The Watcher (2022) s01e01 Episode Script
Welcome, Friends
[eerie operatic music playing]
Oh, my God, it's just so pretty out here.
It's paradise.
Wait, so are we buying this house?
Well, we got to see it first
before we know if we want it.
Can we go inside and look around?
No, Carter, we're going to
drive past the house really fast
and throw all our money at it.
- That's how you buy a house.
- [Nora chuckles]
Look at these trees. Gorgeous.
[Dean] There must be
a country club around here, right?
Okay, we're coming up on it. Here it is.
[Nora] Oh, my God. This is it?
[giggling] Honey, I can't believe this.
[grunts] Hey, Carter, we're not going to
run around like animals, okay?
- [woman laughing]
- [indistinct chatter]
Oh, my God,
it's even nicer than the photos.
- I told you.
- [Nora] It's stunning!
Lake view. Lake access.
Did you say "lake access," Mr. Brannock?
I did, Mrs. Brannock.
[eerie music playing]
Hey, Ellie, what are you reading
Pride and Prejudice on that thing?
[Ellie] I'm just texting pictures
of our new house.
- [Dean sighs]
- It's not our house yet.
Hey.
- Who's that guy?
- [Dean clicks tongue]
It's our competition, buddy.
You should run in there
and scare him away.
- [Nora] Ellie. Put it away or it's mine.
- [Carter] Hurry, you guys are slow pokes.
- Why don't you go look around?
- Okay.
[both] Whoa.
[sighs] It's a little sterile.
I don't know. I think
you could make it perfect, right?
Like you always do. [exclaims]
[giggles] Stop.
[Dean chuckles]
- I'll go see they don't destroy the place.
- Okay.
- [Dean] What do you think, kid?
- There's a pool.
- [dumbwaiter dings]
- [doors slide]
- [Pearl] Okay, Jasper, time to go home.
- [Jasper moans]
[Pearl] Come on, Jasper. Come on.
Time to leave. Let's just
Jasper, I'm going to go without you. I am
Hi. Jasper, say hello.
- Hello.
- Hi.
A baby's skeleton has 100 more bones
than an adult's skeleton.
It's this dumbwaiter, you know.
It's a national treasure.
I'm the president
of the local Preservation Society.
We've have had 14 meetings
about this dumbwaiter alone.
- [Pearl giggles]
- Oh.
It's a national treasure.
[sighs]
Lovely house.
- Take your phone out. Google "dumbwaiter."
- [scoffs]
- [Nora] Hello.
- [Karen] Hello.
- Can you sign in for me, please?
- [Nora] Oh, yeah, sure.
Karen?
Nora? Nora Miller?
[Nora] Oh, my gosh.
Shut the front door! [laughs]
[Nora] This is incredible.
- Oh, my God.
- How are you?
- I haven't seen you in a million years.
- Wait, are you
- Are you showing this house?
- Yes, I am.
I don't think I've seen you
since RISD, right?
Nope.
Oh, my God, you look fantastic.
- Please. You do. You look amazing.
- Oh.
And it's Nora Brannock these days,
which still feels weird
after all this time.
What about you? You were married, right?
I was married, yeah.
- Long story, but, anyway, what about you?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I never pictured you
ending up in the suburbs
'cause you were crunchy,
before that was a thing.
[laughing] I was not.
I saw that piece about you in the Times.
I mean, oh, my God,
some giant gallery show.
My first solo.
Ceramics at a new gallery in Tribeca.
You are fucking doing it.
'Cause look at me. Not me
I'm like, "Fuck painting."
- Yeah, I'm just going to marry rich.
- [laughs]
Just easier that way.
Hi.
[Carter] Dad!
Yeah, buddy.
Look, it's an elevator.
Actually it's called a dumbwaiter.
I just found out about it.
You know, they used to send food
up and down between the floors.
- Wow. That's so cool.
- Cool. I know.
Can we try it out?
That's a great idea. Yeah, run upstairs.
I'll send it up.
[button clicks]
[footsteps ascending]
[motor whirring]
[dumbwaiter dings]
Sick.
[exclaims]
Oh, my God. Dad, don't do that.
Hey, you okay? What is it?
It's nothing, I'm just
Ah You don't love it.
- It's not bad.
- What is it?
I'm going to miss all my friends.
Bubba
We're only going to be
an hour away from the city.
Besides, I never see you
talking to your friends in person.
It's always on the TikTok
and the Snap Crackle and the
What makes it really unique is that,
you know, it's a sophisticated house,
but it's really feminine, you know.
- And you never see that.
- Beautiful.
[man] Excuse me.
Did indentured servants
build this home? Do you know?
[laughs awkwardly] What?
I mean, how would I know?
Oh. Thought you might.
It's a beauty, isn't it?
Gotta see the pool.
It's a more realistic blue than the ocean.
[Nora] Oh.
[Karen] Nora, come see.
[dog barks distantly]
- [birds chirping]
- [sprinklers sputtering]
[Nora] There he is.
Dean, honey!
Karen, this is my husband.
Karen and I went to RISD together
and guess who's showing this house?
- Oh, you're kidding.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hubba, hubba. I mean Wow.
- [Nora laughs]
Okay, stop.
So, what do you think?
- Yeah, I love it.
- Yeah.
I love you.
Oh, honey.
- I want to make an offer.
- What?
- Really? That easy?
- [Dean] Mmm. Yeah.
- [Karen] Okay.
- Yeah.
All right then, you two discuss
and I only have to tell you that there's,
you know, two other offers on the table
and you just have
to go over asking so dig deep.
[Karen laughing]
- Okay.
- Thanks, Karen.
[Dean] Come on, Steve.
This is America, right?
Everybody buys a house they can't afford.
- [Steve] You know the problem?
- [Dean] What?
- [Steve] The bankruptcy.
- [Dean] That was ten years ago.
Dean, there's only so much I can do.
The fact is, with your current income,
you guys just don't qualify
for a jumbo loan this size.
What if it wasn't a jumbo loan?
Just
What if we did a big down payment? Just
All our savings. Pulled all of our stocks,
cashed them in. Our IRA
And just pulled everything.
Took the tax hit
and put it into the house.
Then it's not a jumbo loan, right?
- I mean
- Right?
Maybe, maybe.
But you're taking on a lot of risk.
You gotta see this house, Steve.
- It's by a lake.
- [chuckles]
Okay? There's no traffic.
People don't even lock their doors.
It's safe, man.
Come on, Dean.
- Shit can happen anywhere. It's branding.
- I don't care.
I want my kids to have their own rooms.
I want them to have a yard
that's big enough for them to play in.
The schools are better.
I'll do whatever it takes
to get this house.
[car honks]
[brakes squeak]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[house door opens, closes]
[Dean] Honey, I'm home.
Hello?
[sighs]
- [Carter] Hey, Dad?
- Yo.
Where's his leash?
I don't know, buddy, ask your mom.
Just don't let Sprinkles run
all over the house, okay?
There's a reason he has that name.
I don't want him
peeing on the wood floors.
- No. Get him out, go.
- [laughing]
- You good?
- Yup.
Hey, wait, Dad. When's the piano coming?
Honey, they're delivering it right now.
