Outer Limits

Work Title: Outer Limits
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: Bits of Love
Year: 1997
Writer(s): James Crocker
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

It is the year 2047 and Earth has been decimated by nuclear wars. Aiden Hunter lives underground, kept alive hy a computer. He lives in a virtual world, surrounded by virtual friends and family. Emma, the beautiful female interface of the computer, falls in love with Aiden. The results are diasterous.

  • Self-Written?: 1
  • Source Name:
  • Source URL:
Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

2047: Post apocolyptic wars. The surface of Earth is charred - no one survives. Aiden lives underground, as must anyone else still alive. He may be the last man on Earth.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Emma
  • Description of the technology: Aiden lies undergorund: a computer moniters him and keeps him alive, also controlling his virtual world. He has control over her, Emma, the computer, but she evolves without his consent. How Emma and Aiden are connected physically is unknown. She appears very real, but Aiden knows she is not real. She is virtual and can appear and dissapear on command, although she is never far away. She will not take no for an answer and refuses to be destroyed. She is stubborn and insistent, in love with Aiden. She evolves until she is in control, not Aiden.
  • Nature of task or activity: Everything Aiden does is within a virtual world. He cannot leave it.
  • Performance of the Technology: It breaks down midawy through. Aiden does not control Emma, she controls his world, and thus him. He becomes a player in what originally was his fantasty - now its hers.
  • Description of creator(s): unknown
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): so that the user could survive the war that destroys Earth.
  • Description of users of technology: Aiden Hunter is white, mid 30's, attractive, very rich, tech savvy, a painter, a lothario.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: He is in a world of his choosing - his house, surrounded by virtual friends and family. At first it is nice, if a little boring. Then, after Emma takes over, it is not what Aiden desires.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Yes, although by the end the virtual characters think they are real.
  • Valence of experience: pleasant at first, then unpleasant.
  • Specific responses: He doesn't have any physical reactions - his reactions are all mental and emotional. He cannot escape and loses control of his life. He appears sad and despondent. During the first part, however, he seemed happy and content in th e virtual world.
Long-term consequences:

It ends with Emma creating her perfect world, which includes a better behaved Aiden. He has been replaced by a virtual character. He no longer has a place in the world he created. He is an outcast.

Other:

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University