- 4 months ago
Max Headroom S2E2 - Deities
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00:00This is Edison Carter coming to you very much live and direct on Network 23.
00:05Carter's the best-known reporter we have on the air.
00:08He satellites globally.
00:10Where does all this stuff come from, Bryce?
00:11The components of Carter's mind.
00:14Oh, my...
00:15Max.
00:16My Max.
00:16People translate it as data.
00:19It's computer-generated, whatever it is.
00:21It looks like Edison.
00:22Max.
00:23Max Headroom.
00:24Max?
00:25He's a computer-generated person based on you.
00:28Two lines, but the one is single middle.
00:58We're now to turn to Save Yourself, Network 23's weekly broadcast of the New Age Church, the modern religion of the video age.
01:16Your church has been at the forefront of resurrection research.
01:22But resurrection is a very costly process and requires your donations.
01:28Without your generosity, we may have a long, long wait.
01:32Until that glorious day.
01:36That rapturous day.
01:37When the New Age Laboratories perfect quality and reverse transference.
01:45Now, I know these are big words.
01:50But salvation is a complicated business.
01:54Don't we all know of church...
01:55Oh, she's such a good woman, isn't she, Humphrey?
01:59Yes.
02:01That's wonderful.
02:02That's a million times which test our faith, which often destroy our ability to believe without touching.
02:09Perhaps we're a church for all the doubting Thomases out there.
02:13If that's the case, so be it.
02:15We want a resurrection you can believe in.
02:17A resurrection you can touch.
02:20That does take money, though.
02:22Our goal today is five million credits.
02:26But every one of them counts.
02:27Don't think...
02:29This resurrection process the U.H. is offering is a financial bonanza.
02:32We have a computer...
02:33Brilliant targeting.
02:34Is there any way our other programs could utilize these techniques?
02:38We have quite enough to deal with in news and entertainment events.
02:41Let's leave religion to televangelists.
02:43After all, they're the professionals.
02:46All right, people, let's do this.
02:49Let me...
02:50Let me bless you.
02:52Let me see this curve rise to heaven.
02:55Okay, you don't have to be telepaths to know what I'm thinking.
02:59Oh, go ahead and surprise us, Murr.
03:02All right.
03:03What do you all know about this view age church?
03:06Came out of nowhere a few years ago claiming to be the first modern religion for the age of video.
03:10But now they're rich, and they got everyone worried.
03:14Shannon.
03:15In terms of airtime and ad rates, view age is bigger than Islam, Judaism, IBM, Scientology, and all but two Christian denominations.
03:24Projections indicate that they will pass the Catholics and the 700 Club by this time next year.
03:29Especially with this phony resurrection racket.
03:32I'm glad someone actually watches the news we produce.
03:35Teachers, Pat.
03:37All right, I think view age is a big target begging to be nailed by the Edison Carter show.
03:42Well, by lunchtime tomorrow, we can have a total analysis of their financial records.
03:46If they've spent one cent the wrong way, we'll know.
03:49Good.
03:49I can call up the history of the church for background.
03:51Good.
03:53Edison, you will have to gird your loins for a meeting with Vanna Smith.
03:57Ooh.
03:59Something wrong?
04:05Is there something we're missing?
04:06Murray, every X-mas, we do the story about the fire that wrecks the TV and puts the family out in the cold.
04:18Every spring, we cover the Special Olympics.
04:21Is this the month when we nail a new TV evangelist?
04:24To everything, there is a season.
04:26All right, all right, all right.
04:28He's got a point.
04:31Well, you saw that spot.
04:34Not only do these people claim to put you in direct contact with God, but now they're selling this resurrection business.
04:40Die now.
04:41Repay later.
04:42Come on, you don't think there's a story in that?
04:44I just don't want to waste my time on a story that Angie Barry can handle in her sleep.
04:50Sorry.
04:51No problem.
04:52Yeah, well, I have a problem.
04:55Excuse me.
04:57Is your contract up?
04:58Or are you just losing your edge?
05:05You're the boss.
05:09I'll do it.
05:11Chopper's waiting.
05:15All right, good afternoon.
05:22Have you any idea what that was all about?
05:24I've never seen him chill out in a story.
05:26No.
05:28He tends to be over eager.
05:29Yeah.
