02x06 - Defective

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Perception". Aired: July 2012 to March 2015.*
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A talented but eccentric neuropsychiatrist, is enlisted by the FBI to assist in solving some of its most complex criminal cases in Chicago.
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02x06 - Defective

Post by bunniefuu »

The good doctor has just performed a Hemispherectomy.

To remove the diseased half of the brain.

This is Johnny's left hemisphere, the side that contains his language center.

It's also the half of his brain we had to take out.

Amazingly, speech and other functions once controlled by the left hemisphere, will eventually develop in the right.

Hemispherectomies not only save lives.

They also show us that to be fully human only takes half a brain.

Which some of you demonstrate on a daily basis.

As for the rest of you, does that mean you have a lot more brain power than you really need?

Or does it mean that you have vast amounts of unrealized potential?

Tell me you're not wearing that ratty coat and scarf.

Why wouldn't I?

Well, for one thing, it's 60 degrees out.

That's got nothing to do with it.

More importantly, there are gonna be a lot of deep pockets at this event tonight, Daniel, and, you know, faculty endowments don't fund themselves.

It's a fundraiser for Parkinson's research, not your own personal slush fund.

If somebody's gonna write one check, maybe they'll write two.

Unbelievable.

Well, would it k*ll you to wear a tie?

What, and cut off the oxygen to my brain just to kiss up to some fat cats?

No, thank you.

Hey, people, get a room.

Lewicki?

Hey, Doc, uh...

Shouldn't you be grading midterms?

Uh, I was just... taking a little break.

This is Eva.

So, you're Dr. Pierce.

From what Max told me, I thought you'd be...

Better dressed?

Older.

Doc, I was hoping you could talk to Eva about the extension school.

As riveting as that sounds, Dean Haley and I are on our way to hear one of the greatest violinists in the world.

Can't be late.

[Chuckles]

[Mid-tempo violin music playing]

[Off-key notes play]

[Audience murmuring]

[Grunts]

[Grunting]

Somebody call an ambulance.

[Groans] [Device beeps]

[Panting]

Breathe.

Paul: Daniel, what happened to him?

I'm not sure.

It could have been side effects from his DBS.

DBS?

Deep brain stimulator.

He has electrodes implanted in his brain to help relieve his Parkinson's symptoms.

It's powered by a battery pack in his chest, I turned it off.

Parkinson's? He's so young.

I know. 10% of the cases are under 40.

And how did you know about that...

Well, there was an article in the arts section about Sario a few months ago.

He had to retire because of his Parkinson's, and then once his DBS was implanted, he could play again.

Wow.

Sario: My violin.

My violin! Where is my violin?

I'll make sure it's all right.

[Breathing heavily]

Please come to the hospital with me.

I think it's best we call your own doctor.

I want for you to tell him what happened.

All right.

The settings are much too high.

How could that happen?

I don't know.

But it's a good thing you were there, or it might have been much worse.

Dr. Vetter, you know, tomorrow night, I gonna play with the symphony, so...

I need you to turn my DBS back on.

I don't think we can take that risk.

No, I don't care.

If my hands don't stop shaking, how can I play?

Tess: I came as soon as I heard.

Hang on a minute, Tess.

Uh, Tess Williams from Oscidyne, the company that makes Sario's DBS.

Let me tell her what's going on, then we'll talk about how to get you performing again.

His levels surge.

It's just like the cases I told you about at the conference in Miami.

What, there were other incidents like Sario's?

I'm sorry. Who are you?

Tess Williams, Dr. Daniel Pierce, the man who saved Sario's life.

Dr. Vetter: Over the past few months, eight patients fitted with the Oscidyne 5.0 model have reported malfunctions.

These people had seizures, too?

Some did. Others locked up or couldn't speak, luckily, nobody d*ed.

Well, obviously, the 5.0 is flawed.

Well, actually, it's not obvious at all.

Our technicians haven't found any problems with the recovered unit.

