Original subtitles

Good morning.

How are you doing, sir?

Sit.

Who's ready? Who's not ready?

Well, here we are. In light of the fact that this is our last session, I thought

that we might diverge from the syllabus a bit.

How many here would consider yourselves to be Darwinians?

Oh, yes, I expected as much from Reverend LeBlanc.

Darwinism might very well put his seminary school out of business.

What if I told you that I have something that might very well prove one, or yes,

Reverend, both theories?

DNA.

Blueprint for the finest architectural design ever made. The human body.

Obviously, some blueprints are better than others. Take Heather and Ben, for

example. They had a better designer for the sequences that code for physical

attributes. Take a look. They have thick hair, good bone structure, lean bodies.

But I might venture to say that my own architect was better at the sequences

that code for intelligence.

Now, please, don't be insulted. I'm not saying you're not smart. I'm just saying

that I'm smarter. Otherwise, you would be here and I would be there.

Oh, you give me a few years, Professor.

I'll be up there.

Yes, Ben, I'm sure you will. But do you know what you will be teaching?

Same way that we study the periodic tables in chemistry class now. Soon we

be studying a vast map of the human genome.

Just last month, the last part of the genome was mapped.

So there is one remaining question, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we

are going to discuss.

Tell me, who knows what an intron is?

Introns are the extra genetic material in our DNA that haven't been mapped

because they don't seem to code for anything. Right, right.

That's very good.

Now, there are some creationists that believe that introns are a message from

God. I've never heard that before, Martin.

Now, Peter, would I lie to you?

They believe that if we could just decode the intron message, we would find

commandments from God. But there are others who believe...

that the intron codes for the things we used to have during our evolution, like

gills, for example.

Well, what do you think the introns are, Professor?

I thought you would never ask, Ben.

I think the extra DNA codes for our future evolution.

I think it codes for what we are about to become.

And I intend to prove it.

How?

Do you remember our fifth session when we discussed the use of retroviruses to

deliver proteins that would activate certain genetic sequences?

Well, I have been working on it for the past year, and I have developed a

retroviral activator that activates introns.

I have in my hand the key to our future cells.

Excuse me, Dr. Nadell. Ah, Dean Hardwick. Well, let's give a warm

man who was lucky enough to have the genetic sequences for both good looks

good brain.

How do you intend to test this new activator of yours?

Well, actually, I have already tested it.

But don't worry, Bart. I haven't tested it on humans.

So, I want you to...

Listen to what I have to say.

I am urging you not to discuss this with anyone outside of this group, because I

don't think that our dean would appreciate the human uproar that will

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you evolution.

That's me.

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 delude you with a

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.

are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the deepest

mind to the outer limit.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves, will the next leap of science be a step into

the future or a plunge into the abyss?

You could have warned me this was coming, Martin. Would you have shown up?

You know I'm completely opposed to this research. It's abhorrently heretical.

I'm going to have to petition the university to stop this research. I

less, but we all have to do what we have to do. Peter, say hi to your wife.

So,

now you are doing animal experiments without permission.

What, free the big mouth bass people are going to start sending them pickets in

there? We have rules, Martin.

Plays like that are what keep the students intrigued in the subject.

Perhaps you would rather not have them flocking to my classes in this

department.

I was going through the roster for next semester and noticed you didn't put

yourself in for any classes.

Yes, that's right.

May I ask why?

Because I want to spend the extra time devoted to my new research. The problem

is it puts me in a difficult bind, Martin.

You're my biggest selling point to draw the best and brightest students to this

university, to this department.

Not to mention alumni money. Right. Just keep pouring it on.

Oh, Martin. Look.

I just don't have much time left.

What does that mean?

Nothing.

Doug, I'm about to make a major breakthrough that's going to make

Oh, please tell me how.

You'll never get approval for human testing on something so radical.

You'll be lucky if you even get approval for animal testing.

I'll get approval.

With the proper computer models, lab testing, animal testing, I will get

approval. Just check my contracts. I'm allowed to take off whatever semester I

want to do my research.

Well, you seem at perfect health to me.

Are you sure about your genetic test? Yes, Phil, I'm absolutely sure.

I drew my own blood on three separate occasions. I did my own genetic work on

each time, and each time the marker for Wilson's disease came up. So obviously I

know that I'm going to get to the disease. It's just a question of time.

tell me, please, have you checked everything? What about the liver

reflexes, corneal coloration, copper content?

Well, your copper levels are a touch high.

Come on, you're sitting here telling me there are no symptoms. Elevated copper

is the first one.

Well, I knew you'd overreact.

