Pilot

The "Pilot" is the first episode of VR.5 that aired on March 10, 1995. This episode guide is from the VR.5 FAQ and was originally written by the authors of the FAQ.

Synopsis
Sydney Bloom accidentally manifests her VR ability, and in the process of exploring it discovers that the co-worker to whom she is attracted is actually a serial killer. Having inadvertently tipped off an enigmatic secret organization called "the Committee" to what she can do, she is given an offer of employment she can't refuse.

Main Cast

 * Lori Singer (Sydney Bloom)
 * Michael Easton (Duncan)
 * Will Patton (Dr. Frank Morgan)

Guest Stars

 * David McCallum (Dr. Joseph Bloom)
 * Louise Fletcher (Nora Bloom)
 * Kimberly Cullum (Young Samantha Bloom)
 * Kaci Williams (Young Sydney Bloom)
 * Noah Verduzco (Unknown)
 * Chris Owen (III) (Harassing boy)
 * Penn Jillette (Orwell Kravitz)
 * Adam Baldwin (Scott Cooper)
 * Stephen Mills (The Committee's Agent)
 * Robert Picardo (VR Engineer)
 * Gammy Singer (Nurse Jackie)
 * Matthew Koruba (Young Duncan)

Crew
Written by: Thania St. John

Directed by: Michael Katleman

VR.5 was created by: Adam Cherry, Geoffrey Hemwall, Michael Katleman, Jeannine Renshaw, and Thania St. John

Executive Producer: John Sacret Young

Co-executive Producer: Thania St. John

Co-executive Producer: Eric Blakeney (2,3,5,6,8)

Supervising Producer: Michael Katleman

Producer: Naomi Janzen (2-10)

Producer: Jack Clements (2-10)

Producer: Mel Efros (1)

Co-producer: Geoffrey Hemwall

Observations

 * Sydney is socially maladroit, with voyeuristic tendencies--Duncan appears to be her only friend.
 * Sydney's software apparently determines the mental "space" for VR.5.
 * Neither Sydney's phone lines nor her computer are secure.
 * Sydney's e-mail address is "CyberSyd@ibnet.com".
 * Joseph Bloom, Sydney's father, was very interested in computers (back in 1978) before they were commonly available.

Spoilers

 * A VR.5 "connection" lasts only a few seconds in real time and is made with the subconscious mind of the "connectee" (hereafter called "the Other")--their memory of the events in VR is more impressionistic than detailed, BUT it can alter behaviour.
 * Sydney has full recall of VR.5 events.
 * Sydney survived a car wreck in which both her fraternal twin sister Samantha and her father died.
 * Nora Bloom, Sydney's mother, is either in a waking coma or has suffered brain damage.
 * The Committee (TC) had some kind of hold over Joseph Bloom--Dr. Bloom seemed afraid of them.
 * The same man who apparently frightened Joseph Bloom into fleeing (to his death) is still in the picture, observing Sydney (hereafter known as "The Man").
 * TC is powerful enough to fix police investigations.

Questions/Answers/Speculation
The following contains SPOILERS.


 * 1) Why does Duncan live on the roof of Sydney's building?
 * 2) * (Speculation by William A. Wood): I have no idea, but it is presumably a voluntary situation, as I'm sure Syd would let him sleep on her couch if he asked.
 * 3) What is the hardware/software/wetware ratio that makes up VR.5?
 * 4) * SPOILER: It appears to be mostly Dr. Bloom's hardware, with software determining location (at least initially), and wetware serving as the key to unlocking the system via retinal identification.
 * 5) Does Duncan remember being passed over in the shower by Sydney in VR.5?