War of the Worlds (TV Series)

The Walls of Jericho (1988)

Richard Chaves: Colonel Paul Ironhorse

Quotes 

• General Henry J. Wilson : Mrs. Pennyworth sets a wonderful table, don't you think?

  Suzanne McCullough : Yes. She and Mr. Kensington have made us all very comfortable.

  General Henry J. Wilson : You never know it, but Mrs. Pennyworth was a very valuable asset in the American section of Berlin during the last war. Her husband did the same thing with the Brits!

  [chuckles] 

  General Henry J. Wilson : Rumor has it they met one night when they were both trying to infiltrate the Russian sector. Oh, that woman has seen a lot of history. Even helped brighten some of the two. And this house has had its own share of history as well. A few nuclear physicists lived here in the early days of the Manhattan Project. And just before you, we kept a KGB defector here. I wonder who the next occupants will be.

  Norton Drake : [laughs]  Harrison, does that sound suspiciously like an eviction notice to you?

  General Henry J. Wilson : I wouldn't look at it that way, Mr. Drake. All missions eventually come to an end, and that's why I'm here... to thank you all, personally, for a job well done.

  Harrison Blackwood : I'm sorry, General, but the job isn't done!

  General Henry J. Wilson : Well, I'm completely satisfied with everything you've accomplished.

  Harrison Blackwood : We've hardly accomplished a thing.

  Suzanne McCullough : Uncle Hank, I can't believe you're cutting us off!

  General Henry J. Wilson : Suzanne, your own research suggests the aliens were susceptible to radiation poisoning.

  Suzanne McCullough : How do you know that? I haven't released that data yet!

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : I don't think it takes a scientist to realize that any of those creatures that weren't blown up with their ships have died from radiation poisoning.

  Harrison Blackwood : General, if you shut us down now, you're going to be repeating the same mistake that was made 35 years ago!

  General Henry J. Wilson : On the contrary, the aliens are finished! And now, I suggest you all get on with the rest of your lives.

  Harrison Blackwood : How much of this is your doing, Colonel?

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : The General asks me to make reports; I make reports. I'm just doing my job, Doctor.

  Harrison Blackwood : I wish to God you would let me do mine!

• Suzanne McCullough : Without tissue samples, most of this is just educated guessing, but I think I understand how an alien blends with whoever happens to be unfortunate enough to get in its way. It's a combination of osmosis and cell-phase matching. Watch. Through osmosis, alien cells invade the human body. These cells then spread out, seeking human cells that they can bond to. This bonding allows all the genetic information from the individual human cells to communicate to the alien cells.

  Harrison Blackwood : Killing the human cells in the process?

  Suzanne McCullough : Yes, but apparently not before it absorbs all of the intelligence of the human victim.

  Norton Drake : We're talking "Night of the Living Dead" here, folks. Not only do these guys get to pick our brains; they also get to use our bodies as a perfect disguise.

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : I don't call open sores and radiation sickness a perfect disguise. I mean, it's not exactly difficult to spot these things in a crowd.

  Harrison Blackwood : For now, maybe. But it's only a matter of time until they figure out a better way to protect themselves, and conceal themselves.

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : If any more of them are still around.

• Colonel Paul Ironhorse : Slaughtered cattle. A dozen missing factory workers. Stolen plastic products. Why are you showing me this?

  Harrison Blackwood : Because I think those incidences are connected. First to the aliens, and then to each other.

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : And I think you're looking for imaginary dragons under imaginary rocks. Where did you get this list?

  Suzanne McCullough : Norton has his own way of finding these things out.

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : Didn't Mr. Drake get the message? Didn't any of you people get the message? This operation is terminated! You people are no longer in the alien-busting business!

  Harrison Blackwood : You could bring this list to General Wilson, Colonel, and you could ask him to give us more time.

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : Oh, really? And what am I supposed to say to the general, that the aliens are trying to take over the world by cornering the market on plastic tubing? Give me a break, Doctor!

• Young Wife : This has gone on long enough, Ralph! Three days and you haven't been home! You don't call! You don't return my calls!

  Ralph : I've been working.

  Young Wife : You really expect me to believe that? This is a factory, not a hospital. I mean, how important could this be?

  Ralph : I've been working.

  Young Wife : What's her name, Ralph? You owe me that much! Who is she?

  [to another worker] 

  Young Wife : Why is he treating me like this?

  Foreman : He's been working.

  Young Wife : Good; then he'll have plenty of money for a divorce lawyer. Did you hear me, Ralph?

  [the workers all stop to stare at her; she leaves and they resume their work] 

  Colonel Paul Ironhorse : [to Harrison Blackwood]  I don't know whether or not these guys are aliens, Doctor, but they are definitely weird.