[Televisionary]

"Did I fall asleep?" By now, you've read my advance review of three of the first four episodes of Joss Whedon's new drama Dollhouse on FOX, as well as my interviews with series creator Joss Whedon and Dollhouse 's Eliza Dushku ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer ) , who plays the Dollhouse's operative Echo, who seems to be growing slowly more self-aware. But, now that the series premiere of Dollhouse ("Ghost") has aired, I'm curious to see what you thought of the episode and the series' potential. Were you entranced by Dollhouse 's overarching concepts of identity and self-awareness? What did you think of the series' cast of characters? Did you think that this episode was a good introduction to the world of Dollhouse ... or did its story of Echo negotiating the return of a kidnapped girl leave you feeling empty? (Did you accept why the millionaire would hire a mind-wiped doll rather than actual hostage negotiator?) And most importantly: w

While the full schedule won't be released until Wednesday, February 18th, the Paley Center for Media has offered yet another tease at two panels that will be presented as part of the 2009 William S. Paley Television Festival (a.k.a. PaleyFest 09). Joss Whedon will present not one but two panels this year as Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible are expected to be a part of the lineup for the 26th annual television festival, along with the previously announced panels for Fringe and True Blood . Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Zach Whedon, Felicia Day, and Jed Whedon are already confirmed and will participate in the Dr. Horrible panel, along with other members of the creative teams for both Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible . (What's a Dr. Horrible panel without the titular villain himself?) The all-inclusive PaleyFest09 Premium Festival Pass is available now at ticketweb.com and include one guaranteed ticket for premium seating each night, access to Festival events, free parking, concession s

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. Chuck creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak said that this season's finale will be "game changing" for Chuck and his band of spies. "We're going to launch the show in a really exciting direction next year. We designed our season heading toward it," said Schwartz, appearing this weekend at New York Comic-Con. While Schwartz and Fedak are being tight-lipped, they did mention that Jordana Brewster will reprise her role as Chuck's deadly ex Jill in an upcoming episode. ( TV Guide ) Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello has the character breakdowns for the CW's planned update of Melrose Place , including a character who is the son of the original's Jake (Grant Show), an omni-sexual PR maven, a wannabe filmmaker, a recovering alcoholic, a med student turning tricks to pay her tuition, and a teenage sex kitten. The pilot, produced by CBS Paramount Network Television, will be overseen by Smallv

One of the most eagerly anticipated series of the year involves mind-wiped dolls who are imprinted with various personalities, skills, and flaws. And, no, I'm not talking about the latest iteration of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise but rather the sci-fi action series Dollhouse , from Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, which launches Friday, February 13th. Just don't expect any song-and-dance routines along with the high-flying stunts and motorcycle chases. "No, I’m not planning a Dollhouse musical just yet," said writer/executive producer Joss Whedon. But before we tackle what Joss had to say about FOX's Dollhouse , I am sure many of you are curious to know if there is any update about the rumored big-screen version of Buffy . "Yes," said Whedon. "There is not going to be one... I think that’s pretty much it. Nobody has ever broached the subject from the studio side. I think everybody is busy working, so I think that it proba

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I'm in fashion overload after back-to-back episodes last night of Top Model and Project Runway (more on the latter in a bit) but can't say that I am as enthused with either series as I was in the past. Lest you worry about the fate of Joss Whedon's action drama Dollhouse --beset by multiple problems months before the series' launch--you can dismantle the shrine. FOX is said to be still deeply committed to the project. “With months before our broadcast premiere, we have the rare luxury of extra time,” a 20th Century Fox Television spokesman said. “We believe in this show and want to give it every opportunity to succeed.” Let's hope that's true, given the recent reports that the network was decidedly less than pleased with the series' creative direction. ( Entertainment Weekly 's Hollywood Insider ) Meanwhile, FOX must be pleased as punch that its other cult drama Fringe performed so well in its seco

Good morning and welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I ended up making it a fashion-fueled night last night with new episodes of Top Model and Project Runway and threw on the ABC pilot Single with Parents (starring Alyssa Milano) just for good measure. What's up first today? Dollhouse , natch. Everyone is talking about the production shutdown on the set of the new Joss Whedon action drama, slated to kick off in January 2009. 20th Century Fox Television has shut down shooting on Dollhouse beginning tomorrow through September 25th so that Whedon can oversee a rewrite of the fourth script and get ahead on the next few scripts. News comes after FOX rejiggered the running order in July: Dollhouse 's originally filmed pilot will now bow second, after a newly constructed pilot episode (which I hope to see soon). Does this bode ill for the series? No one can say but it does at least point to the reassuring fact that Whedon does seem to be involved with the decisi

