Dollhouse (2009–2010): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Public Eye - full transcript

Previously on dollhouse...

I've been many people.

I can hear them.

Sometimes suddenly.

My name is November.

The only reason
mellie exists

Is because of you.
Remember our deal.

The young lady's freedom
has been granted.

Just because you
leave our care,

We don't cast you
to the wolves, madeline.

I'm worried about you.



There is nothing less
than a conspiracy,

Spearheaded
by the rossum corporation.

I'm sure he was
looking for a cause.

Someone gave him us.

Prostitution?

Human trafficking?

Maybe murder.

We're going to verify all this.

We're going to find proof.

We've got better than proof.

We've got a name.

There is nothing
to worry about.

Did security vet everyone?

Metal detectors, hand wands,
the occasional frisk...



Occasional?

Relax.
The rossum corporation's evil,

Not stupid. They're not
going to try anything

While the cameras are rolling.

You really aren't nervous.

Oh, I'm terrified.

I'm about to put
an innocent woman

Up against one of the
world's largest corporations,

And I have no idea how
they're going to react.

Remind me why I
love you so much.

I'm your white knight.

And I'm your
beautiful damsel.

Ever after.

Ever after the press conference.
Ten minutes late. Huh?

Good afternoon.

In the past weeks, I have
made some serious charges.

Charges of corporate
malfeasance on the part

Of several medical
research companies.

Charges which will receive
a full airing on capitol hill

This week when hearings begin.

At those hearings, you will hear

A most innocent word,

A word which will take on
a new and grim meaning.

A word
that will become synonymous

With human trafficking,

Prostitution

And unconscionable abuses
of neural technology,

Directly traceable back
to the rossum corporation.

That word is "dollhouse."

An urban myth
that has become all too real.

Where people have their memories
erased and are brainwashed

To do things that would appall
the most cynical among us.

Today, I want
to put a face on this issue.

I have a witness
who lost three years

Of her life to the dollhouse.

She would like
to make a brief statement.

My name is madeline costley.

Three years of my life are gone,
stolen by the dollhouse.

They preyed on me
when I was at my weakest

And forced me to...

And forced me to do things.

Things I never
would have believed...

...Until senator perrin
showed me evidence.

I almost wish
I hadn't seen it.

But then I wouldn't be here.

And there are still people being
held captive by the dollhouse.

They don't even know
they need help.

So, that means we have to help.

What were you forced to do?

We applaud miss
costley's bravery,

And we ask that you
respect her privacy

Throughout the inquiry process.

Remind me why you released her
from her contract

Two years early.

It was an internal matter.

Right. Something
to do with keeping you

From exposing this house
to the public.

Well, that worked out.

Something, obviously,
has gone very wrong.

But the protocol at this
house cannot be blamed.

There has been nothing
in madeline's reintegration

Into post-active life
that would suggest...

That she was about to go
before a senate subcommittee

And start naming names?

I'm not questioning
your protocol, adelle.

It's your judgment
that's become the issue here.

There's some concern
you may have developed

A soft spot for this one.

Like you did with nolan's girl.

What was she called? Sierra?

How would you like
us to proceed?

By doing nothing.

Rossum already has a plan
in place to deal with madeline.

What the hell's that
supposed to mean?

Your house
will be covered.

May I ask how?

It's handled.

That's all
you need to know.

I'm already late
for a satellite tour

Where I get to run pr flack
against this mess.

Talk up rossum's good works,

Our groundbreaking
alzheimer's treatment...

Rah, rah, rah.

I'll be sure to watch.

Oh, we'll all be watching.

So just how much
danger is she in?

A former active once made
a passing reference to us

In his blog.

That was his last entry.

So going before the
United States senate--

That would be worse.

Considerably.

We can't just sit by
and let this happen.

I have no intention
of just sitting by.

He told you to do nothing.

Indeed, he did not.

I inquired how he would
wanted us to proceed,

And given the context,

I would call his
response a suggestion.

You framed it before
he could tell you what to do.

Madeline will not
be testifying

In front of any
senate subcommittee.

She was quite happy
when she left us.

Now she's not.

She's being used.

You have developed a soft spot.

You miss my point.

She's being used
against me.

