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Joss Whedon - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Tvguide.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-11-12T21:57:18Z

On Monday, I said TV Guide Magazine would run Joss Whedon's recent reveals on the remaining Dollhouse episodes next week, but since the not entirely unexpected news broke of the show's cancellation yesterday, I wanted to publish the interview from November 4 as soon as possible. Fox will complete Dollhouse's 13 episode season with three weeks of back to back episodes on December 4, 11 and 18, then single episodes on January 8 and 15 before the series finale airs January 22. Here, Whedon shares scoop about this season's upcoming episodes before he received the news about the show's cancellation.

Are you writing episode 13 to be a finale, just in case ? Hedging your bets ?

You know what, we hedged the last time and we got renewed, so we're definitely hedging them again. People forget but I did this every year with Buffy. That's just insurance. I didn't do it with Firefly and look what happened. I went mad as a March hare and made a movie. So we're doing that this time. Hopefully we'll have nine more to do it after. We always wrap everything up and then unravel it again, if we're told to.

Do you really have hope that you could come back with nine more ?

Do I have hope ? I do think the December double airings are kind of interesting. I'm not planning a trip to Vegas, but I live in hope. I know how the show would go on. That's the most important thing. I will pitch that to Fox, if they find that the economics are working out for them, they may say keep it going. If they don't, which is likely, they'll say the other thing. But the point is to be ready for both, though there is a sense of resolve at the end of 13.

You have some choice guest stars upcoming. What can you tell us about Summer Glau's character, Bennett, who shows up on December 4 ?

She works for the Washington D.C. Dollhouse, along with Ray Wise's Howard. She's someone from Caroline's (Echo's pre-House name) past. She's got information about Caroline that will really surprise people, especially Echo (Eliza Dushku). And she has a dead arm, so what's not to like. One of her arms doesn't work and it's in a sling.

Why ?

It just felt right for the character, just like it felt right that she should probably dress like a schoolgirl and be very nice and a little odd. I would call her the Topher of the D.C. House.

But she's actually ethical, unlike the amoral Topher ?

Yes, she has morals.

Is Wise basically D.C's Adelle, the head of the House ?

Yes, he would be Adelle's counterpart. He's not so big with the morals. It's a departure for Ray Wise (laughs). Another person in power, Harding, played by Keith Carradine, will be back. What a wonderful actor.

Why do Echo, Adelle (Olivia Williams) and Topher (Fran Kranz) visit the D.C. House ?

That involves the D.C. House starting to take action against the Senator, played by Alexis Denisof, who's targeting them. The corporation [Rossum] sees that there's a problem there. Why LA gets involved, I can't tell you.

You promised that Alan Tudyk (V) will return as psycho killer Alpha. Does he ?

He's back in a two-parter (Dec. 11) and he comes in with a bang. You don't bring Alpha back unless you've got something really fun for him to do. He has very interesting questions to ask of someone and really appalling ways of asking them.

Thankfully, he sounds as vicious as when we last saw him.

He's not a Franciscan monk. One of his personalities is a Franciscan friar. But he happens to be a very violent one. I will say he will be dealing not just with Echo but other members of the House as well.

Does Amy Acker return for more episodes ? Is she still Saunders ?

Amy Acker will return. We have two more episodes that we're allowed to use her because of [her new ABC series] Happy Town. She comes back in an interesting fashion that I will in no way describe to you, a little bit later on. She'll be the Doc, Claire Saunders. Where she's been may be a surprise to people.

Is it true we're finally seeing the feared Attic where they send the rebellious on December 18 ?

We're going to finally reveal what it's like. I can say without hesitation that it is a joyride, it's like going to Disneyland on really bad acid.

Who will we see in the Attic ?

Echo's not the first person who will have been sent there. That's all I'll say about that.

What's happening with Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett), the FBI agent turned Echo's handler ?

His relationship with Echo will change. His whole life will change more than once. They made an agreement to try and accomplish something and we'll see that evolve. I know I'm being annoyingly coy.

Will they kiss ?

Will Echo and Ballard kiss ? It would be beyond reprehensible for him ever to kiss her. So, yeah !

You also wanted to bring back Felicia Day from “Epitaph One”…

She'll be in a later episode. I would like to go back to the future, as in “Epitaph One.” I would love to see what happens to our peeps ten year on.

Where is the Dollhouse storyline heading ?

This whole season has been about, and is getting more and more about, the larger conflict, not between Echo and the Dollhouse but between Echo and Rossum. When Echo first decided she wanted to deal with the Dollhouse, she didn't realize how global it was going to be. What we're heading for is bigger. We're going to start getting to the top where the real power is and it's going to get very, very twisted. That's not strange coming from me, but even we're thrown by it.

Maurissa Tancharoen - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Io9.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-28T19:16:41Z

Can You Really Consent To Be A Doll ? We Asked Maurissa Tancharoen

Last Friday's Dollhouse erased all our doubts about Joss Whedon's mind-blanking saga, and filled us with excitement about the story possibilites to come. So we asked writer Maurissa Tancharoen about the episode, and here's what she said.

