Murdaugh: Death In The Family (2025) s01e05 Episode Script

1
We wanna do right by y'all.
[Bruce Dinwiddie] Catalyst
Insurance Company is awarding 3.8
- Million dollars, bo!
- [all laugh]
[gasps]
- Are you seeing her again?
- I mean, I feel like shit.
No, I'm not fucking
seeing her, okay, Mags?
They're runnin' a story tomorrow
on your underage alcohol charge.
I thought that was all cleared
from his record.
- They need to pay.
- Ten million.
- We're not pulling nothin'.
- [Alex Murdaugh] Bo, you can pull this.
I'm filing a motion to compel
all your financial records.
You really want Mark Tinsley
poking around, asking questions?
[Will Folks] Stephen Smith, 2015
hit-and-run case you've been chasin'?
My source finally came through.
[Todd Proctor] Buster Murdaugh
is definitely on our radar to talk to.
So why didn't they?
[laughter and chatter]
[Sandy Smith]
Ready or not, here I come!
[Stephanie Smith] Wait, what ya mean?
Wait.
And Stephen says, he says,
"Try this new biscuit I made."
- [Stephanie] No! Mama, you didn't eat it.
- [laughs]
- I had one too.
- You did not.
- It was for his damn cat.
- She's my little sweetheart.
She deserves to eat organic.
- Me or the cat?
- Well, Mama, of course, the cat.
[laughing] I knew it! I knew it!
- Mama, I'm sorry.
- It's all right. It's all right.
Where's the party tonight?
Beaufort.
So
how's your mystery man?
I said I wouldn't kiss and tell.
But he is taking me fishing in Key West.
Oh.
Wow.
Maybe I'll catch a big one.
- Okay, gross.
- [laughs]
- I had to.
- No, you didn't!
- Low-hanging fruit.
- No! What? Ew!
[upbeat dance music playing]
[giggles]
[Stephen] You little liar!
Okay, I lied to myself,
but I will study all tomorrow.
You better not make me
become a doctor without you.
I won't. I won't, I promise.
And I look so cute. Come on.
[lighter clicking]
[upbeat dance music playing faintly]
[camera shutter clicks]
Whoo-ooh!
Crown boy?
Prince.
Is he really royalty?
He is to me.
[chuckles]
As long as he treats you well.
[vehicle engine revving]
He does his best.
Fags! Whoo-ho-ho!
Asshole!
Stupid rednecks.
Okay, put me to work, Mama.
What are we doin'?
[Maggie Murdaugh]
Hey! Here, will you hold this?
[Buster Murdaugh] All right, that's easy.
- [laughs]
- Mom, it looks amazing.
You really did all this on your own?
Well, "on my own,"
kind of my middle name.
You know it means the world
to your granddaddy
that you're here this weekend
for all this hoopla.
I was worried that you're gonna be
too busy with your finals.
Nah, I-I got a good handle on everything.
Hmm, good.
How's Brooklynn?
Oh, she's good.
Takin' good care of me.
Well, that must be nice.
- You doing okay?
- [Maggie] Fine.
It sure is good to have you home.
[chuckles] I appreciate the company.
[brakes squeal]
Did you order something?
No. No, I'll check on it.
What's up, man?
I got an order for "Joor"?
I don't think that's us, man.
For Joor Ba
The order's for Joor Balls.
Yeah, did you come up
with that one on your own, man?
That was my brother, man.
I'm sorry about that.
Here, I'll take 'em.
- Sheesh, man.
- Thank you.
[Paul Murdaugh]
Are you telling me if you have a cat
and you die in the fuckin' house,
the cat will eat you?
I swear it will eat you. If you die,
your cats will eat you, I swear.
[Rogan] No, Mee.
It's gotta be a certain type of cat?
- I'd like to see it fuckin' try.
- [Miles] I read it in a comment section.
All right, I got one pizza
for each of the Balls boys.
- [all laughing]
- Big City Buster! What's up, baby?
[Miles] Hey, Buster.
What's up, man? How you doin'?
- [sniffs] What do ya got?
- Yo, heads up!
- Jesus Christ, bo.
- [Paul] Fuck!
- [Rogan] Damn! Shit.
- How am I supposed to drink that?
- Don't waste it. Come on.
- God bless.
How's law school?
Yeah, you laying it down,
arresting criminals and shit?
