The Outer Limits (1995–2002): Season 1, Episode 2 - Valerie 23 - full transcript

Let's see
how sensitive you are.

Ready and...bang.

Ooh. (chuckles)

What do ya say, Frank?
How's it going?

Great, Charlie.

It'd be goin' better

if I knew what this
derma-Synth was for.

Sorry, man.
Can't have loose lips

talkin' to
the competition.

No, you and everyone else
will know

what their components
are for



when the time is right.

Oh, let me see.

Well, it's not
for burn victims, right?

We know that.
It's too inorganic.

I suppose it could be

some kind of
computer sensor,

but then why would you
make it look like flesh?

Oh, nice, Frank.
Very, very nice.

Say, uh, you're
not seeing anybody

these days, right?

No, why?

Well, 'cause this new Woman
just started in the I.O. Wing.

You gotta meet her.

Charlie,
I'm not interested.



Yeah? She's just
your type, Frank.

Is that right?
Uh-huh.

She goes for
us tall, dark,

paraplegic guys,
does she?

Oh, that's
the beauty of it.

I already told her.
She couldn't care less.

Didn't even faze her.

Yeah, right.

Hey, I'm your
boss, right?

Yeah, that's what
they tell me.

Well, I order you
to take your break, now.

Come on, I want you
to meet her.

Hey, Charlie, what's
with all the security?

Gotta Protect those
trade secrets, Buddy.

Frank, here she comes.

Frank, I'd like you
to meet Valerie.

Hello.

Hi.

You're right,
he is cute.

Is this some
kind of joke?

Hmm?

I don't understand.
Joke?

Oh, no, it's just...

never mind.

Would you excuse us
for just a second?

Of course.
I'll be over here.

All right, Charlie, what
the hell's going on here?

Going on?

A woman
that looks like that,

and you're not
hitting on her yourself?

Well, uh, I don't
fit the profile.

Profile? What are you
talking about?

The prototype test.
I'll show ya.

Frank, meet
the prototype

inorganic
human companion.

I'm really
looking forward

to our
time together.

I think we have
much in common.

Charlie tells me
you enjoy opera.

I love opera.

I hear la Boheme's
in town.

We should go.

She's a robot.

Narrator: There is Nothing
wrong with your television.

Do not attempt
to adjust the picture.

We are now controlling
the transmission.

We control
the horizontal

and the vertical.

We can deluge you
with a thousand channels

or expand ONE single image
to crystal clarity...

and beyond.

We can shape your vision
to anything

our imagination
can conceive.

For the next hour,
we will control

all that you see
and hear.

Captioning made possible by
Mgm home entertainment

you are about to experience
the awe and mystery

which reaches from
the deepest inner mind to...

poets argue
that you are truly alive

if you possess the ability
to feel and love.

Scientists,
on the other hand,

choose to define life
in terms of proteins

and carbon building blocks.

But what happens
when these 2 beliefs

come crashing together?

Frank, wait up!

What are you
pissed off for?

I don't need a robot

to get me in and out
of this chair

or to bathe me
or to feed me!

I know that.
Now, come on!

Now, slow down.

We've been friends
a long time.

I know you
don't need a robot

for that sort of thing.

What the hell was that
all about in there?

Hell, man. I just figured
any red-Blooded man,

in or out of a wheelchair,
would love to have

a beautiful woman like that
at his Beck and call.

She can cook,
she can clean,

and let's face it, pal,
you could use the company.

You know, that's what
really irks me, Charlie.

I like to think
I'm not such a loser

I need a robot
to keep me company.

We prefer to call her
an inorganic human.

What's the difference?

The difference is, you
couldn't tell the difference.

I can tell!

No, you couldn't.
The board wants

to keep
the inorganics project

a trade secret
as long as possible,

but we need someone
to test it

before we go
into mass production,

and before we design
the male version.

All right, why me?

Why don't you
take her?

