4/5 Things aren't what they seem
  by N. Brett (Wiltshire, England)
I watched the first couple of episodes on TV and then gave up, not realising that Dollhouse would develop into something quite deep and thought provoking. Based on reviews and comments, I invested in this box set and I'm very glad I did.

The Dollhouse is an organisation that brain wipes individuals and implants them with whatever personality a client may desire. This may vary from a sexual partner to a federal agent. Basically anything goes with very little evidence of morality. The lack of morality does provide the viewer with plenty of Eliza D in skimpy clothes, but as the show settles into a rhythm, there is little of this.

After a superficial start, and a few very average episodes, the show really kicks into something with real depth as layers upon layers are revealed and you find that very little of what you have seen to date was what you first thought.

This is a show about identity in more ways then one, in fact the first few episodes are about Eliza unpeeling, but then the rest of the episodes are actually about unpeeling the Dollhouse itself, and the various characters involved. There are real shocks and twists as the show gains more and more momentum and if, like me, you are a first time viewer, it gets harder and harder not to watch 'just one more episode'..

The DVD had the famous 13th episode that was not broadcast (not sure why it wasn't broadcast, whether it is a DVD 'extra' or a studio decision) which takes a unique view into the future and a world where society has broken down due to the mis-use of the technology used in the Dollhouse. This gives a glimpse of a possible direction that Weedon might have been taking Dollhouse, but then again it could just be a view of what might occur. Some interesting flashbacks and very interesting, but by it's nature, not critical to Season 1 or Season 2 of Dollhouse.

This is a very clever and thought provoking series and it is tragic that it's cancellation has just been announced midway through Season 2, but at least the whole season will be completed and hopefully there will be the opportunity to properly close it down.
Dollhouse is well worth catching up on and highly recommended.

5/5 A great interesting show - Josh does it again!!
  by Kymberley Busutel (Australia)
This is a great new show - if you loved Angel and Buffy you will love this. His writing is great and as well as drama there is a good amount of humour. A great cast.

DVDs in excellent condition

5/5 A quick guide to enjoying great TV show
  by Revital Shapira (NJ USA)
The first thing you need to do to enjoy the show, is of course - watch it.
That may sound trivial - but the first thing there is to know about dollhouse season 1 is that the first half of the season was quite slow threading and not that interesting, which made many people give up on it.
I know that if I hadn't been warned in advance to hang in and wait for the good stuff I would barely give it 1 star rating.
The good news is the good stuff comes abundantly to make you totally absorbed and hooked, and crossing your fingers That fox executives won't go all "firefly" on this show and cancel it before it has the chance to be as great as it can potentially be.

The first episodes (five, to be exact) suffered heavily from the network interference, and in my opinion, can be skipped entirely.
They are "stand alone" episodes, telling a single story about Echo's assignments, and not contributing anything to the long arc story which is actually introduced only on episode 6, but rather a lengthy exposition.
Let me save you a couple of hours you'll never get back, and tell you exactly what to skip an what not. Not to worry, No spoilers.

WHICH EPISODES TO SKIP :
1st episode is rather a bore - the second is far better and could be used as an introduction to the show - I suggest you start there. The 3rd episode "Stage Fright" and the 5th "true believer" are simply horrible and may discourage one from continuing watching the show. so either skip them, or watch them fighting off the gag reflex, bearing in mind that the 6th Episode "man on the street" is actually GREAT.
From there on you will find it very very captivating and evolving from episode to episode, plus it even gets funny.

PLOT WISE - this is the story of an underground operation called "The dollhouse",which uses super cutting edge technology to erase their recruits minds. On that vacancy of a personality, memories, and free will , they can download or "Imprint" any personality and special skills needed for a certain assignment, sending their agents into their designated mission truly feeling and believing that they are the fictional person who was created for that specific situation.
Sometime those missions take a very professional angle - an active is send to deal with a hostage situation, or to infiltrate a closed cult, but more often the actives are used as players in clients fantasies - rich people who are willing to pay for the perfect illusion.
At the end of each assignment, the actives are returned to the dollhouse where every memory of their experience is wiped, leaving them empty vessels, robbed of self consciousness and will, waiting to be filled with another persona on the next engagement.

The lead character is Echo, played by Eliza Dushko, an active who shows signs of self awareness even at her sleepy deactivated mode between assignments. Fragments of her past experiences come back to her, making her try to free herself from her unseen cerebral bondage. There are also those who operate the dollhouse and a tenacious FBI agent (played by the extremely cute and chiseled Tahmoh Penikett from battlestar galactica ) obsessed with finding the dollhouse and bringing it down.

BONUS MATERIAL:
The 4th disc is bonus material and includes the full Episode "Epitaph 1" which was not broad casted on fox.
I hope you'll enjoy this show as much as I did, and I really really hope that master whedon will be given a chance to show what he can do and to grant us another fascinating, adventurous fun TV show.

SECOND SEASON
The show has been renewed for a 13 episodes series that started airing in sep 09.
Yesterday -11/11/09 Fox have officially announced there won't be a 3rd season, but that all 13 episodes would still air and provide some sort of closure to the grieving fans.

OTHER MOVIES AND BOOKS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO CHECK OUT
Hmm, Human trafficking, slavery, prostitution, mind control. this show paints us a dark cynical world, where people are used as toys for other people to enjoy, but are not actually harmed or suffering.
On each assignment they are programmed to identify with their mission objective, to want to perform their part, and to enjoy it.
Afterward they have no recollection of it. They are slaves, but they don't feel like slaves. Isn't that a victimless crime?
We know those actives were recruited, not forced, to join the dollhouse, and were willing to give 5 years of their lives for some reason.
What are those reasons? could it be that they wanted to forget, or lose themselves?
I'm waiting to find out as well as you.

Here are a few more suggestions to movies that deal with question as identity, memory, freedom and such.

Total Recall fun quick pacing action movie, with sharon stone when she was still hot.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Widescreen Edition) a deeper philosophical glance into the subject.
the pain we suffer from our own memories, and the price we pay for not wanting that pain.
Blade Runner - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) What a movie.
While it does not deal exclusively in replaced and inserted memories, I'm sure this movie had a huge influence on the concept of the dollhouse.
haunting and thought provoking.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The original novel by Philip k Dick that would later be adapted as the movie Blade Runner.
the book is quiet different than the movie, and it explains many parts of it which i didn't understand, and I think can't be understood without reading it.
La Femme Nikita [Blu-ray] No, not the mediocre TV series but the original french Awesome kick ass movie. This one originally introduced the concept of a feminine agent of a mysterious organization, deadly despite of her fragile appearance, breaking free from her handlers. A major influence on all action movies with a lead woman role



I hope this review was helpful to you, if you have other offers for books or movies like that, I'll be happy if you let me know.

5/5 Joss Whedon's Genius
  by KathleenBrown (Ellensburg)
This show is absolutely fantastic! Completely different yet equally as exciting, twisted, and thought provoking as Buffy.

4/5 Dollhouse catchup
  by Vic (Alexandria, VA)
I bought this DVD to catch up on the series as I started watching it in the UK then moved to the US where the 2nd seson was about to begin.
I enjoy most Joss Whedon stuff so it was no big surprise that I enjoyed Dollhouse but lots of others have commented on how easy it is to watch. If you're a Joss Whedon fan or just looking for something a bit different that pushes the occasional moral button then you will no doubt enjoy.
Acting is good all round and I'm very curious where the series will go in Season 2.