So I have yet to watch Epitaph One, but am caught up with all other episodes... should I watch it now, or wait to do an Epitaph 1 and 2 marathon when the time comes?

It's up to you. Epitaph One was designed to be watched between the two seasons, and I've read that Joss wanted FOX to actually air the episode, which they declined to do.

However, since FOX didn't air the episode, Season 2 of the show has been designed so that you don't need to have seen Epitaph One to understand the season. However, Season 2 may not follow exactly the history that was hinted at in Epitaph One. I've already noted one incongruity between the episode and this season, and there may be more to come.

Since the final episodes haven't aired, nobody can say definitively which is the better method of watching Epitaph One. However, I will say that, personally, having seen Epitaph One has distinctly flavored my viewing of this season, giving certain scenes more import since I know what the eventual impact will be.

I think Joss' explanation is that everything that we see in "Epitaph One" happened but could be colored by unreliable memories. We can't trust that everything unfolded precisely as we see here.

Heck "Epitaph One" might not even be a reality based on the recent episode. What if they're all plugged in to the group-mind-computer matrix style and that's what we saw in Epitaph One?

I understand that. I guess I was really just wondering whether the discrepancy would be addressed in the show, or just dismissed as an "unreliable memory." It appears they decided to address it.

This seems unlikely. The Dollhouse crew already knows how to get out of the Attic, so I doubt they'd hole up in Clyde's nightmare waiting for a way out or solution. Also, the characters and back-story in Epitaph One are too fleshed out to be just part of Clyde's imagination.

What exactly did they remove from Ballard so that they could get him functioning again? They remove his feelings for Echo?

Haven't revealed that yet.

the scene of him drawing down with Adelle made me think they added a prime directive not to actually go through with hurting her. reminded me of Robocop

No, they explicitly mentioned that they removed something from Ballard's mind, not added anything to it. The reason they had to remove something was because the brain cells that controlled his motor function were all dead, meaning they had to move his motor control to another part of his mind. This is why Ballard was all wonky when he was imprinted, his brain had to get used to his motor control being somewhere other than it used to be.

I think Ballard didn't shoot Adelle because Adelle revealed to him the real reason why she sent Echo to The Attic.

That's what I told my friend as we were watching these episodes. They spent a year with Echo basically acting like a vegetable when she was in her doll state. They needed to have shown quicker development with her waking up. Even in her regular missions probably would have been more interesting if she had other personalities to draw from.

This show just wasn't handled quite right from the start. We can now see the bigger vision behind it and know there was a strong premise behind it. Unfortunately, the pacing was just all wrong.

Stop-Lost was crap!

Followed by the brilliant 'The Attic'.

3 more episodes to go and it is a perfect time to end the series, unlike Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Chris

Here's hoping that they won't continue to pursue these storylines and get back to the more exciting ones like Echo protecting a rock star. Those were some great hours of TV.

The biggest flaw in the entire show has always been the Echo character. The better stories are the ones where she has less to do.

Also hope that they have time to at least somewhat resolve the Whiskey/Dr. Saunders storyline. I don't know how available Amy Acker was.

Dr. Saunders returns in the next episode.

Just caught these two eps. Wow. I have to say that I was initially skeptical towards the end, as it seemed like they were going to do a direct Matrix rip-off. However, the bit at the end with Adele revealing the whole plan was cool, and set up for what I hope is a great three ep. finale. I was half expecting them to come across Felicia Day and co. from Eptiaph One when they were running around the nightmare.

It seems from the clips that Summer Glau will also return, which makes me wonder if she will eventually come across Alpha and we get a mini-Firefly reunion (we got a Faith/Wesley one, so why not?).