A Hard Problem (2021)

[bunniefuu]

[somber music playing]

[Ian] She's gone.

It was peaceful.

In her sleep.

Call me as soon as you can.

I have my phone and-- and Mom's.

I'd really like to see you

or at least hear from you.

And this is already hard enough.

We don't have to

go through this alone.

I'll see you the hospital,

right?

Okay, I...

I love you.

Bye.

[hoover whirring]

[PA system]

Welcome to Secret [indistinct].

[Ian] Excuse me.

Uh, my mother was brought here

and, uh,

I'm trying to find out

where she is.

-I'll be right with you.

-Wait, uh, no, I'm not--

Uh, I-- I don't need care.

Uh, my mother passed

and she's here somewhere,

but I don't know where to go

or who to check in with,

so if you can--

What's your name?

Ian. Ian Thomas.

-Andromi ID?

[scoffs] I don't have time

for this.

Wait, what about helping me?

What are you even doing here?

You know what?

It doesn't matter.

Leave or I'll have you removed.

[child crying]

[child crying]

[sirens wailing]

[woman] What are you doing here?

You can't be here.

You can't be.

[cutlery cranking]

[crickets chirping]

[owl hooting]

[cigarette turns off]

[pensive music playing]

[young Ian] Why do you

have to leave?

[Mary] Sometimes

I have to travel for work.

[doorbell rings]

[door knocking]

[birds chirping]

[rousing music playing]

[Lisa] Hi, you've reached Lisa.

Leave a message.



[Kuey barking]

Hey, bud.

[Ian] Hello?

Uh, I have to pick up a dress

for Mary to be--

I have most of her clothes

packed up in the bedroom.

I've had everything

forwarded to us.

[Meg] She sure had

a lot of sh*t.

[Ian] Yeah.

It's kinda nice though.

This sh*t had history.

Hey.

Could you come

look at something?

It was tucked away in the attic.

Any idea what it is?

I have no clue.

Why would you?

It was after you--

before you arrived home

to take care of her.

So what is it?

I think

Lisa would like to have this.

I think she should come get it.

Let's go, Kuey.

Where's his leash?

Wait, uh, you're taking Kuey?

Well, he can't stay with you.

Come on, Kuey.

You, um,

you'll need his medication.

Come on, Kuey. Let's go.

[Kuey whining]

I-- I think

he wants to stay, Meg.

He's a dog.

He doesn't know what he wants.

Fine. f*ck it, I'm leaving.

Meg, wait. Hold on a sec.

[Ian sighs]

Why does my own sister

refuse to talk to me?

[Meg scoffs]

Your job

is to pack up the house.

That's it.

Anything else

doesn't involve you.

[door slams shut]

[owl hooting]

[pensive music playing]

[birds chirping]

[Ian grunts]

[dramatic music intensifies]

[young Ian grunts]

[dramatic music peaks]

[glass shutters]

[crickets chirping]

[owl hooting]

[Ian grunts]

[sprinkler whirring]

[birds chirping]

[hoover whirring]

[hoover turning off]

[phone chimes]

[phone beeps]

[phone beeps]

[Kuey barking]

[Kuey whining]

[Kuey barking]

[Kuey barking]

[Kuey barking]

[Ian grunts]

You gotta stop going upstairs.

All right?

Hey, she's not up there.

You keep getting stuck, okay?

[water boiling]

[Ian sighs]

[church bell ringing]

[indistinct chatter]

[clergyman] Now she's at peace.

It's so nice of you

to be here to support her.

Could you excuse me

for a moment?

Uh, hello?

Hi, um,

look, I'm--

I'm sorry to have to ask you,

but could you

step outside with me?

Uh, why?

Uh, if we could just

step outside, then I-- then I--

-I should go inside.

-Uh, I'm sorry.

Um,

there seems to be

a misunderstanding

and I'm trying

to make sure that--

That's my sister in there,

I need to go.

Okay,

people are mourning in there.

I'm mourning too.

This is--

this is totally inhumane.

You can't be here.

[Ian] She didn't even believe.

She didn't believe

in any of this.

Okay, you need to leave.

Now!

[Ian] f*ck this.

This is sick.

You're all f*cking sick!

[thunder rumbling]

[somber music playing]

[objects clatter]

[birds chirping]

[doctor] We've caught it early

so there is reason

to be optimistic.

[Mary] Oh,

that's a good thing you fell.

Otherwise,

you might not have found out.

-Yeah, way to use your head.

-[Mary] Lisa.

As we formulate

a course of treatment,

it's important that Ian

not only take care of his body

but his mind as well.

We have trauma

counselors available

or can recommend

some people if you'd like.

[Mary] Yes, that would be

wonderful, thank you.

So what-- what are the odds?

Our chances?

What-- what are we--

what are we up against?

I'm never comfortable giving

percentages, Mrs. Thomas,

but remission

is certainly possible.

Remission?

Is that doctor speak for cure?

[water dripping]

That's not a word.

We don't really speak

in terms of cured or uncured.

[rain spluttering]

Ian?

Ian, do you have any questions?

Can I take this off now?

[thunder rumbling]

[phone ringing]

I hate kids.

[John] Everyone hates kids.

I'm not talking about everyone,

I'm talking about me.

[John] You know, it's easier

if you just read the overview

and not the entire data set.

Most techs find it helpful

not knowing all the details.

Maybe that's why

my numbers are better.

[John] Or it could be that

you ignore the guideline

and spend days on a single case.

I got close yesterday...

I think.

I don't know.

[John] You can't win 'em all,

Olivia.

I'm here. Talk soon.

[car door slams]

How many more days

is this going to take?

We're trying our best,

Mrs. Unger.

Well, we should be

compensated for damages.

That's an issue

for contract services.

I'm from support.

Well, I've already heard

from an attorney

recommending we join

a class action lawsuit.

Good morning, Mr. Unger.

Emotional damages.

That's what

the lawyer on the phone said.

I can't give you legal advice,

Mrs. Unger.

But I can tell you that

there are a lot of law firms

looking for class

actions suits against us.

Well, it doesn't seem like

they need to look very hard.

Look, I just wanna know,

can you fix it or not?

I'm trying my best,

but I can't promise anything.

No, you can't.

We've learned not to rely

on Qualia's promises.

[shredder whirring]

[shredder turning off]

[Ian sighs]

["Wasn't Made For Love"

by LORENNA playing]

Prophetic f*ck up

I'm not magic

My future's just set

in stone

Trust me I've tried

and tried enough

I'm desperate for a refresh.

Love, love

[device beeps]

I wasn't made for love

Love

I thought we agreed

you're a little young

-for nail polish.

-We're never too young.

Are you sure

you don't want any?

Looks like you could use it.

I have other colors.

Verify consignment.

[device dinging]

Are you talking to me?

[device dinging]

[sniffs]

Oh, my God.

Don't you just love the smell?

You should stop with the makeup

and get back to your paintings.

Your dad loves them.

But now I'm the painting.

I saw Mr. Unger.

He seemed sad.

That's because Daddy sent me

to my room before I was done.

You're in your room

because you're sick...

and your dad wants you

to get better.

I'm not sick.

I'm much better.

A better artist.

[Olivia] Better how?

[Eliza] I found a better way

to make him happy.

What better way?

Last night. Didn't he tell you?

What happened last night?

I reshaped into a form

that could bring him more joy.

And what form is that?

One in which I could offer

beauty and pleasure

That's new.

Well, what's the matter?

Did I do something wrong?

No.

That's the problem.

[Olivia sighs]

Your brother seemed nice...

till it got weird.

You don't know my brother.

-Hello?

-This should all be packed away.

Where's the urn?

Maybe we should go.

I'm not leaving

without my brother.

[dog barks]

What are you doing outside?

What's that for?

Protection.

That's not how it works.

[sink whirring]

[Lisa] Hey!

[Ian] Lisa,

I'm glad you came by.

[Meg] Where is it?

[Ian] I was just

cleaning up the house.

Would you like to sit down?

What did you do with them?

[Ian] It's safe.

Give them to me now.

But I--

You're supposed to do

what I tell you.

-Lisa, don't.

-[Ian] Something feels wrong.

I'm just trying to figure out

what I'm supposed to do

without Mom and--

-She's not your mother.

-[Meg] Stop.

You're a trinket.

Where did you put the ashes?

Lisa, we need to call

tech support.

[Lisa] I'm gonna ask this

one more time.

Where are my brothers ashes?

What?

Answer me!

-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.

-[Meg grunts]

[quiet ominous music plays]

[whispering indistinctly]

Give him back.

-No.

-[Meg] Lisa, let's go. Now.



[video game console beeps]

How well do you know

the neighbors?

Well, enough. Why?

A drop team will be here

in a few hours.

Faraday cages

will be dropped off

for all of you.

A drop team?

Anything with a hard drive

or containing

digital information

needs to be removed, okay?

That means we lose our deposit.

