This is partly why the show Dollhouse was very controversial. Its main character, Echo (Eliza Duschku -- Buffy, Tru Calling), was often in the beginning of the show sent on "love missions". Season 1 begins with several stand alone episodes in which Echo is sent on a series of adventures: robbing a bank, being the perfect adventurous date, protecting a pop star. These are not very plot heavy and if you're more interested in how the show explores the issues it raises you should start with episodes 6 and on.

Despite a very split opinion when it comes to Duschku's acting skill set, Dollhouse's cast is amazing for one show. Amy Acker (Buffy), Olivia Williams, Fran Kranz, Enver Gjokaj, and Alan Tudyk (Firefly) turn in phenomenal character performances. Gjokaj and Kranz especially are actors to watch.

Dollhouse got a second 13 episode season and it wasted very few seconds delivering a mind blowing season. The writers knew they were on the cusp of cancellation so they pulled out all the stops. The second half, especially, of season 2 is, as one tv blogger put it, "in a time of LOST, [Dollhouse] is INSANE". The same blogger called it "TV on crack".

It's fun to watch Dollhouse because it is both serious and funny, intelligent and competent, risky, and more often than not, literally jaw drop worthy.

Dollhouse takes characters you hate in the beginning and turns them into people you will genuinely care about by the series end despite how much you swear to the heavens you wanted to slap that character in the beginning of season 1. Dollhouse has a rather large cast and does a reasonable job of developing even peripheral characters.

It has action, humor, undying love (yes I know that's important), unrequited love, devastation, and TWISTS that will keep you pausing the TV to call your friends and go "THAT JUST HAPPENED".

The overarching story line: the "tech" that the Dollhouse uses to wipe and implant its actives with new personalities is restructured and abused by an evil corporation. It wants to have the ability to wipe anyone anywhere whenever it likes. This leads to misuse of the "tech" and an inevitable apocalypse and revolution (this part is shown in s1's season finale and s2's season finale).

Dollhouse was created by Joss Whedon, who also did Dr. Horrible's Sing A Long Blog, Firefly, and Buffy and Angel.

Even if you don't normally like Whedon I urge you to check this latest project out. (Like I said for more serious watchers you will hate the first 5 episodes because they are solely there for attracting viewers by exploiting the actresses.)

There are episodes in this series that are crap, but there are episodes that are so complex and wonderful you'll want to watch them again and again.

For fans of sci-fi, Whedon, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, apocalyptic story lines.