Epitaph OneFOX counted the pilot as the 13th episode of the first season of Dollhouse. In order to give a 13th episode for the DVD's, international broadcasts, and for repeats. All shows have to have 13 or 22 episodes. Well except for the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Anyhoo, Joss used little budget to set an episode ten years after the first season in the future. So it is set in a post-apocolyptic future where anyone can be 'programmed' without having to had been an Active with a press of a button. So there are very few that are imprinted, those that are still themselves, are called "Actuals." Written by Joss' brother Jed and Jed's wife, actress Maurissa Tancharoen. This episode did not air on FOX and did not involve most of the cast.
Felicia Day (of the Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog fame) and Zack Ward (of "Titus") star as Actuals who hide out and find the show's dollhouse, without knowing what it is and discover it is the source of all their trouble. They then encounter Whiskey (Amy Acker), a doll who was once imprinted as Dr. Saunders. Amy Acker is very important in this episode. She hasn't appeared yet in Season 2 but I hope they wrap that in a nice bow with a good reason. There are 'flashbacks' and 'flashfowards' in this episode, very important and fascinating episodes. I've been watching season 2 of "Dollhouse" and I am glad I saw this now when I did because it makes more sense. They have a flashforward where Paul is Echo's handlerer and has a headache, which conincides with season 2 ep "Meet Jane Doe." For fans and non-dollhouse but Whedon fans, should definitely watch this! It's a great stand-alone and deep-mythology episode. There are common Whedonesque plot twists but very welcomed.
In Jan 22, the 13th ep of season 2 airs "Epitaph Two: The Return," I hope it does air because news is that the show has been canceled by FOX.