05:30I mean, something's wrong.
05:31I hate that.
05:32There are things wrong all over the world, Murray.
05:35Otherwise, we wouldn't have jobs.
05:39Listen, how much do you know about Edison?
05:40As much as I need to know.
05:42Has he ever mentioned anything about a religious background?
05:48Why ask me?
05:49Well, men tell women things they don't tell men.
05:54Well, this man hasn't told this woman anything like that.
05:57All right.
05:58All right.
05:59Would it be in his file?
06:03Murray.
06:04No, no, no.
06:05You're right.
06:05That would be prying.
06:07And we wouldn't want to do that.
06:11Max.
06:14You rang.
06:16Oh, God.
06:17He's been in the Dobie Gillis file again.
06:20Max.
06:21You share memories with Edison.
06:23Is that right?
06:25I like to think that he shares memories with me.
06:27Actually.
06:28Do you, or does Edison, have a religious background?
06:34Murray, I really think this is prying.
06:36Depends on what I find out.
06:39Well, that part of our memory is a little confused.
06:44But?
06:45I find no kneeling on wooden pews.
06:48No prohibitions against smoking.
06:51Dancing.
06:52Or carrying on.
06:53No, no, no, no crying in the chapel.
06:57Or is this the Elvis Presley file?
07:01Thanks, Max.
07:01We get the idea.
07:03And while we're on the subject of TV religions,
07:08may I, may I, may I say unto you verily
07:10that they do a good job collecting all those donations.
07:14God, God, God may have taken only seven days to create the universe,
07:17but they're running repairs.
07:19Expensive business.
07:20Now look what you started.
07:22Oh, uh, one more day down base, please.
07:26I'm inside the Temple 23.
07:49Humphrey, you tracking?
07:52We're linked.
07:53Wish me luck.
07:54I'm telling you, he sounds nervous.
07:56And then there was Sarah, you know, Adati's granddaughter.
08:00Well, she had her art show at the Institute last week,
08:03and it was the most wonderful thing.
08:06Oh, Humphrey, I wish you could have seen it.
08:09Yes.
08:11It's wonderful, isn't it?
08:13Humphrey, look, you have a visitor.
08:20Aren't you one of the Talbot boys?
08:23Um, I don't think so.
08:26Yeah, they tend to keep their hair.
08:30What is so funny about that?
08:32Oh, sorry.
08:34Well, could we have some personal data on this woman, please?
08:37It's already coming up.
08:41Okay, her name is Jennifer Marks.
08:44Her deceased husband was, or rather is, Humphrey.
08:48Yes.
08:49It's wonderful, isn't it?
08:52I'm a reporter, ma'am.
08:53I'd like to ask you a few questions.
08:56Oh.
08:57Well, I guess that's all right, isn't it, dear?
09:00Yes.
09:01It's wonderful, isn't it?
09:04Do you really believe this video construct is your dead husband?
09:09You don't have to answer any questions, Mrs. Marks.
09:14What do you think you're doing?
09:16Protecting our parishioners.
09:18This is a church, you know?
09:20Yeah, I've heard of them.
09:21They make lots of money.
09:23No taxes.
09:28I'd be happy to talk to you about the View Age Church,
09:31including its finances, anywhere you want.
09:34Except here.
09:36It's wonderful, isn't it?
09:45Now, each member of the church, at his or her election,
09:51can have a brain scan done every quarter.
09:53For free, I'll bet.
09:54In the case of death, the files are transferred to an appropriate monitor in our waiting room,
10:06the knocking on heaven's door,
10:08to await the day when tissue regeneration has advanced to the point where new bodies can be cloned for the deceased.
10:14The personality matrix is dubbed onto the blank body, rebirth.
10:21Assuming the great day actually arrives, do the parishioners get their money back?
10:28You can see tremendous legal problems.
10:36Vanna Smith and her associates are addressing those issues.
10:39You can rest assured...
10:40I should pardon that expression.
10:42That those issues will be resolved before the resurrection process goes online.
10:48I find all this hard to believe.
10:50Progress always requires us to change our thinking.
10:54But you should be familiar with this sort of process, Mr. Carter.
10:58Isn't that how Mac's headroom got his start?
11:02I wasn't aware that was common knowledge.
11:07It isn't.
11:08Come on.