That's not how it works, dumbass.
Yo, we still huntin' tomorrow?
Are you still huntin' tomorrow?
You ain't gonna be up for that shit.
Man, fuck you. I'll be up.
I'll be up. I'll be so fucking up.
- Oh, yeah? Look out.
- [Paul] Yeah.
Hey, you better watch out, bo!
I'm about to murder your kill streak.
- [Paul] Fuck you. Fuck you.
- Come on! Boom, baby!
Fuck you! Fuck you, bo!
Fuck this fuckin' shit.
- Shitcan. You saw that.
- [notification pings]
[Paul] Fuck him up, bro.
Fuck him up, cheatin' ass.
Can we finish
the fucking game for once?
- Yo.
- [Rogan] Too easy, man.
- Yo, Buster. It's you.
- Yeah?
Talking about Stephen Smith, dude.
Those rumors you had
something to do with it.
- Yeah, let me see that.
- [Miles] It's that FITSNews website.
- Look at that.
- [Rogan] That was, like, years ago.
What?
Guess we both famous now, bo.
Yeah, you should arrest
this bitch who wrote
Shut the fuck up, Miles.
[foreboding music playing]
Hi, I was hoping
that you could help me, yes.
Um, I was just trying
to use my card in the store and the
The checkout girl told me
that my card was declined.
She even tried a couple times.
I'm not the account holder.
It's my husband, Alec Murdaugh.
Wait, sorry, can you hold on a second?
Bus, baby, I'm on the other line.
Article says what?
No, baby, don't you
Hey, is your daddy home yet?
[Alex sighs softly]
[phone rings]
[sighs]
What?
[Annette] [on phone] You said
to tell you when Billy was leaving.
- Oh, shit.
- [receiver bangs]
[softly] Fuckin' dammit.
Hey, Billy.
[Billy Anderson] What's up, bo?
Just
Did you, uh
Did you talk to Judge Hall?
[inhales sharply]
No. No.
- Jesus, Billy.
- Hold on a second.
Look, I-I get wantin' a quick answer
on setting this Tinsley hearing, I do.
But we gotta give Hall time to decide.
Now, he's not a man
who takes kindly to a lot of pressure.
I'm gonna call him, Billy.
We need to meet.
I wouldn't do that.
He needs to understand
that Tinsley's overreaching on this.
I mean, trying to compel
my fucking finances?
All my bank records?
He's way beyond the normal scope
of a suit like this.
I know, I know. I know.
[sighs]
Listen, we just gotta give him
a minute, all right?
I know him. He's a reasonable guy.
- But if you push
- Five minutes, bo.
- ain't gonna get the outcome
- Come on, five minutes.
Me and Judge Hall face to face,
ASAP, that's all I'm askin'.
All right, I'll see what I can do.
That'll be good.
I appreciate you, bo, I do.
- All right, bud.
- All right, you get after it.
[sighs] Done, Red. Done.
[dogs barking]
[door latch clicks, door opens]
[door closes]
[Maggie] Oh, it's hot out there.
[Buster] Need some help?
Put that down.
That is not worth your time.
I tried calling Dad about it.
He didn't pick up.
Well, you know, sometimes
he gets caught up at the office.
[sighs]
Is that your eczema?
It's just a little bit. It's fine.
Did you forget to take your medicine?
I take it when I remember.
[clicks tongue] Well, I know
that you're busy with school.
I get it.
That's more reason for you to take that.
- I know.
- All of that stress.
It's harder than I thought it would be.
You are as good as the best
and better than the rest,
and don't you forget it.
[inhales deeply]
I think it's this Stephen Smith stuff
coming up again.
[sighs] Sweetie.
You know all those nasty rumors
came up when that sweet boy died.
[can hisses open]
But we managed to get through it,
didn't we?
Yeah, well, no one was writing articles
back then sayin' we were together
and that I had something to do
with his death.
I just don't want to be
another burden on y'all. I'm sorry.
Hey, no, no!
You're never a burden.
Never, okay?
Your daddy and I, we will manage this.
I don't think y'all can.
Once something like that's out there,
it's not goin' away.
[Maggie] I know.
Look, believe me.
Look no further than how everyone
turned their back on your brother.
But you, uh-uh.
They cannot take you down.
You, hold your head up.
Hmm?
You know I could never
do anything like that, right?
