Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 12, Episode 2 - Robot: Part Two - full transcript

(DOCTOR WHO THEME)

It was oil. I knew it.

(WHIRRING)

Who are you? Why are you here?

(BEEPING)

(GASPS)

-WINTERS: Hello, Miss Smith.
-Look out! There's a robot in there.

Yes, I know. Don't worry,
my assistant's dealing with it.

-What?
-I'm sorry if our little joke upset you.

Joke?

You were determined to see the robot,
and so we arranged it for you.



That is what you wanted, isn't it?

Oh, how very kind of you.

When we heard you were in the building,
we guessed what you were up to.

So I popped in here ahead of you
and I activated it.

(SIGHS)

Is it still in there?

Oh, yes. Would you like to see it again?

Thank you, I'd like that very much.

BRIGADIER: Well, Doctor,
what are we dealing with?

Invasion from outer space again?

Why should some alien life form
invade Earth

just to steal a new weapon?

If they were that advanced,
they'd have weapons of their own.

(SCOFFS)



Rather a splendid paradox,
eh, Brigadier?

The only ones who could do it
wouldn't need to.

-Enemy agents?
-Well, they might steal the plans,

but why steal the circuits
and the generators?

An enemy government
would have those resources itself.

So where does that leave us?

I think your enemies
are home-grown, Brigadier.

People with access to technological
information and a most unusual weapon.

A weapon that walks and thinks.

In a word, anthropomorphic.

Well, I suppose that
narrows the field a bit.

Do we know anything else
about these people?

Only that they're prepared to kill
to protect themselves.

Where's Sarah?

Well, what's the hold up?

Mr Jellicoe is
checking over the circuits.

Why is he taking so long?

-He must be sure that everything's safe.
-Safe?

(WHIRRING)

WINTERS: Stop.

It's very impressive,
but what is it for?

WINTERS: Ask it. It's voice-controlled.

What do you do?

(BEEPING)

Insufficient data.

Please be more specific.

It has a terribly literal mind.

Oh. What is your purpose, your function?

I am experimental prototype Robot K1.

My eventual purpose

is to replace the human being
in a variety of

difficult and dangerous tasks.

Tasks for which I am programmed are,

mining operations of all kinds,

operations involving
radioactive materials...

-WINTERS: Terminate.
-Would go on for hours.

Why all the mystery? Why didn't you
just show him to me when I first came?

My dear Miss Smith, why should we?

You were a privileged visitor here.

You abused that privilege
to pry into matters on the secret list.

-You're right, of course. I'm sorry.
-Not a bit of it.

You were simply following
the instincts of a good journalist.

And now, if you've seen enough...

It isn't dangerous, is it?

Of course not. Why should it be?

Well, it just struck me that
it could be a very powerful weapon

if it got into the wrong hands.
It could be misused.

Like this, you mean?

This girl is an intruder and a spy.

She must not leave here alive.

Destroy her.

WINTERS: Destroy her.

I cannot obey.

This order conflicts
with my prime directive.

WINTERS: You must obey.
You are programmed to obey.

I must obey.

I cannot obey.

-I... I...
-WINTERS: Terminate.

Another of your little jokes?

A practical demonstration.
You must admit, it was a convincing one.

Prime directive, you see.
It's built into the robot's very being

that it must serve humanity
and never harm it.

-That was a cruel thing to do.
-Cruel?

It isn't human, you know.
It has no feelings.

Oh, it's got a brain, hasn't it?
It walks and talks like us.

How can you be sure it doesn't have
feelings, too? Are you all right?

My functioning is unimpaired.

But you were distressed, I saw...

Conflict with my prime directive
causes imbalance in my neural circuits.

I'm sorry, it wasn't my idea.

The imbalance has been corrected.

It is not logical
that you should feel sorrow.

Really, Miss Smith, this is absurd.

I think you must be the sort of girl
that gives motor cars pet names.

Deactivate.

You see? It's just a lump of metal.

Thank you for
an interesting demonstration.

