Dollhouse Renewed in FOX Shocker

In a stunning upset for Joss Whedon fans, sources close to the FOX network are reporting that his new show Dollhouse will be unexpectedly renewed for a second season.

Several major media outlets, including Variety and the Los Angeles Times, announced that FOX is bringing Dollhouse back. Variety reported that 13 new shows have been ordered and that Dollhouse is likely to stay in its Friday night time slot.

The news hasn't been made official yet, because FOX's upfront presentation is scheduled for Monday, when they will release their fall lineup. Dollhouse fans had expected to learn the show's fate then.

FOX said earlier this week in a statement posted on the website Dollverse that "The series has not been renewed yet. Any renewal announcement would be made at the upfront presentation a week from today."

But Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku, currently traveling and volunteering in Africa, sent out a Twitter message saying that talks were ongoing about continuing the series.

The move was unexpected, since the season finale of the show received the lowest ratings of the series, causing many media critics and observers to write the show off. FOX had previously cancelled Whedon's cult hit Firefly after one season.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Whedon had agreed to a drastically reduced budget to get the show renewed.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Dollhouse's 12th episode "Omega" was seen by a series-low 2.76 million viewers and earned a 1.1 rating in national adults 18-49. Dollhouse was fourth in its timeslot, finishing ahead of a CW repeat of "America's Next Top Model." The numbers represented an 11 percent drop for Dollhouse since it's second to last episode.

FOX, however, might have been adding other factors into their calculations. DVR adjustments always improve Dollhouse's performance slightly, since the show airs in a traditionally low-viewed Friday night slot. Also, Whedon has a rabid cult following, and the last two episodes of the season were the ones critics and fans seemed to be the most optimistic about.

FOX has already renewed the dramas Fringe and Lie to Me, but according to the LA Times the network won't officially announce anything on Dollhouse until Monday. The Times quotes several sources close to the show, however, who say that the deal is already done.

Dollhouse stars Dushku as Echo, one of a group of "dolls" who are activated in each episode with new personalities and identities, and are then hired out to well financed clients.

(Spoilers follow)

The final two episodes dealt heavily with the overall mythology of the show, featuring guest star Alan Tudyk as Alpha, a previously unseen rogue doll who has been terrorizing the Dollhouse and is in love with Echo.

There were also surprising reveals for Amy Acker's character Dr. Saunders, who turned out to be a former doll named, and more confusion for Echo, whom Alpha has imprinted with a personality mix called Omega. Other members of the Dollhouse are set up to both fight Alpha and deal with the moral implications of their work.

Sources

Variety

Los Angeles Times

Entertainment Weekly