History Awesome / Dollhouse

* Doubling as a CrowningMomentOfFunny, when Adelle's DC counterpart believes he has her on the ropes, [[spoiler: she fakes seducing him until she can give his groin a nice hard twist.]] She can make being awesome look effortless.

*** And then Adelle's speech to him afterward was pure CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

** And he knows it, too, given his PetTheDog line in "Getting Closer" where he [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming points out her brilliant mind]] and tells her to leave so that she doesn't "become [him]".

* Boyd's [[spoiler: GambitRoulette is undone by Topher's BatmanGambit. A complex {{plan}} spanning the whole series and earlier, undone by Topher's realization that Anthony and Priya would return, topped off with a smiley face. Topher is full of [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Crowning Moments Of Awesome]] in 2x12.]]

** Watching closely, it's more than just voice inflections or smaller but notable traits like [[spoiler: Dominic's accent, Topher's gaspy noise of excitement]] but the smaller microexpressions too. The way someone slightly squints or the emphasize on particular words or syllables and so forth. Even without characters naming who he is directly or what he's wearing, it's clear when he's different people. Of the relatively mundane and normal people he's played like Lubov or the art collector, even those come across as distinctive even though they're basically stock characters with no change or personality at all.

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** [[spoiler: His performance in Omega actually manages to top the previous episode, not only switching back-and-forth between personalities at an astonishing rate but also having convincing conversation and arguments with himself. Seriously, as if it weren't {{Badass}} enough that he was playing five or six distinct characters, he's playing them while they're arguing with each other!]]

* Alpha, in season two. Just as Topher was assuring [[spoiler: Alpha's assumed target]] the camera cuts to Adelle, who says: "We need to find a nearby five star hotel. Where a security detail could be discreetly accommodated." Then [[spoiler: Alpha walks right out of her bathroom]] and says: "Try the Franklin. I hear the view is wonderful this time of year. Also, you're out of paper. (pause) So tell me... how's the suit?"
** If that didn't dawn on you [[spoiler: Alpha not only managed to sneak in so discreetly everyone thought they were safe, he managed to use Adelle's private office BATHROOM first.]]
* And then there was the [[spoiler: turning all dolls into sleepers.]]
* [[spoiler: Ivy - [[TheIgor Ivy]] - giving Topher the method for reviving Ballard. Outsmarting Topher in his own field of expertise is worth every second of it.]]
** And he knows it, too, given his PetTheDog line in the "Getting Closer" where he tells her to "get out" and "not become me."
*** Which qualifies as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.
* Echo [[spoiler: disarming a troop of soldiers with her minds. All forty-plus of them along with the skills she was given just for that mission. TookALevelInBadass, indeed.]]
* "The Attic". All of it. HSQ, the horror, the works.

** Let's not forget [[spoiler: Mr. "I am walking awesomness" Dominic who basically frees himself from inescapable nightmare loop in order to chase [[NightmareFuel Nightmare Fuel]] breathing assassin through minds of others, conquering their fears along the way. Then he stays behind to help those others gain counsciousness. And then to top it off he frees himself from the Attic all by himself.]] Definitely candidate for the biggest badass of the show.
* "Getting Closer". All of it. HSQ! Apparently we have dueling [[TheChessmaster chessmasters]] between Caroline, Adelle, and [[spoiler: Boyd!]]
* Ladies and Gentlemen, say hello to the MagnificentBastard incarnate, [[spoiler: Boyd Langton]]. Although we don't know [[spoiler: his]] plan yet.

* Boyd's GambitRoulette is [[spoiler: undone by Topher's BatmanGambit. A complex {{plan}} spanning the whole series and earlier, undone by Topher's realization that Anthony and Priya would return, topped off with a smiley face. Topher is full of [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Crowning Moments Of Awesome]] in 2x12.]]

* Top moment in the series: [[spoiler: [[KarmicDeath Topher turns Boyd into a doll, who Echo rigs up with a suicide vest in order to destroy the Rossum mainframe]]. KillItWithFire, indeed.]]
* In The Hollow Men during [[spoiler: Boyd's creepy I Am Evil speech]] Adelle can be heard to reply in a hoarse pained voice. You realize she is on the verge of tears. This troper just about broke down. All the credit to Olivia Williams, it's a spectacular understated moment of AWESOME.
** There's also the moment when he points a gun at her head and orders her to trigger Mellie. It's meant to be a threat, but Adelle doesn't blink and basically tells him to go fuck himself.
* In 2x11, Topher facing down a guy with a highly powered rifle at point blank range by saying "I have imprinted myself with many useful skills," [[spoiler: in order to protect Echo while she was being imprinted]]. This five minutes after [[spoiler: his one love was shot through the head right before his eyes]]. Damn.
* Echo's first 'date'. It includes a motorcycle race that ends ''through'' a hotel, night clubbing, and at the end of the night she gets a nice necklace from the hot guy she initially agreed to have no strings attached with. Who wouldn't want to be her?
** Then she forgets him and throws the necklace away. Yeah, it's not as awesome as it sounds.
* Meta example: all of the dolls' actors had to play a variety of characters, which meant different walks, expressions, diction, and everything. They all do a really good job of this.

