WandaVision star Emma Caulfield explains that she understands why fans would be disappointed with the fate of Dottie. Caulfield made her debut in episode 2 of WandaVision in the role of Dottie Jones, and she received quite a bit of attention thanks to her past performance as the former vengeance demon Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Dottie appeared to be significant in her own right, particularly as the character shares a few prominent scenes with Wanda. Similarly, she’s referred to as the key to everything. But, by the conclusion of WandaVision, it’s shown that Dottie is actually just one of the many horrified Westview residents. Her real name, outside of Wanda’s sitcom conceit, is Sarah and she pleads for the safety of her daughter. In new remarks, Caulfield confirms that the previous ambiguity about her character’s identity was no accident.
During an interview on the Still Watching podcast (via Comic Book), Caulfield elaborated on how her familiarity with audiences was used as a red herring. The actress admits that her ambiguous introduction was very much intended, with the knowledge that many fans would recognize Caulfield from her time as Anya on Buffy. In the end, compared to fan theories that suggested Dottie was Emma Frost, she seems to indicate that some disappointment was inevitable. You can read Caulfield’s quote below:
"It was impossible for people to not be disappointed! I’m trying not to feel disingenuous, but knowing full well [their theories were] just so far removed from the truth. That’s tough, being the red herring. Again, I hope no one eggs my house. It was very intended to have me show up in that fashion. Calculate is not the right word but it’s purposeful. You’re not going to have me show up and, and immediately think there’s nothing to my being there. It’s obviously going to pull in a similar fan base [to Buffy]. That was intended."
In more than a few instances, it would be fair to blame audiences for going overboard with the theorizing and speculation of WandaVision. However, in the case of Dottie, she was very much presented as a potentially important figure. The show drew on Caulfield’s fandom, thanks to Buffy and other roles, but it also gave the character an early and important scene with Wanda. The series would then scale back Dottie’s role, outside of quick cameos in two episodes, until the finale. This alternation, between Caulfield’s big introduction and her conspicuous absence, led many fans to believe that Dottie would return to play a big part in the WandaVision finale. Since the character turned out to be just another trapped Westview resident, with an entirely different name, there’s a case to be made that Dottie’s true identity should have been revealed sooner.
This argument has been put forth on social media, with general fans and veteran television critics like Alan Sepinwall noting that they wished for Caulfield to have a bigger role. While she does get a noteworthy scene in the finale, this is somewhat diluted by the fact that the show suggests that Wanda makes a heroic sacrifice by releasing the Westview residents she unintentionally imprisoned. WandaVision lingers only briefly on the immense harm experienced by the people of Westview, and it’s one of the ways an otherwise satisfying series ender pulls its punches.
Source: Still Watching podcast (via Comic Book)
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