The Invaders (1967–1968): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Experiment - full transcript

(thunder crashing)

REPORTER 1: All we're
asking from you is one little stat.

REPORTER 2: Why
all the silence, Doctor?!

Is it true that you've
been investigating UFOs

for the last three months?

Professor, do you really
believe in these saucers?

Come on. Come on,
what about it, Professor?

Are there really people
from outer space?

The doctor is not answering
any more questions.

Just one little statement.

Evidence that
there are people...



Invaders from other planets?

Look, that is enough!
The doctor is sick!

He is exhausted! Yeah,
we know he's exhausted.

If you want any more information

you will have to wait until
the conference in New York.

Oh, come on... Can't
you tell us anything?

You know you shouldn't
be on here in the first place.

(thunder crashing)

Dad?

I've changed my mind.

We're not going.

We're not going?!

There's a man outside.

I saw his hand.
He's one of them.



What do you mean, "one of them"?

One of the aliens.

Oh, Dad, you simply
must cut this out.

Don't you understand?

This plane could be
a death trap for me.

Lloyd, let me through.

(engine roaring)

(explosion)

(thunder crashing)

NARRATOR: Starring Roy
Thinnes as architect David Vincent.

The Invaders... alien
beings from a dying planet.

Their destination... the Earth.

Their purpose... to
make it their world.

David Vincent has seen them.

For him, it began one lost night

on a lonely country road

looking for a shortcut
that he never found.

It began with a
closed, deserted diner

and a man too long without sleep

to continue his
journey. (eerie whining)

It began with the landing of
a craft from another galaxy.

(whining grows louder)

Now David Vincent knows
that the invaders are here--

That they have taken human form.

Somehow he must
convince a disbelieving world

that the nightmare
has already begun.

The guest stars
in tonight's story:

Roddy McDowall...
Laurence Naismith...

Harold Gould.

Plot or paranoia?

There was no doubt
in David Vincent's mind.

A celebrated astrophysicist,
Dr. Curtis Lindstrom

had discovered the truth--

That alien beings
were here on Earth.

In less than a week, at a
meeting of his colleagues,

Dr. Lindstrom would
announce it to the world.

Then, perhaps David Vincent
could put down his burden.

It all seemed so simple.

(air brakes hiss)

Will you see these bags get

to the Covington Hotel?

MAN: Mr. Vincent?

Hello, hello, hello.

You know, I'm afraid

that Dr. Lindstrom
isn't feeling too well,

so he asked me if I'd meet you

and bring you out to the house.

That's very kind of you.

No trouble... least I
could do for an old friend.

Oh, should I have
Hank take your bag?

No, they've been
taken care of, thanks.

Good! Good, good.

Dr. Lindstrom's home, please.

LINDSTROM: The
whole world is blind...

sick!

Complacently marching
to its own annihilation.

Curtis, if you'll just
allow us to help you...

I am no lunatic, Paul.

And I don't intend to be
locked away in a hospital,

either by you or by my son.

Look, Curtis, please
try to understand.

All I'm suggesting... I know...

Is a few days rest,
some tranquilizers

and peace and solitude.

All right. But at
least at the hospital...

I am not sick, Paul,

and I don't need a psychiatrist!

How can I convince you?

Look, supposing

I were to tell you within
the very near future

that the Americans or
the Russians would land

on another planet.

Would you, of necessity,
think I was mad?

Well, the invaders
are real, Paul!

They are here amongst us

and they intend to
wipe us out like bugs.

By your own admission,
you're exhausted.

You are overworked.

I am not sick, Paul!

How long do you think
you can go on this way?

Look, don't you
think Afraid to go out?

I know how this sounds?!
Afraid to have visitors?

But I can prove
every word I say.

And they know it.

That's why they've
got to try it again.

That's why they've
got to try to kill me.

And this time, they
can't afford to miss.

I'm scared, Paul.

I'm scared.

Curtis, let me take
you to the hospital.

You'll be safe there.

I'll keep personal
watch over you.

