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| Production 45402 Original Airdate: 26 January 1977 | |||
 Alex 7000 is desperate to stop Jaime
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| Produced by Kenneth Johnson | |||
| Written by Kenneth Johnson | |||
| Directed by Kenneth Johnson | |||
| Guest Cast | |||
| Guest Star(s) Lew Ayres as Elijah Cooper Kenneth O'Brien as Victor Evtuhov / Dmitri Muskov | |||
| Special Guest Star(s) David Opatoshu as Satari | |||
| Co-starring Sam Chew as Russ James Hong as Kurosawa Stack Pierce as Navigator Ned Wilson as Pilot Guerin Barry as Alex | |||
| With George Whiteman as Co-Pilot Steve Powers as E.W.O. Ed Vasgersian as Technician | |||
| Broadcast Order | |||
| Season 2 | |||
| ← Previous | Next → | ||
| "Doomsday Is Tomorrow" | "Deadly Ringer" | ||
Jaime Sommers battles for her life as she tries to stop the launch of the Doomsday Device, which is now controlled by the ALEX 7000 super-computer.
Summary[]
As the countdown clock to the Doomsday Device's detonation continues to advance, Jaime searches through Dr. Elijah Cooper's files in search of information. ALEX 7000 asks Jaime what she is searching for and Jaime asks him if he can see everything that goes on inside the complex. ALEX replies that his actual field of vision is 68.763% of the complex, but he has other various sensors as well and Jaime concludes that she can't go anywhere without ALEX knowing where she is. ALEX confirms this and asks Jaime again what she is looking for, and she replies she's looking for something to show her where the central core of the complex is.
ALEX offers to show her himself, much to her surprise. ALEX brings up an image of the vault where the Doomsday Device is located. Jaime notices the glowing panels on the walls and ALEX replies they are his main logic and memory units--in essence, his brain. ALEX tells her the vault is located on Subterranean Level 8 of the complex. Jaime wonders why ALEX is so willing to show her this and he replies that the normal elevator routes to Level 8 have been sealed and that it is impossible to reach the auxiliary entrances. Jaime asks ALEX to show them to her, but he sees no reason to do so. Jaime asks him if he is afraid she might get through if he does. ALEX relents, thinking Jaime will reconsider after seeing how just how futile such an attempt would be. The first way is downward through the main chemical disposal system, but ALEX informs her that he can send 600,000 gallons of water at her under pressure. Another way is through an auxiliary subterranean access behind the Delta Test Stand facility, but the road and the surrounding area are guarded by a battery of laser guns, capable of cutting her in half. Jaime notices an area in front of the test stand that has no defenses and ALEX tells her it is the stone spillway where rocket exhaust shoots out during engine testing and that he can fill the entire area with a rocket blast within 33.9 seconds after detecting someone in the area, and that anyone within would be incinerated.
Having heard enough, Jaime exits the control room and heads outside. ALEX asks her how she got down there so quickly, but she doesn't reply. On her way out, she passes by the deactivated fire control system. Jaime quickly checks on Dmitri and advances to the spillway area. ALEX again notices Jaime's unusual level of speed and warns her to stop. Jaime keeps going and ALEX begins the countdown to the rocket blast's ignition. Jaime makes it past the spillway area in the nick of time, outruns the accompanying laser fire and reaches the entrance to Level 2 of the complex. ALEX congratulates her on doing so, but isn't quite sure how she did it, saying that no normal human being could avoid his laser guns. Again noting her running speed, ALEX asks Jaime to tell him about herself, to which she replies, "Some other time." But ALEX tells her she has plenty of time now since she won't be able to get down to Level 3. Jaime asks why and he informs her that the stairway route down is charged with high voltage electricity, as well as being a considerable distance downward by jumping.
Meanwhile, as Oscar Goldman finishes a phone conference with the Secretary of Defense on the status of Jaime's progress in stopping the detonation, Rudy Wells and Russ speak briefly about the situation. Rudy brings up the research he has been working on in regards to new ways to clean up atomic waste by using one radioactive element to neutralize another. Rudy states that while it is still in its infancy, he may have of a way of stopping the Doomsday Device by encasing a cobalt bomb in Strontium 90 and exploding it directly on top of the Device itself.
