04x17 - Going Native

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

NARRATOR:
Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes
to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A dark side.

♪ ♪

WOMAN:
l photograph everything.

That is my mission.

But l should not have joined
the group.

MAN:
Every time l touched you...

nothing!

lt was sick!

Poison! Hateful!

l want to tear your heart out.

[sighs]

What's happened, Lee?

l'm taking a break.

Are you finished with your wife?

How does it look to you, Amy?

Looks finished to me.

Down-the-tubes finished.

l can't do this anymore.

Breathe... [inhales deeply]

l am breathing.

You're not breathing now.

l'm breathing irregularly, okay?

[both inhaling, exhaling]

Look, it happens.

l'm-l'm-l'm angry.

Who are you angry with?

Your wife?

Oh, no,
l'm done with that folly.

l'm angry at her.

Who are you talking to?

He's talking to the floor.

Maybe he doesn't like
the carpet.

l'm talking to you, Claire.

The way you just stand there
and stare.

How am l supposed to deal
with such total passivity?

Tell her what you want.

l want her to give a damn!

''You''-- l want ''you.''

l want you to bestow

a little humanity
on this enterprise.

Not once in a while.

Show some vital signs.

He's right.
You've been standing there

for weeks, like a voyeur.

She's beautiful.

lt's her license to offend.

How do you feel
about that, Claire?

lt's uncomfortable.

''lt's''?

l'm uncomfortable.

Oh, bull.

You don't feel a thing.

l don't show emotion.

You're making yourself
and the rest of us nutso.

What are you worried about,
Claire?

Let yourself go.

As a public service?

l don't do that.

[clattering]

CLAlRE:
Stupid, stupid.

l should not have joined
the group.

lt seemed like a good idea.

The material was so rich.

What are you worried about,
Claire?

Let yourself go.

CLAlRE:
They know something is wrong.

WOMAN: Pretty white artist--
five-feet-three,

successful and fun-loving,

needs slightly submissive
sexy man...

WOMAN 2: Desirable woman
with creativity and depth.

-Hurt by love's roving eye...
-[various overlapping voices]

LEE: Gorgeous television actor
with firm, athletic body seeks

attractive, passionate,
adventurous, uninhibited female

for midnight drives
in my sports car.

Any age okay.

You changed!

CLAlRE:
They frighten me.

All their anger.

l wanted to tear your heart out!

CLAlRE:
How primitive they are.

Faster.

l don't fool these creatures.

l try to be like them--

l replicate their looks
and gestures, but...

they know l am different.

Stop.

[clicking repeatedly]

CLAlRE:
l photograph everything.

Trying to understand
the natives,

what it is to be human.

Everything is filled
with mystery.

Each building, each face.

[siren wails,
distant expl*si*n]

The city... the sky...

...this alien body l inhabit.

[clicking repeatedly]

l am alone.

Surrounded
by mysterious surfaces.

[doorbell rings]

Yes?

AMY [muffled]:
lt's Amy. From group.

Hi.

l'm so sorry to barge in,

but your phone was busy.

The operator said
it was off the hook.

My!

What a lovely space.

Oh, well...

Frankly,
l was worried about you.

The group can be
a bit rough sometimes.

Ye-Yes.

l hope you don't mind too much

or take it personally,
for God's sake.

Sometimes people put up
violent defenses,

when they're just about
to face their real problems,

and strong emotions
can be so frightening.

But the shouting and the tears

are all part of the work.

Anyway, l hope
we'll see you next time?

Yes!

[chuckling]:
Oh, good, l'm so glad.

CLAlRE:
l lied to her.

Till next week, then?

Bye.

No!

l can't go back.

The group is dangerous
to my mission.

They can draw me out,
expose me.

l must... l must photograph
everything,

collect images of the natives.

Start.

They huddle together
in huge cities.

They huddle together,
but they're still alone.

They fear loneliness...

the way they fear death.

[doorbell rings]

Yes?

LEE:
lt's Lee. From group.

[latch rattles,
door creaks open]

l came to apologize,
if it's not too late.

l said some off-the-wall things.

Who knows
where that stuff comes from?

l mean, l'm on this wild roll
because my life is a shambles.

lf l hurt you, l'm sorry.

We all want you back.

This is an amazing place.

Hmm, so...

how is life in the arts?

Looks like you do well.

You look good.

You're a photographer, right?

Yes.

Now, that's a major commitment.

My ex-wife-- we're separated.

She will be my ex-wife
in a couple of months,

so l'm not jumping the g*n.

She took these courses
in the visual arts.

lt revolutionized
my entire outlook.

With that horror show
between us, there was still

a subterranean
educational process going on.

l go to galleries on weekends.

Just to relax, you know?

l mean, it's hard being
continuously insensitive.

You go with her?

Who, my ex?