Someone with inside
knowledge has served her up

To this crusading
junior senator.

So, what's your next move?

To discover what game
is being played.

Daniel perrin.
Political family.

Third in his line to become
a United States senator.

Stared policing medical research
just under three years ago.

No one is saying the work these
corporations do isn't vital,

But there must
be accountability.

The health of our citizens
cannot be held hostage

To a profit motive.

He's a demagogue.
Look at him.

So concerned
about the public.

And when he shuts
down all research,

We can go back to leeches.

So why isn't
rossum worried?

Maybe they've got dirt
on him.

They would have used it by now.

November is sad.

I almost wish I hadn't seen it,

But then I wouldn't be here.

Yes. Yes, she is.
We should help her.

That's just what
we're going to do.

She's not right.

Yeah. We got that
the first time, echo.

She doesn't mean madeline.

Only that it
took that long.

I was sure the moment
I laid eyes him.

I couldn't
let her get away.

She's perfect.

It's like they made her
just for me.

She's perfect.

It's like they made her
just for me.

He's not lying.

At first glance,
she's perfect.

At second glance,
she's still perfect.

Skip to the part
where she's not.

You look hard enough,
you start to see discrepancies.

Her parents' social
security numbers

Don't match with their names.

Her college transcript
weighted her gpa

Even though berkley doesn't
calculate them like that.

Forgeries.

Some of the best I've seen.

Cindy perrin is a doll.

Harding was being modest when he
said rossum had a plan in place.

They've been married
for three years.

Long-term placement.

She clearly wasn't
imprinted to dissuade him

From going after rossum.

She's a sleeper.

An assassin, you mean?

Mm.
Like madeline

When she was mellie?
Oh, please. She didn't kill you.

Mrs. Perrin's

Going to be activated
when things get too hot.

I'd say things are warmish.

Even harding's too smart to
murder a sitting u.S. Senator.

But he wouldn't think twice

About having a sleeper assassin
take out madeline.

It won't come to that.

You're going to stop her
before she gets to madeline.

Senator perrin moved them
both to a safe house

By a security firm
called contratech.

Where's perrin?

His senate team is still working
out of the downtown hotel

Where they held their
press conference--

The commerce plaza.

He's still there.

So tell me about
this safe house.

Ten minutes from downtown.

Quiet,
residential neighborhood.

The house is covered
with surveillance.

I'm working on getting access
to contratech's servers.

Just give me the address.

I'll go get madeline.

It will be
a touch more difficult

Than playing cat burglar,

Especially
if cindy perrin is there.

You'll need to understand
what it is you'll be up against.

That's my apartment.

Mellie.

Once a sleeper active's
protocol has been triggered,

The thing you're facing

Will be neither reasoned
with nor stopped.

Leave a message.

Adelle :
There are three flowers
in a vase.

The third flower is green.

I get the idea.

Madeline easily dispensed
with a man twice her size.

Cindy perrin will
be no less capable.

Any sympathy for mr. Hearn
would be misplaced.

He was a serial rapist.

I wasn't thinking about him.

Last time I was
at the dollhouse...

...He seemed
so kind and... Gentle.

You can never tell what monsters
people are hiding inside.

Like me?

Why would you say that?

I killed someone.

For the rest of my life...

...I'm going to know
that I killed someone.

You didn't do this.

The dollhouse did.

And that's why you're going
to testify against them.

Hello.

How are the two most important
ladies in my life?

You're sweet, daniel.

But I can't talk.

Madeline's having
a rough time.

Go, take care of her.

I'm going to stay
here at the hotel

And go over the financials
with burt, if you need me.

Remind me
why I love you so much.

I'm your white knight.

And I'm your
beautiful damsel.

Ever after.

What is it?

It's the thing
that if it doesn't work

Exactly like it should,
won't get me in trouble.

I call it a disrupter.

That's not too star trek,
is it?

T.O.S.?
Hmm?

It's based off
what I could deconstruct

From alpha's remote wipe tech.

This is the same tech

That turned echo
into a serial killer?

We said we wouldn't
dwell on that.
He's dwelling.

Just continue.

You push this button,

And it sends a neuro-electric
feedback loop

Through the biolinks implant,

Disrupting the
cranial architecture.