The difference between Sierra and the other Dolls turns out to be that Sierra never consented to be a Doll. But none of the other Dolls could really give informed consent or know the kinds of engagements they signed up for. We're pretty clear that Sierra was being raped, but what about Echo and Victor ?

All who consent to becoming a Doll are informed about what that entails... perhaps not in the greatest detail, but they are aware that they're giving up their minds and bodies for a number of years. But in Sierra's case, she was clearly violated. Echo's case is unique as well. As we established in Season One, she had no choice but to "volunteer".

Now that we've seen Sierra drawing the black smudges everywhere, it looks less and less like Topher's mindwiping can really remove the trauma of an engagement from the Active's mind. So are all the Actives being damaged by their experiences, or is Sierra a special case because Nolan was a repeat client and her original abuser ?

All the Actives may experience trauma in one way or another, but Sierra's case is different. Repeat engagements with her original kidnapper/abuser ? That's damage that runs deep.

Where was Ballard in this episode ? (My theory is, you wrote this for season one and it got held over. Am I right ?)

I like your juicy theory but Paul was absent for a much less interesting reason. We did have an exchange between Boyd and Topher that explained Paul's absence (Echo was on idle therefore Paul was given some downtime) but we had to cut that out for running time. We also had to cut a shirtless Topher bit from the end montage. DVD extras perhaps ?

So Boyd is turning a blind eye to Echo's self-awareness, and Victor and Sierra are walking around holding hands and sharing a bed-coffin. Has the Dollhouse just gone completely soft all of a sudden ?

Soft ? Aren't we all softies ? Don't we all want Sierra and Victor to hold hands and snuggle in a pod ? Especially after Sierra's been through hell ? We're giving you what you want America ! Or the very small portion of America who watches us. And Boyd isn't necessarily turning a blind eye. He leaves an all access key card for Echo in her book. Which we may or may not deal with later. Tune in many weeks from now to find out what happens !

And finally, this episode felt, in general, like it had stronger ties to "Epitaph One" than any season two episode so far. And Sierra's violation feels like the leading edge of the apocalypse — what happened to her will happen, sort of, to everyone else. Is it just her bad luck to be the first casualty ? Or are you making a statement about rape leading to dehumanization and depersonalization for everyone, not just the actual victim ?

Wow. You must think we're smart or something. Yes ? To what you said. In the question part. I'll go with yes.

Dichen Lachman - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Scifi.co.uk Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-28T16:57:15Z

Dichen Lachman will be familiar to British audiences for her role as Katya Kinski in Aussie soap-opera Neighbours. Traditionally when a good looking actress leaves Neighbours they move to London and embark on a fleeting pop career in the hope of being the next Kylie.

But not Dichen Lachman. She moved to LA, joined the west coast acting rat-race and in the blink of an eyelid was playing Sierra on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. Good work that girl. Below Dichen tells Pete about life in LA and good times on the Dollhouse set.

You've gone from a regular role on Neighbours to a regular role on Dollhouse. The last 2 years must've been pretty intense for you.

Yeah it was. It was a lot of fun. The time between leaving Neighbours and going through [to Dollhouse] wasn't actually that long, it was only a year and a little bit. I feel lucky and very fortunate to be working again and it's a great show.

Joss Whedon is obviously known for his strong female characters but were you at all concerned about the moral and ethical issues that Dollhouse throws up ?

I never had any reservations about it. I was only ever excited. I thought they were issues that needed to be raised because sometimes people are trying to change who they are and I think this show clearly shows that that's not really the way to go.

Also, when I auditioned for the part I hadn't actually read the script because no one had it, no one was allowed to read it. So I just had a general idea about this house that had these people with their memories erased because something bad happened in their pasts - that's all I knew. I think maybe a couple of people, who might have had a little more bargaining power than me, might have read the script because Joss really wanted them for the show, specifically them. But as far as me and a few of the other younger people were concerned it was just a great opportunity.

Click on the link for more :

http://www.scifi.co.uk/blog/dollhouse/dollhouse---dichen-lachman-int/

Tahmoh Penikett - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Thetvaddict.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-26T19:51:13Z

If Paul Ballard spent all of last season attempting to bring down the Dollhouse, how does he justify working for them this season ?

Tahmoh Penikett : Obviously he still wants to bring down the Dollhouse, but when we left him at the end of last season, he made an agreement to work for them. Why ? Not only did he ensure November/Mellie's release which gives Paul some peace of mind, he now gets to do some good. Which is where we found him at the beginning of the season. In “Vows,” he used Dollhouse technology to bring down a nemesis of his, Martin Klar (Jamie Bamber). What's interesting though is what exactly is Paul's hidden agenda ? He has now made a deal with the devil (The Rossum Corporation) and continues to put Echo in harm's way. And the questions of course are : When is he going to stop and when, or will his conscience get in the way ?

What was it like reuniting with your BATTLESTAR GALACTICA co-star Jamie Bamber for the DOLLHOUSE season premiere ?

It was awesome. When Joss [Whedon] told me that he had hired Jamie for the job, I didn't believe him. For ten minutes I sat there going, ‘No you did not !' and Joss would say, ‘Yeah, I did !' Having worked with Jamie for five years, he is like family and I loved having him on the show, on my set, playing a completely different character. Obviously we have a lot of BSG fans amongst both the cast and crew and you'd be surprised how many people were like, ‘I can't believe that's his real accent.' His British accent worked so well for an evil gunrunner, I thought he was perfect.

