photo courtesy of Fox Entertainment

Joss Whedon is back on TV. And it feels so darn good. If you watched tonight’s episode, I’d love to hear your reactions. Kim and I will be talking about it in our next episode (out this upcoming week), but spoiler free.

As most of you know, I was a DVD convert to the Jossverse. So this is my first Joss Whedon TV premiere and I was very happy.

Now, my immediate reactions (now an hour after the show ended). There are spoilers, so beware.

Really there are spoilers behind this cut… do not read if you do not wish to be spoiled

Iwas managing my expectations. Honestly, with all the negative reviews and Joss’ qualifying statements I was worried. I was prepared to wait till episode six to really love this show. Perhaps that’s why I loved the episode so (Kim and I have talked about how being over-excited can spoil things – like the first Buffy comic).

First impressions -
I really, really don’t get why people think Eliza’s acting is ‘wooden’. I think she’s quirky, but fantastic. Maybe they didn’t get that Echo is supposed to be nearly fairy-blank-like.

I’m prepared to really really love Boyd Langton. He really stole the show.

Also, Joss is right. Tahmoh should be shirtless more.

If you’re a Pretender fan, did the final scenes with Alpha remind you of Angelo?

Concept, people seem to keep commenting that they’re not sure where the show could go. I don’t know how people can think that. With Alpha, the FBI agent, Echo, Amy’s character, etc. There’s so much potential.

I also loved the story of giving someone who had committed suicide – closure. Is that weird? I really thought it was a beautiful ending to Ms. Penn’s story, even if she wasn’t there to really experience it.

Best scenes? Amy and Eliza together. “Does someone take care of you?” – Hauntingly tragic and amazing.

—edited to add more thoughts—

I was prepared to hate this show, especially given the negative reviews it had garnered. I was prepared to give Joss a pass and chalk it up to studios messing with a master piece. I also was prepared  to remember that I didn’t fall in love with Buffy, Angel or Firefly on their pilot episodes (I actually thought all the pilot episodes were pretty dull).

This episode felt more like a good pilot. Joss trimmed back his talky talk (the man can go on and on). There’s action and visual flash to everything. There’s tension between Echo’s handler and what they’re doing it (I’m in love with Boyd already), there’s hidden secrets behind Dr. Saunders and the Dollhouse. I’m really intregued by the Alpha storyline. And I loved Eliza answer the security man in Spanish (I have a tickle as a gal who grew up in Pico Rivera when I get to answer people in Spanish when they think I don’t understand them).

I personally don’t think the studios mandated “short dress! sex! T&A!” – I think that’s what the Dollhouse is. If you spend ($1M?) for a fantasy girl – that’s how you’re gonna want her.  Joss even said the studios asked him to tone down the sex (and he said they were a bit more prudish than fans might think).

Maybe because I was expecting to be disappointed I wound up being very happy. I try very hard to manage my expectations especally with something we’ve been talking about since 11/07!

I look forward to next week.

Oh and I almost cried when I saw Grr Argh. It felt good. So. So. good.