American Horror Stories (2021) s01e01 Episode Script

1
- BOY: You are going to die here.
- (scream)
(radio stations changing)
- Guess I'm going down to ♪
- MICHAEL: No, no, no.
I will never ever ♪
- ♪
- Nope.
- The room was humming harder ♪
- Oh, wait, wait, wait.
This song, this song, this song.
Oh, babe.
- Oh, remember?
- Yeah.
- As the ceiling flew away ♪
- Ceiling flew away ♪
Come on, let's hear it.
When we called out for another drink ♪
The waiter brought a tray ♪
Can you guys stop?
And so it was ♪
Can you at least pull
over so I can get out?
You know what, never
mind, I'll just hurl myself
from the moving vehicle, okay?
Maybe I'll die and go to
hell because that would be
an improvement on what I'm
living through at the moment.
- Aw, come on.
- How did we raise such a lame daughter?
Can't you guys be into normal gay music,
like Britney or Madonna
or even showtunes?
(imitating siren) Look out.
Here comes the fun police again.
- I hate you both, seriously.
- TROY: Aw, you do not.
♪
TROY: Here it is. Uh-huh.
Home sweet home.
Come on, you. Let's
go, put down that phone
- for five minutes.
- (whoops)
♪
(door closes)
♪
♪
MICHAEL: What do you got?
- 73.
- 73 even?
- Yep, yeah.
- Hey.
What do you think, baby?
Well, I haven't seen any ghosts yet.
And you won't, because
ghosts don't exist.
Uh-uh, hey, don't ever say that again.
- Why?
- It'll destroy our whole marketing strategy.
Am I still gonna be able to
go to college after you guys
burn all of our money
renovating this place?
Are you aware of what the
seventh-most popular ride
- at Disneyland is?
- Minnie Mouse?
Oh, yes, that's funny. No.
It's the Haunted Mansion.
And did you know what the third-most
popular holiday in America is?
Halloween. And Christmas is actually
second to Thanksgiving,
believe it or not.
TROY: People love to be scared.
Psychiatrists say that
the kind of controlled fear
that you get from a roller-coaster
or a haunted house or a-a bungee jump
It's like a vaccination.
A little bit of the anxiety virus
helps you with healing
your overall anxiety.
Honey, this place is
maybe the most famous
haunted house on the west coast.
We're gonna offer haunted getaways
and haunted honeymoons and
sleepover party massacres.
All kinds of branded stays.
All with the best coffee
and homemade pastries
in the city for breakfast.
- If you survive
- MICHAEL: Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God.
- The night.
- Stop. Stop.
- Aah! (laughs)
(laughs)
So you guys are not
concerned about the fact
that people actually, like, died here?
You know, whole families, the curse?
Come on, ghosts aren't
real and curses aren't real.
People do terrible, horrible
things to each other.
They don't need the
help of an evil spirit
to do them. Your father doesn't
believe that and neither do I.
This place just seems to have attracted
some bad folks, that's all.
And we're gonna take advantage
of that to make some dough.
Hey, you didn't get a vote in all this.
I'm sorry.
Are you really frightened
about being here?
No, not at all.
I just
I liked our old house.
But I like that I didn't
have to change schools.
Honestly, what I'm scared
of is you guys fucking
this plan up and us ending up homeless.
Honey, I love your practical side.
I do. But this isn't about
practicality, this is our dream.
- We're house flippers, we're dreamers.
- Right.
I promise you, even
if it doesn't work out,
we will never be homeless and college
- will be paid for, okay?
- Never.
- Okay?
- Promise.
- Come on, come on, come on.
- I guess.
- Bring it in.
- Come here.
Mwah.
It's gonna be good, hon.
Hey, you want to go
upstairs and look at the tile
- for the second bedroom?
- Yes. Oh, my gosh.
- Let's go. Bye.
- That grouting is a mess. Bye, sweetheart.
- I think it's the I don't think we can
- It's the grout.
- replace those tiles.
- It's just bad grout, that's all it is.
♪
♪
Dad?
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
- (school bell rings)
- TEACHER: The amygdala,
near the hippocampus here
in the front portion
of the temporal lobe.
When you get scared, this is
the part of the brain
that starts firing.
BOY: So, like, why doesn't the Army
shoot a laser or something
on that part of the brain
so that soldiers won't
ever be afraid of anything?
It doesn't work that way.
Though people who have suffered damage
to that part of the brain can become
fearless, but they also lose
their ability to feel other emotions.
Or perceive what other
people are feeling.
I'd be good with that in exchange
for being a Terminator.