Of course they haven't. Your company pays their salaries.

Our position is that the 5.0 is functioning properly.

If it's functioning properly, why is Sario lying in that bed?

I know you're in a tough spot, Tess, but I am taking Sario's device out.

And I'm gonna recommend that all my patients fitted with these units have them removed.

Oscidyne needs to cover the costs.

I'm sorry, Randall. I don't see that happening.

Dr. Vetter: And what if one of my other patients, or, God forbid, my wife, ends up in the hospital?

I'm taking them out.

I'm sorry, your wife?

She has DBS for Essential Tremor.

And how is she gonna feel when you remove her unit and her hands start shaking again?

She'll be upset, but at least she'll be alive.

[Sighs]

Woman: Introducing Oscidyne's revolutionary DBS 5.0.

The most advanced and affordable deep brain stimulator on the market.

The battery pack and computer-controlled stimulator are implanted in a minimally invasive procedure.

Insulated tungsten extension wires travel from the stimulator to the electrodes, which target specific regions of the brain depending on the diagnosis and symptoms.

Today, the 5.0 treats Parkinson's, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, and Tourette's.

Our next-generation DBS will treat Alzheimer's, obesity, and more.

[Scoffs] Are you... are you listening to this?

Obesity. I mean, if people are fat, they should stop stuffing their faces with cheeseburgers and cupcakes.

Not get brain surgery.

What, so, it doesn't work?

It [Sighs]

It's a miracle for some people, but Oscidyne's model is clearly defective.

And they're making these wildly exaggerated claims to line their pockets at the expense of vulnerable patients.

Okay, so, what exactly do you want me to do?

Help me investigate Oscidyne.

If anything, this sounds like a product-liability issue.

You should go to the FDA.

Oh, the agency that's already approved the device?

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get right on it.

Donnie: He's right.

We all know the FDA is in bed with the Biotech industry.

[Strained] We're reopening the Chan case.

Oh, no.

I need you to do new interviews.

Well, Daniel, as you can see, now I can't help you even if I wanted to.

Thanks, Don.

[Knock on door]

I think we might have a case.

We? What... what are you talking about?

I did some digging.

Oscidyne is leveraged up to their electrodes.

If they admit this DBS thing is defective, it could bankrupt them.

You think there's a cover-up?

Not easy to prove, but I'm willing to try.

[Chuckles] What's... what's your angle?

I don't have an angle.

It's my job to protect the public.

So, why do you need me?

I have a law degree, not a PHD in brain science.

I go down there on my own, their experts will try and snow me with a bunch of Neurological mumbo-jumbo.

I already called the doctor who filed the complaint... Vetter.

We need to get his statement on the record.

He said he'll meet us at his house in an hour.

Let's do this, partner.

[Laughs nervously] Just wait, wait, wait.

In the short, unpleasant time that I have known you, you've humiliated me on the witness stand, kicked me off an investigation.

Undermined my friendship with your ex-wife, and now, suddenly, we're partners?

Okay. I get it. We both know there's an elephant in the room. Let's clear the air.

If you think that you and I are gonna talk about Kate again.

Whoa, buddy... I'm talking baseball.

What?

You like the Cubbies, and I'm a White Sox guy, so we'll just talk about the Bulls.

Sure thing, Donnie. Let's go get them.

Ryan, assistant U.S. Attorney. What's going on?

It's real messy inside.

What the hell happened?

Two victims, one's dead... a doctor.

Somebody smashed his head in.

So whoever you need to talk to to get me that, okay?

I got your message. What's going on?

Dog-walker called in a 911 at 8:52 A.M.

Police came in and found Dr. Vetter and his wife on the floor, both with massive head wounds.

He was already dead. She was alive... barely.

Do the cops have a theory?

Home invasion that went wrong.

Sure. At the same time that Vetter starts to complain about the 5.0, he's k*lled in a robbery where apparently nothing was stolen.

What makes more sense is Oscidyne sent somebody over here to shut him up.

