In "12 Monkeys" why were the scientists who sent Bruce Willis back in time were so weird?

Remember they did some weird song, and they put all these different sized TVs in front of Bruce Willis. And remember the things they were saying etc.

I didn't see any explanation in the story, and these scientists had to be pretty smart. So why did they act like they were on drugs or something like that?

Then that movie SnowPiercer seemed to have a little of that as well. That minister woman and the teacher acted like they were on drugs. What's the explanation or how/why does that align with the story?