History Recap / PhilipKDicksElectricDreamsS1E2ImpossiblePlanet

* FromACertainPointOfView: [=RB29=]'s justification for lying to Irma. Interestingly, once confronted with the sheer bleakness of the real Emphor III, Andrews spits at this idea, even though he was [[{{Hypocrite}} using it as a justification to Norton the day before]].

** HalfTruth: There was, in fact, a "solar event" that affected the real Earth... [[EarthShatteringKaboom it vaporized it]].

* AdaptationalJerkass: Arguably, Andrews, who in Dick's original represented the cynicism of the modern era but wasn't as blatant about it as he is here.

** The sun ''will'', in fact, physically destroy the Earth when it reaches red giant size and swallows the Earth entirely, but that's slated to happen five BILLION years in the future, [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale not within any timescale where the year still has four digits]]. Arguably the EarthShatteringKaboom backstory is necessary to make it clear that an EarthAllAlong ending is completely [[TitleDrop impossible]].

* ArtisticLicenseAstronomy: The sun ''will'', in fact, physically destroy the Earth when it reaches red giant size and swallows the Earth entirely, but that's slated to happen five BILLION years in the future, [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale not within any timescale where the year still has four digits]]. Arguably the EarthShatteringKaboom backstory is necessary to make it clear that an EarthAllAlong ending is completely [[TitleDrop impossible]].
** The Solar System hasn't officially had "nine planets" [[PlutoIsExpendable since 2006]], although perhaps [[LostCommonKnowledge most data about Earth being garbled or forgotten]] could account for the discrepancy. (Although note that humans were spacefaring by the time Irma's grandparents lived, and as UsefulNotes/NeilDeGrasseTyson has pointed out, no one approaching our system from the outside would actually see it as having "nine planets", as opposed to a large number of Kuiper Belt objects surrounding four gas giants and four inner planets.)

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: We learn very little about Linus Primo himself, but Andrews appears to believe he got where he is just by "picking a few pockets". (Although see below.)

* LostCommonKnowledge: Irma's initial monologue requires her to explain concepts like what oak trees are, and [=RB29=] apparently can't help her put on her dress because physical fasteners are now obsolete. She remembers the location of Elk River Falls, NC only as "Carolina", and even though [[HiddenDepths Andrews knows that Mars is the name of the god of war]], he appears ignorant that it was also once known as the "Red Planet".

* MeaningfulName: The cheesy branding of the ship's name ''Dreamweaver'' becomes more meaningful by the ending. Possibly also Irma's name ([[PunnyName "Irma Gordon" = "Armageddon"]]) given that she's searching for an Earth that no longer exists.

* MegaCorp: Everything in this universe seems to be owned by [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Linus Primo]] and [[EgocentricTeamNaming named after him]], although his own family name may be some kind of [[MeaningfulName title]] describing his position.

* NotHisSled: The [[AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame whole point]] of the original story is that Emphor III was EarthAllAlong. This time, we are explicitly told that Earth's total destruction is a basic, known fact, a la "[[Literature/AChristmasCarol Marley was dead]]", and moreover told that this is a setting where [[GreatBigLibraryOfEverything humans have exhaustively mapped and catalogued the entire universe]]. Aside from the superficial similarity of being the third of nine planets, with one moon -- which is what Andrews was searching for in the database -- Emphor III ''cannot'' be Earth. [[AmbiguousEnding And yet...]]

* SeamlessSpontaneousLie: Just at the moment Irma is about to PullTheThread and expose Andrews and Norton's con job, [=RB29=] suddenly comes up with a detailed story about how a "solar event" caused all of the discrepancies between the Sol and Emphor systems, having come to the decision to become TheShill rather than expose them.