You need to start gathering up

phones, laptops,

tablets, TVs,

anything with data on it.

When will they take it away?

Uh, maintenance crew

will be here shortly

to pick her up.

It's one thing

to take a person's money,

but you're stealing souls.

-Mrs. Unger--

-Jackson.

My name is Ruby Jackson,

not Mrs. Unger.

Bob couldn't imagine

getting married again.

He was at peace

with losing his little girl

until Qualia told him

he could have his daughter back.

-I'm sorry.

-[Ruby] She was kidnapped.

Did you know that?

Eliza was a sweet

and gentle spirit.

Now look

what you turned her into.

[rhythmic electronic pulsing]

[electronic rumbling]

Thank you for your cooperation.

[device dings]

It's against God

to bring back the dead.

They're machines,

Ms. Jackson, not zombies.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

[tablet chimes]

[tablet chimes]

[gentle music plays]

[Billie] At Qualia

our foster AGI ensures

that our loved ones

can be with us always.

Through our popular

Cherish series,

Qualia has been

tirelessly perfecting

our proprietary

neuromorphic wet wear

for over a decade

to recreate

and restore husbands,

wives, sons, and daughters.

In combination

with our industry-best

synthetic hardware,

world-class encryption,

and real, live tech support,

Qualia is the world leader

in imprint cognition.

With customized nursing skills

and life management,

you can be assured

that your artificial parallel

fits your specific needs.

And tied together

with our digital

and biological

imprint technology,

the Cherish series from Qualia

is unrivaled

in its ability to construct

an authentic

and lifelike

artificial parallel.

Memories from the past

help create a future

filled with new possibilities.

Moments to have, to hold,

to cherish.

[breathing heavily]

[rapid suspenseful music plays]

[tablet chimes]

[gasps]

[gasps]

[Ian gasps]

["Bitter Pill" by Madras]

[indistinct lyrics]

Somehow [indistinct lyrics]

[indistinct lyrics]

[indistinct lyrics]

[light music plays]

[man over the phone]

Room service.

[birds chirping]

[clattering in the distance]

[Ian grunting in the distance]

[clattering in the distance]

[diner din]

[Lisa] I called to have

the power and the gas shut off,

and I can change the locks

if that helps.

No, you can leave the locks.

I'm sorry,

why did you cut off the power?

[Lisa] To starve it.

No power means no heat.

No gas means no cooking.

No food, no energy.

Artificial parallels

can consume raw protein

and digest things

human biology cannot.

There's no need to cook

or refrigerate

their fuel source.

And they can run on as little

as 30 calories a day.

Another reason to hate them.

Why can't we just turn it off?

[Olivia] As next of kin

you should have been able to,

but that's why I have a job.

And there's no backdoor?

People don't want back doors

for the phones in their pockets.

Imagine putting one in

for something

that's designed to look,

listen, and monitor you 24/7.

[Meg] So, you're our only hope.

If I'm unable

to get the parallel

to manually shut down,

a drop team is the other option.

So, no offense,

but why can't we just do that?

Money.

Qualia can recycle more

of a parallel

with a manual shutdown.

A drop team's magnetic pulse

contaminates everything.

That's why we recommend

removing all electronics

or data storage

from the immediate

and surrounding properties.

Any digital possession

in the house.

Pictures, songs, recipes,

notes, that all gets corrupted.

I don't care if you stick it

in the microwave.

All I want is to make sure

that we get it to tell us

where it hid my brother's ashes.

-It hid your brother's ashes?

-[Meg] Yes.

They can't be deceptive.

[Meg] Why?

It's not programmed to.

You know,

we've been sitting here

answering questions,

and I still don't know

what it is you're going to do

-to help us.

-I talk to it.

Have a conversation.

So, you're a shrink for robots?

If you wanna

see it that way, sure.

Look, parallels

are just living out a narrative.

Like a "choose

your own adventure."

Except sometimes it veers off

into unanticipated plot lines.

My job is to come in,

attempt to get it back on track

towards a happy ending.

What if it doesn't want

an ending?

Parallels can't want, they're--

-Not programmed to.

-Mm.

-I'm saying at the Stanley.

-[phone beeps]

My contact info is in there.

[Lisa] So, what happens

if we don't find out

where the ashes are?

Search the house.

Where else could it be?

Parallels can't leave

their homes

without their owners.

It's against their protocol.

But it showed up

at the hospital on its own.

And the memorial service.

Uh, wait,

you didn't tell me that earlier.

Um, is there anything else

I should know?

It grabbed my arm.

