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Sydney Morning Herald
Monday July 13, 2009
DollhouseFOX8 8.30pmA key concern of quality sci fi has always been what it means to be human. Joss Whedon asks here: without our memories, who are we? For the uninitiated, the Dollhouse is a special kind of NGO that keeps humans in a state of stoned bliss until they're required, at which point they're implanted with the memories and therefore personality necessary for them to perform undercover operations. Except sometimes the dolls, especially Echo (Eliza Dushku), exhibit initiative, emotion, free will. This is episode four and we already have three intriguing plotlines running the assignments on which Echo is sent, the investigations by a renegade Fed into the Dollhouse's existence and the overarching metaphysical questions that keep reappearing in different guises. Add Whedon's quirky sense of humour and you have one of the most interesting shows on telly right now.NRL TacticsFoxSports 2, 8.30pmSports journo Andy Raymond heads a team of thick-necked experts who crowd around a large video panel and point out what various thick-necked players are up to. The detailed breakdown is too sophisticated for a novice like me but for fans it's no doubt both compelling and enlightening.The Real Housewives Of AtlantaArena, 9.30pmThe "real housewives" series has proved a phenomenon: cheap (in every sense), wildly popular and absolutely addictive. They blend that delicious voyeurism of how the other half live with the compelling characters of a first-rate reality show.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald