…is equal to the love you take

Miracle Laurie (November)

Finally, the inevitable, a choice that should have been made prior to Dollhouse’s season 2 ever getting filmed has happened with the disclosure today that Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse series has indeed come to an end.

A lot has been said about this show, no point rehashing too much here.

What is worth noting is  that the FOX network still does not understand (or at least behaves like it does not understand) what a cult following is. Other than his mainstream Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spin-off, Angel, Joss Whedon has not been able to sustain a mainstream television show. He has a hardcore cult following which will watch any piece of work Joss cares to turn out. But by it’s very definition, a cult following is not large enough to sustain a broad audience–an audience large enough to reign in viewers which in turn brings in advertisers which…well we all know how it works.

By the end of Season One of Dollhouse Whedon had tried the patience of even his hardcore fans, many of whom hung on in hopes of the show ‘getting better.’

Despite being a big fan of Joss, I could not watch the series straight through.  Some of it was just plain awful.  It was hugely disappointing that a man so very revered was churning out such dreck. I kept coming back though, which  speaks to my ability to suspend disbelief.

Dollhouse only showed brief glimmers of getting better–and it never gained momentum in making the glimmers any more than what they were.

So exhale. Finally. It’s done. Dollhouse is no more.

Dollhouse” is closing its doors at Fox.

The network has canceled Joss Whedon’s cult fave, which in May beat the odds with a second-season pickup despite low ratings.

The sci-fi series, which is filming episode 11, is expected to finish its 13-episode order. Whedon is said to be on board and plans to give the show a proper ending with a big finale.

“Yes. Canceled. Sad but true,” tweeted Maurissa Tancharoen, a writer on “Dollhouse” who is married to Whedon’s brother Jed Whedon, also a writer on the show.

After some dismal performance in the fall, despite the ratings bumps “Dollhouse” got from DVR viewing, Fox benched the show for the November sweep after four episodes.

Fox plans to air all produced episodes of “Dollhouse,” which will return with originals Dec. 4 as planned.

Remaining episodes schedule through the final episode (13).

Dec. 4 – 8:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episodes 5 & 6)
Dec. 11 – 8:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episodes 7 &
Dec. 18 – 8:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episodes 9 & 10)

Jan. 8 – 9:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episode 11)
Jan. 15 – 9:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episode 12)
Jan. 22 – 9:00PM-10:00PM ET/PT (Episode 13 / Series Finale)

Source: I09

What Whedon says about the cancellation:

“Dollhouse” creator Joss Whedon on Wednesday shared his disappointment at Fox’s decision to cancel the sci-fi thriller.

“I don’t have a lot to say,” Whedon wrote in a post on Whedonesque.com. “I’m extremely proud of the people I’ve worked with: my star (Eliza Dushku), my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you’ll agree in the coming months. I’m grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again.”

Whedon also addressed his plans. “I’m off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking,” he wrote. “Possibly that relaxation thing I’ve read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you’ll know what my next project is. But for now there’s a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear.”

“Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again,” Whedon said in closing.

Source: Hollywood Reporter