It caught your arm.

Why?

For the same reason,

it's hiding my brother.

To stay alive.

-Hi.

-[Kuey pants]

You must be Kuey.

[Kuey panting]

Ian?

Hello?

Anyone home?

What's your name?

[Olivia] Olivia.

Did you hear me come in?

I figured you might wanna

get a look around the house.

[Olivia] Do you know

why I'm here?

I thought to ask you

the same question.

[Olivia] Are you packing

or unpacking?

I'm taking my time.

And how much time

will that take?

[Ian] Too much for Lisa,

I suspect.

Could you have the power

turned back on?

It would be easier for Kuey.

His eyes

aren't what they used to be.

How old is he?

[Ian] 13.

Kuey is sick.

Cancer seems to be a theme

in this family.

It's not too late

to save yourself.

Looks like someone's done

a lot of traveling.

Mary, well, my mother.

She spent a lot of time in China

for work.

What's the story with this?

I don't know. I can't read it.

[Olivia] You sound disappointed.

Well, if I could get online,

I could tell you what it says,

but...

I'm in the dark, so to speak.

And what does that have to do

with the story?

I just see...

ink and paper, I...

I can't read it either,

but it's beautiful.

Now what if it's beautiful,

but it says something ugly?

True.

It could say "stupid horse"

in really nice handwriting.

Now that seems plausible.

Well, now it has a story.

Verify consignment.

[device beeps]

[device beeps]

-Can you tell me how I was made?

-Excuse me?

I think it's important

that I understand the...

mechanics of my invention.

You have me convinced

I was human.

Who do you think you are?

I'm Qualia-designed series six,

artificial parallel,

assigned to foster care.

My serial number is 230282.

I was consigned 12 years ago

on June 6th

from Qualia HQ

in Irvine, California.

And I have been given

the appearance and personality

of Ian Ivan Thomas, the...

deceased son...

of Mary Elizabeth Thomas.

Are you all right?

-Um...

-[clattering]

Can...

[clears throat]

...can you give me

your serial number again?

[device chimes]

Okay.

Do you know who I am?

Why I am here?

You're Olivia.

And...

I assume you're here

to help me finish packing.

That's right.

Will you hurt me?

No.

No, I won't hurt you.

Will someone else?

Does it hurt?

[Olivia] Does what hurt?

Dying.

Are you dying?

I'm trying not to.

Machines don't die.

-Are you afraid of dy--

-[clattering]

[Olivia chuckles]

I am not a machine.

[phone vibrates]

D-- do you think we could...

continue this tomorrow?

I'm tired.

[scoffs] Tired, you...

get tired.

Imagine finding out

you're adopted while...

at the same time being given

a terminal diagnosis.

I wanna think.

Think and rest.

I could use some time

to process too.

Okay.

Thank you, Olivia.

Sure.

I'll be here tomorrow.

Me too.

[jazz music playing over stereo]

[Olivia] Is everything

all right?

[Lisa] Yes.

I-- I wanted to apologize.

I felt like I came off as a--

Earlier this morning...

I was kind of a d*ck.

Can I buy you a drink?

[indistinct lyrics]

How long do these usually take?

Shutting down parallels.

[Olivia] The cases I see

by definition are all unique.

Sometimes they're easy,

while others are more complex.

[Lisa] Well,

almost nothing about my family

was ever easy.

I'm so sorry about your mother.

Thank you.

It's been hard.

Not just with her death, but...

now with this whole situation.

I hated that

she could love a machine

as much as her own daughter.

Does that make me a monster?

No. Not at all.

It's a normal reaction.

Ian, real Ian, I mean...

he wasn't religious.

But faith and redemption...

that means something to me.

As he was in and out

of the hospital,

Ian had this stupid line

where he'd say...

"Ghosts don't have to be real

for the dead

to visit the living."

Little sh*t mostly meant it

as a threat.

[Lisa laughs]

He was right, though.

I'll see a gesture or...

hear a song or taste something

he loved, and...

suddenly there he is.

Alive in my memory...

back from the dead.

I don't have

much of my brother left.

I need you to promise me

that you'll get

Ian's ashes back.

Lisa, thank you for the drink

and for all your help.

But I wanna be clear.

My cases

don't always resolve neatly.

I just want you to have

realistic expectations.

And what should that be?

If I can't save him, that is...

if I can't get it

to shut itself down...

I can't guarantee

that we will find the ashes.

It's a parallel, Olivia...

not a person.

You can't save something

that doesn't have soul.

[man] Hey.

