The Bionic Woman (1976–1978): Season 1, Episode 14 - The Ghost Hunter - full transcript

(WIND WHOOSHING)

(GATE CREAKING)

(CLATTERING)

(BUZZING)

Mother!

It's all right.
It's all right, Amanda.

It's just another bad dream.

It's all over now.

(SIGHS)

Ghosts?

You said that, not me. I didn't say ghosts.
I just said, something...



Some force, some energy.
I don't know what it is.

All I know, it's something that's interfering with
a very important O.S.I. project.

So how do I fit in?

You are going to do some
bionic snooping, my dear.

The name of the town
is Essexville.

And this is Dr. Alan Cory.

He's in charge of two very important components
of our Alpha-Sensor project.

Nice looking.
Is he married?

He was. His wife died a year ago,

and since then he's become very temperamental,
very secretive.

He won't operate anywhere except
in his house.

How does he get away with that one?

Well, geniuses get away with an awful lot, my
dear, even on government projects.

But this force is getting
the townspeople upset



and I think Alan Cory
knows what's going on,

but for some reason he won't tell me.

What makes you think he's gonna let me play
detective in his house?

Because the O.S.I. has supplied him with a new
governess for his daughter.

What happened to the old governess?

She left after the last incident.

Jaime, I want you inside that house to protect
the Alpha-Sensor project

and I want you to find out
what's going on in there.

We've got to catch a plane, come on.

Where is Essexville, anyway?

Along the coast of Massachusetts between
Boston and Salem.

Salem?

Maybe I should just gas up my
broomstick, huh?

Jaime, whatever caused this disturbance is very
real and very dangerous.

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Miss SOMMERS?

Yes, you must be Amanda.

Yes, won't you come in?

I'm sorry I took so long getting down.
I was reading.

I thought Father might answer, but he's too
engrossed in his work.

Engrossed?

Yeah. He's working on a very important project
right now. It takes up most of his time.

Well, at least he's working here.

It's better than if he went off
every day, isn't it?

I suppose.

What happened here?

Oh! Lt fell over last night.

It's very heavy.

Father said he'd get someone to take
care of it later.

I should tell him you're here,
Miss SOMMERS. I'll go get him.

Okay.

Amanda...

Why don't you call me Jaime,
all right?

Okay.

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

ALAN: Just at the wrong time, too.

It's a pity she couldn't have gotten
here in the morning.

AMANDA: You were working
this morning, also, Father.

Let's get the introductions over with
as quickly as possible.

I've still got a few good
working hours left.

Yes, Father.

How did you...

Oh, well, I was just cleaning things
up a little bit.

Hello.

How do you do, Miss SOMMERS?
My name is Alan Cory.

May I see your O.S.I.
identification, please?

Oh, certainly. Your house
is so beautiful.

Does your bookcase fall over often?
(CHUCKLES)

I'm afraid I don't have much time

for the niceties of polite
conversation right now.

But I'm sure you're tired after your trip.

Uh... Yeah,
it's been a long day.

Well, then you won't
mind if I leave you.

There's some food in the kitchen.

Amanda can show you to your room
and perhaps in the...

This doesn't belong here.

I'll take care of it, Father.

At any rate, I'll assign you to your
duties in the morning.

And now, if you'll excuse me,
I must get back to the lab.

Amanda will you take
care of things, please?

Yes, Father.

Boy, she's very beautiful. That is your mother,
isn't it?

Yes.

Let me see.

You do take after her.

Why does this book have a special place?

It's been in the family
for a long time.

One of my great-greats is in it.

Rebecca Putnam, that's my middle
name. Putnam.

Great-greats? (STUTTERS) How many
greats ago is that?

Four or five, I think.
On my mother's side.

(WHISPERING)
It's a witch book!

Rebecca Putnam died in a Salem jail and
they said she was a witch.

That's terrible!

Kind of intriguing,
though, can I read it?

Yeah. See, that's her,
Rebecca Putnam.

JAIME: There is a resemblance.

(JAIME READING)

Wonder if all that's in here.

Poor Rebecca Putnam.

