Arkham Interviews with Professor Crane
Episode 6
Man's World
Opening Scene:
(We see inside one of the many interview rooms of Arkham Asylum. We see one of the inmates sitting at the table. She wears a long, red, button-up Arkham inmate shirt that just barely reaches past the crotch area, with no pants, socks, or shoes to speak of. Her skin has a slightly greenish hue and her fiery red hair is done up in a somewhat messy bun. She sits at the table looking extremely bored, checking her nails and propping up her elbows on the table in silence. Jonathan then opens the door and quickly walks in rather energetically. His enthusiasm is written all over his face as he closes the door behind him with his foot and nearly spills his papers on the table as he goes to put them down. The woman is taken aback by this and sits up straight in her chair in an attempt to get out of his way. Jonathan then begins organizing his things and takes a seat across from her and straightens himself out before addressing her.)
Jonathan: Dr. Pamela Isley. I just want to say how honored I am to be able to finally meet you and that I'm looking forward to working with you.
Pamela: (looks at Jonathan in confusion) Since when did they start letting fans visit the inmates of Arkham?
Jonathan: Oh! My apologies Ms. Isley. (Clears throat) I am Dr. Jonathan Crane, former Professor and Alumni of Gotham University, and starting today I am now your leading therapist.
Pamela: And you're… excited to be working with me?
Jonathan: Yes. I've been following your work for quite some time. I've even read your graduating thesis. I particularly liked your observation on how the rich often speak of money using plant terminology. "Seed money", "I need to grow my investments", "money doesn't grow on trees."
Pamela: (Ivy leans forward again, relaxing a bit and rests her arms on the table) Well, this is a first.
Jonathan: (Jonathan pulls out his clipboard and begins taking notes.) What's a first?
Pamela: (she leans further forward, folding her arms) You're probably the first man to ever take my work seriously, let alone show any interest in it. Most of the time they're trying to get my clothes off or treating me like their personal slave.
Jonathan: Really? No one ever has taken an interest in your work?
Pamela: Not no one. No MAN! I'm a woman. (She leans back in her chair, arms still folded) Do you know how hard it is for a woman to get ahead in a man's world? That's all I've ever been even before my change. A woman can't be smart and pretty according to a man, no. She's either pretty and dumb as a brick or she's too smart and a threat to their success. (She looks off to the side in disdain, seemingly remembering such an instance) But (she smirks to herself) there are advantages to that system. (She looks back at Jonathan, places her elbows on the table, interlacing her fingers together and rests her chin on top of her hands) They never suspect the pretty ones of swindling them out of all their money and donating it to environmental conservation research. And even if they do only half of them will do anything about it. Don't want to admit they've been taken in by a woman. (She pushes her hand's palm forward, still interlaced, in a stretch) Men are so easy to manipulate with their fragile egos and their overactive libidos. (She raises her arms over her head in a big stretch and closes her eyes, pushing her prominent chest forward)
(Jonathan's eyes instinctively glance down at her chest. He quickly realizes what's happened and pulls up his clipboard and looks at his notes, trying to hide a small blush of frustration at his own thoughtlessness. Normally his guard is up for such obvious techniques of seduction. Jonathan silently berates himself for his slip-up.)
Pamela: (Ivy doesn't see any of this. She opens her eyes and sees what she thinks is a lack of interest on Jonathan's part. Frustrated, she brings her arms back down and attempts to appeal to his "ego.") But you're not like them, are you? No, I can tell you're much smarter than that. But tell me, why the interest in me as a patient? Surely, it's not just to get an autograph?
Jonathan: (brings his attention back up from his notes) Me? Oh! Ha, no. Not an autograph. I'm… (Jonathan clasps his hands together mirroring Ivy's posture and body language) I'm here, in Arkham, because I believe that there are a handful of inmates who have been misdiagnosed. Shockingly enough, some of the brightest minds of Gotham are here as inmates. My desire is to find and cure those inmates by giving them the tools they need to overcome whatever barriers they may have that keep them from being reintroduced into society as normal, happy people. In your case, I think you need medical attention for your… rebirth. Honestly, it feels like a failing on the City's part, throwing you in an Asylum simply because they don't know what to do with you.
