The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

1
We suffer under something
called "The Emergency".
A rapidly escalating state of panic
where the truth itself is under attack.
It just feels like something
bad is about to happen.
That's The Emergency.
I've been saving something
for you. It's a test.
And the winners get a scholarship
to the Boatwright Academy.
You may begin.
There are some who possess
an unusually powerful love of the truth.
Time! I shall now read the list
of those who've passed the test.
Reynard Muldoon?
I'm Kate Wetherall. I'm
a self-contained unit.
Anything that comes
up, I deal with myself.
- That's Sticky Washington.
- Why do they call you Sticky?
I remember everything I read or see.
Well done.
- What's in there?
- Mr. Benedict.
Allow me to acquaint
you with your fourth.
Constance Contraire.
I apologize for nothing.
We're asking you to go on a mission.
A risky, undercover mission.
And, unfortunately, one that can
only be accomplished by children.
You can wait here for
further instructions.
- How long was I out?
- We're under attack.
- Someone's cut the power.
- Cut the power?
Take these.
Who wants to see the safe room?
- There we are.
- Is this another test?
This is not a test.
This way.
Back, back, back!
Excuse me a moment.
Follow me, right here.
- Where's Milligan?
- I don't know.
- We'll go through the maze.
- Who are those people?
I'll detail more later. Stay close.
We need to cross the house.
The other staircase will
lead us to the safe room.
This way. Hurry up! Hurry up! Eh?
Is everybody here?
Let's go! Let's go!
Back, back, back!
Stay close. Stay close.
No, no, no. This way.
No, no, no. Wait.
We have to help him.
Reynie
Abort! Abort!
Oh, my.
Where's Constance?
She ran for it right away,
to save her own skin.
Maybe she was trying to flank them.
Flank them?
Reynie, you're too nice.
All clear. All clear.
He is too nice.
Constance? Where did you go?
Where you dummies should have gone.
It's called hiding. Ever heard of it?
We were helping Mr. Benedict.
I don't owe that guy anything.
The situation's resolved.
The building has been locked down
and we are perfectly safe here.
Here.
Who were they?
Well, if it makes you feel any better,
you were not their target.
- They were here for me.
- Why?
Um, also, still, "Who?"
Come with me.
Do you remember when I told you
that I believe one person
is creating The Emergency?
This is how.
Question.
Do you feel anything?
Hmm My stomach is a little upset.
Interesting. That's actually a
side effect for the very sensitive.
Number Two and Rhonda,
please engage the receivers.
Thank you.
Now, it looks normal,
but listen to what's underneath.
giving us your final answer, please.
The missing aren't missing,
they're only departed.
Poison apples, friendly visage.
Pardon, possession, a walk
on the shore, poison worms
Brush your teeth and
What were those?
Those are the hidden messages
that are being broadcast
on every TV and radio,
and they're infecting our minds
without us even knowing they're there.
The Emergency is caused
by subliminal messages.
Manipulation sub rosa.
Yes, yes. It's taken a long time
for me to put this together.
The sender of these messages is
putting our psyches under siege.
Why would someone do that?
When people are anxious or frightened,
they're more susceptible to suggestion.
They panic. They turn on each other.
I mean, look look how people
are treating each other now.
Aggressive, suspicious, unkind.
- It's all part of the plan.
- We are being softened up.
That sounds
bad.
It is.
These messages are increasing in
frequency and getting stronger.
Our society is fragile
and so much closer to the breaking
point than we've ever been.
And almost no one is
aware enough to fight it.
Why are those children's voices?
People aren't naturally
suspicious of children.
Your voices don't trigger our defenses.
Using children to send the messages
makes them virtually undetectable.
Shouldn't you just, I don't
know, call the cops?
I wish it were that easy.
You have a phone, right?
But the government agencies
that could have helped
have been dismantled.
You have to understand me.
Good women and men who worked
for them have gone missing.
But you've got the evidence.
Oh, Reynie.
Proof is useless
unless it's proof of something
people already want to believe.
And I'm afraid no one
wants to believe this.
However, I have finally discovered
where the messages are coming from.
The Learning Institute for
Veritas and Enlightenment.
