The Boroughs (2026) s01e02 Episode Script

[jarring stinger]
[EMT] Pupils look good.
No sign of concussion or head trauma.
- How you holding up?
- Well, you tell me.
[EMT] Blood pressure's a little high.
To be expected, given the night you had.
I'm sorry about your friend.
It's not uncommon for older apnea patients
to aspirate, go into heart failure.
It wasn't a heart attack.
Okay. What was it?
I don't know. It… It was a…
a thing.
A… thing?
[foreboding music playing]
[haltingly] Like an animal or something.
What kind of… animal?
I don't know.
We didn't see any animal.
Well, I scared it off.
I get it.
It was dark. Shadows do weird things.
- You got confused.
- I'm not confused.
I know what I saw.
An animal?
Something.
You know what?
Why don't you take a ride with us?
Get a full checkup at the hospital.
Make sure you didn't knock your head.
I thought you said I was okay.
Hey, better safe.
Nothing wrong with my head.
Okay.
You start to feel lightheaded
or confused or anything at all,
just call out to Seraphim.
Yeah, I don't need anyone's help.
Fair enough.
[mysterious, delicate music building]
- [EMT 1] You ready?
- [EMT 2] Yeah.
Another beautiful day in The Boroughs.
[mysterious music swells]
[ominous music playing]
[music trailing off]
[TV drones]
[intriguing, unsettling
intro music playing]
[music trails off]
[tender, wistful music playing]
[Lilly] Good morning.
Morning, love.
[Lilly chuckles] Mmm.
[Lilly] I'm thinking about going to
that good farmer's market at Logan Square.
[Sam] Hmm, yeah.
I need shallots for dinner tonight.
So come with me.
[Sam] What's this?
[unsettling music playing]
Lilly?
[harsh, glitchy scratching]
Lilly, stop.
Stop!
[gasps]
- [phone ringing]
- [Sam pants]
Yeah?
[Claire] Dad, what the hell?
Excuse me?
Were you ever gonna tell me what happened?
What happened?
They said someone broke in
and attacked you.
Are you okay?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.
Yeah, this guy, Edward,
I think he's got some kind of dementia.
He got confused. He broke in.
Said some weird stuff.
Why didn't you call me?
Oh, I knew you'd worry.
Well, I wanna worry.
Yeah, well, that's dumb.
[tapping on phone]
Thanks, Dad.
What is that… tapping sound?
There's an owl in the walls.
What are you…
What are you talking about, an owl?
Claire, I can't talk right now.
Okay, what's going on? I'm confused.
I am not confused.
But that's not what I said. What--
I gotta go. I got something to do.
Dad, I--
[sweet soul music playing over radio]
Hey, look who's up.
I made you breakfast.
Grab a seat.
I picked some raspberries
on my hike yesterday.
I figured I'd make you
some… special pancakes.
Like the old days.
John Gunther, he said,
"All happiness depends
on a leisurely breakfast."
I'm allergic to raspberries.
Since when?
Right. Right.
Well, there's some bacon there.
Some juice. Help yourself.
I gotta meet the guys for golf.
You know how Womp gets
if I'm late for tee-off.
Coffee's on.
Don't worry about the dishes.
I'll get 'em later.
Sorry about the mess.
Okay, then.
See you tonight.
[door opens]
[door closes]
Bye.
["Visions of Your Reality"
by Ultimate Spinach playing]
[groovy psychedelic rock music continuing]
Hey, Franklin.
Hittin' the trails, Art?
Perfect day for a hike.
Hey, you stay hydrated out there.
Desert heat sneaks up on ya.
Yeah, well, I'm an Eagle Scout.
Always prepared.
I can feel the darkness
In your shadows ♪
Such a shame about Jack.
He was such a nice boy.
I liked him.
I really liked him
for about two months last summer.
Yes, well, they're having a memorial
at Señor Cocinas tonight.
Oh, crap.
Who… Who holds a memorial
in a Mexican restaurant?
Jack, obviously.
Ah, it could be fun.
I went to Rebecca's memorial
at the chess club last month.
That was bleak.
[woman] Would they know
how to replace half of a chess set?
What?
My granddaughter bought me
the most beautiful chess set
last Christmas.
And the other night,
all of the white pieces just vanished.
- Poof! Gone.
- What were they made out of?
Oh, that… that white shit.
Quartz, I think.
[phone ringing]
[receptionist]
Boroughs Med Center, how can I help?
Absolutely. Hang on one moment.
[bland elevator music playing]
Um… it's a waste of time.
