Joss Whedon Believes ‘Dollhouse’ Will Not Be Back For Season 2
Things are not lookin’ too good for the future of the new Eliza Dushku TV series Dollhouse … according to series creator Joss Whedon. At the Paley Center for Media panel for Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog here in SoCal last night, Whedon confessed that chances are “not very good” that FOX will bring the show back for a second season next year. Considering that the show has been pulling in soft TV ratings and the fact that FOX is already thinking ahead to DVD sales of the series rather than airing future new episodes of the show, I tend to agree with Joss that the total 12 eps of Dollhouse that are already scheduled to air will be the last that we’ll see from the show on TV:
Right around episode 6, “Dollhouse” kicked into creative high-gear — but it might have been a little too late. Series creator Joss Whedon, speaking on a “Dr. Horrible” panel Tuesday night at the Paley Festival, said the possibility of the show receiving a second-season pickup was, well, rather grim. The chances are “not very good,” he said, according to SciFiWire.com. “Obviously our numbers are pretty soft … but we live in hope. “I’m really proud of the episodes that are coming out,” Whedon said. “More than that, I can’t really ask.” His comments follow the recent news that Fox would not be airing “Dollhouse’s” 13th episode, a stand-alone episode titled “Epitaph One” that the studio asked to be added on to the first season’s 12 to package for sale on DVD and overseas. Whedon elaborated on the episode’s set-up: “[I agreed to shoot] a post-apocalyptic thriller that’s all on our sets in six days with a cast of four other people … and peppered with different bits from our regular cast. … It’s one of the best episodes we’ve ever made.” The most recent episode of “Dollhouse” delivered a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers overall. A renewal for its Friday-night lead-in, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” is even less likely. Fox will announce its fall schedule May 18.
Personally, I feel that the reason that the show is underperforming in the ratings has mainly to do with the fact that FOX exiled it (along with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) to Friday night. As much as I am loving Dollhouse over all, I am usually not home on Friday nights to watch it … so it gets recorded on my DVR so that I can watch it later. I’m sure there are LOTS of other folks who do the same. I know the show would do much better if the network featured it on a night when people are actually home to watch television. That being said, tho, I sorta feel that Dollhouse will go the way of that other Joss Whedon show Firefly (which aired only one season and then was axed by FOX due to poor ratings). While I don’t think that Dollhouse will eventually get it’s own movie like Firefly did (2005’s theatrical release Serenity), I think there are a lot of similarities between the two series. If Dollhouse does not survive and the show does get the ax by FOX, it seems to me that the working relationship between Joss Whedon and FOX needs to end — for both of their sakes. Whedon is going to continue making smart, character-driven TV shows and FOX is going to continue treating those shows like unwanted step children. How many times can both sides afford to expend time and money into a relationship that doesn’t seem to work? It’s a damn shame that Whedon’s work is not given the support and promotion that it deserves because I honestly believe he is one of the most talented TV people out there. I, too, am living “in hope” that Dollhouse will defy the odds and will live to see another season but I’m also very much prepared for the fact that the show might be killed off way before its time. At this point, I’m relishing every ep as much as I can while I still can. I understand the 13th ep is really spectacular … if the show has to end, I’m not surprised they are planning to go out with a bang.
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Tags: 'Dollhouse', Joss Whedon, PaleyFest, The Paley Center for Media
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April 16th, 2009 at 9:03 am
I am so angry right now!
why the fuck does he insist on working with Fox, when they keep treating him like crap?
plus wtf happened to the idea of him making a show for the BBC? In the UK Joss is considered to be a TV legend, people respect him, he should just move here and make his shows in the UK, because the BBC are not obsessed with viewing figures, give the man a chance for God’s sake!!!!
April 16th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I totally agree with you Trent. I believe it is because it comes on Friday nights, when most people are probably out beginning their weekends. I for one, am not usually home to watch it, so I catch up with it online. Either they need a new night, or they need a new network. This is one the best TV and not reality show I have seen in awhile………..i hope they dont cancel it :(
April 16th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I’m sooooo angry if this turns out to be the case!!! I love Dollhouse and as you said it’s a struggle cause I’m rarely home on Friday nights, I totally think Joss should move it over to SciFi (oh they’ve changed their name now.. whatever their name is now) and get the second season there!! I would hate for Dollhouse to get cancelled it’s so addictive!! I hope SOMETHING gets worked out so the show can stay on… Even if I’d have to watch it online (cause i live in the Bahamas) I would watch it every week like I do now!!
