The Underground Railroad (2021) s01e06 Episode Script

1
- [birds singing]
- [insects chirping]
- [low rumble]
- [creek running]
[insects chirping]
[muted train whistle]
[train chugging]
[horse neighs]
- [insects buzz]
- [horse snorts]
[Ridgeway] Unchain her.
[Homer] Sir?
[Ridgeway] I want her
unfettered.
[horse snorts]
[shackles jingle]
Don't do anything foolish.
♪
- [sighs]
- [footsteps approach]
[door opens]
[clock ticks]
[door opens]
Follow me.
[horse neighs in distance]
- [cow mooing]
- [Mack] I'll be.
I know good and well
that ain't who I think it is.
- [laughs]
- [Ridgeway] Hello, Mack.
- Lord, have mercy.
- [Ridgeway grunts]
Old Mr. Ridgeway.
[Ridgeway] Long time.
Yes, sir. Yes, indeed, indeed.
Hmm.
Mean a lot to him,
you being here, though.
- Mm.
- Yes, Lord.
You the, uh, the boss now, huh?
Oh, no, sir.
Hardly that, uh
[sniffles] I, uh
I got to stick around here,
watch over things
best as I can, you know.
Can't see
him trusting nobody else.
[Mack chuckles]
Uh
Gonna introduce me
to your family there?
Ma'am, little sir. [chuckles]
Won't be staying long.
Yes, sir.
Okay, well, uh, reckon I'm gon'
I'm gon', uh, yeah,
I'm gon', I'm gon' make haste,
get on up here
- and check in on
- Yes, very good.
Yes, yes.
- Good to see you.
- Yes, sir.
[match strikes]
[insects chirping]
[indistinct howling]
[horse neighing]
[sheep bleating in distance]
[Ridgeway exhales]
Now, you, uh
mind yourself.
And
I'll be back.
[door shuts]
[lock clicking]
[Ridgeway] Get the horses
some feed.
[Homer] Yes, sir.
[Ridgeway] Make the cart ready.
[Homer] Yes, sir.
[Ridgeway sighs]
♪
♪
[insect clicking]
[clicking intensifies]
[birds chirping]
- [mooing]
- [bleating]
[keys jingle]
[door opens]
[Ridgeway sighs]
[grunts]
[sighs]
You put that on.
And, uh
This is to to, uh
- [grunts]
- [cow mooing]
- [sheep bleating]
- [splashing]
clean yourself up.
And do something with your hair.
Well [clears throat]
- [keys jingling]
- [lock clicking]
[metal squeaking]
[sniffs]
[clang resonates]
- [low rumble]
- [muted echoes]
[metal clanking]
♪
- [low rumble]
- [muted banging]
♪
[horse neighing nearby]
♪
[horse neighs]
[indistinct chatter]
- [horse neighs]
- [muffled ringing of bell]
♪
- [laughter]
- [lively chatter]
[coughing]
[piano playing lively tune]
[lively chatter continues]
[sighs]
You, too, Homer.
Hat off at the dinner table.
[man clears throat]
Let me guess.
No niggers allowed
in this here saloon.
Uh, nah, sir,
I don't give a damn who you are
long as you spending.
Just wanted to make sure
wasn't none of you
carrying the pox or
fever.
- Marisol!
- [snaps fingers]
We got a girl here,
she'll, uh
she'll fix you up.
All right.
What will it be?
- [Ridgeway] Well,
depends what
- [Homer singing quietly]
- What y'all have?
- [Marisol] Real simple, sir.
Stew with beef and potatoes,
whiskey, beer.
[Ridgeway] Well, three of those.
The stew, whiskey or the beer?
Three stews,
- a whiskey bottle
- [Homer continues singing]
and two glasses, please.
Something for the little boy?
Sarsaparilla?
[Homer stops singing]
[Ridgeway] Excuse me.
[Homer resumes singing quietly]
[Ridgeway] Come on.
Now, you stay right here
until you better your manners.
- Uh, just the whiskey.
- Hmm.
[laughter nearby]
[Ridgeway sighs]
[Ridgeway] I wanted us
to have a proper supper.