Put the phone down,
look out the window, you'll see.
- [door slams]
- Love you, too.
Get a load of this.
Oh, Jesus.
We got a problem here.
- [Nora] Hey.
- Hey.
[Nora] What do you think?
I just finished them last week.
Made them for here.
I think they're perfect.
[sighs]
Can you smell that?
Smell what?
The air. It's different here.
I can breathe.
[slaps]
Everything's different.
[door closes]
I always felt like if I left New York,
my career would just go with it.
And look, with the gallery show
going so well, I'm selling pieces
It's like, "God, what took us so long?"
Oh, and I found
a Jeanneret chair on 1stDibs.
No, no, no. We agreed, right?
We don't spend any more money
until we redo
the kitchen and the basement, okay?
No Jeanneret, no Target, none of it.
Okay. Huh.
So how come you get to rip out
the perfectly good
white marble countertops?
See, that's different That's different
because the Carrara marble is so 2009.
And, you know,
when I'm making my special pasta
- on Sunday with the red wine
- Oh, yeah.
I don't want to have
to worry about it staining the marble.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Okay, deal.
- Hmm?
Come here.
[both moan]
- Are we happy, Mrs. Brannock?
- Hmm.
- I think we are, Mr. Brannock.
- Huh.
[both moaning]
Hey, sailor.
[music playing]
[bed creaking]
- [moaning]
- Oh, yeah, get [moans]
[Ellie knocks at door] Mom,
can you come upstairs a second?
- Mommy's coming, honey.
- [laughs]
She's coming.
Shut up.
[Dean laughs]
- Oh, my God. [breathing heavily]
- [groans]
- We'll finish tonight.
- Okay.
- Yeah?
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Oh, my God.
Well, I can't hear anything.
I swear, there was
definitely music playing in here.
Hmm.
Hey, what's going on?
Ellie just said she heard music up here.
You're wearing lipstick?
Where did you get that?
Did you tell her she could wear lipstick?
Well, it was just there in my room.
Okay, how about you
don't wear someone else's lipstick, okay?
How about we don't wear lipstick
at all, honey? You're not even 16 yet.
- But every other girl at school is
- You're not every other girl. Okay?
We worked hard, living in the city,
to protect you from this kind of thing.
Protect me from what? Lipstick?
[Dean laughs sarcastically] Very funny.
Just stay young as you can for us, please?
- For as long as you can, please?
- Okay, fine.
- I'll wash it off.
- Thank you.
What the fuck?
Hey, guys, pizza night.
[kisses]
Let's order some pizza.
[static over intercom]
[alarm blaring]
[alarm stops]
[groans, inhales sharply]
[exhales]
[bell rings]
[door opens, creaks]
[sighs] Honey,
where'd you put the filter
[exclaims, breathes heavily]
[Dean, whispering] What?
[Nora] I thought I locked the door.
Well, you didn't, honey,
because the guy was just standing there.
Super creepy.
So have you told him that we're capable
of fetching our own newspaper?
[Dean] Yeah, definitely.
- [Ellie] M/M Brannock
- [Dean] I don't think he
I don't know, he seemed
mentally challenged or something.
- "Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard."
- [parents chattering]
"Allow me to welcome you
to the neighborhood."
"How did you end up here?"
"Did 657 Boulevard call to you
with its force within?"
"657 Boulevard has been the subject
of my family for decades now
and as it approaches its 100th birthday,
I'm in charge of watching
and waiting for its second coming."
"Someone watched the house in the 1920s
and someone else watched in the 1960s."
"It is now my time.
Do you know the history of the house?"
"Do you know what lies within
the walls of 657 Boulevard?"
[The Watcher]
I wonder what brought you here.
I see already that you have
flooded 657 Boulevard with contractors,
so that you can finish the basement.
Why was it left that way?
It might not frighten you yet,
but it will.
What else didn't they tell you?
- Okay. Let's go to school. [clears throat]
- Okay, let's get going.
Gonna be late for school.
Come on, guys. Let's go.
[The Watcher]
You have two children. I have seen them.
Are there more on the way?
Will you let Jack know
I won't be in today?
I got a family thing. Thank you.
"You need to fill the house
with young blood"
[The Watcher] Better for me.
It was greed
that brought your children here.
Once I know their names, I'll call to them
- and draw them to me.
- "and draw them to me."
[The Watcher] Who am I?
There are hundreds of cars
that drive by each day.
Maybe I am in one.
Look out any of the windows
in 657 Boulevard,
at all the people who stroll by each day.
- Uh, I think this way.
- [The Watcher] Maybe I am one.
This way.
[The Watcher]
This message will not be the last.
Welcome, friends.
"I am The Watcher."
[scoffs]
First, I'd like to say,
you have every right to be upset.
If I got a letter like that,
I'd be a little scared too.
Let's be clear, detective.
Nobody's scared.
We're pissed off, is what we are.
Oh, I get it. But here's the good news.
Westfield's maybe
the safest town in America.
And well, I've been on the force
for many years now and in all my time,
there've been
zero instances in violent crime.
There's no murders.
We've had a few disappearances,
but that's it.
Disappearances?
I got to say,
I don't think you're in danger
and I'm not sure
there's much we can do, honestly.
I think you could do a lot.
You could analyze the handwriting,
run DNA where they licked
the stamp and the envelope?
Sure, we could do that.
It takes about a month,
but if that makes
you feel comfortable, great.
But my gut tells me this is just a prank.
What kind of person
pulls a prank like this?
Look, off the record,
you've got a neighbor, Jasper Winslow.
He's harmless.
We occasionally get called
'cause he's doing something weird.
Throwing pebbles at a screen door,
or standing at someone's fridge
making a sandwich.
So, we just, uh, keep an eye on him.
So you think he wrote this?
Here's what we'll do.
We'll run the DNA, and in the meantime,
we'll make sure there's a squad car
going by every few hours.
It'll send a message
we're looking out for you.
We know how deep
you had to dig to afford that place,
so we want to make you feel welcome.
We want to make you feel safe.
And you are safe. Okay?
What do you think he meant by that?
How we had to dig deep
to afford the house? How does he know?
[Mitch] Hey there, neighbor.
[Dean] Hey!
Uh
Can I ask what's going on here?
Why you're in my garden?
- I'm Dean.
- And this is Mitch and I'm Maureen.
- My friends call me Mo.
- Big Mo.
And we're wondering if your
daughter could stop playing that piano.
Or buy a keyboard.
Maybe with some headphones?
Hey, look, I'm sorry,
I don't really understand
because my wife and I
can't get her to play it.
And to answer your question,
that you practically shouted,
we're doing what we've done
for the past 20 years,
which is getting in our vitamin D
and harvesting the wild arugula
that's along the fence.
We used to call it "rocket."
Now it's all French.
You got to call it "arugula"
or else you're racist,
or some PC bullshit like that.
Okay. Ok, uh
Look, you are on my property.
[eerie music playing]
All I'm doing is harvesting the arugula
that I planted and is migrated
from my side of the fence.
Can you just pick the arugula
that's growing on your side of the fence?
I just told you
it migrated to this side of the fence!
Here's how the sun goes
Full sun, full sun, blocked!
Now, if you were arugula,
which side of the fence would you pick?
Basic fucking horticulture, friend.
Well, hey, how did you get in here anyway?
Through the hole in the bushes, Sherlock.
- Only been there for 50 years.
- [Mitch laughs]
[Mo] Who is this guy?
Did he even look at this house
before he bought it?
[Mitch and Mo laughing]
[exhales sharply]
You know
Had you been nicer,
you and us,
we could have been friends.
Because folks around here,
we watch out for each other.
Now I'm gonna be watching you
for different reasons.
Come on, Mitch.
Let's go make the most delicious
fucking salad of our entire lives.
All that foliage. Keeps you young.
It's good chatting with you.
See you around.
We'll still keep an eye on you.
[racket swatting]
- [Nora] Whoo! [sighs]
- Why would you buy your son a weasel?
It's a ferret.
It was just a reward for moving out here.
He's a cute little guy.
He pees everywhere
The ferret, not my son.
[Stephanie] Bye, Karen! Looking good.
[laughing]
- Eat a dick, Stephanie.
- [Stephanie] What?
- Yeah, bye.
- [Stephanie] Bye, guys.
[Karen] Oh, my God, I can't stand her.
She's trying to bone my boss, Darren,
and it's just It's so embarrassing.
Because you know what?
This bitch is single
and she's in the best shape of her life.
- [laughs]
- Watch out, Darren.
Get it, girl. You ready?
- Make it challenging. Oh, shit.
- [Nora exclaims]
[Nora] What's wrong with a Prius?
Oh, nothing
Nothing [laughs]
I guess, you know, it's just, you know,
how people present themselves
in Westfield is, like, kind of a thing.
Yeah, I just want a nice life.
Well, you're gonna have that.
I mean, you can have that,
but you shouldn't be embarrassed
or, you know, feel guilty
about wanting the life, you know?
I know you probably think, deep down,
"I should live in squalor," you know,
because you're an artist but fuck that.
I mean,
this is what people want, you know?
It's this. This is the life they want.
All of this.
You should have it. And you know why?
'Cause you're rich.
See, we're not rich, though.
If I'm being honest
I mean, Dean's salary is okay, but, uh
and he is about to make partner,
but we're You know,
we've had some troubles.
Thank you. [chuckles]
Are you talking You're talking, like
Sorry, you're talking about
financial trouble?
Yeah. Yeah, I mean
- Really?
- I shouldn't even bring it up.
But
Shit.
You know what it's like,
you make a couple bad Investments
and next thing you know,
you're spending the next ten years
trying to dig yourself out.
Oh, God, yeah.
So marriage, it's hard.
Well, you know, right?
What What was your husband's name?
His name was Rick Bluck.
Bluck. [chuckles]
I know. He sucked.
He really did. He just, uh
And he was a real, like, pussy
and he couldn't, like
He couldn't make his junk
He couldn't make his junk work.
It was a mess. He tried to blame it on me,
and it made me feel like garbage.
He got in his car one day
and, uh, he just, like, fucking left me.
- [Nora] Oh, God.
- And, um
And it has really fucked with me.
So then, you know,
I'm not a mean person, but I thought,
"Fuck you, Rick."
"Fuck yourself. You go fuck yourself.
I'm gonna fucking take you down."
And you know what I did?
I fucking took that house from him.
I figured a way to take it
and it's all mine now.
And now he's fucked financially.
And you know what?
I am living my best life.
And you should too.
- [Nora] Can I ask you something?
- Mmm.
- But please don't tell anybody.
- Mm-mmm.
Okay, a couple days ago,
we got a really threatening letter.
- What?
- Yeah, about the house.
Really creepy, addressed to us.
Said they were watching the house.
They were watching us.
- [Karen] Jesus.
- Yeah.
[Karen] Creepy. Did you call the cops?
Yeah, but they say
there's not much they can do.
You know, I was thinking about it
and I thought
maybe it's someone we outbid,
'cause people can be weird
about that stuff, right?
Mmm.
I mean,
there were multiple bidders, right?
Could you find out who they were?
Because that would be so helpful.
[Karen] Yeah, sure.
[birds screeching]
Watch this. Watch this, guys.
It's a trick. Here, look.
Can you get him off the table?
- Look at that! It's a great trick.
- See? Isn't that cool?
- [Nora] Yeah.
- It's not a trick.
He's just standing up to eat some food.
I'll teach him how to ride the dumbwaiter.
- Absolutely not.
- Be careful, please.
- Come on, it'll be a fun ride.
- Honey. Hey.
We got him that
to feel comfortable in the house
and you're the one
who said yes to a ferret.
It's the ferret I'm worried about
getting too comfortable.
Ellie, where'd you get that shirt?
Your bra strap's sticking out.
- So?
- [Dean] What do you mean, "So"?
We've got neighbors.
Careful what kind of message
you want to project, okay?
- Dad, come on!
- [Dean] What, "Come on"?
[Dean sighs]
[utensils clatter]
Thank you.
You gonna practice your piano now?
[footsteps departing]
What's gotten into you?
You never used to be like this.
- Honestly.
- [door closes]
[Nora sighs]
You know, we always talked about
raising a strong young woman
who owned her sexuality.
What? She's just growing up way too fast.
Hmm.
Don't worry, buddy.
Don't be scared. It's gonna be fine.
[ferret whimpers]
[motor whirring]
[floorboard creaking]
[dumbwaiter dings]
- Boo.
- [screams]
[ferret whimpers]
Carter! What?
- What the fucking hell?
- [Nora] What?
Get the fuck up!
- [Nora] Oh, my God!
- Get up!
- What happened?
- Get out of my house!
- He was in there.
- He was in the dumbwaiter?
[Jasper] Ow!
[Dean] Do not come back
to our house again!
Stay in your cage
or wherever you came from!
[Pearl] Stop this!
Get out! And you stay out!
[Pearl] What are you doing?
- [Jasper moans]
- Are you all right?
Oh, my God. What What was he
- Was he in the dumbwaiter?
- Yeah.
Well, my a thousand apologies.
The last owners let him do that.
He's harmless.
If I find you in my house again,
I'mma fuck you up, Jasper. Okay?
Did you just threaten him?
What is wrong with you?
What's wrong with me?
I'm not the one that broke in
and rode the dumbwaiter, lady.
All the previous owners
were just fine with him doing that.
Every owner for the past 60 years.
To a person, that dumbwaiter
was their favorite part of the house.
They loved that dumbwaiter.
And they loved that
Jasper loves playing in it.
And that's why the Preservation Society
works so hard to keep it.
Look, I don't know
many people with a dumbwaiter,
but I don't know anybody who'd be okay
with a stranger
breaking in and riding on it.
That's what's wrong
with the world these days.
The word "neighbor"
just doesn't mean what it used to.
Okay. Okay, how about we just say
no one rides the dumbwaiter.
- Better idea
- [Nora] Okay? Period.
I hate to break it to you,
Professor McGonagall,
but we're gonna do
some renovation in the house.
I'm thinking about
ripping out the dumbwaiter.
You wouldn't dare.
