality and physiology – whomever the client wants or needs them to be. Whether imprinted to be a lover, an assassin, a corporate negotiator or a best friend, the Actives know no other life than the specific engagements they are in at that time – or do they?
DOLLHOUSE is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series was created by Joss Whedon, who also serves as executive producer, writer and director. Tim Minear is an executive producer, while Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas and David Solomon are co-executive producers. Additionally, series star Eliza Dushku serves as a producer. The series also stars Tahmoh Penikett, Olivia Williams, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Dichen Lachman and Enver Gjokaj.
An encore of the series premiere of GLEE on Friday, Sept. 18 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) replaces the previously announced season premiere episode of DOLLHOUSE. The episode follows the series premiere of BROTHERS (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) and the season premiere of ‘TIL DEATH (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT).]
Awaiting Joss’s Biggest Fan’s comment in 3, 2, 1…
They’re going to re-air the Glee premiere on a Friday night? If they’re going to go to the trouble of showing it again, they couldn’t have picked a night when people would actually watch it? And why do I get the feeling that they’ll show the truncated pilot we got instead of the full 2-hour version?
Im still suprised that DULL HOUSE didnt get the axe. Maybe next they will push the date back to October 23rd. Then next year. Then…
They really seem to be pushing that Glee thing. It’s like Malcolm in the Middle, all over again (the marketing I mean, I have no idea if the comedy is similar.)
Still, gives Whedon one extra week to polish the first new episode, and that’s got to be good.
Wow, I bet the show’s four viewers aren’t going to like this.
So…. Jut to clarify. Are they going to re-air the pilot of Glee (the one from May) on 9/16 or the first new episode and then repeat the first new episode on 9/18? I think I read where they are re-airing the May pilot on Fri 9/11. Not sure though. Doesn’t matter. Too far away…back to the pool
Ok, one more thing. Is the first episode of Dollhouse not the mystical 13th episode that never aired last season or is it a brand new one that won’t be on the DVD? Was that 13th episode just a stand alone?
NOW back to the pool. =)
Tony, I read elsewhere, but cannot now find it to link, that the “13th episode” has still not been licensed by Fox Broadcasting, and is currently not planned to be aired, but obviously it could be at some point.
As for Glee, what airs on Sept. 16 is what’s being repeated on Sept. 18. Based on what I’ve read though, I’m not sure if it will be the same “preview” episode that aired in May.
the extra episode and the unaired dollhouse pilot are both on the DVD / will not be aired
Bad Robot! While Terminator was a definite cancellation, Dollhouse had a slight chance. FOX just needed dramas and while its first 2 freshman dramas were succeses Dollhouse was a little shaky on fridays. Dollhouse was actually the first new series for FOX that aired on fridays that actually got another season. While cancellation was likely, Dollhouse was saved for a few reasons
1. FOX sometimes gives second chances to moderately rated series they like (last years Terminator).
2. The series aired on fridays so expectations were lower.
3. It was a Joss Whedon series and FOX probably didnt want it to become another Firefly.
My guess is that Dollhouse will premiere on fridays to low ratings (3-4 million) and while it will air out all 13 episodes by December, it will be axed after that. FOX has a lot of returning dramas this year so if Dollhouse doesnt perform well, dont expect a full seasons worth of confidence (Again Terminator).
Til Death and Brothers will also do terribly but since they’re cheap comedies they will atleast get full seasons. Atleast Fridays will be repeat free for FOX.
It is just a TRAVESTY that FOX won’t air the 13th episode of Dollhouse! Everyone knows that 13 is a lucky number! And I can’t believe that FOX would deign to air this “Glee” show yet again in what should rightfully be Dollhouse’s slot!
In fact, Dollhouse should air its reruns in that timeslot all summer long, to help bring about the onslaught of new viewers that will certainly come to Dollhouse in September! Just three months ago, shadowy unnamed FOX insiders were saying that FOX wanted to make Dollhouse into the next X-Files using this strategy, so I don’t know what happened to the idea!
Dollhouse returns to the airwaves in 79 days! Praise Joss!
Hmm I wonder how bad the show will be this yr. Im expecting it to be worse really with a lower budget.
There is so much competiton on friday nights at 9.00 know. Well i know Dollhouse isnt much competiton but that and Medium and Southland and Ugly betty. Well as long as medium has good ratings ill be happy.
I don’t know that a lower budget on Dollhouse will matter, since they really didn’t look like they expended a lot of money on many of the season one episodes. Their main set was their biggest expense IIRC.
If you have good writers, you can have nice, tight episodes with next to no set or special effect expenses. Dollhouse is less an action show than a psychological show anyway – which may be one of its problems.
The question for Dollhouse’s future is whether they will deal with the problems they had in season one, specifically the lack of audience connection to the main characters, the shuffling characterization of some of the characters, and confusion over whether the Dollhouse is about an international conspiracy or just a criminal enterprise with no wider meaning.
I think the low budget will actually help the show. It’s a gut feeling, but Dollhouse is made by smart people, it’s aimed at a smart audience, and tighter budgets make it more difficult to make lazier episodes.
Having not liked a single thing Whedon did before Dollhouse, I’m still worried that Dollhouse isn’t the show I thought it was with season one, but that’s my only fear. Budget cuts? Pretty certain they’ll help the show. I’m really looking forward to season two, I have a good feeling about it. Now, if only it can attract an audience, or else do astonishingly well on the DVD sales, either will guarantee its survival.