The Boroughs (2026) s01e08 Episode Script

[bold, dramatic music playing]
- [Renee] Wait, you want to save Mother?
- [Sam] That's right.
No, we have a plan.
The plan is to save you
and then kill Mother.
- I'm calling an audible.
- You can't double audible.
Can someone tell me what is going on?
It's a long story and very weird.
I can take the short version.
The Boroughs is fucked up.
Okay, the short version is that a man
called Edward broke into my home,
- told me there was an owl in the walls…
- [phone ringing]
- What's wrong?
- [Wally] Everything. Where are you?
[Renee] Boroughs back roads.
Seriously, what's wrong?
Oh, so much.
I, um… I did something a little rash,
and, um, I'm now in big trouble.
Meaning?
I kind of sort of kidnapped Mother.
You what?!
Hey, I am trying to save the world here.
I don't need the tone.
- [Sam] …went to his house at night…
- Okay, get to the community center.
It's closed during the anniversary.
- We'll meet you there.
- Right. Wait, who's "we"?
It's a whole goddamn group project now.
Over and out.
Okay, I'm sure I-- God damn it.
Then Art stole the laundry van.
Hell yeah, I did.
So I have a "good news, bad news"
kind of a situation.
Wally has Mother.
[Sam] He does?
Yes, I told him to meet us
at the community center.
Art.
Triple audible. Everybody hold on.
[bold, dramatic music swells]
[music trails off]
[Ernest] Mother was here
when I did my rounds a few hours ago.
Wally couldn't have gotten her f--
- Shut up.
- Yeah.
Sam Cooper's hooligans
broke him out of The Manor.
They're on the run.
Now, don't worry.
I've put our best men on the--
[ominous music playing]
I've put our best men on the gates.
No one is escaping The Boroughs.
And in the meantime…
In the meantime,
we have to keep up appearances.
I have my speech, and then you're going--
I don't care about speeches.
Or Sam Cooper.
Mother is all that matters.
I will find her.
You have to trust me.
Haven't we endured enough?
[shushing soothingly]
Don't worry, my love.
Time is on our side.
[ominous music swells, trails off]
[TV signal drones]
[intriguing, unsettling
intro music playing]
[music trails off]
Hi, everybody.
Hi there.
Hello.
[peppy chatter]
Oh my.
That's a lot of people.
Hello.
Okay.
[Mother grunting excitedly]
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Incognito is the vibe.
Oh!
Not that way, not that way.
Thank you for coming out
on a surprisingly chilly night.
Let's just keep all our limbs inside
and don't let anybody actually…
Excuse me, sir. Where are you two headed?
Oh, uh, me and the missus
were just enjoying the festivities.
- [guard] Missus got a name?
- [Wally] Oh, yeah.
Sure does. She has a name.
It's, uh… Petunia.
[jarring stinger]
You look busy.
Come on, Prudence,
let's just, uh, go somewhere else.
I need to talk to the boss.
We should be safe enough in here
until Wally arrives.
At least it's ominous.
[Judy tuts]
It's best not to draw attention.
Right.
Oh, hey, there's a lost and found
under that table.
If anybody wants to look less conspicuous.
[disconcerting warbling]
[breathy, overlapping whispers]
[Claire, muffled] Dad…
You okay?
Dad?
What's wrong?
She's here.
Hey there. Sorry we're late.
[bold, dramatic music playing]
So, without any further ado,
it is my pleasure to introduce
to you the man of the hour.
You know him and you all love him.
I love him.
Our CEO and handsome devil, Blaine Shaw.
Hello, folks. Thank you.
Thank you very much. That's very kind.
It's my pleasure to welcome you all
to the 75th anniversary of The Boroughs.
You know, anniversaries offer us
an opportunity to reflect on the past
and to plan for the future.
As Robert Browning said,
"The best is yet to be."
Actually, the…
Actually, that's… that's a lie.
The full quote is,
"Grow old along with me."
"The best is yet to be."
[uneasy music playing]
That's another lie.
The… The only certainty
in an uncertain universe
is that all things end.
Time is a thief in the night.
It steals our youth.
Our joy. Our love. It…
It grinds us down and down until
all that's left is dust.
But not here.
The Boroughs is a fortress.
A citadel blazing in the dark.
The Boroughs is a promise
turned to brick and stone that says,
"The best is not to come."
