Them (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

♪
[Lucky] Stay away
from my fucking home!
Stay away!
Stay away from my family!
Keep away from here!
Stay away,
stay away from my home!
♪
[Henry] Stop.
Stop.
[muttering softly]
I'm right here.
I'm right here.
- [shushes]
- [panting]
I'm right here.
Come down.
Come on down for supper.
And Ms. Vernetta, you
remember her. Took in laundry?
Married to that fool
with the droopy eye,
used to run sour mash
from his shed?
Mm.
Well, Ms. Vernetta's boy Willie
made me
a really nice going-away
card and
- Mama got a whole stack of them.
- Mm-hmm.
- Anything in any of them?
- Henry.
I should stay home
and help with the baby.
Um
Well, who will show Mrs. Jenkins
what straight A's look like?
[Ruby] But I got B's.
Exactly. Come help Mama
with dessert.
It's night, right?
It's just after 7:00.
Just after 7:00.
All right, give your daddy
a plate first.
- [Ruby humming]
- [Lucky laughs]
[Lucky] You're going
to love this.
[Ruby giggles]
[Lucky] Here you go, baby.
[chair scrapes]
Henry, stay.
Stay.
Ruby and I, we
[Ruby] We made pie.
It's peach.
[Lucky] [whispers] Stay.
[exhales]
Ms.
- Ms. Vernetta
she-she mentioned
She talks a lot, doesn't she?
Yes. Yes, she does.
She mentioned
that they're hiring
down at the sorghum plant.
[Ruby] You should get a job
on trains, Daddy.
Bring me back things
from all over.
[Lucky] [fading] That's
a great idea, Ruby.
[muffled] They have a line
from Morehead to Richmond.
Be home by supper.
[Ruby] [echoing] Is there
a beach down there, Mama?
[Lucky] Remember when we did
the maps in school?
- [screams]
- [gasps]
Ruby, go to your room.
- Go to your room.
- We made that for Daddy.
It's okay. It's okay.
Daddy's just tired.
Daddy's just tired, okay?
Okay?
[insects chirping]
They never even let us
pick up a gun.
What?
[Henry] Colored soldiers
weren't "battle ready"
or some such.
What they did to us,
you wouldn't even do to a
What? What, baby? What?
As if fighting the Germans
wasn't enough.
Using us like we were
Army and their
bullshit experiments.
Nerve gas, mustard gas.
"Recognize the effects."
That's what they told us.
See the effects
on those goddamned krauts.
Not us, you know?
They did that to you?
Not as bad as some.
The smell.
They call it a mustard gas,
but when you're choking on it
It smells
sweet.
S-Sweet.
You understand me, Luck?
My little girl made me a pie
and I couldn't even eat it.
I'm sorry, all right?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to throw the
You'll tell her?
No.
But we can.
Got to get right, right.
- Goddamn it.
- [whispers] Hey. Hey. Hey.
We got this.
[clicking in distance]
[wood creaking softly]
[scraping in distance]
[scraping continues]
[scraping intensifies]
[door creaks]
[Lucky] Henry?
[insects chirping]
- Henry.
- [grunts]
[whimpers] - Little guy
was scratching to get in.
- [exhales] Oh, God.
- [chuckles]
[laughs]
Gonna call him Sergeant.
What you think?
[laughs]
Yeah, you a Sarge, all right.
[distant banging on door]
Compton Police. Open up!
[doorbell rings]
Compton Police! Open up!
- Daddy!
- Gracie.
Sit with your mama, Gracie Jean.
[Rollins] Open up!
- Can we have a word with you?
- Luck?
Breathe, baby.
Breathe, okay?
It'll all be over in a minute.
All right?
We know you are in there!
- We got this.
- Open up!
[whimpers softly]
Don't make us break
the door down!
Compton Police! Open up!
Hands up!
- [screams]
- Stop! Hands on the wall.
Get on the wall!
What took you so long
to open the door?
- My girls were scared, Officer.
- [Rollins] Oh,
your girls were scared?
You know who else was scared?
Your neighbors.
Say she had a gun.
What's she doing
with a gun, anyway?
I locked it up, Officer.
[panting]
[Rollins] East Compton ain't
that kind of neighborhood.
These are decent,
hardworking people.
[grunts]
[dog barking in distance]
Which one of you is this?
[Gracie] Put my brother
down! [shouts]
[engine approaches]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[Wheatley] All right, folks,
I'm gonna need y'all
to take a step back now.
Let's go.
- Come on.
