Strange Angel (2018) s01e03 Episode Script

1 [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING.]
[QUIET LAUGHTER, CHATTER.]
I promise you, our life will never be boring.
The greatest minds.
The most delicious food.
The best wine.
A life bursting with art and music! [BIG BAND MUSIC PLAYS.]
[SUSAN WHOOPS.]
[SUSAN GIGGLES.]
For all we know - We may never meet again - JACK: We'll make love under the stars.
Before you go A love unbound by time, a love untethered from gravity.
We won't say good night.
Susan, if you'll be my wife, I promise you this and more.
If the night is clear when you get this, go out and look at the Pole star.
Let us make that our star.
Undimmed by time or any of the little things of Earth.
JACK: Gotcha.
[LAUGHS.]
You were looking at our star, weren't you? What've you got there? Nothing.
My Susan keeping secrets? I told you we weren't gonna need this check.
I know, I I found it in my purse.
I wasn't sure what to do with it.
Up to you.
- How's it all going? - Great.
I was reluctant to bring anyone else onto the team at first, but I gotta say, it's kind of nice having people working under me for a change.
I'm sure you're a natural at it.
I'm gonna go get ready for bed.
I'm beat.
[ORGAN MUSIC PLAYS.]
Corpus Christi.
Sanguis Christi.
Amen.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
MAN: Vice everywhere you look, corruption.
I had to go downtown the other day on an errand, felt like I was driving through Babylon itself.
WOMAN: What do you expect when the so-called City of Angels is run by the devil himself? WOMAN 2: I know what you mean.
Every day I feel like I wake up to another infuriating headline.
[SIGHS.]
Thank you.
I think Mayor Shaw is doing the best he can.
Those articles are nothing but salacious gossip.
VIRGIL: My wife is right.
Remember, whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech.
And the liar listens to malicious talk.
- May I? - PATTY: Hold your horses.
We need to make sure everyone gets some.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER NEARBY.]
[RECORD SKIPPING.]
The record was skipping.
It's scratched from being played so much.
I'd be happy to pick up a replacement.
Well, that would be wonderful, Susan.
Janice in the office will make sure you're reimbursed.
What should I get? There are some contemporary composers doing some really interesting things.
- Have you heard of Stravinsky? - Hmm, maybe we should get another Haydn.
Same one.
In such uncertain times, there is a great comfort to be found in the familiar.
I was, uh, balancing our accounts the other day and I noticed that the check I gave you hasn't cleared.
I was worried you may have misplaced it.
I haven't.
Well, is there any other reason for the delay? If you're worried about how you're going to pay me back, you needn't be.
You can work extra hours and I'll apply your salary to the loan.
Interest-free, of course.
Goodness knows I'm not trying to profit off my own daughter.
It's not that.
Jack doesn't think we're going to need it.
What, so his position at Caltech has come through, then? Mm-hmm.
Here, for the record.
Uh, Father Shelby said they'd reimburse me.
I'd just as soon it was a gift.
The collection plate was a bit light this morning and I don't want you spending any money you don't have.
[CAR HORN HONKING.]
Are you coming? It's nice out.
Think I'm going to walk.
[RECORD CRACKLES.]
[STRAVINSKY'S "THE RITE OF SPRING" PLAYS.]
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE.]
[MUSIC CONTINUES.]
[MUSIC FADES.]
[GRUNTS.]
Oh, sorry.
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE.]
Oh, my goodness.
Is she okay? - You all right? - Yeah.
We need to account for the Reynolds number.
No, I'm telling you, the Reynolds number - will be relatively small in - [LOUD BANG.]
in spite of the speed.
But we must consider how each variable impacts the whole.
[LOUD BANG.]
Sorry.
Sorry.
It isn't any better out here.
You know, we could try closing the door.
I'd worry about him asphyxiating himself.
[CHUCKLES.]
I was hoping his methodology would change once we got to campus, - but perhaps I was being naive.
- [RAPPING.]
[LOUD BANG.]
Do his methods at least achieve results? They seem to, - though they can be hard to quantify.
- [RAPPING.]
[LOUD BANG.]
He'll be the reason we all succeed, or the reason for our untimely death.
[CHUCKLES.]
[SPEAKING MANDARIN.]
'Kay.
