| "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: | {{{viewers}}} | ||
| Ratings/Share: | {{{ratings}}} | ||
| Critical Reception | |||
| IGN: | {{{IGN}}} | ||
| AV Club: | {{{AV Club}}} | ||
| 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo | Topher Brink | Susan | Counselor | Help a young girl through her childhood trauma |
| Echo | Alpha | Crystal | Lover | A farmiliar 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 |
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