[scoffs] It is not a waste of time.
These studies are from leading minds
in alternative cancer research
throughout Europe and Asia.
We both know
what "alternative" means, Wally.
It means non-Western.
It doesn't mean invalid.
These treatments have all been debunked.
Just like the apricot seeds
and the hypnosis you insisted we try.
Miracle cures aren't real.
Well, miracles are all I got.
What's your oncologist in Santa Fe say?
- Haven't talked to him yet.
- Why not?
He stopped returning my calls.
Wally, you're a doctor.
- Yeah.
- Probably better than I'll ever be.
Yeah.
A patient comes to me. He's in his 60s.
Early 60s.
Has stage-four prostate cancer.
He's tried surgery, radiation,
chemo, even proton beam therapy.
Nothing's worked.
And now the cancer's spread to his liver.
What would you tell him?
I'd tell him to try the apricot seeds.
[Renee] All right.
Come on, everybody. With me. Let's go.
[woman grousing]
[Renee] All right, here we go. Come on.
- [woman] Jesus.
- [Renee] Get… Keep up. Paul.
- Can I help you?
- [Renee] Betty.
Come here. Tell this man
what you told me at Pilates class.
My granddaughter bought me a chess set,
which she should not have done
because her Greek husband
just got laid off from his job.
And I know it cost her a pretty penny.
- But she is the sweetest girl. Let me--
- [Renee] Betty.
Tell him about your missing chess pieces.
My chess pieces are missing.
[Renee] Her quartz chess pieces, right?
Just like the quartz jewelry
missing from my classroom.
Just like the quartz coasters
that vanished from Paul's kitchen.
We all have the same story.
I mean, there is a thief out there
who is stealing our worthless shit.
What are you gonna do?
I guess I, uh, better file a report.
Right. Thank you.
- There is one problem, though.
- Oh, here we go.
Well, if I file this report,
Hank is probably going to fire me,
which means I could starve to death
unless…
you promise to take me to dinner.
I'll take you.
I'm watching you, Betty.
So what do you say?
Fine.
If you get fired.
With candles.
And a nice glass of wine. No Applebee's.
No Applebee's.
- Paz.
- Renee.
Oh, yeah, I remember too.
[tranquil elevator music playing]
Here we go, Edward.
Right here. Okay?
- You want me to stick around?
- No, we're fine.
Okey dokey.
I'll be right over there
if you need anything.
And, uh, do me a favor.
Try not to rile him up.
He's having a good day.
Understood.
You remember me, Edward?
I think so.
You remember my house?
Your house?
Remember what you told me
about the owl in the walls?
Here's your coffee!
Two vanilla lattes.
- One with oat milk and one regular.
- No, I didn't--
Enjoy.
Vanilla's my favorite.
[woman] Here's your coffee.
I need you to focus, Edward.
I need you to tell me about the owl.
You ready to go, champ?
Go? Where are we going?
To the park, Joey.
No, I'm not Joey. I'm Sam.
It's a good day to fly a kite.
Focus, Edward.
I need you to tell me
about the owl in the walls.
Where's your kite?
How are you gonna fly a kite
without a kite?
[sputtering] There's no kite.
There's no park.
I'm not Joey. I'm Sam.
Sam, dammit.
Ju… I need you to tell me
about the owl in the wall.
Vanilla's my favorite.
[Sam] Look, Dad.
I found my kite.
That's a beaut, Joey.
Why don't you take it?
You can hold it so I don't lose it again.
I'll put it with the others
till we can take it for a proper spin.
Kites are made to be flown.
Sure thing, Dad.
You're not Joey, are ya?
I'm afraid not.
You're the one looking for the owl.
That's right.
[intriguing music playing]
I caught one.
[ominous music swells]
You did?
- I locked it up.
- Where?
You need the key.
Key? What key?
The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light…
Okay, Edward. Time to go to your room.
You had to rile him up, didn't you?
- The owl is in the walls…
- Okay.
The key's in the light…
Okay. We're going back
to your room, Edward.
[Edward] The key's in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
- [orderly] Okay.
- The key's in the light.
- [orderly] We're going back.
- But the owl is in the walls.
[Edward] The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light,
and the owl is in the walls.
The key is in the light.
The owl is in the walls…
[intriguing music playing]
[bird trilling overhead]
[bird caws]
Hey, Brooksy.
You been keeping an eye on my mushrooms?
[chuckles]
All right. Come on.
There you go. You earned it.
Good. That's it.
Jack died last night.