Whatcha got going on here, Jack? Trying different fuel combinations and measuring energy release.
Very scientific.
How do you know what you're testing? Most of this stuff isn't labeled.
Smell that.
[SNIFFS.]
Ooh.
That's benzene.
[LAUGHS.]
Do you know them all by smell or? Not all of them.
Some I know by taste.
[LAUGHS.]
What are you working on? Oh, I'm kind of just on the sidelines until you got the fuel squared away.
How does a guy specialize in something like fluid dynamics? Uh, I guess I got my dad to blame.
He's in oil, so he had me working on the rigs every summer, thought it'd make a man out of me.
I hated it.
Calculating hydrostatic pressure? That got me out of doing the real grunt work.
That's excellent.
No amount of formal education can trump real-life experience.
[COUGHING.]
You guys might want to clear out of here.
And try not to breathe, this stuff's highly toxic.
RICHARD: These tests have to stop, Jack.
- You're right.
- Wait, what did you say? [COUGHS.]
They're not getting us anywhere.
The nature of combustible reactions changes based on volume.
- Are we saying the same thing? - Yeah.
We need to start running full-scale chemical tests.
Goddamn it, Jack.
That's not what I'm saying at all.
Mesulam said that we had to present a written proposal before we did anything dangerous.
Come on, Samson.
You know the value of seeing things in action.
Back me up.
Guys.
How can I map new territory if I'm not allowed to explore? We aren't moving fast enough! [COUGHING.]
[RHYTHMIC CHOPPING.]
[STRAVINSKY'S THE RITES OF SPRING PLAYS IN DISTANCE.]
[CHATTER AND LAUGHTER.]
[MUSIC AND CHATTER CONTINUE.]
Hey! What do you think? The music.
I was in the store looking for something to play tonight.
This here's an odd bunch.
Never know what they're gonna like.
And what do you know? Who do I see? That was just a coincidence? My teacher says there are no coincidences.
After you left, I slipped into the booth, ended up listening to the whole damn thing.
Never heard anything like it.
Yeah, it's a rare pressing from France.
The only copy I've found.
Well, if you like it so much, why didn't you buy it yourself? WOMAN: Ernest, come on.
It's your turn.
Yeah.
I got to get back.
You should join.
We have plenty of food, plenty of wine.
- I can't.
- Jack's not home.
What do you got to go back for? You know what? It's none of my business.
I'm sure you have plenty to be getting along with.
- Thank you again.
- For what? For showing me something I never would have found on my own.
This became a proper little dance party, huh? [LAUGHTER.]
[LIVELY CHATTER, LAUGHTER.]
All around, I'd say.
[WOMAN SHRIEKING, MUSIC PLAYING LOUDLY.]
Is it always like that? Loud parties are the least of it.
Do you want me to go and tell him to turn it down? No, it's okay.
- It's good to see you, Richard.
- Mm.
I can hardly remember the last time.
Believe me, the novelty'll wear off.
- Be nice.
- I'm always nice.
He's the one giving me a hard time.
He's just upset because he has to follow the rules occasionally.
Well, I hope he's thanked you.
For what? The position.
At Caltech.
She's talking about the research associate position I'm getting once our funding comes through.
[COUGHS.]
Right, of course.
I remember the last time Richard came over for dinner.
We tried to set him up with that secretary from your office.
- Oh, my God.
- [GIGGLES.]
That woman was the worst bridge player I have ever seen.
[LAUGHS.]
It wasn't about winning at bridge.
It was about getting her in the sack.
- Jack! - What? I'm sure Richard is just saving himself for the right girl.
What the hell was that about? - Thanks for backing me up.
- Did you tell her that you got an offer for a job? You all have stipends, Richard.
After the funding's approved, I assumed we'd address bringing me onto the team full time.
Or did you think I wanted to work in a chemical plant for the rest of my life? So you just lied to her? It's not a lie if it's gonna come true eventually.
No wonder you were in such a hurry to finish the proposal.
I'm in a hurry to push the work forward.
Proposal's more of an impediment.
Then I am glad I had an ulterior motive in coming here tonight.
[SIGHS.]
What is that? I thought maybe we could work together on the fuel section on paper.
[SCOFFS.]
Are you serious? I am, if you're serious about getting funded.
Hey, um [CLEARS THROAT.]
If you're looking for us, we're gonna be in the garage.
Banging our heads against the wall.
SUSAN: Okay.
[LOUD CHATTER OUTSIDE.]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS.]
[DISTANT MUSIC AND CHATTER.]
[WOMAN LAUGHS IN DISTANCE.]
[WOMEN WHOOP.]
[WOMAN HOWLS.]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS, FEATURING GUITAR.]
[WOMAN WHOOPS.]
[MUSIC CONTINUES.]
[CHATTER, LAUGHTER CONTINUE.]
[MUSIC CONTINUES IN DISTANCE.]
[CHATTER, LAUGHTER CONTINUES.]
Once we determine the internal energy of the reaction, we can calculate the theoretical temperature and the chamber pressure.
[SCOFFS.]
It's exhausting just to hear you say it.
Of course, the exit velocity and mass flow rate are important variables for thrust.
[CHEERING.]
So this is where you build the rockets! JACK: What the hell are you all doing out there? Building a bonfire.
I just cut down a tree in my front yard, cannot get the damn wood to light.
Figured you'd have something to help me.
Who's your buddy? Richard.
ERNEST: Pleased to meet you.
So, which one of these here's gonna get my fire to start? Put that down.
It's dangerous.
Exactly what I'm looking for.
Um, we're kind of in the middle of something.
Ammonium nitrate? [SNIFFS.]
Whew! - [GIGGLES.]
- It's an oxidizer.
And when you combine a fuel and an oxidizer, all you need is a light.
[RUMBLING WHOOSH.]
[CHUCKLES.]
See? Dangerous.
- Can I borrow that? - No! This stuff should only be handled by someone who knows what he's doing.
Guess I'll get some gasoline from my bike, then.
I told you he was off his rocker.
Him? Jesus, Jack, - you nearly burnt his face to a crisp.
- Please.
I know these chemicals like the back of my hand.
They speak to me, and this is not the fucking - language they speak.
- We can figure it out this way.
You just need to be patient.
At this rate, my marriage is gonna be over before our first rocket leaves the ground.
You want that on your head? I'm not asking you as a colleague.
I'm asking you as a friend.
Um do you even have a way to get the kind of chemicals that we're talking about? [WORK WHISTLE BLOWING.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
You're gonna be late, Professor.
Come on, man.
[CHUCKLING.]
This guy VERNON: Professor? You remember that fancy new job he's always keep talking about? Oh, that's right.
He keeps saying he's quitting any day now.
Just keeps showing up.
- How are you doing? - Good, good.
All right.
- No.
- I haven't even I said no.
You know I'm right, Chiang.
Energy release is not a linear progression.
We need to start running full-scale tests.
Look what you did with even a small amount of chemicals.
And I learned more from that one mistake than if I'd spent weeks at that chalkboard.
While you might not care, or even be aware, there's a war on the other side of the Pacific.
My father, my brother They all fight the Japanese.
If I'm forced to go back, I will, too, which would be a tragic waste of my abilities.
Why would you be forced to go back? I need the faculty to approve an extension of my visa.
What do you think will happen if I'm caught bringing restricted chemicals onto campus? Who said anything about getting caught? [SCOFFS.]
[MUTTERS IN MANDARIN.]
Okay, listen, fellas, out of solidarity with Chiang, I'm gonna have to sit this one out, too, okay? JACK: Are you gonna spend your whole life on the sidelines? The real Samson slayed a thousand men and destroyed a temple with his bare hands.
I'm giving you a chance to live up to the name your father gave you.
Well, we ran it past them.
I guess it's just you and me.
As always.
[DOOR CREAKING.]
[INSECTS TRILL OUTSIDE.]
[STRAVINSKY'S THE RITE OF SPRING PLAYS.]
Pueblo's really just donating this stuff to us? Yeah.
They asked me to discard it.
We're just discarding it somewhere else, okay? Let's go.
Jesus, how much are we taking? Just a barrel of nitric acid and a cylinder of dinitrogen tetroxide.
Not much.
[LOUD THUD, LIQUID SLOSHES.]
You gonna help me get them in the truck? [GRUNTING.]
- Jesus Christ.
- Careful.
Oh! Oh.
[LIQUID SLOSHING.]