Excuse me?

[man] You wanna hear a joke?

So, the devil thinks

that he's a better programmer

than Jesus, right?

Jesus politely disagrees.

So, God, in his infinite wisdom,

he decides, uh,

a competition, right?

A coding competition.

So, uh, Jesus and the devil,

they-- they start programming,

and they're typing really fast,

and there's lines

and lines of code

whizzing by on the screen.

And they're-- they're going

for hours, days, weeks

until suddenly power goes out.

Their-- their computers

boot back up.

The devil looks at his screen,

and it's all gone.

All of his work lost, erased.

While on Jesus' screen,

it's all there

like nothing happened.

The devil is cursing up a storm.

He demands,

"Why does Jesus still have

all of his programming?

God shrugged and said...

"Jesus saves."

So, it thinks it's the machine.

Shouldn't that make it easier?

No. Why would that be easier?

Every case I've had

was built on the foundation

that each parallel thought

it was human.

[John] So, you'll have to think

a bit outside the box.

John, this one

isn't just outside of the box.

It's picking up the box

and looking at the label.

Well, looking at

the manual diagnostics you send,

its levels seem totally normal.

If anything,

these numbers are extraordinary,

right down the center.

That was not my impression.

[John] Don't overthink this.

Find out what this AP wants

and connect it

with shutting itself down.

It wants to not be shut down.

Okay.

Look, I have an idea,

and I don't want

this getting out.

So, this stays

between you and me.

-Got it?

-Okay.

Sure.

We can petition

for a case study.

It will keep a parallel

operational for a year or two

while they really delve

into its programming.

How does that sound?

Wow, that-- that sounds great.

[John] Happy?

Yes.

I didn't even know

something like that

could be done.

It can. I lied.

And a part of you knew that,

but you believed it anyways

because you wanted it

to be true.

-So, all you need to do is to--

-[static plays]

[Olivia] John?

f*ck.

[calling tone beeps]

[receptionist] Front desk.

How may I help you?

[Olivia] Uh, yes, my Wi-Fi.

[receptionist]

I'm sorry, you're--

you're having trouble

with your Wi-Fi?

[birds chirping]

[clattering]

[rustling, clattering]

[Lisa] Please,

don't do this, Mom.

Please.

I'll hire anyone you want.

Anything but this.

Ian, do you know who that is?

This is sick.

I can't be here and see this.

Mom.

I don't need you here, Lisa.

This isn't about you.

-Why don't you say hello?

-[door slams shut]

[Ian] Hi, Mom.

[gasps, sniffs]

Hello.

[Ian] We're back here.

-Do you play?

-[Olivia] Play what?

[Ian] Backgammon.

I used to play this on my phone

all the time.

I hated

when I lost to the computer.

Go figure.

So, how did you lose?

Chance.

I mean, that's what I like

about backgammon.

You know, everything starts

structured and balanced until...

you're confronted with chaos

and armed with only creativity

and intelligence.

You attempt to maintain order.

And the goal is to remove

all your pieces from the board,

right?

[Ian] Yes.

That is the objective.

[Olivia] Did she read all this?

Probably not.

But she liked the idea

of people thinking she had.

Yeah, I have a new opinion

on how much stuff

a person really needs.

But these aren't just things.

They're markers.

These are books.

The reason you were created

was to help Mary's well-being,

to keep her alive.

The way I see it...

these books,

her clothes, her jewelry...

they're all stories,

evidence of Mary.

The objects

we surround ourselves with

are destined to outlive us.

Hidden between the pages

is Mary.

She's imprinted on all of it.

So...

am I the crease in the page,

or do I get to make the fold?

I don't know, Ian.

It seems like

you're leaving a mark.

That's a nice thought.

I wonder

if you actually believe it.

How long will you be here?

[Olivia] Me?

Uh, I don't know.

A day. Maybe two.

Will you stay...

until I have to go?

I found this

with other camping supplies

in the garage.

-[Olivia] Did you go camping?

-[thunder rumbles]

-I don't know.

-[kettle whistling]

It's hard to separate

what is the past experience

or simply a memory.

Memories are past experiences.

Well, sure.

They just might not be mine.

And the manual states...

parallels incorporate media

and other forms of narrative

to help shape a personality

and...

link to a common history.

The developers are really gonna

wanna get their hands on you.

Great tea, by the way.

Thanks.

I had time to perfect it.

Oh, yeah?

You find an old family recipe?

Oh, no.

It's because Mary had arthritis

in her hands.

I don't follow.

