The Invaders (1967–1968): Season 0, Episode 0 - Beachhead - full transcript

NARRATOR:
How does a nightmare begin?

For David Vincent, architect,

returning home
from a business trip,

it began
at a few minutes past 4:00

on a lost Tuesday morning,

looking for a shortcut
that he never found.

It began with a welcoming sign

that gave hope of black coffee.

It began with a closed,
deserted diner

and a man too long without
sleep to continue his journey.

In the weeks to come,



David Vincent would go back
to how it all began

many times.

(distant shrill whirring)

(whirring grows louder)

(loud, sustained, shrill
whirring)

(whirring intensifies)

(whirring continues)

ANNOUNCER:
Starring Roy Thinness.

With guest stars Diane Baker...

J.D. Cannon...

James Daly...

John Milford.

♪ ♪

Highway 166,
dirt road, Bud--



wait a second-- Bud's Diner.

Anything else, Mr. Vincent?

(sighs)

I know it sounds wild.

There was this--

there was this light,

a-a kind of glow.

Yes, you told us that.

Anything else?

Well, no, I got out of there
right away, I came here.

I see.

Show him in.

Now, look, that ship landed
just over an hour ago.

It could still
be there.

Now, if you want me to
go, I'll go with you.

Oh, I don't think that'll
be necessary, Mr. Vincent.

David, what happened?

Alan,
what are you doing here?

They woke me up
to ask me

if I have a partner
who sees things, so I...

Oh, excuse me.

My name is Landers.

I'm Mr. Vincent's partner.

I thought maybe I could
be of some help.

Yes, I know who you
are, Mr. Landers.

I appreciate
your coming down,

but I think you told us
everything we needed to know

on the phone.

They wanted to know

if you were really
on a business trip.

Then they told me
some wild story

about your claiming
to have seen a-a... spaceship.

I'm afraid it's true.

I know, it shook me up, too.

Mr. Vincent, you've
driven a long way

in the last 20 hours.

I'd like to suggest
that you leave your car here,

and Mr. Landers or one of my men
will drive you home.

I'm not going anywhere
until you do something.

Now, you'll need those notes
to find where the ship landed.

Mr. Vincent, it's 6:00 a.m.,
and we're all a little tired.

Stop playing games
with me!

I insist
you do something.

Well, it seems
to be Kelly's Diner.

You said
Bud's Diner.

Ready to go home now,
Mr. Vincent?

It came down
right over here.

It stretched out...

...from about...
right around in through here.

It looks as if nobody's
been around here

for a hundred years.

Alan, I saw it.

Look, I'm no crackpot,
you know that.

I really saw it.

All right, David.

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

Hello.

Say, I was driving
out here last night,

and, uh,
I saw something very...

Excuse me,
Mr. Vincent.

That was a good shot.

Thank you.

I'm Detective-
Lieutenant Holman.

We're investigating
an incident

reported last night
by Mr. Vincent here.

Oh, what,
wh-what sort of incident?

Were you around here
last night?

At what time?

All night.

All night?

Well, yes, you see, we have
this camper-truck parked

out behind the, uh...

big tree
over there.

My... my wife and I,
we, uh, we were just married.

How long
have you been camped here?

Uh, two days.

At approximately 4:20
this morning,

did you see or hear
anything unusual?

No.

Nothing.

Well, how can you
be sure of anything

at 4:00 in the morning?
Mr. Vincent, let me.

Well, look, you see,
we were awake, you know.

We were getting ready
to go fishing.

I mean, uh,
there was nothing.

Well, you must have seen
something.

I drove in here,
I parked at the diner.

Now, if you were awake,
you must have seen me.

I'm sorry.

It was here, right...
Wait a minute, Mr. Vincent.

Sorry to have troubled you.

Oh, I'll need some
identification for the report.

Well, I...
I do have a driver's license.

I suppose you'll be
in the vicinity a few days

in case there are any further
questions, Mr., uh, Brandon.

Uh...

W-Well, we had, we had planned
on going back today.

Pretty short honeymoon.

(chuckling):
Yes, it is.

Well, I have to get back
to my store,

but, uh, we'd be glad to stay
until, uh... until tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Brandon.

Oh, uh, congratulations
on your marriage.

Thank you.

Mrs. Brandon.

♪ ♪

What do you want?

I want to ask you a question.

Did you change the sign
on that diner?

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Now, we agreed to stay
until this evening,

but we have to go now.

Quickly, quickly,
get in the truck.

It's past time for me.

(panting)

You... you go away.

Nobody has...
hurt you.

I want
to see your hands.

Take off your gloves.
We have to go!

Take off those gloves.

We have to go!