"It's now."
"It's here."
"Together."
[applause, cheering]
We have to get her to safety,
far away from The Boroughs.
We got to get her to a doctor.
She doesn't look healthy.
No, I am a doctor.
- [Renee] What about our plan?
- You want to kill her?
Well, not anymore.
- She's a miracle.
- She's eating chalk.
Her blood is the key.
I'll take that, honey.
Her blood is the key to curing disease.
Here you go, take that.
No more sickness. No more suffering.
No more death.
So everybody just lives forever?
Miracles come at a price.
Yeah, and who's paying that price? You?
You?
It's really easy to indulge
in hypotheticals
when it's not your patients
who are weeks from dying.
It's not your husband who's dying
from fucking AIDS.
It's not your cells attacking you.
Blaine and his Stepford staff
found the fountain of youth
and now I am gonna use it, okay?
I'm gonna use it for good.
Figure out therapies.
I will figure out ways
we can actually cure people, heal people.
- People who…
- [breathy whispering]
We have to help her.
Great. Somebody finally gets it.
How do we smuggle her out to freedom?
No, that's not what she wants.
- How do you know?
- [Sam] She told me.
She's talking to you?
In my mind.
What does she want, Sam?
She wants to die.
Now we have to get her to Art's cave.
It's where she was born.
Her children have been preparing it
for this moment.
For… For her end.
It has to be there. Now.
Absolutely not.
It's her choice to make.
No. I will not let her die.
Wally, I get it.
It's a lot to take in,
and it's even more to ask,
but Blaine isn't gonna stop using
The Boroughs as his personal buffet.
He thinks nobody cares about old folks.
Not even old folks.
We gotta prove him wrong.
We have to make a stand.
For Mother, for The Boroughs,
for everyone.
Jack can have justice.
And we can be heroes and set things right.
Just let her go.
No.
Wally.
I can't. I won't.
We have to.
[tender, poignant music playing]
I don't want to die.
I know. Honey, I know.
I know, darling.
And if I thought for one second
that torturing that old lady
for all eternity would save you,
I would be right by your side.
But it won't.
Yeah, but…
I'd be alive.
But you wouldn't be… you.
So, let me save you now
while there's still time.
Okay…
Fine.
But I'm gonna haunt you.
Well, I hope you do.
- Like forever.
- Okay.
Sam, we're with you.
- How do we get to this cave?
- The exits are all blocked.
I've got an idea.
One, two, three.
[loud clattering]
[Claire] Hold on, there's a tunnel
under the cooking class?
We can take 'em to the cave.
- That's deep.
- Should we flip a coin?
Before we get down there,
anything else you forgot to mention?
No. Oh, wait.
Yeah. Wally extracted
some of my brain fluid,
and Renee dropped a car on Hank.
I think that's about it.
[clanging in distance]
- [Blaine] Hello! Anyone home?
- Shit, that's Blaine.
Get to the tunnels.
I'll buy you time to get away.
Why do you get to do
the self-sacrificing thing?
Called it first.
[Blaine] Anybody home?
- Get in there.
- Help me get Mother.
- I'm staying with you.
- Here, take this.
Let's get Mother in…
[tense, foreboding music playing]
We know you're in here!
[foreboding music intensifies]
["Oye Cómo Va" by Santana playing]
[groovy Latin rock continuing]
- [speaker bleeps]
- [song halts]
[chilling music playing]
[jolting stinger]
[Renee grunts] Jesus.
Do I wanna know what I just stepped in?
Oh, you do not.
[Renee] Well, do you think
Judy and Art will be okay?
I've seen Judy mad. I've made Judy mad.
Trust me, Blaine is the one
who should be worried.
[Mother vocalizing]
What… What's wrong with her?
Her children are there.
Yeah, Blaine keeps 'em
locked under the security center.
She says we have to rescue them.
We can't rescue everyone, Sam.
They're her children, Wally.
Paz and I can go.
Why us?
You know where they are.
And Judy took the last big hero moment,
so now it's your turn.
That too.
We'll free your kids.
Promise.
All right, meet you in the cave.
Okay, what about us?
We go that way.
Okay.
[Blaine] Where's Mother?
Whose mother? Your mother?
You lost your moms? Not cool, dude.
Ah, I see. I see the problem.
