When you hear the words "Dollhouse,"
you probably think of little girls playing tea party.
But for some people in Los Angeles,
those words have a different meaning.
A darker meaning.
Yeah, everyone knows that.
They got people programmed to do whatever.
They could be for sex or, you know, kill a guy.
They're out there.
Dolls.
Seeming to crop up first in the late '80s,
the Dollhouse is one of LA's most enduring urban legends.
The story is simple.
Somewhere in the city is an illegal establishment
that rents out to the very rich and the very connected
programmable people.
People who can take on any personality, except their own.
Nothing more than science fiction according to most everybody,
a Bigfoot for the big city.
But what's interesting about this urban legend
is the wide spectrum of reactions we encountered
from everyday Angelenos to the very idea of a Dollhouse.
Oh, it's happening.
There's one thing people will always need is slaves.
Well, some of the versions of the story say the dolls themselves are volunteers.
There's only one reason someone would volunteer to be a slave
is if they is one already.
Volunteers. You must be out of your mind.
So, being a doll, you do whatever.
And you don't got to remember nothing.
Or study. Or pay rent.
And you just party with rich people all the time?
Where's the dotted line?
A spokesperson for the Governor insists
that this legend is nothing more than that.
And stories of an FBI task force investigating the Dollhouse
have been flatly denied.
But the rumors persist.
And like every good fairy tale,
the story grows more intricate,
and more divisive, every decade.
No.
It can't be that easy.
This is my case.
You closed it.
What? You come round my house, dig through my garbage, too?
You're out of hand cream again.
This the alleged victim?
Guy said she had a face. Damn.
No wonder you're foraging for hand cream.
Had a million bucks, I could blow it on that.
Did you track this payment from Crestejo?
The Mayfair fund?
Told you to stay out of my soup, Ballard.
Afraid you'll have to reopen the case,
act like a federal agent for five minutes?
This is my report.
If there is some giant conspiracy
that's sucking the brains out of nice, young people,
this bit of tail that you're chasing
is A, effectively dead,
and B, a whore.
Mindless whore, just your type.
No disrespect. I'm sure she still has a heart of gold.
What happened there, Ballard?
Did I strike a nerve?
Yeah. Felt like this.
You are not long for this world.
I think you'd better lie down. I mean it.
Someone's going to put you down.
And I pray to God I'm there to see it.
Come by any time.
Sierra is alone.
I like to be alone sometimes.
It's peaceful.
Sierra sits with us most days.
Am I wrong?
When we go to sleep, I hear her.
Maybe she didn't see us.
Do you feel uncomfortable at all?
No. Should I?
No.
Did Victor upset you, do you remember?
Victor wants to pretend.
Pretend?
He pretends we're married.
I see.
Something's up? Yes.
Sierra's had sex.
No, sir.
You know for sure?
Her last engagement was with the Governor's niece
at a children's cancer ward.
I examined her post-engagement, anyway.
This happened while she's been here.
What did she say about Victor?
That he liked to play.
Wait, the dolls don't have sex drives.
That's part of the deal, right?
What do you guys know?
Since when do you care what happens to her?
Since I was hired to.
Just because I'm not Andy Griffith with these guys
doesn't mean I want to see them abusing each other.
If Victor's off-program,
then he could be Jekyll and Hyde-ing just like Alpha did.
We can't jump to any conclusions.
No, but we can go to the videotape.
How long has she... Two days.
If Victor was alone with her, it won't take long to find.
Mr. Hearn, when you figure out what happened...
Then I go to DeWitt.
If Victor is playing doctor when not imprinted with an MD,
then he goes to the Attic.
Victor wouldn't...
Well, she did scream when she saw him.
And we both know he's been focused on her.
There's a difference between being attracted to someone
and hurting them.
Has she shown any other sign?
Anything you can remember?
When we go to sleep...
When we go in the pods,
Sierra cries.
Am I right?
I'm right, right? Am I right?
Tanaka's going to the Director.
You know, he threw up after you pulled that Vulcan grip crap.
And, yes, I think you're right.
This is the Crestejo account.
Big payment to the Mayfair fund, which means nothing.
Mayfair is a hedge, and it's spread thin.
