The Haunting of Hill House (2018) s01e01 Episode Script

No live organism can continue to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality.
Even larks and katydids are supposed by some to dream.
Hill House, not sane stood by itself against its hills holding darkness within.
It had stood so for a hundred years before my family moved in and might stand a hundred more.
Within, walls stood upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm.
Silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House.
And whatever walked there walked alone.
It's okay, Theo.
Go back to bed.
Should I wake up Mom and Dad? I've got it.
You okay, Nellie? You scared? That's okay.
I get scared too sometimes.
Why are you awake, Luke? 'Cause Nellie's awake.
What was it? The Bent-Neck Lady.
Oh, her again? Where was she? Oh, boy.
Guess we better take a look.
Here, huh? Your big brother must have scared her away.
Big brothers are good like that.
What if she's hiding? She's long gone.
I guess everybody can go back to bed now.
There you go.
You remember what we talked about before? About our dreams? They can spill.
That's right.
Yeah, just like a cup of water can spill sometimes.
But kids' dreams are special.
- They're like - An ocean.
- An ocean.
- That's right.
And the big dreams can spill out sometimes.
Back to bed, Stevie.
Now, I know that Bent-Neck Lady is really scary.
But that's all she is.
She's just a little spill.
How long do we have to live here, Daddy? Well, your mother and I, we have to finish fixing this house, and then someone has to buy it.
Then we can go? Yep, and then we can go, just like the last house.
Now, you get back to sleep, both of you.
I love you, sweetie.
Sweet dreams.
Dancing in the Red Room.
Dancing in the Red Room.
You're dreaming, Shirl.
The pandas aren't dreaming.
Pandas, huh? Pandas don't eat macaroni.
Noted.
Hmm.
Everyone alive? Nellie had a nightmare.
And Shirley is sleep talking again.
Anything good? - Pandas don't like macaroni, Liv.
- Hmm.
Luke? Carl was driving on Rural 86 during the storm.
Do you remember that storm? Of course not, you were in L.
A.
It was a bad one.
It was cats and dogs, the worst I'd seen in ten years.
He was up in the boons when he lost control of the car.
He went over a guardrail and went down a ravine.
The car flipped over and you couldn't see it from the road, especially because of the rain.
He was hanging there the whole time.
Hours.
Upside-down, tangled up in his seat belt.
They said he could reach the horn, but he couldn't press it for long 'cause, you see, his arm was broken.
And that's how he died.
Upside-down, pressing on that horn for as long as he could stand to.
So when did it start? The night after he died.
It started with drops of water.
Like raindrops falling onto my face.
I started to hear a car horn.
Short bursts.
Distant, I think, but close enough to wake me, and then, finally now, this was right after the funeral itself.
This was the night after the burial, you see.
I felt the water on my cheeks, and I heard the car horn, and then I looked up at the ceiling And there he was hanging there upside-down.
I could I could see the water dripping off of his hair, and his face was a a deep purple, like the blood had all just pooled into his cheeks.
It's funny, you'd think you'd scream after seeing something like that, but you don't.
You just stare.
You just stare at it like you're an idiot.
And then his mouth fell open, but it wasn't a scream.
It was a car horn coming from his mouth so loud.
So loud that I fell off the bed.
And then I screamed.
I screamed because I hit the floor and it startled me, and it was like I only just remembered, "Oh, right.
I can scream.
I should probably scream.
" And I screamed, all right.
And I ran, and I tripped in the hallway, and I looked back and he wasn't there, and then I laid there and I cried.
And that was the last time I've slept in that room.
That's a very interesting story.
Mrs.
Walker.
Irene.
Irene This is what I'd like to do.
I'd like to look around your house.
I'd like to set up some equipment.
I'd also like to sleep in that room tonight.
Goodness.
I'll be fine.
I can't promise I'll include your story in my book.
- Of course.
- But it's possible.
And I thank you for sharing it with me.
I'm sorry, I should have told you I'm a fan.
That's my favorite, the first one.
"Silence lay steadily against the wood and stone at Hill House and whatever walked there walked alone.
" I can't imagine what it was like living there.
The most famous haunted house in America.
In fairness, it wasn't famous when we moved in.
And besides, you've got me beat.
What do you mean? I mean, if you actually saw your husband hanging upside-down over your bed, you've seen more than I ever have.
I've never seen a ghost.
- But your books.
- Ah, not in Arlington.
