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Examination Day - S1-E14

Question: At the end of the episode, Dicky's parents are called and informed that the government has killed him? Why did they do this?

Answer: They live in a totalitarian state where people who are deemed too smart (and therefore a threat to the authorities) are done away with. That's the point of the test, to eliminate potential troublemakers.

Brian Katcher

Answer: It's the opposite - not smart but dumb. The voice said he failed to get a perfect score, less than one hundred percent.

Quote: "We regret to inform you that your son's intelligence quotient has EXCEEDED the government standard, according to section blah blah blah of the New Code." As in the original short story, they were eliminating intelligent people.

Brian Katcher

Where can I find the short story?

It's in the compilation "100 Great Science Fiction Short Stories" edited by Isaac Asimov.

Brian Katcher

It's by Henry Slesar and a quick Google search will show you some online copies. It's only two pages.

Brian Katcher

According to Wikipedia, it was first published in the February 1958 issue of Playboy magazine; it may have been reprinted elsewhere since then.

zendaddy621

Show generally

Question: Given how long it ran and its popularity, was there ever talk of a crossover with Dynasty regardless of different networks?

Rob245

Answer: No, back then such things were unheard of. Too much politics, contract disputes and what would the characters do if they met.

Question: Why did Chris insist on the group stealing the cannibals' truck? Wouldn't it have made more sense to hide out somewhere until they leave, then try to get one of the other cars running? Looks like most of them only had flat tires, could have taken 1 tire off 4 cars to get one functioning car. I doubt very much they drained the fuel out of them, older ones could have been hotwired and if they had flat batteries, nothing a bump start couldn't solve.

Answer: Whilst hiding and waiting for them to leave would have been better in the short term, there was no guarantee that any of the cars were runners. This was potentially the only opportunity they had to secure a running vehicle. Plus, even if by some miracle they did manage to get one of those cars started. The mutants could have chased them down, run them off the road etc. with their truck.

Answer: They were planning to try to get one of the cars started. Chris says "Maybe one of them still runs, look for keys". But of course the cannibals turn up, meaning they don't have time to look for a working car.

Answer: How long would it take you to change four tires? Now how long would it take you if you had no tools, if you didn't have the key to the trunk to get the jack, if you had to do it under the cover of dark, and if anyone found you, you'd be killed?

Brian Katcher

Question: I've noticed a few times in the film they mention "Phase 2." For example, when Fury is talking to the council they bring it up and Fury says "Phase 2 isn't ready." Given that the MCU was broken up into phases, with this being the last film in Phase One (with Iron Man 3 released a year later as the first film in Phase Two), was this an inside joke or nod about the MCU phases, or just coincidence and I'm reading too much into it?

Bishop73

Answer: Phase 2 in the movie refers to the plan executed in Captain America: Winter Soldier, Project Insight which is their next phase for total security of Earth (along with Stark's Ultron program). It is coincidental that it is the same term used for the MCU itself.

lionhead

Question: There is a major plot point which doesn't make sense to me. When Selene killed Viktor, who turned her into a vampire, why didn't it kill her too? I thought that when one vampire dies, all the vampires that were turned by them died too. That's why Viktor never killed Marcus. Is there something I'm missing?

Underworld_fan

Answer: Marcus told Viktor that if either of the Corvinus brothers were to die, it would also kill the whole Immortal bloodline (Vampires and Lycans), but this was a lie to prevent Viktor from killing his brother William.

Sierra1

Question: Before Paxton escapes he sees guards talking to the police outside the building. I'm confused to why he says "oh shit" - is it because they pay the police to keep it quiet and that is why he doesn't shout for help to the police?

Answer: Exactly, yes. This interaction tells him that the police are in on the operation, and will not help him.

Question: Why is Pappas ridiculed by the other agents for his theory that the ex-presidents surf when they're not robbing banks? Is it really that outlandish?

Answer: Because he's regarded as a burned out hippie.

stiiggy

Question: Why didn't they go back to the 3rd or 4th locomotive where they could access the brake hoses and disconnect one of those, instead of trying to get to the hoses between the 1st and 2nd engines?

