Trying Not to Be Nervous About Dollhouse

I’ll take Joss Whedon at his word when he says the pilot reshoot for Dollhouse is not a big deal. But come on, it is Fox, with the blood from New Amsterdam still fresh on their axe. 

Fox can’t blame fans of Whedon and Firely if they’re a little antsy about hearing Dollhouse is getting some tweaking. After the crazy, strike-shortened season we just suffered through fans have right to be gun shy. Heroes faltered up until the end. Sarah Connor Chronicles was a very well-received show by the franchise’s fandom and it ended up on the bubble. It probably owes its renewal as much to promotion opportunities for the fourth Terminator film as anything else. Don’t even get me started on Journeyman. We lost a lot of good men in 2007, sci fi fans.

And as much as I love Eliza Dushku – and really, really I do – we’ve haven’t yet seen that she can carry a series by herself. Tru Calling, anyone? It goes without saying that I want this and all the other genre shows in the pipeline to succeed. OK, except Knight Rider. Hollywood is letting the success of Transformers convince them everything from the 80s should come back.

But as Dr. Phil is fond of saying, the best indicator of future performance is past performance. Fox working with Joss Whedon? Not a good track record. Fox working with Eliza Dushku? Not a good track record. I will happily eat these words if Dollhouse is a hit and I hope I get the chance.