I am torn - do I buy the set in the hopes that FOX will take dvd pre-sales into account when they make their decision (in essence paying ransom) or just wait for it to appear on Hulu?

What Fox actually said about the extra episode is that the contract for the DVD was for 13 episodes and the contract for the series was for filming 13 episodes. When they forced Joss to cannibalize the pilot and redistribute it, they ended up with 13 episodes filmed but only 12 episodes edited from them. The DVD people wouldn't count the pilot as a separate episode because it was contained in the others, so it was necessary to film an additional stand alone episode in order to fulfill the DVD contract.

Per an interview Joss had (can't find the link right now, but its linked somewhere around here), the final episode is less a "finale" and more a ... well, there isn't actually a word for it. It uses the same set and some of the same actors, but the plot is entirely different and takes place in a post-apocalyptic reality.

Fox execs need to all be kicked in the nuts (or womanly equivelent)for refusing to air one more episode. Especially when that episode is the true finale.

Because Fringe is on tuesdays after American Idol.

I just read an article through a link on Whedonesque about why "Fringe" will get a easy second season order, and while "DollHouse" is in limbo. I was the big fan of Abrams' "Alias", but I do not care about "Fringe". It is no "X-Files" as far as I can see. I don't care if the science is psuedo, theoretically based or otherwise. I don't find any of the characters all that intresting. I don't care about who the creepy guy of the week or the creepy lady of the week is on this show. I gave "Fringe" a chance. True admission. I actually dozed off during the boring series premire. I've lost intrest in "Fringe" with each week while I've only gained intrest in "DollHouse with each week. So why does "Fringe" get it so easy while "DollHouse" has to fight so hard for a second season?

I've seen interviews where Whedon said that they cannibalized the pilot and included a lot of pieces from it in other episodes. So it'll be interesting, but probably not have much new material. And watching it first will make those scenes in the other episodes feel redundant and have no dramatic value.

Sounds like FOX is pulling the same crap with Dollhouse that they did with Firefly. I've never seen Dollhouse, so I don't know if it's any good or not, but I know Whedon is great at what he does. Why does he keep working with FOX? At some point shouldn't he just tell those network twits to find another guy to continuously screw over? Maybe Whedon should just make his programs for direct-to-DVD release ... they seem to do exceedingly well in that format.

It will be a shame to lose dollhouse...I hope fox pulls a fast one on us and renews it!!!

How about a report on the ratings? I can't seem to find them anywhere.