03x01 - Mirrors

[bunniefuu]

[FOOTSTEPS ECHOING LIGHTLY]

Hello, Iris.

[IRIS]

Hello.

I'm ready for a change.

[RECRUITER]

You're moving to London.

Daytime job in the tech world.

That must be decent money.

[IRIS]

I'm not here for "decent." [DEVICE BEEPS SOFTLY]

[RECRUITER]

Your academic credentials are impressive.

Behavioral psychology.

Neuroscience.

Then what happened?

[IRIS]

Like I said, I'm ready for a change.

[RECRUITER]

Any red flags we should know about?

Husband?

Jealous boyfriend?

[IRIS]

No red flags.

[RECRUITER]

You're very beautiful.

Is this what you look like in real life when you go on a date?

[EERIE AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

[IRIS]

Yes.

[EERIE, SPARSE PERCUSSION PLAYS]

Why did you come to us?

Why the V?

[IRIS]

Mm.

Access and security.

I'm ready to have a real exchange with the men I sleep with.

[RECRUITER]

The women we represent can hold a conversation on most any topic, whether that conversation takes place during pillow talk or over a five-course meal.

I know how to use cutlery.

And I'm good at reading people.

[SOFT ELECTRONIC BEEPS]

Welcome to the V.

We take a % commission.

We will send you on one initial client date.

His name is Paul.

Paul will give you a rating and a review.

If things go to our mutual satisfaction, we will set you up with a booker.

[MUSIC HEIGHTENS, THEN FADES]

[EXHALES]

[TAWNY]

"I'm ready to have a real exchange with the men I sleep with." What?

It's true.

[TAWNY CHUCKLES]

[IRIS]

When did you start camming in VR?

[TAWNY]

Couple months ago?

It helps with building my brand.

But right now, I'm really in the mood for Paris.

And if I play my cards right, he might...

just might...

ask me to bring a friend next time.

So...

Here.

Rule number one...

is look the part.

Tawny, I...

It should be your size.

She's yours.

[IRIS SIGHS]

- Thank you...

- Of course.

For setting me up, for this.

I, um...

I'm really glad I called.

I knew you would.

An Ivy League education has all kinds of benefits.

Dropping out was the most adult decision I ever made.

You'll see.

[FLOWING PIANO MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH HEADPHONES]

[DEVICE CLICKS]

[MACHINE HUMMING]

♪ So you think we should keep the piano?

Definitely.

[PHYSICIAN]

The water molecules along your father's white matter tracts, there's an increased activity.

Any kind of creative outlet or play can help stimulate the operating system.

So in your opinion, what do you think is the next best step, here?

Since we don't know conclusively that it's early-onset Alzheimer's, I just don't really see how it's helpful to keep monitoring those water molecules.

♪ [JEAKINS]

An outcome linked directly to our moral code, synaptic impulses filtered through the prefrontal cortex on a good day and the amygdala on a bad day, which in turn begs the question, "How much of our perception of reality is predetermined?"

[LEANNE]

Iris...

please help me out, here.

What they're doing in there, it's a...

it's an approximation, you know?

It's not real.

Nobody really knows what's going on inside anybody's head.

♪ [JEAKINS]

Or, as some of the most luminous minds of our time like to posit, all of it is mere simulation with individual players angling to advance whatever they perceive as leveling up inside their own game.

[STUDENTS CHATTER INDISTINCTLY]

Iris.

Hi, Professor.

- You look different.

- [IRIS CHUCKLES]

How's your father?

[IRIS]

Yeah, he's... hanging in there.

Mm.

We need more female PhDs in neuroscience.

- When you're ready.

- Thank you for saying that.

One thing that I realized this past year, is that life is short and academia is slow.

And I-I need to be out there in the real world.

[JEAKINS, WARMLY]

Iris!

You got headhunted.

It's a... tech startup in London.

NGM.

The H-Group investors.

They're more of a "How do we connect to others?" general research lab.

It's this whole cross-disciplinary approach.

[JEAKINS]

It sounds exciting and somewhat related to our research here.

They're lucky to have you.

[UNEASY AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [MYSTERIOUS WOODWIND MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [DRIVER]

Hey, let me get those bags.

♪

---

Our standard non-disclosure agreement.

Please read it in its entirety.

[FUTURISTIC MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ Make sure you understand everything in it for your own protection.

♪ Please sign here.

I'll read it later.

---

Absolutely.

This is the address we currently have on file for you.

Emergency contact.

We have your sister's.

Can you give us a primary on Greenwich Mean Time?