With BATTLESTAR GALACTICA having ended, is there a sense of relief not having to carry around so many secrets.

That's an interesting question. But the truth is, stuff like that never really weighed on me. I just enjoyed being part of an amazing series. I never give out spoilers, but it was always fun giving out fake spoilers or misleading fans. I just got a kick out of how popular the show was and how big of a cult following it had. I miss it though. I do. But it's still there, fresh and getting lots of critical acclaim and I'm still very close with the cast so it's all good.

What has it been like joining the Whedoneverse ?

People kept asking me, “Are you ready for this ?” But having already come from a huge sci-fi show myself that has a massive following in its own right, it really hasn't been that different. Yes, Joss has the cult following which is great to be a part of since his fans are so loyal and committed, but at the same time, people love Ronald D. Moore as well.

Although I'm fairly certain I'm not going to get a straight answer after hearing your anti-spoiler policy, I feel as though I have to ask. Is there any chance Paul is the one secretly feeding Senator Daniel Perrin (Alexis Denisof) information about the Dollhouse ? You'd think that he would and we'll see. But that would be the obvious sort of thing and maybe just a little too obvious.

John Cassaday - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Pwbeat.publishersweekly.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-20T20:05:03Z

[It's been a big month for artist John Cassaday. The final issue of PLANETARY shipped after a years long delay, marking the end of a 10-year-long chapter of his career. Even more importantly, he's currently in Los Angeles prepping to direct an episode of Dollhouse, the Joss Whedon-created show about Echo, an unwilling spy who is forced to use a technology of shifting personalities.

While Cassaday is on the short list of premier comics artists for his work on PLANETARY, ASTONISHING X-MEN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and hs recent covers for Dynamite, his directing roots go back as far as his career as a professional cartoonist, as told in this interview ; it's something he has always had in the back of his mind. (At one point he was announced as the director on an adaptation of his own GN I AM LEGION, a project that is now on indefinite hold.) However, the Dollhouse gig is one that fulfills lots of dreams for Cassaday.

What does it take to direct dramatic TV ? What's it like to work with Joss Whedon ? Is Cassaday leaving comics ? Read on for the answers !]

The Beat : Directing ? Why directing ? How long has this been going on ? Was this your childhood goal ?

John Cassaday : Directing has always been half the dream for me, the other half being comics. Friends I had growing up would tell you exactly that. I always knew what I wanted, which was to be a visual storyteller…to tell those stories the way that I saw them… I believe there's a tangible cross-section of thought here. When I read a comic script, I often see the scenes behind a camera—the shots, the movements and sound, the actors… At times, I've read screenplays and see the comic page. These things blend in my mind, so I do my best to shape them into what is needed. I believe in cinematic storytelling, whether it's on a comic page or on film.

The Beat : Before getting into comics you were a news director in Texas ? What did that involve ? Do you think that has helped prepare you for directing Dollhouse ?

Cassaday : I was a technical director at an ABC affiliate in Texas for about 4 and half years, while in college. I directed the evening newscasts as well as shooting and editing promotional spots. Mostly a fun job… I learned a lot, especially the first couple of years. Not necessarily a lot of serious parallels to draw between that and a scripted episodic directing job, but working with a crew under you and having an understanding of what that authority entails is maybe a good correlation…

The Beat : Can you talk about how you have worked with Joss Whedon on getting to this point ? I know you two are good friends. What have you learned from him ?

Cassaday : We got to know each other a few years before Astonishing X-Men and through that became even better friends. We found that we had a similar way of telling a story, almost a shorthand language. Joss and I talked about directing in terms of just general theory and what it takes. He knew I had interest in getting behind the camera. We were having dinner in LA about a year and a half ago, when he was still prepping the Dollhouse pilot, the first of a 13 episode order. I can't tell you how surprised I was when he told me that if they got renewed, he'd like me to direct an episode. I nearly jumped out of my skin ! I was thrilled. Very grateful to the guy for thinking of me and having that trust… But there were some hurdles in the way and he was always frank about them. First they had to get picked up for a second season, which thankfully came about. Joss then had to get my name past the studio and network suits. No small feat, but he picks his battles carefully and was able to make it happen. I'm unbelievably grateful.

I've visited the set on three separate occasions to observe and “ghost” the directors. Twice with Joss and once with David Solomon, who is also an executive producer. A great guy. They have slightly different styles of directing, but both are exceptional at keeping a comfortable set. Each time out, I've gained more insight to the inner workings and feel more comfortable with the role.

The Beat : Can you walk us through a little of the process for directing episodic TV ?

Cassaday : The process begins with preproduction, which lasts seven days. During this time, we'll be going through the script and working out what's needed in terms of everything from locations and sets to wardrobe, stuntmen, camera equipment for specific shots… every element needed in order to be ready to hit the ground running on the first day of shooting. Also during this time, I'm hoping to have time to throw some storyboards together. Though every time I pester Joss about getting the script early to do storyboards, he just grins at me, as if to say, “Fat friggin' chance !” So I'll be doing what I can during preproduction and every free moment I get while filming, though there may not be much of that.