If the frequency is
calibrated to match--

Topher, less tell, more show.

Mm-hmm.

Hello, kilo.

Is it time for my treatment?

Isn't she so
cute and tiny?

I love it when a doll's
name is so on the nose.

Because she
weighs one kilo.

It's a unit of measurement.

I'm so alone.

I enjoy my treatments.

Yes, we know.

But you probably
won't enjoy this.

The gentle hum lets
you know it's working.

Side effects include:

Headache, bloody nose

And the uncontrollable urge
to...

That.

It'll knock out any doll
in a ten-foot radius,

Including a pesky sleeper
like cindy,

Without actually harming
real people like us.

Uh, make that a 50-foot radius.

Good.

So I'll drop mrs. Perrin
and I'll pick up madeline.

What?

You're more right than you know.

If madeline is in range,
it will bring her down as well.

I thought it only
worked on dolls.

It would affect anyone
with active architecture.

But you released her.

Why would she still have your
"architecture" in her head?

No one ever really
leaves here, do they?

Echo, it's time
for a treatment.

Do I get to help November?

If he makes me someone else,
I won't be able to help her.

That's okay.

The person topher's going to
make you is going to help us.

Her handler's not going
to be too happy

When he learns you sent her
out without him.

Mr. Ballard is unhappy about a
great many things at the moment.

His complete focus needs to
be on madeline's retrieval.

You sure you don't want me
to cover her engagement?

I need you on point
in operations.

Echo will be fine.

Any qualified interim
handler will do.

I'll send edwards.

Fine.

Just tell him
not to nod off.

Echo's going to be doing most
of the "handling" on this one.

Mm-hmm.

Try the transit limited
account--

The one that
paid out to madeline.

See if we can run a trace
on it again.

Maybe it'll link back
to a rossum subsidiary.

You know what, burt,
it's getting late.

Let's finish this
in the morning.

Wake up, mr. Senator.

I want to make sure
I get your good side.

Trust me, you've got nothing
to be embarrassed about.

What the hell--
who the hell are you?!

Oh, you forgot
me already?

I'm hurt.

I'm bree.

I don't know you!

I've never seen you
in my life!

Mm, hate to disagree
with you, senator,

But you've seen all of me.

I can show you the instant
replay if you'd like.

I blacked out.

You had to
have drugged me.

Should we order
some champagne?

I think we should
order some champagne.

We'll just bill it
to the taxpayers, right?

Stop it!

Shut up.

I just-- I have to think.

Fine, testy.

I'll leave, then.

Okay.

I sent the really good stuff to
my employers before you woke up.

I just stuck around

Because I've got a message
for you first.

Rossum sent you.

I just go where I'm told;
I don't get names.

The message is--

Back off.

Okay.

So, thanks for the fun times.

I'll get out of your hair.

Oh.

Nice. I like it
a little rough.

Just don't touch the face.

My god.

Or I could tie you up.

It's amazing.

So real.

Uh, duh.

You're a doll.

Thanks. You're cute, too.

Rossum would never risk
hiring a call girl.

Not when they can
programs someone instead.

Whose memory they can erase
when they're done.

Wow.

They didn't tell me
you were extra crazy.

I typically charge
more for that.

You're a doll.

You're not real.

Dude, maybe you should

Take a nap--
sleep this off.

We're leaving.

Where are we going?

To see my wife.

You're twisted.

I like that a lot.

Threesomes are extra,

But I might just give
you a freebie, senator.

Langton.

I have eyes
I need you to take out.

It's gonna take a second.

Uploading malware now.

Got it.

You're clear to move.

Try to understand
what I'm saying.

You are not you.

This place-- this dollhouse--
has altered you,

Brainwashed you.

They've turned you
into someone else.

I know it's a lot to absorb.

I don't mean to upset you.

So is this some sort
of fantasy scenario?

Because I don't get it.

When do we get naked again?

Listen to me.

You've been manipulated.

You were probably desperate
and alone,

And they used
that against you.

Forced you to be a slave

So the wealthy
can have a play toy.

It's despicable.

I'll prove it to you.

What is your mother's name?

Denise.

Where were you born?
What is your birthday?