Okay, what the hell are the two of you doing here, anyway?

We're working the product-liability case that you turned down yesterday.

Oh. Together?

What? Were we supposed to ask your permission first?

We should go to the hospital, see what the wife can tell us.

Yeah, I understand. Thank you.

[Monitor beeping]

[Sighs]

Her eyes are open, but she's unresponsive.

What, so, she's in a coma?

No, not exactly. It's what's known as a minimally conscious state.

Well, is she gonna wake up?

There's not much the doctors can do.

[Sighs]

Ian. Hi. Uh, Agent Moretti. I'm with the FBI. Listen...

Can you think of any reason that someone might have wanted to hurt your parents?

No.

My dad spent his whole life helping sick people, and my mom bakes birthday cakes for the guys who pick up our trash.

And this is what they get.

I'm very sorry.

Is that all?

Because I need to go call my aunt.

Please.

[Sighs]

Look, I'll coordinate with the local cops, but we don't have much.

I mean, no w*apon, no witnesses, no prints.

We still have a product-liability case.

We start digging around, we might be able to nail these bastards for m*rder, too.

Let's go.

Okay, give me a minute.

What's going on here?

What do you mean?

Every time I try to bring Daniel in on a case, you say that we don't need him.

Now the two of you are running around like Starsky and Hutch?

Oscidyne makes brain devices. Who would you get to help you?

Oh, cut the crap, Donnie.

Ever since you got back from D.C., you have been trying to drive a wedge between me and Daniel, now...

I don't know if this is part of some grand plan you might have to get us back together, but it's not gonna work.

You have a hell of an imagination.

Then what is it?

You want your name in the paper? What's your angle?

[Sighs] Why does everyone think I have an angle?

Because you always do?

There is nothing wrong with the 5.0.

Then how do you explain nine failed units?

We've sold almost 500 of them. That's less than 2%.

I will tell you the same thing we told the FDA...

We have double-checked our production and distribution protocols, and we didn't find a single problem.

Did someone from this company att*ck Dr. Vetter and his wife?

You're on a fishing expedition.

Unless you've got a warrant, this conversation is over.

Actually, we're just getting started.

The government's position is that if you cannot provide an explanation for these problems...

We're going to seek an injunction to stop all sales of the 5.0.

Good luck getting a Judge to sign off on that.

Well, if I can't, I guess I'll just have to convene a press conference and explain to the public how Oscidyne is impeding a federal investigation into one of its products.

I'm sure Sario Donati would have something to day about that.

Wonder what that would do to your stock price.

There is one possibility for the failures.

And what would that be, Mr. Singh?

It's Dr. Singh. I hold a PHD in biomedical engineering.

And I'm A.U.S.A. Ryan, Magna cum laude in not wasting my time on bullshit.

There aren't a lot of doctors who know how to use this technology.

So I designed the 5.0 for patients who would otherwise have to drive hours for routine programming.

Now they can use wireless technology to link their units to their home computers.

Their doctors can go online and make adjustments to the DBS remotely.

So, if someone could find out the patient's access codes, they could tamper with the settings.

It is possible.

And why would anyone do that?

There was a neurosurgeon who worked for us as a consultant.

About a year ago, he quit and went back to academia.

Not long after that, our biggest competitor, Medivolt, funded his clinical trial to the tune of $4 million.

You think I'm some sort of corporate spy?

That's ridiculous. Where are you getting this?

Oh, wait, don't tell me... Arthur Singh.

[Laughs]

That guy. He's a complete egomaniac.

He is blaming me because he'd never admit to a flaw in his design, but his sabotage theory doesn't even work.

It seems pretty simple to me.

If Medivolt had the access codes, they could zap Oscidyne patients.

It's not that easy.

The patient needs to be within about 50 feet of a computer with the 5.0 software.

That's the only way anyone could change the settings.

When Sario had his seizure, he was nowhere near his computer.

Thank you for your time, Dr. Bowen.

