Ghostwriter (2019) s02e08 Episode Script

I don't get it.
Why is the bookstore
shut down in the future?
Where is my family?
Don't worry, Ruben.
We can fix this when we
get back to our time.
How are we gonna get back there
if we don't even know how we got here?
I have an idea. Follow me.
To help us find the missing manuscript,
G.W. must've released something
from a time travel book
that somehow sent us to the future.
So, once we figure out
what G.W. released,
we can figure out how
to get back to our time.
Maybe there's a blank book
in one of these boxes.
Grandma's favorite chair.
Why would Grandpa just throw it away?
I don't know, but it can't be good.
Time travel is science fiction, right?
Well, time travel stories that
use technology would be sci-fi,
but if they use magic,
Grandpa would call it
Fantasy. Check it out,
this book is blank.
Whatever G.W. released,
it's from Time Castaways:
The Mona Lisa Key by Liesl Shurtliff.
No way, I read this last year.
It's about a character
named Captain Vincent
and his time-traveling pirate
ship called the Vermillion.
I don't remember setting sail
on any pirate ships, Donna.
The Vermillion can transform
into any vehicle from any time.
- Like the subway we took to get here.
- Exactly.
In the book, there's a device
called the Obsidian Compass
which controls where and
when the ship travels to.
I bet the compass was the thing you
were playing with on the subway.
- Wow, G.W. didn't waste any time.
- And we can't either.
Let's get back to our time
and save the bookstore.
Good, the compass is still here.
Oh, let me. I read the book,
and last time you touched the compass,
you accidentally sent us to the future.
This dial controls where we go.
Which dial controls when we go?
Right here. Century, year,
month, day and hour.
I hope you know what you're doing,
'cause the last thing we need
is to end up in dinosaur times.
I have always wanted to see a T. rex.
Donna, I'm kinda worried
about my grandpa right now.
Understood. Present it is.
"Prepare for a quantum time leap."
That's what they say in the book
right before they time travel.
This is freaky.
I think you mean amazing.
Can you believe G.W.'s sending
us on a time travel mystery?
Yes, I can.
I hope this takes us home.
We're back?
Only one way to find out.
The bookstore's open!
You're here!
Where else would I be?
Everything okay?
Everything's great.
I'm just happy to be
back at our bookstore.
Okay.
Then maybe you can help
us sort out a disagreement
about the renovation.
Now that Curtis and Donna's
dad offered to help,
we can finally get it done.
So I say we turn the back room
into a nook for book-themed gifts,
like, uh, lamps, cozy
blankets, reading socks
Or you can focus on the only
thing you need to read: a book.
I want to bring in more
serious collectors
with a space in the back for
first editions and rare books.
We shouldn't do anything.
I mean, at least not yet.
Those are all really good ideas,
but this is the bookstore's
future we're talking about.
Let's just take our time.
We don't have much time.
The store's losing money.
A few more months like this and
The bookstore will close.
Don't worry, Ruben.
This bookstore's been
around for decades.
She's not going anywhere.
Dad?
One of those ideas is
probably the reason
why the bookstore shuts down.
Not the reading socks,
they're super comfortable.
We'll figure it out, Ruben.
Right after we find the missing
manuscript somewhere in the past.
Let's all read Time Castaways tonight.
Then tomorrow, after
the election results,
we can decide where
I mean, when to go next.
Right, the results are
coming out tomorrow.
Now there's no way I'm going to sleep.
Good, then you can finish the book.
Once certain events occur
at any given time,
it's very difficult, often dangerous,
to try and change them.
Hey. Did you finish the book?
Uh, still listening to it.
Hello, students and faculty,
the student council
election results are in.
As your principal, it is
my pleasure to announce
Hammett Middle School's newly
elected student council.
- You've got this, Ms. Prez.
- All thanks to you, Mr. VP.
Our new vice president is Krista Russo
and our new president is Asher Shapiro!
Great job, Russo! Yeah!
I can't believe we lost.
What could we have done to win?
- You two ran a great campaign.
- Yeah, I voted for you.
We should've made cupcakes for
everyone like Asher and Krista did.
They were good, but not as
good as your speech, Curtis.
I know, we could use the Vermillion
to go back in time, so you could
No, we can't.
It says in the Time Castaways
that we're not supposed
to mess with the past.
Ruben's right. Time travel has rules.
We can't change the past,
and we can't meet ourselves at
a different time, or else
Or else what?