Trust me, Curtis.

Please, Dad.

All right, I'll go.

But understand this:

I intend to go to that
meeting on Tuesday,

and I will not be silenced.

Something wrong, Mr. Vincent?

Relax, Mr. Vincent.

It's just a few more miles.

Dr. Lindstrom said he
lived ten minutes from town.

We've been driving 25...

Well, traffic's a little heavier

than usual today, I'm afraid.

What traffic?
There's no traffic.

You haven't been noticing.

If you'll forgive
me for saying so,

you apparently
notice very little.

Pity.

Pull over.

I said pull over!

Don't extend
yourself, Mr. Vincent.

We're almost there.

(tires screech)

You'd better hope

that he doesn't make
it to the hospital in time.

All prepared, Doctor.

Should I bring Professor
Lindstrom down now?

What do you want?

Doctor, I'm David Vincent.

I talked to you on the
telephone yesterday.

How do I know who you are? Sir..

How did you find me?

Your housekeeper told me, sir.

Look, Doctor, I know
what you're going through.

I've been there myself.

Sir, they're going
to try to kill you.

Right here. Now. Today.

I know. They tried it with me

just a few minutes ago.

You, why you?

Well, my arrival
forced their hand, sir.

They're afraid... they're
afraid you're going to share

your knowledge with me.

Now, you've got to get
out of here right now.

MAN: Now here we go,
Professor. Doctor's orders.

Just a warm bath.

Most patients...

What are you doing here?

I have permission.

You do, huh?

Yes.

Well, check it, if you like.

All right, mister.

That's just what
I'm going to do.

You say they tried to
kill you, Mr. Vincent?

Who? What did they look like?

I have a better question.

How did they know I
was coming to see you?

I don't know.

I don't know anything anymore

except that I'm
supposed to be safe here.

Doctor, you're not safe here.

You're not safe anywhere

as long as someone
knows where you are.

Doctor, you've
got to go into hiding

until the conference.

Somewhere no one can find you.

You... what do you want?

Please, Doctor, I'll go with you

if you want me to.

But I cannot sit... Will
you leave him alone?

I don't know who you
are, but this is my patient

and I will not have him
upset. I've got to speak to him!

His life is in danger
every second he's here!

Are you leaving or must I
have you forcibly removed...?

This is a matter
of life and death!

Get out of here. Come on.

Get him out of here, will
you? Get him out of here.

All right, I'll leave,

but, Dr. Lindstrom, please
do what I asked you to do

before it's too late.

I know them better than you.

Now, if you need
me, I'll be at the hotel.

Come on, mister.

The Hotel Covington.

Are you all right?

I wonder if he's
speaking the truth.

Must be hell for him if he is.

He says I should leave here.

Oh. Oh, no, no, no.

You're safe here.

Anyway, what about

the treatment that
Dr. Mailer's arranged for you?

I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know.

(chuckles)

You really expect me
to believe any of this?

I expect you to call
Dr. Lindstrom, Lieutenant.

If he confirms my story,

I expect you to
give him protection.

Well, for heaven's
sakes, at least call.

Have a drink.

Well, it's been a pretty
rough day, Vincent,

so, uh, I just hope that
this doesn't turn out to be...

Yes, I'd like to speak
to Dr. Lindstrom, please.

I just hope this doesn't turn
out to be some kind of a gag

because you're going... Yes?

Oh, really.

No. Thank you.

(chuckles)

You just got shot
down in flames, mister.

His son checked
him out of that hospital

one hour ago and he
was alive and healthy.

Got any other
problems, Mr. Vincent?

(door opens)

I'm going into town.

Can I bring you anything?

No, thanks.

It's no trouble.

I like to make my
guests comfortable.

I said, no, thank you.

Oh. Well, good night.

Good night.

WOMAN: Operator.

Hello, Operator?

Yes, sir.

I want to speak to the
Hotel, uh, Covington.

One moment, please.

Hurry, please.

Yes, sir.

WOMAN 2: Good
evening. Covington Hotel.