Answer: That's what they were doing, going car to freight car break the hoses. They knew it would slow the train down but not stop it. Slow enough so they could jump off without getting injured. That's why they were desperate to get to the first engine not only to break the hose but disconnect from it.

Question: How could whoever made Rita a ranger not tell she was evil? Did she become corrupt over time like those who possess the ring in Lord of the Rings?

Rob245

Answer: Rita was a part of Zordon's original team, but she betrayed them in her search for the Zeo crystals. She even killed the original members of Zordon's team until only Zordon's remained.

Question: Does the Red October not have a signal light on the periscope like the Dallas? It's a little ridiculous that they have to ping them to acknowledge them.

Answer: Red October would certainly have a signal light. If Dallas thought they were talking to the ready to defect Captain, I can't think of a more dangerous way to ask him to reply. Ordering the sonar signal certainly alerted the entire crew that something very unusual was going on. Plot error for sure.

Question: Why does Tom Cruise constantly flash his doctor's ID card like he thinks he works for the FBI?

Answer: To convince others that he is going about legitimate business and to demonstrate that he is trustworthy because of his professional status. At a deeper level, he does it to reassure himself as he finds himself in progressively more bizarre circumstances.

Question: It was stated that Anubis took the Scorpion King's soul until he would be needed again. But, is there any explanation as to why he turned into the giant scorpion mutant that showed up towards the end?

Answer: He made a deal with Anubis to defeat his enemies in exchange for his soul. After Anubis fulfilled his end of the bargain he claimed the Scorpion King as his slave and transformed him into the scorpion hybrid, taking away his humanity.

lionhead

Question: Why was the original trilogy always titled episodes 4, 5 and 6, when the prequel trilogy wasn't even planned?

MikeH

Answer: The original wasn't. It was just "Star Wars" when I saw it in the theater. In fact Lucas wasn't planning on any sequels when he made the first. After the first made it as a big success and drafts of a sequel were started, the second was first numbered as 2, but Lucas decided on a series with prequels, so the first became number 4, and so on. For a long time after 4-6 came out, people doubted if 7-9, let alone 1-3 would every be made. It was 16 years between the release of #6 and #1.

jimba

Answer: It is true "Star Wars" was not originally called episode IV, but Lucas always had the idea of doing a sequels. His original script became too big for one film, so he took the first third of the script (Act 1) and turned it into "Star Wars." However, since the film gave no context or background information to the audience (we're basically just thrown into the action), Lucas took the opportunity when "Star Wars" was a success to plan on creating prequels.

Bishop73

Https://drbeat.li/album/Bücher/The_Secret_History_of_Star_Wars.pdf (pdf of "The Secret History of Star Wars"). And here is a quote from Lucas "The Star Wars series started out as a movie that ended up being so big that I took each act and cut it into its own movie...It was like a big script. It was way too big to make into a movie. So I took the first third of it, which is basically the first act, and I turned that into what was the original Star Wars."

Bishop73

Question: Considering that Chuck had been on the island for four years, would he actually still have all of his teeth or would he have lost them all? From all the things that he saw in the packages that he opened, not one of them had anything to keep his teeth clean.

Answer: Even without dental care for four years, it would take far longer for a generally healthy person to lose their teeth if they had previously maintained proper oral hygiene. Chuck's diet was a factor (little or no sugar) and he could also fashion a primitive toothbrush or toothpick from materials on the island. Ancient humans had relatively little tooth decay. It was after sugar was introduced into the European (and later American) diet in the 11th century, that dental problems started becoming more prevalent.

raywest

Answer: It's possible that he could keep his teeth, provided he doesn't eat too many sugars. Just think of all the cultures throughout history and today that do not brush their teeth. They certainly have dental issues compared to those who regularly brush and see a dentist, but it's not like none of them have teeth.

BaconIsMyBFF

Answer: Toothpaste and toothbrushes (+ floss) are not the only things that can be used to clean teeth! (What did people use before toothpaste and toothbrushes were manufactured?) A CLEAN finger can be used or a wet piece of cloth - and some fruits (e.g, apple) and vegetables (e.g, carrot) can help remove gunk from teeth. He had access to sea salt, which could help. If he "wiped" his teeth (after every meal and snack), he would be able to avoid plaque and tartar buildup. Toothpaste in and of itself is NOT necessary - it is added flavor to supposedly make brushing teeth taste better (e.g, bubblegum flavor for kids), be more pleasant (and thereby encourage people to brush longer), and/or add fluoride. Few, if any, people make it through adult life without a cavity, but there's no significant factor during his four years that would make him lose all of his teeth! The information given in the previous answers is also relevant.

