A Man on the Inside (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[indistinct chatter]
[tape audio distorts]
[indistinct chatter continues]
Hello.
Hello, everyone!
Hello.
[chatter continues]
I'm Charles Nieuwendyk.
I'm Victoria's husband. [chuckles]
[crowd clapping]
[clapping dies down]
The question many of you have asked me
the last three months is this.
"How did you know?"
"How did you know
this woman was the one for you?"
"You're nothing alike," you said.
"You're an engineer,
and she's an artist," you said.
"You're uptight, and she's cool,"
you said.
To which I replied,
"Jeez, Mom. Give me a break."
[crowd laughs]
And it's not
that those things aren't true.
[distorted] Because they are.
But the reason I knew
she was the one for me
is the second I met her, I had a thought.
It was persistent, this thought.
Wouldn't leave my head.
"This is the person
I want to grow old with."
[crowd] Aw!
What do you say, Vic?
Want to grow old with me?
[crowd clapping and cheering]
["The Wind" by Cat Stevens playing]
I listen to the wind
To the wind of my soul ♪
Where I'll end up
Well, I think only God really knows ♪
I've sat upon the setting sun ♪
But never, never, never, never ♪
I never wanted water once ♪
No never, never, never ♪
[whirring quietly]
I listen to my words
But they fall far below ♪
I let my music take me
Where my heart wants to go ♪
I've swam upon the devil's lake ♪
But never, never, never, never ♪
I'll never make the same mistake ♪
No, never, never, never ♪
[music comes to an end]
[crickets chirping]
[soft spy music plays]
[bell rings]
[camera clicking]
[woman] Here's the problem, Mr. Cubbler.
I don't want to take your money
unless there's a decent shot
I can solve this case,
and I just don't think there is.
Why not?
Isn't this exactly what a PI does?
In theory, but this retirement community
is a closed ecosystem.
I have no access.
You're honestly better off
going to the police.
No. The police will just launch
some half-assed investigation
into the staff, solve nothing,
turn the place against my mother,
and she'd have to live with me.
- Which would be suboptimal.
- [woman] I'm sorry.
I just don't think it's possible.
I mean, it's not like I can
[inquisitive music playing]
I changed my mind. I'll take the case.
[woman 2] How do we reach
a person like this?
They don't use Craigslist or Reddit.
I was thinking an old-fashioned
classified ad in the newspaper.
Take this down.
"Wanted."
"Man, 75 to 85."
"Skill with technology."
[sighs] "Good with technology."
"Has a phone."
Why does it have to be a man?
Women outnumber men 6 to 1 in this place,
so a man makes a bigger splash.
Oh. A wrinkly little honeypot. I like it.
Yes. Run the ad tomorrow.
We need to find this guy.
[soft guitar music playing]
[man] Huh.
Hey. How are you?
Good. How are you? How was work?
- Good. They like my proposal.
- Good.
Hey, guys. How was your day?
- Good.
- It was good.
Anything interesting happen today?
Okay. I am not above bribery.
Five bucks goes to the first person
who tells me one meaningful event
from their day. Jace?
Nothing happened.
[chuckling] Bro, nothing happened.
Nico?
I had math.
You have math every day. Doesn't count.
- Wyatt?
- What?
Do you have an answer?
- To what?
- Bro.
- I didn't hear.
- [Jace and Nico laugh]
Valiant effort.
It was. I tried.
Think they'll ever talk
to us about anything?
Did you talk to your parents
when you were their age?
My mom, yeah. All the time.
My dad?
Mostly about logistics.
You need the fastest route to the airport?
Charles Nieuwendyk is your guy.
Oh, speaking of
Oh.
Okay, what do we have today?
Is it a recipe?
Is it a film review about a movie
that came out two months ago?
Nope. It is an article
about an art forgery at a German museum.
- Aw. He's just trying to connect.
- I know. It's sweet.
I'm worried about him.
Somehow, my mom
could pull him out of his shell. You know?
Like, when she was alive,
they would have friends over for dinner,
and they traveled,
and they lived this big, full life.
And then she died, and within a day,
he had packed up all of her stuff
into neatly labeled containers
and stored it in the garage.
He doesn't work. He lives alone.
And instead of talking to me
about anything meaningful, he just
He does this.
- I should go see him.
- [man] Yeah.
But ask him
the fastest route to his house.
He's usually right.
[both chuckle softly]
- [doorbell rings]
- Hey, guys.
Wow. You made good time.
Yep. Two hours.
- All right. Don't be weird. Hug Grandpa.
- [laughing] Hey.
- Nico. Hey.
- Hey, Grandpa.
This machine you gave me is excellent.
- I use it every day.
- Oh, good.
You can use it with the app too, you know.
I put that on your phone.
I like actually choosing the beans
and pushing the button.
- It makes me feel useful.
- Mm.
Are these guys gonna want a drink?