I think I ought to leave now.

One moment, Miss Smith.

If I were to make a formal complaint
about your behaviour here,

you might find yourself
in a very difficult position.

JELLICOE: Dangerous thing, curiosity.

Can get you into a lot of trouble.

So I'll make a bargain with you.

Keep quiet about
what you've discovered here,

and I'll keep quiet about
how you discovered it.

Goodbye, Miss Winters.

Mr Jellicoe.
Oh, please, don't bother to see me out.

That was an appallingly dangerous
thing to do.

Telling it to destroy her.

The inhibitor's only just been reset,
you know there have been problems.

Suppose it had obeyed you?

It made an interesting test.

Where do I start looking
for this precious conspiracy?

Oh, it's surely not that difficult,
Brigadier. Oh, thank you.

There can't be many groups
of people in the country

with the money and resources
to design and build something like...

An enormous robot over seven feet tall!

Yeah, something like that.
However did you guess?

Guess? I've just seen it.
I've been talking to it.

Brigadier, there's something
very odd going on at Thinktank.

Screwdriver.

(BEEPING)

Careful.

(BEEPING)

Swab.

There. I think that's it.

Think? You better be sure.

It's a delicate job. I'm not really
trained in this sort of work.

Well, we better test it.

This time emphasise
the recall instructions.

You know, it refused to return
after that last business.

I found it wandering
near Kettlewell's place.

How touching.
Perhaps Miss Smith was right.

-What about?
-Perhaps it does have feelings.

It misses Daddy.

Activate.

(BEEPING)

Prepare for visual scanning.

I am ready.

WINTERS: This man
is an enemy of the human race.

He must be destroyed.

Look, it's obvious that
that Thinktank lot are involved.

Why don't you just raid the place
and arrest the lot of them?

I very much doubt
if I'd get the authority.

And if I did, it'd cause so much fuss

they'd have plenty of time
to hide the evidence.

I must have more to go on.

More than just my word, you mean?

-You know, you need an inside man.
-What?

Well, I mean somebody planted
on them to keep his eyes and ears open.

Hey, that's not a bad idea.

It'd have to be someone they'd accept,

someone with
the proper scientific qualifications.

Scientific or medical.

Oh, I say, me?

Why not? Your chance
to be a real James Bond.

But...

Might work. We could fix you up
with a cover story.

I could wear a disguise.

I'd like to talk

to Professor Kettlewell.

I tell you, as I told this young woman,

I know nothing about the Thinktank
and its activities.

-I severed all connections with them...
-But I saw the robot.

What's that?

No, that's impossible. I gave orders
for him to be dismantled.

Professor Kettlewell,
this is an official inquiry and I...

Would you kindly put
those papers down, sir?

-Plans for a new solar battery.
-That folder's private and confidential.

-This will never do.
-There are many years...

If theta over X coincides
with your disputed factor,

you're losing half your output.

Oh, rubbish.
I checked all the calculations...

The error's in the third part
of the calculation.

Bless my soul.

But you're doing vital work, Professor.

Earth's human race should have started
tapping solar power long ago.

This new solar battery
will provide an endless supply of

pollution-free energy
at a fraction of the present cost,

-and they haven't the wit to see it.
-Well, there you are.

Yes, I've explained it to them

over and over and over again
till I'm blue in the face.

People never can see what's under
their noses and above their heads.

-Concerning this robot...
-You be quiet, young man.

You know,
ever since the days of Galileo...

And Copernicus.

And Copernicus,
scientists have had to...

Professor, I think you ought to tell us
about the robot.

Yes.

It was the last project I worked upon
before I decided to leave.

I gave orders for him to be dismantled.
It was like putting my own son to death.

I thought it was for the best.

His power, his capacity to learn,
had begun to frighten me.

But it wasn't destroyed, was it?

I don't know.

That woman, Winters,
might have countermanded my orders.

Could the robot have been made
to carry out these break-ins?

No, no. You say that
people were hurt, even killed?

-Yeah.
-Oh, it is out of the question.