Your little adventure
has riled up the blood,
agitated the humors.
You're feeling invincible,
but sadly, you're not,
so… just tell me, where's Mother?
Did you check Señor Cocinas?
[Art chuckling]
Everybody loves Cocinas.
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Okay, let's all take
a deep, calming breath, all right?
Where's Mother?
You go to hell, Blaine.
[distressing music playing]
[Art] What are you doing?
Get away from her!
Leave her alone!
Even after everything she's done to you,
you still love her.
How sweet.
- [Judy cries out]
- Judy!
- Judy!
- No, no, no, no. Don't worry.
The blade is buried
in a relatively innocuous
bit of intestine.
It'll take almost a day
for her to bleed out.
Single surgery,
maybe a tiny bit of bowel removal,
she'd be good as new.
So… where's Mother?
All right, enough.
[Judy cries out]
Stop!
[Blaine] Now things get interesting.
Now that blade is just millimeters
from some rather vital organs.
We're talking two,
maybe three surgeries now.
She's gonna need a colostomy bag,
but it's the internal bleeding
that I'm worried about.
[Art whimpering] No.
Within the hour,
she's gonna drown in her own blood.
Why are you doing this?
Why does anyone do anything?
Love.
Tell me where Mother is.
The oven's ripped apart.
The tunnels.
- Are they taking her to the cave?
- Yes!
[Judy cries out]
[Art] Judy… I got you, baby.
Going after the others?
No need. Go to security.
Corral them into the cul-de-sac.
We'll bring these two with us
in case we need a bargaining chip.
[suspenseful music playing]
Nobody's here.
Give me a hand.
Be careful.
I got you. That's it.
Oh, it stinks.
[kids mewling piteously]
They're, uh… They're looking at us.
Yeah, well, they're, uh… curious.
Hey, control panel.
Ah, it's not working.
It's not opening the cages.
- Looks like it needs a key.
- Yeah.
[Hank] Hello, love birds.
Welcome to my humble abode.
[Claire] The largest tunnel systems
in the world are underneath Disney World.
They call them utilidors.
[Sam] No, it's not the largest
tunnel system in the world.
- [Claire] Yeah, it is.
- [Sam] The Delaware aqueduct is larger.
- [Claire] That's not a utility tunnel.
- [Sam] You didn't say utility tunnels.
You said tunnels.
[Wally] Can we save the great
tunnel debate till after I'm dead?
So, which way now?
- That way.
- Are you sure?
- [Mother chirrs]
- She's sure.
[alarm blares]
What the fuck?
- They know we're here.
- This is a trap.
No, we're being herded.
Yeah, right into a trap.
Probably, but what choice do we have?
- [Wally sputtering]
- [Sam] Come on.
Was he always such a stubborn bastard?
You have no idea.
[Wally] Hold on, hold on. Wait for me.
[Wally] Easy, hotshot.
I can't imagine I'd be too good
in a fight after my little fender bender,
but let's not test that theory, huh?
[Hank chuckles wheezily]
You know that band you were in?
Cowboy Renegade?
Yeah, you guys rocked hard.
- I didn't know you were a fan.
- Oh, yeah.
I thought it'd be cool
if we could be, like, friends.
You know? Like… hombres.
It's hard when you're the boss.
Sure.
And now they've taken my job,
stuck me down here with the kids
until I'm "presentable."
Yeah, the least Blaine could have done
is get you a nice hotel room or something.
Ain't that the truth.
You know, I went from working
in a prison to living in one…
Thanks to Blaine.
Maybe you could… help us.
Now, why would I do that?
Because there is nothing better
than sticking it to someone
who stuck it to you first.
Huh.
[tense, intriguing music playing]
Fuck Blaine.
What about you?
Me?
I'll let time do what it does best.
Wipe things clean.
Sure those things
aren't going to rip us apart?
[kids yowling]
Nope.
[machinery thumping]
[banging, clattering]
- Clear.
- [Sam] Wally, can you help me?
[Wally] Okay, okay. Now, take her arm.
No, your arm.
[Claire] Where is she going?
[Sam] Over on the chair.
- [Claire] Okay.
- [Sam] Yeah, here.
[Wally] Hello? Anybody got a free hand?
[Claire] You okay?
[Wally] Hey? Hello?
Okay. Here, I'm here.