Then comes the eight days of actual shooting. Those will be long days too… While I'm shooting, the dailies from each day will be edited and available to me the next day. Once I wrap up shooting, there'll be a complete editor's cut to check out. I then get a week with the editor to put together my cut—the director's cut. That will be given to Joss and the producers to make whatever changes they may want. They have final say and final cut. I then go to the bar ! Perhaps a nap.

The Beat : I'm with you on both of those ! Do you have any thoughts on the cast and characters going in ? Any favorites ?

Cassaday : I like the relationship between Echo and Ballard. There's a strange dynamic there. They've grown into something very different than where they started out. Ballard has become part of the machine he swore to take down in order to get the job done. He's no longer CIA. It's a personal mission for him and that mission is embodied by Echo. I enjoy the back and forth between all the employees and the actives. I'm fascinated with the trickiness of the technology and how it can be applied to anyone to serve any purpose… The possibilities are endless and mind-boggling.

The Beat : What's your biggest challenge, do you think, going into this ?

Cassaday : I read a script and have specific ideas as to how I want to tell the story. When I draw, it's me and only me– essentially a one-man show. One challenge comes in dealing with a crew of a hundred people waiting for and watching me… I've met most of them and they really know their jobs. I've watched the crew at work and feel I'm in good shape. Another issue is working with actors. I'm excited about this as much as anything. I feel lucky in a sense, that with it being a television series, the actors will have been playing their characters for roughly 22 or 23 episodes by the time I hit the set. We won't be forming their characters from the ground up. They know their origins. They understand themselves and their motivations. I also look forward to dealing with any day-players, so I can get those creative juices flowing there too… Constructing personalities. So very Dollhouse !

The Beat : Other cartoonists have gotten into directing—Sam Kieth, Kaare Andrews, to name some of the less obvious ones. What do you think is the intersection of the skill set that makes this crossover possible ?

Cassaday : Good linear storytelling. There are a lot of talented storytellers in comics and it's just as good of a training ground for directing as any other job you may find in film, television or other professions… In my mind, there are strong connections between the two …

The Beat : Turning back to comics, you've alluded to the idea that you would be taking some time off from comics for the next year ? What will you be working on ?

Cassaday : I'll be kind of “off and away” for a couple years. I've had in mind to take some serious time away from sequentials or any major comic work… I've had the idea for a long time.

I wanted to get Astonishing X-Men and Planetary done and then disappear for a while. After doing those books, where do you go, y'know ? I'm not interested in repeating myself and I want to search out other directions for myself, whether it be behind a camera or in comics. I have no intention of ever leaving comics completely. I want to do all these things. I want to find ways to let them blend into and orbit one another. So I'm getting some film projects together I've been waiting to develop and also working on my own comic projects that I'll be writing and drawing. One in particular is very special to me. I've had it roaming around my head for a long time and the chance has finally come to start piecing it all together. I'm keeping it close to the vest, though and it won't see the light of day for a couple of years. The story is fun spin on some traditional themes and the format is incredibly unique, if I say so myself ! The few choice people I've explained it to have been bowled over, so I think I'm on a good track. And I can promise you it's something that's never been done before.

The Beat : Are you more interested in drawing or directing at this point ?

Cassaday : For the next several weeks, I'd better be more interested in directing ! I'll need my head in the right slot while I'm there on the set. And of course, if I have the time, I'll be drawing storyboards, but I'm sure that's not what you mean… Again, I'm 50/50. I love them equally and no matter what other directing possibilities there may be, I would never give up drawing or comics. I'm of two hearts. Cue the tears ! Too much love for both. But no love for Nazis. Or hobo clowns. None. They are evil. So are Nazi hobo clowns. Let's just move on.

The Beat : October has been a pretty momentous month for you. In addition to the DOLLHOUSE gig, the final issue of PLANETARY finally came out. How does it feel to have this series ending ?

Cassaday : It's bittersweet, y'know ? I started this book over ten years ago when I was still new to the industry. It's always been there. I think part of the delay for the last issue, on my end, was that I didn't want to let it go… Hard to say goodbye to something that's close to you. On the other hand, all good things… It's certainly nice to have it all done and see it as a body of work. Mostly, I'll just be sad to not get to read any more Planetary scripts from Warren !

The Beat : You've worked on Planetary for over 10 years…and gone through a lot of changes like all of us. Are there any that particularly stand out in the way they affected your approach to the final issue ?

John Cassaday : Once you read it, you'll understand better, but it's a fairly straightforward story. It's a very specific, character driven issue and my approach was simply to do what the script asked for. That's my approach in general. Do what the story needs. I had someone suggest a while back that I do the final issue in these various gray tones and washes that I've used on some covers and flashbacks. Give it a painted look… I explained to him that that's not the continuity I've set up for the series. When you see the characters in their present day storyline, they're rendered the same. If you tinker and deviate in style for no reason, it can lead to subtle, but important distractions for the reader. If the opportunity to play with style or approach presents itself, that's fine. And I love those opportunities. But to do it for the simple sake of doing it would be kinda selfish, I think. It betrays the story.