All right, one more.
Okay.
You got it? One, two, three [GRUNTS.]
Okay.
[STAMMERING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Admit it, you're having fun.
Sure, what's not to love about grand larceny? Richard Richard [CHUCKLES.]
There's the Richard I know and love.
Glad to see Caltech hasn't completely stamped him out.
You sure that's a good idea? [SNIFFLES.]
Fair point.
Genius chemist over here.
[TRUCK STARTS.]
RICHARD: Jesus Christ.
Look what the cat dragged in.
I thought about what you said.
Can't contribute a damn thing until you got the fuel figured out, and I'm sick of being on the sidelines.
Boy's a hero after all.
Too bad you already missed the fun part.
Now we just need help unloading.
[SCOFFS.]
You're just going to drive restricted chemicals right onto campus? Yeah.
You got a better idea? Matter of fact, I do.
[CHUCKLES.]
SAMSON: So, Jack, there are four resident houses at Caltech.
I happen to reside at Blacker.
They call them mole people because, supposedly, they have the keys to the steam tunnels that run under the campus.
[LAUGHS.]
Not supposedly, definitively.
- [LAUGHTER.]
- SAMSON: Shall we? [GRUNTING.]
[GRUNTING.]
Jack how combustible is this stuff? Without fuel? Not at all.
[GRUNTING.]
Of course if it were to rupture Shit.
[LOUD CLATTERING.]
SAMSON: Uh what did you say would happen if that thing ruptured? It'd burn like a son of a bitch.
SAMSON: Okay, well, the way out is up that way.
Last one there is a rotten turd.
[UPBEAT BIG BAND MUSIC PLAYS.]
It's clear.
Ready? Yes.
Yes.
JACK: Shut the door.
Whew.
That couldn't have gone any better.
[LAUGHS.]
- CHIANG: Smoke.
- Whoa.
[LAUGHS.]
Sure.
Anyone else want a celebratory cigarette? No, idiot, smoke.
I do not expect you boys to recall the drought of 1929.
It was a terrible time.
Every blade of grass turned brown.
The branches of the trees sagged under the weight of the dust.
Luckily for us, the maintenance of the lawns has since been endowed by an affluent alumnus.
They are the face of this university.
The fabric that ties the buildings of this institution of science together.
Walk us through the science involved in rolling dinitrogen tetroxide across it.
Or was it merely an act of vandalism? It is true that we have undertaken extraordinary measures, but it is the limitations imposed on us by this institution that made those measures necessary.
What limitations is he referring to? Based on their behavior, seems to me there haven't been enough.
Professor Mesulam is the one who brought our project onto campus.
Are you questioning his judgment in thinking our work had merit? Mr.
Parsons, you are a guest on this campus, which means your presence here is far more tenuous than your peers'.
As the so-called "chemist" of the group, not to mention its mouthpiece, I assume this whole thing was your idea.
It was my idea, sir.
Uh Really, Mr.
Onsted? You decided to bring in outside chemicals from Mr.
Parsons' place of employment? Yes, sir.
It was our only choice.
Running full-volume tests was the only way to get the data that we needed for the proposal.
SAMSON: It's true.
My work on the project was at a standstill without it.
And you, Mr.
Gui? You were willing to sacrifice your standing in this university by agreeing to take part in these shenanigans? I did not take part.
But I understood the necessity of it.
Be that as it may, Mr.
Parsons, your influence on your colleagues has not gone unnoticed.
JACK: I don't see what the big fuss is about, it's just grass.
Didn't you hear them? SAMSON: The lawn has better funding than we do.
I guess they'll never let us in the Athenaeum now.
Is that really what you're worried about? Thank you, for what you did back there.
And you you could've hung me out to dry.
Yes, but you're an invaluable member to the team.
CHIANG: We need at least one person who's not scared of blowing themselves up.
The committee has decided not to terminate the project.
On my request, they are giving you probation instead.
Mr.
Parsons put me in a difficult position.
Admit I was idiot to bring you onto campus, or justify decision by giving you more time to prove yourself.
Now, everything depends on written proposal.
If it fails to impress, you three will be reassigned to other projects.
What about me? I don't know, Mr.
Parsons.
Just tell her the truth.
She'll understand.
Oh, you're leaving? Yes, it's after 5:00.