- (scoffs)
- You have a different opinion, Scarlett?
I mean, it's easy to not be afraid.
People do it all the time.
They get on airplanes
and drive really fast in their cars
and ask people out on dates.
Fear isn't what stops us
from doing what we want.
- So then what does?
- Shame.
(laughter)
Shame is what keeps us
from being our true selves.
I bet everybody in here
could face their fear
with enough encouragement, but
not one would be able
to face their shame.
- (school bell rings)
- Looks like someone's
feeling shame about something.
(giggling)
♪
You know, if a boy
stared at me like that,
I'd probably report him for harassment.
God, I'm so sorry.
I haven't been sleeping super well.
I'm just kind of out of it.
I didn't say I didn't like it.
Smart is the new perfect ten.
What was that?
I think she was flirting with me.
Tell me every word.
Sounds off to me.
Dude, I know when a girl's
coming on to me, okay?
How?
Because they're actually,
like, talking to me and smiling
instead of calling be a
bitch or a dyke or whatever.
- Dude, Maya's a professional actress.
- No, she's not.
She's a model. Also,
she's barely even a model.
She just did one ad for Sprouts Market.
- She's fucking with you.
- No, she's not.
You're so smart.
You'd see right through this
if you didn't so desperately
want it to be real.
♪
♪
♪
(grunts)
(choking)
♪
(sighs)
♪
(screams)
(panting)
I was on fire for you ♪
Where did you go? ♪
- (phone chimes)
- I could have died for you ♪
How could you not know? ♪
Was I being lied to? ♪
My heart just dropped ♪
Thinking about you ♪
The world just stops ♪
I was on fire for you ♪
I was on fire for you. ♪
I got his other hand here.
(chuckles): Hey.
- (footsteps approaching)
- Hey.
Getting started early?
Yeah.
You know, it wouldn't kill
you to help out a little.
This is your house, too.
Okay, I'll stop doing
homework and grab a toolbelt.
Honey, sit down.
We want to talk to you about something.
About a year ago, I found
some pretty extreme porn
- on your computer.
- We have to go through this again?
I told you guys I'm not
looking at that stuff anymore.
That is what you told us.
You gave us your word.
Which is why it is so disappointing
that you still are.
In fact, it looks like you moved on
to even more disturbing material.
I don't know what you
guys are talking about.
We hired an IT guy to give
us the ability to look at
all of the Internet searches and sites
visited on our home server.
You've been spying on me?!
- You've been lying to us.
- About what
What kind of porn I like to look at?
What the fuck am I supposed to do?
- It's none of your business.
- Honey, you are 16 years old.
Okay, now, there's-there's nothing wrong
with you expressing yourself
sexually with a little
pain or bondage.
I mean, your dad and I
have done and seen it all.
But these sites the level
of physical pain and humiliation
that these girls are suffering
It's just not good for your
young brain to see that.
It's being wired right now, Scarlett.
I mean, it's-it's gonna be hard for you
to have normal sex after
seeing some of this stuff.
I look at vanilla stuff, too, sometimes.
Mm-mmm. Hardly ever.
(Michael sighs)
Honey, can I ask you something?
When you watch these things,
do you fantasize about being
the masochist or the sadist?
Okay, this is way too fucked-up
a conversation to have with
your parents, all right?
I'm sorry I looked at that stuff
when I told you guys I wouldn't. Bye.
Nope. No. That is not good enough.
Okay? We're gonna want
you to see a therapist.
To find out what Why
pain and shame turns me on?
It turn every girl on.
Haven't you seen Fifty Shades of Grey?
No, this is not just shame and pain.
- It's violence.
- We are putting a child lock on the Internet
and you are grounded this
weekend for lying to us.
Wh-What? No. You can't.
I-I have a slumber party to go to.
Whose?
This girl Maya, who I
like, and her friends.
I'm sorry, okay? I'll
do whatever you want.
I'll go to therapy, just
please
don't take this from me.
Fine.
But you are seeing a therapist.
She'll be at the house tomorrow.
Hey.
No more lying.
Honey, we're understanding parents.
We're not uptight.
I mean, I got photos of Michael
at the Folsom Street Fair
from before you were born
that will prove that.
But there is a line when sex stops
and something very dark
and unhealthy starts.
Okay?
Okay. (sniffles)
I understand.
Love you.
Hey, we love you, too, sweetheart.
Love you too. Uh
(sighs)
- (door opens)
- I think it went well.
- Yeah.
- (door slams)
Okay.
