War of the Worlds (1988–1990): Season 1, Episode 6 - Eye for an Eye - full transcript

ANNOUNCER: In 1953,

Earth experienced
a war of the worlds.

Common bacteria
stopped the aliens,

but it didn't kill them.

Instead, the aliens lapsed
into a state of deep hibernation.

Now the aliens have
been resurrected,

more terrifying than before.

In 1953 aliens started
taking over the world.

Today, they're taking
over our bodies.

MAN: Martians on motorcycles.

They're coming your way.



WOMAN: Any trouble?

Not yet.

Back off, man. You're
getting too close.

You be cool and we'll be cool.

No one gets off their
bikes in Grover's Mill.

Look, we're gonna
go to the cemetery,

bury our man in his home
ground, and then we're out of here.

Here you go, Tommy.

Now what?

It's blasphemous,
that's what it is.

It makes me sick.

It makes me sick, young man!

MAN: Pipe the hell down.

I will not. I will not!



Bob, not here.

This is a joke! A travesty!

What's your problem, Pop?

Come on, spit it out.

[ muttering softly]

[ motorcycle engines rumbling]

NARRATOR: But many in
New York and New Jersey

were not amused.

Near Grover's Mill,
farmers blasted water towers

with shotguns, mistaking them
for giant Martian assault craft.

The next day Orson Welles

told newspapers he
was deeply shocked

this radio show had
been taken seriously.

Happy Halloween

from Orson Welles.

IRONHORSE: People
will believe anything.

McCULLOUGH: It
spawned decades of research

into mass hysteria.

I know you didn't
just show us this

for your own
amusement, Harrison.

Well, the good news is that,
uh, we've been given a bonus

for our special achievements.

General Wilson has sent us
all expense-paid vacations.

And the bad news?

We're all going to the
Grover's Mill's, New Jersey,

50th anniversary of
Orson Welles broadcast

of War of the Worlds.

Kind of a county fair.

I think I'm going to pass.

I'm up to my eyeballs in work.

I don't think so, Suzanne.

I think General
Wilson's on to pay dirt.

As you all know, he's been
conducting an alien white paper.

Now it's taken
him a little while,

but he's managed to pluck a file

out of the morass of red
tape over at the Pentagon.

And this file reveals

the truth of the Orson
Welles War of the Worlds

radio broadcast in 1938.

The truth is, there actually
was an alien invasion

in Grover's Mill.

[ speaking alien language]

Some funeral.

Look, I don't care
what those freaks do

as long as they stay
away from Grover's Mill.

[ speaking alien language]

[ speaking alien language]

All right. Go on, let's
get the casket out.

Let's get it down
and open it up.

[ beeping]

[ beeping grows louder]

[ rapid beeping]

[ very rapid beeping]

RED: We believe that
our detection device

has found the object
of our search, Advocate.

CHAMBERS: Believe?

Why are you not yet certain?

The object is still buried
deep in the ground.

EINHORN: Where
it does us no good!

Why the delay, comrade?

Progress is slow, Advocate,

since we needed to
move with extreme caution.

I believe the decision
to occupy the bodies

of motorcycle enthusiasts
has complicated this.

Explain yourself.

These bodies are
attracting unwanted attention

from other humans.

Use your best judgment, comrade.

And keep us advised of
your progress at each stage.

Recovery of the
machine will go a long way

toward guaranteeing our victory.

True, assuming the
machine is still operational.

Is it just me, comrades,

or do the complexities
of our invasion

grow more and more
tangled at every step?

No one ever said war was easy.

[ speaking alien language]

[ applause]

M.C. [ over P.A.]: Flying
saucer racers age ten through 12

report to the ready area.

No wine before it's time.

Rosebud.

This place is great.

They've got pony
rides and everything!

BLACKWOOD: Good news, Colonel.

What? Pony rides.

MAN: Any more contestants
for the Orson Welles contest?

Madam, you look
like a likely contender.

Come on up here.

M.C.: The management would like

to assure patrons that
despite rumors to the contrary,

there is nothing wrong
with the blue ice cream.

Look, Mom, cotton candy.

Can I go get some?

Oh, come right back.

While I spend some much needed
quality time with my daughter,

what kind of trouble are
you two going to get into?

Well, we're going to
see if we can find anyone

who might remember
the '38 invasion

and get some new
information on the aliens.

And pay a tribute

to those brave but
forgotten veterans

who fought in that
great historic battle.

I'd like to find out why

more people don't remember this.

Who does remember it,

and why?

The same thing happened in 1953.

Most people can't seem
to remember that invasion.

It just doesn't figure.

It could be selective amnesia.