You mean the school
out on Harbor Island?
Yes!
That is where the sender must be,
and that is where your mission lies.
What makes you think that
four kids can stop all of this?
Oh, not just kids.
Four extraordinary kids.
And, yes, I believe you can.
In fact, I believe you're
the only ones who can.
It has been a long night.
Well, too long, actually.
I suggest we get some sleep.
Hmm. Yeah. We can go over
the plan in the morning, hmm.
Number Two and Rhonda, would you please
- show our friends their rooms?
- Yes. Right this way.
- Please get some rest.
- We'll get you all set up.
Maybe I wish I never
heard about any of this.
But now I have heard of it.
Can't go back.
Are we sure any of this is even real?
Doesn't it seem real?
I've never been on a team.
Yeah. That part is kind of cool.
Team demands a name.
I've workshopped a few. How about
Kate the Great
and Her Triumphant Trio?
That's a dumb name.
It does seem less team-ish.
We'll sleep on it. See how it ages.
Constance, are you pretending to sleep
so you don't have to talk to us?
Constance, can you
pass the orange juice?
- No.
- No?
Oh.
I'm so grateful you've all
chosen to stay.
Rhonda, the dossiers.
Now, please
Please forgive the chaos.
Preparations must be made.
Oh, thank you.
Oh, now, as I mentioned earlier,
the signals are coming from
the Institute on Harbor Island.
Heavily guarded.
Access to it is almost exclusively
limited to incoming students.
That's why it has to be children.
Exactly, which is why I could
never get near the island.
But you can. You can.
- Sir.
- Oh, oh, that's
That's a lot. No, thank you.
- You ordered this.
- No, thank you. No.
You four are going to
infiltrate the Institute
as new students, as my secret agents.
I'm gonna need a bigger bucket.
So, what do we do?
Well, to begin with, deep breath.
Now, your first job
is to find the identity of the sender.
I mean, who's running the school?
I find it very odd that that information
is not even in the brochure.
- Yeah.
- That's weird.
Very weird.
Once we know who we're dealing with,
we can get to work on our end,
while you, next, find the transmitter
that's sending the messages.
Where is it? How does it work?
Who has access to it?
Can it be disabled or shut down?
- Or destroyed.
- Well, that's the same thing.
- No. Okay.
- No. Okay.
Probably also gonna want us
to do some sneaking around,
maybe break into some offices.
I don't. No.
You must keep a very, very,
very low profile. All right?
Please, please, please, please
do not take any unnecessary risks.
Please, please, please.
Just find out what you
can, report back to me.
Understood. Minimal sneaking.
Break-ins only when necessary.
Or never.
But absorb everything.
Every odd detail, every suspicious
aspect, curious tidbit.
Nothing is too small.
Sticky, I imagine you'll be
quite effective at this thing.
Get a grip, man.
I don't know why I got picked
for this. I really don't.
Well, I do, Mr. Washington.
Nothing escapes you. That's who you are.
And I consider myself an
excellent judge of character.
So, how will we be
communicating with you?
Hmm. I was hoping to use
homing pigeons for this,
but training did not
proceed as planned, so
- Those are awful birds.
- They're just atrocious.
We've been eating pigeon for months.
Instead,
we will be using Morse code
signaled by flashlights.
But, rest assured,
we will be watching from a
hidden position on the mainland
at all times.
All times, day and night, we
will always have eyes on you.
Will code names be needed?
Will somewhat long-ish code names work?
No. You'll be using
your own names to enroll.
Now
Oh, my.
Signatures must be forged, orders given,
bribes paid, and calls made.
Now, while we do that, I highly suggest
that you familiarize
yourself with the dossiers
and brush up on your Morse code. Hmm.
I don't know Morse code.
- Oh.
- I do!
I know Morse code. I can teach you.
Wonderful.
"Quick brown fox jumps
over the lazy frog".
That's good, but it's
usually a dog, right?
Frogs are the better
animals, technically.
Reynie, guess what this word is.
I'd rather not say that word.
You guys are doing really well.
Whatever, George Washington.
I really prefer Sticky.
Okay, George.