Good morning and welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. Remakes seem to be all the rage these days, with several US networks remaking not only UK scripted formats but also recycling old US dramas (ahem, Knight Rider ) and feature films. So what's in the pipeline? Besides AMC's recent announcement that they are developing a series based on 1970s surveillance flick The Conversation , lots. CBS is developing a series remake of Streets of San Francisco with Sheldon Turner and a remake of the long-running procedural cop drama Hawaii Five-O --which ran from 1968 to 1980 and introduced the catchphrase "Book 'em, Danno!"--with Criminal Minds executive producer/showrunner Ed Bernero attached to write. Updated version of Hawaii Five-O will follow the exploits of Chris McGarrett, the chief of the fictional Hawaiian state police department and son of the original's Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord). (Aside: Bernero is also working on another CBS project, Washing

Whither Dollhouse ? That seems to be the big question today following news that television auteur Joss Whedon would be retooling the pilot for his midseason action drama Dollhouse , starring Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, Amy Acker, Harry Lennix, Olivia Williams, Fran Kranz, Reed Diamond, and a host of others. (You can read my early review of the pilot script for Dollhouse here .) Early reports seemed to indicate that Whedon had made the decision to scrap the pilot in favor of reshooting an introductory episode that was less noir and had more of the "visceral pop" that was promised in the pilot script and that the decision was not one handed down to him from FOX. According to Whedon in a post on Whedonesque : "The fact is, I’m very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone – I was in a dark, noir k

I am still trying to catch my breath. I'm talking about my reaction last night after reading Joss Whedon's brilliantly evocative script for his new seven-episode drama series for FOX, Dollhouse . If there's one thing that Dollhouse has been this development season in Hollywood, it's been THE script to try to get your hands on. After weeks of conniving, begging, and bartering, I finally managed to get my greedy mitts on the script and hungrily devoured the 54-page script in about fifteen minutes, seemingly without pausing to breathe. While I had extremely high expectations for Dollhouse (I always trust in the Joss), I was worried that, after all of the hype and hoopla, it wouldn't quite live up to my preconceived notions about the project. I am happy to say that not only were those expectations matched but they were exceeded. This isn't latter-day Alias by any stretch of the imagination: while there are still costume changes and choreographed fight sequences,

I woke up this morning with a singular thought: what ever happened to that planned Buffy spinoff Ripper ? If you remember back nearly a year ago, the internet was abuzz with the news coming out of San Diego Comic-Con: Joss Whedon had announced plans to go ahead with Ripper , the proposed Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff centering on Watcher Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head). Fanboys (and girls) everywhere were proclaiming it to be a very happy day indeed, what with Whedon returning to the franchise with Ripper and the then-upcoming Buffy Season Eight comic book. (Shame on you, if you're not reading it!) Since then, a lot has happened, both here in Hollywood and specifically to Whedon himself. Joss ended up selling a seven-episode drama series called Dollhouse --starring former Buffy staple Eliza Dushku and BSG 's Tahmoh Penikett --to FOX; pre-production is currently underway for a spring shoot and Dollhouse has been slated to air this fall. (I, meanwhile, have been hard a

It's rather like a high-stakes game of musical chairs these days around the studio lots, what with numerous behind-the-scenes changes on some of your favorite series. The latest news: Sarah Fain and Elizabeth Craft, late of ABC's Women's Murder Club (until they were let go just the other day, that is), have already been hired. Their new home? Why, none other than the new drama project, Dollhouse , from Fain and Craft's former boss, Mr. Joss Whedon. Let's just say it was an offer they couldn't refuse. Craft and Fain, who cut their teeth as story editors on Whedon's Angel , got the gig two days after getting the boot from Women's Murder Club when Whedon offered them staff writer gigs on Dollhouse . “Joss emailed and said ‘I’m really sorry — and is it too soon to ask you to work on Dollhouse ?’” Fain told TV Barn's Aaron Barnhart. Dollhouse , of course, already has a seven episode order from FOX . It stars another Whedonverse alum, Eliza Dushku, as Ec

