Smoke (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
["Dialing In" playing]
Telephone ♪
Calling me ♪
Who put all that shit in your head? ♪
Saying things ♪
Telling things ♪
Till you break ♪
Filthy water ♪
Bubbles up ♪
Who put all the shit in your head? ♪
- [high-pitched ringing]
- [breathing shakily]
[sighs]
[sniffs]
[sniffs, sighs]
[chuckles]
- [Gudsen] Hey.
- [chuckling]
What?
Purity Supreme motherfucking fire.
Get over here right now.
- All right.
- Watch this.
Come here.
[grunts]
- Pay atten Okay. All right.
- Locked in.
Watch this, watch this.
Right there!
What am I missing?
Really?
Watch again. And
there.
Where's the limp?
Oh, dude. What? Come on.
Okay, I'll slow it down. Watch.
Slow it down for you.
Come on. Seriously?
- Oh, he's not limping.
- No.
And people who limp don't miraculously
not limp for four full strides.
You know what?
I'm just gonna have to give you
the benefit of the doubt on this one.
- You are smart.
- You're goddamn right I am.
[Gudsen groans]
Hot today. [exhales sharply]
What's this?
Huh?
- What's that?
- Oh, no, no.
You know, i-it's nothing, I mean,
I-I don't wanna rain on your parade.
- Steal your thunder.
- [exhales deeply] Fucking Gudsen.
What do you got?
Well, you know, last night
our Milk Jug asshole torched a house
with a baby inside.
- The baby's fine.
- [sighs] Shit.
Father will need a dozen skin grafts
to resemble anything adjacent to normal.
[sighs] And the mother's out of a house.
But, before the couple's house
was torched, they went for dinner.
Hmm.
They had a fine old time.
They were happy.
This guy was seen watching them.
This our guy?
This is our guy.
[exhales deeply]
[customer] Freddy. Freddy.
Freddy Fasano!
Ooh! Gimme two of those
fresh cheddy chickas, baby.
And some Cajun tots.
How you doing today, Freddy?
I'm okay, Miss Cephus.
As many times I'm in here,
is as many times I told your shy ass
to call me Brenda.
So do it. Call me Brenda.
Thank you for choosing Coop's
Brenda.
When you gonna let me cut that hair?
There's a handsome face under all that.
Yo, white boy.
He called me Brenda.
[server] I always call you Brenda.
Yeah, but he shy.
How come he's so shy?
- How come you so shy?
- I'm not shy, I'm just [muttering]
- Huh?
- I'm just not used
He ain't shy. [chuckles]
You gotta watch out
for the quiet ones now.
Lot of times they hide their intelligence
'cause the world is filled with dumb
assholes consumed with jealousy.
Maybe he'll be the new manager.
Taylor's our manager.
Little bitch got a job at a start-up.
He's leaving us.
Freddy Fasano, Manager.
- No.
- What?
Don't let her trip you out, man.
There ain't no ladders built
for the likes of us.
[breathes heavily] I can't help you.
You sure?
[sighs] Look, I never saw that guy.
[sighs]
What [stammers]
you think he was at the restaurant?
Yeah, we do.
Why?
[Calderone] Well, we think
he sets fires to people
whose lives he's jealous of.
When you were at the restaurant,
were you having a good time,
joking around?
Enjoying yourself?
So you [sighs]
You're telling me I'm gonna look
like this for the rest of my life
because I laughed?
Donald had never known love.
Even his mother
poured her love into other things.
[sighs] Boyfriends mostly.
And the cheap gifts they bought her.
Booze.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[clicks tongue] Whoa.
Do you need help?
Nope. No, no. I got this.
You, read.
[sighs]
[clears throat]
[chuckles]
It's good. It's good.
What, the pasta?
The pasta, yeah, honey.
No, the book.
It's good.
What'd you like most?
I like all the fire stuff.
It's so real, it feels like you're there.
- At the fires?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
- And in the office,
the sense of the job was was great.
Hmm.
[sighs]
Anything else?
Maybe a few women characters
to balance out the
I don't know, dude-ness.
So you're saying it's dude-heavy?
[chuckles] Very dude-heavy.
Like dude-centric.
But otherwise?
Like, overall?
It's good.
Yeah.
Fuck yeah.
When I started at Coop's,
I was a fry cook.
Back then, I had no idea
I had what it took to be a manager.
Coop's believed in me
when I didn't believe in myself.
What makes Coop's different
is that we're not just about chicken.
We're about community.
Diversity and inclusion.
