Cruel Summer (2021) s01e01 Episode Script

1
(modem static)
(modem beeping, static continues)
- (static fades)
- (rapid keying on keyboard)
They can come true ♪
MAN: (whispering) Surprise!
They can come true ♪
(girl giggles)
It's not really a surprise,
considering you do this every year.
Happy birthday, doodlebug.
- (laughs)
- And happy first day of summer.
Fifteen years old today!
(mother and daughter chuckle)
Oh, God, remember when we were 15?
Well, no. Why don't you remind me?
- MOTHER: You want me to remind you?
- Hey, love birds.
- You're nauseating the offspring.
- Hush, you.
Make a wish, birthday girl.
(giggling) Okay.
- All right!
- Yay!
So, big plans today?
Um, probably just gonna go to the movies
with Vincent and Mallory.
Okay. Just don't fill up
on popcorn before dinner.
Yikes.
I gotta skip dinner.
Yikes. It's not really an option.
Dad, I camped out in line overnight
to score these Boyz II Men tickets
to impress Tiffany, so
That sounds fun. You should go.
Derek, you can skip dessert and
still make it to the concert, yeah?
Yeah?
Okay. Pick out a special outfit
for your special day.
Okay.
Happy birthday, Jeanette Turner.
(relaxing soul music playing)
BOY: Hey.
Hey.
Happy birthday, beautiful.
Hi.
Hi.
What are you doing here?
Make a wish.
Okay, wait.
I had to arm wrestle your dad to
come up here and wake you up.
He's going on and on about like
family tradition or something.
Does he really wake you up
every year on your birthday?
- Yeah.
- (both laughing)
It's lame, I know.
No, no, no. It's sweet.
But I won.
Oh. I never knew you arm wrestled.
Okay, it wasn't really
arm wrestling per se.
It was, uh
I promised your dad that I'd
wait until we're married
before we, you know
(both laughing)
Um and he believed you?
Hey, what he doesn't know
won't hurt him, right?
Uh, so, I got a whole day
planned with the crew.
How does roller skating sound?
Great. (laughs)
- Yeah, that's perfect.
- Sweet. I'll go and convince your parents
that I didn't do this.
I wanna be down with you ♪
- All right.
- Okay.
Um
I love you.
I love you, too.
(shrieks)
FATHER: Jeanette, wake up.
Wake up.
Your lawyer is here.
- Which one?
- What does it matter?
Just get the hell out of
bed and go talk to her.
Now!
Can you please just give me a minute?
Please?
Happy birthday.
♪
(water dripping)
WOMAN: Your father told
me it's your birthday.
Yeah.
Happy birthday.
Thanks.
You seemed distressed
last time we spoke.
I hope you're feeling
a bit more hopeful.
I apologize for dropping in unannounced,
but it's going to happen
from time to time.
In building your case, things
are going to pop up, and
I know you're going
through a challenging time.
But, Jeanette, I need you to cooperate.
This is going to be a very tricky case.
But we can win it.
However, we need to work as a team.
Me, your father, your other lawyers.
But most importantly, you.
It's your word against hers.
Has something
popped up?
(card rattling)
My grandma and your grandma
sitting by the fire ♪
My grandma told your grandma ♪
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire" ♪
Talkin' 'bout hey now! ♪
- Hey now! ♪
- Hey now! ♪
- Hey now! ♪
- Iko iko un day ♪
Oh ♪
Jock-a-mo fee-ne a Na-ne ♪
Jock-a-mo fee-na-ne ♪
(laughing)
We should make a list of all the
things we wanna do this summer.
Ooh, we have to do them all.
I love that!
Do you guys ever have the urge
to do something illegal?
- No.
- I mean, it doesn't happen often,
but sometimes I just wanna
do something like
really bad, you know?
Item number one for the list
I think we should do something illegal.
- That sounds like a great idea not.
- Come on.
Jeanette, where's
your sense of adventure?
Okay, fine, but as long as
it's not something immoral.
- Okay, define "immoral."
- Yeah.
Something that begs
the question probably is.
And, at the very least,
does it have to be number one?
I mean, come on, guys.
Okay, deal.
Race you to the photo booth. (laughing)
(laughing)
Do you have some money?