* ScatterbrainedSenior: Irma. She claims to be "sharp as a tack", and she almost unravels Andrews' plan once or twice, but the plot rests on her seeming to have forgotten all about the destruction of Earth despite this being CommonKnowledge. Her AmbiguousDisorder may not just be dementia but something more mystical, considering that her obsession with Earth seems connected to her mystical link with Norton.
* SpottingTheThread: The plan almost collapses when they fly by "Mars" and she sees it glowing green.
* {{Squick}}: If you take the episode completely literally, then Irma may end up [[spoiler: [[IncestIsRelative having sex with her own grandfather]], reincarnated]].
* VisionsOfAnotherSelf: Brian seems to have been having mysterious flashes of the life of Irma's grandfather, before he even met her, indicating some kind of {{Reincarnation}} may be going on (but see above). Based on what Irma says, Brian seems to share Bill Gordon's desire for the unknown.
* {{Zeerust}}: Compared to the rest of this series the future of this episode comes off as this, especially the character design of [=RB29=].

* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: Creator/PhilipKDick's original story "[[TheTheTitleConfusion The]] Impossible Planet" was famous for its EarthAllAlong ending. Since in a post-Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes world this ending has become TheUntwist, this story makes it clear from the outset that this is not the case.

** [[spoiler: DeathByAdaptation]]: [[spoiler: [=RB29=]'s role of being TogetherInDeath with Irma is taken by Norton.]]

* [[spoiler: {{Flatline}}]]: [[spoiler: The onboard monitor for the spacesuits' O2 levels makes this sound when they drop to zero.]]

* [[spoiler: TogetherInDeath]]: [[spoiler: Brian Norton and Irma Gordon... ambiguously.]]

* RaceLift: Andrews is played by BenedictWong.

->''"Of course, you're going to tell me that things have changed, that Earth back then is not Earth today or some such thing, but... If my life has taught me anything, Mr. Norton, it is that some places want to change, and some places don't want to change. And I think I know which one Elk River is."''

->''"We're ripping off an old lady so you can go on a holiday, and so I can move somewhere I don't actually wanna go."''
->''"We're not ripping anyone off. We're weaving dreams. We're artists, me and you."''
->''"''Con'' artists."''
->''"What other type is there?"''

* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: Creator/PhilipKDick's original story "[[TheTheTitleConfusion The]] Impossible Planet" was famous for its EarthAllAlong ending. Since in a post-PlanetOfTheApes world this ending has become TheUntwist, this story makes it clear from the outset that this is not the case.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Geraldine Chaplin as Irma Gordon is far more beautiful (even for her age) than Mrs. Gordon was implied to be. [[spoiler: Ends up PromotedToLoveInterest for Norton]].

* MetaCasting: In a story about the lost, mythical past of Earth, the representative of that past is played by Geraldine Chaplin, associated by those who recognize her with classic films such as ''Film/DoctorZhivago'' and with her father, Creator/CharlieChaplin.

* MetaCasting: In a story about the lost, mythical past of Earth, the representative of that past is played by Geraldine Chaplin, associated by those who recognize her with classic films such as DoctorZhivago and with her father, Creator/CharlieChaplin.

* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: PhilipKDick's original story "[[TheTheTitleConfusion The]] Impossible Planet" was famous for its EarthAllAlong ending. Since in a post-PlanetOfTheApes world this ending has become TheUntwist, this story makes it clear from the outset that this is not the case.

** The Solar System hasn't officially had "nine planets" [[PlutoIsExpendable since 2006]], although [[LostCommonKnowledge perhaps most data about Earth]] being garbled or forgotten could account for the discrepancy. (Although note that humans were spacefaring by the time Irma's grandparents lived, and as UsefulNotes/NeilDeGrasseTyson has pointed out, no one approaching our system from the outside would actually see it as having "nine planets", as opposed to a large number of Kuiper Belt objects surrounding four gas giants and four inner planets.)

->''"We're ripping off an old lady so you can go on a holiday, and so I can move somewhere I don't actually wanna go."
->"We're not ripping anyone off. We're weaving dreams. We're artists, me and you."
->"Con artists."
->"What other type is there?"''

* AdaptationJobChange: In the original story Andrews was the captain of an independent vessel. Here Andrews and Norton are both low-level employees of a corporation. (Notably nobody ever addresses Andrews or Norton as "Captain".)