I'll just tell the Preservation Society
that, uh, we don't need a dumbwaiter
because we plan on having
our meals in the dining room, together,
like a normal family.
Not on multi-levels or whatever
they used to do on Downton-Fucking-Abbey.
I see. That's what
you think of American history.
Just Complete disregard.
So, what else are you planning
on doing around this house?
Maybe tearing out
all these annoying trees?
Yeah, I am,
I'm gonna rip out all the annoying trees.
No, we are not.
- Don't even think of it. My God.
- [Dean] We are now, so I can upset this
You see that oak tree right there?
That is a Sawtooth Oak,
- about to celebrate its 100th birthday.
- She's out of her mind.
That tree
is an integral part of this community.
Something you will never be.
- A couple of yuppies waltzing in
- Did she call us yuppies?
thinking you can do whatever you want.
Trees have memories, you know,
and they can talk to each other
through their roots.
That's not science fiction,
that's science fact.
And it happened, just a few months ago.
Horrible yuppie couple came in here,
chopped down
a 90-year-old chinquapin tree.
Didn't get a permit, didn't even use
the wood to make baby cradles.
Everyone knows that
Chinquapin Oak makes the finest cradles.
[spluttering] Okay, you know what?
You are welcome to keep acting
like a raving lunatic,
but I have to invite you off my property.
Be a lunatic on your own property.
Real comedian. [fake laughter]
- Thank you.
- Good night.
Well, you better watch yourself,
funny guy.
What?
I got my eye on you.
[Nora] Just ignore. Come on.
We are getting an alarm.
Save the trees.
[dog barks distantly]
[machine whirring]
[doorbell rings]
Hi. Uh, I'm Dakota
with Vanguard Security Solutions.
Hi. Yeah, come on in.
[Dakota] Yeah. Thank you.
- Sensors on every door, every window.
- [Dakota] Okay.
And, uh, yeah.
Oh, and how many cameras
do you think we need outside?
Probably ten.
Three in front, two on each side,
and then another three in the back.
- Something like that.
- Right.
- That may be overkill.
- That's okay. Overkill's good.
Cool, cool.
Those will take a minute to install.
- I just gotta order some stuff.
- Look, I just gotta ask.
How much do you think
this is going to cost us? Ballpark.
Ballpark?
Ballpark
I think maybe $7,000.
Are you serious?
Well, I can look at numbers again.
No, that's okay, $7,000 is great.
How can you afford to charge so little?
Well, it's a young company.
I'm still trying
to break into this market.
- It's your company?
- Yes.
Wait, how How old are you?
Uh Just turned 19,
but I was always kind of
a savant with this kind of stuff.
You know, tech, gadgets, computers
You know what?
You got a deal. You're hired.
- Thank you, sir.
- Okay? Seven thousand.
- Not a penny more.
- We have a deal.
Okay, very good.
Have a look around,
I'm running late for work.
Okay. Thank you. Great meeting you both.
Hey.
Who are you?
Uh
Just the alarm guy.
So, where you off to?
Don't get any ideas. I'm jailbait, creep.
[Dakota laughs]
[door rattling]
[ferret whimpering]
[hyperventilating]
[screams]
[siren blaring]
- [engine stops]
- [keys jingling]
What do you mean
there's nothing you can do?
- You don't know someone broke in.
- What do you
All the doors were locked.
No signs of forced entry.
Look, I know you're upset,
but let's not jump to conclusions here.
All we got is a dead ferret.
So, you're saying
the ferret killed himself?
I'm saying, I don't know.
He got out of his cage. He escaped, right?
He, uh Maybe he, uh
I don't know, he could
Could've run into a wall.
How much you think a ferret weights?
What's that? About a pound, right?
Probably. Yeah.
Right, so how fast
do you think a suicidal ferret
would have to be running into a wall
to get enough momentum
to crush his own fucking skull.
- [Nora] Dean
- What the fuck with this guy?
- Mr. Brannock, I am doing my job here.
- No, you're not doing your job.
If you were, you'd be arresting
that psychopath who lives next door.
What was he doing yesterday?
Calm down.
This is an open investigation,
that is ongoing,
and we had patrol
pass your house three times last night.
10:00 p.m., midnight, 2:00 a.m.
Now, if you'd like us to have
a squad car go by every hour,
I'm happy to do that.
In the meantime,
you got that alarm guy working upstairs.
So, get that system set
and then we can talk additional steps.
Thanks for the coffee.
I'll show myself out.
[scoffs]
[door opens]
I
[door closes]
[Nora] Hey.
How's he doing?
He's okay, he just wants to be alone.
Hey, Ellie, again with the lipstick?
Okay, seriously? I'm just in my room.
Okay, I'm not going anywhere.
I can do whatever I want
in my own room, Dad.
Well, actually
[Nora] Dean
It's lipstick. Leave her alone.
[door closes]
I'm going to work.
[drill whirring]
Hmm.
- Love the lipstick.
- Shut up, creeper.
I'm late, I know.
How's my boy?
He was quiet. [sighs] Picked at his food.
I'll go check on him.
[knock at door]
Hey, buddy.
[Dean groans]
Cool.
How you feeling? Hmm? What's the matter?
Hmm.
What is it?
- Dad?
- Yeah?
Can you keep us safe?
[beeping]
Nice. Fist bump.
[Dean imitates whooshing]
[laughs]
Okay.
- Good night, Dad.
- Okay.
- [Carter] I love you.
- I love you, too.
[sighs]
- Night, honey.
- Night, Dad.
[sighs]
[sighs wearily]
[Ellie playing piano]
[thunder rumbling]
Motherfuckers.
[somber piano music playing]
[line ringing]
[Karen] This is Karen.
Leave a message. [beeps]
Hey, it's Nora. Sorry, I know it's early.
But, listen, I was wondering
if you were able to find out anything
about those other bids. Uh
Can you give me a call? Okay.
Oh, and I have some exciting news.
Thanks for seeing me today.
I'd like to become a member.
[The Watcher] Mr. and Mrs. Brannock,
I am pleased to know your names now
and the names of the young blood
you have brought me.
You certainly say their names often.
Ellie. Carter.
Ellie is a lovely pianist
with delicate fingers.
[tense music playing]
[door slams]
657 Boulevard is happy you're here.
It's been years since young blood
roamed the hallways of the house.
Have you found
all the secrets it holds yet?
Will the young blood play in the basement
or are they too afraid
to go down there alone?
I would be very afraid if I were them.
It is far away from the rest of the house.
If you were upstairs,
you would never hear them scream.
What's going on?
Will they sleep in the attic?
Or will you all sleep on the second floor?
Who has the bedrooms facing the street?
It will help me to know
who is in which bedroom.
Then I can plan better.
All of the windows and doors
at 657 Boulevard allow me to watch you
and to track you
as you move through the house.
Who am I?
I am The Watcher,
and have been in control of 657 Boulevard
for the better part of two decades now.
The last family turned it over to you.
It was their time to move on
and kindly sold it when I asked them to.
657 Boulevard is my job now
Dean?
my life, my obsession,
and now you are, too, Brannock family.
Welcome to the product of your greed.
Greed is what brought
the past three families to 657 Boulevard.