Do you have a minute?

It's a professional matter.

Go ahead. I got to make a phone call.

Uh...

I read all your books.

Most great thinkers aren't usually such good writers.

Hardly seems fair.

What can I do for you?

I've been doing some interesting work using DBS to treat depression.

I'm gonna apply it to my next clinical trial, which will test DBS as a treatment for Schizophrenia.

[Chuckles]

That won't work.

Actually...

We've had a lot of success in animal trials.

Just because you've been experimenting with Dopaminergic Transmission in mice doesn't mean it's gonna work on people.

Unless we try, we'll never know.

I would like you to be a consultant for my study.

I only consult on independently financed studies, not corporate-sponsored money grabs.

Big ideas need big money.

I'm hoping your involvement will convince Medivolt to do another round of funding.

Read it.

Kate: Check this out. This is security footage from Dr. Vetter's garage.

His name is Dr. Arthur Singh, engineer at Oscidyne.

And maybe he engineered a m*rder.

Singh: Go to hell. I didn't k*ll anyone.

Kate: But you did as*ault Dr. Vetter in his garage yesterday.

He filed a complaint with the FDA.

It was my right to tell him he was mistaken.

You ever hear of the phone, Artie?

I spent three years, night and day, working on the 5.0.

I was simply defending my creation.

Pretty good liar, aren't you?

I haven't lied about anything.

What about your criminal record in India?

Got this from my friends over at I.C.E.

They discovered that you'd been charged with as*ault for bashing a coworker over the head.

And they realized those charges were trumped up.

Otherwise, they never would have approved my visa.

Okay, so, I.C.E. gave you a pass, but not me.

This is outrageous. You have absolutely nothing on me.

Where were you this morning between 6:00 and 9:00?

Home... asleep.

[Door opens] [Sighs]

The guy's guilty.

The only question is, did he act alone, or did he hire someone else to do it?

I understand why he'd want to get rid of Vetter, but why the wife?

She was a witness.

Yeah, maybe.

But we don't have anything to hold Singh on, we got to cut him loose.

No way.

An Indian national? The guy's a flight risk.

I'll get a material witness warrant.

Are you kidding me?

Whenever I ask you for one of those, you tell me I have to work the case until there's an actual charge.

Why is it okay now?

Because his story is weak, he's got no alibi, and on top of that, he's a d*ck.

Dr. Bowen is trying to help people.

Why can't you be more open-minded about his DBS trial?

Because his trial is underwritten by a soulless, profit-driven corporation.

Remember the study that compared corporations to psychopaths?

He said some of them behaved identically.

Exactly.

Well, unless you're suggesting that I go to work with a psychopath.

Oh, Daniel, get off your high horse.

What are you really worried about...

Corporate-funded research or that this study could lead to a cure, and then you wouldn't have an excuse for being sick?

That is preposterous. And you know what? Even if it did work, no one is putting electrodes in my brain.

Max: Hey, Doc. You got a minute?

I thought this might be a good time for you to get to know Eva a little bit.

Nice to meet you... again.

Doc, Eva's got an amazing story.

She moved here from Brazil with her family.

She was 11, and she had never spoken English before.

But by the time she graduated high school, she was at the top of her class.

Now she runs her own salon.

I think all that Eva needs now is a degree from the extension program, and she's a perfect candidate for a scholarship.

[Sighs]

What are you interested in studying?

I didn't think this was gonna be an interview.

Oh, well, since Dr. Pierce is so busy, I figured that this...

I really appreciate your time, Dr. Pierce.

Please stop by the salon some day. I'll give you a free haircut.

Oh, no, no, no. I don't do salons.

You know, the toxic chemicals and the hair dyes and those combs in the strange blue fluid.

Okay. Well...

I better go.

Thanks a lot, Doc.

Well, that wasn't very nice, Daniel.

Who are you?

Geez, I thought you'd recognize me.

I'm Dan.

Great.

I'm hallucinating myself.