How did you feel in 1692?

JAIME: Stand,
Rebecca Putnam.

Stand and face those
tormented children...

JUDGE: who even now writhe in agony from the
demons you send to flay their flesh!

REBECCA: The imps they see are but visions
harbored in their own demented souls.

They are of their own making, not of mine!

JUDGE: If this be as you say, Rebecca,

pray tell how explain you those objects you
caused to fly about,

to cause such mischief?

They were truly seen by many folk.

I cannot explain the wonders of God's
invisible world,

but evil it be not, for are we not all
creatures of the Lord?

You send objects flying through the air
on invisible demon hands

and dare call these mischiefs God's doing?

Nay Rebecca, 't is the work of your
dark master, Satan!

Let her be taken from here to Salem jail.

Go, witch, and pray for repentance!

No! No! I shall surely perish
in that dreadful place!

Lam innocent! Innocent!

(SIGHING)
Whoa!

(CLATTERING)

(RUSTLING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(CREAKING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(CREAKING)

(JAIME SCREAMS)

What are you doing here?

The same thing you are doing,
seeking information.

Who are you?

Lam Emil Laslo.

Lam an investigator of...

Shall we say, unusual phenomena.

(STUTTERS)
And you just happened to be dropping by, huh?

On the contrary, lam
here on an assignment.

There is a force here in Essexville,

that is most interesting
to certain people

and believe me, could prove
extremely dangerous to you,

Miss SOMMERS.

(INAUDIBLE)

JAIME: Something strange
is going on here, Oscar,

but so far, I haven't gotten
anything from Dr. Cory.

OSCAR: What was the name
of the other man?

Laslo. L-A-S-L-O.

First name, Emil.
And he gives me the creeps.

Can you check him out for me?

All right. Call me later, I'll get the full story
on him.

Okay. Thank you much.
Bye-bye.

Bye.

Can I help?

Goldman tells me you have a grade six security
clearance, is that right?

Yes.

Miss SOMMERS, I'm not naive.

Any governess with a grade six is
here to keep an eye

on more than just my daughter.

Well, with eight million dollars invested in
the Alpha-Sensor project,

can you blame him?

I guess not.

(SIGHS)
All right, come on in.

What happened in here?

We had another visitation last night.

Fortunately, I packed the Alpha-Sensor
component very carefully

and it wasn't damaged.

Stop!

That's sulfuric acid.

There could be some left on the bottle.

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(CREAKING)

You have a way with shelves, don't you?

What is causing this disturbance?

I'm not sure.

But, whatever it is, it seems to center
itself in this lab.

Well, as a scientist, you
must have some theories.

I do.

But I hesitate to investigate them.

Let alone bring them to the attention
of my colleagues.

Dr. Cory, if something is preventing you from
completing your work,

don't you think you should have
it investigated?

No! She...

It's too private.
Too close to me.

She?

(SIGHS)

My wife, Elizabeth,

was different.

Her family background
wasn't ordinary.

In what way?

Well, it seems that several of Elizabeth's
ancestors had unusual abilities.

One of them, Rebecca Putnam,
died in jail.

She'd been put there
for practicing witchcraft.

And you attribute this to witchcraft?

Well, the superstitious
call it that.

Parapsychologists call it telekinesis,

the ability to move objects with the mind.

Did your wife have telekinetic abilities?

These things really fascinate me.
Was she telekinetic?

Yes.

Here.

Without going into quantum mechanics,

this instrument is used to register extremely
low energy waves.

I'm using it in conjunction
with the work I'm doing

on the Alpha-Sensor for the O.S.I.

My wife, through sheer will,

could cause those needles to register.

But she's dead now.

Yes. She is dead.

When Elizabeth knew she was dying,

she promised me that she would
try to contact me,

from beyond the grave.

Well, if that is what's
happening here,

why would she want to sabotage your work?

I don't know.

But I can't leave Putnam House
until I find out.

Don't you think this is awfully
difficult for Amanda?

She seems so melancholy
and alone here.

Yes. I haven't been devoting too much
time to Amanda lately.

When her mother was alive, we would go
on picnics, do things.