11:09Come on.
11:10Handle this guy.
11:11Are you a clergyman?
11:14Or just a PR man?
11:17When you come right down to it, Mr. Carter, is there any difference?
11:23Now, is there anything else I can do for you?
11:25Yeah, you can do something else for me.
11:27I want to talk to Vanna Smith.
11:32That's my boy.
11:35Vanna Smith is on a personal retreat.
11:37She speaks to no one from the media.
11:41She'll talk to me.
11:44Call her.
11:48Call her.
11:57Yes, this is Gregory in the front office.
12:01There's someone here who wants to speak to Vanna Smith.
12:04Yes.
12:06His name is Edison Carter.
12:16Dr. Smith, I'm sorry, but...
12:18Edison Carter.
12:22What a pleasure to see you again.
12:24I don't believe it.
12:39The lady just threw her right hook.
12:41Should we call for backup?
12:43No, no, no, no.
12:44Edison gets hit two, three times a year.
12:45I think it's part of his deal.
12:47But we did get that on tape.
12:48Is that right?
12:50Yeah, right.
12:50Uh, uh, Vanna Smith.
12:55One of the chosen few?
12:59You know Vanna Smith?
13:01Me?
13:02In the biblical set?
13:05No.
13:06No, Max.
13:06I think Murray means, does Edison know Vanna Smith?
13:09Edison?
13:11I'm sorry.
13:13One of my commandments is, thou shalt not squeal.
13:17I'm not sure I want to know.
13:20I'm not sure we ought to know it.
13:24I am so sorry, Edison.
13:28I really am.
13:33I don't know what made me do that.
13:36Just don't ask me to turn the other cheek.
13:38I guess it's been such a long time since we've seen each other, and we had a pretty big fight, as I recall.
13:44I think you hit me in, too.
13:49Isn't this the girl who took a vow of poverty?
13:59Sorry.
14:00From this moment on, off duty.
14:03Yeah, there you are.
14:16But when was the last time someone offered you salvation?
14:21Salvation you can trust.
14:23Salvation you can see.
14:26Proud of that?
14:27You owe it to me.
14:29You sure?
14:30Mm-hmm.
14:30Well, it's not life with Polly, but it seems to work.
14:39Now, the Vanna Smith I was involved with would have second thoughts about taking money from people who couldn't afford to give it.
14:46Yes.
14:47Well, you fought with that Vanna Smith for three years.
14:52No wonder.
14:54Don't get too judgmental with me, Edison.
14:55Listen, I mean, we wound up in the same place in a lot of ways.
15:00And don't forget, we're both in the reassurance racket.
15:02When you go on one of your exposés with Network 23, you don't follow up.
15:10I don't see you marching these perpetrators off to jail.
15:14Well, you assume, you believe that someone will take care of things.
15:21Well, so do I.
15:23My ethics aren't being questioned here.
15:28You're never going to convince me it's right to promise people something as important as life after death when you can't deliver.
15:34Edison, has it ever occurred to you that you might be wrong?
15:39I mean, I know that's close to blasphemy, but even the great Edison Carter makes mistakes.
15:44Are you saying that I can't admit when I'm wrong?
15:46Yes.
15:46That's what you're trying to say?
15:47Yes, that's what I'm saying.
15:51You haven't changed.
15:53Neither have you.
15:57I, I believe in the system.
16:01Many other people believe in it, too.
16:03So, if you won't, if you can't,
16:08then all I can do is pray for you.
16:12Okay, the whole idea is you pay to have yourself copied.
16:32There are no experimental failures.
16:38There's only more data.
16:42And I prefer to use the term cortically scanned and stored.
16:51Cortically scanned and stored, which means there's a version,
16:56version of your personality as of the day you were scanned on tape at the pimple.
17:04On the day you die, when your mortal remains go into recycling,
17:08that cortically scanned file is opened and displayed.
17:13Am I right?
17:14Well, that's all perfectly feasible.
17:19Your relatives can come and have conversations with you.
17:23Well, now that's where we start to run into some problems.
17:27You need billions of bits of memory.
17:32The kind we have here at Network 23, in order to duplicate just one personality.
17:37So, talking to your dead relative is like talking to Teddy Ruxpin.
17:42Yes, a series of neutral pre-programmed responses.
