1995 - THE OUTER LIMITS: I, Robot

Written by: Alison Lea Bingeman
Dir.: Adam Nimoy

Mina Link: Cyndy Preston
Truman Cutler: Leonard Nimoy
Adam Link (voice): John Novak
Adam Link (action): Jake McKinnon
Carrie Emerson: Barbara Tyson
Det. Barclay: Eric Schneider

In his lab Dr. Link is working on his robot, Adam. Repeatedly he orders Adam to go to sleep. Somehow the robot is worried. He keeps on using his modules, but Dr. Link can convince him to shut down. "Excuse me, Adam," he says and tries to cut a wire. In this moment the robot switches himself on and asks: "What are you doing there?" Still wondering how the robot has managed to switch on, Dr. Link finds himself being strangled by Adam. All efforts to reach the controls or to defend himself are in vain. Dr. Link dies. With his entire robot–strength Adam destroys what he can reach in the lab. Again and again memories flash up in the robot's mind. Unsorted, short and mixed with lines and distortions the memories show Dr. Link. 

He falls backwards through a glass window. The noise makes Dr. Link's assistant come in. After finding the body he immediately calls the police. In town police have found Adam. They corner him and try to arrest the robot who says: "I do not know where I am. Would you please give notice to Dr. Link? " As he approaches the men they begin to shot at him. No bullet harms him, but one of the bullets goes astray and hits a policeman. Adam identifies the weapons and takes the gun out of the man's hand. As the army arrives, Adam is ordered to drop the gun. He does. Detective Bond is on the scene. Though colonel Burge insures that all is under control, the detective informs him that he is on University grounds and out of his operational grounds. Angrily the colonel leaves with his men and Adam follows the detective voluntarily. In jail, Mina Link explains to the detective that Adam is now evaluating his memory. Indeed the robot memorizes various recorded pieces. When Adam sees Mina, he asks her where Dr. Link is and learns that he is dead. "Did I kill him? " Adam asks. "We must find out" Mina tells him, but Adam only remembers the moment Dr. Link worked on him and later that he was found outside the building. Now he tries to rebuild his memory. 

When Nina tries to defend Adam, Detective Bond is sure: She'll need a very good lawyer. This lawyer is Thurman Cutler, a retired man whom she finds in the Park playing chess. With ease he wins against a hard thinking opponent. First he thinks Mina is there to play chess with him. When he learns that Nina is looking for a lawyer he leaves quickly. Cutler is not interested any more in chess moves in court. It becomes obvious that he is disappointed in practices like manipulations or buying rights as he had seen in court. Without doubt Thurman Cutler is not interested in court cases any more, but since she does not give up, he asks for her name. Hearing "Mina Link" Cutler wonders whether she's related to Dr. Link. She's his daughter she says. Cutler is sure she wants to begin a law suit against the university her father was working for. His interest rises when he understands that she wants him to defend Adam. "Adam?" he asks. "The police say he's killed my father" "The robot" Cutler is astonished. "An artificial person" Mina corrects. She does not believe he's killed her father. Thurman Cutler wants to make sure: "And I shall defend the machine? This robot? This artificial person?" "My father has given him artificial intelligence. It might sound crazy, but he's like a brother to me." "You are right", the lawyer answers "It really sounds crazy." 

Mina is determined. She is ready to save Adam, even without his help. Adam means very much to her. Seeing her determination Cutler asks her whether she can keep a secret: "To be honest, I think chess is boring!" In jail Adam introduces himself to the lawyer. He is from the latest series SH 2. He is pretending human movements and has got artificial intelligence. But Adam also admits that he's not perfect. "What's missing?" Thurman Cutler wants to know. "My sense of smelling is only 20 % of what a human can smell. I do not have taste buds and – as you can see – my sense of touching, feeling with my fingers, is quite limited." "You said you can simulate the human way of thinking" Cutler says "How do feel to be locked in?" "How would you feel to be locked in a cage?" is the robot's response. "I want to get out as soon as possible." "And how do you think to get out of here?" Cutler challenges him. To provide an answer Adam easily bends a bar. "I begin to understand why people think you have killed Dr. Link" the lawyer states. "Did you kill Dr. Link?" "I don't know" Adam sadly lowers hid head. "My memory has been destroyed, but I cannot believe so. Why should I have done it? He was my creator and my friend. When Mina told me he had died all around me seems to have become darker" 