Everyone can have elevated copper levels from time to time without Wilson's

disease.

There's no decolorization of the cornea, no tremors. Yeah, probably a few years

they'll start to get tremors. They'll take over a few years after that. My

liver's going to go. Then what?

Hold on.

You're not hearing me. There's so much to do in my life. My research hasn't

started. My relationship with my son is crap.

Have you told him?

No, I'm not going to tell anybody until I can't hide the symptoms any longer.

And I don't want you to say anything until anybody hides it.

Oh, Paul.

Sorry I'm late.

It's okay, Dad. I just got here.

It's been a long time ago when you say 1 o 'clock, figure 1 .30.

Ah, well.

How you been?

Oh, I'm good.

You?

Fantastic. Tell me about Mother.

Is she as good as she makes out to be?

Yeah.

She's fine.

She tells me that you have a new girlfriend.

I guess Mom also told you about my plans.

What makes you say that?

Well, why else would you ask me to lunch, Dad?

Let's face it, I haven't seen you once since I started school here three months

ago.

Well, you don't exactly make any efforts to see me either, of course.

But now you...

I suddenly want to have lunch, I'm guessing, because Mom told you I'm

school. Well, she did mention something about it, so why don't you just tell me

about it yourself, okay?

I'm bored here, Dad.

I feel like my life's on hold, you know?

There's so much I want to see and accomplish in the real world. I don't

waste four years here before I can get started.

So what are you going to do? You're just checking out. You're just quitting.

I told Hope you wouldn't understand.

Hope.

Hope, that's your new girlfriend.

You have to meet her, Dad. She...

She is the best.

Hope has made me see life for what it really is, you know, a big, wonderful

adventure. Well, yes, Hope is right. It is a big, wonderful adventure, but it's

an adventure that needs to have a solid foundation, like a college education.

That's not what Hope thinks. She thinks she learned more from life than she did

from college.

And to this day, she really regrets wasting those four years.

Do you mind if I ask you how old Hope is?

Hope? She's 30.

30.

30 like an 11 years older than 19 kind of 30?

You're telling me that this girl, I mean this woman, who is 30 years old and who

finished college is telling my son that he shouldn't graduate.

What are you supposed to do for a living, Seth Berger? And what would I do

a degree, huh?

Teach? Waste my life doing research that no one will ever hear of or care about?

Oh, really?

You're going to deny it?

You've spent the past 20 years making obscure discoveries that I'm sorry, Dad,

will not change the world.

That's nice.

And at what cost?

Your life?

Living your life?

Were you really treasured the three months you spent veering in on a gene

nearsightedness when you could have watched your son pick three no -hitters

Little League?

How about the years you spent finding just one of ten genes responsible for

acne? Or psoriasis.

Whatever. That one cost you your marriage.

Well, that's not fair.

You missed out, Dad.

You're missing the great adventure of life. It is passing you by.

Yep.

Well... Look, I didn't mean to... No, it's fine.

It's fine. No, you should say what you mean. You should get it off your chest.

That's what people are supposed to do.

Dad.

Nope. Hope would really love to meet you.

Hope.

I bet she would.

All right.

You'll never get approval for human testing on something so radical.

You spent the past 20 years making obscure discoveries that I'm sorry, Dad,

not change the world.

Tell me, Martin.

I've been learning from the fact that you were doing nothing but wasting your

time.

Dad, hey.

What are you doing here?

I just came to see how my kid lived.

You want to come in? Mm -hmm.

Mom, I'm sorry it's such a mess.

Well, it wouldn't be a doing if it wasn't such a mess.

Actually, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be.

You didn't come here to see my room, Dad.

What's up? Oh, well, uh... You said that Hope wanted to meet me.

Yeah. So?

Well, I think it's a pretty good idea.

So how about Friday in my place, 7 o 'clock?

It's a date.

Cool.

Never cease to amaze me, you know that, Dad?

I never cease to amaze myself.

This is the MRI of your head, and that's a normal one.

So does this somehow explain my headaches?

Your cerebrum and cerebellum are becoming more convoluted in order to fit

gray matter surface within the confines of your cranium.

I don't follow.

Well, I don't either, exactly.

You study various species' brains, you'll see that the higher the mammal,

bigger their brains are and the more convoluted they are to fit the cranium.

So what are you saying? You're saying that my brain is swelling?

No, Martin, I'm saying it's growing.

Maybe it's, I don't know, evolving?

I must read this material. I have to read it. I don't know why I am driven to

read this material's volume of material.

No, Reverend LeBlanc is pretty worked up over your fish demonstration.

