Now and Again (1999) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[SCREAMS]
What are you doing?
What? Huh?
Michael, what are you doing?
Oh, Lisee.
Lisee, come on, what's the matter?
- Michael. Stop it. Stop it.
- What's the matter? What?
- Why?
- It's-- You know why.
Why?
It's a weekday.
[BOTH GROAN]
[SINGS]
Would be ecstasy, you and me ♪
[GROWLS]
MAN [ON TV]: Japanese authorities
report an apparent nerve gas attack
- on one of Tokyo's subways today.
- So how's school?
- Fine.
MAN:- Nature of the gas used
How's the geology situation?
MAN: --any information as to
who might've been responsible
Fine.
How's the kid you went
to the movies with Friday?
Nick? How's Nick?
Fine.
All right.
I mean, is that all I'm gonna get,
is "fine"?
- What else do you want?
- Well, I don't know.
Maybe a complete sentence.
A little smile.
Some eye contact.
Daddy?
Do you have any money I can borrow?
You could give me a little kiss.
Forget it.
[HORNS HONKING]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- Hey.
- Hey, old buddy.
Give me news. Give me news.
Give me news.
Ah, uh
They just decided.
Craig Spence
is gonna run the division.
Wow.
Yeah, I know.
He's 27.
He's been herea minute.
Come on, Michael.
We both know he's good.
You trained him.
I fought for you, Mike. I really did.
But it just doesn't cost out.
What are you talking about?
"Cost out"? I've been here 17 years.
It's not just the money, Michael.
You know that.
What are you talking about?
Buffalo?
You know these guys.
They're like a dog with a bone.
Mr. Fitzgerald told me himself.
At last year's Christmas party.
Even made a joke about it.
- "Water under the bridge."
- What's he gonna say?
"You ruined my fiscal year,
I'm ruining your life"?
These guys hate you, Michael.
The bridge went down. People died.
We're the insurers. We have to pay.
It's not a judgment call.
Act of God, act of God, act of God!
Bad steel is not an act of God!
It's an act of negligence.
What if it had been your wife or kid
in one of those cars?
Don't tell me about wives and kids.
I am always thinking about
my wife and kid.
That's why when I got on that stand,
I said, "act of God".
If you had been thinking
about your wife and kid,
you'd have done the same.
And right now, you would be sitting
in that corner office
instead of that cocky kid.
So that's it.
Now I work for Craig.
Well
You're on his team. Yeah.
His team? I'm on his damn team?
What is this? Gym class?
Who started this
"team" crap anyway?
Say it. I work for him. I report to him.
Michael, come on.
Well, the good news is
we're still working.
Look, I know you know this,
but the ice is really thin
for all us dinosaurs, Michael.
Hey, after work, let's get a drink.
Let's get drunk.
Let's get really plastered.
[SINGING]
We'll keep on spending sunny days ♪
- This way ♪
- Whoo-ooh ♪
Laugh and talk ♪
Whenever you're away ♪
I keep on coming closer day by day ♪
- Life would be ecstasy ♪
- Life would be ecstasy ♪
- You and me endlessly ♪
- You and me endlessly ♪
Groovin' ♪
Whoo-ooh ♪
I am the consummate insurance man.
You know that?
- I know that.
- Oh, you don't know that.
You don't know what I mean.
I mean, I--
I live my life
like it's an insurance company.
What are you talking about "life"?
You mean, like whole life? Term life?
No, no. Life. My life. I mean, my life.
I mean, just like-- I imagine all these--
It's like I'm an actuary.
I imagine all these different scenarios.
I try to run it through my brain.
So that no matter what happens
to me in life, I won't be shocked.
- That's good. That's a good idea.
- I mean--
Yeah, no. I don't know.
Because no matter what scenario
I imagine, no matter how
good I think I'm thinking a thing,
it's like I never know.
It's just like it runs backwards.
It's like--
I mean, division vice president,
I figured.
Senior vice president maybe,
you know?
But me working for this kid?
- I never figured that.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Look, are you gonna be okay
to go home?
Oh, I gotta be okay.
I gotta be okay for the team.
Thanks for the company, old buddy.
See you in the morning,
okay, Michael?
Give me a head butt.
- See you in the morning.
- Yeah.
-[SINGING] Life would be ecstasy ♪
- Ecstasy ♪
- You and me endlessly ♪
- You and me endlessly ♪
- You didn't touch her, man.
- Why didn't you touch her, man?
- Because. She wasn't worth it.
- You don't like girls?
- I don't think he likes girls.
- Heh.
