03x07 - Black Box

[bunniefuu]

[EMCEE]

Previously on The Girlfriend Experience.

- [BRETT]

Cassie?

- Brett?

So what about you, Princess Kate, huh?

What get you all hot and bothered?

Cricket?

What's in there?

Wear 'em next time you come over.

You know, my daughter.

She's up in...

Up in...

[LEANNE]

Now we know.

Dad has early onset Alzheimer's.

Give me one reason why we should get on that wait list.

What's it worth?

To potentially give a loved one more time.

[LEANNE]

Iris, I want to get tested as well.

[TAWNY]

When was the last time you spoke with the V?

[IRIS]

What's going on?

[TAWNY]

Nothing.

I didn't do anything.

Tawny.

You've been recording identifiable client information without consent.

You're fired.

[MOANING, PANTING]

[CHRISTOPHE]

What you are doing is more high fidelity than any other setup I've seen.

[BRETT]

Cassie, what is wrong with you?

[MAN]

Why don't we start using empatherial training?

It's like pitting one AI against a copy of itself.

One side says, "Hey, look at this." And the other side says, "Not good enough, try harder." What makes you happy, Emcee?

I don't understand that question.

[CHRISTOPHE]

It's rich.

It's intimate.

And there is one constant.

It's you.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [MAN GASPS]

[BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY]

[MAN GROANS]

[CHUCKLES]

This is turning into a thing, huh?

Should I be getting you a drawer?

I actually can't stay over.

I've got some family things.

Oh, yeah?

What's that code for?

I thought you wanted to hang.

[IRIS]

I do.

Are you sure?

[IRIS]

We're so not done.

I get that.

I'm just glad I gave you my number and that's it.

- [CLATTERING]

- [TV TURNS ON]

Oh, wow, miss me already?

[TV IN BACKGROUND]

[BRETT]

Bottoms up.

What am I supposed to do?

You're ditching me.

I really have to go, Brett Redding.

But...

[TV IN BACKGROUND]

I would absolutely love to keep seeing you outside of the agency if that's what you want.

You're not still seeing any other guys, are ya?

[MAN CHUCKLES, GROANS]

Abby and Eliza.

Two halves of my world.

[IRIS]

I like their names.

[CHUCKLES]

That's all their mum.

But they're more like me.

Both of them.

You know, I bet you're a really good dad.

[MAN]

Well, I'm just a big old clown, really.

But I try.

[SIGHS]

The thr*at of losing something, ever the wake-up call.

Stage IV leukemia.

To be honest with you, that's why I'm here.

Pound isn't what it used to be.

It's my wife's idea too.

Told me to take one for the team.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ Sorry, it's come off again.

'Scuse me!

'Scuse me.

The infrared cutoff off at three.

Jerry, give it a reset.

Just be mindful of the patches.

A good flex is gonna pull 'em lose again.

Does everyone have to come in every time?

I'm gonna take five.

[WOMAN]

Guys, anyone that doesn't need to be here, shove out.

Actually, if you need anything at all...

No, I'm fine.

Um, it's hard to get a read on the thermal with the covers on those there.

- They're resetting now.

- Okay.

Everyone, let's go.

Come on.

[IRIS]

If we're gonna do this, it's gonna be on my terms.

All participants know exactly what they're signing up for and the kind of data that is being recorded.

Full medical exam, ahead of time, and you can adjust the setup any moment based on your own level of comfort.

It will be a controlled environment.

Data distortion, given the experimental setup, is to be expected.

We'll have to establish their baseline reads and take it from there.

No blanket data scraping.

Uh, no vague permissions baked into the terms of service.

I want the ability to veto any and all data collected.

And if I deem something unnecessary, it will be removed from the transcript.

Certainly, we can do that.

And no cameras.

We can use infrared instead, and thermal will allow us to correlate a rise in body heat.

Okay, but nothing that, uh, distinguishes my likeness.

And I want voice scramblers on all the audio.

Absolutely.

I think we're on the same page.

Can we convert the emotional cadence into numerical value before scrambling it?

Okay.

But outside hires only.