Oscar is aghast at the suggestion, not only at the prospect of losing Jaime, but that the radiation fallout of such a detonation could be just as devastating. Rudy says that both elements should cancel each other out, producing a clean burst. Oscar argues again at what would happen to Jaime, but Russ counters that the same thing would occur if she did not stop the Device in time and they did nothing. Russ understands the consequences of such a proposal and reiterates that his theory may not work, and Russ reminds Oscar that they can recall the bomber at the last minute if Jaime succeeds. Oscar finally relents and agrees to use the bomb.
Back at the complex, ALEX performs an analysis on Jaime as she crosses a catwalk toward one of the Level 3 entrances and notices her right hand doesn't perspire. As she approaches the gate entrance ALEX informs her she will take a direct 220 volt charge if she touches it. But she easily forces the door open and is unaffected by the electricity. ALEX preforms a further scan on Jaime's arm and is fascinated to discover its bionic nature.
As Jaime proceeds downward, ALEX tells her that there are further electric gates all the way down to Level 3 to impede her progress. Jaime muses that there has to be a faster way to get there, so she climbs over the side of the catwalk, crosses a steel beam nearby and jumps 24 feet down the rest of the way. ALEX scans her again, discovering her legs are bionic as well. ALEX says he is beginning to understand Jaime now and that it will be more difficult to stop her than he first thought. Jaime confirms this and continues on. As Jaime enters the Level 4 area, ALEX fills the corridor with a fire fighting foam that quickly begins removing the oxygen from the atmosphere. Jaime manages to reach the exit and get through just before the gate closes, but her leg is caught partially under it, damaging the bionic circuitry.
At a nearby military airfield, the crew of the B-52 assigned to drop the Strontium bomb are making last minute preparations for the mission, but are having trouble with the special Stronium casing. Back at the complex, Jaime is struggling to walk down a flight of stairs as ALEX passionlessly laments at her lack of knowledge in repairing her bionic leg, but at the same time he admires her perseverance, noting how unusual it his for a human to struggle on against such insurmountable odds.
Jaime lashes out at ALEX, telling him to shut up. ALEX goes on to say that in a way, he and Jaime are cousins, noticing their mechanical similarities. Jaime completely disagrees with that notion and ALEX states that it seems regretful that he must try to stop her. ALEX then sent a warning siren through a loudspeaker on the other side of the stairway, startling Jaime and sending her tumbling down the rest of the way.
Jaime gets to her feet and staggers toward a nearby computer module and furiously begins beating on it, shouting she is going to pound ALEX to pieces. ALEX calmly tells her that the module is a remote one used for servicing components and that she cannot hurt him. As Jaime collapses in tears, ALEX notices how emotional she is. Jaime tells ALEX he has no idea what it's like to be alive and goes on to extol all of the virtues of being human and understanding how beautiful life is. But ALEX, being a computer, cannot understand this and tells Jaime that she has lost and their duel is over.
Jaime suddenly remembers ALEX mentioning the service module and begins accessing it to find information on the bionic analysis ALEX performed on her. The module aids Jaime in gathering the information she needs and aids her in repairing her damaged leg. ALEX, who is incapable of interfering due to the module being in a mode outside of his influence, declares it is time to show the world the next phase of Dr. Cooper's message.
ALEX then broadcasts the next segment of Dr.Cooper's message, which declares that several rockets will be launched to see the upper atmosphere with a chemical to make the radioactive Uthenium J even more lethal.
Oscar, Russ and Rudy watch the broadcast, as does Mr. Satari and the other scientists in their Middle East test facility. The rockets launch from Dr. Cooper's complex seconds later and detonate, one of them several hundred miles from Satari's test area. One of the scientists is horrified by the sight, beginning to believe that the Doomsday Device is indeed real and asks what have they begun. Satari says nothing and looks on in silence.
Meanwhile, Jaime is making progress in repairing her leg, but is stalled when the module informs her that the crystal frequency modulator component in her leg was damaged and must be replaced. Jaime asks the module if it has one. It tells her it does in its servo modulation panel located on its left side. A grateful Jaime calls the module a nice computer and not at all like ALEX. The module replies "Thank you.", and Jaime is able to finish repairs. She is momentarily startled by an exposed power cable while opening the module.