There's room in this henhouse
for everyone.
If you care about teamwork,
safety, and sanitation,
and you believe
customer service is no yolk,
then fill out
our online management application.
All you need is a high school diploma.
Join the Coop's family.
Where birds of a feather, flock together.
[sighs]
[sniffs]
[breathes shakily]
[server] You didn't graduate high school?
Nah.
Even I pulled that shit off. [chuckles]
Got my GED in my 20s.
So there you go.
It said "high school diploma."
Yeah, well they left off "or equivalent"
'cause I know at least three managers
in this company that only got GEDs.
That's for real, man.
D'Ondre Walker?
Runs the one on the corner
of Avon and 16th. GED.
Kendra what's-her-name?
Who used to run the one on Robertson
till she got caught fucking
that 16-year-old cashier?
GED, brother.
Ah, but Coop's,
they start their managers off
at less than what an employee
with your time in makes already.
So time you make any real money,
it's, like, 2035, man.
And you're like,
what [chuckles] 60?
Huh?
No
I'm 43.
[chuckles] 43?
That's been a tough four decades, dawg.
Damn.
[chuckles] Oh, okay, well
[chuckles] You're 43.
That's, like, 600 in the corporate world.
All right, just best
stay where you're at.
I don't wanna stay
where I'm at [mutters]
Enunciate, motherfucker.
You don't have dreams
what do you have?
This.
I don't like this.
[scoffs] No one does.
[cell phone chiming]
Hey, what's up?
[sister-in-law] Guess how many times
I've been to McDonald's today?
[chuckles] How many times?
- Twice?
- [chuckles] You're psychic.
- [chuckles]
- Say "hi," Sophie.
[imitates growling] There's my monster.
Sophie got a burger for lunch today,
but we had to go back
because they put a pickle in it.
- Girl threw a fit.
- [Sophie] I didn't threw a fit.
[chuckles]
You acted
like they were trying to poison you.
- [Sophie] No.
- [chuckling]
[sister-in-law chuckles] So, what time
can I bring her over on Thursday?
6:00 too early?
Uh, no, 6:00 is fine.
- Mmm. My queen.
- Um.
I got a letter from the parole board.
Right. Benji told me about that.
Yeah?
What did he say?
Just that it was happening.
Mm-hmm.
Mich?
Yeah.
She's not gonna get out.
It's not like she's in there
for civil disobedience.
People died.
Yeah, they did.
All right. I'll hit you later.
- All right?
- All right. Bet.
- All right. Bye.
- Thank you.
[sighs]
[train whistle blowing]
[train brakes squeaking]
- [exhales deeply]
- Hey, you gave him too much distance.
Distance is fine.
You're gonna lose him at the light.
Where'd you learn your, uh,
POST pursuit course again?
Oh. Well, I don't
know what that is, so
Oh. He doesn't know what that is.
I'll give you a hint.
You know POST is it's an acronym.
- P-O-S-T.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- It's a good idea. Training.
- Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Yeah. So it's where you learn
how to drive like a cop. [chuckles]
There's also PIT, EVOC,
not to mention, uh, C.R.I. Tactical,
- which I learned in the service.
- Point Point taken, Detective Calderone.
Oh, oh, what's that? Say that again now?
I think you mean, uh, "Detective,
how could I have ever doubted you?
- You're so fucking smart, and brilliant."
- [chuckles]
- [both chuckling]
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey. Can you remind me
what an engineer does again?
Oh, wow.
Okay, you're gonna beat that horse
till it fucking rots.
- I know you are.
- Yeah.
[chuckles]
[Calderone]
This isn't where he lives though, right?
[Gudsen] Mmm.
He has a house in Gelford.
Maybe this is where he keeps
all his mementos from the fires. [sighs]
- [sighs]
- Could get a warrant.
Find out.
Search the trailer of a fireman
whose only crime, far as we
can tell, is no-showing his job?
[Calderone sighs]
Wake me if he comes out. [sighs]
You wanna stay?
[yawns] That's the job.
[exhales sharply]
How come you get to nap?
- I did all the driving.
- Oh.
You in trouble with the law, daughter?
You know I can't help you with that.
I'm sorry.
Can I not just stop by and say hi?
Sure, but you never do.
[sighs] I need
the keys to the lake house, please.
Ah, weekend in paradise.
Jeffrey got the day off?
No, um, the wedding planner
needs to do a walk-through.
She has to see how to arrange the chairs.
Pretty sure the chairs
are going to be facing you and Jeffrey.
It's not rocket science.