[IRIS]

Um, can I get back to you on that?

Sure.

I'll set a reminder.

Yes.

She'll be right over.

So a quick intro for those of you who are new.

Can I have a show of hands?

Welcome.

I'm Sean, and I'm your tech lead.

There's... one thing we dislike here at NGM, and that is predetermined outcomes.

What we do like is for our engineers and neuropsych-stargazers to have a choice in who they will be spending most of their time with and what they'll be working on.

And half of you will wanna discuss things technically; the other half will discuss them scientifically.

So learn how to talk to each other.

Find your pod.

And nothing is off-limits as long as you stick to two things: human behavior and predictive analysis.

[AMBIENT MUSIC BUILDING]

[INDISTINCT, OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

Be it the AI...

I guess they brought me on as a neuro research person.

How about you?

I'm self-taught.

Writing code's like playing music.

I always work with my headphones on.

Currently on a speech-synthesizer project.

You're an auditory cortex kinda guy.

That's my jam.

[HOWIE]

I mostly work with data that's coming in from the H-Group.

They own five of the top ten dating apps.

What's your focus?

I'm looking at self-validation patterns and the construction of gender.

To look at what happens on a synaptic level when we intimately connect with another person.

But they wouldn't tell me much when I interviewed.

It's all about solving the "binding problem" in machine learning, right?

While we're moving towards AGI, spin out a couple of medical applications with a focus on brain health?

Some of the stuff that rises to the top, they'll actually invest in.

How would you describe the work?

Training AI to train itself until it understands human nature better than we do.

Which part of human nature?

[HIRAM]

Are you okay?

Um...

sorry.

What are you working on?

I am training the neural net to match faces.

Based on what?

Attraction prediction.

This German guy Schopenhauer once said, "Instinct is an illusion." I'm just trying to be a better matchmaker for some of us at the office, basically.

You believe that?

That instinct is an illusion?

[QUIETLY]

Um...

A bit...

I mean, it's interesting, yeah.

What inputs are you using?

[KEYBOARD KEYS CLACKING]

[HIRAM]

These are all the little imperfections that prevent us from being a perfect ten.

See?

This is gonna be you, yeah.

And you got a pronounced jawline, chin.

And say you're cis and straight and this is what you'll be drawn to, according to historical data and, of course, Schopenhauer.

Bird with a round chin.

Round plus edgy equals functional offspring.

Now, check this out.

You see that stack of research papers on my desk?

It turns out, couples who stay together for longer periods, it gets kinda weird.

You know, facial differences start to disappear, turning them into some kind of neutered look-alikes.

Is that a hypothesis or a personal observation?

[HIRAM]

What, equality in evolution?

I mean, maybe all we want is to create our own doppelganger.

[IRIS]

Here's what neuroscience would say.

They begin to look alike because they grow together.

Ever heard of mirror neurons?

Our ability to perceive what someone's thinking or feeling?

The mirroring isn't driven by a biological need for healthy offspring.

No, it's our brains working to feel connected to one another.

Hmm.

Your eyebrows go up.

Mine go up.

See?

Right there.

Think of...

a newborn and its mother making faces at each other...

The exaggerated smile.

What they're saying is, "Are you there?

Do you see me?" "Yes, I'm here.

Yes, I see you." Long-term partnered couples have the same back-and-forth, using the same facial muscles, deepening the same lines.

That's why.

I've actually never thought of it that way.

[IRIS]

It's the limbic brain doing its thing.

Or a bunch of unraveling math shortcuts that excel at pattern recognition.

Do we think that, then, attraction is in part based on how deeply we think we can influence someone else's facial patterns?

[CHUCKLES]

[OMINOUS AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [TAWNY]

Hi, fairy.

It's Tawny, calling from Joburg.

Flew in last night, turned sundowner, and I'm just surfacing.

I'm at this cute café.

Anyway, I'm calling to wish you good luck tonight.

Have fun!

[LEANNE]

Izzy, listen to this.

He's been playing for over an hour.

[SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC PLAYING OVER VOICEMAIL]

[SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

Promise me you're not selling out.

[IRIS]

Why would I be selling out?

[LEANNE]

How many startups for every one that takes off?

Hundreds, thousands that crash and burn?

I mean, why choose that over frickin' finishing your degree at one of the best schools in the country?

I hope this isn't about the money.

Lee, we've been through this so many times.

[LEANNE]

Just, please...

I hope you don't feel like I've been putting that kind of pressure on you.

Dad will manage.

And I will manage.

[IRIS]

I'm not doing this for the family.