You might've noticed that
my head holds a lot of information.
Well, my aunt noticed, too.
I went to live with her and her
husband after my parents died.
Why does it have to rain so much?
It's actually the result of a
number of different factors.
The atmospheric and sea temperatures
are in a warming phase
with a weakening of the
pressure-gradient force,
and causes the ocean
surface temperatures
to rise, resulting
I just liked reading,
but they thought it'd be good for
me to take advantage of my gift.
Spell the letter H.
A-I-T-C-H.
Correct!
Who knew?
At first, it was fun.
The Strait of Hormuz.
Emerson Fittipaldi.
Shoemaker Levy-9.
The Danse Macabre.
Ooh.
Yeah!
- You got the car!
- We got it!
But the more I won,
the more they wanted.
5358979323846264
2?
Oh, so sorry.
So, I pretended
to run away to see how they'd react.
I found a place where
I could watch them.
Well, I guess he didn't really
want to be here anyway.
Maybe
maybe it's for the best.
We never asked for this.
He's a smart kid, but
So then, I ran away for real.
There's not much else to say.
I snuck into the library,
lived there for a couple weeks.
Then I saw Mr. Benedict's ad.
Sticky, that's awful. I'm so sorry.
Thanks.
I guess, somehow, it's for the best.
They don't have all that responsibility,
and I don't have all that pressure.
So, it's okay.
I have no idea what to say.
Well, you know, you have us now.
So, what the heck's your story?
Constance.
- What?
- You shouldn't be saying that.
I have just one memory.
I wake blindfolded,
strapped to a metal chair.
My hands and feet are chained.
My head is clamped into
some metal restraint.
I'm bruised and cold.
I hear rushing water and a rat, or
a very husky mouse.
I can't remember where I am,
how I got here, what my name is.
Amnesia.
Amnesia.
My captors return. Or maybe
they never left. Questions.
What do I remember? What do I remember?
A slap and another slap.
My blindfold is dislodged slightly.
As I'm shuffled back towards my cell,
I realize I'm clutching something.
In my hand, a small key
fashioned from toenail clippings.
Mine? I can only assume.
I trip myself, using the distraction
to unlock my chains.
I fight my captors with the elephant
rage of a desperate man.
I best them. I run.
Away from the building. Down
the hill. The grass is slick.
I tumble and fall off of
a cliff and into the bay.
A venomous eel locks onto my ankle,
its creeping poison rendering
my right leg immobile.
If I wasn't a left-footed swimmer,
I might have drowned.
I use a modified turtle stroke
until I wash ashore.
Half mad, I survive on
peat moss and grub worms
until I regain my strength
and make my way to the city.
But
no one believes my tale. I am
laughed at,
pelted with garbage,
an outcast. I
I am nothing.
I am no one.
But
I hear talk,
talk of a man.
A brilliant, compassionate man
who seems to know about
all manner of things.
A man who will listen.
That was pretty wordy.
Did you ever get any
of your memory back?
No.
But Mr. Benedict always believed me.
Brought me in, gave me a job,
and helped me sort out
things as best he could. It
It is connected.
It is all connected.
I owe everything to Mr. Benedict.
And for that,
he has my undying loyalty.
"I am terrified".
Exactly!
Are you?
Terrified?
Yeah.
Then don't go.
Constance, do you wanna practice at all?
I have a poem to read.
Oh, fantastic.
"In a land far away
where 'twas never day,
gargoyles, three, tormented me.
Kateena Smelleral had
a head full of gears.
Reynardo ate cat food
and picked his ears.
While Stinky, all day, pooped in fear".
I can't help it.
Just what it says.
"Each was annoying and soft as dough,
and that is all you need to know".
The end.
It's called The Tale
of the Annoying Three.
- Yeah, I think I get it.
- Vivid imagery.
Yeah, keep walking!
I plan to.
She's not such a great wordsmith.
All she does is insult us!
She's like an anti-teammate.
How are we supposed to succeed
with someone actively
trying to throw us off?
Kate's right.
She's only going to make
a dangerous thing harder.
I feel the same way.
But why would Mr. Benedict let her
join us if she wasn't important?