He wants me to put a hold on your research pending a review.

Can you hold him off?

Will you teach a class next semester?

I tell you what.

I will teach a small research seminar with eight advanced students.

Twenty, and I'll fend off the rep. This is not a negotiation. Eight advanced

students, and you fend him off.

Deal.

May I ask what changed your mind?

I figured that I could use the students to assist me in my research, and they

can learn something at the same time.

Sounds good.

One more thing.

I handpicked the students myself, and the moment that you question my methods

the moment the seminar is canceled.

All right, quiet now.

All right, now, first of all, I want to thank you all for coming. I appreciate

it. As you know, there are only eight people that I'm choosing for this

research, and there are very specific requirements in order to qualify for

study. What is the study, Dr. Nadell? I'm sorry, but only the eight will know.

It seems to be a very large group, so I'm going to have to narrow it down a

So, any of you who are wearing glasses, please raise your hand.

Okay,

thank you. You're dismissed.

Let's write a line, because I'm going to check your eyes later, so it's a waste

of time. Yours and mine. Okay, all of you who have SATs under 1 ,400.

GPA is under 3 .9. Thank you very much. You're dismissed also. Let's go.

I'm going to check the record so none of you waste my time or yours.

All right.

Let's begin.

Five at a time.

All right, you stay. The rest of you are dismissed.

Why not me? It's because I'm fat, isn't it? Yes, that's right. As I told you

before, there are specific mental as well as physical qualifications for this

class. Thank you for coming. You come with me.

Didn't hurt.

Smith, Smith, bye -bye. You go. You come with me.

There you go.

Ben, you stay.

You come with me. The rest of you are dismissed.

Now.

Right.

I'm not evolving.

Oh, this is something else.

Tell me, Brittany, what do you think of my entrant theories?

I think they're really cool.

And would you feel comfortable traveling with me to do field research?

Absolutely, if I can afford it.

Tell me, would you trust me completely to do whatever I tell you, no matter how

strange it may seem?

That's a weird question.

Would you?

Yeah, I guess.

I admire you probably more than anyone.

I'm glad you feel that way.

So, do you have any ties that would keep you from going away for a long time?

What do you mean?

Well, I mean, would anyone miss you if you were to leave campus for a long

You mean like a girlfriend or family? Right.

No, not really.

That's good. That's very, very good.

Don't you think this is getting kind of weird?

What, the interview process?

Yeah. I mean, I don't know what questions he asked you, but mine were

strange.

I felt like I was interviewing to join one of those cults or something.

Do you trust me?

Would you be willing to travel with me if necessary?

He's just checking our loyalty, Heather. I really don't see anything wrong with

that. Besides, he did say this wasn't the most important research.

He just doesn't want a bunch of scared students screwing it up.

But he was dropping people for physical attributes.

Too fat, too tall, bad skin, bad eyesight.

What does any of that have to do with qualified to be in a class?

I came to this university to study genetic engineering for one reason, Dr.

Martin O'Dell.

He's the best -known genetics researcher in the world. The man is a genius, and

most geniuses are eccentric. I know, but... Think about this. This could be

most important genetics research seminar we'll ever have the opportunity to be

involved in. Now, if you want to let his eccentricities carry you away, that's

your prerogative. Personally, I don't care how strange things get. I'm not

letting anything take it away from me.

In your independent interviews, all of you said how much you trusted me. Well,

this is the final round, and the purpose is to test how much you can learn to

trust each other.

So let's form two large circles. Men on the outside, women on the inside. Let's

go. All right, this is a trust exercise.

The women are going to keep their bodies rigid. They will fall backwards without

looking back into the arms of the man behind them.

Let's go. No, it's not funny. There's nothing funny about this. Heather, why

don't you start? Let's fall. Fall.

That's right. Okay, now your turn. Let's go. Fall, fall. Brittany, fall!

That's right. All right, start walking. Just remember to keep your hands down.

That's right. Just walk.

That's right. Just keep your hands down. Now, just trust.

Fingers under.

Lift!

Very good.

We are going to be spending a great deal of time together in very intimate,

cramped quarters, which means we have to put aside modesty.

Tell me, anybody have a problem with that?

No. No?

No. All right. Second.

You all said during your interview that you had no previous surgery, no bodily

alteration. What about that? Anybody want to change this story?

No. Anybody?

No. No. Okay, now for the final exercise.

Will you all please disrobe?

You're kidding, right?

No.

No. No, I'm not kidding.

In front of everyone?

I'm not stripping in front of everyone.