We would make a ripple in time
that could cause a huge disaster.
This day just gets better and better.
We just have to be careful.
We don't wanna ruin everything
when we're so close to
finishing the mystery.
What do you mean,
"finishing the mystery"?
He means that once we find
Mason Briggs' missing manuscript
for The Cobalt Mask,
we can finish G.W.'s unfinished business
and get back to living our normal lives.
We wouldn't have lost the election
if we weren't talking to
ghosts and book characters.
And as cool as this has been,
I need more time to figure out
how to save the bookstore.
Why do you all suddenly
hate the mystery?
We don't hate it, but you have to
admit, it takes up a lot of time.
Yeah.
Yeah, right. Of course.
I can't wait to have more
time for making clothes.
Anyway, I think we know
where the manuscript is,
inside the secret compartment
in Sloane's house.
Back when Albert Hughes lived
there and wrote as Mason Briggs.
- Right.
- But when was that?
We know the last Mason Briggs
book was published in 1969,
and Mason I mean,
Albert, died in 2015.
So, do we start from
1969 and go forward?
Or start in 2015 and go backward?
Looks like Ghost Writer has the answer.
What does G.W. want with
that old flyer we found?
"Bring your favorite
characters to life."
But G.W. brings characters
to life all the time.
This flyer is for a mural contest
hosted by someone named Miss
Weaver on Sunday, May 1st, 1955.
Are we supposed to go to 1955 to
find The Cobalt Mask manuscript?
I think so. G.W. gave us a day,
a year and a way to time travel.
Looks like we're going to the '50s.
Not dressed like this, we aren't.
We're so lucky these '50s outfits
were in the costumes
department at school.
- Are we?
- Yeah, I don't know about this.
I mean, I kind of like it.
Too bad there weren't any
decade-appropriate shoes
in your size.
Hmm, don't flip your wig.
Come on, cool cats. Let's roll.
This decade is real neato.
"Neato"?
I picked up some sayings
from Frank, the cab driver.
It's not just the clothes that
are gonna help us fit in.
I think fitting in is the
least of our problems.
That is not neato.
Albert's house isn't even built, so
why would G.W. send us to 1955?
- Oh.
- We know it's bad, Ruben, but
That's not it. How much of Time
Castaways did you listen to?
Enough.
Ruben's got time sickness.
In the book, it happens to some
people when they time travel.
Is there a cure?
Food from the present.
We have to go back to our time
and get Ruben something to eat.
All right, let's beat feet out of here.
That's really getting annoying.
Come on.
Hey.
Someone is hungry.
Very.
Oh, Dad. I, uh, have something for you.
- What is it?
- A peace offering.
I don't wanna argue
about the store anymore.
Reading glasses.
Try 'em on.
Looking good, Grandpa.
I love them.
So will the customers.
Those glasses are the kind of thing
we can sell in the back room.
Mom. I thought you didn't want to argue.
I don't, I just want him
to see that I'm right.
- If I wanted glasses
- Dad, we just don't have the money
- for big-name first editions.
- I would go to a store that sells glasses.
George is coming tomorrow
to talk game plan,
so we're gonna need to
get on the same page.
Dad, I don't get it,
you're acting like the bookstore
isn't in serious trouble
when it totally is.
Just wait until you see
what we've got planned
for the new lunch menu.
Vegan options, frozen yogurt machine,
and all our leftovers
are now being donated
to a local homeless shelter.
Winning the election means Asher's
gonna be able to do so much.
I shouldn't have mentioned my
dyslexia. That's why we lost.
That's the one thing I wouldn't change.
It was a great speech, Curtis.
It's my fault we didn't win.
I was so focused on the athletes,
we lost everybody else.
The election's in the past, which
we're not allowed to change.
Donna's right. And speaking of the past,
we need to figure out what
Ghost Writer wants us to see
on May 1st, 1955.
Maybe G.W. wants us to
check out the mural contest.
There could be a clue at the bookstore.
It would be cool to see
the bookstore in 1955.
If you could keep your lunch
down long enough to see it.
Don't worry. I'll bring snacks.
Crowley Books.
Check out the stage.
And look at all the customers.
It's packed.
I think I just found a clue.
Mason Briggs, The Color of Evil.
- I love this one.
- Me too.
That's actually my favorite out
of all the Mason Briggs novels.
You've read them all?
Some twice.
Uh, excuse me, did I just hear you say
you had read all the Mason Briggs books?
