 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dollhouse
- Fox
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Exciting action series examines deep questions of self.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this sci-fi/action series from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer plays with the concept of identity. The Dollhouse's "actives" have no personality of their own; each is temporarily imprinted with another identity before a mission. Between jobs, they're left with no character at all, existing as childlike innocents. Those elements could appeal to teens, who are still in the process of figuring out who they are and what they want to be -- but it also means that the characters don't really gain enough traction to become role models. Expect some swearing ("bitch"), social drinking, and sex (nothing too sensitive is shown), and quite a lot of violence -- though relatively little blood.
What's the story?
It's not quite clear what Echo (Eliza Dushku) has done, but it must have been pretty bad for her to end up in the secret, highly illegal DOLLHOUSE. The project specializes in transplanting other people's entire characters into the minds of its agents (known as "actives"), including memories, special skills, and even mundane details like needing glasses. Whoever they were before becoming an active is scrubbed away completely, making them empty vessels ready to be sent out to do whatever a client has requested, complete with any and all talents and abilities necessary for each mission. Need a Spanish-speaking negotiator with a background in handling kidnappers? No problem. How about a highly trained military commando or a motorcycle-riding girlfriend with a taste for bondage? The Dollhouse can create whatever a client wants -- for a hefty fee. The downside -- and it's a big one -- is that to accept a new character, the actives must remain blank slates; between jobs, they wander though their very comfortable base like innocent children, completely unaware of who they really are. It may not be prison, but in a way it's much worse.
Is it any good?
All of that adds up to a fascinating conceit for a series, giving creator Joss Whedon the freedom to take the show in just about any direction he wants while still providing a compelling framework to hook viewers who will want to know more about the Dollhouse operation. And fans aren't the only ones: FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) is also trying to track down the Dollhouse, though his superiors are convinced he's wasting his time on an urban legend.
But it's no legend, and the idea that personalities and experiences can be archived and implanted into other people means that Whedon can place his characters into a huge variety of exciting situations while examining the very nature of what makes us human. Many producers would be happy enough to focus on the action possibilities, which would make Dollhouse just another spy series with a unique concept. But Whedon has track record of creating some of the most fully realized, original characters in recent years, which suggests that he plans to spend some time here evaluating the philosophical underpinnings of identity and reality. And he'll make it really cool.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about identity. What makes you who you are? If you take away someone's memories and abilities, what's left? If you suddenly had another person's memories, how would that change you? Does this concept seem plausible? Do you find the idea of having your entire self removed from your mind scary? Why do so many sci-fi TV shows and films play with the idea of shifting a person's identity into a new body?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Another Joss Whedon show!
I love Joss, so I've been looking forward to Dollhouse for a long time. That said, I think that we're still talking about potential here, and that's a bad sign. We all know Fox is impatient.
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AGE
A worthwhile watch...
Dollhouse is another great show by Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel). It is a worthwhile watch for anyone over the age of 14. The content can be rather iffy in some cases, but is tame enough for television. It is a fast pace, science fiction thriller, one that will keep you anticipating Friday's at 9 p.m.!
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AGE
Not a Child, Teen, or Family Program in Any Way. Great for Horror-Minded Adults.
First off, I love Dollhouse. It's one of my favorite shows. It asks some great questions about the world and the nature of humanity. It has to go to some very nasty places to do so. Places I'd never take a kid.
The one place where Dollhouse wins is feminist messages. Its full of strong woman with varying degrees of strength and empowerment, though in the end it seems like men call the shots way too often--then again, the show is partly an indictment of the objectification of women, so showing the horrors of that works. But the truth is that Dollhouse is a series for adults, and its objectionable content and complex moral dilemmas are hard for teens. Out and out evil characters end up being the good guys at various parts, the good characters do bad things, and groups of people with different ideas about how to save the world murder, manipulate, and even rape each other to win. Among all this are several mentally ill characters whose actions cannot be read as a moral judgement, yet who spout delusions of morality. It's a complicated landscape of ethics that a young teen probably can't navigate, and some older teens couldn't without help. Some of the content in this show was so horrific that I cried, screamed, looked away, and I'm a 23-year-old woman who's been laughing at horror movies since I was half that age. I think this is just too much for younger teens. Definitely watch as a family with your older ones. You might need your older teens' wide-eyed idealism to process the terrible things they do to Echo.
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AGE
One of the Best Shows in the Universe!!
A very good show! It's a piece of genius! Joss Whedon is one of my favorite directors in the universe! Joss Whedon created Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog. It's a little iffy but really it's an awesome show!
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AGE
amazing
When I first saw these commercials, I thought they were just going to rip off the plot of one of my favorite books. I still think that (and I bet I know how the series will end), but the plots are still interesting, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, and most of the actors are good, except for the woman who (I think) runs the dollhouse. Even though this means Specials should sue for plagerism, I think I will continue to watch the show. It is violent, but I still reccomend it for 10+
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AGE
Identity, Sex, Drugs..but a good show
I think overall, the series seems to frown on bad behavior. Rape, Drugs, etc. If you feel your kid is strong enough to be able to handle the sexual under, and in some cases, overtones, then let them watch it.
The rape episode really sticks out in my mind.. it could show teenage boys who don't understand the effects of rape what it does to people.
I can't wait for the next season, and I quite hope it just keeps getting better. It does not shy away from the bad issues, that's for sure.
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AGE
Not at all a kid or teen show; great fun for adults
A wonderful, thought-provoking show, right up there with Wheedon's best - but not for kids or teens. Way too complex for anyone under the age of, say, 23. See obnoxiousm's excellent review too.
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AGE
Excellent show, but with some iffy content
I love dollhouse. It is an excellent show, but can get pretty violent and does have some iffy language and sexual aspects to it.
Overall an excellent show, but has intense and vivid violence.
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AGE
AmAzInG
It has a very interesting and hooking plot. It dives deep into different characters all with implanted personalities.
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Fox |
| Cast: | Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Tahmoh Penikett |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
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