Memory blockage is a
kind of defense mechanism.

Along with the very
interesting possibility

that the aliens may be
able to inflict memory loss

on human beings.

MAN: Orson Wells
look-alike number 34

you forgot your beard.

Grover's Mill is going to
be a living laboratory for us.

To those who fell
in the battle of '38.

To those who fell.
To those who fell.

One of the bravest
chapters in American history.

But nobody knows about it.

It's like spittin' in the wind.

We're out there alone!

All alone.

Nobody gives us any parades.

Hell, it took the whole militia

to bring down
those flying saucers.

But we did it.

Yes, we did it.

Where's Flannery?

He never misses an
occasion to wheel out

that hero-of-the-day
story of his.

Which one?

He's told 50 different
versions of that story.

I've heard 'em so many times,
I'm beginning to believe 'em.

All of them.

Look at that.

Still at my fighting weight.

Now wait just a minute!

Those are my prize roses!

W-what do you people
think you're doing?

The, uh, New Jersey
militia records here indicate

that there were 38 men
in the Grover's Mill unit

in 1938.

Only four of them left.

You've got three
of them right here.

With your permission,

we'd like to find out
as much as we can

about what happened
on Halloween night, 1938.

Are you boys from
the government?

Yes, sir, we are.
And it's our hope

to be able to learn firsthand

from your experience
fighting the alien invaders.

We've been waiting
50 years to tell our story.

The real story.

Harv, Bill, you'll never
believe what I saw.

They're back.

Those damned Martians are back.

[ speaking alien language]

Our warship is in
surprisingly good condition.

I've ordered them to check out

all weapons and flight systems,

and report back to us

before they start
their return flight.

I wish we'd decided
to go with them.

I'm worried they will not
do all that is necessary.

URICK: They'll do exactly
what we ask of them.

They know nothing else.

CHAMBERS: In a matter of hours,

the most powerful weapon

this planet has ever seen
will be again in our hands

and functional.

EINHORN: Those who
come will be pleased.

Oh, they're back, are they?

It's just like it
was 50 years ago.

Here we go again.

Flannery has somewhat
of a vivid imagination.

FLANNERY: Not today!

It's as clear as a bell.

I was in my bedroom
putting on my uniform,

and I see this motorcycle
gang in front of my house.

What do I see?

They're eating my
prize-winning rosebuds.

They're eating your
prize-winning rosebuds.

FLANNERY: Well, last time

that happened was in 1938!

I'd-I'd woke up

and they'd eaten

the roses down to the roots.

I'm telling you.

The Martians are back!

Well, didn't you say it was a
couple of space monsters that...

Sam! I'm telling you
the Martians are back.

Only this time,
they've got disguises.

HARVEY: Flan... come on!

Martians on motorcycles!?!

Harv, you dim-witted jackass!

I know what I saw!

It was them, all right!

I'd stake my reputation on that!

Well, it's impressive.

Oh, you damned fools!

SAM: Hey, Flannery!

These men are here interviewing
us about the battle of '38!

Okay! You'll see... you'll see.

M.C.: Would the person who
left the alien at the hotdog stand

please pick him up?

His diaper needs changing.

MAN: I'm sitting up
here nice and pretty,

nice and dry,

and that's the way
I'm going to stay.

You're wasting your
money and my time.

Whoa!

Oh! You're great at this!

Well, I used to be a
pretty fair softball player.

Really?

Mm-hmm, I was a pitcher
and I was darned good.

Mom, do you believe in
aliens and all that stuff?

Yes. Yes, I do.

See, there's so many planets
and stars in the universe,

it only makes sense

that there would be life
out there somewhere.

Do you think they're green?

[ laughing]: You're funny!

I love spending time with you.

I wish Dad were here.

Well, you'll have

a chance to spend time
with him at Christmas.

That's not what I mean.

You know Daddy and I are
much happier now that we're

not living together.

I liked it better

when you were together.

I know.

I know.

[ speaking alien
language in distance]

We must hurry before the
ship is seen by the primitives.

It's not working.

That is evident.

URICK: We have a
communiqué from the field.

They've experienced problems

and await further guidance.

CHAMBERS: Why is it the lower
classes cannot think for themselves?

Our job is to think.

Their job is to do.

We must never confuse the two.

CHAMBERS: What is
the nature of their problem?

There has been extensive damage.

So far they haven't been able

to make the warship function.

A situation we
anticipated with dread,

but without clear solutions.

They must continue
trying to fix the warship.

EINHORN: As well as test
all the weapons systems.

We must make
sure they understand

the importance of this.

They understand.

But I fear understanding
alone will not be enough.

Should we remind them

of the punishment
that comes with failure?