Yes, I know that.
Honey, I'm your mama. I know your heart.
You're good.
Okay?
Hmm.
- Hello.
- [keys clacking]
Sign in.
[faint clattering]
[door closes]
[clattering continues]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
[sighs] Alec.
[Alex] Hey, baby.
[Maggie] Are you drunk?
- [TV announcer] Breaking ball
- [mouth full] Want a taco?
Where have you been
that you couldn't answer one text?
Want a taco?
What? Do you have any idea
what is going on with Buster?
With that woman's story? Huh?
Which woman's story?
[Maggie] What is going on with you?
Hey, you know that my credit card
was declined today?
You have any idea about that? Huh?
Uh-uh, of course not.
I want a drink. [grunts]
I need a drink.
Oh!
- Christ's sakes.
- Baby, come on.
Why don't you just come back here
and fuckin' sit
Oh, fuck me, man.
[TV announcer continues]
[glass clatters]
Baby, come and sit down next to me, okay?
Come on, baby.
Come on and give big daddy a cuddle.
Oh, my God.
Where's my phone
[mumbles indistinctly]
[foreboding music playing]
[belches, mumbles]
[coughing] Just a little bit, baby.
[mumbles]
[cheering on TV]
[mumbling]
[bucket banging]
[groans]
[Maggie] You know what this is? A bucket.
[bucket clangs]
When you have to throw up,
throw up in there.
Not on my couch and not on this rug.
- [Alex mumbles]
- [sighs] Oh, God.
[snoring softly]
[birds chirping]
[hip-hop music playing faintly]
[Paul vocalizing with music]
Mm. Yeah, mm.
Mm, mm!
Mm-hm! Mm.
- [hip-hop music playing continuous]
- Yeah, yeah.
Can you turn that shit off, bo?
- Oh, you mean this?
- [raises volume]
[vocalizing]
[Buster] Fuck you, man.
Yeah, yeah!
[hip-hop music continues]
You never were
that good of a shot, anyway.
For the love of God, Paul, shut up!
[laughs] Oh!
You better get some thicker skin, bo.
You gotta get used
to people hatin' on you like I had to.
Yeah, well, I'm not like you,
so I don't plan on gettin' used to that.
Yeah, right, it's not like we're related
or dealin' with the same shit or anything.
Yeah, except I didn't
actually do anything, Paul!
All right? All this is happening
because of your bullshit.
You really think that anybody
would give two fucks
what happened to Stephen Smith
six years ago
if you hadn't turned our family
into some fuckin' clickbait joke show?
You want to say some shit to me?
Try "sorry."
See how it fuckin' sounds.
[Genevieve] We were the same age,
but I guess I always
looked up to Stephen.
He was always himself, you know?
No apologies.
And he could be private,
but he was honest.
He saw people for who they were.
I wish I saw things as clearly as him.
I appreciate y'all bein' here.
You know, sharing your stories
and your pictures.
And I just can't tell you
what it means to my family
'cause it's been six years of no answers.
But this girl right here,
her article about Stephen's murder
is already shining a light on his case.
And it's why we're here
remembering Stephen today.
[chuckles] Mandy.
Mandy, honey, get on up here.
Tell these fine folks about yourself.
Come on.
Come on here.
[clears throat]
Um, I don't really talk
about this a lot, but I, um
I lost my brother Michael
when I was a kid.
So I guess all I want to do is
Is try to
to help people.
Try to help them get answers
where it might seem like
there just aren't any.
But
it's not about me.
This is about Stephen and his memory,
and us trying to get to the bottom
of what really happened to him.
[applause]
I'm so, so sorry.
- Mandy, can you talk for a minute?
- Yeah?
Oh yeah, sure. I'll be right back.
Thanks.
The Prince? That's what he called him?
Stephen kept him a secret.
Said he had to protect him.
And Stephen, he never said this prince
was from school or work or
No, he was He was just the Prince.
[sighs] A couple months
before the accident,
Stephen asked me
to drop him outside Seabrook.
Said they were meeting up,
had me leave him at the corner.
But I saw Stephen walk up to a house
at the end of the cul-de-sac.
And you think it was the Prince's house?
It could've been a party
they were meeting at,
or maybe someone letting them use
their house for a hookup, I don't know.
And Buster Murdaugh,
did that name ever come up at all?