[sighs] She has to [stammers]
like, measure the deck.
- My deck?
- Yes.
Where the-the vows will be exchanged.
I see you furrowing
that Englehart brow there.
- Everything okay?
- Yeah, no, yes.
I just I need to get to work,
so, could you please?
Mm-hmm.
Sure everything's all right?
Yes. I would tell you if it wasn't.
Your bait and tackle box
will remain unmolested.
You're a credit to your ancestors.
- This is great. Thank you.
- Good.
[chuckles] Okay.
Love you, bug.
Five whole days of this shit.
- [sighs]
- [chuckles]
- And nights.
- Mmm.
If he's the arsonist,
he's definitely on sabbatical.
[breathes heavily]
Afraid so. [sighs]
[grunts] Hallelujah.
[inhales deeply, blows]
- Hey. Yo.
- Yo.
[laughs] Someone
make a trip to Marshalls.
Ah, Kohl's.
And you were right about the GED.
Mm-hmm.
Human resources sent me an application.
Sky's the limit then, dawg.
- [Brenda chatters, laughs]
- [friend laughs]
Yo, baby, give us two
Brekkie Chicka Waffle sandwiches,
an order of the French toast sticks
and, uh
- You want coffee?
- Mm-hmm.
Two coffees. Extra large.
Uh, cash or charge?
That ain't how you do customer service.
- That how you do customer service?
- Not by a damn sight.
Got to put some
honey into it, little boy.
"Is that everything, ladies?" Try that.
- Is that everything
- [both] Ladies.
Ladies.
Ooh. Now there's a man with a plan.
You're doing it, aren't you?
[laughs] He's doing it.
Honey, this is Freddy.
- Freddy, Darlene works at my shop.
- [Darlene] Hi.
Freddy's a man of few words.
Strong, silent type.
- [Darlene] Oh.
- You think he could use a cut?
What's the occasion?
- He's going for a promotion.
- Oh, then for sure. High and tight.
I was thinking the same.
What you doing after work today, Freddy?
- I don't know.
- [Brenda] Well, I do.
You come by my shop.
We'll get you looking all Fortune 500.
Oh, I can't.
Why not?
[cashier] Order up!
See you at 5:00.
And it's on the house, Freddy.
"I like you,"
said Donald.
"But I do not like
you," replied Beatrice.
"That could be a problem,"
Donald told her menacingly.
H [sighs]
How long have you been there?
'Bout half a minute. What you doing?
I, uh
Well, I
I'm writing a book.
It's easier if I dictate.
- [clears throat]
- Wow.
Okay.
[clears throat]
Investigator David Gudsen.
What? He's writing a book.
- Okay. What's it about?
- Stuff.
Yeah, well, tell me. I want to know.
No.
What do you mean, "no"?
Why not?
- Because you'll give me shit about it.
- I'm not gonna gi
- Hmm?
- Yeah. You know, you're right.
Smart move, man.
Protect yourself, Dave.
So what's it about?
[chuckles] Ah.
[chuckles]
[inhales sharply]
Can I get a signed copy one day?
Course. [clears throat]
I'd like that.
I'd like to
sign one to you.
Fuck. To anyone. [scoffs]
[sighs]
The fuck am I missing, man?
Nothing.
Two weeks.
Nothing.
Not a car torching, a fucking dumpster,
a warehouse alley.
Nothing.
He knows he's in our sights, or
he's laying low.
Fucking Milk Jug though. [scoffs]
I mean, uh, we might never even hear
from him again.
[scoffs] No, no, no, no, no.
[chuckles] No, no.
[stammers] I can't live with that.
Abso-fucking-lutely not.
I-I need this, okay?
I need to reel in a goddamn whale
right now.
I can't get out unless I nail him
or fucking him.
[inhales deeply] Or fucking both of them.
[sighs]
[Brenda sighs]
You have beautiful hair.
Kinda hair my son had.
Kinda hair warriors had.
Your people were warriors.
Mine too, but no more.
[clears throat]
How we fight now is to be invisible.
But with a smile.
They can't hurt what they can't see.
Exactly.
You have a son?
[inhales sharply] Had.
[clears throat] He's with God now.
I like to cut this tight
and high with a mid-fade.
I-I have big ears.
That's what you afraid of?
I have bug eyes.
This is you.
[Harvey] Oh. That's gotta hurt.
See, that's why I
get the bulls out early.
So much pressure
to close them at the end. It's terrible.
Are you done?
- Are you?
- Well.