Duluth. August 6th.

I have two brothers.

I tried to be a dancer
in new york,

But I made more money
as an escort.

Do you really want
to know my life story?

The programming is so detailed.

Of course it is.

Look, you're very sweet,

But you should know--
I like what I do.

You're not the first john

Who thinks he can save me.

But I can save you.

I can save all of you.

If I don't stop rossum,
no one will.

You're a real hero, aren't you?

I just want to do what's right.

Senator, no offense,

But if you want
to do the right thing,

Bringing your hooker mistress
to your wife

Probably isn't a great idea.
Just saying.

Cindy knows the top neurologists
in the country.

She can help you.

And... I need you.

You're evidence.

Sounds like overtime to me.

Madeline, listen to me.

Listen to me. These people
are not who you think they are.

Okay, they are tricking you.

Do you trust me?

Good. We have to
get out of here.

Let go of me!

I'm not going to hurt you.

I know exactly
what you did to me!

Get away from her!

Right now.

Don't come any closer.

You need my help
just as much as she does.

You're not a doll.

This is new.

What the hell was that?

It's echo.

I don't get it.
Is she anywhere near ballard?

Why would she be anywhere
near ballard?

Because her neural
architecture is cascading,

Which means she just got
zapped with the disrupter.

According to her gps signal,
she's at that safe house.

Inform her temporary handler
he needn't return.

Bring up the security feed.

Okay, so either they just
got into a fistfight,

In which case,
"go, echo, " or...

Senator perrin is the doll.

We've been chasing
the wrong person.

That would make cindy...

Perrin's handler.

Get ballard on the phone.

Warn him.

Harding made a senator.

And sicced him
on the dollhouse.

That makes sense how?

Oh, I don't know.

Unless he's trying to sabotage
this house specifically.

No answer.

um, guys?

Echo just kidnapped
the conspiracy.

Where are you taking me?

I don't know.
Anywhere else.

As long as there's
a big fat aspirin.

Go back.
We have to go back.

My wife is back there.
No way.

Nothing's turning me around.

Bree!

Everything you said is true.

Slow down.

There are... Gaps.

Things that aren't filled in.

I can see other people--

Other lives-- through them.

You're going
to get us killed.

It's like I can see the seams.

How it's all constructed.

I'm not real.

I'm not who I think am.

I am a doll.

Make sure you get her
on an earlier flight.

I'll meet you at the airport
as soon as I talk to the police.

Paul ballard.

La dollhouse's
latest idiot hire.

Dewitt had explicit instructions
to leave this alone.

I think it was more
of a suggestion.

Who are you?

I'm mrs. Cynthia perrin.

You're not a doll.

Because this didn't work on me?

What the hell is this?

But you are a dollhouse...

Doesn't matter.

We have our own experts.

We'll figure it out.

Pack this with my luggage.
The black case.

It's got to get through
airport security.

Better they don't see it.

So why does rossum want
one of their ex-actives

To testify against them?

Wait until I leave,

Then make sure he
ends up face-down

In the l.A. River.

I'm going to go find perrin.
Meet you at the airport.

Do not miss the flight.

I know you're scared, but we
cannot keep running like this.

Okay. You said
you can help me.

How are you going to help me?

Oh, god.

Stop the car!

Where are you going?
Nowhere.

Everywhere.

I need to get away from it.
How can I get away from it?

I don't think you can.

I think you're a doll. Like me.

No.

I know who I am.
I know who I am!

Please tell me
I know who I am.

I think I know
who he is.

Yes?

He's senator
daniel perrin.

So he's not a doll?

He's senator daniel perrin,
and he's a doll.

He's a doll version
of himself.

His family's political dynasty
goes back generations.

Congressmen, senators,

Even a great uncle
who was governor of vermont.

But perrin himself was
a party-boy screw-up,

Well into his mid-30s.

Before he washed out at yale,

He was voted most likely

To wake up in a pool
of his own sick.

He was selected
for his pedigree.

But his ambition?

Somebody else gave that to him.

Dewitt.

Would you be open to a bribe?

No. Get up.

You're gonna miss your flight.

They stopped moving.

Does that mean
they've been captured?

I don't know.

But I think the team I sent
to intercept them has.

