The premise of Dollhouse, Joss Whedon’s new series on Fox, is going to take some serious suspension of disbelief. A secret organization takes seemingly willing people, gives them an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-wipe and implants new personalities in them to rent out to wealthy clients. Um, sure. But hey, this is the man who made us buy a teenage demon fighter, a vampire with a soul and space cowboys, so it’s worth a shot.

Once the initially clunky exposition is out of the way in the pilot, it’s tough not to get sucked in to the intrigue. Eliza Dushku plays Echo, an “active” who exists in a blank state in the fancy secret agency HQ until she is implanted with a new personality for specific jobs. Who she was before she volunteered is unclear, but the show hints she was in some sort of trouble and opted to have it erased in exchange for five years of service.

Much like Alias, each week will see Echo take on a new character (and hopefully new wigs!) and new missions. But whereas Alias had Sydney Bristow’s personal life to ground the series, Dollhouse‘s Echo is utterly devoid of her own personality, though the pilot hints that her slate might not be quite so blank. It will be interesting to see Whedon come up with a new personality for her each week, and a challenge to make her compelling when her own character is virtually nonexistent. But if anyone is up to the challenge, it’s Whedon. But considering that Dollhouse is on Fridays on Fox, much like his short-lived series Firefly, let’s hope the network is up to airing it more than six episodes so we can find out.

By now, if you’re a Joss Whedon fan, you’ve already heard: He’s coming back to TV. He’s making a show for Fox called Dollhouse, starring Eliza Dushku. The premise involves a bunch of people who can be imprinted with various skills and personalities and then are wiped clean once the job is done. But Eliza Dushku’s character starts to retain her memory and become more self-aware.

On the one hand, I’m superexcited. I mean, it’s Joss after all. And Faith. On the other hand, it’s Fox. And it’s not like they haven’t totally screwed over a Joss Whedon series in the past (coughFIREFLYcough). So you can’t blame a guy for being a little wary. The plot also sounds a lot like The Pretender.

Also disappointing news: Whedon has vowed not to write any more of the scripts for the seven-episode commitment until the writers’ strike is over, which could be months from now. But despite all this … it’s Joss! And Faith! On TV! It’s hard not to be excited.

In the last big number of “Once More, With Feeling,” Buffy The Vampire‘s spectacular season six musical episode, Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy looks directly into the camera and sings, “We’ll sing a happy song / And you can sing along.”

It’s as if writer/director Joss Whedon knew how popular the endlessly clever, surprisingly catchy episode would be with diehard fans, who memorize even spoken lines of dialog. One such fan, Clinton McClung, couldn’t stop singing it and figured there were others like him. And he’s taking the musical to theaters across the country, where Buffy obsessives are lining up to sing their hearts out with fellow fans.

Continue reading Buffy's still something to sing about

Poor Tim Minear.

He has had Firefly, Wonderfalls, The Inside and now Drive cancelled after less than a full season. I was such a fan of his work that I planned on watching Drive, even though it’s about cars. I have all the episodes sitting on my Tivo, but maybe I shouldn’t even bother. If I like it, I’ll never get to see how it ends, and after suffering through that with Wonderfalls, I don’t think I can handle it.

Also, pity Drive star Nathan Fillion. He was so fantastic in Serenity but just can’t seem to get a break. Hopefully, his upcoming dramedy Waitress with Keri Russell will finally give him the accolades he deserves. At least Fox can’t cancel it.

Despite the fact that his last two series failed and his movie based on his failed series failed, we here at Gig Matrix just can’t get enough of Joss Whedon. Why, the man can even make a grocery list hilarious!

Just Jossin with you

Whedon has been busy pimpin’ another great but underrated TV show, UPN’s Veronica Mars. He first posted a fanboyish rant on Whedonesque urging people to check it out and then gave the first season DVD a glowing review in Entertainment Weekly. Next, Joss will cameo in the November 9 episode of the series as a snarky rental-car manager. Writer, director, now actor; is there anything this man can’t do?

Yes, make Serenity a hit, apparently. Ouch.

Fox has reportedly announced that it will release the complete series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in one honkin’ huge slayer package. It will have all seven seasons, a bonus disc with a documentary by Joss Whedon (could be good), a letter signed by Joss (don’t care), and a book with episode listings and memorable Buffy quotes (shrug). It’ll be out Nov. 15.

The thing that pisses me off, though, is that it will be $199.98! I just finally got around to buying the rest of the seasons I didn’t already have and each season cost about $50. I could have had the whole dang series for almost half the price!

Fox, you marketing bastards…

Buffy The Vampire Slayer has been off the air for more than two years, but it continues to influence genre television. Last season, Alyson Hannigan appeared on Veronica Mars as Logan’s spoiled, bitchy sister. Unfortunately, she was woefully miscast, and Willow’s witchy charms were largely wasted.

Marsterpiece Theatre

Fortunately, it looks like another Buffy alum will be better used, as Charisma Carpenter will be voyaging to Mars for a stint as a bitchy trophy wife. It certainly seems like a more logical career path for Cordelia Chase than getting knocked up by Angel’s whiny son and giving birth to Firefly‘s Zoe, right?

In other casting news, it seems Smallville isn’t content merely cannibalizing Buffy‘s premise and characters, it’s now pillaging its actors. James Marsters will join the cast as Brainiac, a college professor who tries to turn Clark to the dark side. Now that’s some smart casting.

OK, so the pun that comprises the title of this post might be weak, but the season finale of Veronica Mars was anything but. The conclusion of the first season of this freshman series was the most satisfying since season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and that’s not something I say lightly.

Not only did the final episode solve the season-long mystery of who killed Veronica’s best friend in a satisfactory manner, but it also left us with several tantalizing cliffhangers to ponder over the summer.

No one I know is watching this show, but I can’t recommend it highly enough. As soon as the first season is available on DVD, get it, love it and talk to me. We can await the start of season two together.

It’s going to be a long summer …

Do you like robots?

What about chickens?

If you answered “yes” to both of those questions like I did, perhaps you, too, will like Robot Chicken.

The stop-motion animation show is created by Seth Green and Matt Senreich. I have no idea who the second guy is, but you probably know Seth Green as Oz on Buffy the Vampire Slayer or from the Austin Powers movies. Basically, the show is a bunch of quick vingettes satirizing various pop culture icons, particularly from our childhood.

Continue reading Finger-lickin' good

Jonesin’ for Joss and can’t wait till Whedon’s Serenity hits the silver screen this fall? Then check out UPN’s Veronica Mars, the spiritual successor to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and for my money, the best new show of the season. (Yes, even better than Lost.)

Veronica is smart;
she uses a Mac.

Veronica Mars is a modern-day Nancy Drew, and the first season introduces a multitude of mysteries for our heroine to solve. Who murdered her best friend? Why did her mom disappear? Who is her real father? And, as Veronica voiceovers in the pilot, “Want to know how I lost my virginity? So do I.”

Much like Buffy, the show introduces a solvable mini-mystery each week while measuring out doses of the main arc in tantalizing bits and pieces. The dialog is snappy, the plot twists unexpected and the drama surprisingly compelling. And creator Rob Thomas (no, not that tool from Matchbox 20) promises to reveal the best friend’s killer in the season finale.

If that’s not intriguing enough to get you to check out a show on UPN, then consider this further incentive: Buffy‘s Alyson Hannigan will guest star in the February 22 episode as Lisa Rinna’s daughter. Willow and Billie together for the first time! How could anyone resist?