Shoes weren't
my first choice, but
the dress suits you.
[Cora] It's clean.
[chuckling]
[Ridgeway] It's new.
Now, we can't have
our Cora dressed like
the floor
of a butcher's shop, can we?
This where you used to come
with your daddy?
If we ever shared
a meal outside the house,
I fail to recall.
- What happened to your mama?
- What happened to yours?
Hmm?
Mine stayed.
Your mama stayed.
I know your daddy stayed.
Sounds like the only one
to run away was you.
- [Ridgeway] Thank you.
- [Marisol] Mm-hmm.
Why'd you bring me here?
Why go through
fire and brimstone to
I didn't come here for you.
Not everything's about you.
[Ridgeway sighs]
Near on two months ago
my father took ill.
He collapsed right there
on his shop floor,
and I was told the man
was on death's door,
which now I can confirm.
Has one foot
firmly inside that door
by the look of him.
Oh, yes.
I came here to
[chuckles]
uh, pay my respects.
So Arnold Ridgeway
is human after all.
And here I thought
you were just some demon
who murders folk in cold blood.
You're a murderer, too, Cora.
Yeah, or did you forget?
Georgia? Little boy?
- He wasn't little.
- [Ridgeway chuckles]
[laughing] "He weren't little."
Well, yeah,
well, there's always
always unexpected expenses.
Jasper, for example.
You go on about reasons.
Calling things by other names
as if prettying them up
will change what they is.
That's not exactly
what I'm talking about.
You and your friend
killed a little boy.
Yeah. You do what
you have to do to survive.
I ain't nothing like you.
[Ridgeway chuckles]
[Ridgeway] Hmm.
True enough, true enough.
You was right
what you said before about
[clears throat] how we make up
all sorts of fancy talk
to hide things.
All the smart men
talking about
[chuckles] manifest destiny
like it's some new idea.
You don't know what
I'm talking about, do you?
Homer!
Manifest destiny.
[Homer] Manifest destiny:
taking what is rightfully yours,
your property,
whatever you deem it to be, sir.
[Ridgeway] And all the others
taking their places
so you can do such taking.
- Very good, Homer.
- Thank you, sir.
Very good.
Now, whether it be
the-the red man
or the African
or-or the Mexican
giving up themselves,
giving of themselves
so that we can have
what is rightfully ours.
Uh, the French setting aside
their territorial claim,
or the English and Spanish
slinking away.
Now, my father liked
his Injun talk
of the Great Spirit.
The only spirit worth its salt
- is the American spirit.
- [bangs table]
The one that called us up
from the Old World to the New,
to conquer and build
and civilize.
And lift up the lesser races
Well, if not lift up, subjugate.
If not subjugate,
exterminate, eliminate.
Our destiny
by divine prescription.
The American imperative.
Yeah.
We all have our place.
And you and me,
slave and slave catcher,
the master and the colored boss,
everyone from the politicians
all the way down to the
the new arrivals
flooding into the harbors.
The weak of your tribe,
they're already weeded out.
I mean, they die
on the slave ships, they die
of our European pox,
or in the fields working
indigo or cotton.
Yeah, but you
[chuckles]
You and your mother
You and your mother
are the best of your race.
It's true.
Your mother
Now, I kept my eye out for her
this whole time,
turned Boston and New York
upside down,
all the colored settlements
Syracuse, Northampton.
But, no. She's up there
somewhere in Canada
laughing at the Randalls. Yeah.
Laughing
at me.
Yeah, laughing at you.
[sighs]
I see it as personal injury,
and so should you.
[sighs]
But I won't allow it.
No, I won't.
Cause if I allow it,
then I acknowledge
that there's a flaw
in the imperative.
Yep, and I refuse.
I refuse.
And that is why
I bought you that dress.
[piano continues playing
lively tune]
[Ridgeway] So I could picture
your mother all dressed up
like a present for her master.
[footsteps approaching]
[sighs] Well.
Well, well, well.
Oh, that looks good.
[groans]
Don't know about you,
but I am famished.
I need to relieve myself.