But that payment went in right when his daughter was kidnapped.
And you still think he hired the Dollhouse to get her back.
I surely do.
Now you have a similar sum
transferred to the Mayfair fund from Q-Field.
And this is the fun part.
You have the same amount, from Q-Field to Mayfair,
every year on the exact same day.
Q- Field is a subsidiary of Redwing,
a majority share of which is held by...
Joel Mynor.
And Joel Mynor is on your list
of potential Dollhouse clients.
Man, even I know about this guy.
He's that Internet mogul.
He created Sorceress, E- tilites,
Bouncy the Rat. My kids fiercely love Bouncy the Rat.
A dot-com billionaire with serious commitment issues,
who shows up at every charity gig
with a fabulous nobody on his arm.
I've liked this guy for a while.
You ever thought about asking him out?
I'm never going to get to Caroline.
And wherever she is, the Dollhouse has buried her.
I've got to get to them first, and Joel Mynor is my ticket.
Whatever he's paying for, it's happening soon.
I need everything on him.
You mean everything admissible by a warrant that you got,
because anybody in the whole wide Bureau believes you're not insane.
I mean, help me out.
Getting shot didn't even make you pause, did it?
I'll help you.
The Director sees what we're up to, he's going to help you out.
So the one fund got transferred to the other fund,
and that's the same as the other, other fund,
and that's all important.
That's it. Exactly.
You have a very glamorous job.
How do you think I can afford to take you to all these fancy places?
Hey, this is the nicest offer I've had this month.
Or last month.
Weren't you seeing someone? Mmm-hmm.
Rick. Dick.
Really? I thought it was Rick.
Oh, his name is Rick. Ooh.
Mmm-hmm. He said he didn't see me as "a long-term investment. "
Said he wanted to "dump the stock before it went public. "
He talks like that.
He works at a donut shop.
What a Rick.
Yeah. Hey, I get that I'm not the gold standard in LA.
Please, you're gorgeous.
But I do have access to important government information
that I don't understand.
It boils down to this.
Today was a slightly better day for the good guys
than it was for the bad guys.
Just one more tiny step to get me closer to bringing her in.
"Them. " What?
Bringing "them" in. You said "her. "
Oh. Well,
"her" is being held captive by "them. "
Along with a lot of other people, if I'm right.
So if I really catch my client in the act tomorrow with a doll,
I'm closer to freeing them all.
Including, but not limited to, "her. "
Is that fair?
It's your job.
We're all clear in there.
Okay, I don't want to see anybody in the house or around the house,
and that includes the boys.
They get it. You'll be very much alone.
All right.
Joel?
Hi, honey.
Are you okay?
You sounded so serious on the phone.
I'm a serious guy.
You're a dork.
Louanne's covering for me, so this can't take forever.
You may have to owe her one.
I did something.
Something bad?
Oh, Joel.
Yeah, and the oven gets food so hot,
it actually goes through this thing called the cooking process.
It's very scientific.
And I think there's something in the fridge.
I'd like you both to turn around very slowly.
What's the matter, Mr. Mynor? Did you two want to be
alone?
If they'd had it in my day,
I'd have had Betty Grable every night.
Or Ida Lupino.
Every man that fought for his country
should have the right to an Ida Lupino.
You mean if it was real?
If I could hire a doll and he could be anyone
and do anything with no consequences,
I would want him to...
Oh, my God, I'm so not going to tell you.
Okay, whoever you are, I think you've made a mistake.
What's happening? Caroline?
Okay, you've definitely made a mistake.
What do you call her?
Please put the gun away.
My name is Rebecca Mynor, and this is my husband, Joel.
We just bought this house.
We did, right?
You didn't just break in to impress me?
No, it's paid for. This is all a big mix-up.
Please tell me your name.
I'm Paul Ballard. I'm with the FBI.
I knew it. What?
It's porn, isn't it?
The Internet venture that suddenly pays off.
You did porn!
My husband does porn! No, I don't do porn!
You're in huge trouble.
Your name is Caroline.
You don't know this, but you're being fooled.
You're being used. Okay, I'm giving you
one last chance to leave.
Joel, please don't make him angry.