What are you looking at me for?
I'm a boy.
- What do you like, boys?
- Look, man, she was fat and ugly.
She was 50 dollars, man.
Hey.
I see those eyes opening.
How you doing?
How do you feel?
[MOANS]
It's okay.
Don't feel you have to say anything.
You've got a lot to absorb.
I understand.
First and foremost,
let me introduce myself.
My name is Dr. Theodore Morris.
Where am I?
You're in a hospital,
receiving the finest medical care
that money can buy.
Courtesy of your Uncle Sam,
I might add.
Which reminds me, before I forget.
Let me be the first to tell you,
you had a beautiful funeral,
Mr. Wiseman.
- did?
- Absolutely.
Day before yesterday.
I certainly hope
when it's my time to go,
that my loved ones send me off
in a spectacular fashion.
Help me. I don't understand.
Is this a hallucination?
How can I be in the hospital
if I already had my funeral?
Am I alive?
Am I dead?
What am 1?
Well, right now, what you are
is a middle-aged brain
hooked up to some extremely
sophisticated computers
that let me hear
what you think you're saying.
The United States government,
our government, has,
since the conclusion of World War Il,
spent billions of dollars
researching all sorts of biochemical
and bioengineering techniques
in the hopes of one day
actually being able to build a man.
An American man.
A man who could do those things
mere mortal American men
are loathe to do:
Travel in dangerous places,
take risks, wage war.
Excuse me, I'm thirsty.
Could you maybe give me a glass of--?
You, sir, have an opportunity
to be the beneficiary
of all that money
and all that research.
You see, we're at the point
in our work where we need--
Well, we've got everything
pretty well figured out except
the mind thing.
Can't lick the mind thing.
We're all ready to go except for that.
I mean, ready to try, anyway.
Build a man
with the speed of Michael Jordan,
the strength of Superman,
and the grace
of Fred Astaire.
A guy who's going to look good,
be young, be omnipotent.
Wow, huh?
We just can't lick the mind thing.
Just can't build a mind.
You really have to harvest one.
You know what I mean?
And that's a problem.
We were just about to give up hope
and then you had your
unfortunate run-in with the F train.
And, well, just seemed like kismet
to us.
Ha, ha. You know, that thirst thing
is in your imagination, by the way.
You don't have a skull.
Let alone a mouth.
I know what you're thinking:
"What's the catch?”
And, of course, there is a catch.
Pretty big catch.
Not huge, but formidable.
In return for saving your life--
And let me remind you
that for all intents and purposes,
you are already dead and buried,
Mr. Wiseman.
In return for the gift of sight,
mobility and tactile sensation,
for being able to walk, talk,
breathe, taste and touch,
all your government asks in return
is that you stay dead.
By that we mean
you may have no contact of any kind
with anyone who you knew
in your first life.
Ever.
That's all.
We know you didn't choose to die,
Mr. Wiseman.
We know there were no goodbyes.
And we're sure your desire
to let friends and loved ones
know you're here, know you're well
But like I said, I saw your family.
I know how precious
they must be to you.
But your government
can't let anyone know
about the existence
of this technology.
You reaching out
to anyone from your past
absolutely guarantees
your immediate and final death,
and the death
of whomever you confided in.
I need you to tell me
you understand and agree to that.
What if I say no?
What if I won't do it?
Well, hey, this is America.
That's your right.
Of course,
we'll have to take our $3 billion worth
of logic sensors, voice emulators,
computer-driven
neuron transfer generators
and assorted other doodads
and go home. Ha-ha-ha.
Let nature take its course.
I figure it'll take about 16 seconds
for you to turn into a memory.
Ah, forget memory.
It'll take about 16 seconds
for you to turn into waste.
But please, do think about it.
I'll check back.
ROGER: I know how hard
this must be for you. It's just--
Well, it has been a month and they--
They need the office. I understand.
I am sorry, Lisa.
Don't apologize, Roger.
I should have been in last week
or the week before,
or just had you pack it all up
and send it to the house.
I'm just
What?
You'll laugh.
Promise?
[CHUCKLES]
Deep, deep down, I just can't
make myself believe that he's gone.
There's no body in the grave.
Nothing to say goodbye to
at the funeral home.
It's like he went to work one morning
and then just didn't come home.
So why clean up his office?
Why empty out his things?
He's coming back.
He's just lost or late or
You're not laughing.
I need to talk to you
about the insurance.
- Suicide?
- Lisa.
How could they assume
Michael committed suicide?
There were witnesses.
People that were there
said that they were jostled too.