Look, I don't
fit the profile

of our target market.

Which is?

She was designed
to be a female companion

for men working in dangerous
or remote environments.

Gosh, Charlie, that
doesn't sound like me.

Well, our secondary market
was, uh--

Handicapped losers who
can't get a date, right?

Physically challenged men
who need a companion

who's a little more patient

with the wheelchair
and everything!

My lack of
female companionship

has got nothin' to do
with This chair!

I have had several
relationships, Charlie.

And you've chased them all away
because of your attitude.

Hell, man!
You've seen her.

She's a dream girl.

She's a machine!

I want someone with
human frailties,

human emotions,
a sense of humor.

You can't get that
out of a machine.

Oh, yes, you can.

They've been programmed
into her personality module.

Full fuzzy logic
reaction system.

Clive Mcpherson's
been working on the chip

twice as long as you've
been working on the skin.

She's got
my derma-Synth?

Now you know what
you've been working on.

Come on, Frank,
take her home.

One week. Yeah?

Not a chance.

(stereo clicks on)

(operatic music plays)

--...and I'm reading
discourse on method,

by Rene descartes,

and I get
to that famous quote,--

"I think,
therefore I am."

Yeah, that's the one.

Don't pound
the palms of your hands.

Roll them on the bars.

I'm not pounding.

I'm setting them
down really hard.

You know, I've heard,
"I think, therefore I am"

About a million times,

but I never really
stopped to think about

what it was saying.

I mean, it really is
the simplest proof of existence.

Uh, I mean, at least
it proves my existence.

I don't know about yours
or anybody Else's,

but at least it proves mine.

(laughs)
Hey, trust me,

I exist, ok?

I hope so. Otherwise,
I've been wasting

about an hour a day
for the last 5 years.

I can't believe
you read descartes.

I mean,
I would've thought

you were more of the
Danielle steel type,

you know?

Here, let me help you.

Hey, Rachel.

Yeah?

What's your philosophy
about...

about seeing patients
outside of therapy?

Gee, Frank, I can't.

Gus just moved back in.

We're gonna
give it another try.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Forget
I brought it up.

Hey. I don't
want to forget it.

I'm flattered by it.

Beautiful.
Beautiful.

Hey, Charlie.

Frank.

Say, did you find anybody
to test that prototype?

Not yet.

Not too many employees
fit the profile.

Why?

Well, I've, uh,
reconsidered it.

I, uh...I'm willing
to give it a try

if you still want me to.

Mr. Hellner,
you understand

that we will need you
to maintain a detailed log

regarding every
aspect of your day,

as it pertains
to the Valerie 23.

Of course, you'll receive
your usual pay for the time.

No problem.

And we would like
to hold a debriefing

every morning at 9 a.M.

Ok. Is there anything
I need to know

about taking care of it?

Do I have to oil it
or make adjustments?

Like I told you
the other day,

the inorganic humans

are just the same
as organic humans

as far as
you're concerned.

The Valerie 23
burns food for fuel,

much like an organic human.

And it reroutes
the oils from the food

to lubricate its limited
mechanical parts.

So, I don't need
to plug it in

to recharge or anything?

If you plugged in
the Valerie 23,

she'd fry,
just like you or me.

Keep this with you
at all times.

It's an electronically
coded device

that puts the Valerie 23
into a sleep mode,

meaning
it shuts her down

without Wiping
her memory.

Use it in case
of emergencies.

Oh, you'll probably
never need the device.

Valerie's programmed
to go into sleep mode

at night when you sleep,
like an organic woman would.

Knock, knock.

Excuse me?

It's a joke.
Knock, knock.

You're supposed to say,
"Who's there?"

who's there?

Boo.

Boo who?

Why are you crying?

I gotta get Mcpherson
to program some

better jokes
into your memory.

I'm only trying
to make conversation.

Why don't you talk to me?

I don't know.

Seems like kind of
a waste of time,

doesn't it?