- [Betty] Sergeant? Betty Wendell.
- I called.
- [Wheatley] I appreciate that, Mrs. Wendell,
but right now, I'm gonna need
everyone to get up
- out of this street. Let's go.
- Sergeant, that
woman had a gun in her hand.
And she was facing my home.
And what happened then,
Mrs. Wendell?
Then her husband
had the good sense
to pull her inside
before she hurt someone.
She was ranting and raving
like some sort of lunatic.
And once she was inside
the home?
- S-Sorry?
- Once she was inside the home,
any threat to you
and your family was, uh, over.
Am I getting that right?
With respect
I don't understand
how that's supposed
to make me feel any safer.
Mrs. Wendell, the, uh
the thing about a threat
is that, well
if it doesn't turn into action,
there isn't a whole
heck of a lot of action
I can take in return.
You understand?
I understand.
All right, let's go.
Let's go, ladies.
- Fucking useless.
- Keep moving. Keep moving.
You, too, come on.
[Gracie] Put him down!
For Pete's sake!
What are you two doing?
Now then.
Somebody want to tell me
what's happening here?
[door creaks]
Ain't that a shame.
[sighs]
You know, sometimes
the, uh, previous owners
will leave traps out.
Or poison.
Get all kinds
of nasty critters out here
Rats, skunks, raccoons,
opossums whew.
Good lord, those things.
[window creaks]
Broken.
You think someone
could have gotten in?
I don't suppose much more
than a dog's
getting through there.
Your wife.
She, uh
she always pick up
the morning paper
with a loaded sidearm?
You gonna get the lady
who killed my dog?
- Gracie Jean, hush
- [Rollins] Lady?
Who said anything about a lady?
Miss Vera. She grabbed my neck.
- Gracie, stop it!
- Who is Miss Vera?
Why didn't you say
there was anyone else
- in the house?
- [Lucky] She
she, a woman might've broken in,
might've grabbed
my daughter's neck.
Here.
[Lucky stammers]
Here Where Where is it?
Where is it?!
It was right here
- Mama, stop. Please stop it!
- Where is it?
[whimpers]
[Wheatley] What's
going on out here?
Sounds like you all
had a visitor
this morning.
You let us know if she makes
another appearance, ma'am.
She, um
hasn't been herself lately.
But, uh
we'll get her right soon enough.
[Wheatley] I hope so, Mr. Emory.
I sure hope so.
Again, I am truly sorry
about your dog.
Unfortunately,
accidents do happen.
Meantime, we'll be
patrolling the neighborhood.
Keeping an eye.
Make sure no more, uh
hijinks happen, would you?
- All right.
- All right.
Yeah, well
- [door slams]
- [panting]
In front of that man,
acting like I'm crazy.
Trampling all over our things
like they pay rent.
He talked to them.
You. Grinning at him
like some sort of
What?
Not today, Luck.
Somebody did this, Henry.
Somebody did this. I know it.
He tried the windows.
One's broken.
Any critter could've
opened that screen.
Maybe Sarge was outside.
Tell me you at least
acknowledge it's possible.
And more likely
than somebody crawling
into a window
barely big enough for a child,
and doing this
barehanded.
Just look at it
cold and plain.
That's all, Luck.
Gracie can't go telling people
about her pretend friends.
She's a child, Henry.
Telling white folks.
♪
Go and show them how we do.
Is Mama crazy?
Ruby, never in your life
say anything like that
- She had a gun.
- I know.
Outside, Daddy.
And everybody saw her.
She's been through a lot
And the way that she was
talking to the policemen.
Like she was craz
It was embarrassing.
Listen, baby girl,
I know you think you're grown,
but that's your mother
you're talking about.
All right?
Sorry.
That's all right.
You wouldn't remember.
Couldn't have been more
than Gracie's age now.
But I was pretty
"out of it" myself
when I got home.
But I can tell you, your mama
is the one who got me right.
And we're gonna do that for her.
Help her however she needs until
she feels like herself again.
Make it official, like.
There you go.
Go on now.
[indistinct chatter]
♪
You got Mama's hand?
I got it.
Good girl.
It's cold.
Why are we down here, Mama?
Well, the policeman said
one of the windows
might be broken.
I say we fix it
before your daddy gets home.
What do you think?
Stay right there.
I don't want you stepping
on anything by accident.
He was right.
Gracie?
Gracie, what are you
doing over there?
I told you to stay right here.
Gracie?
She said
it wasn't the window, Mama.
Who did?
Okay, Gracie.