And now it has brought you to me.
Welcome.
You know I will be watching.
Oh, my God, it's just so pretty out here.
It's paradise.
Wait, so are we buying this house?
Well, we got to see it first
before we know if we want it.
Can we go inside and look around?
No, Carter, we're going to
drive past the house really fast
and throw all our money at it.
- That's how you buy a house.
- [Nora chuckles]
Look at these trees. Gorgeous.
[Dean] There must be
a country club around here, right?
Okay, we're coming up on it. Here it is.
[Nora] Oh, my God. This is it?
[giggling] Honey, I can't believe this.
[grunts] Hey, Carter, we're not going to
run around like animals, okay?
- [woman laughing]
- [indistinct chatter]
Oh, my God,
it's even nicer than the photos.
- I told you.
- [Nora] It's stunning!
Lake view. Lake access.
Did you say "lake access," Mr. Brannock?
I did, Mrs. Brannock.
[eerie music playing]
Hey, Ellie, what are you reading
Pride and Prejudice on that thing?
[Ellie] I'm just texting pictures
of our new house.
- [Dean sighs]
- It's not our house yet.
Hey.
- Who's that guy?
- [Dean clicks tongue]
It's our competition, buddy.
You should run in there
and scare him away.
- [Nora] Ellie. Put it away or it's mine.
- [Carter] Hurry, you guys are slow pokes.
- Why don't you go look around?
- Okay.
[both] Whoa.
[sighs] It's a little sterile.
I don't know. I think
you could make it perfect, right?
Like you always do. [exclaims]
[giggles] Stop.
[Dean chuckles]
- I'll go see they don't destroy the place.
- Okay.
- [Dean] What do you think, kid?
- There's a pool.
- [dumbwaiter dings]
- [doors slide]
- [Pearl] Okay, Jasper, time to go home.
- [Jasper moans]
[Pearl] Come on, Jasper. Come on.
Time to leave. Let's just
Jasper, I'm going to go without you. I am
Hi. Jasper, say hello.
- Hello.
- Hi.
A baby's skeleton has 100 more bones
than an adult's skeleton.
It's this dumbwaiter, you know.
It's a national treasure.
I'm the president
of the local Preservation Society.
We've have had 14 meetings
about this dumbwaiter alone.
- [Pearl giggles]
- Oh.
It's a national treasure.
[sighs]
Lovely house.
- Take your phone out. Google "dumbwaiter."
- [scoffs]
- [Nora] Hello.
- [Karen] Hello.
- Can you sign in for me, please?
- [Nora] Oh, yeah, sure.
Karen?
Nora? Nora Miller?
[Nora] Oh, my gosh.
Shut the front door! [laughs]
[Nora] This is incredible.
- Oh, my God.
- How are you?
- I haven't seen you in a million years.
- Wait, are you
- Are you showing this house?
- Yes, I am.
I don't think I've seen you
since RISD, right?
Nope.
Oh, my God, you look fantastic.
- Please. You do. You look amazing.
- Oh.
And it's Nora Brannock these days,
which still feels weird
after all this time.
What about you? You were married, right?
I was married, yeah.
- Long story, but, anyway, what about you?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I never pictured you
ending up in the suburbs
'cause you were crunchy,
before that was a thing.
[laughing] I was not.
I saw that piece about you in the Times.
I mean, oh, my God,
some giant gallery show.
My first solo.
Ceramics at a new gallery in Tribeca.
You are fucking doing it.
'Cause look at me. Not me
I'm like, "Fuck painting."
- Yeah, I'm just going to marry rich.
- [laughs]
Just easier that way.
Hi.
[Carter] Dad!
Yeah, buddy.
Look, it's an elevator.
Actually it's called a dumbwaiter.
I just found out about it.
You know, they used to send food
up and down between the floors.
- Wow. That's so cool.
- Cool. I know.
Can we try it out?
That's a great idea. Yeah, run upstairs.
I'll send it up.
[button clicks]
[footsteps ascending]
[motor whirring]
[dumbwaiter dings]
Sick.
[exclaims]
Oh, my God. Dad, don't do that.
Hey, you okay? What is it?
It's nothing, I'm just
Ah You don't love it.
- It's not bad.
- What is it?
I'm going to miss all my friends.
Bubba
We're only going to be
an hour away from the city.
Besides, I never see you
talking to your friends in person.
It's always on the TikTok
and the Snap Crackle and the
What makes it really unique is that,
you know, it's a sophisticated house,
but it's really feminine, you know.
- And you never see that.
- Beautiful.
[man] Excuse me.
Did indentured servants
build this home? Do you know?
[laughs awkwardly] What?
I mean, how would I know?
Oh. Thought you might.
It's a beauty, isn't it?
Gotta see the pool.
It's a more realistic blue than the ocean.
[Nora] Oh.
[Karen] Nora, come see.
[dog barks distantly]
- [birds chirping]
- [sprinklers sputtering]
[Nora] There he is.
Dean, honey!
Karen, this is my husband.
Karen and I went to RISD together
and guess who's showing this house?
- Oh, you're kidding.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hubba, hubba. I mean Wow.
- [Nora laughs]
Okay, stop.
So, what do you think?
- Yeah, I love it.
- Yeah.
I love you.
Oh, honey.
- I want to make an offer.
- What?
- Really? That easy?
- [Dean] Mmm. Yeah.
- [Karen] Okay.
- Yeah.
All right then, you two discuss
and I only have to tell you that there's,
you know, two other offers on the table
and you just have
to go over asking so dig deep.
[Karen laughing]
- Okay.
- Thanks, Karen.
[Dean] Come on, Steve.
This is America, right?
Everybody buys a house they can't afford.
- [Steve] You know the problem?
- [Dean] What?
- [Steve] The bankruptcy.
- [Dean] That was ten years ago.
Dean, there's only so much I can do.
The fact is, with your current income,
you guys just don't qualify
for a jumbo loan this size.
What if it wasn't a jumbo loan?
Just
What if we did a big down payment? Just
All our savings. Pulled all of our stocks,
cashed them in. Our IRA
And just pulled everything.
Took the tax hit
and put it into the house.
Then it's not a jumbo loan, right?
- I mean
- Right?
Maybe, maybe.
But you're taking on a lot of risk.
You gotta see this house, Steve.
- It's by a lake.
- [chuckles]
Okay? There's no traffic.
People don't even lock their doors.
It's safe, man.
Come on, Dean.
- Shit can happen anywhere. It's branding.
- I don't care.
I want my kids to have their own rooms.
I want them to have a yard
that's big enough for them to play in.
The schools are better.
I'll do whatever it takes
to get this house.
[car honks]
[brakes squeak]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[house door opens, closes]
[Dean] Honey, I'm home.
Hello?
[sighs]
- [Carter] Hey, Dad?
- Yo.
Where's his leash?
I don't know, buddy, ask your mom.
Just don't let Sprinkles run
all over the house, okay?
There's a reason he has that name.
I don't want him
peeing on the wood floors.
- No. Get him out, go.
- [laughing]
- You good?
- Yup.
Hey, wait, Dad. When's the piano coming?
Honey, they're delivering it right now.
Put the phone down,
look out the window, you'll see.