What?

I had a retrieval
team en route,

But they stopped here,

And they're not responding.

That's the cover number.

That'd be bree calling in
to her escort agency.

Hello?

What did you do to him?

Bree?

Yeah. Bree.

I guess that's who I am now.

Mostly.

Bree, is the senator with you?

If he is a senator.

Right now, he just locks
like a basket case.

You did this to him.

No, but I can help him.

I think I believe you.

Of course you do.
That's why you called.

A treatment?
Yes.

Yes, a treatment.

It will make him feel better.

No. No "treatment."

I know what that means.

I know everything
about you people.

Senator perrin?

Yes, I am senator perrin.

Daniel perrin.

I am not a doll.

No, you're not.

Strictly speaking.

You were born daniel perrin,

But the man you are today
is part-manufactured.

Your mind has been altered.

Tampered with.

What are you talking about?

Someone is controlling you.

I can help you find out who

And to what purpose.

Why should I believe
anything you say?

Because I am the person
who programmed bree

To blackmail you.

If I wanted to kill you,
you'd be dead already.

Hey. You don't want me dead.

Wow. I feel like
we're really bonding.

Let's discuss bonding,
shall we?

Let's discuss your wife.

Senator?

It's her, isn't it?

Daniel!

She's not right.
We should go. Now.

Where have
you been?

Who is that woman?

What? No, cindy...

Daniel!

I don't even care
what this means.

We were never here.

I never saw her.
Let's just go.

Yeah, let's do that.
Let's just go.

Get away from me.

Cin, I don't know
what's happening to me.

It's okay, baby.
It's okay.

We'll figure it out.

Remind me why I
love you so much.

I'm your white knight.

And I'm your beautiful damsel.

Ever after.

Ever after.

That it?

Oh, god...

Daniel?

It's all a lie.

I'm not going with you.

Take me to the dollhouse.

No chance.

You won't shoot me.

You're my handler.

That's true.

But I'm not hers.

You won't shoot her.

That's not who you are.

Put the gun down.

Don't come any closer, daniel.

Please, come closer.

Cindy!
What the hell are you doing?

She's not going to remember
and neither are you.

We're going back to d.C.,

So you can forget any
of this ever happened.

Daniel.

You wouldn't.

You couldn't.

Not your beautiful damsel.

You love me.

That's it.

Put it down.

Now, we have to go.

You just woke up
a lot of people.

And they all think
you're a bitch.

She hit me, daniel.

You're not my wife.

Cindy, don't!

No!

Daniel!

I'm on your team!

I love her.

I know.

But I don't have that problem.

Sorry about that.
Come on.

I think I know where
you can get some help.

You want to take me to them?
They're all bad guys, bree.

I think her bad guys are
badder than my bad guys.

Hey, she's not your wife.

Come on.

Hey, madeline.
Right on time.

Okay, call airport
security now.

No.

Madeline.
No.

If I can't face him,
how can I stand up

To a multibillion dollar
corporation?

We've got to get
you out of here.

Who was I?

Who was I that made you
so obsessed with me?

Now's not the time.

It's the only chance you get.

Her name was mellie.

She was my neighbor.

I was fbi, and
she was helping me

With my investigation.

That was the fantasy?

I was your girl Friday

Who you slept with
the other six days of the week?

It wasn't a fantasy.

I was fbi.

And I didn't know
mellie was a doll.

The dollhouse tricked me, too.

So that made you
want to work for them?

It was part of a deal I made
with them to get you out.

I agree to work for
them, they free you.

So I should be thanking you?

I want them to fall
just as hard as you do.

Let me testify.

They want you to
testify against them.

It's a trick.

Mellie, if you do this,
it would be a mistake.

I'm not mellie.

I know that.

You said you freed me.

When someone's free,
they get to make mistakes.

Am I free?

Echo's vitals and gps gone.

How is that possible?

It's not.

It shouldn't be.

Someone just did something

They definitely shouldn't
be able to do.

Mr. Langton?

Echo's gone.

Senator perrin, too.

Call mr. Ballard before
you return to the house.

Perhaps he had more
luck with madeline.

Still no word from ballard.

Madeline is no doubt
halfway across the continent

On her way to testify

In front the senate subcommittee
on ethical neuroscience.