Danvers, Alcatraz, on the Queen Mary or in Williamsburg.
And not in Hill House.
The way you write, I just assumed Other people's stories.
People like you, Irene.
I give them the right voice, that's all.
Well I hope tonight is a game-changer for you.
- How so? - Maybe my Carl will finally give you a story of your own.
You were one of his favorite writers, so maybe that's the reason for all this.
You know, I can tell you one thing about Hill House that isn't in the book.
Yes, please.
All those years trying to understand what happened in that house, you know what I never found? A reason.
So, don't expect one.
How are your brother and sisters doing, I wondered, since the book? How are they doing these days? You know who I wish would write a book? Your dad.
Just tonight.
Won't you miss your brother? I'd rather sleep here, in case she comes back.
Alright.
Just tonight then.
I'll stay with her a bit.
Goodnight.
Hey, will you grab her blanket? - Yeah.
- Thanks.
I'm sorry.
Uh So Are you saying you'd prefer not to do a viewing? No.
We want to.
It's not that.
It's part of your mother's pre-need, so, it's already taken care of.
And we want to.
It's Max.
- I think he's just a little, um - A little nervous about it? I'd say adamantly opposed.
Sorry, excuse me.
Hi, Max.
I'm Shirley.
Harris Funeral Home.
I know this might be a little weird for you, but I promise it's all normal.
The reason Mommy and Daddy are here is because it's important to say goodbye to Grandma.
A viewing is just a way to do that, to to see her one last time and tell her you love her.
I don't need to say goodbye.
A lot of people feel that way at first, but then they feel much better when they do.
That's what Mommy said.
But she was wrong.
Grammy keeps sitting on my bed at night and touching my hair.
She just stares at me.
And her eyes must hurt.
Why? Because she doesn't blink.
It's Nell.
I need you to call me.
It's hard to understand, everything's so twisted and it's hard to explain, but I'm worried about Luke.
Have you talked to him? Call me.
It's here.
It's great.
Hi, this is Nell.
Please leave a message I think you really nailed it.
It really sends a message.
We should put it on the website.
I think it'd work great in print, too.
If people still read papers, that is.
Oh God.
This damn flue is a disaster.
This is supposed to be the easy part.
There's nothing easy about this house.
You okay, Daddy? Just trying to fix a flue.
The house doesn't like it, I guess.
Oh Mr.
Dudley found something for you.
I don't know if this is going to work, young lady.
And I'm gonna need it back.
I got it.
Open it! Mr.
Dudley says this is a master key, so, it's supposed to open any door in the house.
He's a weirdo.
So is that lady.
Daddy says they've been taking care of this house for years and years, so, if anyone would know where the key is What do you think is in there? What if it's a cotton candy machine? That'd be something.
Or a pony? Not a pony.
This isn't working.
It could be a pony.
Something was moving.
I saw the shadow under the door.
This door's been locked for years and years and years and years, so if there's a pony in there, it's dead.
This one doesn't work either.
Where's the friggin' key? - Don't say that word.
- You say it.
The keys never work.
Can't he just use that big hammer? We'll find the key.
I want to see what's in there, too.
Let's go see if Daddy has any more keys.
Daddy! We need more keys! It's an emergency! I know you don't need me to tell you this, but literally everything is an emergency with Nell.
I know, but she sounded rough.
Shirl Rougher than usual.
She said it was about Luke.
- Then call Luke.
- I did.
Straight to voicemail.
Well, then he sold his phone for cash or he's still in rehab, which means we stay out of it.
Look, I can't deal with this right now.
I'm working.
Yeah? You working? That's right, Shirl.
Something else you want to add? Fine, I'll just handle it, shall I? That's why everybody dumps their shit on me, isn't it, Steve? 'Cause I'm the oldest.
That's my job.
- Oh, wait, that's you.
- Fine, I'll handle - Jesus.
- Tea? Sure.
Thank you.
So does this stuff, you know capture the supernatural? Don't believe in that word.
Which side of the bed do you sleep on? I'm talking about the word itself.
"Supernatural.
" There's natural phenomena that we understand and there's natural phenomena that we don't.
Primitive humans used to die of fright during an eclipse.
They had no idea what it was.
The eye of an angry god.
An evil spirit.
Nothing supernatural about it, though.
Once we understood what it was, well, it was just natural.
I prefer "preternatural.
" Natural phenomena that we don't quite understand yet.
