This is what Season 1 should have been but basically Whedon, as he tacitly admits in an extra on the DVD ,hadn't thought it through properly. Season 1 only picked up when the focus shifted to the Dollhouse itself rather than Eliza Dushku's persona of the week. When she was just a Doll, the audience didn't respond to her and her persona's weren't real anyway.
They were lucky to get a second season and it proved to be just right but too late. From the off, we get Dushku's Doll developing her own personality which is more than the sum of the personas she's had, and in a twist, is revealed to still have. From then on it's a small group within the Dollhouse against the mighty and unscrupulous Rossum Corporation which seems intent on developing the technology which will lead to the apocalyptic scenario revealed in the final episode of Season 1.
There are twists and turns galore until the final revelation of who the mastermind behind Rossum actually is and it is a shock. It could have only been more surprising if it was Dusku herself; but it isn't. This really is gripping stuff and a vast improvement on what went before. That said, I'm glad it didn't get a third season because everything is neatly wound up, providing a satisfying conclusion.
I should also mention that there are more from Whedon's stable of actors with the inclusion of Alexis Denisoff (Buffy/Angel) and Summer Glau (Firefly) which is always nice to see. This is one of those shows where there is so much going on it's either write a lot or a little.
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