The Viewing

"**The Viewing**" is the seventh episode of Netflix's *Cabinet of Curiosities*, having premiered on October 28, 2022. It is written by Panos Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn, and directed by Cosmatos.

## Synopsis

A wealthy recluse hosts four accomplished guests at his stylish mansion for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but their intrigue soon turns to terror.

## Plot

### The invitation

A group of four people receive a golden invitation which reads as follows: "Lionel Lassiter requests your presence for a viewing at The Sandpiper House: Saturday, September 22, 1979. Instructions to follow." A car rides up in a parking garage and a woman gets out, apologizing to three other individuals standing waiting. The woman is Charlotte Xie and she is one of the four invitees, the other three waiting being Randall Roth, Targ Reinhard and Guy Landon. "Late for what exactly?" wonders Randall Roth, saying that the three of them have established that they've all been on late-night talk shows. She agrees that she has too. A van enters the garage and the man inside introduces himself as Hector. He tells them to hop in.

In the van, Targ states that he can't pierce the veil of secrecy surrounded their host. Guy calls this "dramatic," saying that there's plenty of rich and powerful people that nobody knows about. Targ says there was a time when everyone knew everything, but it's difficult to retreat from glory. Guy tells him to speak for himself. Charlotte introduces himself as an astrophysicist and Randall asks where she stands on horoscopes. She says if she's honest, they're not for her. Hector tells them their host would prefer if they remain silent and listen to an audio program the rest of the ride. He turns on some unusual synth music.

In the Sandpiper House, Lionel Lassiter receives an injection from a woman named Dr. Zahra. The van pulls up outside the house and the music comes to an end. Hector welcomes them and the doors of the house open. They proceed through a corridor lined with Stargazer lilies. Hector explains that the flowers are something that was only recently bred. Charlotte tells Hector it looks and smells amazing. They arrive in an austere, futuristic looking room where Dr. Zahra lounges. Hector tells them to each sit by their favorite drink. Charlotte introduces herself to Dr. Zahra, but she just takes a puff on her cigarette.

### The host

Everyone sips their drinks, which are just how they like them. Randall, whose drink is tea, wonders how Lionel knew just how he likes it. Before him are also Tibetan menthol cigarettes, though he says he's trying to quit. He puts them back down, saying that he won't let temptation get the better of him. The voice of Lionel comes on the intercom from above, apologizing for keeping them waiting. He tells them to enjoy themselves and that if they have any needs, Hector or Dr. Zahra will take care of them. Charlotte addresses Guy, who still hasn't introduced himself. Targ chuckles, explaining just who the man is, and that he's a famous novelist. Targ then notes the architecture of the room, saying that he's an expert on architecture. This amuses Guy, who says he thought Targ was only famous for bending spoons with his mind. The door opens and Lionel Lassiter enters.

Lionel bids the group a good evening. He describes the malt whiskey he's holding in his hand, telling them that it survived aerial bombing in World War II and even an earthquake. He says it survived all that for them to share and enjoy. He turns on some lively, pulsing music and pours them all drinks. Guy takes a sip, quipping "Fifteen hours later, they all woke up naked in a ditch." After drinking deeply, Lionel addresses Guy Landon, telling him he is a gifted novelist and he's going to gift him a singular experience to inspire him to greatness again. He addresses Targ, saying he's been told he's getting extraordinary results from lab-controlled experiments into his extraordinary perception. Targ agrees that instead of continuing to debate the scientific community, he's trying to bring them into the fold with striking results. Lionel agrees that they should consider the scientific point of view. He turns to Charlotte, stating that her equations on the proliferation of alien life and panspermia theory have caused a lot of controversy, but that he believes in her. He says that she's proven what others have refused to admit, like so many, such as Leonard, Galileo and the other great pioneers. Charlotte says it's a rough draft and she wouldn't go that far. Lionel tells her they should go that far.