Elizabeth was an extremely beautiful,
stimulating woman.

(SIGHS) Lately,
I've been busying myself with the Alpha project.

Hiding in your loneliness?

Yes, I suppose so.

I'd rather forgotten what it's like
to have an attractive,

vital young woman around.

Amanda's other governesses have left
a great deal to be desired.

I'll tell you what,

maybe we could go on a picnic sometime.

I think Amanda would like that.

Oh, yeah, I think she would, too. Yeah.

Well, it's a thought.

That's an idea.

I finished phase one of the Alpha-Sensor
project yesterday.

I deserve a day off.

Let's make it this afternoon.

(STUTTERS)
Oh, that'd be wonderful.

Um, I'll tell you what,
Dr. Cory,

let's get this place
of yours cleaned up here,

and then I'll go tell Amanda.

Jaime, I have a first name.

It's Alan.

JAIME: Well, I guess I'd better put this away
before the ants carry it off.

(ALAN CHUCKLES)

ALAN: Well, that was good,
wasn't it, Amanda?

AMANDA: Mmm-hmm.

I'm just happy to be out here
with you.

Yes, it's just like old times, isn't it?

Getting out here by the lake,

we spent many a happy
hour out here.

Elizabeth loved the lake.

Can we take a ride in the canoe later?

Hmm. Tell you what,
sleepyhead,

you haven't been sleeping
very well the last couple of nights, huh?

I think an afternoon nap
would do you a world of good.

Why don't I give Jaime
a ride first, huh?

Then I'll come back and pick you up, all right?
All right.

Okay. All set, Jaime?

Sounds like fun.

ALAN: It's done us both a lot of good to get
away from that house.

JAIME: Well, doing something different does give
somebody a different outlook, you know.

Hey! What are you doing?

New friendships can give
one a good outlook, too.

(SCREAMS)

Where did that come from? God!

That moved!

Oh, it's just the current.

Let's head over that way.

(CRASHING)

(SCREAMS)

What in the world?

Any damage?

Don't worry about it,
it's just a little bit.

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Look!

(CRASHING)
(YELPS)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Mother!

AMANDA: Mother!

Are you all right?

Mother was here.

But this time, she was trying
to hurt Jaime.

All right, Jaime.
Here it is.

Emil Laslo, he's a well known ghost hunter and
illusionist throughout Europe.

He's investigated a large number of
unexplained phenomena,

and is a firm believer
in the supernatural.

But, he's exposed many alleged ghosts
as clever hoaxes.

He makes a lot of money
writing about them,

and demonstrating how such illusions
can be created.

Jaime, are you there?
Yeah.

I was just thinking.
Go on.

All right, Laslo has been associated
with psychic research

at the University of Warsaw, and he's spent
the last few years at the...

Get this.

At the People's Institute for Parapsychology
inside East Germany.

So, he could be a foreign agent.

Very possible. He may be trying to sabotage
the Alpha-Sensor project.

Have you noticed anything suspicious?

JAIME: All I can tell you is,

someone or something tried to sink a canoe
with Dr. Cory and me in it.

What? Were either of you hurt?

No, we're all right.
But it was pretty spooky.

What about the Alpha-Sensor?

There was no further damage.
Dr. Cory's getting phase one of it

ready to deliver to MIT today.

Good. I'll tell them
it's on its way.

Meanwhile, you keep an eye out
for this Emil Laslo.

Or Elizabeth Cory's ghost.

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

AMANDA: How long will you have to stay
in MIT this time?

ALAN: A little longer than last time, four
or five days, probably.

Why so long?

Because I have to teach them how to integrate it
into their computers.

The diametric feedback equalizer circuitry
is very complex.

I wish you cared as much about me
as you do your work.

Amanda, try to understand.

I'm on the verge of a major breakthrough
in physics.

Now I promise not to stay away one day longer
than is absolutely necessary.

That's what you said last time.

But you would have stayed longer if my governess
hadn't quit because of Mother.

Or whatever happened here.

I will be back as soon as
possible and until then,

you'll have Jaime to keep you company.