We have to stop with Miss Vera,
all right, baby?
She isn't real.
But she's looking right at you.
Can't you see her?
Do you smell her now, Mama?
What does she smell like?
[Gracie] Sometimes at night,
I hear her
walking down the hall.
But I always smell her first.
She smells bad, Mama.
Really, really bad.
[Lucky] What kind of smell?
Like dead things, Mama.
♪
[screams]
[panting]
Did you see her, Mama?
No, I-I didn't
see anything, baby.
But you felt it, didn't you?
If I say yes, you promise
not to tell your daddy?
I promise.
You've
You've had your Miss Vera book
for a while now, baby.
She ever visit you,
back home in North Carolina?
She didn't start messing with me
until we got here.
There's something bad
in this house.
I don't like it.
Do you?
It's all right.
For now, we just got to try.
Your daddy worked real hard
for this house.
Will you try?
For me?
That's my girl.
I don't want her to get me.
Hey. Hey. Nothing's getting you.
Anyone even try to touch
a hair on your head,
what your mama gonna do?
Beat their asses?
That's right.
I love you, Mama.
Oh
I love you, too, baby.
[doorbell rings]
Betts, you're early.
Busy?
[cork pops] - [Midge]
It's called "The Figure 8."
Found it in "Housekeeping."
This doctor in New York City
realized that gals
get hungry, on average,
eight times a day. Eight.
I didn't know that.
Is that a new car
in the driveway?
You know, boys and their toys.
Eight of these, eight times
a day for eight days.
I know, it sounds like
a bunch of hooey,
but before you judge, I have
already lost four whole pounds
- in three days.
- That's wonderful.
You remember the weight
I kept on after I had Bobby.
- Never again.
- Midge.
You look great.
- [gasps]
- You do.
- But
- I know, I still have
a few more to go
before I tell every
She had a gun.
And that policeman this morning,
if you can call him that,
she might as well
have been watering her lawn
- for all he cared.
- Well, if the police are involved,
I'm sure it will
sort itself out.
It will. Yeah.
It will sort itself out.
Because we're going
to do something about it.
Tonight. At the HOA meeting.
Marty doesn't know
his ass from his elbow.
- Dale needs to
- Betts, I
I think it's best
to leave this to the boys.
This is your home, Midge.
What if little Bobby
or Dale Jr. had been
playing outside?
What if they had seen her?
Or worse.
This is how it begins.
How it changes.
With one family.
But it's never just
the one family.
I-I've been reading the papers.
This is an article
about this neighborhood
called Kensington in Chicago.
Once they get comfortable,
if they're allowed
to get comfortable,
they start making phone calls.
And then,
there's another family.
And another.
And soon, this street
our street, becomes
Make sure Dale reads this
before he speaks tonight.
Ammunition.
Oh, Midge.
It'll be okay.
W-We'll get them out.
- We just have to
- [stammers]
I wanted to tell you, but
Oh.
You're moving.
Dale told Clarke
last night. I
- I figured he would have
- He didn't.
Well, you know
how he's been buttering up
the bigwigs at the plant.
It finally worked.
They want him to run
the whole West Coast.
The new car.
I tried to be mad,
but honestly, I think
I love it more than he does.
[laughs]
- Moving.
- [distant] Only to Anaheim.
Which you will love, by the way.
You must visit.
Promise?
The new house has so many rooms.
Too many rooms.
You and Clarke could come
for a weekend getaway.
Very busy.
Of course.
Of course you are,
with everything going on, yeah.
[clock ticking]
[inhales]
There's something else.
[chuckles]
I haven't told anyone,
not even Dale.
Not yet.
[whispers] I'm with child.
[laughs]
I just worry so much.
For you, for Nat.
[exhales] My God, with these
people.
That woman with a gun.
[grunts]
This is just not the place
to raise kids anymore.
If you and Clarke had
The
Good on you, Midge.
Best of luck in the new home.
♪
[pencil tapping]
[whispers] Snap out of it, pal.
At least push
your pencil around.
[indistinct chatter]
I can finish a whole
racing form before lunch.
[laughs]
The all-seeing eye
sees all, knows all.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
I'm Henry.
Yeah, I know.
Gary.
And don't mention it.
- [knocking on door]
- [fingers snapping]
Uh-oh. Too late.
Please, have a seat.
You comfortable?
Yes, sir.
- I can't hear you.
- [clears throat]
Yes, sir.
Let me share something with you.
I've got love in my heart
for all God's creatures,
but do not bend me over, Emory.
