A Love Supreme (Dollhouse)
Encyclopedia
"A Love Supreme" is the 8th episode of the second season of the American science fiction
television
series Dollhouse
and the show's 21st episode overall. The episode was written by Jenny DeArmitt and directed by David Straiton
. It aired in the United States on Fox
on December 11, 2009.
In this episode Alpha returns following his surveillance of Echo
during her months away from the Dollhouse. This episode was aired back-to-back with "Meet Jane Doe".
In the Dollhouse, Echo has been placed in isolation. She is suffering from headaches as a result of all her imprints. Victor has been imprinted as a psychologist and questions her on what she did during her time away. Adelle seems to be trying to goad Ballard into saying what he and Echo got up to during their three-month absence. But Ballard stonewalls, despite being clearly frustrated. Boyd tells Ballard that Adelle is trying to make him squirm — and it's working. Boyd goes on to tell Ballard that he swore to protect Echo, and the only way to protect her is to stop reacting to Adelle's actions. Victor tells Adelle he finds Echo in a completely childlike state, and ends up insulting Adelle. Victor is then quickly wiped while Adelle asks what Topher what he thinks. Topher agrees with what Victor had said, and adds that physically, Echo is fine.
Topher then approaches Boyd and Ballard. He tells them Echo's brain scans are the craziest he has ever seen and demands to know what is going on. Boyd and Ballard tell Topher that Echo is not a blank slate — that she still has every imprint she has ever had, and she can control what she recalls and when. Ballard is then called into Adelle's office. She informs Ballard that Echo is going to be placed back into the field. Echo is brought out of isolation and to Topher's office to be imprinted for her next engagement. Topher tells Echo about the engagement and asks her to sit in the chair, but Echo recalls the imprint by herself. Topher notes that he is now obsolete.
Echo arrives at the engagement but finds the client is dead. Ballard calls Boyd to investigate as Echo has not been able to regain control of her own body as the imprint seems overwhelmed. As Ballard and Boyd discuss the crime scene, Echo comes to and finds a note, implying Alpha killed the client. Adelle orders Echo back into isolation and Boyd informs Ballard of all clients that have been killed, all of which were romantic engagements with Echo.
Sierra arrives back in the Dollhouse to be wiped after he engagement. Sierra mentions Alpha's name and a background search on the client reveals it was Alpha who arranged for Sierra. Alpha also leaves a message telling the Dollhouse of his next victim. Adelle orders all the dolls to be wiped again. Ballard and Boyd track down Alpha, who has a client strapped to a bomb. Boyd tries to talk Alpha down, but Alpha reveals he is jealous of the love Echo has for her clients. Alpha then blows up the client and disappears.
Boyd and Ballard try and track down Joel Minor (Man on the Street) who is the last client alive. Joel is reluctant to go with Ballard but eventually does so after Echo/Rebecca appears and they bring Joel to the Dollhouse. Adelle is angry with Boyd and Ballard for taking Echo out of isolation and is subsequently placed back into isolation. Alpha appears in Adelle's office. Adelle tries to bargain with Alpha but Alpha has nothing Adelle can give. However Alpha shows Adelle photos of Ballard and Echo together during their 3 month absence from the house. Boyd and Ballard then see Alpha on their surveillance cameras. Alpha then activates a remote imprinting, making all the actives fight the Dollhouse staff. Echo is unaffected and breaks out of isolation. Adelle locks herself in Dr. Saunder's office. Ballard arrives in Topher's office but is knocked out by Victor.
Alpha straps Ballard in the chair and interrogates Ballard on the love they share. Ballard denies the feelings between himself and Echo, but Alpha does not believe him. Echo arrives to save Adelle and takes her, Topher, Boyd and Joel to bed chambers. Joel tells Echo that Alpha has Ballard. Echo leaves to find Paul, but it is too late. Alpha's brain scan of Ballard has left him wiped. Topher and Boyd go to the manufacturing room to get the remote wipe device. Echo arrives in Topher's office to find Paul on the floor. Echo and Alpha engage in a fist fight, which Echo is winning, when Alpha's Ballard imprint gains control of Alpha's body. He uses the neural lock and key to get Echo to try and kill Alpha, but Echo cannot follow through, allowing Alpha to escape.
Topher and Boyd are successful wiping all the dolls. They find Echo holding Ballard in her arms. In the final scenes, Echo watches over Ballard who is on life support. Joel says goodbye to Echo/Rebecca for the last time. Adelle watches Echo's behavior.
said the episode "lacked a lot of the impact it felt the writers were going for."
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 21st episode overall. The episode was written by Jenny DeArmitt and directed by David Straiton
David Straiton
David Straiton is an American television director.Since the 1990s he has amassed large a number of notable television credits, first making his directorial debut directing an episode of the Disney Channel series Flash Forward...
. 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 11, 2009.