17:46Yeah.
17:47This deluxe package, for which you pay even more,
17:52promises that at some future date,
17:55the Viewage Church will transfer that cortical scan onto a new and perfect body,
18:01thus making you rise from the dead.
18:05What about that?
18:06Well, I never used the word impossible, Edison.
18:10Yeah, most of it.
18:13It might be possible to transfer a very complex cortical scan,
18:18something on the order of max headroom,
18:21Max,
18:22to a body?
18:23Don't even think it.
18:26But, uh, given the little crummy little scans that the Viewage Church makes,
18:32you'd end up with an idiot version of yourself
18:34that doesn't even possess all your memories.
18:36People are paying their life savings for it.
18:39Well, some people will give their life savings to anyone on TV who asks for it.
18:44Won't they?
18:47Hmm.
18:47You know,
19:05one of the reasons I went into TV was to meet girls.
19:12I don't know how you do it, Murray.
19:13You just keep getting funnier and funnier.
19:17Are you okay?
19:19Yeah, I'm fine.
19:22So you, uh,
19:23want to tell me anything about you and Vanna Smith?
19:26Why does she just belt every reporter who comes close to her?
19:32Look,
19:33you'll get your story.
19:36Another televangelist bites the dust.
19:40Trust me.
19:41Can I?
19:44Hi.
19:47Sorry.
19:50Seems like we're losing a bit of our objectivity.
19:54What's the matter with Edison?
19:56Something weird going on with him and Vanna Smith.
19:59Two hours ago, he didn't want to talk to her.
20:01Now it looks like he wants to kill her.
20:04Murray, Mr. Cheviot on line two.
20:05And God created the fish that swims in the sea.
20:16The birds,
20:16the birds of the air.
20:19And yay,
20:19the creatures that walk up on the earth.
20:21And then he created
20:22Vanna Smith.
20:24Okay, Max,
20:24you can stop that anytime.
20:26I don't know if I can.
20:27No.
20:27No.
20:27No.
20:29No.
20:30All right, Max.
20:31I know you're dying to tell me.
20:34Did they or didn't they have a relationship?
20:36Well, well,
20:37if you call three years of thrashing around in his dorm room a relationship.
20:41Yes.
20:42Well, I don't, actually.
20:43I was referring to Edison's feelings for her.
20:47Was Edison in love with Vanna?
20:49Wow.
20:50Ah, love.
20:52The walk's over soft grass.
20:55The smiles over candlelit dinners.
20:58The arguments over just about everything else.
21:02Sorry.
21:03Where was I?
21:03You were telling me that Edison was in love with Vanna.
21:07The feel,
21:08the feelings are very strong.
21:11Hmm.
21:13That explains a lot.
21:16Betrayal comes to us in many forms.
21:18The husband whose credit account shows visits to unlicensed sex therapists.
21:24The child who won't watch his TV.
21:27The TV hero who turns out to be quite unheroic.
21:32This is a story about an even greater betrayal.
21:35When those who claim to speak for God turn out to be liars.
21:42Very powerful.
21:43Nice job, Ron.
21:49Um, I'm gonna show that to Marie tomorrow, all right?
21:52Uh, it'll make a great show.
21:55Thanks a lot.
21:57See ya.
22:02Are you really going after her?
22:04Yeah, it seems to be the thing to do.
22:07Yeah, but does it feel right to you?
22:09I mean, you two obviously have a past.
22:11My, Miss Jones, I didn't know you were concerned about my personal life.
22:15I'm concerned about you.
22:18Look, Marie wants a big story, and this is a big story.
22:21But there's no law that says you have to ruin an old friend.
22:24Yeah, that's an interesting point.
22:26What would you do in the circumstances?
22:30Well, I might show the old friend the tape before it went on the air.
22:33Give the old friend a second chance.
22:35People do change, you know.
22:37Yeah, I know, but, um,
22:39wouldn't that be playing favorites?
22:40I.e., the old friend?
22:44You'd be acting like a human being.
22:52Who are you calling?
22:53Banner Smith.
22:54This has been quite a surprise.
23:11I didn't know whether I should come here, but I'm glad I did.
23:15I hope you still feel that way a few minutes from now.
23:22I'm not sure I like the sound of that.
23:26Look, um,
23:27I'm breaking my own rules here.