April 16th, 2009 at 9:14 am
i download it because i’m in the UK but i love it and so does my bf (who doesn’t normally like this sort of thing)
i think lots of ppl download it
i hope they dont cancel it
April 16th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Am stoopid pissed. Yes I don’t have time on friday’s and see it on Hulu the next day. But it’s a good show overall. Send FOX boxes of candy hearts!!! Aka “Miss Lonely Hearts”. I doubt it would work but I really love this show. Am sad, thxs Trent for giving me bad news. =,( FOX suck’s. Joss should end it with them…
April 16th, 2009 at 9:16 am
FOX always stinks about stuff like that. Why don’t they just put boring stuff on Fridays and save great shows like Terminator and Dollhouse for nights when people actually watch TV? A lot of times I have to watch it online.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I love both Dollhouse and Heroes, but the future for both arent looking good. I hope both get brought back. If NBC were in charge, i think things would have been different. Fox isnt too smart, putting it on Fri. I dvr it.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I’m not going to cry YET…nothing has been determined 100% for Dollhouse (though things are definitely not looking good for Terminator). And, even if it does get canceled, Joss has proven that other delivery methods WORK. I don’t think this is the end for Dollhouse.
Who knows, maybe DirecTV will take Dollhouse on, too! It worked for Friday Night Lights. :-)
My ideal night of TV would be Fringe, followed by Dollhouse. I think they’d see really high numbers there, and the shows just go together well.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:32 am
AGH!!!! I can’t believe it! Dollhouse is one of my fave shows right now! And I guess I’m lucky because I always have plans Sat night, but it’s rare I have plans on Friday.. so I’m always there to watch it. I can’t believe Terminator and Dollhouse (two of my all time fave shows) might be axed. Seriously?!?! People who control T.V land need to get their heads out of their butts and keep great shows like this on the air and kick of trash like Paris Hilton’s Best Friend.. ugh
April 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
This is a bummer…. I love Dollhouse but Tivo it like everyone else. I think Fox has done a horrible job of promoting it. Really hoping it comes back for another season – perhaps on a different network?
April 16th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I love this show! I started watching on Hulu because like most people I am not home on Friday nights, but Saturday morning Dollhouse watching party in my bed is the best! Friday Night Lights kind of got the same shaft (also a favorite of mine) by being moved to Friday but they are still on and looking to be on for another 2 seasons… I think the fans can keep it alive!
April 16th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Sad to hear the news…. Joss is an amazing creative guy who develops amazing projects… if the show was moved to a different day, it would probably get the chance it deserves… Is there any other networks that may want to pick up the show in case FOX decides not to ??
April 16th, 2009 at 10:33 am
it’s really sad to hear that another Joss series is going to be canceled at it’s first season. I live here in Singapore and we don’t even get Firefly OR Dollhouse on TV. But I caught them none the less…. and I love them both. It’s getting really annoying with shows like Firefly, Dollhouse & Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles getting canceled before their time….. ugh…
April 16th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I really think that Dollhouse’s failure is Fox’s fault. I love Joss, so I stuck around passed the first few episodes. But they were not good. But I also knew that Fox had a lot of control over the first 3-4 episodes, and then gave over creative control fo Joss. He really needs to sever ties with Fox or all of his shows will fail.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:56 am
My first post got eated so the abridged version. Knowing Fox’s track record I prepared myself for Dollhouse to be canceled from the beginning; the current financial environment minimizes the chances of a big screen move, which is too bad. Also, the shoes Sierra wore in last week’s episode were sex.
April 16th, 2009 at 11:03 am
This is annoying. A good shows comes on screen and I hate that they don’t give it a chance just because its on Fridays. They did the same thing with Moonlight. I already have enough shows on my DVR between Sun-Thurs, I would like for Dollhouse to stay on for good on Fridays!!
April 16th, 2009 at 11:05 am
@Luz — I, too, loved Moonlight. It just sucks that shows that have promise cannot be allowed the chance to grow and find their audience.
April 16th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Wasn’t there some thing where fox wouldn’t allow whedon to do the episodes they way he wanted to do them, until around the 4th episode when they finally gave up control and let him do it his way?
April 16th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Firefly was the BEST! I’m still mad that it got canceled, let alone Dollhouse… I do agree that the first half of the season was kinda lame though
April 16th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
@lauren but isn’t it the way it should be, tv shows shouldn’t be rushed, they should be allowed to grow and pick up momentum.
look at HBO and their policyin making critically acclaimed shows. anyone who’s watched OZ , The Wire, The sopranos, True Blood could tell you that, you need to give a show a chance to grow. Why can’t Joss do something with HBO?
April 16th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Hey Dollhouse Fans … be sure to vote on Kristin at E’s “Save One Show” Campaign. I included a link as my website.
A few years back this campaign miracously resurrected One Tree Hill.
Dollhouse is getting better with each episode. (Funny how once Fox stopped interfering with Joss it got good). Click and Save!
