Look, Dollhouse has interesting ideas—Whedon was clearly trying to explore big questions about identity and autonomy. The problem is he wrapped those questions in a premise that's fundamentally about sexual exploitation and human trafficking, and no amount of 'but we're critiquing it!' makes that comfortable viewing.

The show was cancelled after two seasons, and you can feel it struggling throughout. The first season meanders while trying to be a procedural; the second season rushes to cram in mythology before the axe falls. It's a fascinating mess, but it's still a mess.

For parents: this is absolutely not for teens, regardless of what the ratings say. The 'Actives' are regularly programmed for sexual scenarios, and while it's not explicit, the implications are constant and deeply uncomfortable. If you have a college-aged kid interested in sci-fi philosophy, maybe. Otherwise, skip it.

The bigger issue? It's 2025, and this show feels ancient. The pacing is slow by modern standards, the effects are dated, and honestly, Black Mirror does this kind of thing better in 45-minute chunks. Even if the content were appropriate (it's not), most teens would bounce off it as boring and old.