I like Jaime a lot, don't you?

(SIGHS)

Will we have any time together
when you get back?

Well, I'll have to start work on the
phase two component,

but we'll find some time to spend together,
like we always have.

Yeah.

And you...

I'll be very happy to get back and spend
some time with you.

Sure.
And Amanda,

remember,
in bed by 9:30.

Bye. See you all
in a couple of days.

Come on, kiddo, he'll be back
in a few days.

What's wrong?

Mother used to get so upset when he'd spend
so much time away from us.

Well, let's get this
place cleaned up a little bit.

Then maybe we can take a walk
into town or something?

All right.
All right.

You know, your father
may be a brilliant scientist,

but he certainly does need someone
to clean up after him.

Yeah, he's a mess.

I usually do it.

(BOTTLES CLINKING)

Jaime!

(JAIME EXCLAIMS)

Jaime, your foot!

I'll call the hospital!

It's all right, Amanda.

It's okay.

Your foot should be blistered.

Well, I think the shoe took
most of it.

It's Mother.

I know it's Mother.

She's been trying to interfere
with Daddy's work.

Trying to get him to spend more time
with me.

Amanda, that acid fell on me.

Maybe she's jealous because
Daddy kissed you goodbye.

I don't believe in ghosts.

(STUTTERS)
There's got to be another explanation for this.

(SNICKERS)

Hello, I am Emil Laslo.

Is your father at home?

No, but Miss SOMMERS is.

EMIL: Oh!
Miss SOMMERS!

May I come in?

Yes, come in the living room.

Are those your shoes?

Oh, no, I found them in the lab, they fit
and the floor was cold.

Those were Mother's shoes.

Elizabeth Putnam Cory.

A direct descendant of Rebecca Putnam of Salem.

The resemblance is striking.

You know about Rebecca Putnam?

Yes.

My research work is always thorough.

For example, I saw what happened to you
in the lake yesterday.

You did?

Yes.

And I think I can explain how it happened.

(RATTLING)

It's Mother.

She's mad 'cause you're wearing her shoes.

It's happening again.
It's amazing.

Mr. Laslo, if you know what's going on,
please tell me.

Yes.

But I do have to speak
to you privately.

Come this way.

Amazing. I have only seen it
happen like this once before

in Hungary.

Look out!

JAIME: Oh!

(GROANING)

What happened?

Amanda, call an ambulance!

(EMIL GRUNTING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Help!

Mr. Laslo, it's all right. Everything's gonna be
okay. There's help on the way.

(STUTTERS)
You must beware.

You must beware,
it is after you.

What is?

(STUTTERS)
Poltergeist.

Mr. Laslo?

The only ambulance is in Salem.

They won't be here for an hour.

Well, help me get him into his car,

Amanda, and we can take him to
the hospital ourselves.

Jaime, I don't want to go.

My mother died in that hospital.

I'll be all right if I stay here. Really.

(STUTTERS)
Okay, just help me, okay?

He's still unconscious, but they feel he's out
of danger.

Thank you very much.

(SIGHS)

Poltergeist. Poltergeist.

Excuse me, may I use
your telephone?

Well, we've got one...
It's a very important call.

I'd really appreciate it.

All right.
Thank you.

Alan, it is not your wife's ghost that is
causing all this trouble.

I think it's Amanda.

What?

Let me read you something.

This was written by an authority
on the supernatural.

Poltergeists,

a disquiet and damaging spirit,

usually linked to a disturbed child

with telekinetic abilities.

But Amanda is not a disturbed child

and she has never displayed telekinetic
abilities.

Well, have you tested her?

ALAN: Well,
of course, I have.

She couldn't budge the needle, much less knock
over all the equipment in my lab.

Besides, most of that happened at night
when she was asleep.

(SIGHS)
That's true.

But every time she was
dreaming about her mother.

You tested her conscious mind,

what about her subconscious mind?

What?

Well, isn't it possible that she has
telekinetic abilities

in her subconscious?

Well, yes.

I suppose that's possible.

Well, it makes sense to me, Alan.

She's been complaining so much about you not
spending any time with her.