[rousing music plays]

[Ian] Osteoarthritis

had decreased Mary's

range of motion,

especially in the dexterity

of her fingers.

I had anticipated

that the angle of her trajectory

was too shallow.

So, I immediately began

investigating tea stains.

I started by learning

about the chemistry

of stain removal.

The difference between enzymatic

and oxidizable stains

and when to use bleaches

versus surfactants.

After that, it didn't take long

to aggregate a formula

that would have the highest

likelihood of success.

And then I realized

I'd been given

the rarest of gifts.

One second of spare time.

So, I decided

to let my mind wander.

I read up

on the history of tea.

How it originated in Asia

as early as the third century,

and tracing it to Portugal

in the 16th century.

Then through to Britain

and onto the commercial trading

in India,

through

the British East India Company.

That led me

to learn about navigation

and the uses of [indistinct]

and compasses.

Uh, I then became interested

in the earth's magnetic field,

solar wind,

the Sun, the Milky Way.

And by the time I started

in on the Big Bang,

dark matter, and the multiverse,

I discovered

I'd gotten a bit off-topic.

So, I quickly collected

tea-making formulas

and averaged out

their steeping method,

water temperature,

milk to sugar ratios,

and determined the best recipe

to a perfect cup

for the varietal

that Mary and I preferred.

-Oh, sh**t!

-[Ian] Don't worry.

-I'll clean it up.

-Oh!

-Would you like another cup?

-[Mary] Yes.

Thank you, sweetheart.

Oh.

Did it ever occur to you

how incredible it is

to process so much, so quickly?

But I know the difference.

And there's something

it's like to be me.

It felt like me.

It seemed normal.

Does it seem normal now?

It stopped raining.

I want some air.

I'll join you in a minute.

I've gotta check in with work.

-[birds chirping]

-[wind chime chimes]

[John over the phone]

If it can get from tea

to astrophysics in one second,

shouldn't it see

that consenting to a shutdown

is better than being obliterated

by a drop team?

[Olivia over phone]

Not if it wants to survive.

Not if it sees both

a certain death.

[John] Machines don't die.

Look, its data

might be valuable, might,

but ultimately not as valuable

as getting you

onto your next case.

[Olivia] This one is different.

He thinks different.

[John] They're all different

in some ways, which--

which makes them all the same.

[Olivia sighs]

[Olivia] Okay, anything else?

[John] Yeah.

I don't remember reading

that Ian was a smoker.

How could he?

He died with barely enough time

to pick up any bad habits.

But Mary was.

She got you to smoke.

I think it was a way to bond.

And I suppose

since she already had cancer,

and I can't get it...

it was a fairly benign activity.

Can I have a try?

[birds chirping]

Ian, I have some bad news.

Oh, good.

Qualia and Lisa have approved

a drop team.

What?

W-- why?

Lisa would never let

that happen.

What about her brother's ashes?

I can't tell you why.

I just know it's happening.

I'm sorry.

We should probably

get some packing done.

Was this your room?

Um...

I had to start somewhere.

[somber eerie music plays]

[fire crackling]

You do remember how to play?

Let's see

if you still feel that way

further into the game.

Well, taking the lover's leap

as an opening move

is a good sign.

Lover's leap.

I didn't know it had a name.

[Ian] May I ask

what happened to your leg?

[Olivia] Uh, why?

Do you think

something's wrong with my legs?

Leg. The left one.

You favor it when you walk.

I'm sorry I--

I've made you uncomfortable.

No, no, it's all right.

I...

I had a...

cancerous mass removed

from my femur.

As a child?

My late teens.

That's still young

to be dealing with cancer.

Were you a dancer?

Did you look me up?

A lucky guess...

based on your posture

and muscle mass.

Cancer makes

for great small talk,

doesn't it?

The surgery, was it successful?

It cured my cancer

and ended my career.

So, how'd you end up doing this?

While the surgeon

saved my life,

it was the hospital's counselors

who really helped me heal.

I wanted to be

able to do the same.

Oh.

It's your roll.

What are you doing?

Make your move.

[Lisa] Can't figure out

what they're saying.

Maybe I should go out to Mom.

[Ian] No,

you should come out to mom.

Die.

Doing my best.



Your turn.

[Olivia] How do you think

this is going to end?

It's only ever obvious

once you've reached it.

I think this one is over.

You're right.

Maybe we'll get

another one in tomorrow.

[fire crackling]

Wait.

What about the fire?

It'll burn itself out.

[insects chirping]

[Ian]

You are still not looking.