(both grunting)

Hurry!

Hurry up!

♪ ♪

(sighs)

What happened?

Do you remember anything?

(sighs)

Oh, the truck.

I almost got out of the way.

It must have side-swiped me.

Don't try to remember anymore.

Take these.

What are they?

Something to help you
get back to sleep.

No... no.

Otherwise, we will be forced
to administer it intravenously.

Will you take
these now?

"Arthur Gordon"?

What are you trying to do to me?

What is this?

You're one of them,
aren't you?

(groaning)

(yells)

(grunting weakly)

(straining)

(grunts)

(glass shattering)

Help!

Help me!

For God's sake, help me!

(coughing)

All right?

Oh, yeah, fine, thanks.

David.

Oh, hi, buddy.

David, I want to tell
you how sorry I am

about what happened
yesterday, but, uh,

I was afraid
in a larger hospital,

there might be reporters
and people

who would twist the story
of what you saw.

That's why I didn't want
to take a chance

on your making
any phone calls

and why I gave them
a phony name.

I tried to tell you
yesterday,

but they had you too heavily
sedated that I couldn't.

As it stands,

one of the papers did get wind
of your accident,

but I think I talked them out
of using the story.
Accident?

You don't remember?

Holman says your car
went off the road

and you were thrown
clear...
No,

no, no, that's not
the way it happened.

I, uh, brought some
magazines for you.

The doctor told me
you can go home tonight,

and I don't want to see you
in that office
Alan,

listen to me...
for at least two weeks.

They'll have your car fixed
in the morning.
Alan, will you
listen to me?

Just...
Please.

I found some proof.

I can't show
it to you,
David...

but that man and that woman
at the camper-truck.

They were some kind
of alien being.

I know it.

Look, there was something
about their skin.

They... they
started to glow

and their hands,

the, the bone structure
was different.

David, please.

That's over now.

It's not over.

Look, you've got to
talk to Holman,

and find out
everything you can

about that man
and woman...
David, no more.
Not now.

We'll talk about it
later.
Will you please...

I've got to get back
to the office.

We'll talk about it this evening
when I pick you up.

I promise.

♪ ♪

It wasn't easy,

but I, uh, got the
name and address

of that honeymoon
couple from Holman.

Mr. and Mrs. John Brandon,

285 Front Street, Kinney...

Kinney?

It's a little town between
San Luis Obispo and Bakersfield.

David...

I want to believe you.

Thanks.

(crackling)

(fire roaring)

(crackling)

(fire roaring)

(distant siren wailing)

(police siren wailing)

Whoa!

All right, get those
other people.

All right,
come on, let's go.

These look like
the last ones.

All right, forget it.
Bring up that ladder.

Fireman, there's still
an old woman up there.

You'd better go
check her out.

Let's have those
high poles up there.

All right, Dennis,
where's the ladder?

Any idea how
it started?

The old woman,
she must have done it.

(coughing)

Pete and Phil, they
broke through...

but there's
nobody there.

No body.
No nothing.

Well, she's...

♪ ♪

Can I help you?

I'm Mrs. Adams.

I run this place.

Well, it looks like you lost
a town somewhere.

Where is everybody?

Our total population is down
to 12 now.

And that's including
the two dogs

and my little
Siamese cat.

Thank you.
It doesn't seem to have
affected business any.

Oh, that sign?
That...

that just means, uh,

we're not open to the public
right now.

Golly, it's hot.

I'm, uh, looking
for someone.

A man and a woman
named Brandon.

They gave this as
their last...
Brandon...

Brandon. A man
and a woman.

They gave this as
their last address.

Brandon-- I...

I don't think I...

Sorry, it doesn't ring
any bells.

You can check
the register,

but on the
other hand,

if they were clients
of Mr. Kogan's

they wouldn't have,
uh, registered.

Who's Mr. Kogan?

Well, I don't suppose

there's any real secret to it.

Mr. Kogan's the head
of the investment group

that's buying up
this town.

I think they're going
to turn it

into one of those
retirement cities.

How do you go about
buying a town?

Well, I...
First, you gotta find
the right town.

Then you just walk in
with a suitcase full of cash.

Howdy, my name's
Carver.

I saw your car
outside.

You, uh, looking
for someone?

A couple of friends.

Well, they probably moved away.

This used to be a going town

till the sate closed down
its hydroelectric plant, but...

Oh, a few of them are
still holding out

but in the end,
they'll sell.

Does that include you?

No, I sold out just
after my husband died.

I'm staying on as a sort
of caretaker

until Mr. Kogan's group
takes over.

Sometimes he, uh, sends
clients down here.

Uh, mind if I have
some lemonade, Kathy?

