I haven't actually seen dollhouse yet (for shame!), but I read that article a few weeks ago and I have to take exception to it. I generally, in spite of how cynical he is, agree with a lot of what Charlie Brooker says.
The thing is with Buffy though, the first 12 episodes (series 1) set up the rest of the series so well and then series 2 picks up the pace rather quickly, but to me not only set a trend for doing that, is also th best of all the series of Buffy.
Cynicism can only take you so far.