Or do you want me
to ruin this fancy dress?
[Ridgeway sniffs]
Well
Come on, then.
Nope. Stay where you are.
[laughter nearby]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [shackles jingle]
[laughter]
[Ridgeway] Go on.
[Ridgeway sighs]
[sniffs]
[shackles jingle]
[Ridgeway] You know
all this time,
you never asked about your
blue-eyed companion, Caesar.
You, uh
Did that make the papers
up there in North Carolina?
Huh? Do they even
have newspapers up there
in that abomination of a state?
Do they?
[sniffs]
Oh, it's
so strange going
to South Carolina
these days with that,
you know, new civilized system.
I'll tell you,
it is the same hungry place
that it-it ever was.
See, we [sniffs]
we caught up with it
in its dormitory.
All those big colored bucks
gathered around it.
They were rediscovering
their old fear
that they thought
that they'd left behind.
But they just watched
as we dragged it,
marched it out to the wagon.
At first,
just a small crowd gathered.
You know, it was no big fuss.
Just a
just another runaway caught.
But then word spread
that Caesar
was wanted in Georgia
for the murder of a white boy.
Ooh.
It spread quicker
than I could ever imagine.
Yeah.
Well, the word came down
from the mayor, you know,
"Just p-put it in jail."
[sniffs] And we waited, but
[spits] they broke in.
Uh, it was a large crowd,
you know, 40, 50 strong.
Oh, to to be fair
[chuckles]
it was the sheriff
that unlocked the door.
Yeah, so they just
stormed the jail
and they ripped him apart.
Yeah.
The sheriff, he just watched.
And old Caesar, you know, he
he-he put up a hell of a fight.
[crying softly]
♪
Those civilized,
decent people
from South Carolina
with their schoolhouses
and their
Saturday night socials just
tearing apart a grown Negro.
Mm-hmm.
See, in the end
it turns out
they ain't no different
from their neighbors
to the north.
- [sighs]
- [footsteps approaching]
You okay, mister?
[Ridgeway sniffs]
You okay, miss?
♪
Yeah.
Just like I said:
plucked those blue eyes
right out of his head.
While he was still breathing.
[Cora gasps]
[muffled sobbing]
♪
[sniffles]
[Ridgeway sniffs]
[Ridgeway sniffs]
[Ridgeway sighs]
[exhales] Look.
[sniffs]
[sighs] What do you
think of that?
[sighs]
Huh? [sniffs]
[Ridgeway chuckles]
Yeah, I didn't think
much about it, neither.
[sniffs]
But but it's on the table.
- [shackles jingle]
- Come on.
[clock ticking]
[Ridgeway] Mack.
Mack. Are you in there?
[groans]
There he is.
[snapping fingers]
Hey.
[sniffs]
Hey.
- Hey.
- [snaps fingers]
[Ridgeway grunts]
[inhales deeply]
[Ridgeway exhales]
[Ridgeway sighs]
[breathing heavily]
Just want you
to admit one thing.
[sighs]
The Great Spirit.
The Great Spirit
ain't no such thing.
You made it up, didn't you?
Huh?
What's it matter?
Hmm? Say it.
Just say it.
Come on, say it.
I'll be your priest.
And I'll give you absolution.
Admit it.
Say it.
Just say it.
Admit it wasn't there.
Just say it.
- [bed rattles]
- Just say it.
Hmm?
Ain't no such thing.
Say it!
Goddamn you!
[voice trembles] Goddamn you!
Just say it!
[sighs]
[labored breathing]
I wish I had done more
to shape the boy
into the man.
[long exhale]
[gasping]
[Ridgeway gasps]
- [shuttered breathing]
- [indistinct muttering]
[Ridgeway sniffs]
[groans]
[indistinct muttering]
[shackles rattle]
[Cora mutters indistinctly]
- You'll wake him.
- [muttering]
- You'll wake him.
- [indistinct muttering]
- No, please, please.
- [Cora pleads indistinctly]
- [Ridgeway mutters]
- [Cora moans]
[Cora] Please, please,
please, please, please.