TEACHER: The largest
part of the human brain
is the cerebrum,
which is divided into two hemispheres.
And underneath lies the brain stem,
and behind that sits the cerebellum.
The outermost layer of the cerebrum
- is the cerebral cortex,
- (phone vibrates)
which consists of four
lobes The frontal,
(echoing): parietal,
temporal and occipital.
Like all vertebrae brains,
the human brain develops
from three sections
known as the forebrain,
midbrain and hindbrain.
(drawer scrapes)
(sighs) Fuck me.
(door creaking)
♪
♪
♪
- (faucet handle squeaks)
- (water running)
(faucet squeaks shut)
(gasps)
What the hell? Troy!
What?
- Scarlett, you okay?
- Who are you?
I'm gonna call 911. Just
get out of our house.
Get out of our fucking house!
(laughing)
Gotcha.
- Oh, my God. Scarlett.
- What?
- What the hell are you doing?
- Oh, my
- Where did you get that suit?
- Jesus.
I found it in the house.
I threw it away,
but I thought you guys
put it back in my closet.
A used S and M suit?
Why the fuck would we do that?
I don't know.
- Isn't it cool, though?
- (both): No.
- Were you scared?
- Go take that thing off.
And go take a very hot shower.
- I don't ever want to see that again.
- No, I'm keeping it.
Oh, my God. Absolutely not.
God, you guys think you can
control every part of me.
Well, guess what It
is my body and my mind,
- and you can't control it.
- Yeah? Okay, fine.
Then I'm gonna tear it off
you and I'm gonna throw it
- Ow! Fuck.
- Oh, my God. Daddy, I'm sorry.
- Okay, hang on, hang on.
- I'm sorry.
- Fuck.
- Okay, here, babe.
You think you need stitches?
- I do. Fuck.
- Okay, okay. Let's get you dressed, okay?
- I think there's an urgent care nearby.
- Let me come with you.
No. Just go to your room.
You can come out to throw away
that awful costume, but that is it.
And please be aware, young lady,
I will not be talking to you for weeks.
(quietly): Just let me
A UNH study in 2008
found that only 17%
of young women under 18
watched porn for sexual excitement.
And only 0.3 of them
watched violent porn.
So you're saying I'm a freak.
I'm saying that when
someone's behavior is atypical,
it's worth exploring the reasons why.
Scarlett, you're not a freak.
You're not weird or
defective in any way.
What turns you on turns you on.
The only reason why we
have to get into this
is because last night you
acted out in a violent way.
That was an accident. I
never would have hurt my dads.
Honey, then why scare us like that?
I don't know, 'cause I thought
it was funny or something.
We prank each other
all the time, don't we?
Uh, she's not wrong about that. We do.
I mean, one time we challenged Troy
to a water balloon fight
but we filled our balloons with paint.
Yeah, and one time I changed
Michael's iPhone language to Chinese.
He had to take it to the
Apple Store to get it fixed.
So you think dressing up in a costume
and threatening your dads with a knife
is in the same ballpark of fun and games
as changing a language on an iPhone?
Uh, we tend to be
a little overprotective. Um
When Scarlett was
three, she was kidnapped.
I was, uh, at the market.
And I
I put her in her car seat first.
And then I went around back
to put the groceries in the trunk.
(grunts)
(groans)
(engine starts)
While I was back there,
someone stole the car
with Scarlett in it.
What are you doing?
No, that's my daughter!
No! No!
Scarlett!
- That's terrible.
- Yeah, she was missing for ten days.
They found the car right
away, but no sign of Scarlett.
- It was all over the news.
- TROY: Mm-hmm.
Finally, a pediatrician's
office called the police.
This woman had brought
a three-year-old girl in
for a checkup without any information
about her "daughter's" medical history.
Turns out that this woman had
just lost her own daughter.
Her ex-husband had murdered the child.
I guess it just drove
the poor woman mad.
She went looking for a replacement.
Scarlett, do you remember
anything about those ten days?
Not really.
I mean, I don't even
remember being scared
or anyone trying to hurt me or anything.
She didn't have a scratch on her.
I mean, we're the ones who
were the most traumatized by it.
But then, when we saw the porn sites
and the suit we got worried
that maybe she had been affected.
Maybe.
What I'm most worried
about is this house.
Scarlett, you've heard all the stories
about what happened here, right?
Yeah. Like Amityville
Horror on crystal meth.
Do you think it's been challenging,
emotionally, moving in here?
I'm sorry, we don't believe
- in haunted houses.
- (chuckles)
Seriously, why would
a spirit stick around
on Earth when it has the
whole universe to explore?