So does it capture that? Huh.
Uh, no, no message.
Just wanted to see if he was there.
What was your name again? Thanks, Paige.
Hi, this is Nell.
Please leave a message after the beep.
It's Steve.
Sorry I missed your call.
I talked to Shirley.
I know you're worried about Luke, but I called his rehab center and he's fine.
He actually got his 90-day chip today, if you can believe that.
I'll be around tomorrow if you still need to chat.
I hope you're well, Nellie.
I mean that.
Hi.
Theodora.
Jesus.
Where'd you come from? So what's your story? What do you mean? I mean, who are you? What do you do? Where are you from? You live in a funeral home.
I'm here for grad school.
Ah, Sociology.
I mean, the program's brutal, but I love Boston, man.
It's such a great town.
What's that about? I'm just kind of a germophobe.
That's okay.
None taken.
That was really good.
Yeah, you're damn right.
I have to work tomorrow.
Oh.
Early.
Oh.
'Kay.
Was it something I said? No.
We just did what we came here to do, yeah? Okay, then.
Hi.
I know you normally prefer the company of cold stiffs.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
I got beer.
New friend? - She coming back? - No.
I mean, she's sweet enough, but, pile of issues.
I just don't think you can really know so much after such a quick encounter.
Who's saying it's quick? I'm a giver.
You're like a guy.
You're worse than a guy, you're like a frat guy.
When I said you could live here, I wasn't expecting the pussy parade.
Nell called me today.
Ah.
She sounded bad.
- Yeah, 'cause it sucks to be Nell.
- She call you? No.
Course not.
We still haven't talked since L.
A.
- Theo.
- Don't.
I'm just waiting for an apology.
I'm drawing boundaries, which is something you might want to look into.
What's wrong with her? I don't know.
You never really will.
One foot in crazy and the other on a banana peel.
Her whole life.
Boundaries.
She said it was about Luke.
I don't know, something about it scared me.
Luke will show up when he needs money.
I just keep thinking what if he doesn't? Or if he does, it'll be the last time I ever see him.
Boundaries.
Maybe a brick wall when it comes to Luke.
Ah.
Nell? Daddy.
Honey, are you okay? What time is it? Do you remember the Bent-Neck Lady? Yes.
She's back.
Okay.
Okay.
Nell? Where are you? I'm at home.
In bed.
I want you to go to Steve and Leigh's.
I I'm going to drive to Orlando and and get a flight to L.
A.
You Steve's closest.
You go to him.
Okay, now, I'll see I'll see you there tomorrow.
Okay.
I love you, Daddy.
Are you okay? I'm fine.
I'm sorry to wake you.
Good night, Daddy.
I don't know.
She wouldn't Yeah, I'm going.
I'm going.
Get up.
- Stevie, get up.
- Dad? - What's going on? - Get up.
- We gotta get out of here right now.
- Why? - What's going on? - Quietly, quietly.
- My shoes.
- Shh.
Shh.
We're gonna run.
- Dad, what's going on? - Quiet.
I'm gonna carry you.
Dad, I You keep your eyes closed no matter what you hear.
You don't open them.
You promise? - I I - Do you promise? I promise.
You keep your eyes closed no matter what.
You keep them closed.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Eyes closed.
Get back in the car! I saw Abigail in the window! She was in the window! What's happening? Where's Mommy? Where's Mom? I thought I saw her upstairs! That's not Mom.
What about Mom? Dad! We can't leave Mom! Dad! Dad.
Dad.
Dad, I told you, there's no reason you and I need to talk.
You don't just get to call me and tell me what to do.
You're closest and your sister needs you.
You get home and you stay with her.
Keep your eye on her.
Don't let her out of your sight.
- Dad, I'm not even - I'll see you there.
I'll meet you there.
Living at home right now.
Nellie's in the Red Room.
There used to be a stop sign there until recently, yes? I don't know.
I think so.
There's a pole there, see? But no sign.
Kids take 'em for their dorm rooms.
It's a moderately trafficked area.
A four-way stop without a sign is bound to have a few near misses.
You slept better with your husband in bed, right? Of course.
You're probably just noticing the car horns now because you're not sleeping as well.
Things you used to sleep through.
The water.
There was a big storm the night he died.
One of the biggest you've seen in a long time.
Yes.
There's a leak in your roof.
You just didn't notice the water damage because of all the paneling.
It was only drizzling last night and I even got a few drips.