- [door slams]
- Love you, too.
Get a load of this.
Oh, Jesus.
We got a problem here.
- [Nora] Hey.
- Hey.
[Nora] What do you think?
I just finished them last week.
Made them for here.
I think they're perfect.
[sighs]
Can you smell that?
Smell what?
The air. It's different here.
I can breathe.
[slaps]
Everything's different.
[door closes]
I always felt like if I left New York,
my career would just go with it.
And look, with the gallery show
going so well, I'm selling pieces
It's like, "God, what took us so long?"
Oh, and I found
a Jeanneret chair on 1stDibs.
No, no, no. We agreed, right?
We don't spend any more money
until we redo
the kitchen and the basement, okay?
No Jeanneret, no Target, none of it.
Okay. Huh.
So how come you get to rip out
the perfectly good
white marble countertops?
See, that's different That's different
because the Carrara marble is so 2009.
And, you know,
when I'm making my special pasta
- on Sunday with the red wine
- Oh, yeah.
I don't want to have
to worry about it staining the marble.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Okay, deal.
- Hmm?
Come here.
[both moan]
- Are we happy, Mrs. Brannock?
- Hmm.
- I think we are, Mr. Brannock.
- Huh.
[both moaning]
Hey, sailor.
[music playing]
[bed creaking]
- [moaning]
- Oh, yeah, get [moans]
[Ellie knocks at door] Mom,
can you come upstairs a second?
- Mommy's coming, honey.
- [laughs]
She's coming.
Shut up.
[Dean laughs]
- Oh, my God. [breathing heavily]
- [groans]
- We'll finish tonight.
- Okay.
- Yeah?
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Oh, my God.
Well, I can't hear anything.
I swear, there was
definitely music playing in here.
Hmm.
Hey, what's going on?
Ellie just said she heard music up here.
You're wearing lipstick?
Where did you get that?
Did you tell her she could wear lipstick?
Well, it was just there in my room.
Okay, how about you
don't wear someone else's lipstick, okay?
How about we don't wear lipstick
at all, honey? You're not even 16 yet.
- But every other girl at school is
- You're not every other girl. Okay?
We worked hard, living in the city,
to protect you from this kind of thing.
Protect me from what? Lipstick?
[Dean laughs sarcastically] Very funny.
Just stay young as you can for us, please?
- For as long as you can, please?
- Okay, fine.
- I'll wash it off.
- Thank you.
What the fuck?
Hey, guys, pizza night.
[kisses]
Let's order some pizza.
[static over intercom]
[alarm blaring]
[alarm stops]
[groans, inhales sharply]
[exhales]
[bell rings]
[door opens, creaks]
[sighs] Honey,
where'd you put the filter
[exclaims, breathes heavily]
[Dean, whispering] What?
[Nora] I thought I locked the door.
Well, you didn't, honey,
because the guy was just standing there.
Super creepy.
So have you told him that we're capable
of fetching our own newspaper?
[Dean] Yeah, definitely.
- [Ellie] M/M Brannock
- [Dean] I don't think he
I don't know, he seemed
mentally challenged or something.
- "Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard."
- [parents chattering]
"Allow me to welcome you
to the neighborhood."
"How did you end up here?"
"Did 657 Boulevard call to you
with its force within?"
"657 Boulevard has been the subject
of my family for decades now
and as it approaches its 100th birthday,
I'm in charge of watching
and waiting for its second coming."
"Someone watched the house in the 1920s
and someone else watched in the 1960s."
"It is now my time.
Do you know the history of the house?"
"Do you know what lies within
the walls of 657 Boulevard?"
[The Watcher]
I wonder what brought you here.
I see already that you have
flooded 657 Boulevard with contractors,
so that you can finish the basement.
Why was it left that way?
It might not frighten you yet,
but it will.
What else didn't they tell you?
- Okay. Let's go to school. [clears throat]
- Okay, let's get going.
Gonna be late for school.
Come on, guys. Let's go.
[The Watcher]
You have two children. I have seen them.
Are there more on the way?
Will you let Jack know
I won't be in today?
I got a family thing. Thank you.
"You need to fill the house
with young blood"
[The Watcher] Better for me.
It was greed
that brought your children here.
Once I know their names, I'll call to them
- and draw them to me.
- "and draw them to me."
[The Watcher] Who am I?
There are hundreds of cars
that drive by each day.
Maybe I am in one.
Look out any of the windows
in 657 Boulevard,
at all the people who stroll by each day.
- Uh, I think this way.
- [The Watcher] Maybe I am one.
This way.
[The Watcher]
This message will not be the last.
Welcome, friends.
"I am The Watcher."
[scoffs]
First, I'd like to say,
you have every right to be upset.
If I got a letter like that,
I'd be a little scared too.
Let's be clear, detective.
Nobody's scared.
We're pissed off, is what we are.
Oh, I get it. But here's the good news.
Westfield's maybe
the safest town in America.
And well, I've been on the force
for many years now and in all my time,
there've been
zero instances in violent crime.
There's no murders.
We've had a few disappearances,
but that's it.
Disappearances?
I got to say,
I don't think you're in danger
and I'm not sure
there's much we can do, honestly.
I think you could do a lot.
You could analyze the handwriting,
run DNA where they licked
the stamp and the envelope?
Sure, we could do that.
It takes about a month,
but if that makes
you feel comfortable, great.
But my gut tells me this is just a prank.
What kind of person
pulls a prank like this?
Look, off the record,
you've got a neighbor, Jasper Winslow.
He's harmless.
We occasionally get called
'cause he's doing something weird.
Throwing pebbles at a screen door,
or standing at someone's fridge
making a sandwich.
So, we just, uh, keep an eye on him.
So you think he wrote this?
Here's what we'll do.
We'll run the DNA, and in the meantime,
we'll make sure there's a squad car
going by every few hours.
It'll send a message
we're looking out for you.
We know how deep
you had to dig to afford that place,
so we want to make you feel welcome.
We want to make you feel safe.
And you are safe. Okay?
What do you think he meant by that?
How we had to dig deep
to afford the house? How does he know?
[Mitch] Hey there, neighbor.
[Dean] Hey!
Uh
Can I ask what's going on here?
Why you're in my garden?
- I'm Dean.
- And this is Mitch and I'm Maureen.
- My friends call me Mo.
- Big Mo.
And we're wondering if your
daughter could stop playing that piano.
Or buy a keyboard.
Maybe with some headphones?
Hey, look, I'm sorry,
I don't really understand
because my wife and I
can't get her to play it.
And to answer your question,
that you practically shouted,
we're doing what we've done
for the past 20 years,
which is getting in our vitamin D
and harvesting the wild arugula
that's along the fence.
We used to call it "rocket."
Now it's all French.
You got to call it "arugula"
or else you're racist,
or some PC bullshit like that.
Okay. Ok, uh
Look, you are on my property.
[eerie music playing]
All I'm doing is harvesting the arugula
that I planted and is migrated
from my side of the fence.
Can you just pick the arugula
that's growing on your side of the fence?
I just told you
it migrated to this side of the fence!
Here's how the sun goes
Full sun, full sun, blocked!