I don't want any of my coworkers knowing where the new training sets came from.

We'll have strict NDAs for anyone involved.

Including the tech team.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

[IRIS]

No one knows my name.

No one knows what I do in real life.

♪ The girl in there...

she could be anyone.

There you go.

Kay?

[QUIET, MOODY MUSIC]

♪ [SIGHS]

♪ Are you Mike?

Yes.

Hi, Mike.

I'm Cassie.

I'm Alfie.

Hi.

I'm Cassie.

Donnie.

Cassie.

Nice to meet you.

Cassie?

Yeah, that's me.

I'm Ken.

Dory.

Killian.

JJ.

We'll collect a sampling of test subjects from all walks of life.

- All with a variety...

- People.

Sorry?

Of all genders.

Individuals with highly individual wants.

Wants that we're gonna have to work really hard to tease out of them, especially if they know they're being observed.

[MOODY MUSIC]

♪ Do you want me to f*ck you?

♪ No.

No.

Stay there.

I don't want you to touch me.

[DONNIE]

I want you to watch me.

[HEAVY BREATHING]

♪ [CHRISTOPHE]

No judgment.

[SOFTLY]

I'm gonna take care of you.

No shame.

We'll learn every flavor.

[DONNIE PANTING]

[CHRISTOPHE]

Every brand.

[EXHALES]

[CHRISTOPHE]

Capture it.

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

[CHRISTOPHE]

Bottle it up...

until we have a personality simulation that will deliver just that.

[PANTING HEAVILY]

We are all so wildly different, yet we are unbelievably the same.

Craving connection.

[PANTING]

[GRUNTS]

[EXHALES]

[PANTS]

Don't leave me.

[CHRISTOPHE]

Or at least the illusion of it.

Who's to f*cking tell?

♪ [SIGHS]

There's something I could use your help with...

A clinical trial here in London.

My father's on the wait list.

You want us to try and get him bumped up?

[IRIS]

Then we have a deal.

- [IRIS]

Hey, Lindsey.

- [LINDSEY]

Yes?

I think we're gonna have to make some adjustments.

This isn't working.

[SIGHS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- [IRIS]

Hey.

- [HIRAM]

Hey.

[IRIS]

How are you?

Yeah, good.

How are you?

[IRIS]

Good.

What'd I miss?

[HIRAM]

A few things.

Oh, yeah?

Like what?

[HIRAM]

Sean's been giving me the silent treatment.

You know, suddenly they're worried about human bias.

They've sent everyone on paid leave.

Put work stations downstairs into storage until they figure out what to do with the pullouts.

Huh.

But Emcee is fine, though, you know?

Still looking at faces.

And so am I.

I'm back to helping people find better matches.

I've thrown in a couple of fake profiles into the mix, you know, just for good measure.

You never know, it might teach her something.

Can you show me?

Hold on, is that...

Yup.

[LAUGHS]

Guys in animation aren't too bad.

I've done a quick scan of both of their faces.

You know, I think they make a cute couple.

[LAUGHS]

Hello, Iris.

Hello, Emcee.

I'm happy to see you.

She remembers me?

Don't be rude.

She's speaking to you.

Sorry.

Hi, Emcee.

It's been a while since we've seen each other.

I miss you.

Yeah, I miss you too.

Yeah, it's just a mock-up.

[IRIS]

Yeah, it's great.

It's really good.

[SIGHS]

Have you... have you been all right?

Me?

Yeah, fine.

I needed to take a little time off.

My family's in town, so...

Right.

And now you're back.

I've been interviewing test subjects.

What does that even mean?

[IRIS]

I can't really talk about it.

I'm sorry I didn't come to you.

No, I get that.

Oh, I'm...

I'm always here if you ever need to, um, you know, just talk, as it were.

Hiram, nothing's changed.

You don't have to do this with me, you know.

[IRIS]

Do what?

Just tell me what you think I wanna hear.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

I would absolutely love to keep seeing you outside of the agency, if that's what you want.

Yeah.

You're not still seeing any other guys, are ya?

[LAUGHS]

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hey.

