The Outer Limits (1995–2002): Season 2, Episode 12 - Inconstant Moon - full transcript

Sally, you look
lovelier than ever,

You know
Mr, Hornbeck?

How do you do,
Mrs, Gray?

How do you do,
Mr, Hornbeck?

Ha ha! That's...
that's funny,

Henry! Henry Drummond,

How are you, Henry?

See you've already
made some friends
among the younger set,

Yes, Youth appeals
to me these days,

Room 206,
Mr, Drummond,
Thanks,

Neither of us is getting
any younger, Henry?



Matt, you know what
the doctor said about not
overeating in this heat,

Darn right,
We need strength
for the fight ahead,

I'll take up your
bags, Counsellor,

What on Earth?

We're sorry,

All long-distance
circuits are temporarily
out of order,

This is a recording,
3612...

I know,

Hello?

Leslie, hi,
It's...
it's Stan Hearst,

Stanley, is something wrong?

No, no,
I was just looking
at the moon,

and of all
the people I know,

I thought you might
want to see it,



The moon?

It sounds
ridiculous, I know,

but I was passing
by my window, and...

it's brighter
all of a sudden,

It's almost daylight
outside,

I can't think
of a reason why,

and I thought that
you might know,

Me?

Well, your
bookstore's got

the largest
astrology section
in town,

I thought you
could tell me,

You thought
I would know?

I always thought
you knew everything,

I should know, but
I've been sitting here
racking my brain,

I can't for the life
of me think...

Stanley?

I'm sorry,

Thi...
this was a mistake,

It's late,
You should go
back to sleep,

Forgive me
if I disturbed you,

Good night,

Night,

Stan? Stanley?

Have you seen it?

Yes, yes, Come in,
I was just making tea,

You're the physics man,

Tell me
if you're thinking
what I'm thinking,

What are you
thinking, Henry?

If the moon is
this much brighter
than normal,

something must've
happened to the sun,

I'm afraid
I was thinking
the same thing,

Apparently, a few minutes
ago, on the other side
of the world,

the noonday sun went nova,

Then... this is...

The end of the world,

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,

You are about to experience
the awe and mystery

which reaches from
the deepest inner mind to...

Moonlight can drive men
to madness

and lovers to swoon,

but this night, for one
last and glorious moment,

it shines bright
as a grim harbinger of dawn,

Well, that settles it,

Johnston was sure that
it was something atmospheric,

The fool
went back to bed,

I can't say
I blame him,

but no,
I just can't think
of anything else

that would cause
the moon to glow
as brightly as that,

There, even
the shaded portion
of the crescent

is visible now,

Earthshine,

Meaning the other side
of Earth is...

1 or 2, 000 degrees
probably by now,

How can you be
calm about this?

Self-medication,
Join me,

No,

Have we hours or minutes?

Well, I don't think
the blast wave

can travel faster
than the speed
of sound, so...

five hours,
give or take,

In Boston and New York,
they'll be wondering

what that red glow could be on
the horizon this long
before dawn,

There must be something we can
do, somebody we can telephone,

The sun's exploded,
Henry,

Who do you
suggest we call,
the Fire Department?

There must be someone
we can call to confirm it,

I've tried that,

Long-distance lines,
TV and radio signals...

They're all knocked out,

And since most
of the night side
is asleep...

We should wake them,
everyone,

What they don't know
can't hurt them,

Until morning,

That's morbid,

To wake children
asleep in their beds

and tell them they're about to
be burned alive is morbid

Well, at least they could have
somebody they love
to hold onto,

Stan...

I wish I didn't know,

I... I don't know
what to do,

Go home, Henry...

and pray,

Yes, Yes, that's
what I'll do,

I'll pray,

Good-bye, Stan,

Good-bye,

Hello,

Hi, It's me,

I didn't wake
you now, did I?

Leslie... I was
thinking of you
just this second,

hoping the phone lines
were still working,

Why wouldn't they be?