- Yes, sir. No, sir.
- Yeah, yeah.
Three bags full, sir.
[laughs]
I went to bat for you, Emory.
With the board.
Do you know that?
Do you?
Maybe you've noticed,
we don't have many Negroes
around here.
You don't?
[laughs]
All right, I like a man
with a sense of humor.
Rochester!
[laughs]
That's Jack Benny.
No? Oh, Emory, he's hysterical.
He's thoroughly hysterical.
Let me ask you a question.
You got a television set? Hmm?
No, sir. Uh, we just moved,
but I-I plan on it.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
What is it, it's, uh,
it's Georgia, right?
North Carolina.
Why quibble?
How you finding it?
Uh, it's fine.
- Mm.
- I mean, it's an adjustment,
like anything, but, uh,
it'll be great.
I completely understand.
I'm from New Haven.
Yeah. Let me tell you something.
If you find a decent
cruller around here,
you call me first, okay?
[laughs] Yes, sir.
[laughs]
[sniffles]
Was there anything?
Don't bullshit me, Emory.
Now, you are either
goldbricking out there
- No, sir.
- No? Really?
Hmm. Then what?
If I'm honest, Mr. Berks
it's just,
our family dog, sir,
he died this morning.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
My girls were pretty upset.
[inhales]
When my little
Scouty boy passed
Eleven years old.
Hips so bad we had to carry him
outside to do his business.
I'm not ashamed to admit,
I cried like
a little schoolgirl, Emory.
[sniffles]
[clears throat]
Well
[exhales]
Play hurt, Emory.
Play hurt,
just get back in the game.
Yes, sir.
Did I say open that?
Get that up to Skunk Works
before lunch.
- Yes, sir.
- Great.
[panting]
[door creaks]
[sighs]
[muffled screaming]
[school bell ringing]
[indistinct chatter]
[school bell ringing]
[Perkins] "Hope" is
the thing with feathers -
that perches in the soul -
[students snickering] - and
sings the tune without words -
that never ends - at all
[snickering continues]
And sweetest -
in the Gale - is heard -
and sore must be the storm -
[snickering stops] - that
could abash the little Bird -
- [young man snickers]
- that kept so many warm -
I've heard it
in the chillest land -
and on the strangest Sea -
"Hope is the thing
with feathers."
Her most famous poem.
Can anyone tell me who wrote it?
[laughter]
Yes.
[young woman laughs]
Mrs. Perkins?
[clears throat] Mrs. Perkins,
that poem was written
- by Emily Dickinson.
- [students imitating monkeys grunting]
[grunting grows louder]
[Perkins shouting indistinctly]
Quiet!
[grunting continues]
Quiet!
- [grunting continues]
- [Perkins shouting]
[grunting distorting, echoing]
[distorted, echoing laughter]
- [distorted screeching]
- [grunting]
- [distorted grunting continues]
- [Perkins muted]
[distorted grunting continues]
[muted grunting continues]
[grunting grows louder]
♪
[phone ringing]
What's your name?
Ruby.
Ruby.
[chuckles]
Just a gem, aren't you?
[Doris chuckles]
You've got a pretty face,
you know.
For a colored girl.
[quiet chuckle]
♪
You'll come around.
I'm Doris.
♪
[door opens]
[shopkeeper] Hello.
Aren't you a bit young
to be a carpenter?
- We're fixing the window.
- You are, are you?
Well, you're in luck.
'Cause the best window fixers in
all of Los Angeles say this is
the best window-fixin' store
there is.
[Gracie] Ooh
No candy.
Be careful, Gracie Jean.
[quietly] Gracie?
Gracie, answer your mother, now.
Grace?
Gracie?
[The Delfonics: "Ready or Not
Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)"]
Ready or not here I come ♪
You can't hide ♪
Gonna find ♪
You ♪
And keep you
[shopkeeper] Beauties,
aren't they?
I wonder.
Ever think about what the brain
meat must look like, Mrs. Emory?
Some bitch killed my dog
I might
get
curious.
Ready or not here I come ♪
You can't hide ♪
Gonna find you ♪
And keep you ♪
- Happy ♪♪
- [Gracie] Mama, are we
almost done?
♪
- [metallic squeaking]
- [door closes in distance]
[electrical buzzing]
[electrical buzzing]
- [shoulders thump]
- [sighs]
[distorted sighing]
[footsteps distorting, echoing]
[sighs]
[metallic squeaking]
- [door closes]
- [metallic squeaking continues]
[door closes, echoes]
[breath seething]
♪
[distorted, heavy breathing]
[screeches]
- [pounding on window]
- [yelling]
[panting]
[panting]
[mellow jazz playing quietly]
Talk to Dale about anything?