The stories are absurd.
We believe in science in this family.
(chuckles) I don't believe
in haunted houses, either.
But I do believe that knowing
what dark things have occurred
in a place can create a
darkness in someone's psyche.
It's the reason why
cemeteries feel scary
or old dungeons or "haunted" houses.
If we know what terrible things
have happened in a place,
then we are forced to confront the truth
that terrible things can happen at all.
I mean, it's impossible not to get
a little dark, a little depressed.
It affects all of us.
I-I felt it myself when I came in here.
A heaviness in the air.
See? It's all your fault.
I didn't say that.
I'm sorry, we have to end.
- (pen clicks)
- But we're not-we're not done.
Can we pay you for another hour?
I have another client all
the way over in Brentwood.
- But I would like to see all of you next week.
- MICHAEL: Yes.
- And Scarlett alone later this week.
- MICHAEL: Great.
You can set all that up with my office.
Would you mind if I used
the restroom before I go?
Oh, sure, it's the third
door down that hall.
Thank you. I'll see myself out.
Definitely no slumber
party tonight, though.
What? No.
Hey, your father has
six stitches in his arm.
I'm sorry, you'll have to
see this girl next weekend.
Fuck you! Fuck both
of you! You heard her.
This is all because you moved us
into this stupid fucking house.
I wish that kidnapper
would have kept me!
- (sighs) So do we.
- Michael.
Sorry. Sorry, I went dark.
- That's not helpful.
- Sorry, honey.
(creaking)
Scarlett?
Is anyone there?
- (wood snaps)
- (giggling)
ANDI: Hello?
BOY (echoes): You are
going to die in there.
(muttering softly)
(exhales)
(quietly): The fuck?
- Whose blood was that?
- I don't know.
Hers, maybe? Time of the month?
Oh, right.
It would also explain
how bitchy she's been.
You want to get blitzed on Xanax
and edibles and watch The Crown?
- Oh, hell yes.
- All right, let's go.
♪
Losing inside ♪
And losing this ♪
(phone chiming)
Felt alone ♪
I miss it when it's gone ♪
Stay ♪
Your shadow's in view ♪
Vibrating ♪
Constantly ♪
Reach back, these stone by stone ♪
The darkness colors you ♪
- ♪♪
- (TV playing indistinctly)
MARGARET THATCHER: or a
commonwealth, but only grit,
good sense and determination.
SCARLETT (whispers): Dad.
Dad.
Swallowed by the undertow ♪
No lock and there's no key ♪
(alarm chirps)
Vibrating ♪
Constantly ♪
Reach back these stone by stone ♪
The darkness colors you. ♪
I wanna marry the dude
who invented White Claw.
I mean, he's got to be
a billionaire, right?
White Claw's the taste
of our generation.
- That really says it all, doesn't it?
- What do you mean?
MAYA: We drink booze that
doesn't taste like booze,
we smoke without inhaling any smoke.
Don't you guys ever worry
that everything about us
is, like, totally fake?
Like your nose?
(laughter)
No, that makes sense.
I know what you mean.
See? You're the only
one here who isn't fake.
You say what you want even if
people make fun of you for it,
and you don't, like, conform
to the superficial standards
that everybody else does.
Like, shaving your pits
or brushing your hair.
- (laughter)
- No, I
I mean it in a nice way.
You're more confident than any of us.
You think it's 'cause you're lezzie?
Nicole. She's not officially out.
No, it's okay.
I don't know. I mean
I'm sure it helps to not have
to try to impress some dude
that only cares about how a girl looks.
And I'm not not out, I just don't need
everybody at school to
fetishizing my sex life.
You're a virgin?
How does a lesbian
determine if she's a virgin?
Eating pussy, definitely.
(laughter)
I just think it's something
you know when you know.
(giggling)
Scarlett, how come you
haven't put on your pajamas?
Oh, I didn't bring any. I snuck out.
My dads are passed out, but I'm gonna
have to sneak back in
before they wake up.
(clicks tongue) It's a slumber party.
You need to be wearing pajamas.
I'll lend you a pair of mine.
(scoffs)
I feel like I'm losing my mind ♪
I feel like I'm losing my mind ♪
I feel like I'm losing my mind. ♪
So, these
are shorties.
(chuckles softly)
Wow.
Those are nice.
Thanks.
I wore them for you.
What are you doing?
What do you mean?
Are you experimenting
or think you might be gay
or are you just fucking with me?
I'm not fucking with you.
Not really sure about the other two.
- (chuckles softly)
- But
does it matter?