* Ballard in the sixth episode... upon being blindsided and tazed he proceeds to beat up four armed security guards. This is three episodes after being shot and did I mention TEN SECONDS AFTER GETTING TAZED.

** The point where Adelle's MagnificentBastard status was realized, working everything in her favor in one single move. ''Awesome.''
** Her ploy in 2x06 I think counts as well; the 'Oh Crap' moment happens... and it's followed shortly by 'The Reveal' that it's -exactly- how [=DeWitt=] planned things. Add Chessmaster (Chessmistress?) to her list.
* Ballard and Echo's fight in the kitchen (hopefully the first of many) was a masterpiece of sheer brutality.

*** Seconding the part about [[spoiler: getting shot.]] Holy ''shit.''

** "You'll tell them everything's all right, and then we'll [[AndIMustScream put you back in your box]]." [[spoiler: [=DeWitt=] says this to Dominic when he says his employers will look for him.]]
* Alan Tudyk. That is all.
** Just the....the ''acting.'' The sudden, brilliant shift [[spoiler: from Steven to Alpha]] was nothing short of ''jaw-dropping.''

*** Speaking of Batman... When he was talking to the doctor, did anyone else get a vibe like "Holy shit, that's EXACTLY like [[spoiler:the Joker talking to Rachel!"]] I mean, seriously! *swoon* Alan Tudyk is now my love...
**** [[spoiler: Episode 2x08 has been seen by many people as a lower budget version of Film/TheDarkKnight, with Alpha replacing the Joker.]]
**** [[spoiler: "He said it was a blast. Don't you just love puns?]]
** Back to acting, [[spoiler:his performance in Omega actually manages to top the previous episode, not only switching back-and-forth between personalities at an astonishing rate but also having convincing conversation and arguments with himself. Seriously, as if it weren't {{Badass}} enough that he was playing five or six distinct characters, he's playing them while they're arguing with each other!]]
*** Coming from someone that [[spoiler:has MPD...]] I gotta say that how Alan acted is exactly what [[spoiler:my mind]] feels like at times. Alan gets MAJOR props.
*** He doesn't have [[spoiler:MPD]]. Well, [[spoiler:one of his personalities does]]
* Creator/EnverGjokaj (Victor) being [[spoiler:Dominic]]. Just, holy shit, that was possibly the single most convincing imprint so far. It's already hard to change personalities like the dolls have to. Enver manages to be ''[[spoiler:a regular character that the audience knows]]''. And he pulls it off brilliantly, too.

* "God has a message for you. That message is MOVE YOUR ASS!"
* Not to dwell on the pilot but "I think I'm a little old for you". You tell him Ms Penn!!!
** And the other goons get theirs when they [[spoiler: turn on the pedophile simply because of what he was going to do tot he little girl.]]
* "To ascend to anything, at minimum, ''you don't cut up women''!"
* How has no one yet mentioned Ballard and Boyd's fight post-infiltration in Briar Rose? Up to and included Echo's assistance of Boyd in the fight?
* Epitaph One. WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. This is your brain on Joss.
** Sage advice [[spoiler:"No. Kids playing with matches and they burned the house down."]]
** Also, Zone turning the tables on Iris.
** "That's perfectly fine. [[spoiler: Right now I'm having this same conversation in ten other bodies in ten other Houses across the country.]]"
* From "Man on the Street," when Tanaka is mocking Ballard, Ballard puts him in an armlock and slams him against the wall. Tanaka taunts him with "What's the matter Ballard, did I hit a nerve?" To which Ballard responds "Yeah. It felt like ''this''." ''(cue cries of pain)'' Ballard may be a psycho, but he's an ''awesome'' one.
* And now getting into Season Two - "Vows" (2-01) features [[spoiler: Ballard realizing that Echo's personalities have started recurring, so he gets her out of a sticky situation by slapping her around until her "Man on the Street" assassin chick kicks in and kicks butt.]]
* In "Belle Chose", Victor-as-Terry. It was so chillingly accurate, he even seemed to ''look'' like the other actor. Almost as good is Echo-as-Terry. then Enver tops it with his [=CMoF=] as Kikki.
* Priya killing the obsessive monster responsible for her becoming a doll. It also counts as one for Topher, who made it possible by uploading her real personality before sending her off to him.
** Word, word, word! Topher's can double by having him do the "right" thing in [[spoiler:his first moral crisis ever]]

* So, we thought Enver playing [[spoiler: Lawrence Dominic]] was good, right? His portrayal of [[spoiler: '''Topher''']] put that to absolute shame. He doesn't just ''resemble'' [[spoiler: Topher]], he ''is'' [[spoiler: Topher]].

* I think it's safe to say that Enver Gjokaj is a Crowning Actor of AWESOME. Seriously, anything this man does is gold. Someone get him a leading role STAT.
** Second. I mean... really, an actor of his skill gets relegated to a secondary role? Watching closely, it's more than just voice inflections or smaller but notable traits like [[spoiler: Dominic's accent, Topher's gaspy noise of excitement]] but the smaller microexpressions too. The way someone slightly squints or the emphasize on particular words or syllables and so forth. Even without characters naming who he is directly or what he's wearing, it's clear when he's different people. Of the relatively mundane and normal people he's played like Lubov or the art collector, even those come across as distinctive even though they're basically stock characters with no change or personality at all.