I would never hurt you.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Mynor, he attacked one of our men.
Who is this? You know this man?
Is this a porn man?
No, there's no porn!
Don't yell at me.
I'm not yelling at you. I just...
I don't like this house. Sweetie...
I... Sweetie...
God!
Joel! You need a treatment.
Joel.
Porn.
Hope you're not thinking about leaving, Mr. Mynor.
Can I assume
none of my security guys need an ambulance or a hearse?
They'll be fine.
Why don't you tell me what you're looking for?
I found what I was looking for.
Really? Figured you'd be a lot happier right about now.
Tell me about the Dollhouse.
The... It's pink and it opens up
and there's teeny furniture.
And you put the boy doll on top of the girl doll
and we learn about urges.
What's her name?
Rebecca. She told you.
Really? How do you know Rebecca?
We've been married for seven years.
So that's your fantasy?
All the money in the world, the most elaborate,
high-class underground operation ever designed,
and you just want to play house?
I guess the rich really are different.
Why, what's your fantasy?
Oh, I'm okay right here in the real world, thanks.
No, no, you have a fantasy, okay?
We all do. We need it to survive.
And I think your fantasy is about my Rebecca.
Her name is Caroline.
Right. A few years ago,
she was a student, and then she had her identity ripped from her
so she could play love slave to every loser with a wad of cash.
But then the brave little FBI agent whisked her away
from the cash-wielding losers and restored her true identity.
And she fell in love with him.
It doesn't go like that.
I saw how you were with her.
It was almost cute.
We're not here to talk about me.
Hey, I don't have to be here at all.
I mean, you're not going to arrest me.
Pretty sure you're not going to kill me, so...
If we're going to talk, we're both going to talk.
I mean, she changed things for you.
So you're the head of this FBI task force to uncover the Dollhouse,
and you're working hard, you're chasing leads,
you're cracking skulls, but it's just work.
And then you meet this girl or you...
You see her somewhere, huh?
Caroline?
And suddenly,
it gets personal.
Tell me you haven't thought about it.
You know, her grateful tears,
her welcoming embrace, her warm breath.
Are you married? Was.
Oh, that's...
Is there someone in your life right now?
This is getting old.
Of course not.
No, there's no room for a real girl, is there,
when you can feel Caroline beckoning?
You know, I have to say,
I think your fantasy is even sadder than mine.
Won't know until I hear it.
Well, it didn't involve drinking alone.
Victor, can you tell me about Sierra?
Sierra is beautiful.
There's a lot of beautiful girls here, bro, that's pretty much the idea.
Beauty.
Sierra is different.
How is she different?
I'm sorry.
Victor, do you remember being in the showers with Sierra?
You were watching her?
How does Sierra make you feel?
Better.
I can't believe this.
I'm filling in for Ramirez for a week and my Active invents rape?
We don't know what happened yet.
Victor might have just triggered a memory.
Well, Hearn's out for blood.
Hearn hasn't found anything on the tapes.
Nobody has.
How is that even possible?
Every square inch of this place is monitored.
If two Actives are going at it...
What do you think DeWitt will do?
You think she'll come down hard?
It was probably just a mistake.
These dolls, they're smiling all day.
Then Sierra's crying in bed? Why always then?
Maybe she's broken.
You figure she's broken?
They're all broken.
Rebecca was amazing.
She was a nurse
and I was a basket case, so, you know, not a bad match.
I was the guy with the almost great idea.
Floogle and Blahoo...
And Facebooger. I was just always one step behind,
and she was cool with it.
And did she look exactly like Caroline?
No, but,
eat it, F-bitch-I.
She was beautiful and she knew it.
And she loved me. I mean, I had been...
I had been given a gift.
And now you're hiring zombies.
You know Rebecca's dead.
Because you've done one iota of research
in between beating up licensed security people. Right?
And you know I don't live in this house.
Place is empty.
Shame. Big place.
This place.
This place could fit in my bathroom.
I mean, this place could fit in my guest bathroom. All right?
I mean, I finally got one step ahead.
Bouncy the Rat.
Kids love it. They do.
I mean, long story still kind of long,
my first check had more zeros than the Luftwaffe.