And maybe,

when she's sleeping her subconscious
uses those abilities

to lash out at your work or at me

or anything that could possibly take
you away from her.

Alan, I'm not saying she's
aware of what she's doing.

But I think she has,
in her dreams,

Mother, acting out her desires.

She was asleep each time, wasn't she?

Even yesterday at the lake.

Jaime, I think you may be on to something.

Oh, what are we talking about?

She was wide awake this afternoon when that acid
fell and the bookcase...

Yes, but her resentment for my work and you,
may be becoming so strong

that her subconscious is becoming dominant,
even when she's awake.

Oh, and this morning
when I left,

I told her that I'd be starting on the phase two
of the Alpha project

when I got back.

And then you kissed me goodbye.

Poor little thing. She probably feels more
threatened now than ever.

And if she starts dreaming again,

she may seriously damage the Alpha Two components
stored in the lab.

Oh, Alan, can you come home right away?

Yes, but listen Jaime,
there's one more thing,

if Amanda's mind is really behaving that way,
you better get to her

and make her understand it before
she gets to sleep.

Otherwise, her subconscious may try to attack you
more severely than ever before!

Oh, I'll be starting work on the phase two
component when I get back.

We'll find some time to be together,
like we always have.

I like Jaime a lot, don't you?

I'll be very happy to get back and see
some more of you.

Oh, I'll be starting work on the phase two
component when I get back.

(RATTLING)

ALAN: I like Jaime a lot.

(BED LAMP RATTLING)

(WIND WHOOSHING)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BRIDGE CREAKING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(DOOR CREAKING)

Amanda?

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Amanda!

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(WIND WHOOSHING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

(BIONIC POWERS ACTIVATING)

Amanda!

Wake up!

Amanda! Amanda!

It's Mother! She's come
to take Daddy's work away.

No, it's not your mother, Amanda.
It's you. It's your mind.

She's gonna take you away, too.

(BOTTLE SHATTERING)

Amanda! It's your subconscious mind,
honey.

Leave me alone!

Amanda, you're doing this!

Just like your ancestor,
Rebecca, and like your mother.

(STUTTERS) And you
do it when you're asleep and when you're dreaming.

I'm not asleep now.

But your subconscious mind is still in control,
Amanda. You can stop this!

Get away from me!

Amanda, I am not gonna take
your father away from you!

He's coming home right now
and he wants to be with you.

No, he's just gonna keep working.

Amanda, he loves you,
you've got to believe me.

He doesn't love me!

Yes, he does!

He understands now how
much he's neglected you.

And he wants to be a better father,
but honey,

you've got to give him another chance.

Amanda, do you want to end up hurting him?

You almost killed him
in the lake the other day!

Do you understand that?

No!

Oh, honey, go ahead and cry.
Get it all out.

But you gotta think about good things, okay?

Now think about spending time with your father,
and doing things together, okay?

Think about taking a long, long walk with him
and holding his hand.

That's a girl.

Now think about... Think about talking to him
and going in the canoe,

when having a long talk,

and him being the kind of father
who listens,

who really listens and who cares
about you.

Amanda, think about how
much you love him, honey.

He loves you so much. He really does.
You gotta believe that.

He wants to be a good father to you
and he is going to be.

(SIGHS)

And the hospital said that Mr. Laslo's
gonna be just fine.

I'm glad.

The people at MIT say the component
is a great success, Alan,

and they'll be working on it for the next
couple of months.

Good. Because I'm putting off work on
the phase two component.

I've got a lot of research to do with my own
little brain child right here.

So they're finally gonna find out how that little
noggin' of yours works, huh?

Yeah. And Dad's invited some neuro...

Neuropsychiatric.
Yeah.

Experts up to help figure out how I can learn to
control all that telekinetic stuff.

But mostly I'll be working with him.

Oh, you're not gonna like that
too much, are you?

No, not too much.

Jaime, we've got to leave or we won't
stand a ghost of a...

Chance to catch that airplane.

That's the spirit,
Mr. Goldman.

Goodbye, honey.

Bye. Take care.