You said he refused to harm you,
didn't you? Yes, well...

I gave him my own brain pattern.
He has my principles, my ideals.

But the circuitry you built
could be altered or tampered with.

Doctor, not even I
could effect such a change.

As for Jellicoe and Miss Winters,
they're incompetent nincompoops.

Maybe, but I wouldn't
put it past them to try.

If they force him to go
against his prime directive,

they'll destroy his mind.

He'll go mad.

(ALARM RINGING)

(POLICE SIREN BLARING)

You are an enemy of humanity.

I must destroy you.

There was a triple-security
thermo-lock on that safe,

made from case-hardened Dynastreem.

-It was completely disintegrated.
-Disintegrated?

But there's nothing that could do that.
Dynastreem's indestructible.

I think the Brigadier
has an idea, eh, Alastair?

Anyway, the neighbours
heard a commotion,

but by the time the police arrived,
it was all over. The safe was empty.

DOCTOR: Who was this man?

Joseph Chambers, Cabinet Minister.

He had certain special responsibilities
in the area of security.

I've been carrying out a full security
check on these Thinktank people.

Anything interesting?

No, not really.
They seem to be an exemplary lot.

Just one oddity. Quite a few of them
were members of something called

The Scientific Reform Society.

Oh, really? And who might they be?

A little tin-pot organisation
founded years ago.

It wants to reform the world
on rational and scientific lines,

you know that sort of thing.
Harmless bunch of cranks if you ask me.

-Recently...
-Yes, go on, then.

Well, they've had a sudden rush
of new members.

Quite a few well-known scientists.

Younger people, too,
computer technicians and so on.

Is Miss Winters a member?

Apparently, and Jellicoe, too,
and quite a few of the Thinktank lot.

-Doesn't sound their style, does it?
-No.

-Oh, well.
-Where you off to?

Home to bed. Busy day tomorrow.
Still a working girl, you know.

BRIGADIER: Yes, quite right, too.
You leave all this business to us.

One thing about reform societies,

they're never adverse
to a bit of free publicity.

Well, Doctor, what do you think...

Doctor, what are we going to do?

Or shall we leave it all to Miss Smith?

Let's pay a visit to Thinktank
tomorrow, Brigadier.

We can ask them to demonstrate
Professor Kettlewell's robot.

Good night.

(KNOCKING)

Hello?

(KNOCKING)

Rats.

(KNOCKING)

(EXCLAIMS)

I... I... I...

What's the matter?

I have been given orders that
conflict with my prime directive.

-Oh, no.
-They say there is no conflict.

Yet I know there is conflict.

I do not understand.

Help me.

As I understand it then, Mr Short,

you advocate rule by
a sort of self-appointed elite.

It's only logical. Superior types should
rule, they're the best equipped for it.

-And the inferior types?
-They'd be guided, helped.

Kept away from harmful ideas
and influences.

-For instance...
-Do go on.

Your own attire, is it really suitable?

Trousers? Oh, surely
that's a matter for me to decide.

As things are at the moment, it is.

But in a more
rationally ordered society...

I would wear
what you thought was good for me? I see.

And think
what you thought was good for me, too?

It'd be for your own good.

Oh, I see you're having a meeting
here tonight.

Do you think it'd be possible
for me to come?

Sorry, out of the question.
Private meeting, members only, no press.

But if I joined?

I really don't think you qualify.
We have very high standards.

Well, thank you so much
for your time, Mr Short.

And for telling me
your most interesting ideas.

I do hope you'll include us
in your article.

We have been sadly misrepresented.

Really? Well, we're covering
a number of fringe organisations,

and I'm sure we'll find a place for you,

somewhere between the flying saucer
people and the flat-earthers.

Can't thank you enough for the visit,
it's been most amusing.

I suppose it all seems very elementary
to a scientist of your standing, Doctor.

Yes, it does rather, but never mind.
You've got to start somewhere.

But there is one thing
I'm looking forward to.

Professor Kettlewell's robot.