- Okay, hold on. I'm here. Okay.
- Hey. Great.
Whoa!
Guys, we have to assume
Blaine is on his way.
Not a moment to lose.
Oh, we can take my car.
And go where?
We'll still be trapped in The Boroughs.
No, here's where we make our stand.
Our stand? We don't have any weapons,
unless they're allergic
to mid-century modern.
- We have a weapon.
- Oh, this doesn't work.
It works.
I changed out the transformer
so that the amplifiers don't overload.
I added a little more coil
to increase the power of the beam, but…
What about the voltage spikes?
Silver mica capacitors.
[sweet music plays]
Sorry to interrupt
this father-daughter nerd moment.
The bad guys are coming.
Yeah, right. Let's get these TVs
in the garage. I have a plan.
[tense, plucky music playing]
- Okay.
- Go.
[foreboding music playing]
[Wally] Okay.
This better work, Sam.
[car doors opening]
[Wally clears throat] Hi.
[tense music building]
Uh…
Something you should know.
Is there?
Yeah, I, um, just…
I… quit.
[tense music playing]
Welcome to The Boroughs.
We hope you have the time of your life.
[energy warbling]
Run! Run!
[bold, dramatic music playing]
We have to help them!
Don't!
I'm out.
[distorted] I love you.
[Blaine screaming]
[harrowing, otherworldly howling]
[music halts]
[gentle, wondrous music playing]
Is it over?
I… I think so.
[Art] Help!
It's Judy, help!
[dire music playing]
- [Sam] Get her down.
- [Art] You're okay.
Okay, I'm here, baby.
I'm here, baby. Somebody call 911.
My phone is dead.
[Sam] The blast from the TVs
fried them all.
Can you get me a towel?
I need a towel. Okay. Thank you. Okay.
Okay, I'm gonna move your hands, Judy.
Just give me your hand.
Let me move that, okay?
I need to see what's going on, okay?
Okay.
Oh, oh.
Okay. Jesus.
[Judy moaning]
Oh, she needs a hospital.
I can't…
- Well, get her to one.
- I…
She's out of time.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no! No! No!
- Just…
- No! No!
- No!
- Hey.
Come on baby, come on.
I'm here. Don't go anywhere.
Stay with me, now. Don't go anywhere, now.
[Judy] Remember…
[sweet, aching music playing]
[shakily] …when we went
to the Grand Canyon with the kids?
I remember we tried
to go to the Grand Canyon.
You got us lost.
I knew where I was.
I just didn't know
how to get to where we were going.
We pulled over to a big old empty lake…
in the middle of nowhere.
[Judy] We jumped in.
Swam in our clothes.
Oh boy, you looked so beautiful.
Standing in the water there,
laughing with the kids.
Mmm.
It was a good day.
Well, we never did make it
to the Grand Canyon.
Don't, don't, don't!
No, no, no, Judy, no, don't!
No, Judy! Judy!
Come on, baby. Come on, baby.
Come on, baby!
Judy. Judy.
[enchanting music playing]
What does she want?
She wants to help.
[Mother grunts]
Hey, Art. It's okay. You can trust her.
[energy resonating]
[mystifying, wondrous music playing]
[music trails off]
Well, that's a miracle.
[somber, triumphant music playing]
It's a miracle.
[Mother groans]
I have to get her to the cave. Now.
Okay.
- [Wally] Careful.
- [Sam] I got it.
[Art] Okay.
Almost there. One, two, easy.
- Nice.
- I'm coming with you.
- She said I have to go alone.
- I don't care what she says.
- You're my dad. I'm not gonna let you go--
- Claire…
I couldn't help your mom.
And I wasn't good at helping you.
But I can help her.
I need you to trust me, Claire.
Please.
Okay, but I'm not gonna be happy about it.
Bye-bye, Butterfly.
See you soon, Raccoon.
Hey, cowboy, be careful.
Ride true.
Call when you get there.
Thank you.
[sinister music playing]
[sweeping, adventurous music playing]
[Sam] Careful.
There you go.
You made it.
[Mother vocalizing, groaning]
You're welcome.
[static crackles]
Explode? What do you mean, "explode"?
Whoa, you mean you're gonna explode?
Whoa, hold on. Not yet. Let me get clear.
[Mother bleats]
You know, on second thought…
[Mother yowls]
…I've decided to cancel your contract.
You're just not Boroughs material, Sam.
You took my wife from me.
It wasn't supposed to end like this, Sam.
I'm gonna bring her back.
You have no idea what Mother is…
What she's capable of.
[Mother growls]
Everything you think you've accomplished
can be undone.
It's okay.
Let go.
Never.
[Mother crying out]
[power humming]
[urgent, heroic music playing]
No!
No!
Let me go!
[kids chirring, trilling]
No…
No, I can't…
I can't die!
Everybody does.
Welcome to the club.
[Blaine bellowing]
[high-pitched ringing]
["Thunder Road" playing]
[train rumbling faintly in distance]
The screen door slams ♪
Mary's dress sways ♪
Like a vision
She dances across the porch ♪
As the radio plays ♪
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely ♪
Hey, that's me, and I want you only ♪
Don't turn me home again ♪
I just can't face myself alone again ♪
Don't run back inside ♪
Darling, you know
Just what I'm here for ♪
So you're scared, and you're thinking ♪
That maybe we ain't that young anymore ♪
Lilly?
Show a little faith… ♪
Hey, you old grump.
[fighting back sobs] Li…
But hey, you're all right ♪
Is it really you?
It's me.
How?
She's saying, "Thank you."
Time is a gift.
How long do we have?
Are you gonna stand there
asking questions, or…
are you gonna dance
with your beautiful wife?
With a chance to make it good somehow ♪
Hey, what else can we do now ♪
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow back your hair ♪
Well, the night's busting open
These two lanes will take us anywhere ♪
We got one last chance to make it real ♪
To trade in these wings on some wheels ♪
Climb in back
Heaven's waiting down on the tracks ♪
Oh-oh, come take my hand ♪
We're riding out tonight
To case the promised land ♪
Oh-oh, Thunder Road ♪
Oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road ♪
We'll be together again.
We are together always.
Sit tight, take hold ♪
Thunder Road… ♪
[song trailing off]
[Sam moaning]
[Renee] Sam!
Sam.
Sam.
Hey.
What are you doing here?
We were supposed to
meet at the cave, remember?
Oh, right.
[Paz] Is that… Is that Mother?
Yes.
She's at peace.
What do you say we go home?
That sounds good to me.
["Do You Believe in Magic"
by the Lovin' Spoonful playing]
[Sam] Whoa!
Do you believe in magic? ♪
Okay, dinner's up.
- Pop. Let me give you a hand.
- Yeah, it's hot.
- Yeah.
- You got it?
All right, Art. Kids are present.
No magic mushrooms.
Sweetheart, you are all the magic I need.
[Art, Judy laughing playfully]
[Sam] I got charcuterie.
Oh, thanks.
I already have my snacks right here.
- All right. What is this? What is that?
- Oh, salami, cheese, fruit.
- Dig in.
- Here.
Yeah.
- Oh, you're leaking.
- Huh?
- Oh, that's not appetizing.
- Go clean it up. I got this.
Ah, wait, wait. I got something for you.
- You remembered?
- I remembered.
Thank you.
- [Renee] It's a week in Rome.
- Nice.
- And then on to Florence.
- Oh my God, I love Florence.
- You gotta come!
- Really?
Oh my God, yes.
Word of warning.
I think Wally's gonna crash your big trip.
Yeah, I'm not surprised.
So, what are we talking about?
- [Renee] Our big trip.
- [Paz] Our big trip…
[music, lively chatter in distance]
[Claire] Hey, Dad,
you want a burger or a dog?
Um…
One of each, please.
- [Claire] On it. Hurry up.
- Okay, okay.
[suspenseful music playing]
[staticky glitching]
[enigmatic music playing]
[wondrous music building]
[music swells, trails off]
["Born to Run"
by Bruce Springsteen playing]
[soaring Americana folk rock continuing]
In the day
We sweat it out on the streets ♪
Of a runaway American dream ♪
At night, we ride
Through mansions of glory ♪
In suicide machines ♪
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9 ♪
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected
And steppin' out over the line ♪
Oh, baby this town
Rips the bones from your back ♪
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap ♪
We gotta get out while we're young ♪
'Cause tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run ♪
Yes, girl, we were ♪
[vocalizing]
[song trails off]
[sweeping outro music playing]