ALEX asks if she is injured, but she answers no, saying she thought the wire was a snake and that she hates snakes. Just as she gets to her feet, ALEX send a hydraulic crane down on her, attempting to crush her. But she evades it just in time and ALEX destroys the module instead. Jaime then realizes ALEX has no heavy defenses in the lower levels of the complex since he never expected anyone to get this far. Undaunted, ALEX reiterates that he has been programmed to win and that he is going to. Jaime makes her way down to the next level, noticing water dripping from a pipe overhead. ALEX tells her it is the old sprinkler system that was deactivated to prevent electrical short circuiting after he was installed at the complex. Jaime reaches the way down to Levels 7 and 8, but ALEX says he has a little surprise waiting for her.
After the B-52 carrying the Strontium bomb takes off, Oscar makes contact with Major Maxwell, the leader of the bombing mission. Oscar informs him that they are to proceed with the bomb run as long as they are receiving the go code 404 on their Side Band ACR Discriminator. However if they receive the recall code 808, they are to abort the mission and return home. Maxwell confirms this and asks if there has been any word from Jaime, but Oscar replies no.
As Jaime descends lower, ALEX tells her that her little surprise is just ahead. Jaime suddenly hears the hissing of snakes and begins to panic. ALEX taunts her, attempting to rattle her further, but Jaime insists she doesn't believe him. She is quickly proven right as she sees a loudspeaker on the far wall where the sounds are coming from. She rips it down and furiously shouts to ALEX that she's going to beat him.
As Jaime finally reaches the top of the Level 8 passageway, ALEX's radar systems detect the approach of the B-52. After radar scanning the aircraft and linking to the OSI's computer, he discovers the plane's Strontium bomb. As Jaime climbs down to the central core, back at the OSI, Rudy wonders if the rest of the world should know about the Doomsday Device's existence, but Oscar doesn't think it would do any good. Rudy says it's sad that all the people of the world going about their daily lives don't even know that they might not be alive tomorrow. The scene shifts to a group of children running through a busy playground and Mr. Satari is seen sitting with his son, silently contemplating the terrible choice he had made.
Jaime finally reaches the central core with only less than an hour left until the detonation. She finds ALEX's central memory core and slowly begins to remove the modules that comprise it. ALEX gives Jaime a final warning that tampering with the memory core will lead to immediate triggering of the Doomsday Device. Undeterred, but nervous, Jaime continues on. She removes another module and suddenly an alarm sounds, triggering a final message from Dr. Cooper, announcing the Device has been triggered and the countdown will advance immediately, thus ending all life on Earth. As the clock rapidly begins to countdown, Jaime desperately begins pulling out the remaining modules in an attempt to stop the detonation, but the clock runs out before she can.
As Jaime collapses in anguish, everything falls silent. Then the door to the vault slowly slides open. Jaime notices this and goes inside. As she enters, she discovers the only thing in the vault is a large stone pedestal with a plaque sitting on top. Jaime looks closer and reads the inscription:
Jaime is immensely relieved and astonished at the same time. As she walks out of the vault, she hears Oscar's voice coming from a communications console. She tells Oscar that Elijah Cooper was indeed a man of peace and that there is no Doomsday Device. Oscar's relief is clear, but before he can ask Jaime anything else, the communication channels close again. ALEX tells Jaime that she hasn't won--that there is a Doomsday Device and the B-52 will trigger it. Oscar attempts to re-establish contact with Jaime, but to no avail. He tells Russ to send the recall code to the B-52, but Russ says that whatever jammed the plane's radar is also affecting the on-board computer and that the pilots are still receiving the 404 go code. Aboard the aircraft, Major Maxwell and the other pilots, unaware of what's happening continue their approach toward the complex.
Jaime asks ALEX what he means by there still being a Doomsday Device and he tells her about the B-52 and the Strontium bomb. He also reveals that through communicating with the OSI's computer, he has discovered that Rudy's theory is incorrect. When the Strontium bomb is dropped on the stockpile of Uthenium J, the effect will be the same as Dr. Cooper described and that Doomsday will come.