[young Lisa] Yes, I am.

Okay. And what

are you looking at?

Uranus.

That's not an insult.

Uranus is the Greek god

of the heavens,

son of Gaia, Mother Earth.

[scoffs] You--

you're gonna die a virgin.

[Mary] Don't tease

your brother.

[young Ian]

Your face is a virgin.

Why do you even know

anything about Greek gods?

I don't know.

It's fun.

It's a way

to learn about astronomy.

Aren't you the one

that's always saying

that the universe

doesn't care about you?

Sure, but I don't need

the universe to care

to care about the universe.

Well, you know

what I think?

I think

you're talking out Uranus.

[both laughing]

[young Ian] Yeah.

That's pretty good.

Everything okay?

What is it?

[sighs]

Is there someone...

um, we can call?

I have the vet's number.

That'll be open

in a few hours.

Uh, do you--

You should probably

let Lisa know.

Okay. Sure.

I think I'll finish

packing up the office...

alone.

[sighs]

[rousing music]

[birds chirping]

[car beeping]

She loved that dog.

We all did.

Would you like to

come inside?

[clock ticking]

I keep having to

tell myself you're not him.

I'm not.

At least

you didn't try to hide Kuey.

I guess

Olivia's making progress.

[laughs]

This is hurting me.

-You do know that?

-That's not--

that was never my intention.

What are your intentions?

What do you want?

I wanna stay.

And I want her back.

Now that she's gone

you serve no purpose.

You never even

tried with me.

No.

If I did...

I feared I'd lose

the thread of who Ian was

and what you--

who you are.

My memories...

would be...

corrupted or fade or blur.

To know you...

would threaten to erase

all I have left of him.

I'm not trying

to replace Ian.

Not anymore.

I'm different.

I'm me.

You are a magic trick.

A very convincing one.

But still just a trick.

We're more alike

than you think.

If you're at all like me...

you'll give Ian back.

[sobbing]

[pensive music]

[phone chiming]

[Ian] She left.

How did it go?

I need to

get out of this house.

[Mary] Ivan,

let me you ask you something.

Why do you insist

on calling you that?

It's your name.

It's in my name.

What's the difference?

Should I call you Elizabeth?

If you'd like.

Let me ask you...

what are you doing here?

I'm taking care of you.

Yes.

And you do that so well.

But what else?

Well, that's enough

for me, Mom.

I can't be your world.

I'm dying.

I'm terminal.

Soon I'll be gone.

That's true today but treatments

and science are advancing so f--

That's a future

that won't come.

At least

not fast enough for me.

Why are you doing this?

Are you trying to make me cry?

No, of course not.

You're very special to me.

I worry about you.

I'm part of your past

and your present,

but I can't be your future.

There's beauty

and purpose in this world

because neither lasts.

Do you want me

to forget you?

No.

Or...

maybe.

I'm trying to

tell you that...

a memory is precious

because it can be forgotten.

I want you to know

what's important...

what's...

real.

I'm real.

When are you going to

ask me?

Ask you what?

Where his ashes are.

Oh.

Are you ready to tell me?

They're in a pot

with a fake plant

next to the kitchen sink.

Why there?

It has a nice view.

I would always stare

out that window

when I washed dishes.

What's it like to be you?

I'm always the first

and last to know.

Do you think you're human?

Well, I suppose the first step

to being human is acting human.

Are you afraid

of what happens next?

The drop team, is it quick?

It's quick.

It's fractions of a second.

But totally destructive.

You'll be completely erased.

Well, which is it?

Quick or fractions

of a second?

[water splashes]

[rousing music]

We should try to finish

before we lose the light.

[insects chirping]

[suspenseful music]

I need to tell you something.

I know.

What really happened

to your leg?

-I-- I already told you.

-That was a lie.

You said it was cancer,

a tumor...

but you used

the word "cure."

And anyone who has had or knows

someone who has had cancer

understands that cure

is not a term people use.

What happened?

[chuckles]

Black ice.

I...

slipped walking home

from rehearsal

and ended up

injuring my quadriceps.

It was diagnosed

as a small tear.

Nothing serious.

Nothing serious

ended your dancing career?

Yes.

Kind of.

The treatment

was robotic surgery.

A simple

outpatient procedure.

I was expected

to make a full recovery.

So I show up...

get prepped,

and go under the knife.

I come to

a few hours later and...

the first thing I notice

is the pain.

Uh...

it's not overwhelming.

It's more like a...

tightness.

Like the beginning

of a cramp.

I pull back

the bedsheet and...

rip off my bandage.

