Oh, Victor/Sierra. Honestly, if Dollhouse has to be a main-character type show, couldn't we focus on one of them instead of Echo? That would be much more awesome, especially if we get to see less of Caroline; I take my self-righteous characters in small doses whenever possible. Also, < awesome actors. Just sayin.
Also, there were some pretty great references to the original pilot of the show “Echo.” As for that, FOX IS MADE OF FAIL. This episode was infinitely better than the pilot that was actually aired.
Now, I haven't rewatched the aired pilot recently, so I can't properly compare the two, but I honestly didn't like the original pilot that much. I thought it *became* stronger toward the end, but I could definitely see why it was axed in favour of slow build up, for narrative reasons as well as broadcasting ones. Some of those conversations (and the number of them, one after the other, in case we hadn't picked up on the moral dilemmas) just felt like way too much philosophical talking for a pilot, and it slowed the whole thing down for me, not in a strong narrative way. It was the kind of thing I like writing, but will cut down on after I've had my fun in the first draft, because otherwise I'm going to have an awkward time of making a longer story that people want to read. It's a TV program, after all; he can spread the conversations over a number of episodes as the audience goes further down the rabbit hole and scrapes clear the glossy grime, and talk about it in commentary and interviews in the meanwhile.
So while I thought the original pilot did a good job of introducing the concept and moral ambiguities, I didn't find it a strong start to a television show, or to a long story in general. The ending was stronger, once they got into the actual plot, but I wouldn't have had Caroline and Paul meeting so early on, either (*maybe* another doll being obviously involved and then try to kill him, as a clear motive and conviction for navigating the constant crazy and no-leads of Paul's investigation, but *not* Caroline, especially when Victor was already in there, and I thought that plot line worked well in the early show).
That all said, I found the start of aired Dollhouse (episodes, not just pilot) rather clumsily paced, so I don't really think either pilot was the way to kick off the show.
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Also, there were some pretty great references to the original pilot of the show “Echo.” As for that, FOX IS MADE OF FAIL. This episode was infinitely better than the pilot that was actually aired.
Now, I haven't rewatched the aired pilot recently, so I can't properly compare the two, but I honestly didn't like the original pilot that much. I thought it *became* stronger toward the end, but I could definitely see why it was axed in favour of slow build up, for narrative reasons as well as broadcasting ones. Some of those conversations (and the number of them, one after the other, in case we hadn't picked up on the moral dilemmas) just felt like way too much philosophical talking for a pilot, and it slowed the whole thing down for me, not in a strong narrative way. It was the kind of thing I like writing, but will cut down on after I've had my fun in the first draft, because otherwise I'm going to have an awkward time of making a longer story that people want to read. It's a TV program, after all; he can spread the conversations over a number of episodes as the audience goes further down the rabbit hole and scrapes clear the glossy grime, and talk about it in commentary and interviews in the meanwhile.
So while I thought the original pilot did a good job of introducing the concept and moral ambiguities, I didn't find it a strong start to a television show, or to a long story in general. The ending was stronger, once they got into the actual plot, but I wouldn't have had Caroline and Paul meeting so early on, either (*maybe* another doll being obviously involved and then try to kill him, as a clear motive and conviction for navigating the constant crazy and no-leads of Paul's investigation, but *not* Caroline, especially when Victor was already in there, and I thought that plot line worked well in the early show).
That all said, I found the start of aired Dollhouse (episodes, not just pilot) rather clumsily paced, so I don't really think either pilot was the way to kick off the show.
[/rain on love parade :P]
*and off to work; possible longer comment later*