Um...

have you seen
the moon?

Yes, Isn't it amazing?

Y- y-yes,
Yes, it is,

I wanted
to thank you for...

For waking me,

I shouldn't have
called so late,

No, are you kidding?

I'd have died
if I missed this,

Well...

thanks again,

Bye,

L- L-Leslie...

there may never be
another moon like this,

I know,
Isn't it beautiful?

I just love the way it's
reflecting on the snow,

So... why should
we miss it?

What do you mean?

Maybe... maybe tonight
isn't for sleeping,

Maybe
it's a night for...

For walks
in the moonlight,

I... I could come over
to your apartment,

We could walk down...

Stanley,
it's after midnight,

You wouldn't know that
from looking outside
your window,

Do you really want
to miss out

on a once
in-a-lifetime...

You've been
in the bookstore
a thousand times,

Now, suddenly tonight,
you're all...

What's happening here?

T- Tonight...

we have
this wonderful moon
to share, and...

I just want to
share it with you,

I... I promise to be
a perfect gentleman,

I don't doubt that
for a moment,

Please,

You... you really
want to do this?

Yes, Yes, this moment,
More than anything,

You know, you're acting
positively moonstruck,

I... I am,

I guess I'd better
get dressed,

Hi,

Come on,
Lucky, old boy,
Let's go,

Leslie, hi,

Hi,

This is just
a little something...

from...
from my windowsill,

Ha!
It's beautiful,

Thank you,
Come in, Come in,

So, um...

how cold
is it outside?

Whoo, Where did that
come from?

I've wanted to do that
for a long time,

It's the moon,
It's made me
come to my senses,

Something's wrong,
isn't there?

You're frightened
of something,

I don't want to frighten you
away, kissing you like that,

No, no, no,
That was...

That was nice,

So, um... you have
a destination in mind
for our walk?

That is why you
came over tonight,
isn't it?

Where do you usually go
in the middle of the night?

I don't, Heh,

But if you did,
where would you like
to go more than...

More than anywhere else
in the world?

I would like
a hot fudge sundae,

Then you shall have it,

You know, I'm glad
we're doing this,

Good, Good,
So am I,

It's so bright out,

Hi, Two hot fudge
sundaes, please,

OK,

So, is this
a favourite place
of yours?

Not really,
I don't get out
very much,

The bookstore keeps
me pretty busy,

How about you?
You a pool shark?

No, Actually, this is
the first time I've been
out after midnight,

Here's some water,

Let me ask you...

all those times
you came into
my bookstore...

Just so I
could see you,

And you bought all
those books...

Instead of
asking you out,

You've been coming in
ever since the day
we opened,

Two years,
Wow,

That's a lot of books
That's a lot
of books,

It's a lot
of wasted time...

waiting for
the right moment,

Which, apparently, was
midnight on a Wednesday,

Better late than never,

All those times
I came into your store,

all those times we,
we talked,

did... did you ever feel,...

At least some... Some small...

Stan...

I'm here, aren't I?

Yes, you are,

If it takes
a brilliant moon
to open my eyes,

then here's
to the moon,

Your sundaes,

Thank you,

Boy,
look at this,

This is,
um, sinful,

This is
a special occasion,

You know, they say
that, for a woman,

chocolate triggers
the same hormones as
the feeling of love,

The end of the world!
Make your peace!

The end has come!

Repent!

He's great,

The moon... is a sign,

Confess your sins,
There's no time left!

Just ignore him,

Make your peace!
Make your peace!

Come on,
Let's... let's go,

Make your peace!

Come on, come on,

Come on, let's go,
Let's get out,

Make your peace!

The Day of Judgement
is upon us!

No!

No,

Come on,

Must be the moon,

The way he was acting?

You didn't have
to protect me,

I can take care
of myself,

I know you can,

How about a nightcap?

