Dollhouse Season 1, Episode 2

I'll be brief.  Episode 2 is really more of a warning to any future billionaires that want to run a mysterious company that provides custom, personality-infused people (dolls) to ridiculously wealthy clients.

The moral of the story is: Do your homework on the client.  I mean really, really, really do your homework.  He/she might turn out to be the type of person that likes to hunt human beings.  Or at the very least, update your contract so that there's a hefty fee involved for personally murdering the product.

Also, note to self:  It's probably a bad idea to do an image search for a show that you're only two episodes into even though it's already completed the first season.  There's a phenomenally high chance that you will see something in those pictures that will spoil future episodes. (and I'm not just talking about wardrobe choices)

How I First Met How I Met Your Mother (Season 1, Episode 1)

So, roughly 3 months after fellow Cold Openings blogger Jon sent me 4 seasons of How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM), it arrived in my pigeonhole and I got to acquaint myself with this show that is so legen - yes, wait for it, wait hold on can I use this joke if I'm only one episode in, oh well anyway - dary amongst my friends and acquaintances. Go postal service.

I digress. I was planning to do a marathon of the first half of the first season tonight but that was not meant to be. I did however manage to watch the first episode and here is my short report, based on my impressions of the characters.

1. Marshall

Oh Jason Segel. He's so sweet! Isn't he so sweet? I love him, he's like a puppy. I could take him being a total sap in a laugh-tracked sitcom, so that's good.

2. Lily

Alyson Hannigan will have my goodwill forever because of Buffy. And in HIMYM, Marshall's sappy lovableness spills over to her and makes her slightly more than a bland girlfriend type. I can see myself being annoyed by Lily in the future (for whatever reason), but we shall see. She's good for now.

3. Barney

OH MAH GAWD NEIL PATRICK HARRIS CAN DO NO WRONG. Suit up! De - wait for it - nied! Laser tag! Meet me in the bar in 15 minutes! That line in the cab about the olives! LOLOLOLOL forever, basically. Although my boundless love for the man causes a bit of worry, I'm scared this will turn into Gossip Girl Season 2 onward for me where I only care for Chuck and Blair and absolutely hated the other characters which essentially meant I couldn't watch the show anymore. If I'm to be riveted and watching 4 seasons of this show, I'm going to need to be emotionally invested in more than one person.

4. Ted

Which brings us to this guy. UGH. This guy. Who is this guy, even? I do not care and I will not Google him. I'm sure he's perfectly nice, but weakest link for me. Although I acknowledge that this may be because he's so overshadowed (in my eyes) by Marshall and Barney. But his face! Seriously, his face. And he's too much on this side of sap. Marshall is just right. Ted is not. He's that limp noodle who can't kiss a girl even when she gives him the signal (the only bit with Ted I liked was when he stole the blue French horn, but he didn't follow through after. I wish he had just kissed her the minute she opened the door for him or whatever. Then they wouldn't have that whole heart to heart and the revelation of "I think I love you" and the olives, you say. WELL GOOD) and yes, that's usually what makes a hero in TV shows these days but ugh. prove yourself Ted. Do not become another Dan Humphrey. Or worse, Rufus Humphrey. Just keep yourself out of the TV Humphreys gene pool!

5. Robin

I want to like her, and I sort of did at times (I liked her when she was reporting on that jumper?) but I found that she was overly smirky? For me, anyway. I'm giving her a pass because I want to like the girls on this show and she hasn't given me enough reason to straight up downgrade her to a sell. WE SHALL SEE.

6. The laugh track

Not saying the laugh track is "pervasive enough to be another character" (I'm not writing an essay here - because I would seriously write that in an essay, no questions asked) but it's been a long time since I watched Everybody Loves Raymond for enjoyment, so the first few moments of the show were jarring to me. It was like, oh a joke OH MY GOD WHY IS THERE A SOUND OF PEOPLE LAUGHING IN THEIR APARTMENT AND WHY ARE THEY NOT HORRIFIED? I'm too used to shows like The Office and 30 Rock, I guess.

I'm excited to get into HIMYM (even though I find the conceit truly laughable. I don't care who Ted married! I hope I will though! Emotional investment!) and I hope I can catch up on Season 1 fast enough so that next week I can give a more extensive report. And I'm out!