Stephen was very secretive.
Never used a name.
I don't know.
We'll make sure the police
get your statement
because it might help reopen the case.
Yeah, I told the police.
Back when Stephen died,
I told them everything.
Oh, I never saw it in the case file.
Yeah, 'cause no one gives a shit
when someone like me or Stephen
gets killed around here.
Good morning.
I just need to get coffee first.
No, no, you know what,
we don't have time for that.
Baby, I Please.
Alec, let's go.
[scoffs] Your brother came by an hour ago
and picked up the float for the festival
so we can celebrate your father today.
Listen, um
last night
I was not at my best, all right?
No, you were not.
No, I know.
Yeah, I thought you were busy
at the office with this case.
But no, mm.
That man on my couch
- I know.
- Oh, no.
I just I mean, fuckin' Mark Tinsley's
just making this whole goddamn thing
a lot harder than it needs to be.
That won't happen again, okay?
I'm just It's it's
been a crazy week.
Oh, it's so crazy that you,
you can't pick up the phone
when your son needs you?
When I need you?
That story about Buster,
we're gonna make that go away.
Well, then do it!
- I will. It's gonna take a minute.
- Well, everything takes a minute.
It just does, okay? Jesus fuckin' Christ!
[sighs]
Everything's a fuckin' emergency now?
- You know what? Fuck my fuckin' coffee.
- No, no, Alec, Alec.
- Let's just fuckin' get in the car and go.
- Hey.
- What?
- [softly] Hey.
I love you.
[Alex breathing heavily]
Baby, your sons love you.
Please, please,
please pull yourself together.
I will.
I will, I promise.
You swear?
I will.
Let's go, all right?
Don't keep Daddy waiting.
Six days I've been asleep ♪
I need a break, a beer,
I'm gettin' out of here ♪
Thank God
this week is finally through ♪
My buddies got a head start,
I know right where they are ♪
Gotta get a-movin',
got some catchin' up to do ♪
I've got a 40-hour weekend ♪
Ain't no time for sleepin' ♪
I swear, if I get one more message
Brooklynn, the shit that people's
been saying online.
[Brooklynn] [on phone]
Don't look at it, baby.
Yeah, I know. I know.
It's not worth
getting caught up in all that.
I gotta get out of Hampton.
[Brooklynn]
Can you just come home?
Yeah, I will, as soon as I'm done
with this dumbass parade thing
for Granddaddy.
[Brooklynn] How did your mom and dad
take the news about school?
Please tell me you told them.
I I haven't told them.
- [Brooklynn] Babe
- Look, I can't right now, okay?
There's kind of a lot going on down here.
It's like Paul did this dumbass thing,
now we're all fuckin' cursed.
[Brooklynn] Babe
Sorry.
[Brooklynn]
You have to tell them about school, okay?
I'm sorry about the story.
I know it's a lot.
You believe me, don't you?
I mean, about the
About all this Stephen stuff?
[Brooklynn]
Of course, I do.
He was just a kid at school.
Brooklynn, I
I mean, we played Little League together.
I didn't We
We never
[Brooklynn] Buster, I believe you.
Just do what you need to and get home.
Yeah, all right.
[Maggie] So just take them
on the other side and do the same thing.
They said we gotta start and get this
show on the road in 10 minutes, Maggie.
[Maggie] Alrighty.
Where in the hell are those boys?
Maggie.
Huh?
Where's Bus and Paul?
[sighs] They're on their way.
They'll be here.
[groans]
[Christy] I got people I know
sendin' me the article
askin' me if Buster's a murderer.
[Elizabeth] All the shit
that those boys get away with?
She's had her hands full
with you-know-who all these years.
[scoffs] Hard to have energy
to mind your babies
when you're married to one.
[Elizabeth] Randy thinks
he's actin' real funny lately.
[muttering]
[Buster] Sorry, I couldn't find a spot.
[Randy Murdaugh] Hey, Alec on his way?
[sighs] He said something urgent came up.
He had me drop him at the office.
Buster boy, where's Paul Terry?
Supposed to be all
the grandkids up here.
Just grabbing a drink. He's coming.
Baby, can you go find your brother?
He can get himself over here.
Go find your brother.
Your granddaddy's gonna have a stroke.
All right. Okay.
Thank you, baby.
- Billy.
- Alec.