[Brooksy caws]
That's right.
The guy who'd been fucking my wife.
I guess I should be glad that he's dead.
[caws]
But I'm not.
I looked the other way, Brooks.
Looked the other way for a long time.
Because if I didn't,
I was afraid she might leave.
But when I saw her face this morning…
Huh.
She wasn't sad.
Her heart was broken.
[caws]
I knew she was sleeping with him.
And now I'm afraid
that maybe she loved him too.
Hmm.
You know what
a psychopomp is, Brooks, hmm?
You ever heard that before?
Some cultures believe
that's what you crows are, psychopomps.
Spectral beings
who escort the souls of the dead
to their… eternal rest.
Maybe you are.
I don't know.
But if you happen to see Jack out there…
take him someplace nice.
["Stormy Weather" by Etta James playing]
[soulful jazz ballad playing]
Don't know why ♪
There's no sun up in the sky ♪
Stormy weather ♪
[tires skid, horn honks]
Since my man and I ain't together ♪
[water aerobics instructor]
Left, right, left, right…
Keeps raining all of the time ♪
Oh, yeah ♪
Life is bare ♪
Gloom and misery everywhere ♪
Stormy weather… ♪
[woman] Make a dip, Francine.
That's something you can do.
Make a dip, Francine,
but leave the potato salad to the pros!
She almost entirely ruined…
Oh, I'm weary all of the time ♪
Yeah ♪
[song trails off]
[aching, delicate music playing]
[tinny classical music
playing in background]
- Is this memory foam?
- [salesman] I think so.
Your one comes with Bluetooth speakers.
You know what that means.
What?
I could be your afterlife DJ.
Oh, please.
No Phoebe Bridgers.
That mumbling is so depressing.
I'm sorry. I don't take requests.
So… what do you think, Renee?
Um, I think you're gonna lie
in a few more coffins
and complain
that that one's too "Bela Lugosi"
and, "Oh, that one's mahogany,
and mahogany reminds me
of my stepdad's study."
And we're gonna waste
half of our afternoon
until I drag you out of there
and across the street for a Manhattan.
Just like the last five times.
[Wally] Hmm.
I'll take it.
I'll get the paperwork.
- What are we doing?
- Oh!
You know my love of memory foam.
Uh-huh.
And Bluetooth in general.
You had a doctor's appointment
this morning. What happened?
Nothing happened.
I still have terminal cancer,
which, by its very definition,
is gonna kill me.
I can't keep hoping for a miracle
that isn't gonna come.
I'm tired, Renee.
I'm tired.
I'm tired of the prodding,
the poking,
and being stuffed
full of pills that don't work.
Don't do anything except make me tired
and somehow keep me up all night.
[sighs heavily]
Dying is banal.
Whatever time I have left,
I want to fill it
with nothing but cocktails
and chaos.
All right.
First round's on you.
You cheap bitch.
[Wally yelps, gasps]
[breathing shakily]
[intriguing music playing]
Oh shit.
Shit.
Sam.
Judy.
How you doing?
I… I just wanted to make sure you knew
that there was a memorial
for Jack tonight.
It's eight o'clock at Señor Cocinas.
- The place with the big sombrero.
- I'll be there. Thanks.
I understand that you were with Jack when…
In his final moments.
Yeah, that's right.
Did he suffer?
No.
So it was peaceful?
Yeah.
Good.
Yeah, uh, I know you two were close.
Everybody loved Jack.
Me too.
Well, I'll…
I'll see you at the memorial.
I almost forgot.
Is this your hammer?
Yeah.
Yeah, I used it
to break Jack's window to get in.
I must have left it inside
after I found his body.
You found Jack dead?
You said he died peacefully.
Well… No… Well, he looked peaceful.
He went in his sleep.
You know, by the time I got there,
he was gone.
I see.
Well, I'm sorry, but I… I gotta pee.
My bladder's not what it used to be.
I'll see you at the memorial, okay?
[spirited, inquisitive music playing]
"The key's in the light."
[music swells, trails off]
[Paz] What's this?
[Hank] One quartz thief.
Signed, sealed, delivered.
- This guy?
- Yeah.
I made some phone calls
after you filed that police report
I specifically asked you not to file,
but that's cool.
Called a buddy in Albuquerque PD.
Turns out they pulled this guy over
on Thursday
for driving with expired tags.
And guess what they found in his trunk?
Eighty pounds of non-precious gemstones,
including quartz jewelry and chess pieces.
Yeah. Guy's a total freak klepto.