Are you the reason I got dropped from the agency?

Did you tell them?

I don't know what you're talking about.

[AMERICAN ACCENT]

Really, Brett?

Guy in a black SUV, he's not yours?

Y-y-you sound different.

[IRIS]

Have you or have you not had somebody tailing me?

Jesus f*cking Christ, Cassie, that is cuckoo...

- [IRIS]

Brett.

- For Cocoa...

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

- Yes or f*cking no?

Your accent is tripping me the f*ck out.

What?

[GRUNTS]

Come on, you pissed as hell.

Hey, come on, babe.

Come on.

Well, you're the one who recorded us.

What the f*ck was I supposed to do, huh?

Trust you?

♪ You want your women all to yourself, don't you?

No wonder your ex left you.

Did you have her followed too?

What, you wanna be my f*cking shrink now, huh?

You should be happy about being dropped.

I pay you more than all those other douchebags put together.

- [SCOFFS]

- It's f*cking over if you step into that elevator.

We are so done.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, look.

I just wanted us to hang out a little bit more, huh?

Take it as a compliment.

I-I'm the most fun you've ever had.

I hope you f*cking know that.

♪ [FOOTSTEPS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

Out cold.

Figured.

He was so wired the whole flight.

Mm-hmm.

[SIGHS]

Thanks for this, Iris.

It's a great spot.

Had I known it was gonna be the three of you, I would have...

[LAUGHS]

I don't know.

Found something better.

It just happened.

Who?

Yeah.

[SIGHS]

Really?

Why didn't you tell me?

I don't know.

Because...

I got tested.

Remember?

I told you I was going to.

Um...

was it scary?

[LAUGHS SOFTLY]

I mean, yeah.

[LABORED BREATHS]

Leanne, does this mean that...

um...

What are you gonna do?

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

What do you think I should do?

[SHAKY LAUGH]

- Oh...

- I mean...

- [LAUGHING]

- You're laughing... what...

I'm so scared.

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

[SIGHS]

It doesn't mean you have it.

Maybe you didn't get it.

[SIGHS]

[SIGHS DEEPLY]

[DRAMATIC AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪ [LINDSEY]

Yeah.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, okay.

It sounds good to me.

Yeah.

Hello.

[SNIFFLES]

[BREATHES SHAKILY]

[IRIS]

Oh.

You're not into any of this, are you?

What?

No.

No, it's okay.

Neither am I.

Half the time I don't even know what the f*ck I'm doing here.

[SCOFFS]

I'm supposed to be, like, really good at reading people, but I don't know.

I feel like I'm just winging it.

I misread people all the time.

[SIGHS]

You're a quantum physics guy, right?

Um, I work for NPL.

Oh, applied research.

Yeah, I used to study neuroscience.

I was getting my master's, and then I dropped out.

f*cked off to a new country.

Why'd you drop out?

Um...

because my dad got sick, and I didn't wanna be there.

[LAUGHS]

I'm sorry, you fully did not sign up for this.

I'm...

I usually have a lot of trouble, uh, opening up to people, so...

Thank you for indulging me.

You're a good listener.

Should we just call it?

Yeah?

Okay, cool.

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ [EXHALES DEEPLY]

- Hi.

- Hi.

Nice work in there.

That was really something.

Man of science.

He's only turned on by what he perceives to be true.

Well, he was a hard one to cr*ck.

- Mm-hmm.

- And you did it.

Well done.

Thank you.

Lindsey, I think we can do better.

What do you mean?

I just think we need to streamline the interactions.

You know, use a targeted set of cues, find participants who actually know what the f*ck they want.

Shortcut to getting a baseline read.

Yes... emotional desire, uh, engagement, arousal, all of it.

And minimize the time for setup.

- Yes.

- Hmm.

I'll talk to Sean.

It's worth a try if you think you can do it.

Thank you.

Oh, uh, that thing I said about my dad in there, that wasn't true.

So, um, could you delete it from the transcript before it goes into analysis?

[LINDSEY]

Yeah, sure.

We'll delete it.

Yeah, I just said it to give him something personal.

[SIGHS]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYS]