Project Blue Book (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 10 - The Washington Merry-Go-Round - full transcript

Previously
on "Project Blue Book"...

Resignation letter?

This a joke?

My husband needs your help.

I think we have
strong evidence here

for a close encounter
of the third kind.

You don't even
work here anymore.

I'm not going to
let you take my work!

Do you realize how many times

I almost got fired
because of you?

If I didn't lie about
what happened...



If you hadn't lied, you'd be
just as bad as all the others!

How much evidence do you need?!

Are they coming?

No.
They're already here.

Now it's self-defense.

Do you believe in any of what...

Doesn't matter what I believe.

I gotta go outta town,
D.C.

You need to leave tonight.

- Please, hurry!
- I can't go any faster.

Alexander Hamilton
thinks you can.

- Whoa, geez.
- Oh!

Doc?

I didn't have time to call
from the airport.



What are you doing here?

I'm not entirely sure yet.

I just know I'm going to
need your help.

The cab's downstairs.
I'll explain on the way.

I got to meet the generals
at the Pentagon.

Yes, and if I'm right, they're
gonna cancel that meeting on you

in 11 minutes and 6 seconds.

Come on!
Why aren't you dressed?

"A new dawn."
He actually said that.

You realize how ridiculous
that sounds.

You don't even know
this guy's name.

He hands you a ticket,
tells you to get on a plane,

and you just...
No questions asked.

Of course I asked questions.

He said this is where
I'd find the answers.

Should I not have included you
or something?

Well, last I checked,
we weren't partners anymore.

How much further?

Well, it's right up there,
but this traffic, it's...

Hey!

Keep the change.

Doc!

Doc!

Doc!

We made it.

10 seconds.

Five...

four...

three...

two...

He told you he'd be right here?

Who?

The man... The man with the hat,
whoever he is.

No, we're not meeting him here.

Then why the hell
are we running?!

Capital 902, you're clear
for takeoff on runway two-five.

Capital 902 on runway two-five.
Copy.

Tower?

Tower, do you copy?

Can you see if you're getting
some static?

Tower, we have a...

Something is out here.

Oh, my God.

New Castle, this is Andrews.

I'm tracking multiple bogies
over the Capital.

Are you seeing this?

Copy.
Multiple and high-speed.

Returning high and fast.
What are those?

Can't believe
I followed you out here.

I'm sorry.

I got to call the generals.

What were we supposed to see,
anyway?

Look, you know what
that one is called?

I don't know.

See if I can get a photo.

- There! Right there.
- I see it!

Honey, come over here a second.

It's all right, sweetheart.

He told you this was coming.
The way they circled the city,

the trajectories
were mathematical.

He even gave you
the time of day?

The speed!
It was just incredible!

This was an attack.
On our Capital.

No, we don't know
what this was yet.

- And you had prior knowledge.
- We had prior knowledge.

We have to get to the Pentagon.
I'm getting us a cab.

What did you see, Allen?

I want you to make sure
the shelter is fully stocked.

Where's Joel?

He's watching TV,
but what happened?

I'm not...
isn't over.

Allen, I...

Where are you?
I-I...

Mimi, can you hear me?

Now there's a problem
with the line.

Are we safe?

When are you coming home?

I have to... I have to...
Captain Quinn... Pentagon.

Allen, I...

Hello?

Let's go!
I got us a cab.

Mimi!
Mimi!

Allen?

Doc, come on.
We got to go.

Mimi!

Mom?
Is Dad in Washington?

Because something
just came on the news.

Joel, just...
turn it off.

Turn everything off!

It has to be the Russians,

which makes this an act of war.

I want to put planes over Moscow
and troops in their yard.

Radar techs at Andrews tracked
whatever those craft were

at 7,000 miles an hour.

The Russians don't have
any equipment that can do that.

That we know of.
Who else would it be?

You know damn well who.

You really want to take that
assessment to the President?

You'd rather I explain to him
how his top generals

missed a foreign invasion
over the goddamn White House?

The press is already running

with the alien-attack angle.

We're fighting a battle
on that front, too.

Let's keep everything else
to a minimum, okay?

It doesn't follow the pattern.

The nature of this phenomena,
as you both know,

is that it hides...
On the fringes.

This sighting
is counterintuitive

to everything we know
about its behavior.

So, we're gonna let Project
Blue Book handle the press

while we prepare to strike back.

Now, you saw
these things with your own eyes.

Yes, sir.

And?

I-I-I don't... I don't really
know how to describe it.

I've never seen
anything like it before.

Are you speaking as a pilot now

or as a member of
Project Blue Book, Captain?

- Both.
- What does this room think?

That's a matter
of national security,

which doesn't concern you.

What's more important
is what the public thinks.

And we can't have
a national panic on our hands.

What do you need us to do?

What you've always done.

I want you to find a rational
scientific explanation

as to what's occurred,
then move it off the front page.

You mean lie.

We saw it with our own eyes.
Those things were not planes.

How would you know
what types of planes

the Russians have or don't have?

The Russians have nothing
to do with this.

Am I right?

What's right
is what works right now.

Press has been waiting.

Get out there and give them
something to chew on.

Yes, sir.

As for you two,
I'm gonna need real answers.

Truman won't go to war
on a gut feeling.

Fairchild knows.

The generals know.
But they'll never tell us.

I bet they've been hiding
the truth this whole time.

What did we see out there?
Those crafts, the way they flew.

Did we just witness
an alien invasion?

Well, I can't say that
with absolute certainty.

But? The physics of the
maneuvers, the speed...

I can't think of any other
logical explanation.

It's the "new dawn."
What your mystery man said.

Yeah, meaning what we saw is just the
beginning. Who the hell is this man?

How'd he know what was gonna happen?
I can't lie about this any longer!

The greatest military on Earth
had no idea what was gonna happen.

Not to the press,
not at this time.

But this guy knew?
It's irresponsible.

We have to tell
the public the truth!

Who is he?!

Uh, police phone lines
are jammed with panicked calls.

Uh, there's talk of putting in
a city-wide curfew.

Does the military
even have craft like that?

That would be classified.

Is it the Russians, then?

Is our nation under attack?

Are we on the brink of war?

No.

We are not under attack.

What happened today
was caused by...

was caused by...

What happened today
could have been caused

by a natural phenomenon.

These were
temperature inversions.

Over here. Come on. Wait.

You never really
answered my question.

Inversions occur when a-a layer
of warm, moist air

in the upper atmosphere

covers a layer of cool, dry air
closer to the ground.

And this condition can cause
radar signals to... to bend

and give out false returns.

Three separate radar systems
tracked these lights.

Y-You're saying they all mistook
air for solid metallic objects?

Temperature inversions
do cause violent thunderstorms,

which can produce
bolt lightning, which...

Anyone remember the first
reports on the Lubbock Lights

or the Flatwoods Monster?

In both those cases,
we had multiple witnesses

claiming otherworldly events.

That is,
until science explained...

These are not machines that
the United States has made

or is developing?

Have they been reported
over Russia

or any of its satellite nations?

That's all the information
we have at this time.

We will keep you posted
as soon as we know more.

Thank you.

We need to leave now.

Quinn! Quinn! Come on!

Excuse me.
Thank you.

Excuse me.

One... One more question.
Please.

I have no further comment on it.

We will keep you informed
of any developments.

Do you really think that
this is a temperature...

Well, that went well.

Come on.
We need to keep moving.

Can you really sell
this temperature inversion idea

if we schedule
another press conference?

There is precedence, yes,

but, uh, it won't account
for the eyewitnesses,

and it's certainly not
what we saw.

At least you figured out we need
to sell the public something.

Yeah, for now.
But, look, we should split up.

You get in touch with
the radar technicians.

I'll go back to the Mall,

see what I can find
to support my theory.

Then we can meet
back at the hotel.

Sure.
You do your thing.

I'll work on the radar techs.

That was good teamwork in there.

So we're still a team, then?

I found this in Allen's phone.

What is it?

Well, what does it
look like to you?

I don't know.

I think it's a way for people
to listen to our phone calls.

I think our house
is being bugged.

You don't seem surprised.

No, I am.
I just...

I just don't know what to say.

Why are you showing me this?

Well, Allen's out of town,

and you're the only person
I trust right now.

I mean, I swear,

ever since Allen started
working on Project Blue Book,

there's been this...
This weird static on the line

any time I pick up the phone.

I think the government has been
bugging our house from day one.

That would definitely
make sense.

Is it okay if, um...

if I stay with you
just for a little while?