- Nobody said that he jumped.
- I know that.
Insurance company
never takes anything at face value.
- Why would he jump?
- You know that.
He had everything to live for.
He loved his family.
- I know.
- He loved his work.
- He was up for that big promotion.
- I know. Thing is, he didn't get it.
He didn't get it.
He'd just gotten the news
that afternoon
and he'd been out drinking.
We had, uh, been drinking and his--
His blood alcohol level was, um
Well, the point is
that if they wanna fight about it,
they've got some pretty good ammo.
This is not the time, but at some point
you might wanna call your lawyer
and see if he doesn't wanna
start talking settlement.
My lawyer?
Lisa, I am telling you--
I am pleading with you.
Talk to your lawyer.
Fifty cents on the dollar.
That's the kind of thinking
that's gonna move this thing along.
[NEWS THEME SONG
PLAYING ON RADIO]
MAN [ON RADIQJ:
And here's what's happening.
Legislators remain deadlocked
along party lines
in the latest round of budget talks
with minority leaders
threatening a filibuster this afternoon.
New study published in the
New England Journal of Medicine
suggests not all good cholesterol
is actually good
and not all bad cholesterol
is actually bad.
News watch never stops.
This is 1010-WHEN.
So give us 22 minutes,
we'll give you the world.
Thirty-one past the hour.
That means it's time for traffic
and weather on the 1s.
We can look forward
to a clear and breezy Tuesday,
with highs in the low-50s.
It's going to cool off
considerably this evening
with temperatures bottoming out
at 43 here in the city.
As low as 35
in the northern suburbs.
No rain in the forecast
for the next week.
That means the Easter Bunny should
have an easy time of it this Sunday
- Easter?
- with the temperatures expected fo
MORRIS [SINGING]:
Why do birds suddenly appear ♪
Every time you are near? ♪
Just like me, they long to be ♪
Close to you ♪
Why do stars fall down from the sky ♪
Every time you walk by? ♪
Just like me, they long to be ♪
Close to you ♪
On the day that you were born ♪
The angels got together ♪
And decided to create ♪
A dream come true ♪
So they sprinkled moondust ♪
In your hair ♪
And golden starlight ♪
In your eyes of blue ♪
Call it mother's intuition, but I think
our boy's about to check his package.
Holy crap.
Damn right.
Made in America, baby.
Made in America.
What size are these?
Thirty waist. Thirty-two inseam.
Damn.
MAN:
Somebody waiting to be discharged?
- Right over here.
- Hey, doc, you wanna see something?
Take a look at this.
I've never done one of these before.
Never been able to.
Mr. Wiseman.
Uh-oh. Whoa.
NURSE [ON PA]:
Dr. Westlow to the burn unit.
Dr. Westlow to the burn unit.
Mr. Wiseman.
[GRUNTS]
What kind of surgery
did you say you had?
Put him down, put him down,
put him down.
Look, Mr. Wiseman,
do you understand
you're supposed to be a secret?
Oh, lighten up, man.
Have you forgotten you're dead?
- I know. But--
- No buts. Dead.
So let's not restage
the Special Olympics
every time we're out in public, okay?
I'd appreciate it if you
wouldn't strike a conversation
with every Tom, Dick, and Harry
who pushes your wheelchair
or opens a door for you.
You're not selling insurance
anymore.
I'm going over there to sign him out.
He utters a word to anyone,
shoot him.
Hey, can I ask you a question?
Of course
you can ask me a question.
Can I fly?
What?
Can I fly? You know, like Superman.
Mr. Wiseman,
over the past six months
we've performed
a complicated series of operations.
I'm tempted to call them transplants,
but in truth,
there is no you
to transplant them to.
So let's call them operations.
In fact, let's agree
that you have been the recipient
of some of the most sophisticated
surgical thinking in practice
in the history of medicine.
In addition, you have been
inoculated with and intravenously fed
over 700 highly experimental
and I believe extraordinarily promising
hormones, steroids and vaccines
that also were developed
uniquely for you in this project.
Now, I mention all that
because, I'm embarrassed to admit
that in the midst
of all those surgeries,
all those implant procedures,
all the beta trials, tests,
failures and successes,
it just never occurred to any of us
to shove a rocket up your ass.
No. I'm sorry.
You can't fly.
You can't see through
people's clothes, either.
Wow.
[WHISTLES]
Hey, doc, help me out here.
Where's the, uh,
Barcalounger and the big-screen TV?
[CHUCKLES]
You know, it's gonna take a lot of work
to maintain your new body.
You won't have a lot of time
for lounging and television.