Pamela: I can certainly agree with that sentiment. Thank you, by the way, for calling my rebirth what it actually is, but what makes you think I want to change back? What if I'm happier the way I am now?
Jonathan: Then perhaps you can help me to understand that better. (Jonathan reaches back for his pen and notes again.) Tell me, Ms. Isley, what is it that's different now that you're… um… (Jonathan finds himself at a loss for words) Is there a word for what it is you've become?
Pamela: (Ivy blinks a couple of times and looks at her hands in silence as she contemplates the question. She realizes she's never even asked herself that question before.) No, I… don't think there is.
Jonathan: Very well. (He goes back to his notes) Help me to better understand the differences between when you were fully human and from what you are now.
Pamela: Well (she begins by showing her arms) some of the changes are more obvious than others as you can see… (the screen cuts to static and the scene ends)
Scene 2:
[(We see what appears to be a wall of security camera monitors of the Asylum. The date is unknown. On one of the screens, we see a young, fit, strapping blonde doctor as he walks the halls of the asylum. He glances around before making a turn down one of the other halls. On another screen, we see what appears to be an empty wing of the asylum. Then some leaves and other plants begin to grow and cover up the security camera, blocking our view, but we can hear footsteps pass by afterward. This happens on another monitor and another. And another. On the other screens, the blonde doctor continues to pass by cameras as he makes his way through hallways and into the outside. Finally, he stops by a tree out in the backyard area of the asylum. He glances around nervously, checks his watch and begins quietly pacing back and forth. After a few moments, we see the same leaves and plants grow in front of the security camera the doctor is on. Our view of him is blocked. We hear a giggle. Footsteps. Silence… Then sounds of a struggle. A gasp. Footsteps running away. Then silence again… The leaves don't retreat back from the cameras. We cut to static again and return to Jonathan and Pamela as they finish up their discussion.) end scene]
Scene 3:
Jonathan: Fascinating. So… the changes didn't happen all at once then. And while you still consume food, you say your cells have developed plant-like structures such as chlorophyll allowing you to also subsist on water and sunlight the way plants do. Intriguing. (Jonathan strokes his chin in deep thought. He then looks up at Ivy.) Would it be alright if I were to take some skin samples and study them further?
Pamela: (She again looks taken aback, not only at the boldness of his request but at his genuine interest in her new physiology.) Well… I… I suppose that would be alright. (Jonathan, excited by the prospect of scientific research, pulls out some slides and a tool to get skin cell samples and begins to harvest from her hand. She looks up at him, bemused and slightly confused as he works.) You really aren't like them, are you?
Jonathan: Them who? (Jonathan continues, not looking up from his work.)
Pamela: Men. In general, I mean. Your interest in me is just so different from what I'm used to. Usually, it's for more… (Ivy looks down at her chest and then back up at Jonathan) obvious reasons.
Jonathan: (He finally looks up and makes eye contact with her.) Hmmm? Oh, that! Well, I like to think of myself to be above such base behavior, but I also think of myself as a little more courteous than that. (He finishes collecting skin samples and turns back to Ivy) It may be a man's world out there, but we all live in it just the same and I think we should all be given that same fair chance and be treated like, well… just people.
Pamela: (she leans back in her chair as Jonathan begins gathering his things to leave.) You are a strange one, Dr. Crane.
Jonathan: Story of my life, babe. (a very brief pause) Ma'am! MISS! Ms. Isley! (Quietly to himself) Shut up, Jonathan. (He clears his throat) Good day, Ms. Isley. (Jonathan quickly leaves before the blush on his ears can be seen. Ivy giggles to herself at what she perceives to be Jonathan's more dorky and somewhat awkward side. We fade to black and end)
End of episode 6.