Lionel turns to Randall, asking if they can gain insight into his auditory voyages. Randall says it's hard to talk about it in words. Lionel says that they will have to grease the wheels, because he's a mastermind, that every night is made a little brighter by the presence of his musical talent. Guy laughs at this. "Why don't you tell us how you really feel?" he quips, but Targ says that he senses he means what he says. Lionel agrees that he does, that they're talking about music and that all art can only aspire to music. Randall tells him he's not sure about his next album. Lionel says he has no doubt Randall will top the charts again, but Randall admits he's not sure how his next album will be received. He says the concept is "fantasy" and it will flop, but Lionel tells him it's guaranteed to be a hit. Charlotte says that he can't be sure about this, that science says you can never truly know the future state of a particle. He says that with a push, someone can make people flow.

Lionel suggests that control of the machinery is Randall's real ambition. Throwing caution to the wind, Lionel grabs one of the cigarettes and lights up. Dr. Zahra suggests he try his drink, pointing out he hasn't touched it. "Be my guest," agrees Lionel, and so Randall drinks. Lionel puts on some new music, which Charlotte calls incredible. Lionel tells her that he had it custom-made for the dynamic of the structure by a guy who works exclusively for him. He tells Randall he wants him to design the entire sound design for a new house he's making in Ecuador. They then turn to the architecture of the house, with Targ expounding on his theories, but Lionel says the architect is somebody none of them have ever heard of, nor ever will. He says that money is irrelevant, that it's only the pursuit of his tastes. Guy asks how he made his fortune. He tells him that before World War II, he had stockpiled uranium. "You have no idea how much money it takes to be this rich," he tells them.

### The object

They begin passing around joints. Randall is reluctant at first, but then gets into it. Lionel asks what it would take for him to make music for him. He asks what it is he really wants. "I don't want anything, man," he tells him, saying that he wants something that doesn't exist. He says there's a void inside of him, inside of everyone, an endless abyss. He says that every collection and success, none of it works, that it won't fill the void. He says he wants his black hole to stop eating everything up. Lionel tells him he doesn't touch the "hippie shit." The talk turns to great hidden truths. Lionel says he's seen things that would make them shit their minds. Charlotte suggests he share some of it, a small, complicated truth. He tells them to look at Dr. Zahra, that people assume she works for him, but that his story is nowhere near as interesting as hers. She says that her degrees are in hematology, but she was once a private physician for Colonel Gaddafi. Amused, Lionel says that she must really dig Charlotte to tell her that. He says that the way he sees it, he serves Dr. Zahra.

Dr. Zahra puts on some synth music, saying she will show them. She spoons out some cocaine, saying its purity is the highest in the world. Targ says he never touches the stuff, that it could dull his psychic abilities. "I thought your daddy let you out alone at night," snarks Lionel. Guy suggests that maybe it could enhance his abilities, asking if he ever thought of that. Dr. Zahra sprinkles some black stuff on it, calling it fairy dust. Charlotte is dubious, saying she wants to know what she's putting in her system as a scientist. Dr. Zahra tells her it will make her feel confident, without any sharp edges of anxiety, depression or paranoia. She tells them that it's special and not a dirty street drug. Lionel tells them to let themselves go, to be in service to Dr. Zahra's brilliance that has changed his life. He snorts. Randall asks if it's some sort of test and Lionel agrees that it is. "Finally a test I can pass," quips Guy, snorting. Targ does a line as well, coughing and spluttering. "Just the nostrils there, ace," Guy tells him. They get to Randall. Lionel says it's not as if he's never done it before. Randall tells him that's the problem. Lionel says he's trying to get him to function at peak capability. He says they all need to be in sync for the wondrous moment they've been chosen for.

Lionel asks Randall what the best song he's ever heard is. Randall tells him in 1969 he fell in with freaks playing psychedelic music, music that's never been recorded. He said it made him nostalgic for things that never even existed. Lionel tells him to stop living in the past, that they're not that different. Lionel shares an old zen proverb and Randall does the cocaine. It's Charlotte's turn. She says they can't be serious. Randall tells her they need her. "Don't you want to feel the way I do?" asks Dr. Zahra. Charlotte turns to Lionel, saying it better be worth it. He assures her it will be and she does a line. Lionel then snorts some more of the cocaine.

