Stop-Loss (Dollhouse)
Encyclopedia
"Stop-Loss" is the 9th episode of the second season of the American science fiction
television
series Dollhouse
and the show's 22nd episode overall. The episode was written by Andrew Chambliss
and directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá
. It aired in the United States on Fox
on December 18, 2009.
This episode focuses on Victor, after he leaves the Dollhouse. Another part of Rossum's agenda is revealed. This episode was aired back-to-back with "The Attic
".
Echo attempts to use the access pass that Boyd has given her to see Ballard. Boyd warns Echo against using it for now, to avoid drawing the wrath of Adelle. Boyd tells Echo to say goodbye to Victor and he will speak with Adelle about Ballard. Adelle denies Echo of seeing Ballard and wants Echo to suffer to see who she is now. Adelle then orders Boyd to see through Victor's release. Victor and Sierra are having breakfast together but soon Victor is told he is having a treatment. Echo tells Victor that he won't be coming back and to say goodbye to Sierra. However Victor does not understand the situation and ultimately Sierra and Victor schedule dinner together.
Topher imprints Victor with his original self, Anthony Ceccoli. Boyd briefs Anthony on his back story and his current situation. Anthony is dropped off at a suite that the Dollhouse has arranged for him. Sierra is waiting for Victor to come back so they can have dinner together but Echo tells Sierra that Victor is not coming back. Sierra believes Victor is not ready to be by himself. Anthony goes to a club by himself. He spots a woman which looks similar to Sierra and approaches her, but she does not recognise him. Anthony goes back to the suite, and subsequently sleeps in the bathtub instead of the bed. Echo sneaks out of the bed chamber to see Paul, but she cannot find him and goes to see Adelle. Echo wants to know where Ballard is, but Adelle just says that he has been moved to a more secure location. Adelle and Echo square off, and Echo says that Adelle can either join her or go against her.
Men start to invade Anthony's suite. As they are pre-occupied by the bed, Anthony sneaks out of the bathroom and is able to take out a guard, but is taken down by the other three. Topher has been monitoring Anthony's bio-link according to protocol. He informs Boyd something is wrong and Boyd asks Echo to come help investigate. Boyd believes it was an inside job as they knew to disable the bio-links and GPS. Anthony is taken to an unknown location. The people who kidnapped Anthony explain they use to be part of the Dollhouse and would like Anthony to join them as a soldier. Anthony agrees.
Boyd and Echo go back to the Dollhouse and look to see who has been into their files. They find a section of Rossum called Scytheon, which is a military wing. Scytheon is running a project called "Mind Whisper". The project uses active architecture so they can make a neural radio. Boyd informs Adelle, who tells Boyd to leave it alone. Topher believes this technology will make all the minds in "Mind Whisper" become one. If Anthony is not rescued before he becomes a part of the group, he will be lost forever.
Echo is placed into the chair and uploaded with multiple personas, all with military backgrounds. Boyd informs Echo that Adelle is out drunk. Echo summons Sierra to get her imprinted as Priya. Priya is angry at Topher for not erasing Nolan's murder from her mind as he has promised. But Topher explains the situation and she and Echo go after Anthony. Echo and Priya are able to infiltrate the base, but Anthony finds them and attempts to kill them. Priya manages to talk him down, reaching out to Victor. Adelle is awoken by Mr. Harding asking her what her actives are doing at the base. Adelle and Boyd face-off but Boyd tells her if she doesn't gain control of herself, he will come after her.
Echo knocks out Anthony after misdirecting the guards to the exit. Priya is left to defend Anthony whilst Echo looks for a way to remove Anthony from the group. Anthony soon wakes up and he and Priya are cornered by the guards. Echo plugs herself into "Mind Whisper" and is able to tell the soldiers to stand down and go home. Echo, Priya and Anthony are in the car, on the way back to the Dollhouse. However Echo tells them to get out, telling them they are free now and doesn't want to bring them back to the Dollhouse. But the disruptor is used and all three are knocked out. Adelle tells Echo that Harding was impressed with her, but she believes Echo is too dangerous and sends her to the Attic along with Priya and Anthony.
said the episode, "suffered from a few issues – mainly feeling very rushed – but overall was a fun, exciting and interesting installment that ranks among the best Dollhouse has offered. "
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Dollhouse
Dollhouse (TV series)
Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon under Mutant Enemy Productions. It premiered on February 13, 2009, on the Fox network and was officially cancelled on November 11, 2009. The final episode aired on January 29, 2010...
and the show's 22nd episode overall. The episode was written by Andrew Chambliss
Andrew Chambliss
Andrew Chambliss is an American television writer best known for working on series such as Dollhouse and The Vampire Diaries.- Career :...
and directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Félix Enríquez Alcalá is an American film and television director.-Career:...
. It aired in the United States on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
on December 18, 2009.