The big news yesterday was, of course, that Sarah Michelle Gellar would join creator Joss Whedon and the cast for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion at this year's William S. Paley Festival, to be held at the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight in Hollywood. I'm hoping that Gellar's presence on the guest list spurs hold-outs Anthony Head and Alyson Hannigan to join up with the rest of the crew, which currently includes Amber Benson, Nicholas Brendan, Emma Caulfield, Eliza Dushku, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seth Green, James Marsters, and Michelle Trachtenberg. (I'm also hoping they lure former writers Jane Espenson, David Fury, and Doug Petry to the event.) As for me, I've already gotten my tickets so I'll be there (as well as at a bunch of other panels) with bells on. Great big, vampire-repellent bells on. Let's just hope they do something fun and make the pre-panel screening interesting and intriguing: the pilot perhaps? Or "Once More with Feeling"? But

You read that headline correct. I think I just wet my pants with excitement. Joss Whedon is making his return to network television, with an original drama series entitled Dollhouse . Series, which will reunite Whedon with former Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Eliza Dushku (who will star and produce Dollhouse ), has received a seven episode commitment from FOX. Dushku will star as Echo, a member of an elite team of secret agents each of whom, according to James Hibberd at TV Week , has "the ability to be imprinted with custom personalities and abilities for special assignments. When they return, their newly acquired memories are wiped. The show follows Echo as she takes on a variety of assignments—some romantic, some adventurous, some uplifting, some illegal—and gains awareness of her role and confinement." The idea for the series was hatched by Whedon at a lunch with Dushku, who was allegedly instrumental in bringing Whedon back to network television. The series concept w

Better sharpen those stakes. In a surprise Comic-Con announcement, Joss Whedon has confirmed that the long-gestating Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off, entitled Ripper , finally looks like it's going forward. Whedon says that he's thisclose to signing a deal with the BBC to finance a 90-minute telepic that will star Buffy 's Anthony Stewart Head as former Watcher Rupert Giles as he combats the things that go bump in the night sans Slayer. The deal hasn't been signed yet, so anything can happen, but Whedon was quick to say that no US distribution has been decided. Meaning that it's still a bit soon to circle a launch date on your calendar or break open the bubbly. Meanwhile, Whedon has launched a non -Buffy -related online comic called Sugar Shock with Dark Horse (the publishers of the Buffy Season Eight comic). It's free, it's online, and it might just tide you over until Ripper ... or the next issue of the Buffy comic.

Want a sneak peak at Joss Whedon talking about his experiences directing this week's episode of The Office ("Business School")? Look no further than the NBC-packaged clip below. No, the irony that Joss would be directing an Office episode about bats, vampires, and the pasty undead (sorry, Dwight) isn't lost on me. Is it Thursday night yet?

Looks like the Whedon-verse is starting to come together again. Sort of. Actress Amy Acker, best known for her roles as scientist-turned-monster hunter Winifred "Fred" Burkle and monster hunter-turned-ancient goddess Illyria on Angel (and a recurring stint on the final season of Alias ), has joined the cast of FOX's midseason drama Drive . Drive , of course, is the brainchild of Tim Minear, who created Firefly with Joss Whedon. Whedon is himself currently shooting an episode of NBC's The Office to air during February sweeps. (Here's hoping that Pam's ex-fiance Roy, ably played by David Denman, will have a part to play in the episode. After all, he did recur as the demon Skip on Whedon's Angel .) Still with me? Here's the best bit: Acker will play Kathryn, the wife of landscaper Alex Tully, whose kidnapping by a shadowy syndicate forces Alex into the illegal (and very dangerous) underground race that propels the plot of Drive . And Alex is played by

It's hard not to brag sometimes. Especially when you're the one who broke arguably one of the biggest TV geek stories in recent memory. For those of you not aware: Televisionary first broke the story in the wee hours of Monday morning that Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Angel , Firefly , and all things good and right with television) would be directing an upcoming episode of my comedy obsession The Office . Furthermore, I went on to recount that Joss would be directing the episode immediately preceding that directed by fellow TV god J.J. Abrams (of Lost , Alias , and Felicity fame, not to mention a little movie called Mission Impossible 3 ). Guess what, boys and girls? Entertainment Weekly has confirmed my original story (found here ) with this little doozy: "UPDATE: Awesome! NBC Universal has confirmed to EW's Dan Snierson that Whedon and Abrams are indeed both directing episodes of The Office . Watch for them to air around late February."