Wait a second. I know this is uncomfortable, but we're all going to be

a lot of time together, and we have to... Yes, we have to expose ourselves

each other completely, not just our outward bodies, but our inner selves.

So we have to share our deepest, darkest secrets.

I'm sorry, but this is just a step way beyond the kinky line for me. Hold on,

Derek.

Now, this isn't just a test and trust. This is the only way I can tell if

had surgery and to make sure you have no dermal blemishes.

Dermal blemishes? What does that mean?

It means scars. It means tattoos.

It means birthmarks, whatever.

We have to keep it down to a minimum.

The requirements are very specific to serve as good specimens.

Good specimens?

All right, all right, subjects. We're all going to be subjects and observers

the study.

I'm sorry, I can't do this. I'm out of here. Well, that's fine. You can go if

you want. Just remember, you signed a non -disclosure agreement.

No one gets to know about this.

Yeah?

Up yours.

What exactly are you looking for, Dr. Nodal?

Scars, birthmarks, potential skin cancers, tattoos.

That disqualify me?

That alone, no.

Who's that scar, Brittany?

Oh, that, I had my appendix out.

Well, you did, did you?

Did your appendix happen?

I thought you said you had no surgery.

I'm going to have to disqualify you.

Why? Because I can't trust you.

Because I need whole people as they naturally evolved.

What are you going to do? What are you going to do? You only have six. You're

supposed to have eight. Now, ifs, ands, or buts.

Congratulations. I'm happy to inform you that you are the students who will be

participating in my research seminar.

And I want to thank all of you for participating in all of this with me.

a list of supplies that you need to bring and a map for how to get to the

where I want you to meet me tomorrow night at 7 o 'clock.

I don't want anyone to know about this.

Is that understood?

Yes, Heather.

But, Dr. Nodal, there are only six of us.

Yes, Heather, that's correct. I'm aware of that.

I have until tomorrow to find two more.

I'll leave for the rendezvous point as soon as possible. It's a long drive, and

I will see you there. Thank you.

All right, let's go.

Dad. Paul. Hi.

You forgot, didn't you?

Oh, damn, Paul.

I apologize.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. Hope.

Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Come on in.

Come on.

Come on in.

I have better plans for us tonight.

Yes.

Okay, Dad, can you please tell us where you're taking us?

I'm taking you to a very special place in the mountains in the southern part of

the Bay. Don't worry. It's a nice place. You're going to like it. But why? Why

are we going there?

We have to have eight.

May not fit all the requirements, but it's better than showing up with six.

What's he talking about?

Paul, I am so happy that you are going to be one of the eight.

I'm going to see your father's work. The finest accomplishment in person.

Maybe then you won't think that my work is a waste of time.

No, I never said that exactly. I just said that, you know, you've got to get

more. Yeah, I'll help.

Paul tells me that you lecture him about exploring life all the time. Well, I

hope he doesn't see it as a lecture. I don't know. I consider it inspiration. I

hope you talk about living life. You're about to see something that you've never

seen. Something that most people will never see.

And what would that be?

Well, I hope that I told you.

It wouldn't be a surprise. So just don't worry what we do before morning.

You'll understand everything.

kept you waiting too long. This is my son, Paul.

And this is his girlfriend, Ho.

Hi. So, you have enough supply for a few days of clothing and food and what?

Yes, and you told nobody as instructed that you're going to be here in this

place, right? Yeah, with all due respect, sir, I think you kind of owe us

explanation about that. Frankly, most of us are pretty creeped out with all this

cloak and dagger stuff. Cloak and dagger? Well, I apologize if you think

methods have been cloak and dagger.

Look, I have been taking orders from a higher source.

I don't even know what I've been doing the last... couple of weeks. I just have

to trust my own instincts.

Is this some kind of a cult thing? I have been experimenting to find a way to

activate the intron sequences of human DNA.

And because of the regulatory climate, I knew I couldn't use a human volunteer,

so I tested it on myself.

Wait, wait. You injected that stuff that made a fish grow legs into your own

bloodstream? That's correct.

At first, I didn't see any effect.

And then something started to happen. My brain started to evolve, for want of a

better word.

And this new brain started to tell me to do things.

Like what?

Like find eight young volunteers.

Four men, four women.

Your brain told you to do this? Yes, Heather. You find that so strange?

Millions of years of evolution have told birds to migrate, have told young

mammals to nurse, have told bears to hibernate.

Well, I am evolving to know things.

So, did your brain tell you to bring us here?

Something else, Heather, told me to do this. You know what it was? It was this!

Oh, my God, Dad.

What is it?

It looks like a map. Right, man. It's a map. It's a paleogeographical map.

A what?