As the cocaine takes effect, Lionel notes that they're all still wondering why he chose to bring them there. He says that their distinctive worlds and individual talent can each shine a unique and profound appreciation on what he has to show them. He says he's chosen to show them an item, one he acquired with the utmost difficulty at the greatest expense. "It is time," he tells them. He brings them before a door, which slides open to reveal a corridor. Inside the room at the end is a strange glowing black rock with craters, emitting an ominous tone. "That is an ancient power totem," comments Targ, but Charlotte asks just what it really is. "Beats me," admits Lionel, shaking his head. Charlotte says it shares the same features as striated meteorites, but there's never been one so large. She asks if Lionel has analyzed its mass.

### The creature

Lionel tells the group that they first had the object X-rayed and it proved impervious to them. Targ agrees that it's emblematic of unknown origin. Randall, stunned, lights up a cigarette. Lionel tells him that there's no smoking in the Obelisk Chamber. He apologizes and stomps out the cigarette. Charlotte and Targ suggests some other possible tests, but Lionel and Dr. Zahra tells them they've already done it all and it was all useless, that it was composed of nothing found on the periodic table. Randall pulls out a joint and lights it. Lionel tells him again there's no smoking. He whines that Lionel didn't say anything about a joint, but Lionel tells him that there's nevertheless no smoking. "Have you brought any psychics or telekinetics near it?" asks Targ. "Yes, you," agrees Lionel. Targ comments that he senses a tremendous energy from it.

"Give me a fucking break," says Guy. He asks if Lionel really brought him out there to show him a rock. Randall says he thinks its mesmerizing, moving closer and still smoking the joint. Lionel again pleads with him not to smoke. Randall, however, blows the smoke directly at the rock, which directly absorbs it with a gurgling noise. "Did you see that?" asks Randall, disturbed. Guy says it's just a rock and Charlotte asks if he's heard nothing they've been saying. Suddenly, there's an otherworldly warbling and the rock glows and pulses. Lionel clutches his hands to it. "It's so beautiful," he says. "You think you're looking at it, but it's looking at you," Targ tells him. "I think I broke your rock, dude," Randall comments, as it emits an eerie, discordant noise. Most of them cover their eyes, but Dr. Zahra just sighs contentedly. The rock groans and splits, cracks pulsing along its surface and flashing light. It crumbles and reveals a strange, slithering alien creature. It was an egg. The creature emerges, revealing two long tentacles or antennae. "It's drawn me into a trance," comments Targ.

Hector sits elsewhere, listening to mellow music, when suddenly an alarm sounds. Everyone in the Obelisk Chamber gets nosebleeds and Targ's face just melts away. "It's probing me," groans Guy and then he simply explodes. Charlotte and Randall race for the door, beating at it frantically to try to get out. Dr. Zahra, however, strokes the creature, while Lionel collapses to the floor. The creature causes blood to gush from her eyes and nose and she collapses to the floor. Randall and Charlotte finally get the door open and race away. In the next room, Randall does some more of the cocaine, asking Charlotte what Lionel meant by them being "chosen." She asks if she's kidding him, shouting they have to go. Hector grabs a rifle that was mounted on the wall as back in the Obelisk Chamber, Lionel stares at the alien. It seems to melt into a pile of goo, which melts down from the pedestal that was holding the rock. It forms into a massive blob and consumes Lionel.

"Help me," groans Lionel at Hector, the alien having more or less taken over his body. Hector shoots at him as Randall and Charlotte race outside, steal a vehicle and race away as fast as they can. In the Obelisk Chamber, Hector's shots have had no effect. The alien emits a massive stream of electricity and kills him. It heads outside and into the woods. Charlotte and Randall finally come to a stop. "Did that just happen?" asks Randall and Charlotte agrees that it did. The alien emerges from a tunnel beneath some power lines. Suddenly, everything goes black.

## Cast

### Staring

* Peter Weller as Lionel Lassiter
* Steve Agee as Guy Landon
* Eric André as Randall Roth
* Sofia Boutella as Dr. Zahra
* Charlyne Yi as Charlotte Xie

### Co-starring

* Michael Therriault as Targ Reinhard
* Saad Siddiqui as Hector
* Kevin Keppy as Blob Man
* Jordan L'Abbe as Randall Reader

## Music

This music for this episode consists primarily of a single, extended track, "The Viewing Suite." It was composed by Daniel Lopatin. However, during the opening of the object, Hector briefly plays "What A Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers which is promptly cut off by power fluctuations.

## Trailer

The Viewing Official Trailer - GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES - Netflix