Why would harding
hang us out to dry like that?

If we fall, half of rossum
comes down with us.

With perrin under his power,

Harding controls how
far the damage goes.

The senate committee will clear
rossum of any contact with us.

And perrin will be hailed
as the conquering hero

Who's rescued
all these poor souls.

He'll have the political capital

To pass whatever laws
and regulations

Rossum programmed him to.

They'll be unstoppable.

Yes, they will.

So what do we do?

Stop them.

Thank you, grace.

How soon till the
senator gets here?

They said any minute.

Athena's diagnostic can wait.
I want a clear runway.

Daniel perrin's
our bright star.

Apparently, they're bringing
in the l.A. Active

That kidnapped him, too.

Yes, well, we'll have
a look at her

Once the senator's
squared away.

It's confirmed
she's from l.A., right?

Why would they
move against us?

Keep your mind on
your work, please.

The moment you
start wondering

About the people upstairs,

They'll start wondering
about you.

That isn't a thing you want.

Sorry.

Curiosity.

It's perfectly natural.

We have urges,

And we are in the business
of urges, so why not indulge?

How many sugars?

Two-and-a-half.

But we can't.

We never can--
indulge.

We have a sacred trust.

We have the privilege of
living inside the human heart,

For which we give up everything.

We give up everything.

This is bennett.

Yes, sir.

It won't be a problem.

As soon as I get
senator perrin's body.

I assumed we'd fill him
with travel memories--

A layover in milwaukee,
some turbulence--

And something to explain any
dehydration or disorientation.

Bad shrimp or...
Or a film with a dog.

If you could please just make
sure that no one touches him.

Do we have any information about
the other active, the woman?

Might be useful to scan her,

See if we can lock down
her parameters.

It might give an indication...

I'll report as soon as I can.

They're coming down.

Hades comes in at 6:00

After a long-term with
the closeted councilman.

Just keep him in holding.

And cancel aphrodite.

Why is hades still
on the table?

It should have been...

It should. Should.

Not was. Is.

Condition contrary
to fact: Should.

Contrary to fact.
Like a lie.

Should.

Should.

Here we are.

Is he unconscious?

I can't work him
if he's unconscious.

Prep the mask,
recompile the perrin imprint

And spool up
the memory buffers.

And the second active?

Put her in first.

I'll look at her for a bit

While the senator comes to.

Spool his buffers and table
them, keep him in holding.

And then,

You know what, you can go.

I need to focus.

I can help you
with the second active.

I have to focus, please!
Thank you.

I need this...

To focus on this.

Thank you.

Bennett, another migraine?

All in my head.

Your problems are all external.

More things to explain
in perrin's imprint.

What should we go with?

Mugging? Tumble
down the stairs?

How about he beats his wife?

The senator doesn't
beat his wife.

The senator loves his wife.

Lucky wife.

I brought you a souvenir.

The tech that fried him.

Binaural transmitter.

Solid state capacitors.
Nanoscale solders.

I know this hand.

This is topher brink.

I've always wanted
to meet his tech.

Don't.

Unless you want to drop
every doll in the house.

My, my, my.

How do you work?

The hearing starts in ten hours.

If perrin's not there,
the plan is blown,

And we're demoted to being dead.

The other active's slabbed.

This one's semiconscious.

Not a threat, but you
should be able to work soon.

His call and response
stopped working.

I'm going to have to rebuild
the cr10 relays to the amygdala.

A fun time for me.

We'll see how much cognitive
damage the imprint sustained.

Get away from me.

Get away!

Yes, it's going to be
a full overwrite.

Please, don't erase me!

Please don't!

I don't want to forget.

Please...

It's my mind.

Not for some time now.

Oh, god.

Who are you?

She's god, honey.

And you've heartily
offended her.

Don't you need to make sure

That l.A. Hasn't
tracked them here?

We left clean.

Will you please make sure?
Will you please make sure?

Will you
please make sure?

It's going to be all right.

Better than all right.

This is sick.

You are sick.

Who's to say?

We'll start working
in just a moment.

Where am I?

Caroline...

You always promised
you'd come back to me.

Let's play.

: No!

No!