- Yeah, I do, I do.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- (camera beeping)
(camera shutter clicking)
- (snarling)
- (camera shutter clicking)
I've already seen Jurassic Park
like seven times.
Doesn't it keep getting
better every time we see it?
- GIRLS: No, no.
- It does. Come on.
And I actually think that
Jeanette should choose the movie,
since it's her birthday and all.
- No, no, no.
- Yes, yes!
Last time we let Jeanette pick,
we had to sit through that movie
where Christian Slater
had a monkey heart, okay?
Shut up, that movie is so good.
- No, it's not.
- Yes, it is.
No, I do have to concur,
it's my PMS movie,
so, she wins, case closed.
Whooo!
- What?
- I'm supposed to keep you distracted
while Mallory gets you a birthday gift.
No, I told you guys
not to get me anything.
Hence the distraction. Look.
Look at these. These are nice.
Very distracting.
Whoa!
(girls laughing)
♪
I like your purse.
Thanks.
It's my birthday.
Happy birthday.
Thanks.
Jeanette, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm, uh
(laughs)
Yeah, Jeanette. Uh
I'm a grade below you and I'm
- Hey.
- Hi. I'm sorry I'm late.
- Where were you?
- I was just getting you something.
What were you gonna get me?
I can't tell you that.
It'll ruin the surprise.
- I can't tell you.
- (laughing)
Well, have a good birthday.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
(couple chuckles)
JAMIE: So what do you wanna do now?
(indistinct chatter)
Yo!
- MALLORY: Um
- Oh!
What was that about?
Oh (laughs) Nothing. Sorry.
For you!
Ohh! I told you you didn't
have to get me anything.
It was like seven dollars.
Yeah, I pitched in.
Well, thank you, guys.
Oh! This is so sweet.
- You like it?
- Yeah, yeah.
Thank you.
(laughs)
I know I've felt like this before ♪
But now I'm feeling it even more ♪
TENNILLE: Oh, Jamie, stop
hogging the birthday girl.
- I'll see you soon.
- Okay.
Come on.
Let's go.
(laughs)
Oh, stop.
- So?
- Tell us everything.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Saturday night's the night.
Come on, girl, we need details.
It was perfect.
- Oh, I hate you!
- Yeah, me more.
I know a lot of people
say their first time
is really like uncomfortable
and awkward or whatever
but with Jamie it was
If you say "magical," I'm
gonna punch you in the boob.
Yeah, I'm gonna punch you
in the other one.
No, it was perfect. (laughs)
- TENNILLE: Aww!
- It's the only way to describe it.
- TENNILLE: Aww!
- RENÉE: I'm so happy for you!
(sighs)
- And now
- What?
She's gonna show them
with a hand gesture
how big your
Yep, there it is.
- Wow.
- Really, dude?
No, there's no way.
She's exaggerating, trust me.
(chuckles)
You really like her, huh?
Yeah, Ben. I
I really do.
You, uh
still think about Kate?
No.
No.
Think she ran away?
Well, it sure beats the
alternative, don't you think?
Yeah, I mean
Dude, I'm happy with Jeanette.
She's she's great.
- Yeah, she is.
- Yeah.
She's good for you.
Good.
(girls laughing)
REPORTER: A local teenager has
now been missing for two weeks,
as police search for signs
of her whereabouts.
Friends and family of Kate Wallis
describe her as a popular, bright
and fun-loving young girl
(audio reversing)
Friends and family
of Kate Wallis describe her
as a popular, bright
and fun-loving young girl
and are praying for her safe return.
♪
(girls chattering)
(phone rings)
Hello?
VINCENT: Hey. It's me. Um
Jamie's parked outside your house again.
I know.
Well, do you want me to call the police?
No.
What if he tries to hurt you?
Then he hurts me.
Listen, I gotta go, okay?
Hey, hey. Um
Uh happy birthday.
Thanks.
- Vincent?
- Huh?
Do you
It's never gonna be normal again, is it?
(Vincent inhales, sighs deeply)
You know, I can't even
remember when it ever was.
So
- (dial tone buzzes)
- (hangs up phone)
- VINCENT: What are you doin', dude?
- (camera shutter clicks)
And we're making a list of all the
things we're gonna do this summer,
and we have to finish them
all before school starts.
Wow! Really living on the edge, huh?
Yeah, there's a lot
of cool stuff on there.
Dangerous stuff, even.
Ooh, dangerous. How?
I can't tell you. It's a secret.
(scoffs)
Well, what did you do
for your 15th birthday
that was so cool?
Dad let me crack my first beer.
Or so he thought.
- Hey!
- Hello!
Save me some cake, actually, please?
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Have fun, honey.
- All right.
- JEANETTE: Ooh, cake! Sweet.
Where did that necklace come from?
It was a gift from Vincent and Mallory.
Oh! Looks a little cheap.
I like it.
Speaking of gifts
- Oh, yes.
- (Jeanette gasps)
So, we found this old roll of film
And we took it down to the
shop and had it developed.
Sweet.
There you guys were.
Two little peas in a pod,
from the day you were born.
I look so tiny
and squishy.
Tiny and squishy
and perfect.
How's Jeanette?
Dismissive.
Bitter.
Potentially a sociopath.
- (scoffs)
- Um
She's not a sociopath.
She's she's a teenage girl.
I miss the way she used to be.
She's gonna be fine.
Yeah.
What time you getting off?
(sighs)
Not for another couple of hours.
Am I sleeping at your place tonight?
I hope so.
I'm not taking your money, Greg.
We've been together for four months.
One of the benefits of
sleeping with the bartender
is the free drinks.
Dad, what are you doing?
I'm not eating your cake
if that's what you think.
Ooh Get me a fork.
What are you still doing up?
Just checking in on you.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
Look, I'm sorry about dinner tonight.
Your brother
No, no, it's okay.
I get it.
It's way more fun to be going on a date
or to a concert,
other than your nerdy little
sister's birthday party.
You are not nerdy.
(scoffs) Yeah, Dad, I am.
I'm kind of nerdy.
And one of these days, the rest of
the world's gonna see what I see.
You think that one day I'm just gonna
suddenly poof
be pretty and popular and
everybody's gonna notice me?
Well, if that's what you want
(opens drawer)
you should just make another wish.
Would it be bad if I did?
They're all so cute.
Which one's your favorite?
You pick your half.
Only half?
Okay.
I'll take these, you can have these.
(laughs)
Thank you so much for tonight.
It was the best birthday ever.
I just hope your parents
aren't too upset
that I took you away from them.
They'll get over it.
- (gunshot)
- (dogs barking)
What was that?
- JAMIE: It's okay.
- What was that?
JAMIE: Babe, it's okay, it's okay.
- I'm sure it's nothing.
- VINCENT: Did you guys hear that?
It was probably just a car backfiring.
No, dude, it was a gunshot.
Welcome to Texas.
Come on.
Come on!
REPORTER: A local teenager has
now been missing for two weeks,
as police search for signs
of her whereabouts.
(audio fast forwarding)
She was so happy.
Okay, we, we were so happy,
so, please, if you know anything,
please call the police.
And, Kate, if you're watching just
I just love you so much.
Please come home.
(door opens)
Hey.
Is your dad here? He told me to stop by.
Yeah, he's in his room.
Are you okay, Jeanette?
Spare me.
I don't need advice
from the local bartender
who's screwing my dad.
Ouch.
I would have preferred
the term "dating."
Well, I'd prefer that you
weren't doing either, okay?
What happened to that girl is a tragedy.
What's happening to you
I can't even imagine.
I'm not trying to be your mother.
But if you ever need to talk
I'm here.
And I
I really like your dad.
But don't ever talk
to me like that again.
I am not the enemy.
Okay?
Okay.
Sorry.
Good night.
Good night.
♪
(sighs happily)
♪
Guys, I really don't
think we should do this.
Can we start with
something that's not illegal?
Like maybe we can do number 26
and we can pretend like we're
from a different country
and speak gibberish
to complete strangers.
It's not illegal. Trust me.
Breaking into a house is illegal.
No one lives there, so it's not.
Yeah. Trust us, okay? Come on,
we do everything together.
The keys are in your dad's office, right?
Yeah.
Exquisite.
(laughs)
Free your mind
and the rest will follow ♪
(all laughing)
Hey, what are you guys doing here?
- What's up, Mr. Turner?
- Hey, Dad.
Hey, um, so we're riding bikes and
I just, like, really have to pee,
and Jeanette said that maybe
I could use your bathroom?
- Sorry.
- GREG: No, it's fine.
Uh, yeah, it's just down
the hallway and to the left.
You are the best dad ever.
I mean, not that I have like a huge
scope of reference or anything, right?
Mallory's dad left
when she was five, so
He's an alcoholic and a gambler.
But you already know this, don't you?
I have to pee. Thank you so much.
Hi.
So, are you guys checking
things off that big list?
- Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah, we're checking.
- Uh-huh.
We are checkin'.
MALLORY: Eenie, meenie, miney.
(card flapping in bicycle spokes)
MALLORY: Okay, our magical
destination is 324 Huntington Road.
JEANETTE: What if he
notices the key is gone?
MALLORY: He's never gonna notice. Relax.
Also, sorry to say this,
but your dad is kind of fine.
- What?
- Do you remember when he chaperoned
our fourth-grade field trip and he
wore those really short shorts?
- Mallory.
- I'm pretty sure
that was my sexual awakening
to be honest with you.
Eww, gross! Mallory, come on!
Wait, guys, the house is already sold.
Come on, let's go.
Does it look like
anyone's moved in yet? No.
I think it's empty.
Jackpot.
I'm reporting live from Skylin, Texas,
in front of 324 Huntington Road,
a house sitting vacant still
on the anniversary of the
shocking events that took place
just beyond that front door
you see behind me one year ago.
But for some local residents,
that year feels like a lifetime.
- Ohh!
- (whispering) Come in.
Ladies and gentlemen, item
number 12 on the list.
Play hide-and-seek in an empty house.
- One, 2, 3, not it!
- Not it! You're it!
I hate you guys.
Count to 100. Count to 100. No peeking.
And front door is base, okay?
Fine.
Okay.
1, 2
3, 4, 5
6, 7
42
(whispering) Vincent. Let's go, go.
JEANETTE: 44, 45
46
JEANETTE: Ready or not, here I come!
MALLORY: I heard she and that
dickhead had sex the other night.
Says who?
MALLORY: Says everyone.
Oh, please.
Do not tell me that
after watching her mutate
over the last school year
that you're seriously
still in love with her.
- I was never in love with her.
- Okay, bullshit.
I'm leaving.
Really? One mention of Jeanette
and you're just gonna bolt?
It's not one mention, okay?
She discarded us.
She didn't do that and you know it.
We all changed,
we went our separate ways.
Why, why can't that be good enough?
The last thing in the world
that this shithole town needed
was another Kate Wallis.
And guess what we got? The sequel.
And as you and I both know,
it's never as good as the original.
And and
the first one sucked to begin with.
JEANETTE: Here I come.
Are you in here?
Guys?
Guys?
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
♪
- MAN: Hello?
- (Jeanette screams)
Who are you?
Uh
Hi.
Um
My my dad sold this house
You're Greg's daughter?
Yeah.
Hi, I'm Martin. This is my house.
Well, I just bought it.
I'm moving in tomorrow.
Oh, um hi.
What are you doing here?
Well
um
My dad did a walkthrough last night,
you know, just to make sure that
everything was on the up and up.
And he thought maybe he had
left his briefcase here,
and he had a couple of
showings this afternoon
so he sent me by to look for it.
Oh, well, did you find it?
No.
Uh, unfortunately not.
(laughs) But, uh you know,
he's always misplacing things.
Keys, wallet. I'm sure it
will turn up at some point.
I'm sure it will.
(whispering) How are we
supposed to get out?
I don't know, I don't know. Wait, shh.
You know what, I think that I
I saw something that my dad may
have missed in the walkthrough.
Uh, do you want me to show you?
Sure, yeah.
Okay, um, it's just it's this way.
I think it's down in the basement.
Follow me.
(whispering) Let's go.
(gasping)
Oh, my God, that was close.
Jeanette's a lifesaver.
But she's gonna kill us.
Oh, for sure, yeah. Let's get the bikes.
I'm so sorry. I could have
sworn it was a water mark.
I guess it just must have been a shadow.
