A Dollhouse Thanksgiving Special: Marie Meets Someone

In the wake of Grenadine's unfortunate incident, the household gathers to celebrate Thanksgiving in spite of their worried hearts. Meryl has prepared a turkey in the hopes of bringing everyone together.

Gene stares longingly across the table at Vlad, hoping for a Thanksgiving miracle...

Meryl tries to redirect Gene's attention to the turkey to avoid an altercation. 

The bird is exquisite, marinated in whiskey and garnished with potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, and pepperoni. Meryl cooked all day. Everyone is hungry for the bird. 

Just as everybody is ready to dig in, Marie brings an extra chair downstairs, raising eyebrows across the table. 

Before anyone can ask any questions, a stranger saunters in. He has a sleeping bag under one arm and a carton of Kools under the other. 

"Meet Glenn," says Marie, as if she's rehearsed his introduction. "He's joining us for dinner as my personal guest."

Strangely, he's also bought a suitcase with him...

Dr. Leslie and Opal are relatively new here themselves, so they try to ignore the awkward quiet that has come upon the room. They just want to eat. 

Vlad, on the other hand, wants to get a better look at Glenn. 

He walks around the table protectively. His intensity makes the good doctor sweat. 

Without waiting for a response, Marie offers Glenn a seat at the table. Vlad stares uncomfortably at the newcomer, sizing him up. 

Glenn has also brought a bottle of Wild Turkey with him, but it appears to be for him alone to drink, as he offers a sip to no-one. 

Vlad turns to Dr. Leslie and whispers, "Have you noticed anything odd about Glenn?"

The doctor takes in Vlad's concerns and promises to keep his eyes open. 

Finally, everyone is seated. Meryl suggests going around the table and sharing something each person is thankful for.

Marie is thankful to have met someone. Meryl is thankful for family, cousins and roommates alike. And Glenn says he's always thankful for a free meal and a bottle of booze. 

After dinner, night falls and everyone retires to the living room for coffee and dessert. Opal fluffs Dr. Leslie's pillow, never wanting him to be uncomfortable. Gene reclines into a food coma, for she has eaten the most pepperoni. Vlad wishes he could relax, but he's on guard, never taking his eyes off of Glenn. 

Season 1, Episode 14: The Breakdown (Season Finale)

One night after dinner, Meryl sets out on a walk to sort through her feelings and put some good vibes out into the Universe for Grenadine's success in therapy... when all of sudden, she happens upon a large black creature lying lifeless in the street. 

Meryl grows increasingly uneasy as she stands contemplating the creature. She feels it is an omen, a harbinger of something terrible to come, but what could it be? She decides to turn around and go back to the house at once. 

Meanwhile, around the corner just a few feet away, Grenadine has stumbled out into the night, alone and unnoticed wearing only her bathrobe... Her mind is wet with the whiskey she's managed to sneak in spite of the good doctor's watchful eye. What's worse, she has climbed to a dangerous height, recklessly bent on destroying herself once and for all. 

All of Grenadine's slow unraveling has brought her to this moment. With Vlad seemingly liberated from her control, Grenadine feels she has nothing left. All she's ever known is a life where her sole purpose was to care for and direct her elfin brother. Now that he's gone, lost to Gene's lusty influence, Grenadine sees no purpose nor reason to go on. She steps closer to the edge. 

 The fall is quick. Grenadine's body is as light as a doll's. 

Here Grenadine lies all night long. It's well morning before the house forms a search party. When finally they set out, they are unprepared for what they find just around the corner... 

Season 1, Episode 13: Therapy

Grenadine finally sits down with Dr. Leslie for their first session. The plan is to meet daily in the computer room for comprehensive analysis sessions. He starts in with something simple, "So... Where do you hail from?"

Grenadine tells Dr. Leslie that she belongs to the Slavic Union, but he says he's never heard of that... "Is that near Russia?" he asks her?  

Dr. Leslie decides to shift gears and asks Grenadine what her favorite color is... She says, "Color is for Zadrota."

Although Dr. Leslie does not speak Russian or understand what Grenadine means, he gives himself a mental pat on the back for getting her to open up... 

Meanwhile, Marie has come up from a hard day of work looking for a nap, but, alas, her room is occupied, and so she remains perpetually displaced. 

Downstairs, Opal has borrowed Gene's computer so she can work on her online nursing degree. Gene peers over her shoulder and wonders if Dr. Leslie's school is accredited... 