That's right.
But The Color of Evil is
the only Mason Briggs book,
and it just came out today.
You must have confused
him with another writer.
Sorry.
Interesting footwear.
This is just plain wrong!
- What seems to be the problem?
- This is not right, Miss Weaver.
She's Miss Weaver from the flyer.
What isn't right?
The contest. It's unfair.
What's going on?
The store is holding a contest
for best mural design
with book characters,
but instead of one winner,
there's a boy winner and a girl winner,
and the prizes are not equal.
I understand how you feel,
but please, let's not ruin it for
those who want to participate.
Don't be shy, follow
me to the back room.
You gals definitely don't want to enter.
- We don't?
- No,
because the boy winner
gets to paint his mural
in the primo spot of the bookstore,
while the girl winner has to
paint hers in the back hallway
where no one will see it.
You're right. That isn't fair.
Yeah. What if the girl's
design is better?
Who made these rules?
Mr. Crowley owns the bookstore,
so Mr. Crowley makes the rules.
And it took me a long time to
convince him to allow girls
in the contest at all.
This isn't about winning or losing.
It's about giving you a chance
to bring your favorite characters
from literature to life.
Do it for me?
All right, Miss Weaver, sign me up.
But only if my new friends join me.
- Sure.
- Okay.
Look. Even the tables are
divided into boys and girls.
I've never seen so many
kids in the bookstore.
We should draw something.
It's gonna look weird if we don't.
Hey, I'm Curtis. What's your name?
I don't think fist bumping
is a thing in 1955.
Hello.
Doesn't say much, does he?
Nope.
So, what are your names?
I'm Teressa, but everyone calls me Tess.
Grandma?
Uh, is something wrong with your pal?
'Cause he's staring at me.
I'm sorry, it's just you're so cool.
Even as a kid.
I mean I like how you stand
up for what you believe in.
You haven't seen anything yet.
Hey, can I borrow your brown?
Guess not.
- How are you today?
- I know that guy.
Is Sarah here today?
Where are you going?
Doesn't that guy kinda look like
Albert Hughes. Yes, he does.
There you go, Mr. Hughes,
the copy of The Color of Evil you
asked us to set aside for you.
It's been selling like hotcakes.
People love a good mystery.
That's great to hear.
Hey, uh, I was just wondering,
do you have any friends you call "S"?
What a strange question.
We just found a major clue. Come on.
From such strange people.
What's going on?
Albert Hughes is here,
and he bought a copy
of The Color of Evil.
Who buys a copy of their own book?
That's what I wanna know.
We have to follow him.
This must be why G.W. sent us to 1955.
Don't be so sure.
That girl who's mad about the
contest rules, that's my grandma.
I love time travel.
That's intense, but he's about
to leave, so we've gotta move.
Donna and I will follow Albert.
You two stay here with kid Grandma.
Let's go.
We're so close to finishing
the mystery. Isn't that great?
Donna, aren't you excited?
Oh, yeah. No more adventure.
He went inside this building.
Seriously, I've got a gut feeling
that he'll take us to
the manu scri
That's some gut feeling.
I think you've got time sickness.
- Go after him.
- I'm not leaving you.
We'll come back after you
eat some of Ruben's snacks.
What an easy decision.
I'm happy to announce that
our boy winner is "Bill."
He'll paint this beautiful Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland mural
on this wall, right here.
Come on up here, Bill.
And for our girl winner
I'm sorry, Mr. Crowley, but I
don't think there is a Bill here.
I'm right here.
That's my drawing.
Tess, why would you write a
boy's name on your design?
To prove that girls deserve to
get to paint the big mural too.
Yeah.
That's enough.
I don't like rebels, or anyone
who defies the rules.
You're disqualified.
You won't be painting
anything in my bookstore.
- Wait.
- No. Why do you agree with him?
I don't.
You don't?
Listen, Tess.
You're gonna learn that it's a
lot easier to change the world
if you don't care about
getting the credit.
Curtis really needs those
snacks. He's time sick.
I'll never make fun of you again, Ruben.
Donna? Is there a Donna here?
Um, yeah, that's me.
Then come with me.
Everyone, please congratulate
Donna on her winning drawing.
Uh
Oh, it's just a sketch,
but okay. Thank you.
The Jungle Book, one of
my personal favorites.
And now, for our boy winner.
"Ernesto"?
Grandpa?
I'm so happy you chose Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, too.
What?