* Doubling as a CrowningMomentOfFunny, when Adelle's DC counterpart believes he has her on the ropes, [[spoiler: she fakes seducing him until she can give his groin a nice hard twist.]] She can make being so awesome look so effortless.

*** And then Adelle's speech to him afterward was just pure CrowningMomentOfAwesome in this troper's opinion.

* And don't forget Alpha, in season two. Just as Topher was assuring [[spoiler: Alpha's assumed target]] the camera cuts to Adelle, who says: "We need to find a nearby five star hotel. Where a security detail could be discreetly accommodated." Then [[spoiler: Alpha walks right out of her bathroom]] and says: "Try the Franklin. I hear the view is wonderful this time of year. Also, you're out of paper. (pause) So tell me... how's the suit?"

* The show overcoming {{The Firefly Effect}}. The odds against a second season were astronomical, but apparently enough little factors clicked together and made it happen.
** And then Whedon turns around to add to the awesome by casting [[spoiler: Alexis Denisoff and SummerGlau]] for the second season.

Describe {{Series/Dollhouse}} here: JossWhedon (and friends) being awesome after a five episode warm up period. Enjoy.

* Enver Gyokaj (Victor) being [[spoiler:Dominic]]. Just, holy shit, that was possibly the single most convincing imprint so far. It's already hard to change personalities like the dolls have to. Enver manages to be ''[[spoiler:a regular character that the audience knows]]''. And he pulls it off brilliantly, too.

Describe {{Dollhouse}} here: JossWhedon (and friends) being awesome after a five episode warm up period. Enjoy.

* AmyAcker should also join Gjokaj and Tudyk as awesome.[[spoiler: Every single imprint of hers, even though there were three + normal doll mode, is perfectly done, including that of Clyde, a man.]]

** Sage advice [[spoiler:"No. Kids playing with matches…and they burned the house down."]]

* Boyd's XanatosRoulette is [[spoiler: undone by Topher's BatmanGambit. A complex plan spanning the whole series and earlier, undone by Topher's realization that Anthony and Priya would return, topped off with a smiley face. Topher is full of [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Crowning Moments Of Awesome]] in 2x12.]]

* Priya killing the obsessive {{Complete Monster}} responsible for her becoming a doll. It also counts as one for Topher, who made it possible by uploading her real personality before sending her off to him.

* Alpha gets one as part of his introduction, which is coupled with NightmareFuel. He kills a man. In eight seconds. With surgically precise strikes. Yes, it's scary, but it's ''so cool''.

* "The Attic". All of it. HSQ, NightmareFuel, the works.

* Alpha gets one as part of his introduction, which is coupled with HighOctaneNightmareFuel. He kills a man. In eight seconds. With surgically precise strikes. Yes, it's scary, but it's ''so cool''.

* "The Attic". All of it. HSQ, HighOctaneNightmareFuel, the works.

**** [[spoiler: Episode 2x08 has been seen by many people as a lower budget version of TheDarkKnight, with Alpha replacing the Joker.]]

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* "There are three flowers in a vase. The third flower is green." {{HSQ}}. [[supersecretspoiler:Mellie is a doll!]]

*** And then Adelle's speech to him afterward was just pure CMoA in this troper's opinion.

* And don't forget Alpha, in season two. Just as Topher was assuring [[spoiler: Alpha's assumed target]] the camera cuts to Adelle, who says: "We need to find a nearby five star hotel. Where a security detail could be descreetly accommodated." Then [[spoiler: Alpha walks right out of her bathroom]] and says: "Try the Franklin. I hear the view is wonderful this time of year. Also, you're out of paper. (pause) So tell me... how's the suit?"

* Boyd's XanatosRoulette is [[spoiler: undone by Topher's BatmanGambit. A complex plan spanning the whole series and earlier, undone by Topher's realization that Anthony and Priya would return, topped off with a smiley face. Topher is full of CrowningMomentsOfAwesome in 2x12.]]

* Amy Acker should also join Gjokaj and Tudyk as awesome.[[spoiler: Every single imprint of hers, even though there were three + normal doll mode, is perfectly done, including that of Clyde, a man.]]

** Her ploy in 2x06 I think counts as well; the 'Oh Crap' moment happens... and it's followed shortly by 'The Reveal' that it's -exactly- how DeWitte planned things. Add Chessmaster (Chessmistress?) to her list.

** "You'll tell them everything's all right, and then we'll [[AndIMustScream put you back in your box]]." [[spoiler: DeWitt says this to Dominic when he says his employers will look for him.]]

** And Dewitt's casual explanation to Nolan as to just what she thinks of him.

* In "Belle Chose", Victor-as-Terry. It was so chillingly accurate, he even seemed to ''look'' like the other actor. Almost as good is Echo-as-Terry. then Enver tops it with his CMoF as Kikki.