| "Instinct" | |
|---|---|
| Dollhouse episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 2 |
| Directed by | Marita Grabiak |
| Written by | Michele Fazekas Tara Butters |
| Production code | 2APK03 |
| Original air date | October 2, 2009 |
"Instinct" is the second episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Dollhouse and the show's 15th episode overall. The episode was written by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters and directed by Marita Grabiak, the first in the series she has directed. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 2, 2009.
In this episode, Echo has been imprinted as a mother of a child. However Topher has managed to change Echo on a glandular level, giving Echo strong maternal instincts. This unfortunately causes Echo to be paranoid causing her to kidnap the child. Ballard not only has to find Echo, but is forced to face his past as Madeline Costley, known to Ballard as Mellie, comes back into the Dollhouse for a diagnostic.