Dollhouse Stars Drop Clues for Second Season

With Dollhouse being one of those shows that keeps most stories under wraps, the Critics’ Association party in August was a chance to try to garner some clues for the show’s second season. Carefully worded questions, and a few cocktails, yielded a few useful pieces of information about what’s in store for viewers as we re-enter the Dollhouse.

Fran Kranz, who plays Topher, revealed that this season the show is “going for broke,” with the back nine not yet secured, before going on to explain that the show is “twisted and dark” so far this season.

Before the event, news came from the set that Jaime Bamber, former Battlestar Galactica co-star of Tahmoh Penikett, and Alexis Denisof would be appearing, though the specifics of their guest roles had yet to be announced. While talking to Kranz, he revealed that Denisof would be working as some political figure (Kranz mentioned a senator) for four episodes. At the time Kranz had yet to work with the Whedon alum, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility in as the arc unfolds.

Later on in the evening, Olivia Williams, who portrays cold-as-ice Adelle DeWitt, disclosed that there will be serious fallout from her using the Dollhouse for her own means. Harry Lennix, who plays Boyd Langdon, spoke up to say that he is not the reason for the investigation of DeWitt. Sporting a short new hairstyle, Williams also wondered why Adelle would want to cut her hair, leaving that tantalizing question hanging in the air.

Dichen Lachman, who plays Active Sierra, suggested that her character would regain some of the power she continually lost last season. Enver Gjokaj confirmed that there will be more to Sierra and Victor’s “relationship” this season, although he couldn’t precisely define what sort of relationship it will be.

This season also will see a general shift away from engagements of the week to an overall arc about the inner workings of the Dollhouse.

Dollhouse returns tonight on FOX at 9/8c.

A Double-Dose of Nice Boy:Tahmoh Penikett and James Roday

We did it again – forgot to post our Nice Boy of last week, Tahmoh Penikett.

Tahmoh is no stranger to television. You may have seen him in Smallville, The L Word, Just Cause, Stargate SG-1, and Dark Angel. Now he’s ‘Paul Ballard’ on Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. His movie credits include:

* Trick ‘r Treat (2007) – Henry
* Taming Tammy (2006) – Wilson
* Lesser Evil (2006) – Greg
* The Green Chain (2006) – Brett Jackson
* Trapped Ashes – Stanley’s Girlfriend (2006) – Young Leo
* Hush (2005) – Noah Hamilton
* Battlestar Galactica miniseries (2003) – Lt. Karl ‘Helo’ Agathon
* Wildfire 7: The Inferno (2002) – Ranger
* The Cold Heart of a Killer (1996)

His sense of humor and sweet smile qualifies him for a spot on our Nice Boys Wall of Fame.

This week’s choice had to be none other than James Roday, who plays ‘Shawn’ on Psych. In honor of the season finale tomorrow night, it was unanimous.

James has been around the biz for some time, including a stint on the short-lived-but-loved-by-Melissa Miss Match, but people took notice when he became that lovable, fast-talking, almost child-like “psychic consultant” we see on Psych. James works behind the scenes on the show as well, producing and writing. With so much talent, including a knack for interviewing dogs, James needed a place on our Nice Boys Wall of Fame.

Dollhouse Week: Whedon and Penikett at NYCC

Welcome to Dollhouse Week! We’re all Joss Whedon fans here at Nice Girls HQ, so naturally we’ve been counting down the days until the mastermind’s latest series, Dollhouse, premieres. To help us through the final week, we’ll have a Dollhouse-related post every day. Joss Whedon and Tahmoh Penikett did us a solid to start out the week by appearing at New York Comic Con yesterday, so let’s get some scoopage.

