'Dollhouse' comes crumbling down; Joss Whedon expresses disppointment [Updated]
"Dollhouse" has been canceled. Please don't yell at me, members of the Whedon cult. I am only the messenger.
Take heart in the fact that the network really did give the low-rated series, starring Eliza Dushku, a chance. All 13 episodes will air, and the advance notice has given Whedon a chance to give the series a satisfying ending, according to a Fox spokesperson. The remaining episodes will begin airing Dec. 4.
And if that doesn't make you feel any better, consider that now Whedon is free to direct even more episodes of "Glee" if he wants to.
And if you're still not consoled, buy hundreds of thousands of DVDs. It worked for "Firefly" and "Serenity."
[Updated 1:30 p.m.: The remaining episodes of "Dollhouse" will air this way: Two episodes will air each night on Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The last three episodes will air Jan. 8, Jan. 15 and Jan. 22 at 9 p.m.]
[Updated 2:13 p.m.: Whedon has posted a statement on whedonesque.com, where he says, in part, "For now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear." Read it in its entirety here.]
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
Photo: Dushku in an episode of "Dollhouse." Credit: Fox
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I think canceling the show is a bad, bad decision; you can't go by ratings when a show is scheduled at 9:00 on a Friday night. Most people aren't home and watch it online the next day! Very lousy scheduling on Fox's part. Dollhouse is a good show and would get fantastic ratings if it were scheduled say, on a Tuesday evening.
Posted by: Elizabeth Kaylene | November 11, 2009 at 01:32 PM
Cancelled Dollhouse, and he's now going to direct Glee?
I'd rather see Glee cancelled than Dollhouse.
Posted by: Robert | November 11, 2009 at 01:47 PM
This show started already? Darn it.
I miss all the good shows. I would definitely have watched it if they scheduled it at an hour when I was home and watching TV. I only sawe a single ad for this show and had no idea when they were starting it or showing it.
Posted by: Scott | November 11, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Good - someone needed to put it out of its misery. I hung in there as long as I could but sheesh... a person can only take so much.
Posted by: Juniper | November 11, 2009 at 01:50 PM
To compete against NCIS and the biggest loser?...isn't American Idol also on tuesday primetime?
You might as well shoot a brand new show in the head. It'd be a quicker death.
Posted by: Samuel | November 11, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Pity, but the writing's been on the wall for some time already. As soon as I found out we wouldn't be seeing any episodes the entire month of November, and then they'd start doubling up in December, I figured I'd be seeing this news any day. Frankly it was a surprise when it got a second season.
Looking forward to whatever twists Whedon can throw our way by the end. I expect we'll see nearly all the flashback sequences from Epitaph-One occur, in context, before the season's out. And I'd love to see an Epitaph-Two...
Posted by: Thad | November 11, 2009 at 01:54 PM
WTF are you doing Fox... first you cancel Firefly, a decision that you regret because of its increasing popularity and now Dollhouse. If I were Joss Whedon, I would have very little to do with Fox from now on.
Shame on Fox for cancelling another great show!!!!!
Posted by: Sean, Hull, UK | November 11, 2009 at 01:55 PM
Thats what we do. Save it to the DVR and watch it later. Very bad time slot.
Posted by: texas | November 11, 2009 at 02:02 PM
I'm very disappointed by this cancellation. It's a fun, smart show with a great premise. Mr. Whedon needs to negotiate a 2-yr TV contract! Or publish his own show on the net, I'll buy.
Posted by: Nadine | November 11, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Why do you think it was moved to that time slot. It's the Death Penalty time slot. All shows on the chopping block move to Friday night. It had poor ratings but survived. It was past time to get rid of this show. I would have like to see Fox keep Terminator, but that didn't happen either. Friday is the KISS OF DEATH!
Posted by: Jack Blades | November 11, 2009 at 02:04 PM
How do television shows make money to pay for their actors costs, sets, etc? Largely ADVERTISEMENTS and dvd sales, etc. Of course it's going to get canceled if it has dismal ratings, b/c that means no one is watching it live. DVR'ing it doesn't really matter when it comes to anything b/c you're not going to watch those commercials when you play it back. This show was doomed to start -- it's called the FRIDAY NIGHT DEATH SLOT for a reason.
Posted by: Jeson Hoskins | November 11, 2009 at 02:04 PM
haha, good! The show wasn't good at all.
Posted by: XFEver | November 11, 2009 at 02:17 PM
This absolutely sucks! The show was starting to get really good. The last episode was amongst the best, and Summer Glau has not even graced us with her presence yet! Couldn't they have at least waited to see what a Glau-ful episode would have done to the ratings before canning it?
Where is SyFy?
Posted by: RJKL | November 11, 2009 at 02:20 PM
It was inevitable, sooner or later it had to end. Dollhouse wasn't Buffy or Firefly, but it was pretty damn good. Maybe we will hit the freaking jackpot and one of those stellar shows will get a much needed return. Sadly the odds of that are less than zero, if that's even possible.
Posted by: Bomfy | November 11, 2009 at 02:21 PM
Although I really liked this show...all shows come and go...all of them. I would have to say kudos to FOX for giving it a chance and allowing the show to come to close versus dropping us all on the mat. Thank you FOX and those of Dollhouse for a great show!
Posted by: Doug | November 11, 2009 at 02:23 PM
Whedon was "Star Trekked" by the Friday night death spot.
Posted by: Dodger Tony | November 11, 2009 at 02:31 PM
I tried to watch it. I just couldn't get into it. I was surprised it even got picked up for a second season. I tried to watch it again. It just sucked. I won't miss it.
Posted by: Martinator | November 11, 2009 at 02:31 PM
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
yet there are still 3 CSI's and 3 Law and Orders on TV
what is wrong with people?
Posted by: yeahandalso | November 11, 2009 at 02:32 PM
IT shows that FOX should have stayed with "Terminator, The Sarah Conner Chronicles." Always a much better show.
Posted by: Steve Dexter | November 11, 2009 at 02:32 PM
I am very disappointed. I really like Dollhouse. I like an intelligent series with a week to week story and especially those with a science fiction or similar plot. On the other hand, I think Dollhouse, Defying Gravity and especially Stargate Universe all overuse confusing flashbacks and other confusing scene changes that assume the viewer knows what, where and when they are. I tried to get some people interested in Dollhouse, but the combination of the job-related doll acting, the personality blending and the flashbacks made them give up on understanding the show. My advice is to be less tricky, at least with flashbacks, memories, dreams. Don't make people wonder so much if they are watching something happening now, or before, or imagined. Anyway - I hope the final episodes are good.
Posted by: violet4ever | November 11, 2009 at 02:38 PM