| "Briar Rose" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 11 | |||
 | |||
| Airdate: | May 1, 2009 (US) July 28, 2009 (UK) August 18, 2009 (AUS) | ||
| Written By: | Jane Espenson | ||
| Directed By: | Dwight Little | ||
| Production: | 1APK11 | ||
| Viewers: | 3.09 [1] | ||
| Ratings/Share: | 1.1/4 [1] | ||
| Critical Reception | |||
| IGN: | 8.5/10 | ||
| AV Club: | A- | ||
| Dollhouse Episode Guide | |||
| Previous "Haunted" |
Next "Omega" | ||
"Briar Rose" is the 11th episode of Dollhouse. It was written by Jane Espenson and directed by Dwight Little. The episode aired on May 1, 2009 on Fox.
Contents
Production[]
Production on "Briar Rose" started on January 12, 2009.
Synopsis[]
Ballard's investigation leads him to the agoraphobic designer of the Dollhouse (guest star Alan Tudyk), and the story of “Sleeping Beauty” foreshadows Echo’s future, while allowing her to help a young girl deal with her traumatic past.
Adelle looks to the Attic in search of answers, while Alpha reveals himself to set his end game in motion.
Engagements[]
| Active | Client | Alias | Personality | Mission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | Alpha | Stephen Kepler | Environmental designer | Conceal identity and infiltrate the Dollhouse |
| Echo | Topher Brink | Susan | Counselor | Help a young girl through her childhood trauma |
| Echo | Alpha | Crystal | Lover | A familiar identity for Alpha to easily manipulate |
| November | In House | Mellie | Paul Ballard's neighbor | Discover what Paul Ballard knows of the Dollhouse |
| Sierra | In House | Gerhardt | FBI forensic analyst | Investigate a murder victim found in Tuscon, Arizona |
| Whiskey | In House | Claire Saunders | Scarred Physician loyal to the cause | House Physician |
| Victor | In House | Laurence Dominic | Former Head of Dollhouse Security, NSA Mole | Open a locked flash drive presumably sent by the NSA (actually sent by Alpha) |
Reception[]
Critics[]
- "Built so well, misdirected with skill, setup for next week ideally. This is superb television. More please."
- ―The TV Critic's Review
- "“Briar Rose” did everything a penultimate episode should do: Threw a lot of good energy on the main plot, sprung a couple big revelations, and sent us hard-charging into the finale."
- ―A.V. Club Recap
- "In short: color me excited for how this is all going to end."
- ―Zap2it Recap
- "Smart, packed with witty banter and bursting with tension, "Briar Rose" is another example of what "Dollhouse" can be. Let's just hope Fox give the series another chance."
- ―Airlock Alpha Recap
Briar Rose was ranked #4 on TIME Magazine's Top TV Episodes of 2009.
Ratings[]
"Briar Rose" reached 3.062 million viewers, a 1.9/3 Rating/Share, a 1.1/4 Rating/Share in the 18-49 demographic and a 1.4/4 Rating/Share in the 25-54 demographic.
The quarter-hour breakdown:
| Time Period | Rating/Share | Rating/Share (18-49) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:01 PM–9:15 PM | 2.0/4 | 1.1/4 |
| 9:15 PM–9:30 PM | 1.8/3 | 1.1/4 |
| 9:30 PM–9:45 PM | 1.8/3 | 1.1/4 |
| 9:45 PM–10:00 PM | 1.9/3 | 1.2/4 |
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Eliza Dushku as Echo/Susan/Crystal
- Harry Lennix as Boyd Langton
- Tahmoh Penikett as Paul Ballard
- Fran Kranz as Topher Brink
- Enver Gjokaj as Victor/Laurence Dominic
- Dichen Lachman as Sierra
- and Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt
Recurring roles[]
- Amy Acker as Claire Saunders
- Miracle Laurie as Mellie/November
- Liza Lapira as Ivy
- Aisha Hinds as Loomis
- Alan Tudyk as Alpha/Stephen Kepler/Bobby
Guest starring[]
- Hannah Leigh Dworkin as Susan
- Judith Moreland as Renee
Promotional Photos[]
External links[]
- "Briar Rose" at the Official Dollhouse Wiki
- "Briar Rose" at tv.com
- "Briar Rose" at IMDb