[Alex] Hell, I'm sorry
to keep you boys waitin'.
It's a wild, wild world out there,
ain't it?
It's an honor to meet you, sir.
Alec Murdaugh. A real pleasure.
- Alec
- [Alex] I appreciate you takin' the time
to talk to me for a minute.
I want to make sure
you got all the facts.
- Alec.
- Hold on, Billy.
In all my years as a
as a personal injury lawyer,
I've never heard of someone
wanting to compel
complete and total access
to bank records in a lawsuit like this.
I mean, maybe a financial
net worth statement, maybe.
- Maybe on a good day. But listen
- Mr. Anderson, Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Anderson,
I think I've made myself clear.
- I think we're just What?
- Alec. Alec.
The judge has already decided
to proceed with the hearing.
- But I haven't
- He's already decided to proceed!
- I have.
- But you haven't all
There's gonna be a hearing
on the motion to compel
your finances on June 10th.
Okay? You got that? Now
Yeah. June 10th.
Now I'm sorry,
but I'm with my family here,
so if you don't mind.
- Yeah, yeah
- Will you excuse me?
Thank you, Judge. Our apologies.
Look, Alec, I don't mean to pry
because a man's certainly
entitled to his privacy.
But if you did have to let them
look at the bank records,
I mean, you know,
I mean, would it really be
the end of the world?
[indistinct chatter]
- [bell clanging]
- Whoo! Yeah!
Hell yeah, bo! You see that?
That's what I'm talkin' about.
All right. All right.
What prize do I get, huh? Huh?
Actually, matter of fact
what prize you had your eye on, huh?
A unicorn? Shark?
You should have been the one to drown,
you piece of shit.
- What?
- You heard me.
Hey, let's go.
- Come on.
- No, I'll Hold on.
No, I want I want my prize.
I want my fuckin' prize.
- Come on.
- I earned that shit. You saw that.
- I earned that shit!
- We gotta get on the float. Come here!
Oh. Look around, bo.
These people don't want us here no more.
[object clatters]
- [people chattering]
- [faint festival music playing]
He knew Daddy was
waiting for this moment.
He's not answering my calls.
They're not answering either.
Oh. Hey, where's Paul?
- He's not coming.
- What do you mean?
There he is. Buster, come on up.
He's just not coming, all right?
Buster, where's Paw-Paw at?
I couldn't find him, Granddaddy.
I'm here, though.
[Randolph] Well, time is a-tickin', son.
Come on up here.
Okay, come on, come on. Let's go.
[Genevieve]
Buster Murdaugh killed Stephen!
So no, this ain't right!
What? We supposed to be okay with this?
Buster, get your ass up here now.
Come on.
[John Marvin Murdaugh] Excuse me, miss.
This is not the time for this now.
- No, y'all know it's true.
- Show some respect.
Oh, respect?
Respect like the respect
they showed to my friend Stephen, right?
- This is not the place now.
- [Randolph] Buster, get your ass up here.
- This is not appropriate, ma'am.
- [Randolph] Come on, Buster.
- Buster, get your ass up here. Now!
- [Genevieve] No!
Y'all Murdaughs think
y'all above the law, is that it?
- Don't pay no attention to them, son.
- [Genevieve] Is that it?
Just a bunch of cackling hens.
Now come on.
[Genevieve]
You were his prince, right? Admit it.
You think you can get away
with what you did?
- [bystander] Yeah, they killed Mallory!
- [Randolph] Come on up.
[dramatic music playing]
Buster.
Go. You don't have to stay.
- It's okay. It's okay.
- [Randolph] Buster.
- [Maggie] Randy!
- Buster!
Goddamn it.
["Hang Down Your Head"
by Danny Farrant playing]
[indistinct chatter]
Hang down your head
now what have you done ♪
Hang down your head and cry ♪
Hang down your head
now what have you done ♪
It's time to say good-bye ♪
Hang down your head
now what have you done ♪
Hang down your head and cry ♪
Whoa! You snuck up on me.
[chuckles] Get out of here. Sheesh.
Hang down your head
now what have you done ♪
- Mr. Alec.
- [Alex] Whoa, there's Tony Satterfield!
Hey, Mr. Alec. Hey, good to see you.
Did you get my message
about the settlement money?
You know, no. No, I didn't.
But don't you worry none, okay?
- Okay.
- I-I'm gonna stay on it.