KeyZOid

Answer: I wasn't told as a kid I had to brush my teeth every day. I brushed them only before going to the dentist or a special occasion, would sometimes go months without brushing. I only started brushing properly after puberty and I still have each and every single one of my teeth. They're a bit yellower than average, but not that bad. Even with smoking all my life and practically living of sugar, most people actually think I have pretty decent teeth and I never get comments about having bad teeth. They do tell me that if this had gone on for much longer, I would regret it and my gums have retracted a bit from all the tartar, but this makes me assume that, being healthy, you can probably go at least 10 years with poor mouth hygiene before your teeth actually start rotting.

Question: When Nick talks to Deja Vu and Chocolate Mousse there is a strange drawing behind them on the wall consisting of four arrows and other symbols, it looks meaningless but very deliberate at the same time, is it supposed to mean something? (00:58:07 - 00:58:38)

one5zero

Answer: It looks like an attack plan with the symbols representing buildings, trees and a church or graveyard in the village, the arrows representing troops and the Resistance, and the dotted line some kind of battle line.

Sierra1

Question: The opening scene shows a military base with an equestrian event taking pace, which Bond infiltrates and places a bomb in an aircraft before getting caught, then escapes with the aid of his assistant and a small jet aircraft. How was this related to the rest of the plot?

Answer: It wasn't meant to be related at all. It was just an action sequence to start off the film as Bond completes a previous assignment before a segue into the familiar 007 opening theme and a new song. I recall there were some other earlier Bond films that also used this formula. After the opening bit, the story starts as Bond meets with "M" for a new mission, then a briefing with "Q" about the latest spy gadgets. There was also the obligatory flirtatious banter between Bond and Miss Moneypenny.

raywest

I see what you mean. I'm thinking of those films where the opening scene has some link to the main plot (e.g. The Spy Who Loved Me), but Moonraker is like this one, it starts off (spectacularly) with Bond at the end of a previous assignment.

Question: In the film, Officer Robbie seems to have heavily modified his police cruiser, including adding nitrous. In real life, could an officer actually modify his or her vehicle, even if it's at their own expense? The examples of modified police cars I could find online are never real cop cars (they're for a car show, just a stunt, or hoax of some sort).

Bishop73

Answer: A major police department would probably not allow modifications to an official vehicle, even if it was assigned permanently to a particular officer, due to safety or insurance concerns. That said, many departments do use high performance or exotic vehicles seized during crimes under various forfeiture laws. Most times these are for promotional purposes, but I do know of a Florida department that used a souped-up Dodge Hemi-Charger painted in standard department livery for traffic enforcement.

Answer: He was displeased by everything Maria had been doing with the children while he was away, such as making play clothes for the kids using the window curtains, taking them on outings around Salzburg, having them singing, going boating, and generally having fun, all of which he, as a strict disciplinarian father, considered frivolous behavior. The captain also thought Maria was being impertinent for suggesting that he become closer to the children.

raywest

Question: Did Max know the tanker was full of sand before it crashed?

Answer: No, Max even puts his hand under the stream of sand pouring out of the trailer as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Answer: No, because it was necessary for Max to believe he was hauling the tanker filled with fuel so that the ruse leading the marauders away from the settlers' compound could work. After Max drove the decoy tanker away with the marauders in pursuit, the settlers were able to smuggle the fuel away in oil drums concealed in other vehicles.

zendaddy621

Question: In the hardware store when Scott hears the dog whistle, why doesn't his Dad, who is also a werewolf, hear it or react?

Answer: His dad is either not currently in the room or further away in the same room so most likely not as loud for him. Also, the dad is used to being a werewolf, so he is more used to the sound than Scott (to whom this sound is brand-new).

Answer: And, for wolves and humans, as they get older their high frequency hearing is diminished.

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