[Emily] No.
They are drinking the Internet.
- [sighs]
- [Charles chuckles]
Do you ever think
about going back to work?
Well, I'm I'm retired.
I know.
But I feel like it would be nice
for you to find something to do.
You know, something meaningful.
Not just cutting out newspaper articles
and mailing them to your daughter.
This is an interesting article
about Chilean farming innovations.
That's great, Dad.
But sending me
newspaper clippings isn't a job.
[soft sentimental music plays]
Look, I know
that you don't like to talk about Mom.
So we don't have to, but you know
that she would have wanted you to
be a person.
Live your life.
[sighs]
Okay. Remember when I was little
and you would give me Charles challenges?
Like, find ten out-of-state license plates
or read 20 books before Christmas?
I'm giving you a Charles challenge.
Find a project or a hobby.
Just something that excites you.
Okay. It's a good challenge.
I accept.
- Okay. [laughs lightly]
- All right.
- [Emily] All right, guys.
- [car door shuts]
- Here we go.
- [engine starts]
[gravel crunches]
[scoffs]
[coughs softly]
[mysterious, dramatic music plays]
This job will require you
to be facile with technology.
- Do you have a phone?
- Oh, yes.
Great. Can I see it?
It's at home.
Sorry. I meant, do you have a cell phone?
Not a landline.
Oh. Then no.
Do what now?
Send a text to Julie Kovalenko.
I put my number in your phone.
It doesn't need to be a long text.
Just write "hi" or something.
[buttons clicking]
What are you doing?
I don't know.
I'm in the calculator.
I'm just adding things.
I don't use it that much.
Yeah, I understand.
Just take a photo of something
and text it to me.
I put my number in there under "Julie."
Son? Daughter?
Oh, um, my niece did that.
Oh, God. I've got a million of those
in a box somewhere.
Everything they do
makes you feel so proud.
And every mangled art project
feels like a cubist masterpiece.
[phone chimes]
What did you do for a living?
I'm retired now,
but I was a college professor.
- Of?
- Engineering.
Go home.
[door shuts]
Thank you, everyone. We'll let you know.
My client has a mother in assisted living
at Pacific View Retirement Community.
Helen Cubbler, 86.
Recently, her son Evan reported
that this ruby necklace,
a valuable family heirloom,
has gone missing.
He thinks a staff member stole it.
Ah, I see.
And you want me to
Mm-hm.
What do you want me to do?
You would check into the community,
pretending to be a new resident.
I would give you
various recording devices,
and you would be my source.
My mole.
A man on the inside.
Yes. I think we should get
everything we need within a month,
and then you'll say you changed your mind,
check out, and be on your way.
Seems like a lot of work
for a stolen necklace.
Not to the client.
Plus, this could be
a "tip of the iceberg" type thing.
Jewel thieves tend
to strike more than once.
Anyway, the job is yours if you want it.
Can I ask, why me?
You're decent with technology.
Confident but unassuming.
But most of all,
I can just tell that you're guarded.
You play your cards
very close to the vest.
In many ways, you're a classic spy.
[chuckles]
Okay.
[laughing] I'm in.
What's next?
[techno music playing]
Here we go.
Eyes on me. No peeking.
Describe the people
at the next table over.
Couple. Young.
Both brunette.
Close. They're blond.
Who's over by the trash can?
Woman. Twenties.
Tattoos.
And large hoop earrings.
Nope. That person is your age and a man.
And behind you, six o'clock.
Man. Alone.
Red shirt and glasses.
Charles, behind you, at six o'clock,
is an entire women's softball team.
[chatting indistinctly]
Were you just guessing, or?
If I'm being honest,
yes, I was just guessing.
- This is very exciting.
- Okay.
So, covert photography.
The goal is to avoid being noticed.
Pretend to take a picture of something,
and then you frame it
to catch the target on camera.
All right. So, you see
that couple right behind me?
[Charles] Mm-hm.
Grab a picture of them
without them noticing. All right?
You're invisible.
[woman] This is the life.
It's the life.
[couple chuckling]
Ah. Hey, they're so cute, aren't they?
Mm.
Want one with you in it?
- No, thank you.
- [man] Oh, no.
It's no bother. Here. I'll take it.
- Okay. Thank you.
- Come on.
What brings you to town?
Well, I'm part of a wildlife club.
- Wow. Good.
- Cool.
That's Julie. She started the club.
- Hi.
- Hi.
[camera clicking]
- Nice to meet you.
- That was fun. You too.
- [woman] Nice to meet you.
- [man] Bye.
Okay.
- So I feel like they noticed you.
- Yeah.
[dramatic music playing]
[Julie] Okay. Is the earpiece working?
Can you hear me?
Yeah.
[Julie] All right. The glasses are on,
so I can now see
everything you are seeing.
[Charles] This is wild.
- [Julie] Great.
- Hello.
