Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams. Episode 4, Crazy Diamond.

Director, Marc Munden. 

Writer, Tony Grisoni. 

Starring Steve Buscemi as Ed Morris, Sidse Babett Knundsen as Jill and Julia Davis as Sally Morris. 

Production and Design.

Crazy Diamond is a beautiful episode, and the composition of each scene could grace any album cover and feel at home. Talking about music I sense some Pink Floyd vibes in the episode, the pig lady is one of those. However, I have recently discussed Children of Men and that was the same. The episode was filmed on various coastal lines throughout the United Kingdom, which gives the story a very tranquil and hypnotic beginning. The interior sets also look beautiful but feel cold and uninviting at the same time. Their futuristic home has no personality at all. It is a couple of individual souls, living day by day, in the most mundane way. Alternatively, there is  Ed’s boat, which has personality, and it feels like a space that is loved and cherished. The production and design of this episode were perfect in creating the atmosphere and identity for the story. 

Story.

There is a wonderful and haunting start to the episode. We are introduced to a beautiful red-haired woman who suddenly grows old, but who is she? The story rolls back to seven days earlier, and the story begins. Ed and Sally Julia are a happily married couple, who are both living in a World that is ready to implode, both literally and figuratively. Nothing in this life looks fun. Maybe, clean, sterile and futuristic, but not enjoyable. During the day, Ed’s a scientist, and he is currently working on a project, called Quantum Consciousness. The red-haired woman from earlier presents herself to Ed at his laboratory. The woman is curious about his work, and Quantum Consciousness. The Quantum Consciousness is added to Jack and Jill’s, human cyborgs that hold no life until the consciousness is added, which makes them think and act human. Finally, the woman admits to Ed that she is also a Jill, but that is something he already worked out. Maybe it’s time for a drink and time for Jill to admit her consciousness is failing, and she needs a new one to survive.  Enough about Jill, she wants to learn all about Ed. Ed talks about his dream of living life, on the high seas, Jill is intrigued, Later, his wife Sally tells him, that dishonest lives are sad lives, as Ed studies his map, and works out which way to sail his boat. Funnily enough, it’s not just Ed who has been dishonest, as shown by Sally only seconds earlier.

Sally wants to create life in the real World, as she attempts to grow watercress and potatoes. However, Ed and Sally try to plant her potatoes, only to find solid steel under a few inches of soil. Feeling, that all is lost,  Ed begins to spend more time with Jill, who enthusiastically informs him that his dreams are achievable, and now for the sales pitch. Jill has a plan to steal ten berries containing Quantum Consciousness. One to save herself and the rest can be used to raise enough money for Ed to fulfil his dream. Jill knows Ed will go along with this plan because things are becoming desolate in his real life. So, the plan to steal the berries is now in place. First, he replicates a copy of his hand, and he teaches her how to sing, flow my tears, which will give her access to his laboratory. As the robbery begins, Ed loses his nerve and raises the alarm. However, this is too late,  as Jill is now gone and the heist was successful.

Jill’s plan to sell the berries goes a bit wrong. Ed, on the other hand, becomes a hero at work, because it was him, who raised the alarm during the robbery. Maybe Ed’s life is going to be okay after all? That is until he returns home to find Jill talking to his wife. It seems Jill is good at getting people to like her, as Sally buys life insurance from her, and lets her sleep on their sofa. Ed confronts Jill to find out what she wants. Jill wants her conciseness back and more importantly, she wants Ed to help her. It’s not like Ed has a choice anymore, as she has enough evidence to destroy him. Ed’s involvement in the situation isn’t going away, and even his wife can work that out, as she learns Jill is more to him than he first let on. So, it’s the second time around for Jill, as she goes back to the gang of thugs that she tried to sell the berries to earlier. Only this time Ed is along for the ride. This time it goes well, as Jill leaves nothing to chance this time. After receiving her new consciousness, she wipes out the villains, one by one. Maybe this will go right after all? Or maybe not, as it looks like Ed’s manager from the laboratory has been dealing with Jill a lot longer. His manager wants all the berries back, including the one in Jill’s head, and asks Ed to remove it. Ed agrees, and he is going to kill Jill by removing it. Well, until Jill is handed a gun, and kills Ed’s manager. Ed has let her down, and everything has gone wrong. Not only that, he returns home to find out his wife wants to fulfil her own dreams, and has left him! Ed has to leave town, as his house is falling to pieces, as the coastline crumbles around him. His dreams are finally realised, as he can finally hit the seas. However, Sally and Jill both appear on the dock of his boat. It seems they are taking his dream and everything he owns. After being thrown overboard, Ed is washed ashore to notice all the demolished houses along the coastline. I guess, all you can do is laugh in such a situation. 

Conclusion.

This story told me that when you are faced with death, you want to try things that you wouldn’t think about in everyday circumstances. The closer to death you are, the more you want from life. Life is about taking risks, okay not as dangerous as the characters in this tale, but enough to take you out of your comfort zone. I loved the use of Syd Barret’s Octopus. I have listened to Pink Floyd for most of my life, but I have never heard any of Syd’s solo material. Great episode, but I am curious about how much of Philip K. Dick’s original idea was used in the story. Thankfully, I have the book of the series now, and will do a full review of the series, once I am finished. All in all, I am still enjoying this show, and I hope you can join me for episode 5, Real Life.

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