We need to ask Benedict to
drop her, for all our sakes.
Reynie, go talk to him.
What? Why me?
Because you're the only one who can.
If Sticky goes, he'll just implode.
- No offense.
- None taken.
If I go, I'll just complain
about her. A lot.
I have a list.
So, you're the guy.
Come in!
Oh, hello. I'm just having
a late-night snack.
Biscuit?
No, thank you.
I assume you're here about Constance.
Constance Contraire?
Grumpy girl about yea high?
Yeah, I know who she
Yes.
And that you speak
not just for yourself,
but Kate and Sticky as well, hmm?
Yes.
We
And I feel bad about this, but
we don't think she
should be on the team.
I know. I know.
And after what you've seen,
I can understand that.
Please, sit.
Oh, you see, um
Constance is much more
gifted than she seems.
And much better.
In many ways, I think she might
be the key to our success.
But it is important that you know
that my opinion is not based
on unruly optimism or pity,
and that, while I have
my opinion, I value yours.
- You don't want a biscuit? No?
- No, thank you.
You want a biscuit?
Ah
Do you know the parable of the
West Aleutian Wise Woman, hmm?
- No.
- No?
Well, that makes sense. No one does.
Well, it goes like this.
There was a very mischievous boy
Oh, I'm not saying you're mischievous,
that's not the point. Sorry.
And a very wise village woman.
And the boy thinks
the woman acts like she knows
everything and has never been wrong.
And he wants very badly, for
some reason, to prove she's wrong.
So, he hides a very small bird in
his hands, and he asks the woman,
"Is this bird alive or dead?"
If she says "dead",
he'll let it fly free.
But if she says "alive",
he will secretly crush it,
so he'll win either way.
- I would never do that.
- Oh, no. I know.
It's horrible. It's horrible.
It's just a parable.
Anyway, the wise woman looks to the boy
and, in answer to his question, says,
"That, young man, depends on you".
Now, you're not the boy,
I'm not the wise woman,
and Constance is not the bird.
This actually might be
the wrong parable.
The only thing relevant
is that I leave this decision
completely in your hands.
Progress report. The documents
will be complete by sunrise.
Ah, thank you.
Now, all right.
Please return to me with the
group's decision, if you may.
Oh, one more thing, um
How did it feel to come down
here and discuss this with me?
Terrible, sir.
And yet you did it because you had to.
Do you know what that's called?
Carrying a bird?
Leadership.
Good night, Reynie.
Good night.
They'll make the right decision.
They will.
And whatever decision they make
will become the right decision.
Dear Ms. Perumal, it's Reynie.
I wish I could write you a real letter
but this is the best I can do.
How are you?
I'm okay, I guess.
I'm actually not at the
Boatwright Academy.
Apparently, this special opportunity
is a lot more complicated.
At least I'm not alone.
It's exciting to be part of something.
And if Mr. Benedict is right,
what we're doing is important.
But I'm worried that
I'll let everyone down.
Part of me wishes I was
back at the orphanage,
reading the newspaper with you.
I hope you're well.
Say hello to Mr. Rutger.
Love, Reynie.
Muldoon.
So, I was thinking we'd just go with
The Great Kate Weather Machine
and the Stormriders.
It plays on a weather theme.
Does every teammate get a vote?
Yes, Constance.
Every member of the team in
good standing gets a vote.
How about The Four Kids Gang?
The Secret Agent Children's Group?
Oof.
But those are accurate.
Accurate?
How about The Doomed To Fail Club?
I think the name should acknowledge
who brought us together.
Mr. Benedict and the
Great Kate Weathermen.
Kate, seriously, you
need to let that go.
I mean
The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Well, we're leaving also.
Our home is compromised, as the
events of last night demonstrated,
as a matter of fact
Whoa. What's with the get-up?
Milligan was the primary face
that they saw last night,
so we must take every
precaution with your transfer.
Now, remember, children,
we're always just a few
dots and dashes away.
And I'm so proud of you.
Okay. Okay.
Slow.
- Look at the plaid.
- Cleansing, eh?
- It's fine.
- Slow.
Ah, what sweet, sweet memories.
Steady, now.