April 16th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
“FOX is going to continue treating those shows like unwanted step children”
LOL
I like Dollhouse but I would not be sad if it gets cancelled because I didn’t get so interested in the story. I just hope the ending is not too much of a cliffhanger, just in case it gets cancelled.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Damn FUX!! Dollhouse is totally must see tv for me! They can’t cancel it just as it’s getting amazing!!
April 16th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
i love this show! i also am never home to watch it on fridays! i tivo it and watch it another time. does this affect the ratings if everyone is doing that?
April 16th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
This sounds a bit like when tv ratings for Gossip Girl were way down according to traditional viewership calculations, while it had a huge following online and popularity that could not be accounted for by the usual system.
I’m never home on a friday and have to download the show, so there is no record of my friends and I watching it.
Dollhouse should have a second season at the very least.
April 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Crap! I like that show & am home every Friday night to watch! It’s the only thing I watch on Fox anymore.
Why don’t they at least keep it as a web series? Can’t tell you how disappointed I am at this news. Especially when some of the most idiotic “reality” shows keep coming back year after year. BLEH!! This just sucks!!!!!!!!
With very little effort Fox could have great ratings with this show or bring Firefly back.
Isn’t the only record of people watching done with the Nielson (sp) ratings box that they put in some homes? Don’t think they are giving those boxes to the right homes.
April 16th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Odd thought, would people be willing to download the show directly from a Weddon website if it came with a few ads embedded in the file? If Weddon didn’t have to include Fox’s share of the ads, plus the affliates share maybe he could get by with smaller ad sales and we could still get Dollhouse.
Yeah, I’m grasping at straws
April 16th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
In other news… Is it true that after 2 or 3 episodes airing, “Kings” has been canceled? Does anyone know the truth?
April 16th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I’ve been saying the people at FOX are complete morons ever since they cancelled Firefly. Joss should just get his own network. He has more than enough fans to keep it alive.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Hmm. I guess that’s not really a surprise. But, to be honest, I’ve struggled to get into the show, and I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan. I’m pleased to hear that it has picked up, but after persisting with the first 4 episodes, I don’t really have the urge to keep watching. I’m not sure why; something just isn’t clicking. And that wasn’t the case with Firefly. So, I’m not sure we can blame it all on the scheduling. Although, it has to be said that ratings for serialized dramas are poor generally these days (see the numbers for Lost and Heroes, both of which I love), which possibly reflects the way the younger audience watches television these days, ie DVD and TIVO, while older audiences are happy to plonk themselves down in front of the tv to watch their “CSI: Wherever” live. So, I don’t really know what the answer is. Maybe Joss, Fuller, Kring etc should pitch their shows to cable networks from now on?
April 17th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Joss Whedon, Eliza Dushku and co. still think hope is very much alive for the show after Joss was contacted by FOX following the Dr. Horrible panel. Check out all the information and articles that appeared after the Dollhouse panel the next day. It looks like Season 2 has a good chance!
April 17th, 2009 at 9:49 am
I can not believe this!!! They can’t keep ending Joss shows on me. I can’t take it. Can they move to like SCI-FI NETWORK or something? This show is so fantastic and I was so happy to see Eliza back on the tube. Fox blows.
April 17th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
While I watch Dollhouse I get on the IMDB discussion board because it’s great to hear what everyone else says while I’m watching the show with them. Seriously this show is amazing and fox is so STUPID. The target audience isn’t home!
If Fox drops this show maybe SCIFI will pick it up?!?!
April 17th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Damn..all my favorite TV shows get cancelled after the first season….anyone remember Point Pleasant?? It got cancelled after six weeks and then was realsed on DVD..people should check it out because alot of the people who worked on Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse worked on this show too..
April 18th, 2009 at 9:15 am
LOVE , LOVE, LOVE DOLLHOUSE !!! HATE , HATE , HATE FOX !!!!!!!!
April 18th, 2009 at 10:21 am
I love this show.
I hope it can be saved. I do watch it on Friday’s and enjoy Joss W’s work.
SAVE THE DOLLHOUSE!
April 26th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I am pretty mad myself. I don’t normally watch stuff like this, but I love Dollhouse. Not happy to hear it won’t come back. Stupid Fox. Remember when Futurama got canceled and then brought back like 2 years later? The show did all these crazy insults about Fox for the first few of the new episodes. I pretty much agree with every negative thing they joked about. lol.
May 10th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I absolutely LOVE Dollhouse. This is another awesome show that Eliza has starred in. I was upset when Tru Calling only lasted 1 season. I certainly hope it doesn’t happen again! I think we should all sign a petition or something stating that we want Dollhouse back next season and that it needs to be moved to Wednesday night or something like that.