Oh, I'm not exactly you.

What do you mean?

For starters, I'm happy...

Comfortable in my own skin, considerate, open-minded.

I am very open-minded.

Please. I know you.

I used to be you...

Buried in headphones half the day, obsessed with puzzles, paranoid...

Alone.

But this... changed everything.

What are you doing?

I told you... I have an open mind.

The future is now, my friend.

No more hallucinations. No more delusions.

Oh, what the hell are you talking about?

Treating Schizophrenia with DBS is just a theory.

You are not real, and neither is your brain implant.

Oh, you got me there.

My DBS is just a hallucination, but Susan Vetter's...

Is real.

So what?

So you can use it.

I could wake her up.

We're lucky.

Susan Vetter is in a minimally conscious state, not a coma.

And because she has Essential Tremor, her DBS electrodes are in the Subthalamic area.

If you could retreat them to the thalamus...

We may be able to jolt her awake.

Exactly.

That's brilliant, Pierce.

But as far as I know, it's never been done before.

I'm gonna need you there.

Oh, I don't do operating rooms.

I know about your diagnosis.

It's one of the reasons I asked you to help me with my study.

Then you know why I can't be there.

I am not asking you to hold a scalpel.

But I need you to watch the monitor, help me target the right area of the brain.

I can't always be confident in what I'm seeing.

Has your illness stopped you from being an effective teacher or helping the FBI or writing books?

[Sighs]

We're gonna need her son's permission for the surgery.

I don't know.

Can't we wait and see if she'll wake up on her own?

You mother's brain activity is steadily declining.

This may be the best chance we have to revive her.

What are you doing here?

Ian, I'm Tess Williams. I work with Oscidyne.

The hospital alerted us to Dr. Bowen's risky proposal.

Now, do you understand that this is not an FDA-approved usage?

You didn't tell me that.

We would be operating under an emergency exemption to FDA rules.

It's not uncommon.

It doesn't make it less risky.

It's my legal obligation to tell you that Oscidyne can't be held liable for the outcome.

This is not about liability. This is about a woman's life.

Look at her.

If that was your mother, what would you do?

I'd want to know all the facts before I made any decision.

Here's my card. Okay?

Feel free to call me.

Go for it.

How we doing, Dr. Pierce?

[Sighs] W-we're close.

One millimeter higher.

Stop there. [Sighs]

I think... I think that's your best bet.

Controller.

Come on, Susan.

Wake up.

[Beeping]

Let's try a higher pulse width.

It's not working, huh?

Go away.

Her E.E.G. is dropping.

Maybe you should let me handle this. I mean, I'm not sick.

Hey, this whole thing was your idea!

What?

Nothing.

You okay?

Dan: No, he's not. He's an untreated schizophrenic.

And what's worse, he's incompetent.

We're losing her. We need to end the surgery.

Come on, pal. You can do this.

No, no, wait, wait. Uh...

Try one more placement.

One millimeter higher to the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus.

[Beeping]

[Breathing deeply]

Her eyes are moving.

Increase pulse train to 30 hertz.

Susan, can you hear me?

Yes.

Well done.

Dan: Attaboy.

Can you tell me your name and your date of birth?

Susan Evelyn Vetter.

April 5, 1971.

Your current address?

183 Kirtland street, Arden, Illinois.

What is the last thing you remember before waking up in the hospital?

I was at home in my kitchen.

Okay.

This might be hard for you, but...

I need you to tell me what happened in your house that morning.

Randall had just left for work.

I was at the sink washing the dishes when...

Oh, for some reason, my tremor started to get worse.

[Plate shatters]

[Cup shatters]

It felt like my DBS was back on.

But that didn't... it didn't make any sense.

My husband had turned it off the night before.

Because of what happened to Sario?

Yeah.

I started to feel really...

Angry that Randall had made some kind of mistake, and...

And then, he, uh... he walked back into the kitchen.

[Susan stammering]

I thought you turned my DBS off.