There's not a thing to worry about.
The Emergency's gonna
end up costing us our jobs.
Yeah, there's nobody at the wheel.
How can I help you?
These are the new transfers.
Three from Binnud
Academy, and one from
Stonetown
Pardon. Excuse me.
Stonetown Orphanage.
Or orphanage, yeah.
Just in case.
Well, this is a new one.
Your paperwork is flawless.
I mean, completely flawless.
And you arrived exactly
on time, to the minute.
Welcome to the Institute. You
can head right to the ferry.
This way?
Hello?
It's a test, dummies.
Transfers!
How long have you been waiting?
- Forever.
- Oh, not long.
Hmm. Didn't really take
the initiative, did you?
We followed instructions.
Do you always? Follow instructions?
Ha!
When appropriate.
- Oh, some kind of rebel. I see.
- What?
- Just kidding.
- Totally kidding.
- I'm Jackson.
- And I'm Jillson.
We're in charge of you four.
Let's get you checked into your rooms.
This
It's it's not working.
Oh, those children must be terrified.
You chose the right kids.
Put into a completely
foreign environment.
- They can handle it.
- Cast away from everything familiar
- And they have us, eh?
- This is crazy.
It's crazy.
The bravery of these children, I
have never seen anything like it.
It is such, such bravery.
- Number Two.
- What?
- Again.
- Get him away from the flame.
Mr. Benedict
This is it.
Satellite TV. You can watch anytime.
It's great.
You mean, after we get
our homework done?
Anytime.
Flip it on right now if you
want. It's encouraged.
Don't worry.
Same screen dimensions as
the ones in the boys' room.
I'm sure they're enjoying it right now.
You're all orphans, huh?
Some of us.
That is sad.
So sad.
But there are ton of orphans here.
It's not a big deal. It's common.
Which is not to say it's a
bummer here. It's upbeat.
The vibe. Unless you make it a bummer.
- We can't control that.
- Hmm.
East campus is all dorms, with the
exception of several classrooms.
North campus encompasses all campuses
except East campus,
including South campus.
It sounds confusing,
but it isn't confusing,
which happens to be
an important principle
you'll learn here at the Institute.
What's that?
The Tower.
You have no reason to go there,
unless you become Messengers.
So, not likely it'll ever
become relevant to you.
Not so high on these two.
And, um who is the headmaster?
He prefers to introduce himself.
You'll meet him soon.
The free market
Must always be free.
The free market
Must be controlled in certain cases.
The free market
Must be free enough to
control itself in certain cases,
- and have enough control to free itself
- What are they talking about?
- in certain cases.
- The free market.
- This is one of the most popular classes.
- The free market
Must always be free.
Hello.
Okay.
Mm-hmm. Yes, sir.
Class,
Lindsay will report to Institute Control
where she will be granted
special access,
as she is our newest Messenger.
Lindsay.
Amazing timing that
you'd get to see that.
Usually, the headmaster would come
down to give the honor himself.
Oh, well, bad luck.
Don't take it personally.
We'll meet him in the dining
hall for a quick hello,
and it'll be unforgettable.
Wow! Yes. Amazing.
So so cool.
Anyways, how do you
get to be a Messenger?
Strictly merit-based.
You just need to excel
in the core classes
and become crème de la crème.
I mean, you four
It's very exclusive.
I wouldn't count on it.
But anything can happen.
Wow.
When's lunch?
Whenever you want, if
it's here when you are.
What?
Ms. Jillson, it's kind of hard
to understand all these rules.
Rules? There are virtually none.
You can wear whatever you want
that abides by the standards.
You can bathe as much
or as little as you like,
as long as you are clean.
You can keep the lights on all
the way up to lights out at 10:00,
if you choose, and
You can go wherever you want,
as long as you stay on the paths.
This is all so confusing.
Ah.
He's running a bit behind.
We could wait. We really
do want to meet him.
Of course, you do. You're not insane.
You wanna turn on the TV?
I don't think that's a good idea.
Probably right.
It's sort of nice to share a room.
I know. Kids I knew back home,
they used to complain about sharing
with their brothers and sisters.
But I always thought
that sounded pretty good.
