I'm not usually one to write about television, and there usually has to be a reason to connect it with film, and this one is the story and the fact that it should really mean an end to the Firefly/Serenity returning soon rumours. Well, for a while at least.

Joss Whedon is creating a new television series called Dollhouse which will star Eliza Dushku in a story about secret agents who can have their special abilities changed and altered for each mission.

The idea is that this undercover group who can be programmed with different abilities, personalities, memories, etc depending on which mission they are heading off into. Think the download moment from Matrix “I know Kung-Fu” for the idea.

After each mission the agent's memory and knowledge is wiped clean and returned to the Dollhouse – the name of the facility. Eliza Dushku plays one of the agents that begins to develop self awareness.

The story, according to Variety through Empire, will focus on those behind the scenes at the Dollhouse, the agent Echo who is forming self awareness, and two other agents, one male and one female.

I'm surprised that this is going ahead into production when we've just heard that Heroes: Origins has been shelved. Still, it carries the name of Joss Whedon, and the cast is lighter, so perhaps this means that the budget and risk will be smaller.

Well we can look forward to this being thrown around the US schedules and then the studio turning round and saying the audience is too low and having it cancelled but perform superbly well on DVD. Perhaps even a quick film will be made, who knows.

Apparently the idea for the series came out of a simple lunch between Joss Whedon and Dushku. From Variety through Empire:

“I sat down with her to talk about her options, and acted all sage, saying things backwards like Yoda and laying out what I thought she should do. But in the course of doing it, I accidentally made one up. I told it to her, and she said, 'That's exactly what I want to do.' ”

No matter how easily, or accidentally, it came about I do think the idea is a strong one, and I could really see this working on the small screen. What do you think? Something you're looking forward to, Whedon fan or not?