I lost my brother in the battle.

How did that happen, sir?

That zapper thing

that shot out of
their flying saucers.

It vaporized him...

along with his car and his dog.

They had this gooseneck thing.

They'd shoot it off

and things would just vanish

from the face of this Earth.

Every report we have
from the '53 invasion

says that they were unstoppable.

This appears to be
the same weaponry.

It just keeps sounding
to me that in '38,

it-it was just a
mission, a scout group

ahead of the main
alien invasion.

HARRISON: I think you're right.

How close to the real thing

was that Orson
Welles radio show?

Nowhere near.

He trivialized one of the
great moments of our life.

No one really remembered
what happened.

All they remember is
the damned radio show.

That's the fascinating
aspect to all this.

You know, when you think
about it, Welles was a genius.

He had people believing
there was an invasion.

Then he turned around and
told them that it was all a joke.

I think people were afraid to
admit that they'd been taken.

That's what all this
silence is about.

Dr. McCullough says

that those who can't
remember the invasion

can't remember it because
it was just too frightening

for them to deal with.

Sure, there were
people who were tricked,

people who don't remember.

But then there's us,

who really remember.

I wish to hell I didn't.

[ mechanical humming]

[ humming rises in pitch]

[ aliens all talking excitedly]

Flannery, you all right?

I'm doing great.

Now some people think
I'm running on empty,

but I know what I saw.

They're Martians, Harv.

I'd bet my life
on it if I were you.

What are you gonna do?

Find me some proof.

This I gotta see.

The machine still won't
fly, but the beam works.

We must get the beam back
here as quickly as possible.

Nothing is more important than
for us to retrieve the weapon.

They understand this,

but they're unsure how to
accomplish getting it here.

Must we tell them everything?

If the ship won't fly,

we have no choice but to
transport the weapon over land.

EINHORN: And if our
comrades meet resistance?

Then we remind the puny
earthlings how our death ray works.

URICK: Nothing can be
allowed to delay their return.

Our very future
rests in their hands.

EINHORN: A
concept, I remind you,

that we should only
accept with great trepidation.

IRONHORSE: I don't
think I can eat this slop!

What's slop?

You're looking at it.

I think the Colonel,
in his amusing way,

is referring to one of the
more obscure definitions

of the word "slop," which means

badly cooked and
unappetizing food.

Debi, other definitions
would include...

Harrison, she's only 11.

Never too young to learn.

Never too old, either.

Listen, I've got good news.

Norton's on his way here.

He and the van
are being airlifted

courtesy of Delta Force.

On whose authority?

HARRISON: Why, yours, Colonel.

Mine? Now wait a minute...

Talk to Norton.

Mom, may I go outside?

Yes, honey.

Don't go too far.

HARRISON: Now, this data

that we've collected
from the veterans

of the invasion of '38
is absolutely fascinating.

They are convinced that
nobody takes them seriously

because of that Orson
Welles broadcast.

That's an intriguing connection.

Excuse me.

I've got to go find
out about this airlift.

Forgot the check!

[ pop music playing]

I want to talk to you, mister!

How the hell did
you wheedle this?

Why, I told them it was

a national security item...

Presidential Priority.

I brought all the data.

You told them
Presidential Priority

and used my name??

Worked like a charm.

I'm lost without my
sound, huh? Oh.

I brought Dr. McCullough's
microscope

and laser spectroscope,

and I brought your

picture of John Wayne.

That's not funny, mister.

You're just damned
lucky I'm not your C.O.

Good afternoon!

SUZANNE: Glad you could join us.

Norton, while you get set up,

I'm going to do some
more interviewing,

and Suzanne and
the Colonel are going

to check out the site
of the Battle of '38.

As per job description,

I'm going to be collecting

biological specimens
for comparative testing.

Hey, you don't have to
explain yourself to me.

FLANNERY: They said those

motorcycle people
would be camping

at Thompson Meadow.

What do you expect to see there?

I know what I'm going to see.

I'll catch up.

I've got a nature call.

[ snarling]

Damned things!

Martians.

They didn't listen to me.

Harv!

Harv!

Harv?

That night, my mother
and I went for a walk.

We saw streaks across the sky.

It wasn't at all like
the radio show.

It was real, Dr. Blackwood.

Terrifyingly real.

I told Mr. Welles
what happened that

Halloween night but, for
whatever reasons of his own,

he did it differently.

You spoke with Orson Welles?

Yes. I spent quite a
lot of time with him.

Orson was the most
beautiful man I'd ever seen...

Slender as a reed.

I was working on the newspaper

in those days, and he...
And the two other men...

Came out here to do
research for the radio program.