As Gene is on her way back up to her room to listen to some sad ballads on the record player, she catches Vlad coming out of the bathroom with his old-time-girls photographs tucked under his arm. She corners him. 

She tells him that he's all she has and if things don't work out, there aren't enough sad ballads in the world to absorb her pain... What she's trying to say is that she wants to make out. 

Vlad's heart floods with anxiety. He can sense that Gene is not to be thwarted. 

Dr. Leslie closes his session with Grenadine and makes a mental note that she's very crafty. She knows how to sleep with her eyes open... 

Season 1, Episode 12: A Night in The Dollhouse

Dr. Leslie has trouble falling asleep on his first night in the house. He worries that Grenadine will be a tough case, but he knows he can not and will not let everybody down... 

All of his life Dr. Leslie has been a troubled sleeper. Alone in his bed at night, or in this case the floor, he sorts through his darkest quandaries and deepest burdens... 

Not far away in the computer room, where she's used to sleeping uncomfortably on a love seat, Marie wonders if this is all life has for her... 

Meryl is up late too... sharing a bed with Grenadine who it turns out is a blanket hog and a loud snorer. 

She yearns for a simpler time... when men like Clark Gable roamed the Earth. Meryl too wonders if this is all there is? 

Grenadine's mind unravels further as the night ticks on... Can therapy help her?

Upstairs, Gene tries to relax in spite of being stuck sharing her bed with Opal for the unforeseeable future. She decides to make the best of it by opening up and telling Opal everything... her hopes over Vlad, the big let down of their one failed night together, and how she really doesn't care much for Marie... 

Opal, of course, listens patiently, for hours. 

Meanwhile, Vlad sleeps "alone" in the living room. He wonders too if therapy can help put his sister back together. Was coming here the right thing to do? Vlad goes to sleep hoping the good doctor can live up to his promises. 

Season 1, Episode 11: Another Arrival

Meet Dr. Leslie Buck, Psychology PhD. Meryl found him on Craigslist. He's arrived to help deal with Grenadine's condition. His melodic voice and penetrating eyes are sure to soothe the discord and sort out the chaos in the house. 

This is Opal. She's Dr. Leslie's personal assistant. Opal is studying to be a nurse and feels that she has much to gain from her time with Dr. Leslie. She views him as a mentor and a genius. Her nursing program is through Dr. Leslie's own online nursing school. She hasn't asked yet to make sure her internship as his assistant will count toward her degree, nor does she care. Opal would lay down her life for Dr. Leslie Buck. 

Meanwhile, the big moment between Gene and Vlad has passed... 

Gene longs for what could have been, and Vlad is tense, suddenly self-conscious... He wants Gene to tell him something he's heard on TV many times, that "it happens to everybody," but Gene is silent. Her impatience is far too great to allow her to comfort Vlad, yet secretly she's hoping this isn't the end. 

Downstairs, Dr. Leslie introduces himself to Meryl. "No need for formalities," he tells her. "Just call me Dr. Leslie." 

Opal watches him from a few feet away admiring his excellent way with introductions, greetings, and first meetings in general. She wonders if he will introduce her as well... 

Alas, Dr. Leslie skips over Opal's introduction. He does, however, instruct Opal to take care of the bags. 

Opal's on it. 

Once upstairs, Meryl and Dr. Leslie discuss what they're about to deal with: Grenadine on the bathroom floor, where she's been holed up drinking for the last two days. 

Meryl goes in first and tries to single-handedly lift Grenadine up off the floor...

But she buckles under the weight. Grenadine is whiskey-soaked and heavy. 

Dr. Leslie grabs her legs and they proceed into the hall. 

Together they stumble. Meryl slams her back into the wall trying to carry her comatose cousin. 

Grenadine's whiskey falls from her robe pocket, but only Mr. Puddles bears witness.

Finally, Dr. Leslie and Meryl get Grenadine into Meryl's bed, where she will sleep it off while the visitors settle in. 

On his way out of Mery's room, something catches Dr. Leslie's eye...

It appears to be an altar of sorts holding a crystal ball, a textbook on black magic, and, oddly, a photograph of Clark Gable... Whatever Meryl is into, Dr. Leslie is intrigued. 

Marie, always ready to serve, has cracked open a box of donuts and broken the protective seal on a jug of milk... 

The household gathers round. Everyone is curious about the good doctor...