I want to speak to
a Mr. David Vincent.

David Vincent?

Yes, that's right... Vincent.

David Vincent. I'll ring.

(whispering): Hello,
Operator? Operator?

Operator?

I'm sorry, sir,
there's no answer.

Do you wish to leave a message?

Yes, yes.

Tell him Dr. Lindstrom called.

Tell him I have proof.

Documentary evidence.

Tell him it's at my...

Hello? Hello, sir.
Are you there?

Good evening.

Hello?

If you want Mrs. Davis...

We're government agents, sir.

Hello?

Asked to bring
you to Washington.

Something about a
conference on Tuesday.

Hello, sir. Are
you there? Hello?

And you found me...
how? (receiver clicks)

Well, your son told us.

He's quite worried
about you, Doctor.

He seemed relieved
that we were taking over.

Thank God.

Thank God.

Shall we go, Doctor?

We have a long drive.

By the way, Doctor,

you do have the
proof in that suitcase?

How did you know
about the proof?

I told no one.

(grunts)

♪ ♪

Uh, just a minute, Doctor.

Not now. Please.

Well, if you'll just confirm

what his son has told us...

Dr. Lindstrom was mentally ill.

He was paranoidal, if you wish.

In his state of mind, he...

He was a very
sick man, Sergeant.

Excuse me.

♪ ♪

He was murdered, Mr. Lindstrom.

I'm sorry.

Perhaps if I'd been with him...

or if I had gained his
confidence sooner...

Did you hear me when I said

your father was...? I heard.

Mr. Vincent, I think
that you are disturbed.

I think you are
even more disturbed

than my father was.

Are you so sure your
father was disturbed?

No doubts? No fears?

A plane blew up.

His own automobile

went over a cliff
three days later,

and you're so certain...

I cannot understand

your concern over the death

of a man you hardly even knew.

Now, my father could
not have been murdered.

I was the only one who
knew where he was...

The only one... and I
certainly didn't tell any...

Oh, my God. Oh, no.

Oh, my God, no.

Mr. Lindstrom,
whom did you tell?

(sighing)

Well, no. They were...

they were government agents.

They showed me
their credentials.

They...

What do you want?

Your father called me
just before the accident.

He left a message
at my hotel saying

he had proof,
documentary evidence,

that there are invaders
from another planet

here on Earth.

I've got to have that proof.

It must be found before
they can destroy it.

Y-you think I know
where he hid it?

Did it ever occur to you that
the men who killed him...?

No, no. They didn't get it

because I know that.

When I went back to my
hotel after the accident,

my room and been
ransacked, turned upside down.

Now, Lloyd, I need your help.

I've got to have that proof.

Please trust me.

Help me to find it.

Yeah...

(sighing)

All right.

Of course, but I...

I simply can't do anything
until tomorrow morning.

I must be alone
with my father now.

Certainly.

(pained groans)

You did very well.

I want you to stay close to him.

(groaning)

Oh, my head.

These... these headaches.

Ever since Maryland.

It will all be over
soon, my son.

LINDSTROM (on recording): I
don't care what you believe, Paul.

It's true.

They're here.

They're going to
take over the Earth.

How long I can go on
evading them, I don't know,

but God willing, I'll stop them.

I'll stop them, Paul.

I've got to stop them.

Are you satisfied, Mr. Vincent?

Are you sure Dr. Lindstrom

didn't say anything about
proof or where he hid it?

This tape represents

the only interview
we had at the hospital.

It's all we had time for.

Face it, Mr. Vincent:

If your failure to find
anything here or at the hospital

hasn't convinced
you there is no proof...

I'm sorry, Doctor.

I haven't been convinced.

Where are you going?

I'm going to search the inn

where your father
spent his last hours.

Wait a minute. I'll go with you.

I think it would save time

if you'd check his
office at the university.

I'll call you later.

Lloyd, have you
lost your reason, too?

Why are you cooperating
with that man?

Lloyd?

Lloyd?

What is it?

Doctor, may I
please have the pills.