Excuse me. Did you
say two other men?

From the government.

What were they doing with him?

From what Mr. Welles told me,

the government hired
him to do this program

to divert attention from
what really happened.

Do you mean that the whole
War of the Worlds radio broadcast

was a government cover-up?

No, no. The government
wanted to protect the people.

Mr. Welles was a patriot.

I hope Debi's going to be all
right on her own for a while.

It's just a few
hours. She'll be fine.

She is growing up.

Hello.

Afternoon, folks.

Sorry. You'll have
to turn around.

The road's blocked
up ahead. Mudslide.

The road's going to
be closed for six hours.

Thank you very much, Officer.

Mudslide and no rain.

Let's go.

There's something
strange going on here.

But what?

I don't know, but I think

we'd better get
back to Grover's Mill.

[ speaking alien language]

So everything points to
another government whitewash.

Kind of makes you
proud to be an American.

You really believe that
this woman is reliable?

Yes, I do.

I spoke to the local sheriff.

He wasn't informed
of any roadblocks.

I knew something was wrong.

Doctor? Doctor.

Thank God I... I... I found you.

I saw it.

Those bike riders got
one of them spaceships.

They dug it up from the ground.

They... they're Martians,
and they must have left it here.

SUZANNE: Mr. Flannery,
this isn't the first

time you've seen
Martians, is it?

Oh, I... I... I know
all of the things

that you've heard
about me, uh...

telling stories all the
time, and exaggerating.

The point is,
it's... it's gotten

so that people expect it of me.

For 50 years, I've been

telling everyone about how I
saved all those people in '38

and, you see, uh... when
I saw this space thing

come over the hill and
over the treetops, um...

I got into my car
and I went off.

I'm not proud of
that, but it's true,

and I'm telling
you the truth now.

I think they have
my friend Harv, too.

See, he... I don't know...
he just vanished. Uh...

Mr. Flannery.

Hmm?

I believe you.

Oh, thank God!

Blackwood, you know what
they said about this man.

He sees Martians
behind every tree.

And if he's right?

At best, it's a long shot.

And if he's right?

Better get the hell out there

and see what we're up against.

FLANNERY: Oh, I never thought
I'd be so glad to see your face.

Oh, I was worried sick, Harv.

I thought they got you.

Who the hell are "they"?

I turn my back for a minute,

and you drive off
with the damn truck.

I had to hitch a ride

all the way back here.

I'm too old for this stuff.

Oh, button up, Harv!

Leave poor Flannery alone.

Did you see anything?

Plenty. Mr. Flannery was right.

It is an alien warship.

And those low-life bikers...

They're scurrying
around it like worker ants.

They've taken the
beam arm off the ship,

and they're trying to
mount it onto the hearse.

Then it still must work.

I'm going to get us
some back-up on this one.

What could the alien mission be?

Are they going to risk battle

with just one war machine?

This is Lieutenant
Colonel Ironhorse.

I need to speak to
General Wilson immediately.

It's a matter of
national security.

Are they going to
attack Grover's Mill?

And why?

Harrison,

I have to get Debi someplace
where she'll be safe.

Yes. Absolutely.

Be careful.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Doctor?

Did you reach the general?

Yes. And he's
authorized air support,

but all the birds are grounded,

and ground support is
at least four hours away.

Not much help.

It looked like that death
ray they were setting up

was just about ready to go.

We've got to stop whatever it is

they are planning to do.

New York City lies about
40 miles in that direction.

Well, we're going to have
to set up a staging area

between them and the city.

If you don't mind
my suggesting it,

my farm would be perfect.

HARRISON: Excellent. I'm
going to need some supplies.

IRONHORSE: For?

I've got a plan.

We'll meet you at
your farm, Mr. Flannery.

You hear that, boys?

My place is going
to be a staging area.

If those aliens
want to try us again,

we're ready for
them. Right, Harv?

Where's Harv?

The primitives know
of our existence.

They've alerted others.

They're planning to resist.

Do you know where they are?

I know where they are.

We are about to receive
another report from the field.

Certainly they haven't
encountered any new problems.

DOG: Can you hear me, Advocate?

Yes.

DOG: We still have to remove

the beam controls from the ship.

It will take us

a number of hours.

You are bound to be discovered.

DOG: We have been discovered.

Several of the Earthlings
know we're here

and what we're doing.

If they interfere,
eliminate them.

You are to take no prisoners.

EINHORN: Do what you must
under the cover of darkness, comrade.

You can't afford to risk

further interference.

We are nothing without the beam.

Do not fail us.

Okay, we'll use the barn.

It's a large empty
space... Flannery's barn.