Oh, shit, Betts. Anaheim?
- It's only a couple more miles.
- Why give him the satisfaction?
- Maybe an hour if we haul ass.
- It's not the drive, Clarke.
[Betty scoffs softly]
It's starting.
They move in,
and then Dale up and sells.
You think that's a coincidence?
- [scoffs] I don't
- He knows.
It's just the beginning.
You'll see.
Well, Dale got that promotion.
I know they're trying
for another kid,
so maybe they need
the extra space.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- [sighs]
[scoffs softly]
Nothing.
Moving
because he knows what's coming.
If they stay,
his house will be worth nothing.
I knew she was acting queer.
To hell with them.
You can't get mad at her, Betts.
She-she's a good girl.
[laughs] For Pete's sake,
she's your best friend, huh?
A best friend is just someone
you haven't tested yet, Clarke.
And now I know.
Now we know.
That prick.
Supposed to give this big speech
about how to get them out,
- and the son of a bitch knew he was moving.
- Well, he hasn't left yet,
so he can he can still do it.
From the back of a moving truck?
[laughs softly] Steady on, gang.
Keep up the fight.
D-Don't forget
to forward our mail.
[hissing stammer]
- Fuck him.
- Oh, come on, Betts.
You do it.
- Huh?
- I have all the clippings.
Everything you need to know.
You're smarter
than that mongoloid, anyways.
- Uh, no, let Marty do it.
- Oh, he's even worse.
Why don't we just move to Watts
and be done with it?
You have to do it.
You always know
the right things to say.
It's one of the reasons
I fell in love with you.
Not these?
You can do this, Clarke.
You can
show Dale and Midge and everyone
what taking a stand
really looks like.
Well?
O-Okay, but, Betts, if
if I do this,
then you have to go out
and make peace with Midge.
Okay?
Uh, where you going?
I almost forgot.
Olive branch.
Midge needed sugar.
[sighs]
[dog barking in distance]
[dog barks]
[gas cap pops open]
♪
[dog barking in distance]
[Henry] How was school,
baby girl?
Fine.
Fine?
Come on.
I expect a little more than that
from the smartest girl
at East Compton High.
It was okay.
I was, um, the only kid in class
who had read Emily Dickinson.
- [whispers] Yeah.
- [Lucky] Course you were.
That's my girl.
Emily Dickinson, huh?
- Mm-hmm.
- All right.
What about you, little miss?
You help your mama with all
the things around here today?
Me and Mama fixed
the basement window.
Mm? Well,
that's awfully nice of you.
Yep. Right after we saw
Miss Vera.
Well, I saw her.
- Mama only felt her.
- Oh.
Okay.
Well I guess
Mama'll have to tell me
about that later, huh?
[clock ticking]
What's that?
Homemade.
[Henry clears throat]
You were right
what you said
to those policemen.
I haven't been myself lately.
But I'm beginning
to feel better already.
[kiss]
[clears throat]
♪
[napkin shake distorted,
amplified]
[napkin shake distorted,
amplified]
[crunching]
[Henry grunting]
[clinks]
[chokes]
- [retches, groans]
- Daddy?
Henry
[muffled scream]
[breathing heavily]
[sniffles]
[sniffling]
[labored breathing]
[fork clatters onto plate]
[Nina Simone: "Our Love
(Will See Us Through)"]
Any ♪
Time ♪
Things go wrong ♪
Baby ♪
We'll ♪
Still get along ♪
[backup singers] Ooh ♪
'Cause we have ♪
Each other ♪
And our love ♪
Will see ♪
Us through ♪
If some tears ♪
Come our way ♪
If the sun ♪
Skips a day ♪
We still have ♪
Each other ♪
And our love ♪
Will see ♪
Us through ♪
Just as long ♪
As you and I ♪
Have ♪
A little tender kiss ♪
To share ♪
There's no doubt at all ♪
That we'll get by ♪
Gray skies ♪
Will all ♪
Turn bare ♪
So ♪
When some clouds ♪
Bring the rain ♪
We've no cause ♪
To complain ♪
'Cause we ♪
Have ♪
Each other ♪
And our love ♪
Will see ♪
Us through ♪
'Cause we have ♪
Each other ♪
And our love ♪
Will see ♪
Us through ♪♪