Your days are gonna be filled
with workouts, medical testing,
psychiatric evaluations,
and a great deal of intensive training
in self-defense,
survival and intelligence.
Everything you need
will be provided for you.
Everything you ingest,
liquid, solids,
will be chosen for you
and catalogued
so we have a thorough record
of your nutritional history
and a way to monitor its effects
on your person.
Yeah, well, I could go for a devil dog
right about now.
You happen to have anything
like that around here?
We would ask whenever you're
at home, you use this lavatory,
which has been specially equipped
to collect both your liquid
and solid waste for further study.
You know what?
I'm not really hungry anymore.
Everything you may need in the way
of clothing, toiletries and linens,
it's all been taken care of.
You'll be awakened
at 0600 every morning.
Lights in all living areas will cease
functioning at 2300 each evening.
But what if there's a special program
on, something I really wanna see?
I mean, if all my homework's done.
Your physical therapist will be here
in 15 minutes for your first session.
I'll let myself out.
Hi. I'm Lisa Wiseman.
Mrs. Michael Wiseman.
I have an appointment
to see Mr. Spence.
Have a seat
and I'll let him know you're here.
Oh. All right.
Yes. Mrs. Wiseman is here.
Yes, sir.
WOMAN [IN FRENCH]:
Excuse me.
I'm still waiting to see Mr. Spence.
He knows.
MAN:- Mrs. Wiseman?
- Yes?
MAN:- Lisa Wiseman?
- Yes.
Gerald Misenbach. I'm your attorney.
We spoke on the phone.
Oh! Oh, Mr. Misenbach. I didn't
expect that you were going to be here.
I wasn't gonna come,
but, uh, the thought of you meeting
with these barracudas all by yourself
I'm always up for a good fight,
but massacres
just make me a little queasy.
- How long have you been sitting here?
- Since 3:00.
Ugh, brother. You see what happens
when it's the boys against the girls?
- Spence!
- What are you doing?
No, no, you can't do that.
What? I can do anything.
Come on. We're going in.
Spence!
LISA:
We don't wanna make him angry.
Why not? He's a lot of fun
when he's angry. Come on. Come on.
Hey, Spence! You just kept my client
waiting for three hours.
That's gonna cost you
a lot of money.
- Who is that? Misenhack?
- Wow. Wow, wow, wow.
Look at this office.
You must really be fooling them.
Hey, Clarence Darrow,
I didn't realize you were gonna be part
of this meeting.
Craig. I would like you to meet
a lovely young lady
that you've already managed
to treat quite shabbily.
Mrs. Lisa Wiseman.
Mrs. Wiseman. This is a real honor.
I was a great admirer
of your husband.
He was a great teacher.
I really owe him everything.
Thank you.
Please. I'm sorry
to have kept you waiting.
We had a little crisis in the Midwest,
and they needed
some answers right away.
Excuse me one second.
Yeah. Hey. Could you come down here
for a minute?
Yep. Okay.
GERALD:
Well, I know you're exhausted
from making the center of our country
safe for insurance,
but, uh, we have a little problem,
and I was hoping that you could find
the energy to help us with it.
Sure. Anything.
As you know,
Mrs. Wiseman's husband, Michael,
a respected employee
of this company
passed away
suddenly and unexpectedly
almost seven months ago.
His only real retirement benefits,
given his early demise,
take the form of life insurance
that he purchased from this company
at a preferred rate.
Now, unfortunately,
your company is taking the position
that they will not pay
until a thorough examination
into the cause of death
is conducted citing
Well, I think you know
what they're citing.
And it's ridiculous.
Well, it's-- It's unfortunate.
And although this may be painful
to hear, it is also necessary.
Did you know your husband
to be a man
who normally had a couple of drinks
after work?
No.
Did you know your husband to be
a man who normally drank at all?
No.
You see, that, unfortunately,
complicates things
from a liability standpoint.
A case can be made
that perhaps Mr. Wiseman
drank on this particular evening
to steel himself so--
He did not do that.
He would not do that.
Oh, look who's here.
Hi, Roger.
Hi.
SPENCE:
Oh, you two know each other.
That's nice.
Roger? Do you remember
how you described Michael to me
on the night--
You know,
the last night you saw him?
Didn't you say to me
that Michael seemed despondent?
Uh, well, um
Disappointed.
He was disappointed.
Being passed over. It's disappointing.
You used the word "despondent".
Disappointed.
That's how I would characterize--
No, the word you used with me
was "despondent".
I remember, because after you did,
I asked if you would testify to that fact.