Joel's at a friend's.
I don't want him to know.

I-I don't have anywhere to go
right now,

and with this thing that
just happened in D.C., it...

What just happened in D.C.?

You haven't heard?

My options depend on answers.

And so far,
I've got little to none.

I just got off the phone
with the Kremlin,

and they're swearing up and down
it wasn't them.

God help me, I believe them.

Now, unless someone in this room
can prove to me otherwise,

I'm in no mood to start
World War III today.

So, what the hell
were those things?

You can speak now.

Mr. President,
it is my opinion, sir,

that they were
something else entirely.

- We have no proof of that.
- Let him finish.

Radar, eyewitnesses
all confirm one thing...

That whatever those craft were,
they were not of any shape, size

or skill our intelligence
has come across.

Well, how do we fight back
if we don't know what they are?

With all due respect, sir,
I think we do know.

You still think Russians.

With every fiber of my being.

Then find me proof.

So I can show these bastards

what a real air strike
looks like.

You can probably
just pull over here.

Close enough.

Dr. Hynek.

I see you got my message.

You owe me some answers.

Actually, Doc...

I think you both do.

I'm not the enemy.

Generally, when someone's
got a gun pointed at you,

they get to make that decision.

- Captain.
- I haven't gotten to you yet.

Keep quiet.

You look familiar.
What's your name?

That's okay. We'll figure that
out soon enough.

Can we just listen to what
he has to say first?

Sure.
Back on base, under arrest.

Make it all official.

Why would I be under arrest?

Well, let's see.

My partner here says you've been
showing up from time to time

offering cryptic information
and then disappearing.

Now, last night, you give him
advanced knowledge

about an aerial attack
on our nation's capital.

Not a warning, an invitation.

I'm just wondering
what kind of man does that.

What does he want?

Are you asking me?

I think a Russian spy
would have a lot to gain

by convincing a civilian
with top secret clearance,

like my partner here, that
he's made for greater things.

You think I work
for the Russians?

Convince me you don't.

This has nothing to do
with the Russians.

Or America, for that matter.

Who do you work for?

In some ways,
the same people you do.

Tell me what the hell
is going on.

I want to know what I saw.

It's okay.

Right?
No problem.

What you need to know about me
is we want the same thing.

But even when the truth
flies right over your head,

it's still impossible
to believe.

So they are real.

Do you have proof?

What's in this trunk here
will help you

to convince more people,
the right people.

That's why I asked
my good friend Dr. Hynek

to come here tonight.

But why do you need me?

It's simple.

I don't exist.

Now I'm more confused.

"Operation Ivy."

The hell's that?

This is wonderful!

Yeah, look how big and roomy.

I bet you could hang
a whole side of beef in there.

Are you kidding?
I bet you...

Freezing to death is not funny.

Oh, Lucy!

I don't think she's
in any real danger.

You know what would
make this even funnier?

Hmm?

Vodka.

Thank you for... for letting me
stay here tonight.

Of course.

You were there for me.

Can we talk?

I figured this was coming.

Your friendship is important
to me, more than I can ever say.

I've never had a friend
like you.

I feel the same way.

And I'm sorry.
Can I just say that first?

I just...
I-I need to get this out.

I love my husband...

and my family, and...

what happened that night,
the kiss, it can't happen again.

It won't.

I understand.

But that doesn't mean
it has to ruin things, right?

It...

It just felt like...
Like it was in the air, and...

now it's over.

It's over.

Okay.

Okay.

I, um...

I should go check on Joel.

Can I use your phone?

Of course.
It's just right in there.

I promised I'd call.

Where did you get this?

It's a little hard
to explain right now.

What is Operation Ivy, sir?

I think you need to tell me
where you found this.

Sir, with all due respect,
if you don't know,

then we're the ones

who should be asking the
questions right now, not you.

Especially as there is
a duplicate print of this

which will find its way
to the press

should anything happen to us.

I-I don't think
we're in a position

to be making threats
to the Secretary of Defense.

It's not a threat.

The truth will come out
one way or the other.

Isn't that what you really want?

Ivy is the code name
for a top secret

thermonuclear weapons test
in the South Pacific.

We had two successes
and one failure.

Now we know why.

A UFO?

Well, whatever they are,
I think it's a message.