- I don't want to pester you, sir.
- You know I will.
You ain't pestering.
Hey, Alec.
Oh.
You tryin' to make an enemy
of my family, bo?
- This ain't the time. This ain't the time.
- Huh? This ain't the time?
- No. You really want to do this here?
- You think this is a fuckin' joke?
You wanna big-time me
in front of all these people?
Think you're a big-game hero?
- Big-town hero, huh?
- This is a family-friendly event.
- Family-friendly, my ass.
- Why don't you back down.
- Big-game hero?
- Don't do this right now.
- You might need a nap.
- Don't you try me, bo.
- You wanna do it now?
- Don't you try me.
[knocking on door]
- Hi.
- Can I help you?
Oh, um, sorry to bother you.
- Not so loud, please.
- [child] I did it!
Thank you. Sorry about that.
That's totally fine.
Um, hi, I'm Mandy Matney.
I'm a reporter with FITSNews.
And I, I have a few questions.
- For me?
- Yeah, uh, if you don't mind.
Could you just tell me, um,
how long you all
have lived here in this house?
Um, since 2014, I think.
Why?
Do you or your husband
My husband's passed.
Oh, sorry.
Do you happen to know
the name Stephen Smith
or Buster Murdaugh?
No, it doesn't ring a bell.
Um, could you just look at this?
Do you recognize him?
Josh, my husband, he, um
There were parts of him I don't think
he ever knew how to understand.
He tried to control
it, but it ate at him.
The shame, I think.
He couldn't
He took his own life.
[solemn music playing]
I'm so sorry.
[slurps]
[Randy] Hey, little brother.
You okay?
- We've been lookin' for you.
- How was the parade? Was it good?
There was some
unpleasantness with Buster.
Did Maggie call you?
Oh, shit, I must have had
my ringer set to silent.
That article that came out seems like it
stirred things up for people.
Landed pretty hard on Buster today.
Yeah, well, it's been a nuisance,
that's for sure.
Maggie's worried, Alec.
She asked me to step in.
Step in for what?
Asked me to get a cease and desist,
see if we can at least get it taken down.
Maybe a libel suit.
I told her I'm happy to help out
any way I can, but
You should call your wife, brother.
I tell you what big brother.
How's about I take care of my family
and you take care of yours?
I never knew there was any different.
Now you do.
Daddy asked me to come find you.
He wants to talk.
[exhales]
Where is he?
[Randolph] Hmm.
[Alex] Hey, Daddy.
You know, I-I saw you up there on the
On the float. You looked
Looked like a watermelon king.
[chuckles]
I always thought that you would
join us up here on this wall.
[laughs]
I could see it in my
mind's eye, you know.
Randy taking over the firm.
You taking over the solicitorship.
Yeah, well, we done went over
that, Daddy. It wasn't in the cards.
[Randolph] Yeah.
But you always had that charm,
you know, that-that spark.
Just like my daddy did.
Never came easy to me, or your brother.
Come on, you can't say that.
I mean, hell, everybody loves you.
Everybody.
[scoffs] Maybe.
Maybe.
But you, you
You got the gift.
That way with people.
[chuckles] Yes, sir.
[Randolph sighs]
Alec Murdaugh,
solicitor of the 14th circuit.
Had a hell of a ring to it.
I know.
I'm sorry.
Ah, this whole boat crash mess
has just been dragging at you.
Everyone can see it.
Yeah, well
gonna get it sorted.
Randy is gonna take managing partner.
Let you get your house in order.
You know, focus on what's important.
Son
the only cards
that you're playin' with now
is the hand that you dealt yourself.
[sniffles]
[snorts]
[keys jingle]
[clears throat]
[chuckles]
Ah.
Oh, fuck, yes!
Big Red, the big dog!
Get off!
[grunts, groans]
[car engine starts]
[Paul moaning]
[groans]
Is the parade over?
- You okay?
- Yeah.
I fuckin' tripped.
[Paul chuckles]
Come on.
Yeah, I saw.
- You bit it like a fuckin' idiot.
- [laughs]
Come on. I'll give you a ride.
- [insects chirping]
- [frogs croaking]
Hey, you talked to my brother?
- What?
- You.
You runnin' to Randy
asking for fuckin' help?
- What if I did?
- What if you did, huh?
Then you're pathetic, you know that?