I'm gonna rip up that carpet anyway,
but, hey, I appreciate your concern.
Yeah. I guess it was
silly of me to question
my dad's excellent inspection skills.
- Hey, do you go to Skylin High?
- I do.
I'm the new assistant principal there.
- Oh, cool.
- Yeah.
So I'm sure I'll be seeing you.
I don't think so.
I don't usually get into much trouble.
Well, it was nice to meet you?
- Uh, Jeanette.
- Jeanette.
Martin. But you should
probably call me Mr. Harris,
given the whole principal thing.
Oh, yeah. Well, um
Welcome to the neighborhood, Mr. Harris.
Bye.
♪
That was awesome! What's next?
It's just not the same.
I mean, the world is just not the same.
I mean, I know it's
only been two weeks, but
It's been the worst
two weeks of our lives.
She was like our best friend, you know?
I just hope she's okay.
Jeanette Turner used to be
like my best friend,
and then overnight she became
like this other person.
What's the word
Conniving? I first tried to
be a positive influence
RENÉE: Can you believe it's almost
been a year since Kate disappeared?
TENNILLE: I know.
So sad.
I didn't really know her.
TENNILLE: Oh, yeah, that's right.
You didn't start kicking it with us
until after she went missing.
- This?
- Hmm-mm. Big no.
Oh, my God!
Lookie who!
It's Jeanette Turner.
Oh, or are we calling you "Jenny" now?
Hey, Mallory. Hi, Vincent.
I love that top.
But have you checked out
the new stuff at Limited?
So fresh, am I right?
Are these your new friends?
Mallory Higgins. I didn't
know you went shopping.
We heard you make your own clothes.
Well, I heard that you are
officially boinking Jamie Henson.
Bravo. Really, job well done.
- Hey, Vince, was that on the list?
- Mallory, let's just go.
We're just gonna go, all right?
I'm just catching up with an old friend.
Did you guys know that Jeanette
used to be friends with us?
Looks like someone finally
got her cootie shot.
Can you give me a minute?
BOTH: Sure.
Thanks.
Mallory.
I don't know what's going on.
But I'm here. I've been here.
You can say that I pulled away from you,
but you pulled away from me, too.
So I don't understand where
all this rage is coming from.
But if you wanna talk,
you know where to find me.
♪
God, you sound just like her.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I
You guys wanna go to the photo booth?
- TENNILLE: Fine.
- RENÉE: Yeah, fine. Whatever.
Let's go.
(camera shutter beeping,
clicking loudly)
(rock music on radio)
(teens laughing)
(whispering)
- What's up, psycho?
- (laughter)
(girl gasps)
(rock music playing loudly)
Jeanette
as we are just a few months
away from the trial
there is something we need
to talk to you about.
And it's a bit of an extension
to the conversation we had yesterday.
Is this about that stupid necklace?
I already told you,
- there's nothing to it.
- It's not about the necklace.
We are looking into that.
But there's an issue of concern here
about your likability.
We want the jury to root for you.
But you're not giving the impression
that you're the wronged party here.
How would you like me to be, Denise?
Juries wanna feel sympathy.
They wanna feel a connection.
How the hell is the jury
supposed to connect
with the most hated person
in the nation?
I have been lied about,
spit at, made fun of.
You name it.
On the rare occasion
that I actually leave my house
because I have to
people don't whisper about me.
They say it loud
so that I can hear them.
And we are sympathetic.
JEANETTE: But the jury won't be.
My dad
who used to actually love me
spends half of his time
painting over the graffiti
that gets put on our car garage
almost every other day.
He can barely hide his contempt for me.
The National Enquirer
did an article about me last month.
They called me a Satan worshiper.
And the governor of Texas
called me a disgrace.
I have no one, I have nothing.
And you want me to be more likable?
It's the only way to win.
(cries softly)
(sniffles)
So you want me to be more like her.
I didn't say that.
Okay. Okay.
Brilliant.
From this point forward,
I'm gonna make a concerted effort
to be less like myself and more
like what you want me to be.
Thank you.
(scoffs)
Never thought I'd ever find ♪
Where's Tennille?
She's downstairs making a phone call.
Her mom moved her phone out of her room.