-It's in here, isn't it?
-Yes.

Come on, then. Where is your Tin Man?

I'm afraid
I must disappoint you, Doctor.

Oh, dear.

I do so hate being disappointed.
I was determined to see that robot.

-We had to dismantle it.
-What?

And such a harmless creature, too?

WINTERS: After the visit of your friend,
Miss Smith, it became unstable.

She introduced it to concepts
it was not equipped to deal with.

What? Concern, compassion,
useless things like that?

We decided it would be safer to follow

Professor Kettlewell's
original instructions.

DOCTOR: Now, that is a pity.

You see, one of our problems,
Miss Winters, is that...

Oh, I say! You haven't still
got the bits, have you?

Maybe I could put it together again.

I'm really rather good
at that sort of thing.

We have our own furnaces
in the basement.

The robot has been utterly destroyed.

I could get authority to search.

You might find that
difficult, Brigadier,

but I won't stand on formalities.
Search, by all means, if you wish.

In that case, I'm sure we needn't
bother. Come along, Brigadier.

Miss Winters has a great deal to do.

Miss Winters, there's a visitor.

-I'm sorry.
-Would you forgive me?

Please, don't let us detain you.

Philips will show you
the short cut back to your car.

DOCTOR: You know, I have a feeling
we shall meet again.

Come along, Brigadier.

Did they believe you?

Of course not. But it doesn't matter.

By the time they can act,
it will be too late.

Someone from the Ministry of Health
has just turned up.

Apparently under some obscure regulation
they've just remembered,

we have to have a complete check-up on
the medical records of our staff here.

What an odd coincidence
at a time like this.

Director, this is Doctor Sullivan

from the Ministry.

-Did you believe them?
-No, of course not. They know I didn't.

And I know that they know I didn't,
and they know that I know that...

Yes, all right, Doctor. All right.
So where is the robot?

Either it's wandered off somewhere
by itself or they've hidden it.

I see. Well, I must be off.

Got to try and persuade the Minister
to let me raid Thinktank.

What are you gonna do?
Oh, no, don't tell me, more thinking.

(TELEPHONE RINGS)

I beg your pardon, Brigadier,
I was just thinking.

Yes?

Yes, of course I'll talk to him.
I'll talk to anybody.

Professor Kettlewell?
Yes, this is the Doctor.

Doctor, you've got to help me.

The robot has come to my house.

I've got him hidden,
but he's very unstable.

I may not be able to control him.
We must keep him out of the hands

of those Thinktank people,
they've driven him almost insane.

Yes, at my house.

I'll be waiting at the gate.

(CHUCKLING)

Oh, I like that. What is it?

That's a promotion, miss, to WO1 .

-WO what?
-Warrant Officer.

You see, technically speaking,

the Brig should have
a major and a captain under him.

The UNIT budget won't run to it,
so they settled on promoting me.

-Congratulations. About time, too.
-Thank you.

Doctor, I went to see those SRS...

Oh, no.

''Sarah, Professor Kettlewell tells me

''that he has the robot
hidden at his house. Gone to meet him.

''PS. It is of course possible
that this message is a trap.

''If it is, I can deal with it.

''PPS. I'm leaving this note
in case I can't.''

Oh, the idiot!
He thinks he can cope with anything.

Right, we better get after him.
I'll get some men.

-I'll see you there.
-Wait for us. We'll go together.

Professor Kettlewell?

Professor Kettlewell?

Professor?

You are the Doctor?

How do you do? I've been
so looking forward to meeting you.

Please confirm your identity.

There must be no mistake.

-You are the Doctor?
-Yes, yes, of course.

You are an enemy of the human race.

I must destroy you.

Please do not resist.

I do not wish to cause you
unnecessary pain.

How very kind of you.

Prime directive.

What is your prime directive?

I must serve humanity and never harm it.

Then you mustn't harm me.
I'm a friend of humanity.

No, you are an enemy.

You must be destroyed.

(CHUCKLING)

Extraordinary. Extraordinary.