Susan, calm down.

Don't tell me to calm...

Down!

After that, I don't remember anything. I must have blacked out.

Where is Randall?

Is he all right?

I'm sorry, Susan.

Oh, my God.

Did I k*ll my husband?

Oh, my God.

[Sobbing]

His wife k*lled him?

That doesn't make any sense.

She was almost dead by the time the cops got there.

But before she collapsed, she was in a highly agitated state.

So, first, she shoves her husband, and then she has the seizure.

Whoa, whoa, wait. You said that Sario was in a highly agitated state before his seizure, too, right?

Right, right. So, I'm guessing that Susan's DBS levels surged just like Sario's.

Another nail in Oscidyne's coffin.

When Susan got to the hospital, her DBS was off.

So, maybe it... it was sabotage like Singh suggested.

Hang on a second. You're saying that somebody jacked up her DBS levels and then turned it back off?

Why would anyone do that?

I don't know, but...

To do it, they'd have to know her wireless code, and they would have to be close by.

Look, I know it sounds crazy, but Vetter was right there, and he definitely had her code.

Of course. The dead guy did it.

Well, excuse me, but in my experience, the husband's usually the k*ller, not the big Biotech firm.

Really? Then explain how he turned off her DBS after he was dead.

Maybe he zapped her, but then he talked to you on the phone, changed his mind, went back in the house, turned her DBS off.

But by then, it was too late. She was already in a rage.

It makes sense.

I mean, a guy wants to k*ll his wife, he knows he can do it by maxing out her DBS level.

And... and he knows about the series of malfunctions with her model.

It's a perfect cover.

So, when she dies, he claims it was just another defective device.

It's sick, but it's kind of brilliant.

Whatever happened, Susan admitted that she pushed him, so you got to cut Singh loose.

Well, we're still going after Oscidyne for the eight other failures.

Damn right.

So what now? [Sighs] We can't get a confession out of a dead man.

Well, we can still prove that the DBS was manipulated.

I'll get Fleckner in cyber on it.

In the meantime, let's try to establish a motive.

Tell me about your parents' relationship.

You're asking me that now?

Listen, Ian, your mother has admitted to k*lling your father.

You're seriously telling me she could go to jail?

Listen, even if she didn't mean to do it, she could still be facing manslaughter charges.

Their marriage wasn't perfect.

Not perfect how?

When my mom's tremors got bad, my dad got a, uh... a wandering eye.

You mean a girlfriend?

Mom thought he was having an affair with his secretary.

Gabby: That's ridiculous. I mean, he flirted a little bit.

We had drinks after work a few times, but I never slept with him.

Fleckner.

Pierce.

Gabby: But to tell you the truth, I thought he was having an affair, too.

Sometimes he would speak on the phone in whispers, and other times, he'd disappear for hours at lunch.

Moretti's wasting her time.

[Door opens]

I found something.

Daniel: A cellphone?

An MP3 player.

It doesn't make phone calls, but it does just about everything else.

The cops bagged it from the kitchen counter.

This is the Oscidyne 5.0 software.

It was the last program run on the device, and...

It was synced with Susan Vetter's DBS access code.

Great.

Now they can use cellphones to tap into our brains.

Yeah, it's pretty cool, right? Check this out.

I scanned the MP3's memory card and found the sync codes for every one of the failures you guys have been investigating.

And guess what...

They were all intentional.

Somebody's been using this puppy to travel around the country zapping people's brains.

So, there were never any malfunctions?

Nope.

Looks like Vetter did them all to make his wife's m*rder look like part of a series of product failures.

Kate: Well, I'll check his travel records, but if we can put him at any of these locations, we've got our guy.

Are you kidding me?

This whole thing was just a run-of-the-mill, domestic-m*rder plot?

[Chuckles]

Poor Donnie. Not gonna get his name in the paper.

That's not what this was about.

TV announcer: We'll be right back with our half-time analysis right after...

You couldn't have gotten one lousy haircut?