In this moment Mrs. Emmerson, the lawyer of prosecution, enters the jail. Cutler knows her as a person who is using laws to certain advantages. He clearly states that he does not like to have his clients dumped before they've had a fair trial. "A trial for a machine?" Emmerson wonders. "Artificial person," Cutler corrects. "An artificial person who's now having a lawyer." Outside the court Cutler tells Mina that they are heading for a murder trial. This is the best way to get him free. "I rather help him to escape than have him facing a murder trial," Nina is angry. "This is not your decision any more. He's my client." Cutler tells her and leaves. In court Mrs. Emmerson begins to explain that the trial would not be held if a dog had killed its owner. Though the dog can think, act and react, it would not have civil rights. She demands the dumping of the machine without delay and sits down. Cutler throws a newspaper: "Adam, fetch it!" he says. Wonder can be seen in the eyes of the robot. "I found it suitable to test Mrs. Emerson's assumption," Cutler says, "Adam, you may stay seated." "I will not try to prove that Adam is a human being" the lawyer goes on. "That would be a waste of time" Cutler summarizes that Adam is intelligent and that he is going to prove that Adam is a thinking, feeling being. He's got the right for a trial before he's dumped because it would come even to an execution. Cutler demands that Adam has the right to be defended unless the prosecutor can prove without doubt that Adam has committed the crime he is charged for. 

The first witness in the stand is the policeman who was shot, Mr. Stevens. He says that Adam has shot him. When Cutler takes over Stevens first confirms that Adam shot at him in the arm. Then Cutler points out that Adam would hit a fly in a hurricane and asks him again how he could explain that he was not killed. Getting insecure the policeman looks at a man in the courtroom. Immediately the man leaves the room. Cutler turns and both are aware that policy is taking place here. Handing over the ballistic report Cutlers proves his theory: The bullet had hit Adam and bounced back hitting the policeman. Thurman Cutler ends his questioning of the man by stating that Stevens would be dead – shot by his own bullets – if Adam had not taken away the gun from him. In the stand Nina tells that Adam read a lot of books. His brain was constructed in a way that he could only learn by experience. Only a week after he had been trained to read, Adam read a whole book. When Cutler asks about the relationship between her and Adam, Nina shares he is like a brother to her. "Would you say he's been like a son to your father?" Cutler asks. Without hesitation Nina agrees. She's sure Adam is incapable of killing. Now Carrie Emmerson intervenes. She and Thurman Cutler begin a dialogue via the judge. He only wanted to show the relationship between the accused and the witness. Interrupting them the judge points out that this is no stage for a comedy. "No further questions" Cutler closes. The prosecutor interrogates Mina. Desperately Mina tries to make her understand that Adam was not only understanding what he read, but he felt the music of the poetry. When Mina's mother had died, Adam came to her and told her: "Mina, I will never leave you." In vain Mina tries to explain that Adam is no machine, but tried to comfort her. 

"I am just before proving that our justice is absurd." Thurman Cutler tells Adam while he visits him in jail. "I'm not aware that our hearing was going to be a lesson about the absurd." Adam wonders. "I will force this judge to bring a speaking window shop doll – as highly advanced as it might be - to a hearing". "Do you really see me like that, Mr. Cutler?" Adam asks. "Your functioning is absolutely genius" Cutler says "But you will have to acknowledge that you only can produce the feelings you have been programmed by Dr. Link. A human beings bleeds, it has got a soul," approaching the bars. "I can break your neck as if it was a tooth stick" Adam grabs Cutler's neck through the bars. "Seeing it that way you are right. Like most of the people I decide not to do that. Why?" "Let me go " Cutler demands. Adam holds on the tight grip. "Because I have respect for life – for every life. Even for that of a cold hearted lawyer who puts a shop window doll before court to discredit the legal system. You don't know me, Mr. Cutler." Adam shares that he suffers from the imagination that he might have killed Dr. Link, his friend. This is an unbearable situation for him. "Do you understand me?" Adam demands to know and asks Cutler to leave. Adam wants to be alone. 