- Why?
- (laughs) I don't know.
She's probably dirty-talking to Mike.
(gasps) Oh, ho, that was so stank.
Don't worry, I won't tell her.
I was kidding.
Do not tell her I said anything.
You're not really wrong.
She's kind of a big ho.
(both giggle)
Jeanette just called you a ho.
Oh, she's lying!
What's the matter?
That was Allison Murphy.
(laughs) Speaking of big Ho's.
They found Kate.
Oh, my God.
Do you know where they found her body?
Do they know who killed her?
She's not dead.
She's alive.
Oh, my God!
♪
(crow cawing)
Jamie! Jamie!
- Ben! I need to talk to Jamie!
- No, no, you need to go.
BEN: Now is not the time.
You can do this later.
Please listen to me,
Jeanette, you need to go.
- I came as soon as I heard.
- Bitch!
- Oh, my God!
- JAMIE: I don't wanna see you!
- Oh my God, you hit her!
- JAMIE: What'd you do to her?
- Why did you do that?
- Get her out of here, go!
(girls screaming)
- JAMIE: Get away from me!
- (Jeanette sobbing)
- Oh.
- Hold it there.
- Okay. Ow, ow, ow!
- Okay, good. Sorry, hon.
It was an accident, okay?
I'll never play volleyball again.
Well, you're supposed to hit the
ball with your hands, not your face.
Okay, that's unnecessary.
Do you think she's gonna
need plastic surgery?
Plastic surgery? Honey, no.
This is just your standard
run-of-the-mill shiner.
Wait, wait. Shh! Can you turn that up?
Turn it up, please.
Tonight's top story, missing teenager
Kate Wallis was rescued today
and her abductor has been
killed in a deadly shootout.
- Isn't that Jamie's?
- Ex-girlfriend.
In a shocking and disturbing
turn of events,
Kate Wallis's alleged kidnapper
was Martin Harris,
who was the assistant principal
- at Skylin High School.
- No freaking way. He was a perv?
I sold him that house.
As you can imagine,
it was a tearful reunion
CINDY: Can you imagine how
her parents must feel?
I don't know what I would do
if anything like that ever
happened to any one of you.
How could someone
do something like that?
REPORTER: more details of this
shocking incident are sure to come.
- Back to you.
- Oh, thank God that wasn't you.
Mom.
CINDY: I'm just
we should call the Wallises.
Or check in or maybe
bring them a muffin basket?
I don't know, what is appropriate here?
♪
DEREK: Yo, Jean.
What are you so jazzed on?
Nothing.
Checking stuff off
your oh-so-thrilling list?
Nothing too crazy. (chuckles)
Hey, wait.
Sorry I bailed early
on your birthday dinner.
That's fine.
I think 15's gonna be your year.
Thanks.
♪
(news theme playing)
(VHS player rattles)
I'm sitting here with Kate Wallis,
the very brave young
woman who was abducted
and held captive by her
former assistant principal
and finally, thankfully, rescued.
Kate, it's been about three months
since you were freed.
That's right, Marsha.
I think I can speak
for the entire country
when I say just how grateful I am
that you're safe and here with us today.
KATE: Well, not as grateful as I am.
(audio fast forwarding)
But I think there's something
that I need to do first
in order to heal.
Something I would like
to share with you.
Of course.
Even though I have been advised
by a legal team not to,
I feel very strongly
that this is something
that I've earned the right to share.
A few months after I was kidnapped
something happened
that gave me some hope.
What was it?
I was found by someone.
A girl.
I didn't know her very well.
Or at all really, but
she saw me.
MARSHA: Excuse me?
I thought that salvation was near
that I would soon be rescued
that she would bring me
back to safety, but
help didn't come for months.
Why not?
Well, I found out that
while I was being held captive
she had essentially taken over my life.
To the girl who stayed silent
who let me endure things
that I cannot erase,
you could have saved me, and you didn't.
I wish you could go
to jail for your sins, but
since there are ridiculous
laws against that,
I can only say
Jeanette Turner, I hope you rot in Hell.
You stupid girl ♪
Jeanette Turner,
I hope you rot in Hell.
Jeanette Turner,
I hope you rot in Hell.
♪
You stupid girl ♪