And you said that you would.
Now, you're not--
You haven't changed your mind,
have you, Roger?
[SIGHS]
Okay.
You see my problem here?
I have to investigate.
I mean, look, if this were up to me
GERALD: Yeah. Hey, Craig,
what's my client supposed to live on
while you and your people
investigate?
Well, we are prepared
to extend to Mrs. Wiseman,
out of appreciation for her husband's
many years of service here, a loan.
All right. That's it.
In the amount of $50,000 secured
by Mrs. Wiseman's real property.
GERALD: It's this callous crap
that's gonna cost you treble damages
when I get you in front of a jury.
- Come on, let's go.
SPENCE:- What? What?
I'm doing my due diligence.
My diligence is due
and I'm doing it. Ha, ha.
Doo-be, doo-be, doo.
Come on, damn it.
Come on.
[GROWLING]
That was great.
It was? Now, wait a second.
- A minute ago, you were so--
- So convincing.
- That was just an act?
- Yeah, yeah.
You always want the other guy
to think that he's winning.
- And he's not?
- Are you kidding?
He told us everything, which is
exactly what I was hoping he would do.
He's got no case.
It's not illegal to drink
when you get on a subway
unless you're planning
to drive the damn thing.
And it's not, uh, you know,
illogical to be despondent
after you've been
passed over for a job.
- Right.
- You see, the fun part
of this whole deal is,
the worse they treat you,
the more it's gonna cost them.
- Well, that's great.
- Unh.
- I guess.
- Ha-ha-ha.
Oh, no.
It's almost 7:00.
What's the problem?
You got a curfew or something?
No. I have a daughter.
And tonight
is supposed to be taco night.
It's just a thing. We make them
out of a box, all comes together.
- Taco night, huh?
- Yeah.
That's great. Now, taco night,
that sounds great.
Thank you.
Hi, honey.
No, no. I'm still in New York.
I know. I'm sorry.
Oh, not for a little bit more
than a hour.
Oh, no. You go ahead.
No. Whatever you like.
No. I said, whatever you like.
Okay, um, vegetables, extra cheese
and pepperoni.
Right.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Tell me something,
do you ever eat dinner that,
uh, doesn't come in a box?
What?
Why are you looking at me like that?
I'm not your shrink.
I'm not your doctor. It's--
No, no. It's allowed.
Never mind. I'm gonna call you
because, you know,
it's easier on the phone.
All right? I'll call.
Don't worry.
[SCOFFS]
[IN FRENCH]
[EGGS CRACK]
[WOMAN SCREAMING]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
[SIREN WAILING]
[SHOWER RUNNING]
I know you're watching me.
You think I think I'm here by myself
and I can just do what I want?
Leave when I want?
I know you're here.
I know you're watching me.
And I don't like it.
I'm lonely.
I miss everybody.
I miss my wife and my daughter.
I even miss me.
I miss seeing myself
when I look in the mi--
Huh.
Twenty-three hundred hours
right on the nose.
- You guys are something.
MORRIS:- Thank you.
We're sorry you're having
such a hard time with all this.
You're watching me, aren't you?
All the time.
No.
Oh, great.
So I can just walk out?
It's been a difficult
first week for all of us.
I guess I'm not making myself clear.
What I'm trying to tell you
is that I no longer
wish to participate.
I just--
I just want my life.
Or rather, my death back, please.
It doesn't work that way.
This wasn't a trial offer,
Mr. Wiseman.
[SIGHS]
Tell me about my funeral.
What would you like to know?
You know how in the movies
it's always raining?
Your funeral, the bluest sky.
This lovely faint breeze.
Your wife didn't wear black.
She wore orange.
Oh, I loved that dress.
There's a drug I can give you
that we believe
will effectively erase memory.
Memory. Not learning.
You stay just as bright as you are.
You don't understand.
My memory,
it's all I've got.
Okay.
It's just a thought.
I'm learning too.
You mind if I make a pit stop
before I head home?
Hey, my waste collection room
is your waste collection room.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Is anyone there?
Lisee.
[TOILET FLUSHES]
MORRIS: We have an exhibition
set up for tomorrow.
Something I'm putting together
for the very few
senators and congressmen
we had to take into our confidence
to get our funding.
Perhaps you'll find
a change of routine refreshing.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
No, I don't recall
having dialed that number.
No.
I don't know a Lisa Wiseman.
I'm sorry your sleep was disturbed.
But I can assure you,
it will never happen again.
Good night, Mrs. Wiseman.
Good night, Mr. Wiseman.