End of Show’s correspondent summed up the feeling here:

There’s nothing like a new Joss Whedon show, is there? The excitement, the obsessiveness, the regression into beloved mythologies, the quoting of memorized lines of dialogue, the anxious worries of inevitable cancellation, the grassroots campaigning for a show that may or may not need saving… Fans long initiated into the Whedon cult, obsess; everyone else turns around and stares, wondering what all the fuss is about. And this year, with a shiny new Joss show, starring not one but two of his past alumns, the pilgrimage to New York’s Comic Con (lets face it, our Mecca), feels that much more important and exhilarating.

Those attending the panel were given a sneak peek at the pilot, including this pivotal setup scene for Eliza Dushku’s character, Echo. WARNING: Spoilers!

Eliza is mildly Faith-ish here, a little tough, a little broken, looking for someone to save her. Adele offers Caroline a way out of whatever jam she’s in – five years of service in exchange for “a clean slate.” “I don’t have a choice, do I?” Caroline asks, rhetorically. Actions have consequences, she muses.The scene ends on a shot of Adele, saying: “but what if they didn’t?” (Read more about the panel and trailer at End of Show.)

Fan Jen Hayley actually met Joss, and behaved as any Nice Girl would:

There I saw the fourth trade of Astonishing X-Men, written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was signed by John Cassaday, and while I have the first three trades, I don’t have the fourth, so I bought it. And about, oh, 72 seconds after that, Joss Whedon walked by me.

And I had no idea how to move.

(What happened next? Go to her blog to find out.)

And finally, here’s a video of the panel for you to bask in the Joss and Tahmoh goodness.

Dollhouse Production Shuts Down for Two Weeks

Our gal Korbi at Zap2It is reporting that production on Dollhouse – set to premiere in January 2009 – is shutting down for a couple of weeks to give Joss Whedon time to polish scripts for the next batch of episodes. Apparently the workaholic Whedon has been spending so much time getting the first few episodes just right that he hasn’t been able to focus on future scripts as much as he’d like, so he asked Fox for a break in production. Fox, to their credit, was happy to give it to him. Said a Fox rep:

“We have every confidence that [the extra time] will allow Joss to make the show the best it can possibly be. It’s very rare that you have a head writer who is also directing two episodes in a row. But we are happy that Joss is directing, because this is his vision.”

Sounds like the new regime at Fox is much more willing to work with Joss than the last time he graced their network with his presence (*sniff*Firefly*sniff*). Meanwhile, now that Dollhouse star Tahmoh Penikett has some vacation time coming his way, perhaps he should call into our radio show tomorrow and give us the scoop on filming so far. Call us, Tahmoh!

Dollhouse Panel at Comic Con – Video and Pics

We’ve grabbed a six part video of the Dollhouse Q&A at this year’s Comic Con and we also have a load of pictures in our gallery from our own Melissa. The videos are found on YouTube. Grab a beverage and settle in!

Casting Begins for Dollhouse

Ausiello at TV Guide has news about some of the first characters to be cast on Dollhouse, including a Battlestar Galactica alum:

Joss Whedon is letting his obsession with Battlestar Galactica get the best of him — and I couldn’t be happier about it!

Whedon has tapped Galactica stud Tahmoh Penikett (aka Helo) to play Eliza Dushku’s “twisted romantic foil” in Dollhouse, a spokesperson for Twentieth Television confirms. Also joining the Dollhouse ensemble are Fran Kranz (CBS’ Welcome to the Captain), Aussie actress Dichen Lachman and relative newcomer Enver Gjokaj.

Penikett’s character, Paul Smith (originally named Paul Ballard), is described as an FBI agent who becomes obsessed with both the urban myth that is Dollhouse and its most recognizable inhabitant, Echo (Dushku).

Kranz, meanwhile, has been cast as Dollhouse’s nerdy programmer Topher Brink, the dude responsible for imprinting the dolls. Lachman, who starred in the Australian series Neighbours, will play Sierra, a Doll similar to Echo, only not as self aware. And last but not least, Gjokaj will play Echo’s buddy Victor, a handsome Doll who is childlike when inactive and everything from Errol Flynn to a young De Niro when he’s active.