User Reviews

"Gray Hour" is a considerable improvement over the previous two episodes, and the reason is simple: the main story is exciting again, and the side stories are just that - additional offerings. How do they make the main story exciting? By a) taking a page out of the "Alias" book (high-risk mission that is not what it first appears to be, fast pacing, driving music score, etc.), b) shaking up the formula of the show by having Echo get "wiped" (i.e., her new temporary identity, as a master thief, erased) remotely while ON the mission, which turns her into a lost child in the middle of chaos, and forces the Dollhouse to give the exact same identity to one MORE Active, Sierra, to help Echo out of her situation. The striking Dichen Lachman is really the show-stealer of this episode, her line readings as the cocky super-thief are very funny. And for some reason the scene where a member of the team explains to Echo why one painted portrait is "broken" gives me chills just thinking about it. *** out of 4.

Echo's latest mission sees her with three guys in a hotel; it appears that it is a stag night and she is to give the groom-to-be a good time. Shortly after going to his room it looks as if things have got nasty; she flees from them and tells the hotel's head of security that she has been attacked. He takes her to the security office and offers her ten thousand dollars to keep quiet… it then emerges that everything that happened before was to get her into the room. After incapacitating him she is joined by the others and they proceed to blast through the fall into the neighbouring building. Its security is being updated and they have one hour to get it, enter the vault, which is full of stolen art and antiquities and find the item they are looking for. Then things go wrong… the expert who is meant to identify the item finds it then flees with it sealing the others in the vault. Things then go from bad to worse as Echo contacts Boyd and the signal is somehow hijacked by somebody unknown who wipes her memory. While a childlike Echo is now confused in the vault with two robbers Topher is puzzled about how it could happen and Adelle is trying to find a way to keep Dollhouse from being exposed.

This was another solid episode with a series of nice twists; I liked how the nature of the mission isn't explained beforehand so it is a slight surprise when we learn this is actually going to be a heist story. The remote wipe comes as a second surprise which leaves the viewer wondering how they will get out; will a Dollhouse operative rescue her, will she somehow remember details that help her escape or will it be some other way? The scenes in the vault were fun to watch; it was particularly interesting after she had her memory wiped and starts asking about some of the pictures including a rather poignant conversation about a Picasso. The episode also advances Agent Ballard's story as he meets with Victor/Anton again as well as raising more hints about Alpha. The cast does a fine job; I really liked Eliza Dushku's performance; both as the safecracker 'Taffy' and her innocent Echo persona. Overall an impressive episode that has both a solid 'mission of the week' and advances to the overall series plot.

The good; Lovely scene where wiped Echo gazes around in wonder at all the beautiful works of art. Interesting to see Sierra and Echo play the same character 'Taffy' in the same ep.

The bad; The scenes from the ep 'Echo' are repeated. However this means that Sierra has the scar from that ep on her forehead without any explanation and it later disappears. We never get a proper explanation of how Echo and her friend get out of the vault, even with smoke grenades and the other goon distracting the guards with his shooting.

Best line; Goon 1 (of a suddenly infantile Echo) "What's wrong with her?" Goon 2 "I don't know, hysterical woman syndrome?" (un-PC but FUNNY!)

Packing heat; Boyd shoots the Professor in the kneecap. Echo with a pistol again

Kinky dinky; Hooker Echo, mini-skirted and black PVC thigh booted in true Pretty Woman style. She considers her own breasts 'spectacular'. The Sierra version of Taffy says that after nearly getting killed on her first job she learned how to lapdance.

Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Echo; 2

How'd they get away with that? Accomplice slapping Echo is nasty

This weeks fantasy; Midwife Echo and safecracker Echo/Sierra (the two skills not dissimilar, just one normally involves a lot more noise)

Total number personalities; Echo; 11 Sierra; 4 Victor; 1

Total dolls;3 Echo, Sierra and Victor

Addy is a bit British; She's at the tea again.

Topher is a bit geeky; He seems to eat nothing but junk food to judge by his shopping list. Also worries about a rival programmer from Tokyo

Bondage; Sierra tied up; 1

Kills; Sierra; 2 kills Echo; 1

Capt subtext; The baby girl Echo delivers has 'linebackers shoulders' which her father takes to be a sign that she'll be a lesbian.

Happy hookers The hotel security guard is used to dealing with distraught hookers and offers Echo hush money

Know the face? 5 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock

Guantanamo; Topher, at the heart of the conspiracy freaks out about the much larger conspiracy now attacking the Dollhouse

Reminds me off; Echo's alias is Taffy, one of the teen Angels from Captain Caveman. Dollhouse does heist movie just like Buffy in Choices and Angel in Ground State.

Questions and observations; Good ep, the scene between Addy and Topher at the end where she takes him into her confidence and they both look scared as hell at the idea of Alpha raises it to a better level. Adele seems to drink Tequila, Vodka and Johnny Walker whiskey to judge by her drinks cabinet.

Marks out of 10; 8/10