I am.
What?
A virgin.
Well
that's a problem,
'cause I was kind of counting on you
to know what to do.
(both chuckle)
You've watched porn, haven't you?
I don't think the kind of porn I watch
would really be helpful.
Why?
It's okay. You can tell me.
It's nothing to be ashamed of.
I promise I won't judge.
I like violent stuff.
Extreme S and M, pain.
That sounds hot.
Tell me more.
Really?
Okay.
One person
- (phone chimes)
- will tie up another person tight,
in really
painful positions.
(phone chimes, vibrates)
And then they'll use things on them.
Wooden crop.
Anything that leaves a real mark.
(phone chimes, vibrates)
Jesus. Oh, sorry.
(all giggling)
Wow. How fucking weird did that get?
Shanti, how much could they hear?
SHANTI: The whole thing.
They saw you changing and everything.
Oh, God, oh, God.
The whole thing?
Everybody thinks I'm
a pervert or something.
What do the comments say?
Just don't look. Please.
My life is over.
(hangs up)
♪
Dad?
Dad?
(sobbing)
(line ringing)
MAYA: Hello. Violent porn hotline.
- Are you addicted to pain? We can help.
- (girls giggling)
Hi, Maya.
I just want you to know
- that was the most fun we've had in weeks.
- I know.
Fun's not over yet.
I'm gonna end the
night by killing myself.
Bullshit.
No.
You humiliated me.
Everyone at school saw it.
So I'm gonna commit suicide
and leave a note saying very clearly
that you guys are the reason why.
(snaps fingers)
Remember that case at Rutgers
where those guys outed a kid
by secret web cam and he
ended up killing himself?
The assholes who
filmed him were arrested
and kicked out of school.
They spent five years in
court and time in jail.
They're all convicted felons now.
Scarlett, wait. We were
just messing around.
If you're not at my house in
half an hour all of you
I'm gonna do it.
And your fake, shitty
lives will be over.
I'm not going in there.
- It's haunted.
- It's true.
I went on this horror tour of L. A.
They call it the Murder House.
We have to.
If she kills herself, we're fucked.
I'll wait in the car.
Someone's got to be the getaway driver.
We're all going in there together.
What's she gonna do? There's four of us.
Come on.
Scarlett?
- (door slams)
- (all scream)
- Oh, my God.
- MAYA: It's just the wind.
Come on.
(phone chimes)
(girls scream)
We're locked in.
She's fucking with us.
She's probably filming
this to embarrass us.
Don't make a fool of yourself.
Scarlett?
Scarlett?
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
- (door slams)
- (girls scream)
(screaming)
I know you belong ♪
To somebody new ♪
But tonight ♪
You belong ♪
To me ♪
Although ♪
Help!
You're part ♪
Help us, please!
And tonight ♪
You belong ♪
To me ♪
Aah!
By the stream ♪
How sweet ♪
It will seem ♪
Once more, just to dream ♪
In the moonlight ♪
My honey, I know ♪
With the dark ♪
That you will be gone ♪
ROWENA: Scarlett, please don't.
- Please.
- You belong ♪
- To me ♪
- (screams)
Just to little old me. ♪
What is this?
Did I do a good job?
Yeah, it's perfect.
It's flush. All the joints are straight,
the mortar's tidy.
This is really good work.
But why are you doing
this? This is strange.
Well, you told me to
help out more around here.
Plus, I thought it'd
be a fun project to try.
So look, I'm really sorry
about being a jerk
and lying to you guys.
So you just stayed up
all night doing this
for penance?
Yeah. I mean, actions speak
louder than words, right?
- Oh, hon.
- Careful, I'm a little gross.
- Thank you.
- It's okay.
Hey, we're sorry, too.
I know all this change is hard
and we're not really good at
helping you with your feelings.
You try. Which is more
than most kids get.
- (chuckles)
- Hey, how about some breakfast?
I'm making acai smoothies.
Yeah, let me, uh, tidy up here.
I'll probably take a
shower. I'll be down soon.
- Okay
- All right.
Oh, hey. You know when you were
asking me about the
sites I was looking at,
whether I fantasize about being
the one inflicting the pain
or the one being tortured?
It's the former.
Okay, sweetheart.
Thanks for telling us.
Get you some breakfast.
I really think we should
have a session about this.
I got some time between 4:00 and 6:00.
There's another therapist here,
so I'm just fighting for office hours.
I'm good, thanks.
You just murdered four girls.
We need to talk about
your feelings about this.
Why? I've never felt better in my life.
♪