This episode focuses on Victor, after he leaves the Dollhouse. Another part of Rossum's agenda is revealed. This episode was aired back-to-back with "The Attic
The Attic (Dollhouse)
"The Attic" is the 10th episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Dollhouse and the show's 23rd episode overall. The episode was written by Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon and directed by John Cassaday...
".
Plot
The episode begins with Adelle, aka Miss Lonely Hearts, having a night with Victor. However Victor breaks up with Adelle, citing another woman. In the Dollhouse, Topher explains to Boyd that Ballard is completely wiped. Boyd leaves to deliver the news to Echo. Adelle barges into Topher's office and asks why Victor would dump Ms. Lonely Hearts, but in process reveals she is actually Ms. Lonely Hearts. Topher says there is nothing wrong with the imprint and what ever happened it wasn't his fault. Victor's wipe is complete and upon waking up asks for Sierra.Echo attempts to use the access pass that Boyd has given her to see Ballard. Boyd warns Echo against using it for now, to avoid drawing the wrath of Adelle. Boyd tells Echo to say goodbye to Victor and he will speak with Adelle about Ballard. Adelle denies Echo of seeing Ballard and wants Echo to suffer to see who she is now. Adelle then orders Boyd to see through Victor's release. Victor and Sierra are having breakfast together but soon Victor is told he is having a treatment. Echo tells Victor that he won't be coming back and to say goodbye to Sierra. However Victor does not understand the situation and ultimately Sierra and Victor schedule dinner together.
Topher imprints Victor with his original self, Anthony Ceccoli. Boyd briefs Anthony on his back story and his current situation. Anthony is dropped off at a suite that the Dollhouse has arranged for him. Sierra is waiting for Victor to come back so they can have dinner together but Echo tells Sierra that Victor is not coming back. Sierra believes Victor is not ready to be by himself. Anthony goes to a club by himself. He spots a woman which looks similar to Sierra and approaches her, but she does not recognise him. Anthony goes back to the suite, and subsequently sleeps in the bathtub instead of the bed. Echo sneaks out of the bed chamber to see Paul, but she cannot find him and goes to see Adelle. Echo wants to know where Ballard is, but Adelle just says that he has been moved to a more secure location. Adelle and Echo square off, and Echo says that Adelle can either join her or go against her.
Men start to invade Anthony's suite. As they are pre-occupied by the bed, Anthony sneaks out of the bathroom and is able to take out a guard, but is taken down by the other three. Topher has been monitoring Anthony's bio-link according to protocol. He informs Boyd something is wrong and Boyd asks Echo to come help investigate. Boyd believes it was an inside job as they knew to disable the bio-links and GPS. Anthony is taken to an unknown location. The people who kidnapped Anthony explain they use to be part of the Dollhouse and would like Anthony to join them as a soldier. Anthony agrees.
Boyd and Echo go back to the Dollhouse and look to see who has been into their files. They find a section of Rossum called Scytheon, which is a military wing. Scytheon is running a project called "Mind Whisper". The project uses active architecture so they can make a neural radio. Boyd informs Adelle, who tells Boyd to leave it alone. Topher believes this technology will make all the minds in "Mind Whisper" become one. If Anthony is not rescued before he becomes a part of the group, he will be lost forever.
Echo is placed into the chair and uploaded with multiple personas, all with military backgrounds. Boyd informs Echo that Adelle is out drunk. Echo summons Sierra to get her imprinted as Priya. Priya is angry at Topher for not erasing Nolan's murder from her mind as he has promised. But Topher explains the situation and she and Echo go after Anthony. Echo and Priya are able to infiltrate the base, but Anthony finds them and attempts to kill them. Priya manages to talk him down, reaching out to Victor. Adelle is awoken by Mr. Harding asking her what her actives are doing at the base. Adelle and Boyd face-off but Boyd tells her if she doesn't gain control of herself, he will come after her.
Echo knocks out Anthony after misdirecting the guards to the exit. Priya is left to defend Anthony whilst Echo looks for a way to remove Anthony from the group. Anthony soon wakes up and he and Priya are cornered by the guards. Echo plugs herself into "Mind Whisper" and is able to tell the soldiers to stand down and go home. Echo, Priya and Anthony are in the car, on the way back to the Dollhouse. However Echo tells them to get out, telling them they are free now and doesn't want to bring them back to the Dollhouse. But the disruptor is used and all three are knocked out. Adelle tells Echo that Harding was impressed with her, but she believes Echo is too dangerous and sends her to the Attic along with Priya and Anthony.
Reviews
Rachel Reitsleff from iF Magazine said "Stop-Loss" was "good from a story standpoint, but because so much has to happen in such a short time frame, there are fewer grace notes than usual, and they are missed." Eric Goldman from IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said the episode, "suffered from a few issues – mainly feeling very rushed – but overall was a fun, exciting and interesting installment that ranks among the best Dollhouse has offered. "