I mean,
I don't come home

and tell the Dishwasher
about my day.

That was a mean thing to say.

What? You mean
about the dishwasher?

Are you saying that
I hurt your feelings?

Why, you've got
to be kidding me.

I am designed
to feel emotions,

just like an organic woman.

Amazing.

It's like some
sort of saline solution.

I--I apologize.

I didn't understand.

I didn't realize
that you...

I'm sorry.

It's ok.

Oh, what am I doing?

What's the matter?

I'm comforting
a machine.

I'm worried about
hurting the feelings

of a damn machine.

And she slept last night
on her own?

I didn't check.
I didn't hear

any sounds coming
from its room.

How are you two
getting along, Frank?

Getting along?

I don't know.
About as well

as can be expected,
I guess.

Care to expound on that?
Are you becoming friends?

What do you two talk about?

Well, we haven't
talked that much.

Charlie: Well, have you
tried making conversation?

I don't, uh,

I don't exactly know
what to say to it.

Well, for starters,
maybe you should stop

referring to Valerie
as "It,"

and start thinking
of her as a person.

I'd like to remind you
that the Valerie 23's

primary function
is to act as a companion.

If she fails in that area,
the whole program fails.

To be completely
honest,

our lack
of communication

has probably been
as much my fault

as its--As hers.

I can't, uh...

I can't stop feeling

like I'm talking
to a machine, you know?

I mean, it's like--

It's like trying to
carry on a conversation

with your car.

I've done that.

You know, Valerie
has been programmed

to be human in every way.

She exhibits
every human emotion--

Happiness, sadness,
jealousy, love.

All we're asking, Frank,
give her a chance.

Do you like it?

Mmm, this is
the best ravioli

I've ever had.

I made it from scratch.

Yeah?

Do you really like it?

Uh, very much.

I did my hair
different today.

Do you like it?

I do. I do.

That looks very good
on you.

Do you like my outfit?

That's the same outfit
you've had on

every moment
that I've known you.

I'm sorry.

This is all the company's
provided me with.

No, no, no.
Don't worry about it.

You look great
in that outfit.

Thank you.

Hey, rache?

Yeah?

In all your studies
of philosophy,

have you ever come across
a good definition

of what makes
something alive?

Are you kidding?

That ranks
right up there

on the philosophy
top 10

with
"Does god exist?",

and "Fate Versus
free will."

So, what do
the great minds say?

I mean, for example,

could a machine
be considered alive?

Switch arms.

Um, I don't know
if a machine

can be considered
alive.

But this one professor
taught us something

I'll always remember.

He said something
can be defined as life

if it fears
its own death.

Why did you
save my life?

Woman on TV:
Why do you ask me that?

Have you ever been
in love like that?

Once.

Before I had
my accident.

Is it ok to ask
what happened?

She left me because

she couldn't deal
with the wheelchair.

No, I mean
the accident.

Oh.

What happened?

Well, a...

drunk driver
jumped the median

on the freeway
and hit me head-on.

I'm sorry.

What do you say

we watch the movie,
all right?

Ok. I apologize.

Will you kiss me
like that?

What?

Will you kiss me
like that?

I...I didn't know
that you could,

or that you'd want
to...to kiss.

What is it?

What's wrong?

Frank, what's wrong?

Where are you going?

I just gotta
get some air, ok?

Are you ok?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm sorry I ran out
like that.

Was the kiss bad?

No. No, not at all.

It was my fault.

I couldn't stop
thinking about...

never mind.
It's not important.

What? What were you
thinking about?

I couldn't stop thinking
about your saliva.

I kept wondering
what it was made of.

And your lips.

It kind spoiled
the mood, you know?

Never mind.
It's not important.

My saliva is made
of a polycarbon

and enzyme mix
in a saline base.

It is meant to be
very similar

to your saliva,

only without
the bacteria.

And as for my lips,

they are covered with
your derma-Synth skin.