They want us to know that
they're in charge of the skies,

and they're watching us.

Wait, hold on a second.

Surely, we should get it tested
before we start crediting aliens

with taking down the most
powerful weapon known to man.

I need the President to see this

before the Joint Chiefs have him
make a horrible mistake.

But I'm going to need backup.

A lot of people are gonna come
after us for writing this, Doc.

I imagine they will.

Military parlance.

For a new theory,
not a hypothesis, but...

An estimate of the situation.

Hey, Doc.

You can understand
why I doubted you today.

This is gonna change everything.

Maybe everything
needs to change.

Hello. We're here to see
Generals Harding and Valentine

and Secretary Fairchild.

Ma'am, are you okay?

Boys?

Oh, my God.

It must be Donna.
Come on.

Ladies, I need you
to turn around.

What's going on?

Is Donna okay?
Is she back?

Ma'am, I'm not gonna
ask you again.

I have a right to know
what's going on here.

- Hynek?
- Yes. Mimi Hynek.

Your husband, is he here?

No, he's in Washington.
What is going on?

Our office received an anonymous
tip about your neighbors.

We're investigating
the husband's links

to the Communist Party.

Jack?

You ever notice anything strange
next door?

People coming over at odd hours,
unusual behavior?

No.

Doesn't surprise me.

A lot of these sympathizers,

they're good at hiding
in plain sight.

You've got the wrong guy!

I don't even know
how it got in there!

Mimi!
Mimi, tell them!

Mimi, tell them!

Excuse me.
What is it they're carrying out?

Surveillance equipment.

Found it in his basement.

Mimi, that device in your phone.

That must have been him.

Something's not right.

The secretary is dead?

Official story is engine fire.

Official story?

It was a Russian hit.

It's bad enough
they fly by our capital,

but this is an act of war

carried out
on our sovereign territory.

I need the President
to see this.

Are you saying that you have
definitive proof of that?

You know, Professor,

I have been more than patient
with your bullshit.

But why don't you ask
Captain Quinn what happens

to soldiers who disobey orders
during wartime?

I apologize, General.

I hadn't realize we were at war
or that you were giving orders.

In either case,
I'm not a soldier.

You two said
you needed to see us.

You said it was urgent.

Now, why are you here?

Generals, the phone.

Yeah?

Son of a bitch.

They're back.

The President's scrambling F-94s

with orders to engage
if need be.

I'd like to be up there, sir.

No one's better qualified
at this stage.

All right.
Follow me.

Be careful, okay?

I need to see
what these things are up close.

You come back down
and let me know, then.

You gonna be all right?

Yeah, don't worry about me.

Can't help it, Doc.

In spite of my best efforts,
you sort of grew on me.

Like a barnacle.

- What did you do?
- Sir?

The President's on his way down.

He said he wants
to speak with you.

Any idea
why he wants to do that?

Tower, this is Alpha two-niner
clearing myself for takeoff.

Alpha two-niner,
you are clear for takeoff.

Let's touch the stars.

Mr. President.

Mr. President, sir,
this is Dr. Allen Hynek.

Mr. President.
It's an honor to meet you.

Not our finest day.

I just lost a good friend.

This nation lost
its Secretary of Defense.

Yes. I'm very sorry.

Bill Fairchild told me once

you're the man
with all the answers.

So, why don't we start
by you telling me

what the hell
is happening up there?

Pilots, let's stay sharp.

Jesus Christ!

Whoa!

Pilots, get into formation.

"The Estimate
of the Situation."

Bill said he trusted you.

Yes, sir.

From now on,
I may have to trust you, too.

Mr. President.

The objects are approaching
the Capitol.

We need your orders.

Mr. President, the objects,
they are not Russians.

No?

Well, then,
Professor Allen Hynek,

who the hell are they?

We have our orders, fellas.
Keep it together.

Roger that, two-niner.

APG-40s offline!

Damn, I'm hit.
Can't fight it!

Pilots, we have our orders.

Generals, I'm moving in
to engage.

I'm losing visual.

Damn it!

I can't keep up with it!

Oh, God!

It's taking control!

Something's happening!

Come on!

Well, the next thing I knew,

I was chasing
one of these things.

I tried to get closer,
but the faster I pursued it,

the more this, uh,
orb pulled away.

It knew I was there,
knew I was coming for it.