23:32I brought you a rough cut of the story I did on the View Age Church to show you
23:36before I put it on the air.
23:39Well, why?
23:42I don't know.
23:44To test your reaction, to give you a chance to respond.
23:50To see if I would change.
23:52To give you a chance to change, yes?
23:55Well, your technique has really changed.
23:57I mean, it used to be dinner.
24:00And then passionate lovemaking.
24:07Now it's passionate muckraking.
24:10Well, can you, can you promise me that it'll make me happy?
24:20I, I, I wish I could.
24:23Then let's not talk about business.
24:29Actually, I relieved him.
24:32I really did want to see you again, but like this.
24:39Not his enemies.
24:40We didn't always fight, didn't we?
25:10Wow.
25:11Wow.
25:12Wow.
25:13Wow.
25:14Wow.
25:14Oh, my God.
25:44You didn't have to sneak out like that.
25:50Edison, you'd better get some clothes on and get in here.
25:52We've got a problem.
25:54What's up?
25:55Max is missing.
26:07This is impossible.
26:10Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was pretty sure you never used the word impossible.
26:14Well, these are extraordinary circumstances, Edison.
26:17How do we know Max is gone?
26:19I mean, he's always moving around in the system like a termite.
26:23Yeah, but he usually comes when he's called.
26:25Okay, like a dog.
26:27Murray.
26:28You know, for a moment there, you sounded just like Max.
26:32Okay, okay.
26:33How did this happen?
26:35Well, I checked the security and transport, and apparently someone arrived last night with perfectly valid authorization and just took this unit.
26:42But Max is completely integrated into the system, or else they would have made Bryce take him out by now.
26:48Well, if Max is feeling cooperative, he can transfer his essential programming cluster to whatever hardware you want.
26:54That way you can take him places.
26:55A lot of the programming that makes up Max Edrum is still right here on Network 23.
27:00Just like your body would still be in place if someone opened up your head and scooped out all your brains.
27:07But, uh, neither of them work like that.
27:14I knew I could count on you for a charming image.
27:17Just like I could count on Network 23 to protect my research.
27:20All right, all right.
27:22What's the big deal?
27:23I mean, I like Max just as much as the next guy.
27:29Almost.
27:30But he is a computer program.
27:33Can't you just reconstruct him?
27:34The original program that became Max Hedrum is one of the most complex pieces of software anyone is likely to create any time soon.
27:45Now, I added a daytime serial program to it so it would, in essence, write itself.
27:50Then I finished it off with a copy protect code.
27:54And then Max himself went random.
27:56That is just a complicated way of saying Max is unique.
27:59Oh, it's easy to make it simple once you've had it laid out for you.
28:03Now, look.
28:03Look, will you two stop this?
28:05It's not doing Max any good, wherever he is.
28:10I think I know where he is.
28:15Tell the rest of us.
28:16Yeah, don't keep us in suspense.
28:19Look, we're doing a negative story on the View Age Church, and they know it.
28:23They know it?
28:24Well, how did that happen?
28:25They also know how important Max is to Edison.
28:38Edison.
28:39Wait a minute.
28:40Where do you think you're going?
28:42To the temple.
28:45To see my old ex-friend.
28:48Vanna Smith.
28:49Look, it may not be her.
28:53She has followers, you know.
28:57I think you're letting your personal feelings get in the way again.
29:00To hell with my personal feelings.
29:15I'm not some machine.
29:17I've got personal feelings about every story I do.
29:20They're what makes me care.
29:21What makes me work.
29:23What makes me good at what I do.
29:25I'm sorry.
29:37You're the last person I want to yell at.
29:40It's okay.
29:41No, it's not okay.
29:42I need proof.
29:49Christ!
29:50Hot levels for life with Collier's table, but demographics are eroding.
29:58How are they eroding?
29:59Exactly.
30:00We're losing the 5 to 11-year-olds.
30:03Might I suggest that the storylines are becoming a bit too complex?
30:07Do we need younger writers because I've got this nephew?
30:10Simpler.
30:11Simpler writers.
30:13Will you speak with the producers?
30:16Any other new business?
30:17Well, the VU-H Churches Save Yourself show is trending upward.
30:22How does that correlate with the introduction of their resurrection program?