The Beat Okay, final question : Dream project as of today :

John Cassaday : Heidi, I tell ya… It's everything that I'm doing ! I've had dream projects happen before and now I'm looking to make more of them a reality. Can't tell you any specifics, for obvious reasons, but there's a lot of exciting possibilities in front of me. Wish me luck ! Okay… FADE OUT. Roll credits. And maybe some Cannonball Run bloopers.

Miracle Laurie - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Buffyfest.blogspot.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-20T20:01:48Z

It was Sunday morning and Tara and I were sitting in a gigantic pier. Were we taking a boat trip on the Hudson ? Nope. We were at Big Apple Con, where we were lucky enough to meet Miracle Laurie of Dollhouse fame. In case you live in a hobbit hole, she plays active Mellie/November/Madeline. After playing a bit of the new Super Mario game for the Wii, we hunkered down into her autographing area and got down to interviewing business.

Bitsy : This is Buffyfest and we're doing an interview here with Miracle Laurie here at Big Apple Con.

Tara : Big Apple Comic Con.

Bitsy : Yes ! Or that. Alright, so the first question is : So you've been pegged as being a little bit of an optimist. Let's say, theoretically, since people are trying to make that Dollhouse technology into a reality, do you think there's any chance that it can be used positively ? Or is it always going to end in tears ?

Miracle Laurie : Well, we actually have done a couple engagements on the show where it is pro bono, where they go and do good things in the world..so yes, I do think so. Is it morally right no matter what ? Probably not. (laughs) It's nice that they use it for good sometimes but really that's not what it comes down to.

Bitsy : Speaking of technology, talking about one thing everybody uses, you use twitter a lot now...

Miracle : I'm a big tweeter ! Yeah !

Tara : So am I !

Bitsy : Yep, we all kind of do the tweet.

Miracle : I resisted all of that kind of stuff in the beginning, just because it's not in my nature at all. And I realized it's kind of necessary and actually quite fun and I've really started to enjoy connecting with everybody.

Bitsy : Yeah, you've connected with a couple of fans now, haven't you ?

Miracle : Oh definitely yeah ! One in particular - Madelaine Anne is a name that sticks out - and she follows me on twitter and replies to me a lot. She was actually here today and I got a picture with here. So it's fun to put the faces with the names and the handles and stuff. And I just want to tell everyone : even if I don't respond to your replies, I read EVERYTHING. I read everything that people say to me, everything on Facebook. I check it all out every day. I have to get better at replying to everyone but...but I'm there I watch, I listen !

Bitsy : Do you think that twitter played a part, like the campaigns that happened in helping Dollhouse get renewed for that second season ?

Miracle : Oh hell yeah ! Oh definitely...yeah absolutely. I think that everyone's efforts - The facebook efforts, twitter and all the websites like you guys and everyone else, really added up and became quite the powerhouse that FOX had to reckon with. And they did and they made the right decision.

(...)

Click on the link for more :

http://buffyfest.blogspot.com/2009/10/buffyfest-interviews-lovely-miracle.html

Miracle Laurie - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Echoalertcast.com Video Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-20T19:51:20Z

Dichen Lachman - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Sfx.co.uk Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-20T18:10:42Z

You're best known in Australia and quite well-known in Britain for being in Neighbours, but Dollhouse is probably your first exposure to a US audience – has that been a big change of pace for you ?

“Yeah, it is – Neighbours is actually a lot faster ! It's on every day of the week for 25 minutes an episode, so we were shooting 25 pages a day, whereas on Dollhouse we may shoot eight. The difference is not so much in pace I guess, but the size of the production is so much larger, and there's obviously more money being poured into an American network show. So in that sense, it's different. And also working with people who have so much film and TV experience, whereas in Australia it's more limited. Most of the people I worked with had been on Neighbours for most of their careers. They'd been working on a well-oiled machine for the last 15, 20 years and just had their thing going, whereas in America everyone's moving around and shifting and have worked on a million different things, and they just have a different set of experiences.”

Has there been a big difference in how SF fans who know you through Dollhouse respond to you compared to soap opera fans ?

“Sci-fi fans and Neighbours fans are very different ! I always remember that Neighbours fans would say, ‘What happens with this ? What happens to Susan and Karl ?' or ‘What are you doing next ?'. Sci-fi fans appreciate their spoilers a bit more.”

A lot of fans feel that Sierra didn't get enough screen time in season one – is that going to change for season two ?

“Hopefully ! The first three episodes for me have been quite light, but I think people can look forward to seeing more Sierra and more Victor. I think they'll go into our back stories a bit more, and Victor and Sierra's relationship. I don't know what's going to happen with it but I think it's definitely going to be present. I'm looking forward to it – I love working, I love being on set and would have loved to have been on set more last season, but I look forward to doing that this season. Fingers crossed !”

Do you know anything that's in store for Sierra this season at all ?

“I think she's going to become more aware. Obviously the relationship with Victor will be dealt with more, and I think people can look forward to seeing her getting some of her power back. Not all, but some of it – last season she was tortured a lot and I think it's going to be interesting to see her being quite strong. But that's as far as I know !”