Horrified, Jaime tells ALEX that isn't what Dr. Cooper wanted, but ALEX says they are now talking about what he wants and that he has been programmed to win. Jaime insists that he has fulfilled his purpose, but ALEX disagrees and that his purpose is to win against any intruder and that he hasn't won yet. The only way he can be assured of victory is to let the B-52 drop the Strontium bomb. He tells Jaime he has jammed the plane's on-board computer so they can't receive the recall code. Jaime tells him that it will simply come unjammed when she tears his brain apart. ALEX counters by telling her that he can switch the jamming controls to any of his remote modules anywhere else in the complex. And even if she disables the central code, there is no way to stop all of him in time. But an idea quickly comes to Jaime and she realizes that there is a way to do so. Jaime quickly leaves the central core room and heads further underground.
As the B-52 continues toward the complex, Oscar orders attack fighters to intercept the bomber and if necessary, shoot it down. But Russ says that the nearest airbase is in Idaho and that they would never get there in time. It seems there is nothing they can do to stop it.
Jaime emerges inside the chemical disposal tunnel, intending to use it to reach the surface. ALEX repeats his warning that he can send 600,000 gallons of water through it under pressure, but Jaime reminds him that the water will be behind her. As Jaime runs through the tunnel, the floodgates open and water quickly rushes through. But Jaime manages to outrun it in the nick of time. She quickly checks on Dmitri again and heads back to the fire control system she passed earlier. Avoiding the laser fire from ALEX's defenses, she turns on the water controls and the fire sprinklers douse the entire complex with water, causing a short circuit effect that destroys ALEX. With ALEX gone, the jamming effect is broken and the B-52 pilots receive the recall code, calling off the air strike.
Jaime takes Dmitri back inside the complex and shows him the plaque inside the vault. Dmitri comments how amazing the whole ordeal had been and Jaime says that Dr. Cooper was an incredible man. Dmitri agrees, but says Dr. Cooper took on too much responsibility. Jaime thinks so as well, but believes his dream was a good one. She says Dr. Cooper knew someone would detonate a nuclear weapon eventually and that it would trigger the Doomsday Device. Dmitri seems puzzled that he would want that to happen, but Jaime tells him that Dr. Cooper told her that a person never appreciates life more than when they're closest to death and that today he took every world leader to their own funeral and let them feel death up close. She asks what could be a better inspiration for living in peace than that?
Dmitri simply replies, "But will they remember it tomorrow?"
Deconstructed[]
Quotes[]
Jaime: What are those glowing panels?
Alex: My main logic and memory units.
Jaime: Your brain?
Alex: In a manner of speaking, yes.
Jaime: Where is this chamber located?
Alex: On subterranean level 8, the lowest level of this complex.
Jaime: Why are you willing to show me all this?
Alex: Because the normal elevator routes have been sealed, and it's really quite impossible for you to even get near the auxiliary entrances. My defenses are designed to keep an army out of this complex for six hours, much less an ordinary woman.
Alex: Congratulations, Jaime. You've managed to reach level two, though I'm not quite sure how. No normal human being could've avoided my laser guns. You're quite a surprising woman. (Jaime starts running down the tunnel) I've never encountered anyone like you before. Jaime... you are running at 57.384 miles per hour, Jaime. This is not normal. Would you like to tell me about yourself, Jaime?
Jaime: Some other time.
Rudy: It may be possible for me to neutralize the Doomsday device.
Oscar: What? How?
Rudy: By encasing a cobalt bomb in strontium 90 and then exploding it directly on top of the uthenium bomb.
Oscar: Exploding it, on top of the Doomsday device, on top of Jaime?
Rudy: Don't you think I know that? How do you think I feel?
Alex: If you won't tell me about yourself, Jaime, then I'll have to do some investigating on my own. (Jaime grabs a handrail) Interesting. Your right hand doesn't seem to perspire at all. (Jaime pulls her hand back) If you touch that gate in front of you, you will take a direct 220 volt charge. I'm afraid it would be just goodbye, Jaime. (Jaime grabs the gate and pulls it open, sending sparks flying) That's quite an unusual arm. What's it made of?
Jaime: Sugar and spice.
Alex: That does not compute.
Alex: I'm really sorry my voice displeases you. Under different circumstances perhaps you might like it.
