Saturday, February 14, 2009

Whedon's Dollhouse


Joss "don't call me Josh" Whedon is premiering a new TV show, Dollhouse with the delectable Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy). (I liked her show Tru Calling).

I thought at first that this would be another web-only show like Dr. Horrible, but it's real TV. (!)

Funny enough, I had just been thinking about something, because I got a note on YouTube that LisaNova has a new webisode up: I realized that even with creators I greatly admire, I'm not all that likely to be very interested in video shows made just for the web, meaning made on a shoe-string budget.

I'm not saying great shows can't be made that way, but I'm not sure I have yet seen any. Not ones that are consistently watchable anyway. It's usually something filmed poorly in somebody's back yard, with cheap-ass customes and so on. Making a good film or show takes a lot of talent, work, and money. And if the money is missing, you have to make up for it with even more work and talent. So, not easy!

Of course this doesn't change the fact that digital production and distribution has made the entry level far lower than ever before, and that's wonderful. And I think it's only a matter of time before we see really professionally produced shows and films made primarily for Net distribution. I see no reason something has to have a TV or DVD release in order to be commercially successful, except that the bandwidth needed for Net distribution is a very new event yet, and the interface and mentality for it are very shaky yet.

16 comments:

DeltaCubed said...

So, ES, what did you think of Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog? Have you seen the DVD yet?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I bought it via iTunes when it came out. I thought it was... pretty good, but not really that notable.

Alex said...

She was good fun in "Bottle Shock". I'm looking forward to seeing Nobel Son too, which was her other recent film.

Why does everyone talk about Buffy and never mention Firefly?

Anyway missed Dollhouse on Fri, hopefully catch a webcast or encore presentation before the weeks out.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Thanks, I'll get Bottle Shock.

Personally I simply liked Buffy a lot more than Firefly. I tried both the movie and the show of the latter. Apart from some hot women it didn't hold my interest.

Alex said...

Be aware she only has two 5 minute scenes in Bottle Shock - however you may appreciate the Tasmanian delights of Rachael Taylor.

Alex said...

Dare I say, Dollhouse ep1, Echo must be the second hottest girl on a motor cycle, after Duenan Knute in Appleseed - Ex Machina

Alex said...

Erm, you can actually buy this at Amazon already!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SE9LY8/ref=pe_25420_11353410_fe_exp_1/

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

If you're in the US.

Alex said...

How do they know?

If I can get to see it commercial free I'll probably enjoy the whole series, but I have a feeling that the ad's are going to be painful.

Episode one was fun, but still the surface story, the short one, seemed a little cliched.

I like the deeper on-going story, and the two dead bodies and naked guy at the end added a disturbing twist.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Don't add too many spoilers.

I think they track IPs. Some TV sites do that, like Hullubuloo or whatever it's called.

Alex said...

Sorry, I just mentioned one image that lifted the show above Bionic Woman level to something more intriguing.

It's like when Mal knocks Niskas flunky into the engine at the end of Train Job, I knew I wasn't watching Jean Luc Picard.

And people need to know about hot chicks on motor cycles.

Alex said...

Finally got to see "Nobel Son".

Great film full of twists and turns.

Eliza is just fantastic as the love interest in this. That has to be the hottest scene I've ever seen Bill Pullman in.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Hotter than Something Wild?

Fanks, I'll chek it aaht.

Alex said...

That was Jeff Daniels.

I had to check the listings for Arachnophobia last night - I'd made the same mistake there.

BP was the jilted one in Sleepless in Seattle, the one got hitched with Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping. I don't think I've seen him in anything hot at all.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Oh ya. They're kinda samey.

Alex said...

Dollhouse UK air date, Tue 19th May. SciFi UK.

We just had the season closer last weekend, looks like a second season is expected.