Dollhouse

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NBC has led the charge in picking up a number of shows without pilots. "My Own Worst Enemy," won its acceptance largely because Christian Slater is in the starring role. Fox Broadcasting Co. decided to forgo a pilot for its new series "Dollhouse" by "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator Joss Whedon, opting to invest money instead in building the elaborate, life-size dollhouse that will be the show’s set. For its murder-mystery "Harper’s Island," CBS Corp. is only producing a five-minute opening sequence, in which a man is chewed up by the propeller of a party boat, and a five-minute "saga sell" that outlines the series’ plot.

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