Hello?
Hi.
Bucket.
Now you.
Well, we should get moving.
To make contact with Mr. Benedict.
On the first night?
We haven't found, you know, a name yet.
At least we can say it's a he.
I'm hoping we don't always have to
squeeze through that bathroom
window to get out at night.
Stealth has a price.
Adapt or die, George.
Sticky's the best at
Morse code. So, go for it.
- There they are.
- Okay.
Use the code to tell them we're safe.
Which would be
We're saltines.
What?
Well, saltines. Crackers.
Safe crackers.
Yeah, I wasn't paying
attention during that part.
Let's tell them about the Messengers.
Right.
That's gonna be a little complicated.
Why do we have to
communicate in riddles?
An abundance of caution?
"Hide"? What's that? A pelt?
Dr. Jekyll, maybe? We
never went over that one.
He's still saying "hide".
Oh, hide, hide!
I know I saw something.
Based on the flashlight's
movement patterns,
I think they're okay.
Oh, good.
Oh, I'm okay, dear. I'm
stable. Thank you. Hmm.
- Why don't you head inside?
- Hmm.
Your carpentry skills are amazing.
Goodness.
- Woodworking is a passion.
- Ah.
Um, Kate? The dorm is that way.
You guys go back. I'm going up there.
You think the transmitter's up there?
Don't know. But nothing good
ever happens in a tower.
Thought I might go right at it!
Or up the side and through the window.
It's too dangerous and too soon.
How are we supposed to climb up that?
Not you. Me. By myself.
With my bucket.
Oh, no. You might fall.
We're a team, Kate.
So, that means we have to
all vote on everything now?
If you get caught, it comes back on us.
Look, she's thinking.
You have a personality flaw.
Why would I care what you think?
You're not perceptive.
Can we go back to the rooms now?
Team?
Hello!
Welcome.
I recognize a lot of you from the halls,
but I also see some new faces among us.
Exciting.
So
I am
Mr. Oshiro.
And this class is called
"Psychopractical Problem Dynamics".
Don't be alarmed.
That's really just a
fancy term for system
and/or practice-based
mental acuity enhancement,
based on both real-world and
abstract enigmas and conundrums.
It's fun, I promise.
I like him.
So, why don't we dive right in?
As you can see,
there are three light
switches on the wall,
one of which activates the lamp
in the classroom directly above us,
which we obviously can't see from here.
If you're only allowed
to check up there once,
how can you determine which
switch activates the lamp?
Yes, Martina?
Taking into consideration
number selection bias,
the assumed IQ range
of the puzzle designer,
and the widespread knowledge
of the rock-paper-scissors
wrap-around opening gambit,
one must conclude that the
first switch will, ironically,
always be the active one.
Your reasoning is incorrect.
Any other ideas?
- A very long dental mirror.
- No.
Three spools of twine
and a personal dirigible.
- No.
- Flip it and flip it and flip it?
I'm sorry, no.
A small trained dog
with a photovoltaic vest.
Interesting approach, but, no.
Yes Reynard?
It's Reynie.
I think what I would do
is flip the first switch.
Then wait ten minutes.
Then I'd turn it off and
flip the second switch.
Then I'd check upstairs.
If the light is on, then
it's the second switch.
If the light is off
then I'd touch the bulb.
If it's hot, then the
first switch is the one.
And if it's cold
then it's the third switch.
Very nice, Reynie. Well reasoned.
Yes, that's great. Love Reynie.
But that's a lot of work when
it's obviously the second switch.
Why do you say that?
Any competent builder
would place the light switch
one and a half inches out from
the king stud of the doorjamb.
And that would be the second switch.
The other two are clearly
dummy switches.
I think the focus is less
in construction and more
I highly doubt that
a school such as this
would contract with a
less-than-competent-builder.
I think you're missing the point.
- Is it the second switch?
- Ms. Wetherall
Is it the second switch?
Yes.
Wow.
Wow.
Wonderful. Wonderful.
That's some insight right there.
Such creativity. Gracious.
Welcome, new students.
I'm your headmaster, Dr. L.D. Curtain.
I tell you
These two
these two are ones to watch.