The Outer Limits: Identity Crisis

Work Title: The Outer Limits: Identity Crisis
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: Identity Crisis
Year: 1998
Writer(s): James Crocker
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No

Summary:

from wikipedia Captain Cotter McCoy (Lou Diamond Phillips) is the first of a new breed of soldier. As part of a top secret program overseen by Dr. Greg Olander (Robert Joy), General Langston Chase (Dale Wilson), and Cotter's friend, Colonel Pete Butler (Scott Kraft), the contents of McCoy's brain can be temporarily transferred into an android version of himself. This process creates a virtually indestructible fighting machine with the smarts and experience of a human being. But, one day something goes wrong. During the transfer, the real McCoy's body is blasted with electricity, stopping his heart, inflicting serious brain damage and leaving Cotter's mind trapped in the android body. To make matters worse, the interface between his mind and the android body is flawed. McCoy's motor control is already beginning to break down and the interface will likely collapse within 12 hours. The general is prepared to sacrifice McCoy to keep the program secret, but McCoy uses his enormous strength to break out and visit his wife, Holly (Teri Polo). Together, they track down Olander and begin a desperate search for what went wrong. All the signs point to sabotage, but who would do such a thing? And, more important, how can it be undone?

  • Self-Written?:
  • Source Name: Wikipedia
  • Source URL:

Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day

Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Present day 1998


Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Android
  • Description of the technology: The android has the shape of a human, and somewhat resembles a humna, but lacks hair, fluidity of motion, and the correct coloring. He is white, has some wires wrapped around his head, lacks ears and hair, and moves in jerks, stiffly. The android has the personality of a real person - the contents of his brain have been transferred to the android. His body resists electric shocks, and is very resilient. The android is the soldier of the future. He can speak and communicate. It acts as if he was the human soldier (Cotter) who's brain it orginally was.
  • Nature of task or activity: Generally, the user is trying to save the android/Cotter. Or, testing the android, to see how viable he is to use as a soldier.
  • Performance of the Technology: A malfunction occurs during the brain/personality transfer and Cotter's real body is dead. Then, he is trapped in the android body - which is breaking down the longer it "lives".
  • Description of creator(s): Dr. Olmyer - a white, middle aged scientist - associated with the military.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): to create the perfect soldier.
  • Description of users of technology: Cotter McCoy is the soldier who's personality is placed into the android - he is white, 30's, military and happily married. Holly, his wife is white, 30s, pretty.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: It is creepy - the android essentially is Cotter - it is as if he was trapped in the android's machine body. It is also harrowing and frightening, as they try to avoid capture and save Cotter.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: yes.
  • Valence of experience: unpleasant.
  • Specific responses: intense parasocial relationships, involvement, confusion, acceptance.
Long-term consequences:

It turns out that Pete, Cotter's friend, sabotaged the transfer so that he could take Cotter's place. After a fight, Pete is killed and Cotter's personality is trasferred into Pete's body. So, Cotter's personality lives on in Pete's human shell.

Other:

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