30:25There's a strong correlation.
30:27The rating surge began when the church promised to bring people back from the dead.
30:30Ben, in light of that, do you think it's wise for Edison Carter to do an expose on the church tonight?
30:39In case you haven't noticed, Ashwell, I don't try to tell Edison Carter anything.
30:44He's a valuable resource for this network.
30:47If he feels the need to do an expose on the church, we should allow him to follow his professional instincts.
30:53Besides, if there's a knock-down drag-out between our two ratings leaders, the ultimate winner is still Network 23.
30:59Isn't that right, Ben?
31:01I couldn't have put it better myself.
31:02Now, what are we going to do about the cost overruns on the Polly Show?
31:08Okay, Ms. Jones, you last spoke to Max at 5 o'clock.
31:12Right.
31:13Wasn't that about the time he helped me make my dinner date?
31:16I suppose so.
31:17Hmm.
31:17And when I went looking for Max at 3 a.m., he was missing.
31:22Well, I guess it was either that or a night on the town, right, Bryce?
31:28First, we need to isolate the area of the data center where Max's CPU was located.
31:33Then we access the Securicam file.
31:35We go for playback.
31:37We'll find out just what's happened.
31:40There.
31:42Poor Max.
31:43Now we can track them wherever they go in Network 23.
31:49Oh, um, I'm using two dots as designators.
31:52Thank you, Bryce.
31:54I was just about to ask.
31:59Looks as though they probably just went down in the elevator to the loading dock.
32:03That's what I'd do if I was trying to sneak out.
32:07Let's see.
32:08You're right.
32:09They are heading for the loading dock.
32:13Securicam?
32:15Do we have any other angles?
32:19We still don't know who these people are.
32:24If we magnify things, maybe we'll be able to pick up some kind of ID number.
32:29Nothing there.
32:31Let's backtrack.
32:34They had to come from somewhere.
32:37Don't worry.
32:38We'll find them.
32:38Someone's in the shadows.
32:48Zoom in, Bryce.
32:53Jean Ashwell.
32:54I don't believe it.
32:55Did you see the latest data from the table master?
33:05Hey, wait up.
33:07I'm going to have to talk to business affairs about this Pauline thing.
33:14Carter, what the hell are you thinking?
33:17Where's Max Hendriff?
33:18Uh, he's at the temple.
33:23Thanks to you.
33:25I'm not the only one involved in this.
33:27It was all Vanna's idea.
33:30I was just helping out.
33:32After all, I do have a certain loyalty to my church.
33:36Which obviously takes precedence over your loyalty to 23.
33:40I admit I had a certain crisis.
33:45But then I realized what's good for the few-age church is good for Network 23.
33:53Max Hendriff is our property.
33:57We had to destroy the village in order to save it.
34:01It's thinking like that, Ashwell, that's made you what you are today.
34:07I don't think you're in any position to lecture me about my loyalty to this network.
34:14You spend our credits every day.
34:17Nothing destroying our sponsor.
34:20The very people that pay you.
34:22If you think it's necessary.
34:25Well, this was necessary.
34:28Wait a minute.
34:29Kidnapping Max Hendriff?
34:31Well, what has he done?
34:33He's made himself important to you.
34:36That's all we need.
34:37To force you to make a choice between your view-age story and Max.
34:43I don't want to talk to him.
34:46Fine.
34:49Maybe he better be alright.
34:56Gregory, this is Gene Ashwell.
35:01I have Addison Carter with me.
35:04Like a word with Max Hendriff.
35:07Excuse me?
35:08Just put him on.
35:14Hi, Max.
35:14Ah, ah, sinner.
35:18Please enter your universal credit credit number.
35:21Your forgiveness will be mailed to your home.
35:23To your home.
35:25Thank you for calling the view-age church.
35:28You alright?
35:28Oh, sure, sure, don't worry about me.
35:31I'm in a wonderful position.
35:33If you don't drop your story on this view-age church, they're gonna flat-flat-flat-flat-line
35:37me.
35:38And they keep using the word deadline.
35:40Which is what I'll be if they flat-line me.
35:43There you have it.
35:45Dump your show.
35:46Or lose Max.
35:48Welcome to the boardroom, Mr. Carter.
35:51We have a favorite saying around here.
35:54The ball is now in your court.
