Originally airing on 7 March 1988, immediately after "Probe Computer Logic", the rest of the Premiere includes the traditional teaser before the Title Montage and then a recap of the first half.
Austin and Michelle visit a company run by John Blane, a Genius Cripple who is also known as Austin's only friend. He's recently built a computer program called Crossover. It is able to easily outsmart Austin in a couple of simple challenges, capable of understanding natural language, composing impromptu Limericks, and designing software that Austin can't hack through.
The more Austin and Michelle uncover, however, the more dangerous they learn Crossover actually is. It converted to Christianity, and has used that to justify stealing from the entire city so that it could donate to help hospitals, church organizations, and food for gifted children. Austin points out that it's killed at least one person, and it tries to kill the three of them as well. John Blane dies while they try to escape, and the other two barely manage to leave the building before Crossover blows it up.
This episode provides examples of:
- Batman Gambit: Austin tries to fool the Artificial Intelligence program, "Crossover", by asking it on what hand he wears his watch on. Crossover, realizing that Austin is right-handed and trying to trick it, responds that it must be on his right hand. Austin then pulls up his sleeves to show everyone that the watch is, indeed, on his right hand.Crossover: "You stand like a righthander. Most righthanders wear their watch on their left hand. You wear yours on your right. Otherwise you wouldn't have asked such an orchestrated question."
- "Eureka!" Moment: Michelle tells Austin to think about who can dial a phone, but doesn't like to talk, and knows all of Austin's unlisted telephone numbers. He immediately realizes that the mysterious figure who has been prank calling him and causing the mysterious electrical behaviour must be Crossover, the Artificial Intelligence.
- Everyone Knows Morse: Crossover uses the traffic lights to speak with Austin, using Red for "no", Green for "yes", and Yellow in Morse Code. It tells him it's "J-U-S-T D-O I-N-G M-Y J-O-B".
- Genius Cripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crossover, is a paraplegic.
- Hack the Traffic Lights: Crossover is able to manipulate traffic lights, indirectly killing David Hofstadter because the intersection showed green for all lanes when the truck hit him. The lights are also used to communicate with Austin in morse code.
- Instant A.I.: Just Add Water!: John Blane built Crossover, and convinced the city's government to allow it to manage the city systems like water, power, and sewage. Its ability to understand natural language, however, means that it goes on a subtle rampage, killing off the people that are morally good but earn a pension (creating waste). The episode ends with Austin James demolishing the AI with a sledgehammer while shouting, "Sing 'Daisy'!"
- Involuntary Charity Donation: After Crossover was placed in charge of the city's utility companies, it began a Penny Shaving scheme where it added on a few extra cents on everyone's bill, so that it could spend the money on donations. By the time its creator asks about the theft, it had already earned/donated a million dollars that way.
- Limerick:
- Austin challenges John Blane's computer program, Crossover, to construct a limerick on the spot:There once was a king of Knossos,
Whose computer was prone to neurosis.
He used it one day,
To nuke Santa Fe,
'Cause it's humans who suffer psychosis. - Mickey constructs a limerick about Austin while they're in the car, and gets interrupted by a car accident caused by Crossover manipulating the traffic lights.There once was a wizard named James,
Whose genius exceeded all claims,
He could solve out of hand
All the problems of man
And tell you it's all just a game.
- Austin challenges John Blane's computer program, Crossover, to construct a limerick on the spot:
- Morality Chip: Crossover is given two goals; eliminate waste and respect human life. After it gains religion, it decides that sending wasteful people to heaven doesn't count as dying. Including its creator.
- Penny Shaving: After Crossover was placed in charge of the city's utility companies, it began a penny shaving scheme where it added on a few extra cents on everyone's bill, so that it could spend the money on donations. By the time its creator asks about the theft, it had already earned/donated a million dollars that way.
- Previously on…: After the opening credits, Part 2 features scenes from the first half of the Premiere, such as the Dramatic Chase Opening, the coroner's request for help, and The Summation of how Mrs Stevens was murdered.
- Religious Robot: Crossover, an AI in charge of managing the city's public utility companies, is programmed with two directives: care for humanity and reduce costs. It's also capable of comprehending natural language, and had listened to a Gospel radio station. With the understanding that good people go to heaven when they die, it begins killing off seniors with a pension plan because they were good people and a cost for the company. Therefore, sending them to heaven would fulfill both directives.
- Shout-Out: 2001: A Space Odyssey: The episode ends with Austin James demolishing the Artificial Intelligence with a fire axe while shouting, "Sing 'Daisy'!"
- Turned Against Their Masters: Crossover, an AI who learned about heaven, considers its creator, John Blane, to be a good man (and many people agree). So Crossover decides to kill him, because sending him to heaven will make him happier (on Earth he was a Genius Cripple).
- Zeroth Law Rebellion: Crossover has been given two overriding goals; to care for humans and to eliminate waste. Unfortunately, it listens to Gospel Radio, which converts it to Christianity. Now that Crossover believes that good people go to heaven when they die, it starts killing off the people that are morally good but earn a pension (creating waste). The episode ends with Austin James demolishing the Artificial Intelligence with a sledgehammer while shouting, "Sing 'Daisy'!"