What's wrong, Lloyd?

What are these for?

Well, it's just that I-I get

these violent
headaches, and, uh...

Please, may I have them?

When did you start suffering
headaches this violent?

Please, Doctor...
Who gave you these?

There's no prescription
number on them.

Give me those pills.

Oh, uh, Paul, I'm sorry.

I... I didn't mean to be rude.

It's just that, uh...

well, with the strain
of Dad's death,

I... I've just been
getting these headaches,

but I'm all right.

Now, Lloyd, you
still haven't told me

who prescribed those pills.

It was a doctor in
the apartment building

where I live in New York,

just before I came
out to join Dad.

But, look, now, don't worry.

I'm fine.

I'm just going out
and get a breath of air.

(sighs)

I told you he didn't
leave anything behind.

Well, could he
have left a package

or a briefcase with the
handyman? Gardner?

No. I run the place myself.

All alone.

Say, wait a minute.

He could have mailed it.

Here's a post office
receipt made out to him

showing that a registered
package was delivered to...

(chuckling)

Well, to whom?

Where was it delivered?

Uh, it's a New York address.

Look, Miss, I've
got to have that stub.

It's important to me.

Well, so is my license.

It's against the law to
tamper with the mail.

Oh, it's all right.

You see, the man to
whom this belongs is dead.

You can't get in trouble.

I don't know. If I...

If it will make you
feel any better,

you can call his
son, Lloyd Lindstrom.

He's stayed with his
father in Covington.

He'll vouch for me.

I never could resist
a good-looking man.

Thank you.

Say, are you sure you
can't stay for lunch?

No. Thank you.

I'd like the number

of a Lloyd Lindstrom
in Covington.

(phone ringing)

Yes?

Yes, yes, this is he.

Oh?

Oh, thank... thank
you very much.

Oh, no. No, don't
worry about it, madam.

Thank you for telling me.

Bye-bye.

♪ ♪

I was sure sorry to
read about Dr. Lindstrom.

He was always so kind...

so nice when he stayed
here at his son's apartment.

I was really looking
forward to saying hello to him

when he came to attend
that big conference.

You know what I mean?

I put the package on the
bureau when it was delivered.

It's over there.

You know, I-I really
shouldn't be doing this.

But you got an honest face.

Excuse me.

♪ ♪

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Yeah.

It's for you.

Mr. Lindstrom.

Lloyd?

Where have you been?

I've been trying to
reach you for an hour.

I thought I'd miss you.

How'd you know where to find me?

Oh, well, that lady
at the Pine Cone Inn...

She called me after you left.

Hey, uh, did you find anything?

Is there any proof?

Oh, boy, have I found...?

Would you mind?

Okay, but don't take too long.

Yeah.

Lloyd, I've got enough
here to blow the lid right off,

thanks to your
father's hard work.

Well, look, I'm coming right in.

I want to be there when you
turn it over to the conference.

Well, I'm not going to
the conference, Lloyd.

I'm going to Washington.

I'm leaving tonight
on the midnight train.

Washington? Why Washington?

Well, I have an old army buddy.

He's with the CIA. His
name is Jack Bryant.

I'm going to call
him before I leave.

I'm going to make an appointment

for the first thing
in the morning.

I know it's Sunday, but I'll
meet him at his apartment.

By noon tomorrow, every capital
in the world is going to know.

Lloyd, I want to thank you for
all the help you've given me.

I'll get in contact with
you when I get back.

So long.

(dialing phone)

I ju... I just spoke to Vincent.

He found the material in
my New York apartment.

He's taking it to Washington...

to Jack Bryant of the CIA.

No, no, he's going to
meet him in his apartment.

Yeah, that's right...
His apartment.

Uh, I'm glad
you're pleased, sir.

(door opening)

What are you doing here?

How... why did you...
How did you break in?

I had this pill analyzed.

It's like nothing the
chemist has ever seen.

I want an explanation.

Lloyd...

Lloyd, listen, I've
known you all your life.

You can trust me.