Gosh,
I don't know, Stan,

It's getting
kind of late,

I'm... I'm cold,
actually,

Something to
warm you up then?
Irish coffee,

All right,

Evening, folks,

Hi,

Thank you,

Just so you know,
folks,

drinks tonight are
on the gentleman at
the end of the bar?

Let's go
somewhere else,

Why? He just said
drinks were on the house,

Irish coffee!

You know,
I was thinking,

looking at
the moon just now,

maybe it's a sign of
something wonderful,

I mean,
the millennium
is so close,

Leslie...

You don't think so,
You disagree,

You people wanna know
the real reason
I'm buying tonight,

No, Thank you,

Nobody knows, I must be
the only one in town
who knows,

I'm afraid we're
not interested,

Well, you should be,

Please,

Some of us would
rather not know,

OK, I can respect that,

What is he
talking about?

It doesn't matter,

I have something
that I want to ask you,

Marry me,

Tonight,

Well?

You weren't being
serious, were you?

Completely,

I don't know
what to say,

Say yes,

You honestly
want to marry me?

Stan, this is
our first date,

But you've known me
for years,

Leslie... you know me,

Pretend I haven't
wasted all this time,

Pretend that you've
expected me to ask,

You can change your mind
in the morning,

if that's what you
really feel, but...

for now, for me...

for the sake of
this moment, please,

For tonight?

Yes,

Let's stay up all night
and celebrate,

What did you
have in mind?

I don't know,
What could we do at
1,00 in the morning?

I wanna go
window-shopping,

... over here,
that's just what...

There, that one
on the top there,
That one,

Actually, I picked
it out years ago,

On a professor's salary?

Come on, You said
we could pretend here,
We're pretending,

No, What about this?

Hold on,

What? No, Stan!
Stand back,

No! Come on,
the police
will come!

We'll be long gone
by then,

You are...

Run!

God!
Are you crazy?

Are you out
of your mind?

I don't know,
I just did it,

We're gonna be
arrested for this,

No, we won't,

What's going on?

With you?
With the moon?

Something's
going on,

I don't know,

Yes, you do, You're
just not telling me,

Something's wrong,
isn't there?

Something's
gonna happen,

Something's
already happening,

Tell me!

The sun...

It's gone nova,

God!

I knew, I knew!

I just
had a feeling,
I knew,

Leslie...

You knew
when you called,

No, not right away...

I kept thinking
to myself,

"Nothing bad will happen
because you're being
so wonderful,"

How could I tell you?

My God!

I can't believe
what you've done,

When were you gonna tell me?
Were you gonna tell me?!

I wanted to protect
you from knowing,

I wanted to make
these last hours...

How dare you!

We're gonna die!

How dare you choose
how I spend

the last minutes
of my life!

How do you even know
I wanted to spend
them with you?

I didn't,

You used me,

That's not true,

Please,
Just tell her
anything,

Tell her anything,
What difference
does it make?

It does,

Ask her to marry you,

You're never
going to have to go
through with it,

Maybe you can even
get her into bed
before the end comes,

No, no...

What is it you want?

I wanted you to know
how I felt while
there was still time,

Stop,

I wish you'd
never called me,

I would be asleep
right now,

And you would never,
ever know that I love you,

To me,
the end of the world

pales in comparison
to that tragedy,

A few minutes ago,

I thought
I was falling in love,

Leslie, I want you
to be my wife,

To laugh with me in joy,

to cry with me in sorrow,

Till death do us part,

Stan...

I just wish
you'd told me,

I should have,

It would've
changed everything,

I'm sorry,

I'd have stolen
a ring for you,

There's
a storm coming,

Nova weather,
Strange,

Stan, when the end
does come, how's it
gonna happen?

Tell me the truth,

The truth?

