Episode 14: "Program"
The scene opens with Adelle DeWitt, supervisor of the Los Angeles Dollhouse, looking at a copy of the Hollywood Reporter. She looks at a small article, announcing that a certain Fox TV show will get a second season, despite low ratings.
ADELLE (wearing a soft smile of satisfaction): Now that is the definition of "Mission Accomplished", Mr. Bush!
She hears one of the Actives arriving from an engagement. It's Victor, whose plastic surgery after "Omega" went well. He is now Vic, an up-and-coming employee at the programming department at Fox. He's with Paul Ballard, who is only a private contractor for the Dollhouse, not an employee.
VICTOR: I'm telling you, Bal, soon we won't need TV to watch TV. iPhones, laptops, wrist TV's, Hulu...maybe we'll wear glasses that show us Survivor instead of some ex-lover we don't want to see. That's gonna change TV networks as we know them.
BALLARD: Really. Maybe next year's newspaper will be a foldable TV soon.
VICTOR: Say...I like the way you think. I'll get back to you after my treatment.
A Handler shows up, a woman about to reach 30 against her will.
VICTOR: Hey, babe, maybe my treatment can include a Sea Breeze, Stoli Vodka, of course. (He leaves).
Ballard approaches Adelle
BALLARD: I must say Victor is very good at his "job". I bet he'll convince Fox that it can live without American Idol and The Simpsons.
ADELLE: Please! No one's that good, and I like The Simpsons. Idol, not as much these days. Still, we got another 13 episodes, and he proved DVR viewers and internet traffic are just as good as watching us live.
BALLARD: So how come Topher didn't try this when Firefly was about to be cancelled? I heard he was nuts for Jewel Staite.
ADELLE: He wasn't working for us back then, I think he was reprogramming hamsters so he could have miniature Ultimate Fighting matches because his parents wouldn't pay for the PPVs.
But enough of his childhood, any updates on Alpha?
BALLARD: Well, I know where he is, but we may not be able to get to him.
ADELLE: Why?
BALLARD: He's part of the cast of V.
ADELLE: V?? You mean ABC picked up that attempt to remake that sci-fi mini-series from 20 years ago?
BALLARD: You remember that?
ADELLE: It's on DVD, and cable sometimes. Well, this is inconvenient. I thought ABC's sci-fi quota would be Lost and Flash Forward.
BALLARD: Well, some remakes don't work out. We can only hope.
ADELLE: Yes. (pauses) Alpha. He's more elusive than a leaf on the wind, and don't ask me to explain what I just said.
BALLARD: I don't have to. You know, it's amazing you trust me in your search for Alpha, considering I really don't like your business, turning people into dolls, making them do what clients want.
ADELLE: Well, you fell into temptation with November, didn't you? On the other hand, you're not the only one. (pauses again) Besides, we really do good works sometimes. Echo will be back tomorrow from her trip in Africa, helping orphans and rebuilding old homes.
BALLARD: That's good, but she could do that as Caroline Farrell, too. Just pointing that out.
ADELLE: Noted. Well, if there's a way to grab Alpha, or ruin his new TV career, let me know.
BALLARD: Noted. (He turns away, but turns around to Adelle) One more thing, how do I tell Echo the Celtics haven't eliminated Orlando yet?
ADELLE: How should I know? I watch soccer.
Adelle returns to her office. She watches "The Guild", and sees that maybe Victor has seen the future of TV. She also thinks to herself that if anyone could bring down the Dollhouse, she'd prefer it to be Paul Ballard rather than Lincoln and Michael Scofield.
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