I think you made them
very soft.

Don't you?

I tried to.

I worked on it for--

I am fully
functional.

You are?

Yes.

Fully.

Have a nice day, dear.

I will, thanks.

I'm going to
clean the house

and cook the best dinner
in my memory banks.

Great.

Hurry home, honey.

Sorry I'm late.

How many of those
have you done?

3 sets of 15.

Ok, uh, let's move over
to the bars.

You gonna take
your glasses off?

No, it's
too bright in here.

Come on, let's go.

I don't like the idea of
a spotter who can't see me

'cause she's wearing
sunglasses indoors.

Ok, fine. Satisfied?

Jeez, what happened?

What happened?

I was helping a patient
off the parallels,

and I, uh, I banged my eye
on one of the bars.

Miss coordination, right?

Rache, let's
try this again.

What happened?

I told you. I hit my eye
on one of the bars.

You didn't hit it on
one of Gus' fists?

What are you, a cop?

No. You need a cop?

It's none of your business.

How can this
not be my business?

You can't spend
this much time

with Somebody
and not begin

to care about them.
You're my friend, right?

Thanks. That's sweet.

He's done this
to you before,

hasn't he?

Why don't you
kick him out?

Look, if I kicked him out,
how do I know

it would be better
with anyone else?

Every guy I've ever
been involved with

is just like him.

Rachel, not all men
are like that.

No, just the ones I meet.

Frank, honey.
You're home early.

How was your day, Darling?

It was fine.

Something wrong?

No.

(stereo clicks on)

(operatic music Plays)

Yeah.
Something's wrong.

Would you sit down
for a minute?

Listen, I--I wish
that you wouldn't

call me Darling,
all right?

Or--Or honey.

But I especially
selected those words.

I thought that
after last Night--

Yeah, well, listen.
About that--

What we did
last night

was a mistake.

I should never have
allowed that to happen.

Why not?

Because you're
a machine.

I--now,
I don't want to hurt

your fuzzy logic
feelings,

but I didn't
bring you home

for what we did
last night.

Then what did you
bring me home for?

To--To help me out
around here.

To cook, to clean.

That is not what
I am intended for.

I am meant to be
a companion,

not an appliance.

Look up the word
companion.

I'm sure
it doesn't say anything

about having sex,
all right?

A companion is a friend.

It's somebody to--
to spend time with.

Someone to--to have
conversations with.

Is that all
you want me to be?

Yes.

Is there something
I can change?

Is it my clothes?

It's nothing
to do with that.

My primary program is
to overcome any obstacle

to a healthy
relationship,

but to do that,

you must tell me
what it is

I need to change.

There is nothing
that you can change,

all right?

Look--look. Hey.
Hey, hey, hey.

Whoa, whoa. Whoa.

Listen,
the thing is,

in 2 days the tests
will be over.

I have to take you
back to innobotics,

and I just think that--

that it would be better
for both of us

if we don't get
too attached.

I am already attached.

Last night meant something
to me,

even though it did not
to you.

Well, then, I suggest
you erase last night

from your flash memory
or your hard disk

or whatever it is
you've got up there,

because we are going
back to the way it was

before last night.

(telephone rings)

Hello?

Rachel:
Hello? Is Frank there?

Who is calling?

It's Rachel Rose.

Who is Rachel Rose?

That's my
physical therapist.

Game that.

Yeah, Rachel.

Hi, Frank.

Listen,
what are you doing?

What, right now?

Nothing.

Are you ok?

Oh, I'm fine.

Could we meet somewhere?
I need to talk to you.

Sure, I can meet you.
Mu, do you know

the waterfront
bar and grille?

Hi.

Frank.

Are you ok?

Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I'm good.

I think I'm good.

Oh.

I didn't know whether
to be happy you called

or worried sick.

I kicked Gus out.

I'm happy you called.

Frank, it may be
none of my business,

but when
I called you,

who was the woman
that answered the phone?