It's a map that measures the plate tectonics in this area.

There are two Cordilleran mountain ranges meeting this area. That's what

those cliffs over there.

This map on my back was designed to bring us to this location.

Why? To find something, Heather.

To find something wonderful. Something that will inform us about our past, And

our future.

And we're going to find it, Heather.

We're going to find it at first light.

This is crazy, Dad. We've been looking all day and you don't even know what

Here we go. Come on.

Everybody with me?

Well, aren't the voices in your head telling you anything?

There aren't any voices, Paul. It doesn't work that way. It's just an

desire to do something.

Okay. Here we go.

What?

Oh!

Okay.

What's this? I don't know.

Let's take a look. Come here.

Oh! Oh!

Death.

Looks like a door. Well, let's see what's inside.

Now what?

Now we find another way in.

Come on, let's go.

Hey, what's going on?

Oh, God.

Oh.

I take it you're the one in charge here?

Well, in a manner of speaking, yes. I'm Dr. Martin O'Dell. Dr. Arnold DeWitt, U

.S. Marine Corps of Sciences.

Mind telling me why you're out here?

I guess we're searching for the very thing that your men are guarding. It's

through that door.

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

Now, tell me why you're here, please.

I was drawn to this place.

Why here? This place isn't even on any map.

It is on one map.

Hope, be quiet.

No, Hope, do tell.

Show him, Dr. Nadal.

How did that happen?

Did that lead you here?

That's right.

What's in there?

I don't know. I just made it up. I figured they were guarding something

must be looking for.

Given your condition, you might be of some value to us.

I'd like to show you something.

Well, I would love to see it, as long as all of my students can go.

Sorry, I can't do that. Well, then I'm sorry.

All of us came this far.

So we're all going in. I can't force you now.

Well, if you want to know what that thing is inside, then we all go in.

It's that simple.

All right.

That's what I was hoping you would tell me, Doctor. I have no idea.

Where is it from?

We found it underground at this location after World War II.

We've been studying the object ever since.

It won't move from that spot in three -dimensional space.

We tried digging underneath it and it just stays at this exact height. What's

supporting it?

Can't figure that out either. Best guess is some kind of magnetic field.

And the object is impenetrable. We tried lasers and diamond blades, ultrasounds,

x -rays, you name it.

We have no idea what, if anything, is inside it.

Have you tried to carbon date it? Can't get a sample. It's too hard.

Based on the surrounding geographic strata, we figure it's about 60 million

years old.

60 million?

It predates humans.

By about 57 million years.

May I?

By all means.

You are the final result of our great experiment in hope.

We seeded your planet with our own genetic material to continue our race in

To see if you evolved socially, scientifically, physically as we

did. To see if your society would evolve to a life of war, destruction as

we did.

To see if you would use your intelligence

and inventiveness for good or for evil.

We knew that when you reached the appropriate level of intelligence, you

activate the remainder of our experiment in your own DNA.

That, in turn, would lead you to this craft.

That time you would return, report to us.

Tell us of your world as it evolved.

Without our interference, if you have done as we intended, this should be the

one who has transformed and ate more.

Good examples of what our seed has brought.

Young and healthy enough to withstand the journey using this vessel that you

before you now.

This vessel will launch in ten of your minutes.

We look forward to welcoming you back.

You still think I'm wasting my time?

Guess not.

Well, then I'm okay.

So, you ready to go? When can we go?

This could be very dangerous.

They could have left that message as much as 60 million years ago, or they

be dead or gone, or at the very least, they could have forgotten about the

experiment.

Now, I intend to go.

But I can't expect any of you to join me. That decision has to be entirely

yours.

Like I said, when do we go?

Right now.

I believe it's safe.

Say, this is going to be a long trip. You think you can handle it with your

man?

Unless you'd rather I stay here and flip burgers.

I hope you'll come.

I don't really feel the requirement.

To hell with the requirements. We need someone who has your attitude about

Show those people on that other planet what the human spirit really is.

Besides, my son likes you.

The more we learn about the universe around us, the more we realize how

we truly know.

But we will only find what wonders await us if no false walls are built around

our explorers and no false restraints applied to the unquenchable human thirst

to know it all.

There'll be more from The Outer Limits tomorrow at 8.

Singleton Bridget Fond is on the lookout for love over on the studio in a few

minutes in the Cameron Crowe movie at 9 o 'clock, Singles.

Log on to thestudio .com.

This is Michael.

His problems began when he accepted a body from a strange man.

He thought he could handle it occasionally, but he was wrong.

Being a superhero really screws you up. Now and Again is next.