In this episode Alpha returns following his surveillance of Echo
Echo (Dollhouse)
Echo is a fictional character portrayed by Eliza Dushku in the Fox science fiction series Dollhouse, created by Joss Whedon. Within the series' narrative, Echo is an "Active" or a "doll", one of a group of men and women who can be programmed with memories and skills to engage in particular...
during her months away from the Dollhouse. This episode was aired back-to-back with "Meet Jane Doe".
Plot
The episode starts with a man confessing to Alpha that he spent his entire fortune on engagements and ended up falling in love with a woman who did not exist (Echo). Alpha quickly kills him, saying "Seems love wasn't enough."In the Dollhouse, Echo has been placed in isolation. She is suffering from headaches as a result of all her imprints. Victor has been imprinted as a psychologist and questions her on what she did during her time away. Adelle seems to be trying to goad Ballard into saying what he and Echo got up to during their three-month absence. But Ballard stonewalls, despite being clearly frustrated. Boyd tells Ballard that Adelle is trying to make him squirm — and it's working. Boyd goes on to tell Ballard that he swore to protect Echo, and the only way to protect her is to stop reacting to Adelle's actions. Victor tells Adelle he finds Echo in a completely childlike state, and ends up insulting Adelle. Victor is then quickly wiped while Adelle asks what Topher what he thinks. Topher agrees with what Victor had said, and adds that physically, Echo is fine.
Topher then approaches Boyd and Ballard. He tells them Echo's brain scans are the craziest he has ever seen and demands to know what is going on. Boyd and Ballard tell Topher that Echo is not a blank slate — that she still has every imprint she has ever had, and she can control what she recalls and when. Ballard is then called into Adelle's office. She informs Ballard that Echo is going to be placed back into the field. Echo is brought out of isolation and to Topher's office to be imprinted for her next engagement. Topher tells Echo about the engagement and asks her to sit in the chair, but Echo recalls the imprint by herself. Topher notes that he is now obsolete.
Echo arrives at the engagement but finds the client is dead. Ballard calls Boyd to investigate as Echo has not been able to regain control of her own body as the imprint seems overwhelmed. As Ballard and Boyd discuss the crime scene, Echo comes to and finds a note, implying Alpha killed the client. Adelle orders Echo back into isolation and Boyd informs Ballard of all clients that have been killed, all of which were romantic engagements with Echo.
Sierra arrives back in the Dollhouse to be wiped after he engagement. Sierra mentions Alpha's name and a background search on the client reveals it was Alpha who arranged for Sierra. Alpha also leaves a message telling the Dollhouse of his next victim. Adelle orders all the dolls to be wiped again. Ballard and Boyd track down Alpha, who has a client strapped to a bomb. Boyd tries to talk Alpha down, but Alpha reveals he is jealous of the love Echo has for her clients. Alpha then blows up the client and disappears.
Boyd and Ballard try and track down Joel Minor (Man on the Street) who is the last client alive. Joel is reluctant to go with Ballard but eventually does so after Echo/Rebecca appears and they bring Joel to the Dollhouse. Adelle is angry with Boyd and Ballard for taking Echo out of isolation and is subsequently placed back into isolation. Alpha appears in Adelle's office. Adelle tries to bargain with Alpha but Alpha has nothing Adelle can give. However Alpha shows Adelle photos of Ballard and Echo together during their 3 month absence from the house. Boyd and Ballard then see Alpha on their surveillance cameras. Alpha then activates a remote imprinting, making all the actives fight the Dollhouse staff. Echo is unaffected and breaks out of isolation. Adelle locks herself in Dr. Saunder's office. Ballard arrives in Topher's office but is knocked out by Victor.
Alpha straps Ballard in the chair and interrogates Ballard on the love they share. Ballard denies the feelings between himself and Echo, but Alpha does not believe him. Echo arrives to save Adelle and takes her, Topher, Boyd and Joel to bed chambers. Joel tells Echo that Alpha has Ballard. Echo leaves to find Paul, but it is too late. Alpha's brain scan of Ballard has left him wiped. Topher and Boyd go to the manufacturing room to get the remote wipe device. Echo arrives in Topher's office to find Paul on the floor. Echo and Alpha engage in a fist fight, which Echo is winning, when Alpha's Ballard imprint gains control of Alpha's body. He uses the neural lock and key to get Echo to try and kill Alpha, but Echo cannot follow through, allowing Alpha to escape.
Topher and Boyd are successful wiping all the dolls. They find Echo holding Ballard in her arms. In the final scenes, Echo watches over Ballard who is on life support. Joel says goodbye to Echo/Rebecca for the last time. Adelle watches Echo's behavior.
Reviews
Rachel Reitsleff from iF Magazine said "A Love Supreme" was moving "forward at speed, keeping us highly engaged as the story flows." 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 "lacked a lot of the impact it felt the writers were going for."