Are there any aspects of her character or history you'd really like to see explored in more depth ?

“I'd love to see more of her origins. I'd also love to play lots of different characters and be challenged with inhabiting these people our writers have created. It's always exciting to get a script and read a completely different person on the page, and find interesting and creative ways to inhabit them. It's always something I look forward to. I trust them, I think they're all amazing and I look forward to seeing what they come up with.”

Looking at the show more generally, are there any big points we should be looking out for in season two ?

“Paul Ballard will have more of a presence within the Dollhouse, that's going to be quite interesting, to have Tahmoh being inside, because it changes the chemistry of it a little. Obviously the premise of the show is that the Dolls are becoming more aware so I think they're going to focus on that a lot. And then there's also the day-to-day engagements. I think people are going to be really pleased with the new season – every episode's been fantastic, everyone's excited about it and I hear it looks amazing. I think it's something that people should really look forward to.”

The first season came in for a lot of criticism because the format meant that the stories often felt quite exploitative, and Sierra's development meant that she was quite close to that. Since you play the character, how would you yourself respond to Dollhouse's critics ? Do you think they'll find season two more palatable ?

“I think there are always issues in the world that are difficult to deal with, and one of the ways to confront them, and display just how wrong and exploitative people can be to each other is to communicate that in a dramatic form. It's usually done in theatre, but now it's coming into film and television, and I think there are issues that people don't like to talk about. The show is definitely saying that these things are wrong, and if anything I think it might reinforce to people just how important choice is and how important an individual is in this world, and that their voice should be heard. I think if people are finding it hard to watch for those reasons then maybe it'd be good to see the positive in the fact that the show is saying how wrong it is, and we have that conscience in the show. Boyd is that conscience, Paul Ballard is that conscience, saying that these people are people and you're essentially raping and murdering them by taking away who they are. Joss is like that – it's why he writes the shows he does and why people love his shows, because they deal with hard issues and he parodies the climate we're living in. It's an outlet, and people respond to that.”

Is Nolan going to be back, and if so, please tell us that something awful happens to him !

“As I say, I think people can look forward to Sierra getting her power back in some way, shape or form, and I think Nolan is going to be a key part in that occurring, without giving too much away. I think that's important, and I think that the people watching the show – especially the people who find that stuff difficult to watch – I think it's important for them to have a sense of closure. I think that's definitely going to occur at some point. You can look forward to that ! It is such a difficult subject. There are people all over the world suffering in obviously not literally the same predicament, but… Somaly Mam is this woman who works in Cambodia who was a sex slave, and she now works constantly to try and rescue girls who have been forced into brothels against their will and basically kept prisoners in these houses where they're exploited on a daily basis – girls not even of the age of 12. It's a really important issue and I think that it's important that people get a sense of closure, and that he gets his just deserts, because it's so relevant, and such a sad situation.”

Dollhouse season two begins with a double bill tonight on Sci-Fi at 10pm.

"Dollhouse" Tv Series - Season 2 - Digitalspy.co.uk Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-16T19:01:47Z

Dollhouse has had a pretty checkered history since its debut earlier year : the first and second seasons were delayed, the ratings have been far from desirable, and creator Joss Whedon has done little to dispel rumours of a rift with Fox. Now back in the UK for its second season, can a shotgun wedding and a baby plot help spice things up for the troubled sci-fi series ? Recently, we caught up with Dichen Lachman - aka Sierra - to find out why fans shouldn't give up on the show just yet.

How does the second season compare to the first ?

"I think you can look forward to it being a bit darker. It's really, really good - it's awesome ! People should be very excited. I have a light workload on the first three [episodes], but I've read the scripts and they're just phenomenal. Fox are letting Joss do his thing - they're trusting him and letting him do what he wants and I think it's really paid off."

Where does Sierra's story take her this season ?

"People can look forward to her becoming more aware. Obviously that's the concept of the show that the Dolls are becoming aware, and they're not supposed to. Prior to this season, Echo's been the most aware, but Sierra will catch up to her a bit more. She'll also get a little bit of her power back - not all of it, but some. She was quite the victim last season."

What about the other Dolls ?

"Victor and Echo are the most aware and that is going to carry on through. I actually have no idea what they have in store. I'm very light in episodes one, two and three, so I'm not sure where they're taking my character. But I think Victor and Sierra's relationship will evolve. Into what, I don't know. But people seemed to want to see more of that and I think they'll be pleased that that is still going to be a part of the story."

Would you like to see Victor and Sierra as a couple ?

"It's such a beautiful relationship because the show is very dark, so it's lovely to have that really pure, innocent, uncorrupted relationship where they're just drawn to each other in a way they can't explain. It's a nice contrast to everything else."

Do you know when we might be taking a trip to the attic ?

"I'd love to see that ! I hope we get to see it... That would be very interesting. Maybe they'll just keep it as this dark, mysterious place that we never see."

Could Mr. Dominic make a return from up there ?

"Oh, I hope so ! He obviously comes back - in episode 13 we see him there with Adelle - but I'm not sure. We watch shows and we fall in love with characters. And Reed Diamond does such a wonderful job, but sometimes, it just comes down to people's availability. I very much hope that Reed returns as Dominic because he's a wonderful man to work with."