Now, if you were arugula,
which side of the fence would you pick?
Basic fucking horticulture, friend.
Well, hey, how did you get in here anyway?
Through the hole in the bushes, Sherlock.
- Only been there for 50 years.
- [Mitch laughs]
[Mo] Who is this guy?
Did he even look at this house
before he bought it?
[Mitch and Mo laughing]
[exhales sharply]
You know
Had you been nicer,
you and us,
we could have been friends.
Because folks around here,
we watch out for each other.
Now I'm gonna be watching you
for different reasons.
Come on, Mitch.
Let's go make the most delicious
fucking salad of our entire lives.
All that foliage. Keeps you young.
It's good chatting with you.
See you around.
We'll still keep an eye on you.
[racket swatting]
- [Nora] Whoo! [sighs]
- Why would you buy your son a weasel?
It's a ferret.
It was just a reward for moving out here.
He's a cute little guy.
He pees everywhere
The ferret, not my son.
[Stephanie] Bye, Karen! Looking good.
[laughing]
- Eat a dick, Stephanie.
- [Stephanie] What?
- Yeah, bye.
- [Stephanie] Bye, guys.
[Karen] Oh, my God, I can't stand her.
She's trying to bone my boss, Darren,
and it's just It's so embarrassing.
Because you know what?
This bitch is single
and she's in the best shape of her life.
- [laughs]
- Watch out, Darren.
Get it, girl. You ready?
- Make it challenging. Oh, shit.
- [Nora exclaims]
[Nora] What's wrong with a Prius?
Oh, nothing
Nothing [laughs]
I guess, you know, it's just, you know,
how people present themselves
in Westfield is, like, kind of a thing.
Yeah, I just want a nice life.
Well, you're gonna have that.
I mean, you can have that,
but you shouldn't be embarrassed
or, you know, feel guilty
about wanting the life, you know?
I know you probably think, deep down,
"I should live in squalor," you know,
because you're an artist but fuck that.
I mean,
this is what people want, you know?
It's this. This is the life they want.
All of this.
You should have it. And you know why?
'Cause you're rich.
See, we're not rich, though.
If I'm being honest
I mean, Dean's salary is okay, but, uh
and he is about to make partner,
but we're You know,
we've had some troubles.
Thank you. [chuckles]
Are you talking You're talking, like
Sorry, you're talking about
financial trouble?
Yeah. Yeah, I mean
- Really?
- I shouldn't even bring it up.
But
Shit.
You know what it's like,
you make a couple bad Investments
and next thing you know,
you're spending the next ten years
trying to dig yourself out.
Oh, God, yeah.
So marriage, it's hard.
Well, you know, right?
What What was your husband's name?
His name was Rick Bluck.
Bluck. [chuckles]
I know. He sucked.
He really did. He just, uh
And he was a real, like, pussy
and he couldn't, like
He couldn't make his junk
He couldn't make his junk work.
It was a mess. He tried to blame it on me,
and it made me feel like garbage.
He got in his car one day
and, uh, he just, like, fucking left me.
- [Nora] Oh, God.
- And, um
And it has really fucked with me.
So then, you know,
I'm not a mean person, but I thought,
"Fuck you, Rick."
"Fuck yourself. You go fuck yourself.
I'm gonna fucking take you down."
And you know what I did?
I fucking took that house from him.
I figured a way to take it
and it's all mine now.
And now he's fucked financially.
And you know what?
I am living my best life.
And you should too.
- [Nora] Can I ask you something?
- Mmm.
- But please don't tell anybody.
- Mm-mmm.
Okay, a couple days ago,
we got a really threatening letter.
- What?
- Yeah, about the house.
Really creepy, addressed to us.
Said they were watching the house.
They were watching us.
- [Karen] Jesus.
- Yeah.
[Karen] Creepy. Did you call the cops?
Yeah, but they say
there's not much they can do.
You know, I was thinking about it
and I thought
maybe it's someone we outbid,
'cause people can be weird
about that stuff, right?
Mmm.
I mean,
there were multiple bidders, right?
Could you find out who they were?
Because that would be so helpful.
[Karen] Yeah, sure.
[birds screeching]
Watch this. Watch this, guys.
It's a trick. Here, look.
Can you get him off the table?
- Look at that! It's a great trick.
- See? Isn't that cool?
- [Nora] Yeah.
- It's not a trick.
He's just standing up to eat some food.
I'll teach him how to ride the dumbwaiter.
- Absolutely not.
- Be careful, please.
- Come on, it'll be a fun ride.
- Honey. Hey.
We got him that
to feel comfortable in the house
and you're the one
who said yes to a ferret.
It's the ferret I'm worried about
getting too comfortable.
Ellie, where'd you get that shirt?
Your bra strap's sticking out.
- So?
- [Dean] What do you mean, "So"?
We've got neighbors.
Careful what kind of message
you want to project, okay?
- Dad, come on!
- [Dean] What, "Come on"?
[Dean sighs]
[utensils clatter]
Thank you.
You gonna practice your piano now?
[footsteps departing]
What's gotten into you?
You never used to be like this.
- Honestly.
- [door closes]
[Nora sighs]
You know, we always talked about
raising a strong young woman
who owned her sexuality.
What? She's just growing up way too fast.
Hmm.
Don't worry, buddy.
Don't be scared. It's gonna be fine.
[ferret whimpers]
[motor whirring]
[floorboard creaking]
[dumbwaiter dings]
- Boo.
- [screams]
[ferret whimpers]
Carter! What?
- What the fucking hell?
- [Nora] What?
Get the fuck up!
- [Nora] Oh, my God!
- Get up!
- What happened?
- Get out of my house!
- He was in there.
- He was in the dumbwaiter?
[Jasper] Ow!
[Dean] Do not come back
to our house again!
Stay in your cage
or wherever you came from!
[Pearl] Stop this!
Get out! And you stay out!
[Pearl] What are you doing?
- [Jasper moans]
- Are you all right?
Oh, my God. What What was he
- Was he in the dumbwaiter?
- Yeah.
Well, my a thousand apologies.
The last owners let him do that.
He's harmless.
If I find you in my house again,
I'mma fuck you up, Jasper. Okay?
Did you just threaten him?
What is wrong with you?
What's wrong with me?
I'm not the one that broke in
and rode the dumbwaiter, lady.
All the previous owners
were just fine with him doing that.
Every owner for the past 60 years.
To a person, that dumbwaiter
was their favorite part of the house.
They loved that dumbwaiter.
And they loved that
Jasper loves playing in it.
And that's why the Preservation Society
works so hard to keep it.
Look, I don't know
many people with a dumbwaiter,
but I don't know anybody who'd be okay
with a stranger
breaking in and riding on it.
That's what's wrong
with the world these days.
The word "neighbor"
just doesn't mean what it used to.
Okay. Okay, how about we just say
no one rides the dumbwaiter.
- Better idea
- [Nora] Okay? Period.
I hate to break it to you,
Professor McGonagall,
but we're gonna do
some renovation in the house.
I'm thinking about
ripping out the dumbwaiter.
You wouldn't dare.
I'll just tell the Preservation Society
that, uh, we don't need a dumbwaiter
because we plan on having
our meals in the dining room, together,
like a normal family.