- [Maggie] I'm pathetic?
- Fuckin' stupid.
You think I want to?
How do you think it feels
to have to go to my brother-in-law
for what my husband should be doing?
Don't start with me
about what I should be doing.
How do you think it feels, huh?
To watch my son being chased around
and called a murderer by a mob?
No wonder I went to Randy.
I am fuckin' Buster's father, okay!
And I will handle anything,
you fuckin' hear me?
I will handle anything
that needs handling!
Since when, huh?
You've been telling me you're
gonna handle Paul's situation for years!
Now, here we are.
I can't even go to the dollar store
without being humiliated.
That's right.
Yeah, you don't spend enough.
I don't buy you enough shit, huh?
Your bags, your purses.
You can distract yourself,
- but this is about Buster, right?
- Look at you.
What? But don't worry,
Daddy'll take care of it.
- You're a piece of fucking work.
- You know what?
I'm the only one
keeping this family together.
All you fuckin' do is you just sit there
and you just blame and you dish it out
and you, you fuckin' moan
and you groan and you judge.
You're goddamn right, I complain,
and you're goddamn right, I judge.
Look at you.
What kind of man
would let this happen to his family, hmm?
Hmm?
Where are you going, Alec?
[upbeat country music playing on radio]
Wanna slow down?
- [Buster] No.
- [Paul] Just stop the car, man.
- [Buster] Close the door. Paul!
- Oh, jeez
- [Buster] Paul!
- Just hold on!
[upbeat country music continues]
This where they found him? Right?
- Paul, get your ass out of the road.
- [truck horn honking]
- You know how bad this would look? Paul?
- [truck door slams]
- Paul, we can't be here right now.
- Just hold on.
Mall,
Go-Go
and him, they're all dead.
[chuckles softly]
It's like the thing is
I'm dead, too.
What are you talkin' about?
What do you mean, you're dead, too?
[sighs]
You hear me? What do you mean?
What do you mean you're fuckin' dead?
- I don't got a future.
- Come on, man.
No, it's true, bo.
And, honestly,
I don't even damn deserve one.
I got expelled from law school.
Fuckin' what?
Yeah, I cheated on a paper.
Kicked my ass out.
[Paul gasps softly]
Nobody knows except Brooklynn.
So, uh
between that and this
looks like I don't got
much of a future either.
I'm not dead, though.
What the hell, bo?
You felt it though, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, you felt it.
Good.
So you're not fuckin' dead either.
[clicks tongue]
All right.
[scoffs]
What do you think really happened to him?
I don't know, man.
Wish for everybody's sake I did.
[sentimental music playing]
Motherfuckin' Buster cheatin' and shit!
- Shut the hell up, man.
- [laughs] No.
- [laughing]
- Law school's fucking hard.
- Yeah.
- You don't know.
Well, so then don't do it.
Don't do it. You don't
You don't gotta be a lawyer.
You're smart. You can do whatever.
You gonna be okay too, bo.
You are.
Yeah.
- As long as you don't dead-arm me.
- Fuck with me, bitch.
Oh, yeah. Okay.
- You wanna start some shit?
- Yeah, I'll start some shit.
- I'll choke you, son.
- Come on, you don't want this.
- Don't fucking choke me.
- All right.
Get your ass in the truck.
Come on. Get in.
[truck door closes]
[Maggie inhales deeply, sighs]
[siren wailing distantly]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music playing]
[crying] Hey!
[menacing music playing]
[gasps]
[inaudible]
[breathing heavily]
[birds tweeting]
[insects chirruping]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Maggie] [whispering] Bubba, come.
- Hey, come here, buddy.
- [dogs barking]
Yeah, yeah. Oh, come here.
Come here. Come here.
Hey, hey.
[chuckles]
[dog barking]
Mama, you see that?
Trying to teach him how to fetch.
Paul, I'm going to Edisto.
You should come with me.
What? I'm starting work
with Uncle John on Monday.
I don't have time to get into this.
This is important.
You need to come with me.
- You need to come with me.
- [Paul] What? What's goin' on?
- [Maggie gasps]
- Mama.
Baby, I should have never,
ever listened to him.
Everything okay?
- Maggie?
- [Paul] Well, Mama's going to Edisto.
Mags, what? Right now?
This is what you want.
[Alex] Mags, come on. Listen
[Maggie] There, that's what you want.