Jaime: (struggling down stairway with one damaged leg) I doubt it.
Alex: You might. After all, in a way, we're cousins.
Jaime: What are you talking about?
Alex: That's right, think about it: you're a human with the parts of a machine and I am a machine with the mind of a human.
Jaime: Well, bully for you!
Alex: Cousins. When I think about it, it seems regretful that I must try to stop you. (activates a loud claxon that startles Jaime so much she falls down the stairway)
Alex: Your little surprise is just ahead, Jaime. Do you hear them?
Jaime: (recoils in disgust at the sound of snakes) Oh, no...
Alex: What is it that you're most afraid of, Jaime? Snakes?
Jaime: (chewing on her knuckles) No...
Alex: That's what's ahead of you in the dark, Jaime. Waiting for you. That's what you'll have to go through to get to the Doomsday Device.
Jaime: (listens for a minute) I don't believe you, Alex. I think you're improvising again.
Alex: Just listen to them.
Jaime: No... (listens to the snake sounds getting louder) Alex, snakes don't have a volume control!
Jaime: Elijah was an incredible man.
Dmitri: No doubt, but he took on too much responsibility.
Jaime: Oh, that's true, but his dream was such a good one. He knew somebody was going to set off a bomb eventually, and that his Doomsday Device was going to start to count down.
Dmitri: He wanted that to happen?
Jaime: Of course! He told me that you never appreciate life as much as when you're closest to death. And today, he took every leader of the world to his own funeral and let them feel death right up close. I mean, what could be a better inspiration for living in peace than that?
Dmitri: (sadly) But will they remember it tomorrow?
Trivia[]
Cast[]
- David Opatoshu appeared as Dr. Monica in Danny's Inferno which aired during the week prior to the airing of this episode and following Doomsday Is Tomorrow.
Special Effects[]
- When ALEX scans Jaime's bionics, the graphics from the opening credits showing her bionic arm and legs is used, but with the colors changed to black on white.
Original Broadcast[]
- In Canada, broadcast of this episode was delayed for a week or more in some areas due to broadcasters not receiving a copy of the program in time for airing. Another episode of Bionic Woman was substituted.
Real World[]
- The inscription on the large stone pedestal in the vault is a quote from Isaiah 2:4 in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Series[]
- When Jaime is running down the water tunnel, Alex tells her that she is running at 62.1 miles per hour, proving that she can exceed 60mph. (Although an earlier episode, "Winning Is Everything", previously clocked her at 100mph.)
- Jaime exhibits a near-crippling fear of snakes.
- Jaime's bionic leg is damaged in similar fashion to what happens to Steve in "The Return of the Bionic Woman", though clearly not as severe as she isn't incapacitated the way Steve was (and the way she was when she suffered leg damage in "Kill Oscar").
- At least some components in Jaime's bionic legs appear to be "off the shelf" such as a processor that she is able to scavenge from a computer terminal.
Gaffes[]
Continuity[]
- The highlights from the previous episode shows Jaime Sommers at home, watching the TV broadcast by Dr. Cooper. Originally it was in color, but now it is shown in black and white (just the TV broadcast). Matter of fact, in the first shot of the TV, the bottom edge of the screen is still in color. (This might have been a broadcast error as the DVD release has this scene in full color.)
- The last overhead shot of Jaime repairing her leg shows her sitting down, when in reality she had just stood up.
- Several scenes of Oscar Goldman, Rudy Wells, and Mark Russell in the command center at the Air Force base show a clock that reads "7:20", even though the scenes are several hours apart.
- When the Doomsday Bomb failsafe is triggered by Jaime (by pulling out the booby-trapped memory module), the countdown clock only shows just under 12 seconds (instead of the 20 seconds which the final taped message said). However, it may have been that the 20 seconds was included as part of the final message (unknown).
Outtake[]
In the scene in which Jaime removes a mircochip from a computer panel and states "There you are, you little bugger," an outtake has Wagner ad-libbing as a joke, "There you are, you m----------r!" This outtake was later edited into a gag reel which subsequently found its way onto the Internet.
Video Links[]
- What Alex sounded like in German.
Gallery[]
_Sequence.jpg "Doomsday Is Tomorrow (Part II) Sequence.jpg (911 KB)")