Oh, no, go
right ahead.

Thank you.

Uh...

when Mr. Kogan does bring
his clients down here,

what do you they do?

Hunting and fishing,
I guess.

Where?

Gee, I don't know.

Let's see, there's a,
there's a wooded lake

a couple of miles
north of here.

And there's always the river,
of course.

Where's that?
On the other
side of town.

Gee, I'm awful sorry
I couldn't be of more help.

No, no, thank you.

Really.

Thank you.

So long.

Good-bye.

When is Lieutenant Holman
due back?

Well, tell him he was right.

That psycho of his
did show up down here.

I'll keep an eye on him.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(door thuds on wall)

MALE VOICE (over speaker):
Kinney speaking
to Bakersfield control.

Red alert. Red alert.

(vibrating tone)

Kinney speaking
to Bakersfield control.

Red alert. Red alert.

Kinney speaking
to Bakersfield control.

Red alert. Red alert.

Kinney speaking
to Bakersfield control.

Red alert. Red alert.

(truck engine revving)

♪ ♪

(loud high-pitched tone)

(high-pitched tone stops)

(engine roaring)

♪ ♪

(rock music playing in distance)

♪ ♪

You got a telephone
that works?

Pardon me, do you
have a telephone?

What?

Do you have a
telephone that works?

Well, they ain't
pulled that one yet.

(coins clinking in slot)

Operator, I want to make
a collect call to Santa Barbara.

The number is five-five-five,

five-two-three-five.

My name is David Vincent.

I'm calling Mr. Landers.

(rock music continues)

Alan, it's David.

I'm in Kinney.

I think I've found something,
some proof.

Alan, you've got to come up here
right away,

'cause if you don't
get here right away,

somehow it'll all be gone.

I'm not sure
I can get away right now.

Look, they're here in Kinney.

They may be...

(music stops)

(rock music resumes)

(whispers):
They may be all over
this planet.

Now, I need a witness.

Just one witness.

Look, Alan, if I can't ask you,
who can I ask?

I'll be there as soon as I can.

All right. Now, there's a hotel
on Front Street here.

I'll be waiting for you there.

And thanks, buddy.

(muted rock music playing)

♪ ♪

I see you've found the sole
entertainment center in Kinney.

Yeah, I heard
the music.

Have you met Mr. Kemper?

He's one of
our last holdouts.

And those are
the Ackerman girls.

They live
just outside of town.

Can I offer you
some coffee?

Now, that's
a good idea.

Good.

Deputy Carver's looking for you.

He telephoned
Santa Barbara.

Hey, you don't look like
a dangerous psycho to me.

I'm not.

Well, if you're worried
about him, don't be.

He already
checked here.

It'll be a while before
he comes back again.

Here.

Is something
the matter?

No.

Now, how long has Carver
been in town?

A few months.

Uh, he came in
about the same time

the Kogan people began
buying up the town.

Doesn't what Carver said
about me bother you at all?

Unh-unh.

Just because you happen to see
certain things doesn't mean...

Who said anything
about seeing things?

Carver.

Oh, I've been
through this before.

For months before
my husband died,

he-he kept saying
over and over that...

What did he see?

No.

How did he die?

Well, it...

It was a heart attack.

Tell me what he saw.

Please.
No. It's over.

He's dead, and I don't want
to talk about it anymore.

Please, don't go.
Mrs. Adams, I need your help.

Look, I've got to take
this coffee to my aunt.

I wasn't sure
I could talk to you at first.

Look, please,
Mister, uh...
Vincent. David Vincent.

Well, Mr.
Vincent, I...
Will-Will you sit down here

and just listen to me
for a moment?

Please?
Well...

I'm going to tell you something
you won't believe.

Someday I'll get them all.

There were
transparent tubes

large enough to
fit a human form.

Now, I think they
need these tubes

to regenerate
themselves somehow.

I don't know.

If-if I could...

If I could see them,
see something...

Yeah. Well, maybe when
my friend gets here.
(door closes)

I... I want you
to see them,

because,
Mrs. Adams,

when Kogan finishes
buying up this town,

his people are going
to take over.

They'll have a foothold,
and it's got to be stopped,

because who knows
how many towns like this

there are in the world?

All right.

All right. Is there anything
I can do to help you?

You believe me?

I don't know what I believe.

Just tell me what I can do.

(sighs)

Is your aunt still at the motel?

Yes.

Well, tell her

that my business partner
is coming here.

He'll be here in a few hours.
His name is Landers.

I can call from here.

That's a good idea.

And tell her to have
him meet me here.

All right.

But don't let Carver
find out about it.

Look, what was his name again?