You miss this, I got three tries
at that fat, little 17,
and you'll live a life of ignominy
- [laughs]
- [grunts]
- God.
- Fuck you.
[laughs, sighs]
I fear that serving of ignominy
is coming my way.
"Ignominy"?
Don't try and language-shame me
for my impeccable vocabulary.
Another libation?
Well, you just said it twice.
No, I'm good.
Gotta get back to Ashley.
How is the lady of the house?
She's all right.
That good, huh?
Sometimes, uh, I just feel
I feel, I'm not saying
it's scientific fact,
like every day I wake up on trial and
I gotta prove I'm not a piece of shit.
And if I do, the next day
we're back at square one.
That sounds
exhausting.
[exclaims] She's
carrying a lot of stress.
She's a librarian.
What's she stressed about? Late fees?
Emmett.
Yeah, he's kinda
mopey.
Hmm.
That's your fault?
Everything's my fault.
It's marriage.
[chuckles]
No, it's not.
I'm fine.
[chuckles] We're fine.
Then you're fine.
To the scene
of the crime?
Of course you fucking do, my man.
[notification tone beeps]
[hisses]
[thunder rumbling]
[sighs]
- [clicking]
- [gasps]
[grunting]
[screaming, groaning] Oh, God!
- Don't you move.
- [grunting]
Don't you fucking move!
[grunts] Ow!
This ain't my first bunker, Arch.
[Arch] Get me a doctor.
Who else is here? Who else is here?
- [grunts]
- Who else is fucking here?
- Who else would be here? Get me a doctor!
- Who else is here? Don't you fucking
- I'll blow your brains
- You're breaking my wrists!
- Fucking hurt [speaks indistinctly]
- Who else is here?
[Arch pants] There's no one here.
[grunts] Ah! Ah.
[grunts, panting]
A doctor! I have fucking rights!
Civil rights advocate?
Doesn't seem on-brand, Arch.
[pants]
[grunts, screams] Fuck! Fuck!
Oh, fuck. [grunts]
- [pants]
- Why do you set fires?
- I don't set fires.
- Why do you set fires, Arch?
- I don't set fires. [screams]
- Why do you set fucking fires?
- I don't set fires. Look around.
- Why do you set fires?
There's no incendiary devices.
No fucking accelerants!
Ah, fuck!
[panting]
Okay, so if you don't set fires,
why are you never at work? Huh?
[screams] Fuck.
- Huh?
- Oh, God! [grunting, panting]
- Oh, fuck!
- Damn it, you better stop lying to me!
You know how hard it is
to build a place like this
and hold down a job? Huh?
Do you think I'm gonna add
fucking arson on the list,
you fucking genius?
Oh Oh, you fuck Oh, fuck
You better have a fucking warrant,
you stupid fucking twat!
Ow, fuck!
Oh, God!
[screams, cries]
[pants] Where the fuck are you going?
[panting]
[thunder rumbling]
- [panting]
- [thunder rumbling]
[grunts]
[radio chatter]
[groans]
Jesus. You're oversteering, you idiots.
Oh, God.
[grunting]
You observed him walking to the truck?
[sighs] Yeah, I see he's carrying
the pig, something else, he had
Pig?
M60.
You know, the big machine gun. It's
[chuckles] We called it the "pig,"
you know, in the service.
So, he loads it in the truck,
goes back inside
- At which point you breached the gate?
- I went to the truck.
Yeah. Not only do I see the pig,
I see a 240.
I'm thinking Newtown.
I'm thinking fucking Vegas. You know
[Arch] Every word she says
is a fucking lie. You fucking liar!
I will fucking end your career.
You're fucking done!
- Ow, fuck! [groans]
- Why didn't you call it in right then?
That motherfucker would've been able
to come back out with more.
Put on body armor.
How many of us might not have made
it home trying to take him like that?
[sighs]
[grunts]
[breathes deeply]
[cell phone buzzes]
Hey, Harv.
Hey, you comin' to the gin mill?
Tonight? No. I, uh
I'm already home.
Well, your partner gets a righteous
shoot, and you're gonna stay home, huh?
My partner, what?
Put two in Arch Stanton's thighs.
One on each side of his dick.
Stanton was gonna go Columbine
or some shit.
She popped him and called in ATF.
This crazy son of a bitch
had an entire bunker
underneath his trailer.
[Gudsen] Hey, babe.
[breathes deeply]
[sighs]
Babe.
We, um
We have a crisis to discuss.
Can I go first?
What?
My partner shot a guy today.
Were you with her?
No, no.
- Well, is he dead?
- No.