Oh, oh, oh. Valerie.

Sh-She's--she's, uh...

she's just someone
who's staying with me.

She's a friend.

Oh, a friend?
Yeah.

That's all?

Yeah--We're not involved,
if that's what you mean.

So, then, that time
you asked me out--

is that offer
still on the table?

Oh, absolutely.

Because, you know,

if you've
changed your mind,

or if you're
just saying it

to be nice--

Oh, no...

Rachel, I can't think
of anybody

I'd rather spend time with.

Are you going
somewhere?

Yeah.

You said we were

spending the day
together.

Nah, I said we might be.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna spend the day
communing with nature.

Something I haven't done
in a long time.

You look nice.

Who are you going with?

A friend.

I thought you said you
wanted me to be your friend.

I can have more
than one friend.

Ah...

gotcha.

Oh, you know what?

I think I'm just gonna
brush my teeth and go.

Thanks.

Why can't I go?

Because you weren't
invited.

You can't expect to go
everywhere with me.

Hi.

Hi.

What's with
all the gear?

Oh. You and I are gonna
climb that face.

You gotta be
kiddin' me.

You're in great shape.

You can climb that thing
with just your arms.

Oh, rache, come on.
I don't know.

I haven't been
doing my job lately.

I'm supposed to push you
to try new things.

Yeah. Yeah, like
5 extra Chin-Ups,

or a couple extra runs
on the parallels.

Oh, come on.

You can do that stuff
with your eyes closed.

It's time for something
more daring,

more exhilarating.

Well, great.
Why don't you just

take me water-Skiing
in a hurricane?

You told me
you loved to climb

before your accident.

There's no reason
you can't love to now.

There's a great lunch
and a spectacular view

waiting for you
at the top.

All right.

But it's gonna
be your fault

if somethin' happens
up there

and I end up
in a wheelchair

for the rest of my life,
all right?

Isn't this great?

I have to admit,

moving vertically really
isn't much Harder

than moving horizontally
these days.

I'll take that to mean
you love it.

I love it.

Oh,
this is beautiful.

Thank you
for bringing me.

You're welcome.

And the company
isn't bad, either.

Oh, really? Why?

What is it you like
about me?

I'm sorry.

I'm putting you
on the spot.

No, let me answer that.

Why do I like you?

I like that
you read descartes.

I like that you just
made me do something

I never thought
I'd ever do again...

even though it scared
the daylights out of me.

I like that you
make me feel more alive

than I've felt in years.

What about me?

Guess I don't compare.

What are you
doing here?

Frank, who is this?

I'm the companion
he lives with.

He didn't tell you
about me?

Frank...

This is a little hard
to explain.

Well, do you live with her
or not?

Temporarily, I do, yes.

I don't believe this!

You lied to me
the other night

when I asked you
about her.

Now, ra-Rachel, it isn't
what you think, see.

You see, Valerie is a--

you're not gonna
believe this.

Try me.

Valerie is what?

Valerie is a robot.

I'm telling you
the truth.

You know I work
for a robotics company.

Gimme some credit.

Let's just get you
down the cliff,

and then I wanna
go home.

Good idea.

Go home.

I'll take him
down the cliff.

No. Valerie,
you go home.

Why?

Why do you choose
her over me?

Because she's not made
of rubber and hydraulics.

She's made of flesh
and blood.

Really?

I'll show you what's wrong
with Flesh and blood.

Valerie!
Let her go!

Stop! Stop!

Valerie! Val--

Valerie!

I'm sorry I got you
into this, Frank.

What are they gonna
do with her?

She's in the I.O. Wing
right now

being prepped
for disassembly.

Disassembly?
Mm-hmm.

Do they have
to go that far?

Yeah. They gotta rework
her neural net brain

from the ground up.

And the new brain
won't properly interface

with the old body.

They can't--they can't
just reprogram her

with fail-Safes?

