Joss Whedon is heading back to TV along with his “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” star, Eliza Dushku.
Variety says Dushku will star in the Whedon-penned series “Dollhouse,” which has been given a seven-episode order by Fox.
Produced by 20th Century Fox TV — the studio also behind “Buffy,” “Angel” and Whedon’s late, lamented “Firefly” — “Dollhouse” follows a top-secret world of people programmed with different personalities, abilities and memories depending on their mission.
After each assignment — which can be physical, romantic or even illegal — the characters have their memories wiped clean, and are sent back to a lab (dubbed the “Dollhouse”).
The show centers on Dushku’s character, Echo, as she slowly begins to develop some self-awareness, which impacts her missions.
Whedon has already hammered out the basic outline for all seven episodes. Barring a strike, Fox hopes to have the show in production by spring, giving the network an opportunity to be so far ahead of schedule by fall that it could potentially air a full season uninterrupted by breaks.
Beyond Dushku’s character, the show will also revolve around the people who run the mysterious “dollhouse” and two other “dolls,” a man and woman who are friendly with Echo. Then there’s the federal agent who has heard an urban myth about the dolls, and is trying to investigate their existence.
Whedon admitted there’s a little dose of “The Matrix” in the plot — “I do have that entire movie tattooed on my brain” — and said “Dollhouse” will enable him and Dushku to explore some political and social issues.