Excuse me?

Eva just broke up with me... by text.

What, you're blaming me?

No, I'm not blaming you. [Sighs]

I just wish I knew what I did wrong.

Well, that's obvious.

You pushed her too hard on the whole extension-school thing.

You probably made her feel like she's not smart enough for you.

[Doorbell rings]

Of course, Doc. I'd love to get it. Be happy to.
[Man speaking indistinctly on TV]

[Door opens]

[Sighs]

Oh.

Max: Hey, uh... Doc?

Oh, it's all right. It's all right, Lewicki.

Oh, you're watching the Bulls.

Who's winning?

Clippers are up by 10 at the half.

[Sighs] Bastards.

Mnh-mnh. W-what are you doing here, Donnie?

You're the brain expert. Read my mind.

Fortunately, I can't.

Okay, I'll tell you.

I'm bummed. [Sighs]

I wanted the DBS thing to be defective.

You wanted it. Why?

You ever hear of Lexomycin?

Yeah.

It was an antibiotic linked to heart problems.

Bingo.

Well, when I first started at the D.O.J., my job was to pick which cases to pass up to my boss.

And one day, Lexomycin landed on my desk.

And you know what I did?

What?

Nothing.

I thought it looked lame, and I wanted to look cool, so...

I gave my boss this organized-crime thing instead.

I mean, what's sexier than taking down Vincent Capece, right?

You know what happened with Lexomycin?

40 people d*ed.

47 people d*ed.

And you think that's your fault?

I know it's not all my fault.

The FDA should have stopped it sooner, and the assh*le manufacturer should have...

Tested it better, but I should have done something.

So, Lexomycin's why you took on Oscidyne.

See?

You can read my mind.

It's just like Kate said. I always have an angle.

Right? But I didn't want my name in the paper.

I wanted...

[Sighs]

I don't know.

Redemption?

Yeah.

I'm always looking out for number one.

And it always ends up screwing up other people.

That's what I did with Lexomycin.

And that's what I did with my marriage.

It sounds dumb, but...

I thought that taking on Oscidyne would prove to Kate that I changed.

I just wanted to be the guy she thought she married.

Uh... Donnie...

Maybe I should get...

One of those DBS thingies and...

It could zap me every time I'm about to do something...

Stupid.

Donnie, are...

At least Donnie's trying to become his better self.

Why can't you do that, Daniel? I did.

This is ridiculous! I can't just get a DBS and suddenly be cured.

But you could do a lot of other things.

There are new-generation anti-psychotics, and you won't use those, either.

You won't even go to therapy, which is a damn shame.

Because you could have so much more in your life.

You could have what I have...

My family.

Beautiful, aren't they?

You could have this, too...

If you'd just take care of yourself.

I don't want to look at that.

I don't blame you.

It must make you feel awful lonely.

But ask yourself, who else couldn't look?

What do you mean? Put that away.

You've been trying to figure out who turned off Susan Vetter's DBS.

But you already know, don't you?

Susan Vetter...

Was treated for seizures and multiple lacerations, all caused by blunt-force trauma to the back of the head.

Donnie: Now you think she did it?

When we were in the hospital, Tess didn't look at Susan... not once.

So what? I didn't want to look at her either.

No, but if I pointed at her, you would have.

Tess didn't. It was too hard for her to look at the woman she tried to k*ll.

We're gonna need way more than that to get a jury past reasonable doubt.

Well, there is more. Vetter said he saw Tess in Miami.

I think they were having an affair.

Circumstantial.

Which is why we need a confession.

And how are you gonna get that?

Watch.

Have you ever seen these before, Tess?

[Sighs]

Look.

Put them away, please.

Not until you answer my questions.

What do you want to know?

Sorry.

You remember Dr. Pierce.

Daniel: Yes. Tess and I have met.

Oh... my.

It's terrible what happened to Randall Vetter.

I'm sure you were pretty broken up about it.

He was a wonderful man.