He had all kinds of crazy shit.
They found six boxes
of those dancing dashboard hula girls.
[Hank chuckles]
So when can they have their stuff back?
What stuff?
Their stuff. Betty's chess pieces.
Renee's stones.
When can they have them?
They can't.
It's evidence now.
Well, maybe you can call your buddy who--
Kid, you got your win.
So strike up the mariachis
and call it a day.
We're done with this, amigo. All right?
[eerie, mysterious music playing]
[indistinct clattering]
[phone ringing]
Oh. [chuckles]
Hi, honey.
Everything's fine.
I've just spent the last two hours
ripping out every light in the house,
looking for evidence of a monster.
[phone continues ringing]
Why? Well, because a man with dementia
gave me a clue while he was drinking yarn.
So… I'm doing fine.
[phone stops ringing]
Nothing to worry about.
[intriguing, mysterious music playing]
Edward.
This guy looks like someone Charles Manson
would describe as "a little much."
Hank says he's the one
who's been stealing all the quartz.
But?
But Hank is full of shit.
I called the Albuquerque PD.
Now, they did arrest this guy,
but they didn't find any of your stuff
in his possession, or anyone else's.
No quartz at all.
So why would Hank lie?
Because he's lazy.
If there's a real thief,
he has to do real work.
Right, right, right.
So… I guess that leaves it up to us.
You read my mind.
Four cameras,
2K remote accessible surveillance system.
Perfect for catching thieves.
And all this is just for one dinner?
Absolutely.
And because fuck Hank.
Fuck Hank.
["Ex-Factor" by Lauryn Hill
playing faintly]
Here's some useless trivia for you.
Lauryn Hill samples Streisand's
"The Way We Were" in this song.
Well, technically,
it's Gladys Knight's cover
by way of Wu-Tang Clan's
"Can It Be All So Simple."
But wait, you like Barbra Streisand?
She's a national treasure.
Do you know the song "Barbra Streisand"
by Duck Sauce?
I know Duck Sauce.
I opened for Duck Sauce.
Wait, you're in a band?
I'm a drummer.
I've been in six bands.
Two were pretty good.
- You play?
- I was a manager.
You're a suit.
Oh, never trust a suit.
- I'm retired now.
- [groans playfully]
No, once a suit, always a suit.
Could be worse.
I could be a drummer.
[chuckles] That hurts.
- Do you want to hear a joke?
- No.
What do you call a guy
who hangs around a bunch of musicians?
Don't say it.
A drummer.
That's cold.
Well, I am a suit.
[rhythmic whooshing]
What you got there, buddy? Hmm?
Brooksy?
[cawing]
What's this? What do you got here?
Bottle cap.
Huh. What is this?
Frostie Root Beer.
[laughs] I don't think
I have that one yet.
- [hideous yowling]
- What the hell was that?
[frantic cawing]
Brooksy!
Stop!
Brooks! Don't!
Brooks.
Stop!
Brooksy, what's wrong?
[caws piteously]
Brooks!
[roof creaking]
[ominous music playing]
[distant cawing growing louder]
[mysterious, foreboding music playing]
[wondrous music playing]
[eerie, distressing music playing]
Whoa! Oh!
[music trailing off]
Fuck.
[suspenseful music playing]
[suspenseful music intensifying]
Fuck! Fuck.
Come on, come on.
Good job, Edward.
You caught one.
Hello, can I help you?
Oh, Mr. Cooper!
Hello!
I'm not sure if you remember me.
I remember you.
Oh, yay.
Well, I heard about Jack.
Uh, the EMT report said
it was a heart attack, right?
- Yeah.
- Such a shame.
As your transition manager,
I wouldn't be doing my job
if I didn't check in on you.
I'm fine.
I doubt that very much, Mr. Cooper.
You suffered two traumas in a week.
First the attack, then Jack's death.
Trauma has a way of rewiring
our body's natural responses.
Sometimes people experience
confusion, agitation, disassociation…
That sounds like getting old.
- Aging isn't trauma, Mr. Cooper.
- No?
Call me when you don't recognize
the wrinkled face
staring at you in the mirror.
- [man 1] Oh, gee, Mr. Mushnik.
- What, Mr. Mushnik?
I don't want you should call me
Mr. Mushnik anymore.
I want you should call me Dad.
[woman] Isn't that beautiful?
[Mr. Mushnik] Seymour Krelborn,
come over here, my son.
- [eerie warbling]
- I want to talk on you about the future.