Norton, do you have
a parabola program?

I can create one.
Takes about a week.

You've got an hour.

Okay?

Here we go. We
need a hardware store.

We're going to
need glass, lumber,

black spray paint, hammer,
nails, rope, bungee cord.

We need some clay, silicone,

tinfoil, foam rubber
and a tarpaulin.

Are you ready?

I'm waiting for you, Doctor.

Let's go!

This place is icky.

I hate it out here.

Honey, it'll be fun.

It's like being on safari.

Why can't we just drive?

We can shine our flashlights
into the jungle and...

Oh, look. It's an elephant!

We can pretend to find treasure!

Buried treasure
with credit cards!

But the natives
are restless so...

why don't we go this way?

Okay. See if you
can rustle up a truck.

Got it.

How are things going to work?

I'm going to work as a decoy

and bring them back here.

You and Harrison
will be in the barn.

The Little Big Horn.

It worked once.
It can work again.

Kind of a high-risk plan.

Kind of a high-risk situation.

Well, how much time
do you figure I got

to work this baby out?

Yesterday.

Okay, let's talk parabolic
parameters now.

Attention!

Grover's Mill Militia...

Minus one...
Reporting for duty, sir.

One of our men presently
is scouting the enemy.

Gentlemen, I think

maybe you should
just clear the area.

It's gonna get a little
dangerous around here.

Oh, no!

We, we want to serve, sir.

Gentlemen, with
all due respect, I...

We beat 'em once
before, Colonel.

We can beat 'em again.

They're... moving.

They're making for the highway.

I'm gonna need something
to attract their attention.

All I could find in the hardware
store were some flares.

Oh, I've got some dynamite
in that shed over there.

That'll attract their attention.

Well, I thought you said

you wanted to beat them again!

Fall in, men.

Come on. Let's go.

Okay, men, this is the plan.

I'm gonna go out and
decoy them back in here.

And when they're here?

HARRISON: Once in the barn,

you'll also have to
protect Doctor Blackwood

and Norton and cover my flank.

You're going to
have to be alert, men.

Very alert.

You can depend on us, sir.

[ dog barks in distance]

[ whispers]: Get your weapons.

Do you have enough dynamite?

Enough to blow your head off.

How did you like my roses...

Martian?

What are you talking about?

Are you out of your mind?

That's Harv!

Let's go, Martian.

Walk!

You finally rounded the bend.

I think it's time you two

better start believing me.

Let's go!

Just about got it?

Amusing.

How long, Norton?

Did anybody ask Einstein
how long it would take

to finish his
theory of relativity?

It doesn't work that way,

Harrison.

Great. I'll tell the aliens.

They're on their way.

FLANNERY: I've got one for you.

We found him eating my roses.

You gonna believe him?

He's been right on so far.

I've got the Geiger
counter here.

[ rapid ticking]

[ puts down Geiger counter]

You've taken possession

of that body.

God, it's incredible.

Why are you doing this?

What do you... people want?

Where do you come from?

Why this planet...

that you came here
from across the universe?

We're so different.

We've got so much to
learn from each other.

There's enough universe
for both of us to live in peace.

Let's kill him!

No! Having an alien in captivity

is too good an
opportunity to miss.

Do you have someplace
we can keep him?

We can throw him
in my meat locker.

He'll never get out of that.

It's useless for you to resist.

Oh, is it?!

You can never win.

You were beaten
at Grover's Mill once.

It'll happen again.

You are but fungus before us.

If we could just
open a dialogue.

There can be no dialogue
with fungus, only death.

Take him out of here!

And keep him under guard!

[ motorcycles approaching]

He's getting away!

Sorry, Harv!

[ gunshot]

[ beeping]

Move the left

three-quarter
panel to 34 degrees.

Harrison, what happens

if the energy beam
zaps the gismo?

Let's try and be
positive, Norton!

I hate those kind of
answers, Harrison.

Come on! Come on!

There he goes!

Get him!

What about our orders?

Get him!!

Move the one next
to it to 16 degrees

and the one above
that to 34 degrees.

[ electronic pulsing]

They're here!

They're coming!

Bring 'em on!

[ electronic pulsing]

I'll think of my friend
Harv when I wear this.

I want you to know

that what happened to Harv

could have just as
easily happened to me.

It was the luck of the draw.

Thank you, Colonel.

I understand what
you're saying, sir.

For both your sakes,

I wish we had given
this to you 50 years ago.

[ car door slams]

Harrison!

Oh, thank God you're all okay!

We had to drive
back this morning.

Are you sure it's over?

It's over.

It's over for now.

CHILDREN: Trick or treat!

[ engine revving]

[ low growling]