You might want to get that looked at.
Water damage is no joke.
Happens all the time, Irene.
And the man I saw hanging from my ceiling? The mind It is a powerful thing, ma'am.
Especially the grieving mind.
I know what I saw.
The water and the car horns you'd be picturing how he died as much as you wouldn't want to.
- I saw him.
- When you push that stuff down it comes out at night.
You couldn't help it.
When I said I've never seen a ghost, that's not exactly true.
I've seen a lot of ghosts.
Just not the way you think.
A ghost can be a lot of things.
A memory, a daydream, a secret.
Grief, anger, guilt.
But in my experience most times they're just what we want to see.
Why would I want to see my Carl like that? Because it's better than never seeing him again.
Most times a ghost is a wish.
Thank you for doing that.
Carl would have loved it.
My pleasure.
The fuck, Steve? - You didn't like it.
- No, I didn't like it.
What's going on? My brother just raped the family is what's going on.
Hang on.
Look, I get that things haven't exactly been going well with your writing and when you said you wanted to do a book about the house, I understood that, but this is I sent you guys the manuscript in case you had any objections.
- I didn't have to do that.
- Of course we object.
I object, Steve! - Let's calm down a bit.
- You be calm, Leigh.
It's not your name in here.
It's not your family.
Hey, it is my family.
You weren't there.
Nell, Luke, Theo, they were just kids, the things they told you in confidence.
- It's clear that they were kids.
- You make Mom sound fucking crazy.
- Oh, Mom wasn't crazy? - And the Dudleys and Dad? This is the worst of the bullshit, worse than the tabloids.
Dad had every opportunity to set that straight.
What am I supposed to write? He said it was haunted.
- Those are his words.
- He was a wreck.
- He just lost his wife.
- And he hasn't said shit since.
Does he talk to you, Shirl? Did he tell you what happened that night? Because all I've got are those tabloid quotes.
He refuses to tell us anything else.
He believed it, Steve.
When he said those things, he believed them.
In the moment, at least, and you never did.
Neither did you.
And now you're digging up that stuff? For a buck? So you can stop living off credit for a change? - "A buck"? - Look, I can tell that you're upset, - but Steve had every right - A buck? Do you know how much they're offering on the advance? We can buy a house, we can move to L.
A.
We can I need to start a real life, for my own family.
We're your family, Steve.
- What you're doing to Mom - Mom was mentally ill.
It's a fact.
I'll be damned if the apple didn't fall too far from I'm I'm sorry.
Wow.
I'm I'm sorry, that wasn't Wow.
Nobody's buying the novels, Shirl.
You sent me the book.
Now you know what I think.
You publish this, you know what it costs.
You know what it costs.
I'll write your story.
It's a good story.
I researched your house.
Did you know it was used as a hospice briefly in the '60s? I didn't.
I'd like to talk to you some more about your marriage, and get some background on Carl, who he was who you both were.
That's what matters, really.
I'll need to take some liberties.
I always do.
But I promise to be respectful.
He was a fan.
I'll do it in a way he would have really liked.
You really didn't see anything.
They didn't see anything.
That's not the point.
My kids don't take the stand, Ross.
I had my eyes closed when we left.
You don't say anything, Stevie.
- No one else can corroborate your story.
- That's right.
The judge hears about packing five kids into your car at three in the morning, they're going to wonder why they aren't hearing from those kids.
The media is already piling on.
If we don't give 'em someone else to write about, it's going to be more and more this.
It's tabloids.
- It's just tabloids - It's Family Court.
This stuff doesn't help in a custody hearing.
They never filed charges.
I was never placed under arrest.
HAUNTED HOUSE? It was a suicide.
- They confirmed it.
- It doesn't matter.
They got this off your statement to the police! I wasn't thinking clearly that night.
We just lean on that.
- We can't un-ring this bell.
- Fine, they can rip me to pieces, but they don't get to take bites out of the kids.
It'd go a long way if you'd let the press near the house.
Hell, they'll pay you.
They'll pay you to walk the grounds, take some pictures.
No one goes near the house.
Just the police.
No one else has to.
Then sell it.
You need the money, Hugh.
No.
You're saying you want to keep the house your wife just died in? You have any idea how that looks? I want the gates and the doors kept locked at all times, and I want to know every day that it's empty.
No gardeners.
No staff.
Except for the Dudleys.
The Dudleys stay on.