Not on multi-levels or whatever
they used to do on Downton-Fucking-Abbey.
I see. That's what
you think of American history.
Just Complete disregard.
So, what else are you planning
on doing around this house?
Maybe tearing out
all these annoying trees?
Yeah, I am,
I'm gonna rip out all the annoying trees.
No, we are not.
- Don't even think of it. My God.
- [Dean] We are now, so I can upset this
You see that oak tree right there?
That is a Sawtooth Oak,
- about to celebrate its 100th birthday.
- She's out of her mind.
That tree
is an integral part of this community.
Something you will never be.
- A couple of yuppies waltzing in
- Did she call us yuppies?
thinking you can do whatever you want.
Trees have memories, you know,
and they can talk to each other
through their roots.
That's not science fiction,
that's science fact.
And it happened, just a few months ago.
Horrible yuppie couple came in here,
chopped down
a 90-year-old chinquapin tree.
Didn't get a permit, didn't even use
the wood to make baby cradles.
Everyone knows that
Chinquapin Oak makes the finest cradles.
[spluttering] Okay, you know what?
You are welcome to keep acting
like a raving lunatic,
but I have to invite you off my property.
Be a lunatic on your own property.
Real comedian. [fake laughter]
- Thank you.
- Good night.
Well, you better watch yourself,
funny guy.
What?
I got my eye on you.
[Nora] Just ignore. Come on.
We are getting an alarm.
Save the trees.
[dog barks distantly]
[machine whirring]
[doorbell rings]
Hi. Uh, I'm Dakota
with Vanguard Security Solutions.
Hi. Yeah, come on in.
[Dakota] Yeah. Thank you.
- Sensors on every door, every window.
- [Dakota] Okay.
And, uh, yeah.
Oh, and how many cameras
do you think we need outside?
Probably ten.
Three in front, two on each side,
and then another three in the back.
- Something like that.
- Right.
- That may be overkill.
- That's okay. Overkill's good.
Cool, cool.
Those will take a minute to install.
- I just gotta order some stuff.
- Look, I just gotta ask.
How much do you think
this is going to cost us? Ballpark.
Ballpark?
Ballpark
I think maybe $7,000.
Are you serious?
Well, I can look at numbers again.
No, that's okay, $7,000 is great.
How can you afford to charge so little?
Well, it's a young company.
I'm still trying
to break into this market.
- It's your company?
- Yes.
Wait, how How old are you?
Uh Just turned 19,
but I was always kind of
a savant with this kind of stuff.
You know, tech, gadgets, computers
You know what?
You got a deal. You're hired.
- Thank you, sir.
- Okay? Seven thousand.
- Not a penny more.
- We have a deal.
Okay, very good.
Have a look around,
I'm running late for work.
Okay. Thank you. Great meeting you both.
Hey.
Who are you?
Uh
Just the alarm guy.
So, where you off to?
Don't get any ideas. I'm jailbait, creep.
[Dakota laughs]
[door rattling]
[ferret whimpering]
[hyperventilating]
[screams]
[siren blaring]
- [engine stops]
- [keys jingling]
What do you mean
there's nothing you can do?
- You don't know someone broke in.
- What do you
All the doors were locked.
No signs of forced entry.
Look, I know you're upset,
but let's not jump to conclusions here.
All we got is a dead ferret.
So, you're saying
the ferret killed himself?
I'm saying, I don't know.
He got out of his cage. He escaped, right?
He, uh Maybe he, uh
I don't know, he could
Could've run into a wall.
How much you think a ferret weights?
What's that? About a pound, right?
Probably. Yeah.
Right, so how fast
do you think a suicidal ferret
would have to be running into a wall
to get enough momentum
to crush his own fucking skull.
- [Nora] Dean
- What the fuck with this guy?
- Mr. Brannock, I am doing my job here.
- No, you're not doing your job.
If you were, you'd be arresting
that psychopath who lives next door.
What was he doing yesterday?
Calm down.
This is an open investigation,
that is ongoing,
and we had patrol
pass your house three times last night.
10:00 p.m., midnight, 2:00 a.m.
Now, if you'd like us to have
a squad car go by every hour,
I'm happy to do that.
In the meantime,
you got that alarm guy working upstairs.
So, get that system set
and then we can talk additional steps.
Thanks for the coffee.
I'll show myself out.
[scoffs]
[door opens]
I
[door closes]
[Nora] Hey.
How's he doing?
He's okay, he just wants to be alone.
Hey, Ellie, again with the lipstick?
Okay, seriously? I'm just in my room.
Okay, I'm not going anywhere.
I can do whatever I want
in my own room, Dad.
Well, actually
[Nora] Dean
It's lipstick. Leave her alone.
[door closes]
I'm going to work.
[drill whirring]
Hmm.
- Love the lipstick.
- Shut up, creeper.
I'm late, I know.
How's my boy?
He was quiet. [sighs] Picked at his food.
I'll go check on him.
[knock at door]
Hey, buddy.
[Dean groans]
Cool.
How you feeling? Hmm? What's the matter?
Hmm.
What is it?
- Dad?
- Yeah?
Can you keep us safe?
[beeping]
Nice. Fist bump.
[Dean imitates whooshing]
[laughs]
Okay.
- Good night, Dad.
- Okay.
- [Carter] I love you.
- I love you, too.
[sighs]
- Night, honey.
- Night, Dad.
[sighs]
[sighs wearily]
[Ellie playing piano]
[thunder rumbling]
Motherfuckers.
[somber piano music playing]
[line ringing]
[Karen] This is Karen.
Leave a message. [beeps]
Hey, it's Nora. Sorry, I know it's early.
But, listen, I was wondering
if you were able to find out anything
about those other bids. Uh
Can you give me a call? Okay.
Oh, and I have some exciting news.
Thanks for seeing me today.
I'd like to become a member.
[The Watcher] Mr. and Mrs. Brannock,
I am pleased to know your names now
and the names of the young blood
you have brought me.
You certainly say their names often.
Ellie. Carter.
Ellie is a lovely pianist
with delicate fingers.
[tense music playing]
[door slams]
657 Boulevard is happy you're here.
It's been years since young blood
roamed the hallways of the house.
Have you found
all the secrets it holds yet?
Will the young blood play in the basement
or are they too afraid
to go down there alone?
I would be very afraid if I were them.
It is far away from the rest of the house.
If you were upstairs,
you would never hear them scream.
What's going on?
Will they sleep in the attic?
Or will you all sleep on the second floor?
Who has the bedrooms facing the street?
It will help me to know
who is in which bedroom.
Then I can plan better.
All of the windows and doors
at 657 Boulevard allow me to watch you
and to track you
as you move through the house.
Who am I?
I am The Watcher,
and have been in control of 657 Boulevard
for the better part of two decades now.
The last family turned it over to you.
It was their time to move on
and kindly sold it when I asked them to.
657 Boulevard is my job now
Dean?
my life, my obsession,
and now you are, too, Brannock family.
Welcome to the product of your greed.
Greed is what brought
the past three families to 657 Boulevard.
And now it has brought you to me.
Welcome.
You know I will be watching.