Echo is one of the "Actives" in the elite and illegal Dollhouse. Through different personality downloads, she plays the role of a lovestruck girl on a romantic weekend, and then a ruthlessly efficient kidnapping negotiator. FBI Agent Paul Ballard is struggling with his assignment to uncover information on the Dollhouse.

Agent Ballard's investigation into the Dollhouse gains momentum when he gets a photo of Echo. Meanwhile Echo and some of the other Actives start to show signs of self-awareness, making Adelle and the handlers nervous.

It has been several months since Alpha's reign of terror and Echo, who is now randomly picking up flashes of past engagements, weds a British businessman who has ties to one of Ballard's open FBI cases. Topher becomes the target of Dr. Saunder's aggression after she finds out that she is actually a doll named Whiskey. Boyd takes on a risky venture and mixes business with pleasure, while DeWitt makes Ballard an irresistible offer.