The Japanese. They had the zeros, not the Germans.
It was money.
All right, it was roll-around-in money and Rebecca had no idea.
She'd been supporting the both of us for years.
I mean, ridiculous hours.
We were living in a one-room shack,
and I knew this house was exactly her type.
I paid cash and I call her up.
I say, "Meet me at this address, it's really important,"
and she was worried, you know, I could hear it.
She probably thought this was a police station or something. But...
I don't know. You know.
Thinking about the look on her face
when she saw this place.
And I told her it was ours.
Sanitation truck
sideswiped her car
three blocks from here.
And I heard the impact and...
They said it was quick.
I guess that they always have to say that.
Right?
But she never got to see this house.
And she never knew I made good.
So every year on this date,
I pretend she does.
I get to see that look on her face
and I get to show her our extraordinary home.
And then you sleep with her.
It is a fantasy.
I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Mynor.
It doesn't make you anything other than a predator.
Well, I'm sure I'm in need of some serious moral spankitude,
but guess who's not qualified to be my rabbi.
Well, I'm perfectly happy to let a federal judge...
Throw you in jail? Hmm?
I mean, we got trespassing, we got assault.
And what you've got is a girl you're obsessed with,
who, I think we can both agree, is not here.
I mean, this is not "beat up the geek," big guy.
This is the Internet establishment.
You put me in front of a judge, he'll take you down.
He'll throw the Kindle at you.
Oh.
I think one of my guys must have called 911.
Do you want to stick around, see who gets cuffed or...
This is all going to come apart.
You might not be punished and I might not be alive,
but this house will fall.
The first hurdle in my business is the people
who will not accept the change that's already happened.
Go. Go live in your real world.
If you ever did.
Happy anniversary.
If you could have somebody be the perfect person.
The moment you wished for that
you know you're never going to get.
And someone signed on to do that,
to help you.
I think that could be okay.
I think that could be, maybe, beautiful.
It's human trafficking, end of story.
It's repulsive.
This is Boyd Langton for Mr. Dominic.
Yes, you need to take Victor off the floor.
I'm sure. Isolate him.
And his Handler.
I did something bad.
What did you do?
Nobody will tell me.
Victor, I need you to come with me, please.
Where?
I need you to come with me, please.
Why did Sierra scream at me?
Who authorized this? I didn't rape the doll.
Laurence, Laurence, I didn't do this.
You know me, man. I wouldn't do this, man.
Come on, you know I wouldn't do this!
I didn't do this!
Where are they taking Victor?
Why don't you go paint something?
Nice work, man.
Where are they taking Victor?
Echo, I'm trying to protect Sierra.
Sierra cries.
Not anymore.
Is this enough? Thanks.
Are you always gonna show up bleeding?
'Cause it's kind of funny
how I'm not getting used to it.
It was her.
You met Caroline?
I saw Caroline. I met Rebecca.
And I let both of them get away.
So, it's all true.
I knew it was true. I just
didn't expect...
If it had been anybody else,
the jail cells would be full, and I'd be busy writing
the great American arrest report.
I never thought it would be her.
Did you get the guy?
The john, the client. What are they called?
I talked to him.
And?
And you kissed him?
I'm sorry.
I'm not.
I mean, I am.
I mean, you are. Don't do that.
Don't inflate the stock before you dump it.
Don't think about her and kiss me.
I wasn't...
Forget it.
I think it's best we forget it.
Would be stupid, anyway. We're neighbors, we should just...
We should be neighborly.
Great. Yes. Neighborly.
Can I borrow a cup of sugar?
Like that.
So, why don't you tell me about today?
The guy's name was Joel Mynor.
Joel Mynor from Bouncy the Rat?
Do you trust me?
With my life.
Do you want to play the game?
No.
But you remember to be very quiet during the game, right?
Noise is upsetting.
Lift up your dress.
That wasn't quiet.
Wasn't meant to be.
Why didn't you tell us you were setting up Hearn?
He had to be clear.
He had to be flush with success,
or he'd never have tried again.
You will never take action like that on your own again
inside these walls. Am I clear?
You're clear.
A bonus has been wired to your account.
I don't need a bonus.
Well, I need to give it to you. That's all.
Ms. DeWitt.
What do we do with Hearn?
I'll let you know.
And you saw the other thing, the tap?
Joel Mynor from Bouncy the Rat?
He was on the cover of Wired.
You read Wired?
You can see the cover in stores.
Brownish hair, pudgy, kind of cute?
I don't remember him as cute.
Ma'am, do you have an exit strategy?
We have a Handler abusing an Active,
a federal agent interrupting an engagement,
spilling his guts to the nearest civilian.
I take much of that as my responsibility,
but the higher-ups will target you if this all goes south.
Your concern is touching, but my bags are not packed.
You will bring the Handler to me.
And as for the intrepid agent,
tell Topher to prep Echo.
I think they're ready for a second date.
Hey, everyone's got their fantasies, right?
A guy wants to know what it's like to be with another man.
Just once, nothing queeny.
Two guys checking it out, and then the other one forgets.
That could be sweet for some guys.
Oh! You're bad. Mmm.
You're a naughty girl.
Okay.
Uh...
But you're not that girl.
That girl has control issues.
That don't mesh well with the enhanced combat skill set.
You can re-cluster the inhibitors to offset the dissonance.
Don't we want aggression?
And precision.
I need a soupçon of rage.
Not a whole tasting menu.
Mmm.
And now I'm hungry.
Find out if the kitchen has the almond-crusted salmon.
I live to serve lunch.
And hello, gorgeous but deadly.
Upload imprint to file drive.
Topher.
I'm in my process. I'm...
What's the scuttlebutt?
Echo's been engaged.
Well, that does happen.
I'm not on it. I'm on hold.
Oh, yeah.
You put another Handler through a plate glass window, big guy.
That's 48 hours chill time, min.
What is she doing?
Echo?
Oh, life coach gig.
You know, remind some doctor why he helps kids
who have, you know, gross kids.
They don't think I can handle that?
Not everything is about you, infinite ego man.
You know, you did nail the guy who was messing with Sierra.
You should go out and get drunk and beat your chest.
I mean, Echo will be here when you get back.
Hey.
How did you figure out it was Hearn, anyway?
Is it a cop thing?
Reading people?
You do the work.
Well...
Good work.
Ready to play?
Can you imagine at all why it is you are not dead?
You probably got something worse planned.
You gonna erase my brain, turn me into one of your fantasy boys?
I find it a bit sad that you think of yourself
as a candidate for anyone's fantasy.
Ah, you know you're a little sweet on me.
You think I'm gonna beg?
You want to kill me? You want to put me in the Attic?
I can't stop you.
The jig is up.
How many times?
I can find out, but I want to hear it from you.
Four.
You're disgusting.
Don't give me that.
You put her under some fat, old emir, it makes it better
because she thinks she's in love for all of a day?
We're in the business of using people.
You understand less about this business than you think.
And you don't get how it actually works down there.
You put a bunch of stone foxes
with no willpower and no memory
running around naked.
Did you think this wouldn't ever happen?
Did it make it better?
That she didn't struggle?
No.
It made it easier.
Mr. Dominic, would you leave us?
Ms. DeWitt, I... I'll be perfectly safe.
Please?
We are in the business of using people.
The question is, what is the best use for someone like you?
This woman is a problem for us.
She's learned too much about the organization.
It wasn't her fault, really.
I need her killed, and it can't be clean.
This is your chance to avoid the Attic.
You may even consider it something of a promotion.
After all, this one will probably struggle.
My God.
You're so
neighborly.
So...
Can I borrow a cup of sugar?
I don't think I got any sugar left.
I'm not gonna freak out on you.
Uh... Good?
When you tell me this is all a mistake,
and we should forget it ever happened.
I'm gonna be very cool.
You're gonna be bothered by how cool I am.
What if I don't say that?
I'll still be cool. But not as cool.
What if you tell me it was a mistake?
Oh, God, you're gonna be so clingy,
weeping and moping, texting me.
It's too embarrassing.
I am not a piece of meat, you know.
I have a heart.
Blah, blah.
I was thinking about Caroline.
Well, I wasn't.
I believe you.
And...
I believe you should find her.
I think what they're doing is wrong.
And I don't love seeing you get beat up and shot,
but I think your work is important.
Then help me out.
Is this the part where you dress me up and use me as bait?
Because those movies never end well.
It's the part where I run down to Tiki Port
and grab us dinner and we go over my files
and you give me your perspective on some stuff.
You might see something I didn't.
You think I'd be helpful?
Yeah.
That's the sweetest thing you've done for me all day.
Well...
What about the other things?
Fetch me spring rolls.
Then we'll bust this case wide open.
...and some beef chop suey. Okay?
Yes, sir.
Whoever you are, I swear I don't want to hurt you.
I know.
I'm counting on it.
You think it's not happening?
You think they're not controlling you?
Don't worry about it.
Just sit back and wait for them to tell you what to buy.
The Dollhouse is real.
They know you're after them and they're going to have you taken off the case.
That's why they sent me.
Why are you telling me this?
We have a person inside.
This person corrupted the imprint
while the programmer wasn't looking,
added this parameter.
Is this the person that sent me the tapes and the picture?
No. This is their first communication.
Security inside is very tight.
Where is it?
You can't know that.
You're going about this the wrong way.
I have to take down the Dollhouse.
There are over 20 Dollhouses in cities around the world.
They have ties to every major political power on the planet.
You cannot possibly stop them alone.
You're going to help me?
The person that sent this message is.
Why? The Dollhouse deals in fantasy.
That is their business, but that is not their purpose.
What is?
We need you to find out.
We'll contact you again, if possible, with this same body.
But you have to let the Dollhouse win.
Make them back off.
You have to trust me.
He's got a gun!
You have to go now.
He'll live. You'll be blamed.
The engagement is complete, they'll never know I spoke to you.
No. You have to go.
They don't want to kill you, but they will protect the information.
Call an ambulance! Officer down! Go!
You can't just... They will protect the information.
They don't want you dead. But anyone else...
Mellie.
Leave a message.
There are three flowers in a vase.
The third flower is green.
There are three flowers in a vase.
The third flower is yellow.
Forget morality. Imagine it's true, right.
Imagine this technology being used.
Now imagine it being used on you.
Everything you believe, gone.
Everyone you love, strangers, maybe enemies.
Every part of you that makes you
more than a walking cluster of neurons
dissolved at someone else's whim.
If that technology exists, it'll be used.
It'll be abused.
It'll be global.
And we will be over.
As a species, we will cease to matter.
I don't know, maybe we should.
I understand. Thank you. We'll talk soon.
Agent Paul Ballard was suspended of duty
pending an investigation into the shooting of Officer Hardin.
Accusations of violent paranoia,
the attack on Mr. Mynor's bodyguards,
the feud with the Borodins,
as evidenced by the break-in at his apartment.
Hearn's fingerprints?
Came up Russian.
A floater, not linked to anyone with power.
It's all tied together, ma'am, with a pretty bow.
And our sleeper Active performed perfectly.
I replayed the tap.
More than once.
It did not lack for poetry.
Bring her in so Topher can run a diagnostic.
Are we pulling her now that Ballard's off the case?
No. A man like Ballard doesn't take himself out of the game,
just because of this.
Besides, she loves him.
You played a good hand, ma'am.
I played a very bad hand very well.
There is a distinction.
Of course.
I want you to contact your counterparts in the other houses,
tell them about what happened to Sierra.
That won't look good for you.
It can't happen again.
Anywhere.
She's all right?
Topher did everything he knows to remove the experience.
Ignorance, in this case, truly is bliss.
I don't think they're as ignorant as they're supposed to be.
No. We're working on it.
Good day.
You have a book.
I enjoy looking at it.
Would you like to see?
Hello, Echo.
You've drawn a picture.
It's very good.
It isn't finished.
The picture?
It isn't finished.
You'd like it to be finished?
If I could write out my own dream
For the next time that I sleep
You'd be the first one that I see
And I the last one that you keep
The dream would go on and on
While we sway
Against all things thrown our way
And the morning would be so cruel
When it came
With sunshine and warmth to bring
For announcing the end of my sweet dream