Mellie/November left the Dollhouse at the end of season one. Will we see her again ?

"Yeah, it's been confirmed that she is returning. You'll definitely see some stuff with her character. People love Miracle [Laurie] - they really responded to her character a lot. She's lovely to work with and you can look forward to seeing more Miracle, for sure."

Are there any new regular cast members joining ?

"I think it's pretty much the same as last season, but there will be some new people coming into the Dollhouse. I think Paul Ballard ends up spending more time in the Dollhouse and that's going to be exciting because Tamoh [Penikett] - who plays him - was like, 'You guys always get to work on the set but I'm always on location !' It's great to have him there and having all the regulars in one place."

Will he be continuing his quest to bring down the Dollhouse ?

"I think that's his purpose but I don't know if it's gonna be as obvious as it was last season. He's the guy who's trying to make it right so he's going to be a key component of this second season."

Are you still in touch with anyone from the Neighbours cast ?

"Absolutely ! Damien Brodie, who played Dylan Timmins, comes here quite often and stays on the couch, Stephanie McIntosh is our neighbour here, and Caitlin Stasey was here for a while on the couch. I know Pippa Black, Natalie Blair and Ben Lawson are out here as well. Natalie Bassingthwaighte is here for a bit too and we're all within walking distance of each other ! I feel like I'm still living in Australia because there's so many of us here !"

Is a return to Neighbours something that you'd ever consider ?

"Of course ! But I don't think they'd go that way. The show's been going for nearly 25 years and they tend to chug along. It's a place that's home to me so I'd definitely consider it if they wanted to. There's always a place in my heart for Neighbours."

Dollhouse returns to Sci Fi for its second season Tuesday, October 20 at 10pm.

Fran Kranz - "Dollhouse" Tv Series - Ifmagazine.com Interview

Webmaster — 2009-10-16T17:41:01Z

Exclusive Interview ; 'DOLLHOUSE'S' FRAN KRANZ IMPLANTS A NEW PERSONALITY FOR SEASON TWO

The actor talks about his second year as Topher Brink on the Joss Whedon series

It seems very unlikely that DOLLHOUSE,the Fox Friday-night series created by Joss Whedon, or Dollhouse the institution that implants entire personalities into people, could function without Fran Kranz's character, Topher Brink. Topher programs personalities into the Actives, or “Dolls.” In Season One, he at first seemed entirely unaware of the implications of his work, but we know from the flash-forward season-ender “Epitaph One” that the guilt will eventually make Topher crazy. Kranz talks about Season Two and his character with us.

iF MAGAZINE : Were you and the rest of the DOLLHOUSE cast surprised by the Season Two renewal ?

FRAN KRANZ : We did it [laughs]. No, it was really surprising. It was pretty thrilling, because we were dead, we were pretty much counted out. No one thought we were coming back, no one wanted us back – no, people wanted us back. But it really was one of those things where as an actor, you have to move on. And then all of a sudden, it was like, ‘Man, but I know this show is good. I know this show gets really good. It just needs that chance.' And then word started getting out – ‘Wait for the sixth episode' or ‘Wait for this episode.' I was telling friends and whatever and the buzz started building online, and then next thing you know, there was this whole campaign to save DOLLHOUSE, which was awesome. Joss [Whedon] has the best fans in the world. It's so cool to be a part of his world now, and I'm so grateful for it, because they saved the show.

iF : Did you get to do the rock star thing at Comic-Con this year ?

FRAN KRANZ : Yup. It was sweet, because last year, I was in Comic-Con – because I'm a big nerd, too, I just like the videogames and stuff – I would go down anyway [as an attendee]. But last year, it was weird. This woman was getting Tahmoh [Penikett]'s autograph, and she has one of those cast photos, and I'm in the photo, and I'm standing right next to Tahmoh, and she looks at me and she goes, ‘Next year,' but doesn't ask for my autograph. That's so weird – it's like, ‘I'm right here …' [laughs] Not that I was offended, but it was just kind of a strange thing. Sure enough, this year, everyone wanted my autograph. I sat around for like an hour, signing autographs. It was really fun. People really love the show.

iF : Maybe the woman last year was a fan of Tahmoh Penikett from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA …

KRANZ : That could be it. We've got so many BATTLESTAR people on the show this season, Jamie Bamber and Michael Hogan. [Talking about BATTLESTAR],I always blow it. Joss hates me. I actually ruined some of BATTLESTAR for Joss. I have the biggest mouth. He hadn't finished [watching] it yet, and I was talking about the last episode. I was up in Vancouver [filming CABIN IN THE WOODS]and I got to meet a lot of [the BATTLESTAR cast], and I'm the biggest BATTLESTAR geek.

iF : Was your level of surprise as great, greater or lesser than Topher's to discover in ‘Epitaph One' that Topher is instrumental in ending civilization as we know it ?