- [Ridgeway] Shut up!
- [Cora cries]
- [hushes] Please.
- [muffled cries]
Don't, don't,
don't, don't, don't.
- You'll wake him.
- [muffled crying]
You'll wake him.
- [sobbing]
- [keys jingle]
- Wait. Wait.
- [crying]
Wait. [mutters]
- [heavy breathing]
- [grunting]
- [Cora] No.
- [Ridgeway] We can't wait.
- [crying, muttering]
- Just can't wait, can you?
[moaning]
- [choking]
- [low rumble]
[Cora pants]
[Ridgeway mutters]
[choking sounds]
[Ridgeway mutters]
- [keys jingle]
- [Cora pants]
[choking sound]
[shushes]
[panting]
[Cora] No.
- [Cora sobs]
- [metal rattles]
[choking sounds]
- [Cora] No.
- [Ridgeway shushing]
- No.
- [Ridgeway groans]
- [Cora cries]
- [muttering]
It's
Yes, close your eyes.
- [Cora cries]
- [Ridgeway groans]
Oh, it's not fair.
It's not fair.
[sighs]
It's not fair.
- [Ridgeway sighs]
- [Cora panting]
It's just not fair.
[sighs]
It's not fair.
No, he just made it all up.
[sighs]
[exhales]
- [Cora breathes shakily]
- [Ridgeway groans]
- [Ridgeway groans]
- [shackles jingle]
[crickets chirping]
♪
- [footsteps]
- [wood creaking]
[doorknob creaks]
♪
[metal jingles]
♪
♪
[metal jingling]
[Ridgeway groans]
♪
[Ridgeway grunts]
♪
[insects buzzing and trilling]
[horse neighing]
[Royal] Y'all get
the horses ready. Ma'am?
Ma'am, ma'am.
Hang on, now. Hang on, now.
What you doing?
As long as that man up there
is drawing breath,
I'm gonna be running.
And I can't.
I won't.
You know what it mean
to kill a white man?
All right.
I'm coming with you.
I can't let you
go back up there.
Way I see it, this ain't
none of your business, Mack.
I reckon old Arnold deserve
all your fury, ma'am.
But this here
is a house in mourning.
And his pa was a great man.
I ain't got no choice.
You needs to leave
old Arnold behind you
when you gets
on that railroad tonight.
Now, don't you let this here
old shuffle of mine fool you.
[Royal] That man can't
leave this house alive.
You understand me?
Ain't been a man
what brought as much pain
upon our folk as him.
I need your word.
He won't
He won't trouble you no more.
I give you my word on that.
♪
[sniffles]
♪
[muffled voices shouting]
[Samson] Every time we come
down here, something new.
[Royal] Well, the station agent,
Mr. Thomas,
he likes to maintain a mood.
♪
[glasses clink]
[Royal] To friends old
and new.
Cheers, everybody.
- [Samson] Cheers.
- [Red] Cheers.
[Royal] Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
What do we have here?
[Royal] Oh, Mr. Thomas,
How goes it?
It goes. Train should be
arriving shortly.
- [Red] Heard that before.
- [laughter]
[Gus] Didn't expect a guest,
but
it's never too late
to welcome another soul
into the mission.
Welcome, young lady.
Pleasure to meet you.
Your testimony, please?
- We're gonna give y'all
some privacy.
- No. Y'all stay.
I can write it myself.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
[men chattering indistinctly]
[muffled voices shouting]
♪
♪
[train whistle blows]
[steam hissing]
♪
- [train chugging]
- [muffled train whistle]
- [chugging continues]
- [bell clanging]
[clock ticking]
[Ridgeway groaning]
[Ridgeway groans]
[Ridgeway] Mack?
Oh, Mack.
[Ridgeway grunts]
- [bed creaks]
- [Ridgeway coughs]
[exhales sharply]
[sighs]
Teach me not to drink
a whole bottle of whiskey, Mack.
[laughs]
[sniffs]
[groans]
[Ridgeway] You remember
when we
snuck into Pappy's cabinet?
[Ridgeway laughing]
I do.