I am building for you a giant greenhouse
in which you are making
impossible flowers,
which, in turn, I am selling…
Do you see that big sign in the sky?
It is saying "Gravis Mushnik" in French.
- [woman] Isn't it exciting?
- [eerie music rises]
[music swells, trails off]
[man] Thank you all for coming.
I know we all want
to share our favorite memories of Jack.
But first off,
I would like to introduce the man on top.
It is a real testament
to Jack's popularity
that he made time in his busy schedule
to come out and honor Jack with us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the CEO of The Boroughs, Blaine Shaw.
Thanks, folks. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You know, I remember when I was about 13,
I used to rush home every day after school
to watch Jack do the weather
on channel 4, live at 5:00.
He was… He was our local boy made good.
And I remember Jack saying
that in every life,
a little rain must fall.
Jack never said that.
Should've been rushing home
to masturbate like the rest of us.
Guys, can you keep it down?
- Oh, sorry, dear.
- Sorry, of course.
[Blaine] …also know that I'm gonna carry
his memory with me the rest of my days.
So… thanks, Jack.
Appreciate it.
Wow.
Thank you, Mr. Shaw,
for those lovely words.
You know,
life is a series of strikes and gutters…
Oh, God. Where's Art?
I need to get very high, very fast.
Oh, ye of little faith.
- You think I wouldn't come prepared?
- My hero.
[Dave] That's why we're all here
to celebrate his life.
It's watermelon kush.
This is your favorite.
- It's good, right?
- Hey, guys. Seriously.
Sorry, do you want some?
No, what I want is for you to be quiet.
- Okay. We'll be quiet.
- Oh, sorry.
And now I would like
to introduce to you a very,
very special friend of Jack's.
[mourner wolf-whistles]
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Toni.
[instrumental arrangement of
"Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree playing]
[bold, upbeat soft rock playing]
Come on and hold me ♪
Just like you told me ♪
And show me ♪
What I want to know… ♪
- Wally, I need to speak with you.
- I can't talk.
No, you're a doctor, right?
- No. After the memorial.
- There's something I need you to see.
Jesus!
Shut up!
Steal… ♪
[mourners murmuring]
What was that?
No clue.
[dissonant, chittering whispers]
[whispers fade away]
Got a light?
I don't smoke.
Me either.
At least, according to my husband.
He's a worrywart.
Your secret's safe with me.
Thank you.
Do you two get to a lot of these?
The price you pay
for living in The Boroughs.
Sometimes I feel like it's…
It's too much.
Because sometimes it is.
Sometimes
you feel like you're going to explode.
[enigmatic music playing]
So I put it out there in the desert.
The desert can hold it all.
Well, I should get back inside.
Have a good night.
You too, honey.
[mysterious, intriguing music playing]
[Judy, muffled] Art. Art!
[muffled] Judy!
- [hearing aid whining]
- You would not believe what I saw.
[tinnily] Where were you?
What?
[clearly] Jack's memorial.
You don't understand.
I saw something today I cannot explain.
There were thousands, thousands of crows!
They just filled the sky!
And then suddenly, bam!
I did it!
I glimpsed the divine.
How high are you?
It… It was real.
Okay, I just…
I can't do it tonight.
Judy, I'm trying to tell you something.
[soft, aching music playing]
[Judy breathing raggedly]
What happened to your house?
I had a problem with the lights.
It looks a lot worse than it is.
Well, it looks like shit.
Uh, remember, if you kill me,
it's considered a hate crime.
This phenomenon…
I don't know what else to call it.
I stumbled across it a couple hours ago.
I've been running tests ever since, but…
I'm an engineer. You're a doctor.
Maybe you can tell me
what the hell I'm looking at.
What is that?
The blood of the creature
that killed Jack.
The what?
The… I know how it sounds.
Like you've lost your mind.
[eerie, cryptic music playing]
That's what I'm afraid of.
Show me.
- Goggles.
- Goggles?
[Sam] Yeah.
- And turn out the light.
- [Wally] Turn out the light?
…on any one of our three…
- Now we take cover.
- [Wally] Why?
Sam, why are we taking cover?
Shh!
- When's the last time you slept?
- Just watch.
Check out any one
of our dozens of classes.
There's always something… in The Boroughs…
[audio glitching, repeating]
…something to do in The Boroughs…
[mysterious music building]
Huh.
[mysterious music intensifying]
Get down!
[high-pitched ringing]
[wondrous music playing]
You see it, right?
Yes. I see it.
What is it?
A miracle.
[music trails off]
[intriguing, mysterious
outro music playing]