That doesn't make any sense.
The Dudleys stay on and it sits there and rots.
I'm sorry you had to hear that.
If you lose? I won't.
If you do, though? Do we really have to go live with Aunt Janet? Hello.
Hey.
What do you want? So my sister There's something up with Nell.
She may show up at the house today.
At my house? The house, yeah.
Why? My dad told her to.
I didn't get a chance to tell him, it's But I'm sorry, you can just point her to me.
Is that all? Maybe I can come by and we can talk about this some more.
You know what you'd have to say.
You tell me.
Is there any point? Hello, young man.
What are you doing? Arranging the china and some of the flatware, so that your father can sell them.
These are valuable.
Dad says you and Mr.
Dudley come with the house.
Houses like this one require a staff.
Why don't you live here? We live close by.
At the edge of the property, through the woods, right by town.
But there are so many rooms.
The staff hasn't lived on the grounds since 1948.
So the people that lived here before us The Hills.
So they were all alone? Oh, yes.
No one would live nearer than town.
No one will come any nearer than that.
So, yes.
They lived all alone.
In the night.
In the dark.
Well, they didn't seem to be too scared.
My dad found a bunch of stuff in the parlor.
Tarot cards and Ouija boards and all that.
So, something tells me they weren't too scared of the dark.
I see.
And you know what those things do, don't you? They're parlor games.
People use them to scare themselves.
This is the problem with schools these days.
They teach you the secular world, smother you in science.
And science isn't an exact science, you know.
The world is dark, young man, and the only light is the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We need his light in the night.
In the dark.
Do you know the Gospels, young man? He does.
Hugh and I decided when Steve was little.
See, we knew that throughout his life he'd be exposed to all sorts of ideas and beliefs, that there'd be all sorts of people who'd tell him they had the answers.
I'm sorry, I meant no offense.
So yes, he knows the Gospels.
He's also familiar with the Talmud.
The Tao Te Ching, the Torah, the Koran, Greek mythology.
And he reads a lot of Carl Sagan, Shakespeare.
Why is that, honey? "Because there are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio" "than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
" Very good, ma'am.
Well, I don't suppose either of you have seen Luke.
Not recently.
I assume you tried the treehouse? Very funny, mister.
Mom's looking for you.
Trying every closet.
It never occurs to her you'll be in your treehouse.
You know, the one Dad built for you? I don't want to go in yet.
I don't like it inside.
No rush, my man.
- What you making? - A new sign.
How do you spell "no girls allowed"? "N", "O" I already got those.
"G.
" I told you last time that's a bad idea.
What happened to your other sign? Theo ripped it.
I'll bet.
"I.
" Is this the family? - Yep.
- "R.
" Who's this? Some girl I saw by the woods.
What's next? "L.
" You know, I used to have imaginary friends, too.
They go away when you get bigger.
"S.
" She's not imaginary.
Okay, "no girls.
" Theo can't rip this one.
It's not allowed.
I'll tell her.
Will you hang out with me? - You want me to? - Yeah.
You can hang out all the time.
We can draw together.
No girls.
Just Stevie and Luke.
The cool kids.
Where do you get the ideas for these drawings? Fother mucker.
Hey, Luke.
Hey Hey, Steve.
Uh, this isn't what it looks like.
I'm Are you cold? Yeah.
How'd you know where to find me? I Tell you what, I've got Let me see.
I've got 200 bucks here.
You hand me that iPad, you can keep the cash and sell that old camera.
But, uh, I need the iPad.
It stays here.
I'm I'm sorry.
I know.
You know, it really isn't what you think.
Good.
Here.
Thanks.
I needed a good scare.
Leigh sent you here? I tried to tell Dad we're we're having some issues, but Did you tell Luke where I live? Did you bring him here? You just stood there and watched him loot me? Christ, Nell.
So you hit up everybody, dragged Luke out, made Dad hop on a plane.
Fine.
You got us all listening.
What do you want? What's so damn important, Nell? Shit, I didn't give him the address.
Hey, I tried to tell you, we're Steve Dad? About Nell I can't hear you.
hear me? I said it's about Nell.
- I know, I just walked in and she's - Nell was lying.
Shocking.
She wasn't in L.
A.
She was at the house, Steve.
She was at the house.
She She's dead.
Steve? Steve? You there? Steve? Steve? Steve? Steve? Steve? Steve, you there? SDH created by Joshua Francis