Back in court Cutler interviews Dr. Lindstorb who is familiar with Dr. Link's work on Adam. He too confirms that Dr. Link achieved to build a brain working similar to the human's brain. Adam is capable of making decisions. "Is he capable of human feelings?" Cutler wants to know. "Yes" the doctor has to witness. "How did he achieve to get his feelings?" Cutler asks. "By his environment and his creator, Dr. Link." "Do you believe Dr. Link was the carrier of a soulless murderer?" "Surely not" Mrs. Emmerson intervenes: He tried to clear questions of guilt. It is sustained. "Dr. Lindstorb, were you involved in the finances of the project?" "Yes, until I was forced to cut the finances." "How could Dr. Link go on with his work?" "I believe he's got money from a third party." The persecution wants to know why the robot could have destroyed the laboratory. By interruption of his circuits or by changing of a program ... is the answer. Emmerson demands a test. She wants a repetition of an interruption of a circuit. Immediately Cutler intervenes but the judge allows the test, providing it is not dangerous. Emmerson shows the remote control with which she can interrupt the powers of the robot by demand. Adam asks Cutler: "Mr. Cutler, I do not want this!" but the lawyer cannot help him. After the doctor put in another card, the robot panics. He easily breaks the chains he's bound with and pushes away the guards. Heading for the judge he destroys anything in his way. He is stopped by the remote control and Dr. Lindstorb takes out the card. 

Adam slowly regains consciousness. In this moment he remembers the pictures and sees himself killing Dr. Link. In the cell Adam uses a laptop to show Mina and Thurman Cutler the pictures he found in his memory. Cutler wonders why these pictures are suddenly found again. Adam does not know, but he suspects it has to do with the traumatic experience he has had in court. "Mina, I am so sorry. I do not know how to say this; I did not want to do this." Mina takes a deep breath "It was not your fault" she says. "It does not sound as if dr. Link was just to changes some cables" Cutler suspects. He asks to see the business papers of her father. They find out that the Finances where Dr. Link got money from are not mentioned in the papers used in court. The next day Cutler confronts Carrie Emmerson. She would have been obliged to hand over all the papers to him before the court hearing. He gets them now. 

When leaving the court area a car stops in front of Cutler. He's "invited" to get in. Colonel Burge introduces himself to the lawyer. Both know that Dr. Link's finances have been cut. To go on with his studies he took moneys from another enterprise. For that he was forced to reprogram Adam to be used for army purposes. "Somehow I do not see Adam as a perfect machine for killing" Cutler says and Burge comments "It seems the higher Adam was educated the less he was prepared to fight." This makes Cutler laugh: "That way your super fighter suddenly became a pacifist." Burge tries to make his point: "Adam needs to be destroyed- right after the hearing!" When Cutler does not seem to play along, Burge threatens him: They've got enough papers to bring Cutler to immediate pension. Cutler only gives this a dry laugh. In court Cutler interviews Adam who has shown the judge his memories he has found again. His defense lawyer now tries to show his state of mind when he committed the crime. Being questioned he declares his intention: Not that the kind of state of mind mattered, but that he had one at all. The next step is to show that Adam was going to be sacrificed in order to be used for military purposes. And that he tried to defend himself. The judge declares that he will announce his decision the next day. Coming around a corner Cutler finds Burge at his side. "You've just dig your own grave" "Hopefully I have dug deep enough" Cutler answers and – more to himself: "If only chess would not be so boring!" 

The judge rules that the constitution is submitted to changes. He acknowledges Adam's reaction in extreme situations like any human being would react. He suggests that the rules are to be interpreted in a new way and newly evaluated considering the changes of times. The judge rules that Adam Link is juristically seen as a person and is to be judged in a trial. Mina rejoices, also Cutler is relieved and grateful. As they come out a crowd of reporters awaits them. Adam, still in chains, is led to a van. Burge watches them, so does Carrie Emmerson. She leaves and acknowledges Cutler's greeting with a forced smile, while watching him she crosses the street without noticing an oncoming van. "Carrie!" Cutler shouts to make her aware of the danger. But too late - the van is too quick. With high speed Adam breaks his chains, pushes Cutler aside and runs forward to push her to the other side of the street. He saves her life, but is run over by the van. Mina and Cutler hurry to the remains which have been Adam and Nina can still hold him. Adam can still say her name. "I am with you" Mina tells him "Don't be afraid". All three are in despair when Adam's light in his eyes dims and ceases to shine. Sadly Cutler and Mina leave the place.