Dollhouse - Topher Brink

As all my friends know, I am a huge Joss Whedon fan. I have seen every episode of Angel, Firefly, and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, some of them several times. Dollhouse will soon be on that list. Joss has a way of creating characters that stick with you. There are no 'bad guys' and 'good guys'. There are people who make bad choices and good choices, and there is always chance for redemption. Look at Angel's Wesley, Dollhouse's Topher, Firefly's Jayne... I am amazed by those shows.

Dollhouse characters

Recently, I have come to love Dollhouse. I have seen all of season 1 and started on the next, but I don't want to watch them all at once because I don't want to run out too soon. I love how the characters work like all Joss works: it starts off with two main characters (Paul and Echo), who are rounded by still a little flat. Then, it expands to take in all the characters, making them all round and dynamic. There is not a single static character, not even the 'Dolls'. One character in particular attracts me, as he is the very type that I like to write about. I call that type the 'wayward son'. This is Topher Brink.

Topher is a scientist. He is nerdy, funny, and likes to drink from juice boxes. In season 1, he is shown as an uncaring young man who works with the Dollhouse because he loves science. He never seems to consider that he is hurting people. Enter Alpha. Topher's greatest failure, his worst disappointment. He created a monster with his innocent little chair, a mass murderer and psychopath. Though it is not at first obvious, Topher is greatly distressed by this (though it seems that he is mostly terrified of becoming the next victim). He also expresses guilt over Whiskey's pain, and he made her a 'better person' than he is to repay her. Still, nothing here shows any kind of real emotion that can't be explained by self-love.

Echo and Topher "Needs"

Season 1, Episode 8: Needs. In this episode, Echo is given all her original personality with no memories of her past. What does she do? She finds Topher and threatens him with a gun, questioning him about where she is and what's going on. At one point, she asks him if it hurts when he wipes their memories with the chair. Topher's response: "Pain is just nerves talking to your brain." This was the first time I realized that he cared, not because of the words but because of the way he says them. It is obvious that this is a reassurance that he has given himself several times over the years, probably every time he hurts one of the Actives with the chair. "Pain is just nerves talking to your brain." He does not want to admit to himself that he hurt another human being and that it does mean something.

Sierra and Topher "Belonging"

There is only one more episode that I can consider because, as I said, I have not finished the show. This is season 2, episode 4: Belonging. It was such a shocking episode, in which Topher is heartbroken to discover that he did not save Sierra as he thought; he helped destroy her. He does what he thinks is right and sets her free, only to discover that she kills a man in anger. (Did he deserve it or not? That's a Joss thing, making you question). Somehow, Sierra contacts Topher, and he comes to rescue her. Boyd follows him and helps dispose of the body and keep the secret. As Topher is sitting there, covered in the dead man's blood, he's shivering and saying "I was just trying to help her. Now she's ruined." to which Boyd replies, "You had a moral dilemma. Your first. And it didn't go well." This shows how Topher is evolving, changing. He may make more terrible choices in the future, but this is a turning point for him.

One more thing about Topher: he is my type. When I am writing my own stories, I like the broken hero, and he strikes me as one of those. In real life, however, I see a very handsome, nerdy, funny guy with shaggy hair. This happens to be exactly what I am attracted too. I'm not going to go any further with this because I don't want to scare off any potential readers, but I love Topher as a character and a person (if he was real).

Topher quotes:

Topher: What's the word on this repeat client Sierra has been seeing?

Boyd: Why?

Topher: Something's bothering me about it. I have a hunch something's wrong. (off Boyd's smile) That's funny? That I have a hunch?

Boyd: That it's bothering you. - Belonging

Topher: How can you expect me to do this?

Adelle: You'll do it because you must. The cold reality is that everyone here was chosen because their morals have been compromised in some way. Everyone... except you. You, Topher, were chosen because you have no morals. You have always thought of people as playthings. This not a judgment. You always take very good care of your toys. But you're simply going to have to let this one go. - Belonging

Sierra: This secret we have... can you keep it?

Topher: I can keep it, but I don't know if I can live with it.

Sierra: I know I can't. But I don't have to. - Belonging

Claire Saunders: If you start playing with their meds, it could backfire or damage them...

Topher: Or solve the problem. I know what I'm doing, Doc.

Claire Saunders: So do I. But I also *care* what you're doing... to our pets. - Needs

Boyd: They're not bison, Topher.

Topher: They're a little bit bison! - Gray Hour (season 1, episode 4)