I had the order to fire,
so I flipped my guns to engage,

and that's when I heard this...
This ringing.

It was, uh... I got dizzy.

Uh, I know it sounds crazy,

but it felt like it was
inside of my head,

altering my perceptions
somehow... deliberately.

Captain, what happened
after you engaged

with this unidentified aircraft?

I locked in, fired,
hit it multiple times.

All it did was grow brighter.

And I felt this strong heat.

Then it was gone.

Captain Quinn,
in your assessment,

do you believe that what you
engaged was a Russian aircraft?

In my opinion...

no.

It was an aircraft,
but I have no idea what kind.

Dr. Hynek, it's my understanding
that you've had a chance

to study this case in depth
along with Captain Quinn.

That... That is correct.

You've also had the opportunity
to study cases like this

for the Air Force
this past year.

Project Blue Book.
Is that accurate?

Yes, sir.

So, in your expert opinion,

given everything you've seen,
everything you've studied,

do you wish to offer
your conclusions

as to what this
unexplained phenomena was

in our nation's sky?

Yes, I do, and I would stand by
my initial scientific assessment

that these were...

temperature inversions.

So, how do you explain
Captain Quinn's assessment?

I'm convinced that Captain Quinn
believes his story

and that he is telling you
the truth today... his truth.

But the confusion described,
the disorientation,

sounds more like
hypoxic dementia

brought on by altitude strain,
speed, lack of oxygen.

Scientifically speaking,
in my opinion,

Captain Quinn was,
however unwittingly,

chasing nothing more
than an atmospheric mirage.

Thank you, Doctor.

Captain, the committee will take
all this under advisement.

And I want to remind everybody

that today's testimony
is sealed and classified.

This closed hearing
is adjourned.

After all we've seen,
you sold me out.

No.
In fact, I did the opposite.

What I did was to set us free.

What I've come to realize
is that the only way

to... to really get to the truth

is to convince them
that we don't believe.

Because if we don't believe,
then we're not a threat.

And if we're not a threat,
then...

We keep our jobs.

Jobs that give us access
to more cases, more information.

Jobs which will allow us

to continue our search
for the truth.

Got to say, Professor, you are
one tricky son of a bitch.

How did that happen?

Let's just say that I took some
advice to heart from the top.

"There is nothing new
in this world

except the history
you do not know."

It's up to us now, Captain,
to discover that history.

You think more of them
will come?

Yes.

And every time they do,
however impossibly,

their arrival will pose
the same question.

What question is that?

Do they come in peace,
or do they come for war?

Makes headlines.

A young Frenchman photographed
this flying saucer, or is it,

from a mountainside
in Central France.

Military officials,
suspecting that the object

- was a meteorological balloon...
- Allen!

Send one aloft
and photograph it.

Dad, you're back!

In Washington,
ghost-like objects

dart across the radar screen

at the CAA Traffic Control
Center at National Airport

for several hours,

traveling more than
100 miles an hour.

Air Force jet fighters
spend several hours

chasing the objects.

Oh, won't you tell me

Thank you.

What may be your name

I suppose I should say something
clever about drinking alone.

I'll be your love again

Susie Miller.
Mimi Hynek's friend.

Oh, I could love you,
yes, I could

And how is... Mr. Miller?

Until it was a crying shame

Out of the picture.

Permanently.

Roger that.
I can't find words to explain

Can I buy you a drink?

Yes.

So, what's Truman's next move?

Truman's a ghost.

In six months, we'll have
a real Commander in Chief.

And Eisenhower knows
what's at stake.

So keep our powder dry.

There are other threats
out there

that we know even less about.

Russians, Hugh.

Stay focused.

"Dr. Hynek...

my men and I have been
tracking you carefully

since you took the job
at Blue Book,

and you have done
great work for us.

The escalation of events
in D.C. this weekend

were further proof
that we are not alone.

But as you saw with
Secretary Fairchild's death,

there are those
that will stop at nothing

to keep the truth hidden.

What comes next
is far too dangerous

to have you stay involved.

So I will insist you return
to your old life now, Doctor.

I will no longer be able
to protect you.

But rest assured
our mission will continue."

Project Blue Book.

Captain, what if I told you

we were about to make
real contact?

And I know where.

Three, one, five, four, five,
six, five, three, five, nine.