AirLockAlpha.com

Hordes of Joss Whedon enthusiasts – who fell in love with his previous television creations “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Firefly” – clamored with excitement when “Dollhouse” was narrowly renewed for a second season.

Many fans saw this as a chance for Fox to make amends for its premature cancellation of “Firefly” midway through its maiden season, and if the show’s season premiere is any indication, Whedon has quite a ride in store for the small but fervent “Dollhouse” fanbase.

“Vows” picks up where season one ended; former FBI Agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) – who spent all of last season trying to rescue Caroline aka Echo (Eliza Dushku) and bring down the Dollhouse – is now working with them, and Boyd Langton, Echo’s former Handler, is still settling into his new role as head of security as he nervously watches Echo get married to a British businessman (Jamie Bamber of “Battlestar Galactica” fame) as part of her latest “engagement.”

However, in true Whedon fashion, the episode has a lot more up its sleeve.

Echo’s mission, as it turns out, is not merely to become someone’s bride … she’s been programmed to believe she’s an undercover cop, and Ballard is using her to bring down criminals he was unable to catch as a federal agent.

It’s fun to see the two of them working together, and the episode’s conclusion strongly indicates that their partnership will continue to develop as the season progresses, especially with Ballard named Echo’s new Handler before the credits roll.

What Worked

Two words: Amy Acker.

Late last season, her character, Dr. Saunders, was revealed to be an Active named Whiskey who was usurped as the Dollhouse’s most popular agent when Echo arrived on the scene. Her character’s struggle with her own identity – and an intense encounter with its resident geek Topher (Fran Kranz) – is the most fascinating aspect of “Vows.”

Effortlessly, Acker steals the episode from her cast mates, making it even more unfortunate that she’s only scheduled for three episodes of “Dollhouse” this season, due to her commitment to upcoming series “Happy Town.”

Whedon has hinted that her character has a much larger role to play in the grand scheme of the series, and it’s wise that he’s at least making the most of the screen time she does have.

In addition to Acker, fellow “Angel” alum Alexis Denisof makes a brief appearance as a U.S. senator on a crusade to bring down the Rossum Corporation, the company behind the Dollhouse. No doubt this will grow into one of season two’s main plotlines, and it’s smart storytelling to establish this at the earliest opportunity.

Based on last season’s DVD-only episode “Epitaph One,” viewers already know that the Dollhouse and its mind-wiping technology ultimately leads to chaos. The show seems to already be building to that at a fairly steady pace, with the government getting ever closer to the Dollhouse.

Also, the series is only one episode into its new season, and Echo has already revealed to Ballard that she is more self-aware than she seems. She has evolved past the childlike clean-slate mentality of her fellow Actives, retaining memory of all her past personalities. This is a great sign for future episodes of the series, as the character will now be able to take a more active (no pun intended) role in how the story plays out.

What Didn't Work

Despite its low ratings, “Vows” was one of the most solid “Dollhouse” episodes to date. If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s that several of its main characters receive little to no screen time.

There are still hints of the budding romance between fellow Actives Victor and Sierra as well as Adelle’s (Olivia Williams) lingering affection for Victor, but this particular episode is far more concerned with setting the direction for Echo and Ballard’s storyline and planting the seeds for the larger story at hand. There’ll be plenty of time to explore its various subplots throughout the season.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“Dollhouse” stars Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett, Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachman and Olivia Williams. “Vows” was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

“Dollhouse” airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.