Yes, the truth,

All right,

The blast wave's
travelling toward us

at the speed of sound
from the far side,

At first, I imagined
a wall of fire,

Then I realized
the oceans
on the far side

must've boiled off
instantly,

So... first there
will be a thunderclap,

It will be deafening,
literally,

Then we'll be struck
by a hurricane
of live steam,

Steam?
We'll be
picked up...

It'll all be
over in seconds,

My God,
God!

I should've lied,

No, It's just...
it's not fair!

I know,

This is not fair!
We just found each other,

Don't do this
to yourself,

Could we go west?
We could just follow
the sunset,

We can't,

Hawaii! That would
buy us more time,
wouldn't it?

No, We'd only die sooner,

The shock wave's coming
from all directions,

There's got
to be some way!

There isn't, Leslie!
This is the last place
untouched,

The whole rest
of the world is gone,

We're the lucky ones,
We have this time!

However brief...

we have this time
together,

How much time
do we have left?

Couple of hours,

It's too bad
the clouds rolled in,

With the atmosphere
streaking above us,

we should be witnessing
the greatest light show
on Earth about now,

I have an idea,

We shopped for the ring,
we've had the wedding,

Maybe it's time
for a banquet,

Look, let's get
some apples, oranges,
a pineapple,

What do you like?

Strawberries,

All right,
lots of strawberries,

I'll be right back with
champagne and crackers,

All right, I've got
crackers, two bottles
of champagne,

brandy, pate...

Ha ha, That's
more than enough,

I even bought
a pack of cigarettes,

for all the harm
they can do me now,

Here you go,
Thank you very much,

Look, keep the change,

We've got ourselves
a banquet,

I can't believe what you
just did, You just gave
that man all your money,

Why not? Maybe he'll
close up shop early,
go home to his wife,

You are a romantic
at heart, aren't you?

I never would've guessed
that until tonight,

I never was
until tonight,

I wish I'd known sooner
that this was going
to happen,

What would you
have done differently?

Taken last week off,

We could've spent
that entire week
together,

I'd have told a few people
what I really thought
of them,

Wait a minute,

What? What?

You just made me
realize something,

Why didn't we know
sooner? There must've
been warning signs,

Maybe somebody
did know,

No, no,
Doesn't make sense,

I don't want to talk
about this anymore,

Please? I just want
to go home, eat our food,

and wait this out
in each other's arms,
Please?

You all right?

Yeah, I gotta get home,
I'm late,

Hey, take it easy,

Give my wife
the good news,

The good news?

I got a big
promotion today,

You're looking
at the new head
of R&D Pharmedidyme,

Hundred grand
a year,

Guess when I start,

In the damn morning,

There isn't going
to be a morning!

I actually feel more
sorry for his wife,

Shall we, Mrs Hearst?

Mrs,

The moon must've
already set,

What's that?

God, it can't be,
It's too soon!

Stanley!

Hold me!
No! No!

Hold me! Hold on!
I got you! I got you!

Hold me!
Leslie,
I love you!

Hold me! No! Aah! Aah!

Help me! Help me!

Leslie,
grab... my hand!
Give me your hand!

Hold onto me!
Over here!
I care!

There, Got it,

Here, Get inside,

Stanley! Get... here!
Stanley, hold on!

We're still alive!
Why are we still alive?

I don't know,
It doesn't make sense,

Here,

Look... you go warm up
by the fire,

I'll be right back,

Where are you going?

Down to get
the groceries,
No, no! Leave them!

We may need them,

Don't leave me!
Please, don't go!

I'll be right back,
I promise,
No! Don't go!

Come on, boy,
We can't help him
anymore,

Come with me,

Leslie?

Leslie?

Leslie, open the door!
No!

You left me,

I'm sorry, but I had...

You didn't have to
do anything,

You left me alone,

You can eat your
cheese and crackers

in the hall
for all I care,

Look, we need the food,
We could be stuck here
for days,

That's not funny,

I was wrong,

Whatever it was
that hit us just now

can't have been caused
by a supernova,
or we'd be dead,

It had to be
something else,

Couldn't leave him
out there,

You said
we were gonna die,

We may still,
But not from the nova,

From what, then?