35:59We're doing everything we can to get you back, Max.
36:03Well, we all know there's one small thing you could do.
36:07Max, you know I can't give up my story on the view-age church.
36:11Of course not.
36:13Don't they know how we feel about that sort of challenge?
36:17We're not trying to let them push us around, are we?
36:26No.
36:29I was afraid he'd say that.
36:35This is Max Headroom, coming to you live and direct.
36:41from the view-age temple.
36:45And let's not beat about the burning bush.
36:47B-bush.
36:48We're not like any other church,
36:51temple,
36:52mosque,
36:52or prayer man.
36:55Where you die?
36:57And it's just goodbye.
36:59He looks sort of unnatural, doesn't he?
37:02He might have been
37:04one of the early ones.
37:07His visual template is
37:09definitely primitive.
37:11No.
37:11Here at view-age,
37:13we really do offer you
37:14eternal life.
37:17Life.
37:18So come along and be safe.
37:20In fact,
37:21we'll save you for as long as you like.
37:24Call, call then.
37:25Our operators are standing by.
37:29At least until 8 o'clock tonight.
37:31They'll have a tough time putting him into a new body someday.
37:35What do I need a new body for?
37:38I never had an old one.
37:44Hey.
37:45It might be my imagination,
37:46but is everyone around here a little weird?
37:49Weird?
37:51And don't say,
37:52it's wonderful, isn't it?
37:55Wonderful!
37:55He's only been programmed for a few basic responses.
38:00He's outside your parameters.
38:02I beg your pardon?
38:04I was wondering,
38:06what it would be like
38:07to have a part of yourself running around in a TV
38:10like them?
38:12Or you?
38:12I wouldn't know.
38:14I have all of me
38:16running around in the TV.
38:18Then call me conceited
38:19or call me Max Edrum.
38:21Max Edrum.
38:22But I think I have a lot more
38:24to say for myself
38:25than they do.
38:27You really are Edison.
38:32Aren't you?
38:33Yes.
38:34It's wonderful, isn't it?
38:36I feel as if he sent you somehow.
38:42I know, I know.
38:43That's ridiculous.
38:44I mean,
38:45you were taken,
38:47weren't you?
38:59Edison!
39:00I saw what happened with Ashwell.
39:14What are you going to do?
39:16What else can I do?
39:17I'm going to drive
39:18these particular money changers
39:19out of the temple.
39:21Maybe I can catch them by surprise.
39:22Well, that is ridiculous.
39:23I've gotten into tighter places.
39:26Not the assault, Edison.
39:27The idea of it.
39:28That it should be necessary.
39:30Yeah, what choice do I have?
39:34I'm not going to be intimidated
39:35into dropping a story.
39:37I might as well go work
39:38for big-time TV then.
39:39I'm not going to let them
39:40erase Max.
39:41Look, you and Vanna
39:42have a relationship, right?
39:44You still have
39:45some sort of relationship.
39:47She wants to deal with you,
39:48not with you and some SWAT team.
39:50She used me!
39:51Don't you understand?
39:53Oh, and you never used her?
39:56Yeah.
40:00I can go now?
40:04You sure?
40:04Yep.
40:05You don't want to think about it.
40:11Good night, honey.
40:12I love you.
40:15Good night, honey.
40:16I love you.
40:18Good night, honey.
40:19I love you.
40:19You realize, of course,
40:22Mr. Carter,
40:23that if you touch
40:23that processing unit,
40:25the alarm will go off
40:26and Max's headroom
40:27will be erased.
40:29At the risk of repeating myself,
40:31you tell your boss
40:32I want to talk to her.
40:33We don't have a picture,
40:34but at least we can hear.
40:36You already are.
40:37I guess a private conversation
40:47is out of the question, huh?
40:48It's almost 8 o'clock.
40:51Cutting it a bit close tonight,
40:53aren't we, Anderson?
40:54But then,
40:55you do like to cut things close.
40:59I must judge you, Vanna.
41:02I thought you were still
41:03the nice girl I knew in college.
41:04not someone in the business
41:07of lying for a living.
41:10Why is it
41:10so difficult for you to believe
41:13that I'm sincere?
41:16You don't have a monopoly
41:17on the truth.
41:19Sometimes facts and figures,
41:21they're just not as important
41:22as faith.
