Dollhouse to air Mondays @ 8pm; First photo released!

At Upfronts today, Fox announced their upcoming schedule and Dollhouse is set to air on Mondays beginning in January as the lead-in for 24:

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: BEGINNING JANUARY 2009
(All Times ET/PT)
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM DOLLHOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24

The promotional photo accompanying the release includes Tahmoh as FBI agent Paul Smith wearing a suit--a very different look from Helo!

According to MeeVee, listening in on a conference call with reporters:

Someone just asked the execs how they decided whether to give "Fringe" or "Dollhouse" the fall launch. Entertainment President Kevin Reilly - I think it was him, anyway - said it was "a high-class problem to have." Whedon had seven scripts written from the get-go, but Abrams finished pilot production sooner. Whedon welcomed the extra time, the execs said.

You can read a substantive analysis of the Dollhouse pilot over at Zap2it, which remarks:

"It's Dushku's show, but the pilot suggests potentially meaty roles for Williams, Kranz, Acker, Penikett and Harry Lennix, as Echo's trainer."

For even more Dollhouse behind-the-scenes info, be sure to check out today's LA Times interview with Joss Whedon, the show's creator and executive producer.

How are you balancing being a writer, producer and director?

After the first day, we were in this tiny cramped apartment, which I had scouted. The actors would do three lines and we'd have to move the camera. It was a nightmare. I was like, I forgot how to do this. You get a big apartment and you make it look tiny. I'm away from my family. This footage is terrible. It's over. Bury me. People who know me know that's probably not the first time I've said that. But it always feels like the first time. And I really thought, I've blown it. What am I doing? Where are my children? What's going on? I'm dizzy.

Directing is my way of creating the style, of relating to the actors and dialing in what their characters are. For me to be doing that as an executive producer over another director's shoulder isn't fair to them. And I happen to be one of my favorite directors. I'm not the best, but I'm just easy to get along with. I agree with almost everything I say. I won't do it the whole season. I have to be home and I have to get the scripts out on time. It's going to be a new skill that I'm learning.

Read the rest of the interview.

Update: Here is the FOX Dollhouse press release, thanks to Blank Dolls.

It includes a spoilery hint about Paul's character arc, so beware! Notice that Tahmoh gets third billing on the cast list (after Eliza Dushku and Olivia Williams).

Thanks also to Blank Dolls for the high-res photo!