There's still some outgoing calls.
Do they need to be dealt with tonight? Well, they don't need to, but I believe I made myself clear.
About the terms of the loan? Mr.
Gilroy called to inform me that my check had been deposited.
Your check.
As I said, you will need to start working overtime until the principal's paid off.
I'm proud of you, Susan.
I'm sure Jack was resistant, but good sense prevailed.
Now, I know it is close to dinner, but by making the calls now, you have a better chance of catching our clients at home.
JACK: Hey.
I was wondering when you'd be getting back.
I knew you'd kept some of them, but I didn't know you'd held onto all these letters.
Why, Jack? The check.
You said we wouldn't need it.
We suffered a minor setback at Caltech.
Things are going to take a little longer than expected.
I know you've been worried.
Worried? Yeah, about the mortgage.
Is that what you think I've been worried about? I'm going to put these back.
I thought this is what you wanted.
Let go.
[CRYING.]
How could you deposit it without even talking to me? I thought there was nothing to talk about.
Nothing to talk about? I thought you'd be relieved.
Susan.
I was hoping you'd tell me to rip the damn thing up.
If you really have a position - lined up at Caltech, like - I will, I will.
I just need more time.
You will, or you do? The only way I can stomach working for that man is knowing that someday I won't have to.
That you'll that you'll take me away from all this like you promised.
Every penny we take from him only sinks me in deeper.
But the house.
It's not the house I'm worried about.
It's whether this dream of yours of-of ours Is really going to come true.
What's all this? Nothing.
Did you get the gift I left you? Uh yes.
Thank you, you didn't have to do that.
No, I wanted to.
You want something bad enough, the world finds a way to give it to you.
Ernest, can you just give us a minute? My group is having a gathering this evening, and I think maybe you two should come.
[EXHALES.]
What is it, exactly? Come see for yourself.
What are you more scared of? Trying something new, or that this is all there is? Look, come or don't come, that's it.
I'm not gonna ask you again.
Oh, I have made a secret door in the house of Ra and Tum.
What? [ENGINE STARTS.]
I have made a secret door into the house of Ra and Tum.
Remember.
Do you want to go? Do you? JACK: I'm just surprised, that's all.
Last time we talked about Ernest, you were calling the cops on him.
[ENGINE STOPS.]
Who knows? Maybe he's right.
Maybe it'll help us.
How? I don't know.
But at least we'll find out together.
Just know what you're walking into.
These people are strange.
They didn't seem so bad.
They just seemed free.
Yeah, that's one word for it.
[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
[STATIC CRACKLING.]
Anybody there? [STATIC CRACKLING.]
We're here for the gathering.
I have made a secret door into the house of Ra and Tum? We were invited by Ernest.
[CLOCK TICKING.]
The Parsons.
So, should we just wait here? [FOOTFALLS OVERHEAD.]
I wouldn't.
Where is everyone? Save your breath.
He's not gonna answer you.
[CLOCK CHIMING.]
Do you want us to follow you? Are you sure about this? Who is that? No idea.
[CHANTING IN DISTANCE.]
CONGREGATION: A ka dua Tuf ur Biu Bi a'a Chefu A ka dua Tuf ur Biu Bi a'a chefu.
Come.
We have a place for you.
Don't worry.
She'll be taken care of.
May you be granted the accomplishment of your true will.
Welcome.
Let the rituals rightly be performed with joy and beauty.
[GROANS.]
ALFRED: Infinite space.
Before whom, time is ashamed.
The mind, bewildered.
The understanding, dark.
I am alone.
There is no God where I am.
My name is chaos.
I am the flame that burns in every heart of man.
I am life, the giver of life, therefore the knowledge of me is the knowledge of death.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
MEN: Love is the law.
WOMEN: Love under will.
Be still.
I, who am all pleasure, desire you.
ALFRED: Inside us all is a star.
They will divide and persecute us in order to conceal our light.
But the man of will breaks all boundaries.
[PANTING.]
Hey.
You all right? [CRYING.]
Can we just go home? I tried to warn you.
That wasn't just strange, it was sick.
We left before we even got to find out what it is.
If I hadn't left, would you have stayed? Susan.
[HAYDN'S SYMPHONY NO.
101 PLAYING.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]