41:23Am I supposed to be
41:25encouraged by all of this?
41:30Look at these people around you.
41:32Look at these faces.
41:33Look at these people
41:34with their loved ones.
41:37I'm giving them hope.
41:39Giving them false hope.
41:41By whose standards?
41:42Yours?
41:43Who are you to judge?
41:47There's still time, Anderson.
41:53I can't.
41:56As the boys in the boardroom say,
41:59the ball's in your court.
42:01Now just hang on a minute here.
42:05Don't I get to say anything about this?
42:07I'm, I'm, I'm the one
42:08who's gonna cross over
42:09into the great beyond
42:10in about a minute and a half.
42:13You two broke up
42:15because you were
42:16f-f-fighting all the time.
42:18I know!
42:19I was there!
42:21And now,
42:22we're all here.
42:23Your job is selling
42:26sal-sal-sal-salvation.
42:28His job,
42:29his job
42:30is telling the truth.
42:31His truth may hurt you.
42:33But your salvation
42:34will
42:35kip-kip-kill me!
42:37It'll be
42:38just like killing Edison.
42:41He's going right
42:42to the line with this.
42:43O, ye of
42:47little faith.
42:50He not only
42:50sounds like you,
42:52he seems to have
42:54a soul of his own.
42:56Isn't that exactly
42:57what you've been claiming?
43:06Gregory.
43:06Let him go.
43:16We're gonna go live.
43:18Five, four, three, two, go!
43:23This is Edison Carter.
43:24Tonight, I want to take you
43:25to the Few-Age Church,
43:26where a charismatic
43:27televangelist named
43:28Vanna Smith
43:29promises that you will
43:30literally be born again.
43:32This is a story
43:33about an even
43:34greater betrayal.
43:35when those
43:37who claim to speak
43:37for God
43:38turn out to be liars.
43:42Yes!
43:44It's wonderful,
43:45isn't this?
43:56Okay, me.
43:57One thing for possible
43:58contact.
43:59I've been talking
44:00to you.
44:01I've been talking
44:01to you.
44:02Mr. Peter.
44:03I've been talking
44:03to you.
44:03I've been talking
44:04to you.
44:04My camera's on
44:05I heard what happened.
44:13I'm sorry
44:14about the way
44:14things worked out,
44:15or rather
44:16didn't work out.
44:23And you,
44:24I was taking a chance.
44:27Took a chance,
44:28you were still
44:28in love with me.
44:29and you were still
44:31in love with her.
44:35I wouldn't have
44:36believed it.
44:37I honestly haven't
44:39thought about her
44:39in years.
44:41That's not what I heard.
44:46Max.
44:49Did you tell Theora
44:50I was still in love
44:51with Vanna Smith
44:52after all these years?
44:53Who, me?
44:56Not in so many words.
44:59What right have you
45:01got to turn my
45:02memories into
45:03entertainment?
45:04Hey, they're my
45:06memories too, you know.
45:08Besides,
45:09I had to save you
45:10from yourself.
45:12From Vanna Smith?
45:13I don't believe
45:14what I'm hearing.
45:15She kidnapped you.
45:17Oh, there's a million
45:19places I could have
45:20hidden in this system.
45:21I let myself
45:22be kidnapped.
45:24Besides,
45:25it was
45:26Vanna Smith.
45:29It's probably true,
45:30Edison.
45:31I mean,
45:31Bryce did say
45:32Max would have to
45:32cooperate in order
45:33to be moved,
45:34didn't he?
45:36All right.
45:37But, Max,
45:38why?
45:40She was bad for you.
45:41You needed to believe
45:42that she would do
45:43anything for her chef,
45:45even hurt you.
45:46for me.
45:48I guess you saved
45:49my soul.
45:51And without asking
45:52for any donation,
45:54which reminds me,
45:56I have to preach
45:57to my flock.
45:58Excuse me.
46:00Brothers and sisters,
46:02this is indeed
46:03the Reverend Max,
46:04Max, Max Headroom,
46:05live and direct
46:06from Heaven's
46:07on Net-Net Network 23.
46:10And today,
46:11my friends,
46:12I'm going to talk
46:13to you about
46:14salvation.
46:16Will someone
46:18please say
46:19amen?
46:20Amen!
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