War of the Worlds/A Multitude of Idols

A Multitude of Idols
Season 1, Episode 5
Airdate	October 24, 1988
Written by	Tom Lazarus
Directed by	Neill Fearnley
← 1x04 Thy Kingdom Come	1x06 → Eye for an Eye
War of the Worlds — Season One

A Multitude of Idols is the fifth episode of the first season of War of the Worlds.

Jared Martin (Harrison Blackwood), Lynda Mason Green (Suzanne McCullough), Philip Akin (Norton Drake)

and Richard Chaves (Colonel Ironhorse)

Guest Stars: Michele Scarabelli (Elyse Conway), Neil Vipond (Reverend)

Also Starring: Ray James (FBI Leader), Von Flores (Alex), Jackie Richardson (Blanche), Garfield Andrews (Simons), Roger McKeen (Driver 1), Tedd Dillon (Driver 2)

Featuring: Judy Sinclair (Judy), Chick Roberts (Frank), Richard Gira (FBI #1), Jim Walton (FBI #2), Joseph Matheson (FBI #3)

Uncredited: Richard Comar (Advocate #1), Ilse Von Glatz (Advocate #2), Michael Rudder (Advocate #3)

Plot Overview

In need of beginning an infiltration into human society, the aliens plot a course to recruit and prepare host bodies. An abandoned town by the name of Beeton soon presents itself as the perfect opportunity to set up such a base of operations.

Notes

Teaser Quote

"Don't be scared. This won't hurt you."

Locations

• Washington D.C. (Department of Transportation)

• Beeton, California

• Grainville, California

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• The Advocacy speak of the colonists who are on their way to Earth.

• The Blackwood Project suffers a notable defeat. While they are successful in shutting down Beeton, untold numbers of aliens were freed and escaped to have begun infiltration with human hosts.

Characters

• Harrison's laid back methods irk Suzanne's more disciplined work ethic. They settle things when Suzanne accepts Harrison's apology.

Trivia

The Show

• This episode marks the first use of Harrison's tuning fork.

• The first episode in which the aliens are seen using their third arm as a means of mutilation by gouging out a person's eyes. However, dialogue suggests this is not the first time the aliens have done it.

Behind the Scenes

• This is the first of four consecutive episodes in which Comar, Glatz, and Rudder are uncredited as the Advocacy. Notable in this episode given how much screen time the Advocacy have. This suggests their scenes may have inserted later in production and that some material from this episode was cut to make time.

Allusions and References

• Harrison draws an analogy between the alien host factory and that of the Bates Motel from the Hitchcock classic Psycho.

Memorable Moments

• Blanche reveals herself to be an alien by murdering Simons via the third arm that bursts out her chest.

Goofs

• The shot of Blanche walking to the computer is a reused shot of her walking toward Simons.

• The first clip we see of the tape Elyse has sent to her station manager matches with what Alex filmed. However, the second is clearly reused footage from that scene and not what he filmed.

• When Harrison hands Norton Conway's tape, the shadow/reflection of the boom mic is visible, just behind Ironhorse's head.

• The truck parked to the left of the alley way is shown in several shots to be parked so close to the wall that it's almost too narrow for anyone to get squeeze in standing up. However, Ironhorse is later shown to be able to sneak in this space with quite a bit of room, even enough to crouch.

• When Ironhorse kills the alien fed, they are both on opposite ends of the semi-trailer. However, not only does it's blood manages to splatter on the tail door, but the alien body is then inexplicably melting at Ironhorse's feet.

• Mary Jane Patterson is credited as "Post Coordinator" instead of "Post Production Coordinator".

Quotes

• Elise Conway: These workers are loading cargoes of death onto these trucks. Sound like sensationalism? You'll wish it was. These steel drums are filled with what they call in the business hot stuff. Radiation waste – radiation waste that will remain lethal for over a thousand centuries. Their destination: a Government toxic waste storage facility high in the mountains at James Pass, over 800 miles away. And if there's an accident along the way, the thought is positively chilling. These and other shipments are rolling time bombs on our nation's highways.

• Advocate #1: The logistics of this operation are complex.

Advocate #2: Complex or not, our war can be won if we are able to move among the Earthlings undetected.

Advocate #3: Be thankful that they're childishly casual with their nuclear materials. Stealing what we need should pose no problem.

Advocate #1: True, but we still haven't found a secure location to revive more of our sleeping brethren.

Advocate #2: Nor do we have an adequate supply of suitable humans whose bodies we might use.

Advocate #3: One problem at a time, comrades! It's a puzzle with many pieces. We deal with the nuclear materials first.

• Suzanne: You are absolutely and totally undisciplined.

Harrison: I'm very suspicious when somebody's absolutely and totally anything.

• Harrison: Suzanne, no doubt you would prefer a machine, but, alas, we are all too human.

Suzanne: Exactly what is that supposed to mean?

Harrison: That is supposed to mean that what makes us interesting people, unique and special in our own way, should be encouraged, supported and fought for, not homogenized so we're all the same.

• Suzanne: How do you expect anyone to sleep with you buzzing around all night long?

Norton: Buzzing? I don't buzz; I pace. Pacing helps me think. Always has, always will.

Suzanne: But my bedroom is right over your pace track.

Norton: Uh, an accident of... architectural karma.

Suzanne: Huh. It's like living in a mental ward.

Harrison: I choose to take that as a compliment.

Norton: As do I.

• Harrison: Better late than never.

Suzanne: That's it. So why did I have to go through all this to get it?

Harrison: You never did. Suzanne, if you go with the flow, you'll live a lot longer. Trust me.

• Suzanne: Why do they have to mutilate people?

Harrison: Because it's war, Suzanne.

Ironhorse: And we're the enemy.