I liked him.

You loved him, didn't you?

What?

No, he...

It's okay.

It must be so hard to be the other woman.

The family gets all the sympathy.

Nobody thinks about how you feel.

If you don't mind my asking...

How did it start?

I met him three years ago, right after I got hired by Oscidyne.

He was kind...

And patient. I'd never met a man like him.

And we both felt something.

Then you slept together?

No. Randall wasn't like that.

But after a while, his wife Susan's tremors got really bad.

He still loved her, but he wasn't attracted to her anymore.

That's when we started seeing each other.

But then Susan got DBS, and her tremors went away.

Did that change things?

Yes.

Randall started spending more time at home.

That must have hurt.

It did.

And that's when you decided to do something about Susan Vetter.

Daniel: With Susan gone, you and Randall could have a real life together...

Marriage, maybe children.

Her DBS was the perfect way to get rid of her.

No.

But you didn't want Randall to suspect anything, so you came up with a plan to make it look like Susan's unit was defective.

And because of your job, you had the patients' access codes.

Tess, we found your MP3.

Your fingerprints are all over it.

[Sighs]

I only raised their settings a few levels.

Just enough so they'd have side effects.

But then you made the mistake of targeting Sario.

[Mid-tempo violin music playing]

[Off-key notes play]

[Grunting] [Audience gasps]

Daniel: You never thought your att*ck on him would make the doctor want to take out Susan's DBS, too.

Kate: You had to act because you weren't gonna get another chance to k*ll her.

[Car door closes, engine turns over]

Tess: I had to get close enough to connect with her unit.

Once I did, I turned her DBS back on, and I started to raise the levels.

I was almost finished.

[Glass shatters]

But then Randall came back.

He wasn't supposed to be there.

I thought you turned my DBS off.

Susan, calm down.

Don't tell me to calm down!

[Thud]

[Grunts]

But I had to see if Randall was hurt.

At first, I saw Susan. It was horrible.

And then I saw Randall.

[Crying] I just wanted Randall for myself.

I forgot to tell you... you're out of O.J. sorry.

Well, you probably needed it after last night.

Yeah. [Sighs]

I shouldn't have barged in on you like that.

Thanks for not throwing me out on my ass.

Do me a favor?

Don't tell Kate.

I won't.

Maybe you should.

[Sighs]

So, who won the game, anyway?

We did.

Da' Bulls.

Daniel Pierce bumping fists.

Really?

Just be careful you don't pick up any of his other juvenile habits, okay?

He's not that bad.

Maybe you should cut him some slack.

Hey.

Thanks for coming.

I don't know what else there is to say.

You don't have to say anything.

Look, I know why you broke up with me.

You thought I was... [sighs]

Judging you because you don't have a college degree.

You made such a big deal about the scholarship.

I mean, how was I supposed to feel?

When I was in high school...

I felt like I didn't measure up.

I was a skinny, adopted kid who sucked at sports.

And I had a last name that ends with icky.

But going to college, getting a scholarship, those things made me feel better about myself.

So, because you were insecure, you think I am, too?

I just wanted to help you.

How about next time, you ask me what I want?

Next time?

Okay, want to do this?

You ready?

Let's try.

[Off-key notes play]

Let me try a lower pulse width. [Beeping]

[Note plays]

[Melody plays]

Daniel: Why are humans constantly striving for improvement?

Much of our ambition is driven by our large Prefrontal Cortex.

Which is why we're in this classroom and not in the jungle eating bananas.

[Laughter]

Every day, we dream about new technological advancements...

Upgraded cellphones, faster computers, new medical techniques.

Science seems to have unlimited potential.

And many of these advancements really do make our lives better.

But sometimes I think...

In our striving for improvement, we lose sight of something just as important.

Maybe we should try to accept what's already pretty good about ourselves.

And not everything needs fixing.

Mozart's music is 200 years old.

It doesn't require any upgrade.

It's perfect just the way it is.

[Song ends]
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