Yeah. [groans]
No doubt they
didn't leave the key
lying around, so
you'll have to
go fetch the saw or
maybe the chisel and hammer.
You're the blacksmith.
[sighs]
[chair drags]
[Ridgeway sighs]
Oh, I see.
I see.
Old man's body's
not even cold yet.
Have it your way.
Hell, I'll even
sign the deed over to you.
Why let my old buddy Mack
go through so much trouble?
It ain't yours to give.
I ain't trying to cause you
no pain or nothing.
Arnold.
But it ain't yours to give.
And he
he wasn't trying to
hurt you or nothing like that.
No.
No.
You know,
my father always thought
very highly of you, Mack.
Yeah.
Higher than he thought of me.
I know that.
Hmm. He loved me.
[clears throat] Love
Love is one thing.
Yeah, love is simple.
But he he admired you.
He admired you.
Yeah, and I was jealous.
So angry.
Bitterly jealous.
I was mad as hell at everything.
And nothing.
The Great Spirit.
The Great Spirit.
[spits]
[sighs]
Couldn't find it in me, see?
I could tell by the way
he looked at me,
he couldn't find it in me,
but he found it in you, Mack.
[laughs] H-He nearly
messed hisself from euphoria,
he saw so much of it in you.
So much.
Mack. Mack.
[sighs]
And yet, here we are.
[sniffs] Old man's son
and his favorite nigger.
One chosen, one
disgraced.
One with the spirit,
one without.
I have committed
unspeakable deeds
against your darker humanity.
I've heard
niggers plead
scream and wail
in a way no man,
unless he cavort with Lucifer,
could compete.
But I have to ask you, Mack.
How many of those niggers
do you think that my father
would've found the spirit
that he found in you?
Hmm?
And in seeing it
what difference
could he have made?
Because, you know,
when the light is gone
and only
the shadow remains
that spirit is nothing
compared to the will
of a heart that's overrun
with hate.
You came to pay your respects?
[Ridgeway sniffs]
- I did.
- And have you?
[Ridgeway sniffs]
I have.
[sniffles]
Mack?
I know you don't believe it,
but I always felt
sorry about
the well.
[sniffs]
But you seem to be
getting on pretty well.
Yeah?
Moving round and
Can I ask one favor?
Just one whiskey.
I don't know.
For old time's sake.
Your choice.
[clock ticking]
[footsteps departing]
[sniffs]
[sighs]
[cabinet doors creaking]
[whiskey pouring]
[wind whistling]
[matches rattle]
[gunshot]
♪
[grunts]
[Mack coughing]
[blows]
♪
I'll go find the saw.
No, no.
Please. Please.
[Homer sighs]
[Ridgeway sighs]
[coughs]
[clock ticking]
[ticking slowly grows louder]
[ticking stops]
[Kendrick Lamar:
"Money Trees"]
Everybody gon' respect
the shooter ♪
But the one
in front of the gun ♪
Lives forever ♪
Me and my niggas tryin'
to get it, ya bish ♪
The Slim K Slowdown ♪
Ha-Ha-Halle Berry
or hallelujah ♪
Me and my niggas tryin'
to get it, ya bish ♪
Ha-Ha-Halle Berry
or hallelujah ♪
Me and my niggas tryin'
to get it, ya bish ♪
Be the last one out
to get this dough? No way ♪
Love one of you
bucket-headed hoes? No way ♪
Hit the streets,
then we break the code? ♪
No way ♪
Hit the brakes
when they on patrol? No way ♪
Uh, me and my niggas
tryin' to get it ♪
Ya bish, ya bish ♪
Hit the house lick,
tell me, is you wit' it? ♪
Ya bish, ya bish ♪
Home invasion was persuasive ♪
Was persuasive,
was persuasive ♪
From 9:00 to 5:00
I know it's vacant ♪
Ya bish, ya bish ♪
Me and my niggas
tryin' to get it ♪
Ya bish, ya bish ♪
Me and my niggas tryin'
to get it, ya bish, ya bish ♪
Me and my niggas
tryin' to get it ♪
Ya bish, get that ♪♪
♪
♪