She shot a guy,
and she's treated like a hero
even though the guy
isn't our fucking arsonist.
And, cherry on top [inhales deeply]
I got rejected by an agent today. [sighs]
Are you through?
Trying to share
some fucking pain here. [chuckles]
Emmett's father
is moving 2,000 miles away.
Gerard.
He got a job.
Tenure track. He has to take it. He
He leaves next week.
Yeah, Emmett can go to college there
for almost nothing, but until then
he's gonna be devastated.
- Gerard?
- Emmett.
Oh.
Free tuition though.
He'll move in h-here with us full time?
That's cool.
Mm-hmm. We'll adjust.
Hey.
We're in this together.
For sure.
I got you.
What do you wanna do about dinner, huh?
Ash.
[smacks lips] I'm not hungry.
You'll be hungry.
If you're hungry,
you should order something.
I'm not hungry. I'm just saying
as a family, we'll get hungry.
- So, what do you want
- Order whatever you want.
Enough for Emmett too.
- Okay. So, should I just
- Just handle it, Dave.
I got an idea.
[chuckles]
["Bang!" plays]
[all] Bang, bang, bang! ♪
["Bang!" continues]
[all] Bang, bang, bang! ♪
Let's go out with a bang
Bang, bang, bang! ♪
Oh, uh-oh!
E-man!
Dad picked me up from school.
I wanna hug you.
Uh, I'll probably fucking lose it.
Whoa, okay.
Mind the language, bro.
[sniffs] Got food
from that hot chicken place you like.
I already ate. [sniffles]
More for me. [grunts]
[sniffles]
It's like
What?
[sniffles] All-All I've ever wanted
out of this shit deal was both of you.
- And-And
- I know.
[sighs] And now he's
- he's leaving, so
- I know, baby. I'm sorry.
- [sniffles]
- [Gudsen] Hey, you know what?
Don't worry about it, bro.
I'm here for you.
I couldn't really give less of a fuck.
[Gudsen] What'd you just say to me?
Did I stutter?
You know, you get three squares a day.
People who care about you.
You care for me? Okay.
- A roof over your fucking head
- Ease up.
It's her roof.
Plenty of kids lose parents for real,
but you know what they do about it?
- Her roof!
- They shut the f
[Emmett breathes shakily]
Whoa.
Let's all just
[breathes shakily] Uh
Well, I'm clearly
not helping here. [chuckles]
I'm gonna step out.
[breathes heavily, sniffles]
Oh, baby.
[sniffles]
Shoving off, milady.
- [chuckles]
- Badass shoot today.
- Thank you, kind sir.
- [chuckles]
[chuckles] Where's Dave?
Dave. Yeah, he doesn't, uh, show up
for these kind of things.
Yeah?
Skipped more retirement parties
than I can count.
Dave skipped my commendation party.
[clicks tongue] Yeah, he's, uh
[sighs] Dave celebrates Dave.
Kind of a one-way street in that regard.
Don't shoot off any more phalluses
before I'm back on duty, huh?
It was his thighs.
But where were you aimin'?
[clicks tongue]
[scoffs]
Okay. Shots are up!
[cheering]
[Steven] No? Anymore, buddy? There ya go.
You had enough?
[sighs] There she is.
- [sighs]
- I figured you'd come out for a smoke.
Fresh air.
I can do fresh air.
- [chuckles] No, you can't.
- Yes, I fucking can. You watch me now.
You watch me.
So, you're gonna be telling
your grandkids this story, huh?
- It's a hell of a story.
- Hell of a story.
- It's a hell of a goddamn story. [laughs]
- My God.
Wow.
[laughs]
- What?
- [stammers]
- What?
- Some stories are airtight and some leak.
- And mine?
- It's the fucking Titanic.
- [sighs]
- You kidding me?
You know one of your slugs
landed a half inch
from his fucking femoral artery?
Imagine if he fucking died.
Then your "story"
would've attracted a lot more scrutiny.
Think it would hold up?
No.
Stanton's femoral artery wasn't
the only thing to dodge a bullet today.
[sighs]
He asked me how he could be an arsonist
when he spends all his free time
building his fucking bunker.
[laughs] Well, I mean, it's a fair point.
He's not our guy.
What do you want me to say?
Nope.
Once we cross-reference the fires
with his fucking receipts
for cement, guns, porn, whatever
he's gonna be ruled out.
Yeah. You're probably right.
- [sighs]
- Got any other suspects?
Active firefighters? No.
Former firefighters?
Just one.
[exhales deeply]