• Ironhorse: I've seen this type of thing before, doctors - in Vietnam. Fighting an enemy that you can't see. You don't know who the hell is who.

Norton: Maybe we should ask them to fight fair.

Ironhorse: It's not funny, Mr. Drake.

• Elyse: How did you guys get into driving hazardous material, anyway?

Driver #2: They spell it M-O-N-E-Y. They pay us like we're hauling the crown jewels or something. It's great.

Elyse: How about you?

Driver #1: Oh, he told me we'd get lay... (is nudged) …dees. Ladies. He said ladies.

• Elyse: Alex, did you get what just happened between those trucks?

Alex: I don't know. What's the big deal?

Elyse: I'm not sure. I just know it was the strangest thing I ever saw. I just hope you got it.

Alex: What if I did?

Elyse: Then we have the story of the century. And I have my shot at network.

• Harrison: Can you enhance this image digitally?

Norton: Does a computer download in the woods?

• Norton: I'm surprised no one has suggested we break in and steal it. I always love it when you guys do that.

• Advocate #1: The town they call Beeton seems tailor-made for our purposes.

Advocate #2: Away from their cities. Off their main highways.

Advocate #3: And best of all, it's completely abandoned.

Advocate #1: The place called Beeton won't be abandoned for long, comrades. We must begin transporting the burial drums containing our sleeping brethren to this location immediately.

Advocate #2: The puzzle is almost complete.

Advocate #3: Yes, except for the last most important piece: we still need human bodies... many human bodies.

• Suzanne: I hate to ask this, but why do you stand on your head?

Harrison: Relieves the force of gravity on my organs. The body is two-thirds water, Suzanne, just like the Earth. Over time, the organs sink to the bottom of your stomach. Standing on your head reverses that process. You should try it. You could use it.

Suzanne: Thank you very much, but my organs are just fine.

Harrison: Oh, I'm sure you have wonderful organs, Suzanne.

• Norton: Do you think less of me if I don't have a tomahawk, Colonel?

Ironhorse: Do you think any less of me because I'm not a bleeding-heart liberal like you, Mr. Drake?

Norton: A little. What are, uh, those marks there?

Ironhorse: Those are coups.

Norton: Coups?

Ironhorse: Victories.

Norton: Well, that sounds ominous.

• Harrison: Washington able to locate those trucks?

Ironhorse: That's a negative, Doctor.

Harrison: Nothing showed on the satellite photos?

Ironhorse: Well, apparently, the powers that be haven't approved the release of any of the super high-resolution satellite photography yet.

Suzanne: Why would they be so uncooperative?

Ironhorse: Well, these are professionals, Doctor. If they don't feel that it's in the best interests of the United States to release those photographs, then they damned well shouldn't release those photographs.

Harrison: And if the aliens are successful and wipe every human being off the face of the Earth because they didn't release those photographs, they'd still be right?

Ironhorse: Look, Blackwood, I pushed this as far as I possibly could.

Harrison: Personally, I find groveling to be quite effective.

• Harrison: Norton, how would you feel about three to five in a federal penitentiary?

Norton: Talk to me, Doc.

Harrison: I'd be very surprised if we couldn't put the combined brain power in this room together to figure out a way to tap into the satellite systems package and generate our own photographs.

Norton: Harrison, you got one strange head, but I like it.

• Ironhorse: Blackwood, we're talking a violation of security, criminal trespass, possible treason.

Harrison: Colonel, Colonel, the government is the people, right? That's our information in there. We're just going to pay it a little visit.

Ironhorse: Officially, I haven't heard any of this.

Suzanne: Harrison, you can't be serious.

Harrison: Wait a minute, Colonel! Isn't the planet being threatened by aliens serious? Isn't the elimination of every life-form on Earth serious? Wouldn't we be negligent if we had the capability of getting this information and we didn't do it? (Suzanne and Ironhorse don't respond) I rest my case.

• Advocate #3: For once, everything is proceeding according to plan.

Advocate #2: Yes, with new human hosts arriving every hour.

Advocate #1: These pathetic Earthlings have even less intelligence than our own planet's vegetation!

Advocate #2: Our own planet. If only we could see it one last time...

Advocate #3: Erase those thoughts from your mind, comrade. Our planet is already well into its final death rattle.

Advocate #1: You must remember that this planet is our home now.

Advocate #3: As it will be home to those on the way. Our colonists are relying upon us to be strong.

Advocate #1: The three of us.

Advocate #2: Of course. I must remember to deal with what is, not with what might have been. I appreciate your patience, comrades. My lapse will not be repeated.

Advocate #1: We have much to be grateful for. Within 24 hours, we will have increased our numbers by two-fold.

Advocate #2: Perhaps we should inform those on the way of our progress.

Advocate #3: Yes, they will be pleased... very pleased.

• Harrison: Beeton? Where have I heard of Beeton before?

Suzanne: Kind of off the "Beeton" track, isn't it?

• Ironhorse: This is really sick, Blackwood!

Suzanne: They're reviving new aliens! This whole town's been set up to recruit host bodies for aliens!

Harrison: It's like an alien Bates Motel.

• Harrison: (referring to the aliens) Gone. They're all gone.

Suzanne: We did everything we could.

Harrison: That's not good enough, Suzanne.

Ironhorse: He's right. If we keep losing like this, we're dead meat on this planet.

Harrison: They must have revived a thousand of them. And now, they're out there. They're out there among us!

• Elyse: And now on the lighter side of the news, apparently, it's that time of year again. Our station has received numerous local reports of, quote, "An invasion by aliens from another planet." We checked with nearby Goodwin Army base and public relations officers there have confirmed that military personnel were involved in routine training exercises at the time of the alleged incident. So far, no aliens have come forward to dispute these reports. But our door is open. Is yours?