Solar flare,

Massive,

What does that mean?

It would come
without warning,

It could be bright enough
to make the moon glow,

It would affect weather
all over the dark side,

It makes sense,

Are you sure?

No,

I won't lie to you,

That's Mr Walter's dog?

We should take stock
of what you have
and ration it,

There are gonna be
floods,

Floods?

This is one of the tallest
buildings in town,

We may be high enough,

Stan?
We should cook everything
in the refrigerator

before the power goes out,

Are you saying
we're going to survive?

No, I'm saying
there's a chance
the solar flare,

if that's what it was,
will have ended by dawn,

What if it hasn't?

Then we die,

But if the sun's
returned to normal,
we survive another day,

Leslie, this is
more than a storm,
We have to prepare,

I don't want to...
I don't want
to do anything,

Here, come on,
You're soaked,
Here, Come on,

Let me help you
with this,

We have to try,
don't we?

As long as we're alive,

I feel so strange,

Why?

I'd just got used
to the idea that
we were gonna die,

Standing in front
of the market,

I thought, "This is
like a dream,"

And I didn't
even have to imagine
past tomorrow,

We're just like
two characters
in a novel,

We will live out
the final pages, and
then it will just end,

I don't want it to end,

Here,

Gonna get you warm,

Voila,

Here, Here,

To another day,

It's all right,

You can say it,

To another...

Look, I just realized,

The university
has emergency stores
in the basement,

If Henry can get
over here before
it's flooded out...

It's ringing,

He's not answering,

All right, look...
let's get to work,

Let's get the oven on and
cook everything we have,

I just have
some eggs, I think,

All right, Good,
Hard-boil them,

Roast everything else
that's perishable,

Does anyone live
on the floor below?

All right, We'll make do
with what we have,

God, It's getting worse,

These windows
won't hold, We have to
do something,

Winds could easily get
up to a few hundred
miles per hour,

You all right?

What's that?

Stanley!

Stanley!

My God,

Please! Please!

God, God,
God!

Stanley!

God! God!

No! No!

No! No!

Stanley!

Stanley! Don't...
I've got you!

Stanley, Stanley,

Stanley, Stanley,

Stanley,

Stanley, you're safe,

Now...

look, um...

This is...

this... this
is gonna hurt,

All right,

All right?
I'm ready,

All right, Sorry,
God! God!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
It's just that
I can't stop the bleeding,

It's too deep,
and I don't have
any antiseptic,

All right,
Hold still, now,
Hold still,

I've never done this,

How deep is it?

Well, it's... it's not
as bad as it looks, but...

Well, this is...
this is my lucky day,

All right,
just a little more,

Are you
about finished?

I don't think
I can take
much more,

All right,
That ought to hold it
closed for now,

All right, we'll put
a fresh bandage on it
in the morning,

Thank you, doctor,

Drink,

Stupid of me

to stand so near
the damn window!

Stanley...

If we live through this...

I want to know
what's gonna happen,

I don't know, Leslie,
I'm just all out
of answers,

That's not
what I'm asking,

It's just...

till death do us part
was...

a much easier promise
to make a few hours ago

than it might be...
tomorrow or...

the next day,

Leslie,

Last night you said...

No, No, I...
I know what I said,

I'll say it
over and over again,

I love you,

I will go on
loving you

for as many hours...

as many days,
as many months...

as we are granted,

If there's
a tomorrow...

we'll face it
together,

God! God!

Hang, on, Leslie!
Don't let me go,

Whatever happens,
I love you,

I love you,

Stan?

Over here by the window,

What do you see?

Another day,

Perhaps
how we face death

is not as important
as how we face life...

to live each day
with hope, with courage,

and with love,
as if it were our last,