Character relationships:

Over the course of season two we see the characters develop, the supposedly empty shells grow, they become aware. Of course we this the most with Echo, who retains every engagement she’s ever done. When the season starts, she and Ballard are missing, they are preparing to fight Rossum, to free the actives. This is in fact Echo’s arc, making sure she can get every active out and expose the Rossum Corporation for what they are. In the end, Caroline’s and Echo’s goal was the same, to destroy the Rossum Corporation. Eliza Dushku really impressed me in these two seasons, her character Echo really evolves over the course of 26 episodes, especially in the last 13 episodes. For a long time I hoped she would return to TV as lead of another TV show, sadly this never happened and it seems that she no longer is she active as an actress…pun intended. 😊

Ballard had a connection with Caroline before he even met her, when he is fired from the FBI he goes to work for Adelle as Echo’s handler. Before this was Boyd’s job, he too is still close to Echo working as head of security. Of course, towards the season we learn there was a different agenda for Boyd’s interest in Echo, although it seems that his feelings are sincere towards her.

Sierra and Victor have feelings for one another, which should not be possible in their actives’ state, but this relationship continues in various ways all through the series finale, although we see that they have been separated for a while because of different choices of the characters, but not because of their love for one another. I think Enver Gjokaj, who plays Victer, proves here that although he was still very young, he already was a terrific actor! When he becomes Topher, he is just brilliant, I was amazed at how similar he was able to play the character Topher, a character that has these quirky manners, gestures, high toned voice, he nailed it! Another scene, episode 3, “Belle Chose”, where he is imprinted as Kiki, a colleague girl. His female-like dancing, which straight men view as gay, he does this brilliant, as I said, great actor.

My favorite character is Topher Brink, at first an annoying, know it all genius, who definitely feels superior towards the actives, the handlers… well everybody. But slowly he also begins to change when he finds out what the Rossum Corporation is after, being able to use every human being as actives, without any active architecture inside a person. Adelle DeWitt is a mother figure for him, although they are at odds many times. Topher is a loner for most of the series because of his (annoying) character. He and Dr. Saunders are at odds all the time because, in the first episode of season two it blows up when Dr. Saunders learns that she herself was also an active named Whiskey, before she became Dr. Saunders, after Alpha had messed up her face. These were some powerful scenes. Later on in the season we see another twist regarding Whiskey / Dr. Saunders. Topher has a thing for his counterpart from the Washington Dollhouse, Bennett Halverson (Summer Glau), who also has a history with Caroline which we see in flashbacks. Bennett has become a bit scrambled in the head but Topher still keeps having a thing for her. I think a change in Topher’s character begins in episode 4, Belonging, where he cannot cope with the fact that Harding (Keith Carradine) orders DeWitt to “give” Sierra to a client who also happens to be a psychopath. To me, this is his turning point.

Adelle DeWitt also changes through season two, it seems she has become the puppet of Harding, she becomes indifferent to the wellbeing of the actives, of Topher, basically to anyone. But she decides to change that and what at first seems that she becomes the bitch of all bitches, it turns out, she has an agenda, same as Echo, Ballard, to destroy the Rossum Corporation.

Episodes:

Well, I said it before, this season is almost perfect, I graded one episode a 7.5/10 and the other 12 episodes an 8/10 or higher. My highest rating was episodes 4, Belonging, a 10/10. But episodes like “The Public Eye”, “The Left Hand”, “A Love Supreme”, “The Attic”, “Getting Closer”, “The Hollow Men” and the series finale “Epitaph Two: Return” are also very strong episodes. Especially the second season belongs to some of the best TV that has been made in the last 20-25 years, top-notch storytelling in my humble opinion.

Season two had some interesting guest stars and recurring characters. Alexis Denisof is Senator Daniel Perrin who wants to bring down the Dollhouse(s), it turns out that he himself is also a doll, a doll of himself! Already mentioned it briefly, Summer Glau is Bennett Halverson, Topher’s counterpart at the DC Dollhouse. A real joy to see Summer in this role. She returns later in the season, unfortunately her fate is sealed by a sleeper, working for the Rossum Corporation. Ray Wise is Howard Lipman, the Adelle of the Washington Dollhouse. Recently watched tv show “Reaper” again where he plays the devil. It felt really similar, love him in everything he does.

Final Word:

I didn’t remember season two was so good as it actually is, I can only recommend it, a rollercoaster ride full of action, drama, moving, emotional you name it. A show like NCIS, Criminal Minds or SWAT is just peanuts in comparison to this show….yet these other shows have far more seasons, something I can never understand, but that is just me. I’ve watched it again on Blu-ray, it looks amazing on Blu, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think this show was created this year or last year, great production values. Thank you Joss Whedon!

Screencaps taken from: cap-that.com