As I have been watching the show Dollhouse on Fox I can’t help but be reminded of the show from the 90s called The Pretender. While the premises of the shows appear totally different, when you take closer look at the shows you will seem that there are many similarities. These similarities lead me to believe that Jared, from The Pretender, is the first Doll.
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The Dollhouse
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On Dollhouse people sign their lives over to the Rossom Corporation for a specific amount of time, during which they have their memories and personalities removed. These people, called Actives or Dolls, are kept in a utopian society where everything is taken care of for them. The facility where the Actives are housed is called the Dollhouse, which is like a four star resort. The Dolls at the Dollhouse have agreed to undergo this process, having signed contracts that dictate payment and the duration of their stay. The Dollhouse rents the Actives out to wealthy clients who want to have needs that they feel an Active can fulfill, these are called engagements. While this may seem like a wonderful idea the actives have no idea what they are doing. Once the engagement is over the Dolls once again have their minds whipped clean and return to the childlike state they have inside the walls of the Dollhouse. In essence this is a very expensive escort service. During these engagements the Actives can be programmed with any personality and knowledge needed to complete the tasks during the engagement. Engagements can range from the romantic to security. The Actives are protected by personal security called Handlers. Each Doll has their own handler, and is programmed to trust them no matter what. The Dollhouses most promising Doll is Echo.
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The Centre
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On the other hand on The Pretender the people being used by this corporation have been taken against their will. On this show there is a facility called The Centre where they keep their assets. These assets are people that they use to solve problems. The Centre deals in science and espionage. The Centre kidnaps children with exceedingly high I.Q.s and raises them to use this intelligence to be able to create personalities within themselves to solve problems. The Centre is hired by outside parties to find solutions or strategies for their own benefits, like creating viruses or discovering who killed someone. The Centre also uses their assets to create things that will make them money, like weapons and technology. These people that have been raised by the Centre are known as Pretenders. They are called this because of their advanced intelligence and adaptability they can pretend to be anyone. The pretenders have a handler, as well, that acts more as their guide and teacher then security. Unlike the Dollhouse, the Centre is a cold place that resembles a cross between an office building and an institution. On the show they Centre’s most prized asset, Jared, has escaped and they are trying to capture him.
While these shows seem very different they are actually very similar in many of their main ideas. Both shows deal with people who change or adapt their personalities to fit in to a situation or solve a problem. Both shows deal with the inherent problems that arise when humans are not allowed to fully allow their personalities to flourish. And lastly both shows deal with a large corporation using people for their own capitalistic needs.
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Jared
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The most similarities are seen when you take a closer look at the two main characters. Both Jared and Echo have instinctual need to help people. We see this with Jared because the entire show is about him helping wronged people. With Echo it is more subtle. We see it the most clearly in episode 9-A Spy In the House of Love. This is seen when she asks to help Topher while in her Doll state.
In both of the characters past bad things have occurred to people because of their actions. With Jared we find out that the things he was doing for the Centre have been used to hurt people. In Echo’s past she was trying to take down the Rossom Corporation when one of her loved ones is killed. Both of these empathetic characters feel that these atrocities are their fault.
These characters are both able to become anyone they need to be. While Echo does this by being programmed by Topher, Jared is able to do this naturally. Jared has the ability to read and remember anything. He learns at a very fast pace. He has been everything from a Pilot to a surgeon. Echo has been lovers to hostage negotiator.
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Echo
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Both of these interesting characters have been kept in a childlike state. When it comes to Echo this is the way the Dollhouse controls the Dolls while they are residing in the Dollhouse. Jared was kept this way because he was raised in the Centre and never allowed to experience any of the normal things children do. The world is a new place to him when he eventually leaves the Centre. The Centre keeps Jared this way to help keep him focused on his work.
Both of these fine characters have a strong dislike for the place that has kept them. When Echo is allowed to have the basis of her personality back her main goal is to free the other Dolls and take down the Dollhouse. When Jared finally escapes the Centre he wants nothing more then to take them down. Neither one of them really want to be kept by these corporations.
Both have very little, if no, memories of their lives before they were placed into these facilities. Both of these characters have no families that they remember or friends that they miss. These two also were able to make friends in these strongly controlled environments. Echo is close to November, Sierre, Victor, and her Handler Boyd. Jared has a very close relationship with Angelo, his teacher Sydney, and a tumultuous relationship with Miss Parker.
These characters both can be whomever they need to be. Neither has their own true identity. Unlike the Dolls though, Jared has a natural ability to do this. Because of all these factors I believe that Jared is the Original Doll. Actually he is the original natural Doll.
The links are to other spots and websites. Also if you like these kinds of shows you might want to check out my Horror/Sci-Fi Spot.
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