| Synopsis |
This collection of essays contextualizes Joss Whedon's Dollhouse as a postmodern investigation into what makes us human and as an examination of how technology invariably transforms our identity and perhaps even our humanity. Together, these essays provide a provocative meditation on how one example of science fiction comments on the state of personal identity in a 21st-century society dependent on forms of technology that threaten the individual. This collection of essays examines the various characters and themes presented in the series throughout its two-year run on television. In addition, the essays look at how the series fits into Joss Whedon's oeuvre as auteur, director, and producer., Although it lasted barely more than a season, Dollhouse continues to intrigue viewers as one of Joss Whedon's most provocative forays into television. The program centered on men and women who have their memories and personalities repeatedly wiped and replaced with new ones by a shadowy corporation dedicated to "fulfilling the whims of the rich." This chilling scenario was used to tell stories about big issues--power and resistance, freedom and servitude, class and gender--while always returning to its central themes of identity and individuality.In Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity, Sherry Ginn, Alyson R. Buckman, and Heather M. Porter bring together fourteen diverse essays that showcase the series' complex vision of the future. Contributors probe deeply into the fictional universe of the show by considering the motives of the wealthy clients and asking what love means when personalities are continually remade. Other essays consider the show's relations to politics, philosophy, and psychology and its representations of race and gender. Several essays explore the show's complex relationship to transhumanism: considering the dark potential for dehumanization and abuse that lurks beneath the promise of turning bodies into temporary vessels for immortal, downloadable personalities.Though a short-lived series, Dollhouse has been hailed as one of television's most thoughtful explorations of classic science fiction themes. As the first serious treatment of this landmark show, this collection will interest science-fiction scholars and Whedon fans alike., Although it lasted barely more than a season, Dollhouse continues to intrigue viewers as one of Joss Whedon's most provocative forays into television. The program centered on men and women who have their memories and personalities repeatedly wiped and replaced with new ones by a shadowy corporation dedicated to "fulfilling the whims of the rich." This chilling scenario was used to tell stories about big issues-power and resistance, freedom and servitude, class and gender-while always returning to its central themes of identity and individuality. In Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity, Sherry Ginn, Alyson R. Buckman, and Heather M. Porter bring together fourteen diverse essays that showcase the series' complex vision of the future. Contributors probe deeply into the fictional universe of the show by considering the motives of the wealthy clients and asking what love means when personalities are continually remade. Other essays consider the show's relations to politics, philosophy, and psychology and its representations of race and gender. Several essays explore the show's complex relationship to transhumanism: considering the dark potential for dehumanization and abuse that lurks beneath the promise of turning bodies into temporary vessels for immortal, downloadable personalities. Though a short-lived series, Dollhouse has been hailed as one of television's most thoughtful explorations of classic science fiction themes. As the first serious treatment of this landmark show, this collection will interest science-fiction scholars and Whedon fans alike., Although it lasted barely more than a season, Dollhouse continues to intrigue viewers as one of Joss Whedon's most provocative forays into television. The program centered on men and women who have their memories and personalities repeatedly wiped and replaced with new ones by a shadowy corporation dedicated to "fulfilling the whims of the rich." This chilling scenario was used to tell stories about big issues--power and resistance, freedom and servitude, class and gender--while always returning to its central themes of identity and individuality. In Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity, Sherry Ginn, Alyson R. Buckman, and Heather M. Porter bring together fourteen diverse essays that showcase the series' complex vision of the future. Contributors probe deeply into the fictional universe of the show by considering the motives of the wealthy clients and asking what love means when personalities are continually remade. Other essays consider the show's relations to politics, philosophy, and psychology and its representations of race and gender. Several essays explore the show's complex relationship to transhumanism: considering the dark potential for dehumanization and abuse that lurks beneath the promise of turning bodies into temporary vessels for immortal, downloadable personalities. Though a short-lived series, Dollhouse has been hailed as one of television's most thoughtful explorations of classic science fiction themes. As the first serious treatment of this landmark show, this collection will interest science-fiction scholars and Whedon fans alike. |
| Table Of Content |
Acknowledgments Introduction: Fantasy Is His Business, But It Is Not His Purpose: An Introduction to Joss Whedon and His Storytelling Alyson R. Buckman Part 1. Self and Identity Chapter 1: "I've Watched You Build Yourself From Scratch": The Assemblage of Echo Michael Starr Chapter 2: "We Are Not Just Human Anymore"--Accepting the Posthuman Future Meg Saint Clair Pearson Chapter 3: Anamnesis, Hypomnesis, and the Failure of the Posthuman in Whedon's Dollhouse Margo Collins Part 2. Ethics Chapter 4: 'What about the laws?'--Regulation and the Celebration of Resistance Tom Garbett Chapter 5: Somebody's Asian on TV: Sierra/Priya and the Politics of Representation Ananya Mukherjea Chapter 6: "In my house and therefore in my care": Transgressive Mothering, Abuse, and Embodiment Samira Nadkarni Chapter 7: "I possess the means to satisfy my vagaries:" What Motivates the Dollhouse Clients? Heather M. Porter and Sherry Ginn Part 3. Structure and Form Chapter 8: "Who Did They Make Me This Time?": Viewing Pleasure and Horror Bronwen Calvert Chapter 9: "I love him . . . Is that real?" Interrogating Romance Through Victor and Sierra Lorna Jowett Chapter 10: The Theatre of the Self: Repetitious and Reflective Practices of Person and Place Joel Hawkes Chapter 11: "We're Lost. We are not Gone": Critical Dystopia and the Politics of Radical Hope Derrick King Chapter 12: Welcome to the Dollhouse: Reading Its Opening Title Sequences David Kociemba Chapter 13: Ritual, Rebirth, and the Rising Tide: Water and the Transcendent Self Ian G. Klein Series Episode List About the Contributors Index |
Ricardo Reie
This deep dive into *Dollhouse* unpacks its brilliant yet underrated themes—identity, control, and morality—with sharp analysis. Alyson Buckman captures why the show still resonates, exploring Whedon's genius despite its short run. A must-read for fans craving more layers behind the mind-wiping sci-fi drama!