Look, you've got to tell
me what this is all about.

That phone call, the
pills, the headaches...

What's behind it?

Lloyd, whatever it
is, I'll stand by you.

Believe me, I'll...

You're going to give
me an explanation, Lloyd.

You can stand there
until doomsday, but...

Will you answer me?!

My father was an enemy.

What happened to
him was necessary.

It was all necessary.

Hello, Operator.

I want New York
City Endicott-29971.

Quickly, please, Operator.

A man's life may depend on it.

(phone ringing)

(muted ringing)

(muted ringing continues)

(gasping scream)

(horn honking)

(honking continues)

(doorbell buzzes)

Good morning.

Morning. David Vincent
to see Mr. Bryant.

Ah, Mr. Bryant is expecting you.

If you'll come this way.

Mr. Bryant?

Here is Mr. Vincent.

Hello, Jack.

I'd been here sooner, but
the traffic in this town is...

(door closes) Jack?

Please forgive us, David.

Your friend, Mr. Bryant,
lives across the hall.

We changed the directory.

It's good to see
you again, my son.

You'll take him to Maryland?

That's right... to Maryland.

Last meal?

(sighs)

Lloyd, I understand
betraying me,

but why your father?

Why?

My father was an enemy.

What happened to
him was necessary.

It was all necessary.

What are you afraid of?

They're not going
to execute you.

They're just going to
change your brain patterns...

Impose their will
on yours, that's all.

How?

How do they do that?

I was the first, and
you'll be the second,

and after that... Why
don't they just kill me?

Oh, well, now, you see,

you said that, uh, your friend
in the CIA was expecting you.

You said you had positive proof.

Well, now you will
attend the conference,

and say there
never was any proof.

It was all just an
old man's nightmare.

No. Otherwise... (door opens)

I'm sorry you didn't have a
chance to finish your meal,

but it's time.

(groaning)

(electronic humming)

(electronic humming
rises in pitch)

(low pitch vibrating)

(low pitch vibrating)

(low pitch vibrating)

(low pitch vibrating)

(low pitch vibrating)

(grunts)

You are a very foolish
man, Mr. Vincent.

Can't you understand
that there is no escape?

(groaning)

Evening, David.

You've been sleeping all day.

What?

It's not going to do
any good to fight it.

If they don't break
you the next time,

you know, you'll...
All right, so I'll die.

Now... what is
that going to prove?

Get out of here.

Just go tell your friends
they're wasting their time.

You're a bigger
fool than he was.

Who?

Your father?

May I remind you...

remind you that my father w...

was an enemy.

Wh-what happened
to him was necessary.

It wa... My father was...

(groaning): Oh, no...

Is that what happens when
you begin remembering, Lloyd?

Is it?

Is that what happens?

Oh... oh...

Whose voice do you
remember, Lloyd?

Whose voice do you
hear? Your father's?

Please... Tell me, Lloyd.

Shut up.

No! No! No, pl... No...

This is how they
hold you, Lloyd.

No. Please, give them...

This kills the pain.

This keeps away the memories.

Please give me...

Give me those.
No, Lloyd. I'm sorry!

Give me those pills!

(yelling in pain)

(groans)

Mr. Vincent...

Shall we go?

Peacefully, this time?

(electronic humming)

(electronic humming
rises in pitch)

(low pitch vibrating)

(coughing)

(low pitch vibrating)

(low pitch vibrating)

(explosion)

(explosion)

(rumbling)

(rumbling)

(yelling)

(screaming)

(screaming)

Lloyd... Come on,
let's get out of here.

Lloyd... (groaning)

Come on, let's go.

Get up. My... my... my
father was an enemy.

What happened to
him was necessary.

It was all necessary.

You weren't responsible for
what happened to your father.

(gasping)

They... they were wr... wrong.

You must stop them, David.

Y-you mus...

(siren wailing in distance)

NARRATOR: For David Vincent,
another beachhead destroyed.

For the Invaders,

evidence that the human
race can never be enslaved.

(siren growing louder)