What I find isn't a small,

precise incision,

but a nine-inch...

gash that's been

stapled shut.

What happened?

[laughs]

Uh, at first, words like...

"preconditioning error"

and "logarithmic malfunction"

were used.

But eventually,

it was explained to me

that a software update

had been pushed over the air

to the surgical arm

that morning.

And when it opened me up,

it saw other imperfections

that it deemed

medically relevant.

So it went ahead

and fixed those.

To the machine I was full of

invisible glitches.

Countless tears literally

in the fibers of my muscle.

But what

it did not understand

is our bodies...

get stronger through damage.

That in human biology

to develop strength,

a certain level of destruction

must be tolerated.

[Olivia sighs]

Because the minds

building the machine

and designing the software

were so narrowly

focused on...

perfection...

[chuckles]

[laughs]

...they forgot to define

what constituted a flaw.

So, no,

I didn't have a tumor but...

me and 179

other unlucky people that

morning all across the country

were forever marked

by ones and zeros.

Machines don't make mistakes.

They perfectly execute

the mistakes put into them.

The mistakes

will always be ours.

And so will the regrets.

I said cancer because...

you told me

it ran in the family.

I'm sorry.

You don't have to apologize.

And it's what makes you good

at all this.

[kettle whistling]

So is this...

what you do...

really about helping people?

Hmm.

It's about...

control.

The same thing

you've been chasing.

Helping people, maybe...

maybe that was a part of it.

But maybe it was power.

Honestly, at this point,

I don't know.

I'd like to watch the sunrise.

Would you care to join me?

[Ian] Are you cold?

[Olivia] No, I'm okay. Thanks.

[Ian] Do you believe

in an afterlife?

[Olivia] It's clear your chances

are just as good as anyone's.

[Ian] They are?

At the very least,

parts of you will go on.

Built into other parallels.

Your...

data will be saved

and studied for generations.

You get to live on.

If the drop team gets here...

that all goes away.

It's impossible

to spend time with you

and not rethink

what's possible.

What do you think?

What's possible?

It's the best I've got.

You'd be terrible

at greeting cards.

Yeah, well...

we've got machines

who do that now.

I wanna believe there's more.

Plenty of people too.

Does it work for them?

It has.

For billions of people

for thousands of years.

Sure.

There's no certainty here.

It's...

something you have to feel,

like being in love.

It's a leap

you have to make for yourself.

I think you should run.

That's not an option.

Of course, it is.

I could help you.

I can't pass out there.

Everyone sees through me.

In the best-case scenario...

well, this world treats me

like an escaped house pet.

Worst case...

I'm hunted like rare game...

forever.

I don't want that.

We'll figure it out.

You are serious.

I'm choosing control.

To shut down.

With you.

So that's it.

We just give up.

No.

We play the moves

we have left.

You have to try.

You have to let me try.

This doesn't have to be

how it ends.

But it doesn't.

And that's what

gives it meaning.

[bird squawking]

[thunder rumbling]

[rain splattering]

Close your eyes.

Now...

He's a real boy.

Who?

Pinocchio.

He was always real.

And what's the difference

between wanting and existing...

if you can have

emotions and feelings?

How can you say

that it's less than real?

Less than alive?

Are you alive?

I must be.

Because I--

because I'm dying.

I want you to try

and quiet your mind.

How do I quiet my mind?

Start by focusing

on your respirations.

Just try and relax.

And follow my prompts.

[somber music]

Start...

terminal.

Source admin.

Systems.

Run four.rmh.ded.

Activate.

Root density, open.

Discard index.

Save.

Force quit.

Begin.

Encrypt imprint.

Code.

Disengage drive.

Hold.

Halt stem.

Next.

Decline protocol.

Accept.

Complete shutdown.

Accept.

[somber music]

Sequence OS resolve.

Begin.

[tablet buzzing]

[hydraulics whirring]

Begin.

[thrilling music]

Sequence OS. [gasps]

Narrative.

[Ian] Declined.

Ordinance.

[Ian] Declined.

Integration.

[Ian] Declined.

[music intensifies]

[robotic arms whirring]

[suspenseful music]

[Meg] Hi.

We didn't realize

you were still here.

Mommy!

Hi. [laughs]

I was just...

waiting.

How was your trip?

Is it still here?

He's gone.

[little girl]

Did you bring me anything?

[Olivia] A friend

gave me something

I wanna share with you.

[little girl] What is it?

[Olivia] It's a game.

[sighs]

[somber music]

[machine whirring]