KRANZ : How great is that ? What a fun thing to play, the guy responsible for ending the world. I was surprised, but I probably shouldn't have been, because he's creating this technology. If he is the guy, the brains behind it, it's a very dangerous thing. You get the sense that Topher wasn't judging himself before, but he's starting to. He clearly is starting to feel his actions have consequences. So I think it makes sense, but no, I did not see it coming. It's not this kind of overnight thing. It takes awhile for him to break down. So the journey getting there will be really interesting, it will be really fun to explore how I can make that kind of subtle, slow and real transition. At the end of Season One, Dr. Saunders [played by Amy Acker] finds out she's a doll and she's like, ‘Hey, what's up with me hating you, if you made me ?' So the beginning of Season Two, we've got to deal with that. Because we work together, I have to answer that question. And it's honestly one of the best scenes I think I've ever been a part of. It's such good dialogue. Joss wrote the most amazing scene. He even emailed me and he was like, ‘You will not be sorry – consecutive twenties will be fine,' as in, I owe him money for how good this scene was. Amy Acker [is one of] my two favorite women in the world, and I got to do this great scene with Amy. It was just really powerful, funny – the whole spectrum. And I think that sets Topher on the downward spiral. I think he felt Dr. Saunders in a way was his most beautiful creation, and his most beautiful creation hates him, and I think that's the first time he has to re-evaluate himself and really look at himself. He gave her free will, he gave her the opportunity to make her own decisions, so that they wouldn't always agree with each other, because they had to counter ideas off each other. I think there's always a bit of self-loathing involved in Topher, but that really comes out finally there. I think that he has some real issues and I think that's when he starts having a look at whether what he does has consequences, bad ones sometimes. I think that's a big influence on him going mad, so to speak.

iF : There are also some scenes where Topher gets kind of friendly and even cuddly with Dollhouse matron Adelle DeWitt, played by Olivia Williams …

KRANZ : Oh, yeah, it gets very maternal. We have like a little mother-son relationship. I like it – I think it's really interesting. In Episode Thirteen [of first season, ‘Epitaph One'], you get the sense that we're the bad guys, sitting around in the Dollhouse. Everyone else, the Dolls, they're all woken up and going off to that safe haven, and it's questionable what Eliza [Dushku as Echo] is going to do with us. At the very end, she [Adelle] says [to Echo], ‘Are you going to kill me ?' And that question is not answered. And I don't even really know if we actually left the Dollhouse. But we have to stick together, Olivia and I, because we were in it together and it develops – I think as I sort of lose control, she has this instinctual maternal quality to her and she is there to protect me.

iF : Would you be in favor of an episode where Topher put himself in the chair and took on another personality ?

KRANZ : Oh, absolutely. Or I'd love to see Topher's personality imprinted on a Doll. I think Enver [Gjokaj, who plays Victor the Active] could do a great impression of me. You know, the possibilities are endless. That's why it's just the coolest TV show. Because you can really do so much. There's so much room for, ‘Let's just do something really funky or something really twisted.' [‘Belle Chose,' the episode] Tim Minear wrote, is so twisted, it is so creepy and crazy. So we're going to do really fun things, but I am all for Topher getting in the chair and getting his brain all scrambled. But he's got to stay Topher. Maybe [he could be an Active] only for a little bit – maybe I can be a Laker for awhile or something. [laughs] It'd be fun to do Tahmoh. He's got the whole intense FBI glower down. Or Harry Lennix. Harry is like the greatest actor in the world, because [when] he gets direction, he intellectualizes it and then physicalizes it. He understands the direction, but he also executes it perfectly, whereas sometimes actors can understand direction, but do they necessarily execute it and act it out and perform it as well as they were told to ? And Harry never gets it wrong. So it would be fun to fill his shoes for a little bit.

iF : Both Enver Gjokaj and Dichen Lachman said they would like their characters to be imprinted with Topher's personality.

KRANZ : Yeah, they all like Topher. See, I get jealous of the Dolls. As an actor, you want to play different roles. So I get to Enver, I see him walking around, showing off all this talent, and I'm like, ‘Mmm …' I think that would be really fun, a challenge. But they all think I get the fun lines and all that. And I guess I do. [Topher is] kind of the comic relief.

iF : Are the Season Two budget cuts affecting how you work ?

KRANZ : We're shooting it all on digital, we're getting very creative with how to make things cheaper. For instance, half of [‘Epitaph One'] was shot digital, the future scenes. That's how the whole new season's shot. It's very run and gun, we're moving really fast for a TV show – for single-camera, it's amazing how quickly the pace is going.

iF : Have you learned to memorize Topher's techno-jargon more quickly ?

KRANZ : I'm pretty good with the lines in terms of memorizing the weird stuff. I gave up on asking about it, because half the time, they just made it up and I'm like, ‘Really ? Okay, I'll come up with my own definition.'

iF : Is there anything else you've done lately ?

KRANZ : Nope. Since I finished CABIN IN THE WOODS [produced and co-written by Whedon], I had a month off before we started DOLLHOUSE again. Joss has employed me for the last two years. If I never met that guy, I don't know. That's scary to think about [laughs]. [Season Two of DOLLHOUSE] is going to be the best thirteen episodes. I can guarantee that, because all bets are off and we're just having fun now, so if you decide to watch, you're going to be really, really blown away.