I told you that.

I'm doing it for me.

I'm also this close to getting a little raise.

- Oh!

- [BOTH LAUGH]

♪ [LEANNE]

Is it the way he's holding that bowling ball?

[IRIS]

Seriously, don't go there.

[LEANNE]

What?

Why?

[IRIS]

Remember two years ago?

[LEANNE]

How was that flower boy's fault?

It's kind of the way that he keep compulsively rolling and unrolling his shirtsleeve.

He might have had strep throat as a child, which can actually trigger OCD as an adult.

- [LEANNE]

No.

- Yeah.

It tricks the brain into attacking itself.

[BOTH LAUGH]

[DISTANT CHEERS]

[BOWLING BALL ROLLING THUNDEROUSLY]

[LOUD ROLLING CONTINUES]

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

Hello.

It's nice to meet you, Paul.

May I trouble you for a drink?

I'll have whatever you're having.

Hmm.

Mmm.

It's just the way I like it.

[EERIE AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

You're not much of a talker, are you?

That's okay.

[PAUL BREATHING HEAVILY]

You're giving me some...

non-verbal cues that I think I'm reading correctly.

If I'm not, please let me know.

♪ Yeah, that feels nice.

[HEAVY BREATHING]

Yeah.

Easy, handsome.

[CHOKING]

You're hurting me.

I like that you're strong.

I like that you want me.

And I...

[HEAVY BREATHING]

[BUCKLE AND ZIPPER CLICKING]

[CELL PHONE ALARM PINGING]

[BREATHING RAGGEDLY]

[ALARM STOPS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [SHOWER SPLASHING]

Gosh.

[CHUCKLES]

- You're stunning.

- [CHUCKLES]

Cassandra.

Hi.

[SERVER]

Here we are.

And sir.

[PAUL]

Thank you.

You've never done this before?

Met a handsome stranger for dinner?

[CHUCKLES]

They told me I'm your first.

[CLEARS THROAT SOFTLY]

You are.

But I'm really excited it's you.

[PAUL CHUCKLES]

I can already tell this is gonna be fun.

I love this place.

- It's a good spot.

- [IRIS]

Mm.

Good memories.

Do you eat seafood?

I forgot to ask.

I do.

By all means.

Thank you.

[PAUL]

You need...

to try this.

I don't think I've ever had anything that delicious.

That's the second time I'm your first for something.

I'm on a roll.

[CURIOUS AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [IRIS]

Do you always eat like this?

[PAUL]

Most of the time, yes.

[CHUCKLES]

[IRIS]

Well, I have to hang out with you more often.

Can I tell you a secret?

[PAUL]

Absolutely.

[IRIS]

I'm kind of nervous.

[PAUL]

That's okay.

- [IRIS]

Yeah?

- [PAUL]

Yeah.

[IRIS]

It's okay.

I'm calming down.

You're helping.

[PAUL CHUCKLES]

♪ I can't wait to get to know you better.

Would you excuse me for a moment?

[PAUL]

Sure.

[SOOTHING PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ [AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [SIGHS]

[SHARPLY]

Do it!

♪ Paul.

Session one.

[PAUL]

There you are.

Did you miss me?

[PAUL]

This has been fun.

But I just want you know, you're under no obligation to stay or do anything you're not comfortable with.

[IRIS]

Oh.

Do you not like me?

Please, don't take this personally.

- I don't even know if...

- [IRIS]

No, no, no.

You can tell me.

Please.

It was nothing you did.

You're a sweet girl.

♪ That's right.

I'm a very sweet girl.

And I've been sitting here all night watching you, wondering if you had it in you.

Had what in me?

If that little yuzu soufflé was all you cared about or if you'd know what to do with my sweet p*ssy if I were sitting right on top of you.

♪ Do you know how to use your tongue, Paul?

How to lick a woman?

How to swirl and push and suck her off?

[PAUL]

Um, yeah.

[SHARPLY]

What?

Let me show you.

Not so fast.

♪ First, I'll have to make sure you know how to use your hands.

How to get me really, really wet.

I bet nobody's ever taught you that.

You just shove it in, barely hard but ready to pop, don't you, Paul?

I'm not gonna let you get away with that.

[GASPS SOFTLY]

[MUSIC HEIGHTENS]

♪ I don't think you're ready for me, Paul.

Oh, I am so ready for you.

All right.

Then let's get that f*cking check.

[SPARSE AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [ELEVATOR DOOR CLICKS OPEN]

[SINGLE PIANO NOTES PLAY]