Judging a pilot only by its script can’t be an easy thing to do. As much as the words matter, they’re nothing (no offense) absent their execution. Television, after all, is not just people standing around reading scripts on film. But there is at least one thing made abundantly clear by Joss Whedon’s script for the Dollhouse pilot.
Despite the presence of a supporting ensemble, this show lives or dies based upon Eliza Dushku’s ability to pull off the role — or, the multiple roles — of Echo.
There was some hesitant confusion in online discussions when it was revealed that in the pilot alone, Echo would take on a handful of different assignments. It seemed a bit much for a single episode, and the introductory one at that. As it turns out, the script doesn’t actually belabor the issue, but moves briefly amongst a number of assignments in its opening simply to establish that this is what Echo does.
In truth, I doubt this sequence will tell us much about the key question of Dushku’s ability to portray Echo with depth and nuance. These bits really are just rapid-fire hits to get the point across. More like quick pencil sketches than full oil paintings.
Which is not a criticism. It’s a perfectly sensible way to establish the character and the premise, and certainly an adept way to keep the viewer off balance at the beginning. My only point is that it will take more than the opener’s brief glimpses of different assignments to answer the Dushku question.
To be clear, I don’t mean any of the above to suggest some dramatically serious trepidation over her ability to pull this off. But the reality is that there’s no way to tell ahead of time, because so far in career, Dushku hasn’t really been pushed as an actor.
Whether this is because she’s not up to the task or simply because she never chose to take on the task remains to be seen. Whatever else this show is, clearly it’s meant as a vehicle to push her as an actor, in an environment established by someone (Whedon) who has been able to push his actors to unexpected places. The choice to try has been made. What becomes of that choice is something we’ll all discover over time.
As for that supporting ensemble, the pilot script only seems to establish Topher, and perhaps Boyd, with any immediately clear voice. It certainly establishes who Adelle and Paul are in the general scheme of things, but not much more. Adelle’s role in the pilot seems limited to providing exposition about the premise while making us feel a bit unsettled, while Paul mainly served as something of a chess piece just helping to set up one of the over-arching mysteries of the show.
In other words, this first script tells me where those characters are positioned in terms of the show’s premise, but doesn’t yet tell me who they are as people. Topher (and to a lesser extend Boyd), on the other hand, comes through much more strongly, much more well-defined.
To be sure, that’s an artifact of being a pilot. Not everything feels three-dimensional just yet, and even those bits which feel two-dimensional in script form might have what feels like rough edges blunted a bit by performance in the episode itself.
Interestingly, in script form the Dollhouse pilot comes across more solidly (and, I think, generates more interest in what comes next) than does the filmed version of the Fringe pilot which I reviewed earlier. Barring some utter disaster having occurred during its translation from script to screen, I’d think that bodes well for Dollhouse’s finished product.
But however strong an opener, and however strong the succeeding scripts, turn out to be, it will all still come down to Dushku. If she pushes herself, this premise can work engagingly without feeling artificial. If she doesn’t, it will all fall apart. No matter how well-crafted the words on the page, this one really will come down to execution.
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