Just, hey Yeah.
- [dog barking]
- Hey, about last
- [door slams]
- You know what? Fine.
Just drive safe, okay?
You text me when you get there, okay?
- Just drive and take it easy.
- [engine roars]
Hey, what the hell was that about?
I don't know.
- Huh?
- [Paul] I don't know.
[Alex] Fuckin' damn.
[dramatic music playing]
Just, you know, I got
- I gotta go find this dog.
- [Alex] Damn, fuck me.
He's right around this corner, baby.
How's your family doing, Miss Shelley?
Oh, they're good, honey.
Thank you for asking.
That's good to hear.
- There he is.
- Mm-hmm.
Y'all have a nice visit.
Granddaddy.
Ah, thanks for swinging by
on your way back.
- Of course.
- Mm-mm
[sighs]
[groans]
What in the hell happened
out there yesterday, son?
Why did you tuck tail and leave?
You know, it was your
It was your big moment
as grand marshal, and
just all those people yellin',
saying that I
That I killed that kid.
What's it matter what they said?
Well, 'cause I didn't do it.
[scoffs]
Well, frankly, son,
I don't care if you killed him or not.
What?
Let me tell you somethin'.
You come from a long line of men
who have been accused
of a whole bunch of things.
Now my daddy, your namesake,
was indicted by the Feds for bootlegging.
And his daddy, Randolph Senior,
the story is he got himself
run over by a train on purpose.
Made it look like an accident
so his son could collect
the insurance payout.
[chuckles]
And Lord knows
what all I've been accused of.
Yeah, but is any of that stuff
actually true?
Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't.
[cup clinks]
Folks can yell all they like.
They can cuss you and they can damn you.
And the only thing that matters
is that we never walk away.
You hear me?
Yeah, but Granddaddy,
I didn't do anything.
Doesn't matter.
The truth is irrelevant.
You're a Murdaugh.
Yes, sir, just like we're gonna fix
that little problem
you got up there at law school.
[chuckles]
Yeah, you think just
'cause I'm gray-headed
and got a few wrinkles,
I don't know what's going on.
Hell, they got a scholarship
up there named after my daddy.
We're gonna make that right.
You get your law degree.
Yeah, and then one day
when you're the solicitor
and you get called out for something
you'll keep your goddamn head up.
Now finish your coffee.
Yes, sir.
So they were seeing each other,
Stephen and this prince?
They, they were.
Um, but he's not the
one who hurt Stephen.
Josh, Stephen's prince,
died a couple months before Stephen did.
How?
He took his own life.
[sighs] That's a shame.
I got some news of my own.
Turns out Buster
having something to do with Stephen
is nothing but rumors.
What? Where did you hear that?
I just got a call from a classmate
of Buster and Stephen's
who Buster used to pick on,
called the cops anonymously
when Stephen died
and laid blame on Buster
just to get back at him.
- Do you really believe that?
- I do.
You know how small towns go.
Somebody has a grudge, and
and then they say, "Well, I heard
such and such about so and so."
And then next thing you know,
somebody else heard something even worse,
and then on and on
until it has a great
big old life of its own.
You heard how many times Buster's name
came up on those tapes?
[Sandy] Yeah, I certainly did.
The family has a history
of trying to cover stuff up.
Maybe they made this stuff go away.
Listen, I ain't got no interest
in taking down the Murdaughs.
[laughs]
Hell, Mr. Randolph used to come see me
at the service station every day
to buy a pack of cigarettes.
With all their awards and titles,
well, they ain't got no shortage
of making people hoppin' mad at them.
And some of them for good reason
over the years, surely.
But it don't mean that boy did this.
You hear?
Yeah.
Maybe it wasn't Buster.
But that doesn't explain
why SLED never followed up on it.
It-It really just goes to show
how little regard
they have for kids like Stephen
and what happened to him.
So, what do we do?
We keep on with our petition.
We do everything and anything we can
to get SLED to reopen the case.
We keep up the pressure.
We have their attention now.
And that's how we're actually
gonna end up with the truth.
[gentle music playing]
[car engine revving]
[Bubba whines]
It's okay, baby.
It's okay, baby. Don't you worry.
We're gonna go to the beach, honey.
[chuckles]
Okay.
[sighs]
[dramatic string music playing]
Sub extracted from file & improved