Landers.
Landers.

(door squeaking)

If that Vincent fella
comes back here, Aunt Sara,

try and stall him, all right?

I'll certainly do
what I can, Lou.

We don't think he's dangerous.

Just that things seem to happen
when he's around.

Fires, accidents, you know.

We just want
to keep an eye on him.

All right. Thank you, Lou.

(cash register bell rings)

Uh, Mr. Kemper,
I'll close up.

Uh, we're waiting
for a friend.

Oh.

Okay.

Good night.

Good night.

It's funny how a man's life
can change so fast.

After I saw that,
uh, saucer,

it seems as though

I had been cut off
from everything

piece by piece.

Was it the same
with your husband?

(sighs)
Kathy?

Yes.

Yes, it-it was the same.

You know, I've been thinking.

What happened to him

might not have been
a heart attack.

They could have ways
of arranging that.

Well, if-if that's true,

th-then it could happen again
with you.

No.

I've already talked too loud,

and the fire in my apartment
was the last safe shot.

Anything more would cause
a lot of attention.

Make people think

maybe I was right.

(footsteps approaching)

(softly):
Down.

SHERIFF:
Kemper!

(doorknob rattles)
Kemper!

(footsteps receding)

Maybe your friend
won't come.

No, he was delayed;
he'll be here.

But how can you be sure?
He'll be here.

Why should he
really believe?

You saw what happened
when you told the truth.

Suspicion, right?

Ridicule, it's going
to happen again, you'll see.

He'll be here.

(tires screeching)

I'm sorry.
I didn't see you.

Oh, that's all right.
That's all right.

You are looking
for Mr. Vincent, aren't you?

Why, yes, that's right.

Well, he said you
were to meet him

at the power station.

You're to park
your car there.

Here.
Yeah.

Go on.

(engine starting)

Did you hear a car just now?

No.

Oh, David.

Hey, forget about him.

Look, he won't come.

He's no different
than anybody else.

Nobody wanted to hear
the truth from my husband.

They just wanted
to sell at a profit

and get out of this town.

A lot of things killed him:

hate, greed, ignorance.

If he'd thought about it,
he would've

wondered what he was
fighting for.

What is there in this world
that's so special?

So... so worth preserving?

You still have time.

You can think about that.

(loud music playing)

Why did you do that?

You know I'm listening
for Landers.

(music stops)
David. David.

I did it to wake you up.

Don't spend your life
listening for cars

that will never come,

looking for faces
you can never find.

Fingers?

We're not all like that, David.

Some of us learn.

We're always learning.

Don't go!

Don't fight us.

You can't stop it.

It's going to happen.

Don't go.

Don't fight us.

No, don't go!

Alan! Alan!

Alan!

David?

David?

Alan?

OFFICER:
Hold it! Hold it!

Easy, Mr. Vincent.

Don't be afraid.

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Now, look, we have to get to
that power station right away.

Sure.

Now, look, if you're not one
of them, you've got to help me.

Sure.

My partner's there, he's alone.

They're gonna kill him!

Sure. First thing
in the morning,

I'll call Mr. Kogan.
If it's all right with him,

we'll go down and take a look
at his power station.

Oh, no.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(loud high-pitched tone)

(screaming)

Alan! Alan!

Alan?

Alan.

All right, Vincent.

They did it.

Sheriff, they...

KEMPER:
What happened?

What is it?

Nothing,
Mr. Kemper.

What?

Just a sick fella got
a little out of hand.

You two help me load him
into the car, will you?

What a shame.

H-He looked and
talked so normal.

You just never know.

♪ ♪

(tires screeching)

(car door slams shut)

(chuckles)

Good to see
you, Ben.

Four or five years now.
Lou.

Hello, Vincent.

He'd still be alive
today

if he hadn't wanted
to believe your crazy dreams.

Sheriff Carver checked out
the power station.

Except for him,
there was nothing.

No, there wouldn't be, not now.

The coroner's report
was heart attack.

Whatever you think,
that's the way it was.

Sure.

Ben, what do you want me
to do with him?

Let him go.

Let him go?

That's right.

Let him go.

I don't know why you came here,
Vincent...

but don't come back.

No reason to.

Not anymore.

Lieutenant...

I know I can find an answer
to this if you'll only help me.

This is the final word,
Vincent,

the bottom line.

For your own sake,
let it end here.

Whatever you're planning,
let it end here.

I wish I could.

NARRATOR:
How does a nightmare end?

Not here in the forgotten town
of Kinney.

Perhaps in Bakersfield,

perhaps
at some undiscovered beachhead

in another state
or another continent.

Perhaps, for David Vincent,
it will never end.