Oh, no, no.

l tried taking Janine
from group.

We met on a soap opera.

l was the doctor,
she was my nurse.

Didn't work out.

l mean, in real life.

Hey, tell me something.

Are you seeing anybody?

No.

Oh, well, maybe we could go
to a gallery, pal around...

No.

No?

That's kind of definite.

Doesn't leave a lot of room
for interpretation.

Hey, just a goof.

Just think about group.

That's the main thing.

Group.

[door clunks,
latch rattles]

CLAlRE:
Few of the natives are alive.

One in a hundred.

The rest repeat their behavior
in a routine,

like sleepwalkers.

[cheering and whistling]

The mass of people
are half alive.

They live unconsciously.

They hate being together,
and fear being alone,

so they sink into deadness.

lt's their defense.

[click]

WOMAN [on TV]:
Are you telling me

not to have the baby?

CLAlRE: The natives enjoy
one-way picture communication.

MAN [on TV]: l thought l could
be cold-blooded and selfish.

Well, maybe l'm not so tough.

Maybe l learned a few things.

CLAlRE:
Stories of wish fulfillment.

MAN [on TV]:
l know l want you and that child

more than anything
in this world.

CLAlRE: They dream the dreams
of others.

WOMAN [on TV]:
What about Sybil?

MAN [on TV]: My wife
and l haven't touched each other

in six months.

CLAlRE:
Who dictates these images?

Food, lingerie, cars,
furs, rocks,

things, things,

things, things, things!

Advertising tells the natives
what to value.

This is their antidote
for solitude.

[sultry jazz theme playing]

l need... contact.

l should have invited him in.

Love it.

Love it!

You know, in the bar,

l knew you were
some sort of artist.

Photography, huh?

Well, you can take my picture
some time.

You know...

you have a great look.

And you don't talk much.

l can get into that.

CLAlRE: My training
prepared me for this.

lt was no problem
physiologically.

They have an expression here.

''Losing... your... mind.''

[crying]:
l wanted to be, you know...

a good little girl,

but my father used me.

And the thing is...

l still miss him.

Whatever he did to me,

l still want to hear...

[crying]:
that he loves me.

[woman sobbing]

CLAlRE:
l've got to stop.

This is dangerous.

WOMAN:
Oddly enough, l have this friend

who teaches a course
in self-actualization.

Now he also teaches a course
in the uncanny.

l know exactly where
you were coming from back there.

Don't touch me!

l want to show you my work.

LEE:
l love it.

LEE: lt's like you're reporting
on the whole culture.

You don't have anybody
in your life, do you?

Anybody close?

[Claire sighs]

You're an observer.

Must be terribly lonely.

Do you know
what's going on here?

CLAlRE:
Nothing prepared me for this.

That...

creatures who are so violent...

can be so tender.

l want you to put your mother
on the cushion...

and talk to her.

Are you frightened
of doing that?

What scares you?

l could lose control.

Trust me.

l'll be here.

You don't have to do it
if you don't want to.

l'd like you
to put your mother there,

and, uh,

try this line:

You never loved me...

enough.

Does that fit for you?

CLAlRE:
l never knew her.

lt's absurd.

Go on.

See what happens.

You never loved me enough.

Again.

You never loved me enough.

Really tell her.

Let go.

[laughs]

[voice breaking]:
You never loved me enough.

[crying]:
You never loved me enough!

You never loved me enough!

You never
loved me enough!

You never loved me enough!

[sobbing]

[sobbing continues]

CLAlRE:
They have... an... expression.

''Losing... your... mind.''

[knocking on door]

LEE:
Yes.

CLAlRE:
l must talk to you.

l don't know what's happening.

What is it?

[sighing]

[Claire yelling]

[Claire yells,
Lee mutters]

[Claire yelling]

[Claire gasps]

[Claire gasps]

CLAlRE:
l've ruined

everything, like a animal.

A stupid, human animal.

Why do you say that, Claire?

Because l can feel now.

Everything that you feel.

l'm just like you!

That's why you're here...

No! l'm not one of you.

l'm supposed to report on you.

You feel different from us?

l am.

l come from... far away.

You wouldn't understand.

Oh, Claire.

We all feel that way
from time to time.

No!

l can never go home.

None of us can go back
to the past,

and we all feel alienated
occasionally.

l am not from this world.

l don't belong here!

But you are here.

[Claire sighs]

And we have to go on growing.

What you feel is just
a simple human reaction.

[crying]:
No! No!

No...!

No!

[overlapping, echoing]:
No! No! No! No...!

CLAlRE:
My mission is over.

l know
what these creatures feel.

Solitude.

That is what it is to be human.

NARRATOR:
The dark side is always there.

Waiting for us to enter.

Waiting to enter us.

Until next time,
try to enjoy the daylight.