I mean, Christ,
disassembling her

is like killing her.

She almost killed someone,
Frank.

She could have killed you.

Charlie. Charlie...

can I see her?

Why?

I'm not sure.

There's something I need
to work out in my head.

I need to see her.

It's over, Frank.
Let it go.

We'll find you
another project--

I can't let it go!

It's not that easy.
You're the one

that wanted me to see her
as a human being,

and now you're telling me,

for all intents and purposes,
you're gonna kill her!

She's dangerous, Frank.
What do you want me to do?

I want you
to let me see her.

Frank.

Charlie, could you
leave us alone

for a minute?

Be careful.

(door release Buzzes)

where am I?

Innobotics.

Are you mad at me?

Yeah. A little bit.

But you still love me,
don't you?

Otherwise,
you wouldn't have come.

I needed to see you
one more time.

They're shutting me down,
aren't they?

I'm afraid so, yeah.

Then why did you come?

Because I'm not sure
it's right,

shutting you down.

You are going
to stop it?

I'm not sure why
I'm here, Valerie.

You've proven that you
can be very dangerous,

but you've also proven

that you can be
very human.

Or at least appear
to be very human.

Valerie...
are you afraid?

Afraid of what?

Of dying.

Of being
disassembled.

Why should I be?

Frank...kiss me.

But aren't you afraid
of what it'll be like

to be dead?

It will be nothingness.

Why should I be afraid
of nothingness?

Come on, Frank...
kiss me.

I miss your kisses.

Frank,
where are you going?

Back to work.

But what about the kiss?

It's not afraid to die.

Good night, Frank.

Yeah, see ya.

(car alarm Chirps)

hi. What are you
doing here?

I figured I owed you
an apology.

Would you like
to come in?

Ah, she's inviting me
into her home.

This, I think,
is a good sign.

(chuckles)

You don't owe me
an apology.

It wasn't your fault.

Although I will admit

that it was the weirdest
day of my life.

(chuckles)
Yeah, well,

it was about
the weirdest week

of my life.

Can I take
your jacket?

Sure.

So, tell me,

do they make
any male robots

as good-Looking
as her?

Yeah, I think
we're workin' on one,

but believe me,
you don't want it.

(faint clatter)

What was that?

It came from upstairs.

I'll check it out.

Listen, I'm not sure
that's a good idea.

Maybe we ought to
call the police.

Don't be silly.

The cat probably knocked
something over.

I'll be right back.

(tapping)

Ruby?

Ruby.

(door creaks)

How do I look?

(gasps)

I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to startle you.

Rachel?

Rachel?!

do you think
Frank'll love me

If I look like you?

I--I think
you look beautiful.

Much more beautiful
than I could ever look.

Frank doesn't want me.
He wants you.

You know why?

Why?

Because I wear the same thing
all the time.

It reminds him
I'm inorganic.

You're a size 6.

Yes.

I knew that because
I was designed

to be a perfect size 6.

That's why this fits me
so well.

Rachel!

Listen, I just have
to go down--

I'm programmed
to overcome all obstacles

to a healthy relationship
with Frank.

I'm sorry,

but you are an obstacle.

Frank!

Quiet.

I'm not ready
for him to see me.

I'm taking him with me.

I'm sorry,
but you can't come along.

He'll have to find
a new physical therapist.

Maybe this time
it'll be a man.

Valerie, stop!

Let her go, Valerie.

I'm sorry,
I cannot do that.

Frank: Valerie, please.

Aah! Uhh!

Valerie...

I think you may have
rebroken my back.

Darling?

Are you ok?

I didn't mean
to hurt you.

(circuitry sizzling)

(slowed-Down voice)
Frank...

I'm afraid to die.

(zap)

NARRATOR:
The pursuit of technology

exists to make
human life easier

and more pleasurable.

But once
such forces intrude

upon the most intimate
parts of our lives,

will we then forfeit
our very soul?

----