[Julie] Okay. Good.
- Walk through the crowd. Totally normal.
- [Charles] Hello.
- [Julie] Keep the subject centered.
- [Charles] Hey.
[Julie] Okay. See that fruit stand
in front of you?
Now, engage the fruit guy in conversation.
- Remember, casual, confident.
- Oh. [laughs]
- Just observing.
- Hello.
I was wondering if you could, uh, answer
a question I had about your peaches.
Oh. Sure. I'm happy to.
Do not need to be that close.
- Sorry.
- [Julie] Okay.
You see, I, um, I travel the world
looking for great peaches.
I'm I'm part of a peach club.
Why are you always in a club?
I don't know. Stop. You're confusing me.
[Julie] Stop talking.
You're talking to no one.
[laughing] Sorry.
I just love peaches, man.
I'll take all your peaches.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- [Julie] Did you just buy all his peaches?
- Yeah.
[Julie] I'm not reimbursing you for this.
I know.
[Julie] Okay.
We are meeting
with Deborah Santos Cordero.
She goes by Didi.
She's the executive director.
The whole staff reports to her.
I am your loving daughter, Emily.
Why can't you be Julie?
You're online
as having a daughter named Emily.
There aren't pictures of her
linked to you.
The name is all that matters.
Plus, it's better to keep
your cover story simple.
[laughing] Cover story.
Yes. Cover story.
Keep it together, man. You ready?
Well, I don't know, but it hardly matters.
What matters is you think I'm ready.
Oh, I don't think that at all.
You're not remotely ready,
but we ran out of time.
Be that as it may,
you put your faith in me,
and that gives me confidence.
I think you are the best option
in a sea of not-very-good options.
That's all I needed to hear.
- Oh, it's gonna be fun.
- Okay.
[intriguing music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
Charles and Emily?
Didi Santos Cordero.
I'm the director here.
- How do you do?
- Interested in a tour?
We are. My dad and I think
maybe it's time we explore our options.
Great. We can start right here.
Behind you is the lounge.
Fresh coffee and pastries every morning.
Happy hour every day.
Starts at three o'clock.
Hi, Virginia.
Hi, Didi.
You are tall.
Thank you.
That your real hair?
It is.
Okay. All right.
Let's move along.
Um. We also have events here.
Music, bridge tournaments
University professors give lectures.
That's perfect. My dad was a professor.
Yeah? Where?
Cal State East Bay over in Oakland.
Taught engineering.
[Didi] Okay.
Two predictions.
If you join us here, your nickname
will definitely be "the Professor."
Also, you're gonna have
to beat Virginia off with a stick.
Follow me to the library.
This is the library.
One of my favorite rooms.
Here, the Wi-Fi is free
in the whole building.
This is one of my favorite units
in the community.
View of the city from there.
Probably one of my favorites.
Big bedroom,
a large closet for all of your stuff.
That's the activities room.
That's where you'll do most classes.
Painting, pottery, stuff like that.
Other classes are held
in the lounge or fitness room.
Oh. We have an amazing movie theater
on the second floor.
- Movie nights are Wednesday and Saturday.
- Are there visiting hours or a curfew?
No. Charles can come and go,
and you can visit him anytime you want.
May I bring my coffee machine?
[Didi] Bring whatever you like.
It's your home.
Art, books, pets.
You have a dog?
No. My wife
My late wife was the animal lover.
Well, if you want one, you got one.
[door code panel beeping]
What's in there?
So, this is our memory care unit.
We call it the Neighborhood.
Folks in there get
24-hour medical attention.
They have their own daily programming.
But our other residents
are always welcome to stop in.
Would you like to see?
No. Thank you.
That's fine.
Let's head this way.
Well, sounds amazing
to never do laundry again.
Can I move in?
Yeah, I think this is perfect. Right, Dad?
[clears throat]
For what it's worth, Charles,
our residents are thrilled
to live at Pacific View.
They are vibrant,
they're well taken care of,
and they're together.
For the majority of seniors,
the biggest threat to their well-being
isn't an accident or health.
It's loneliness.
Well, certainly a lot to think over.
Do you mind if we get back to you
in a couple of days?
[Didi] Of course.
"A lot to think over"?
- Let me explain.
- No, Charles.
This operation requires you to follow
a very specific plan
with about ten phases.
Phase one was
for you to enter the facility.
I understand. I'm sorry.
I just got thrown a bit.
I got
Charles, you have to talk to me,
or I won't know what's going on.
Okay.
Did your wife have Alzheimer's?
My grandfather had it.
It's brutal.
You know, my whole life,
he was Poppy, and then in six months,
he just became
someone completely different.
Was she in a memory care facility
like that one?
No. She made me promise
she could stay home.
She was scared
about what it would mean to be
behind that door.
I'm sorry. I just
I don't know if I can if I can do this.
Okay.
For what it's worth,
this awful feeling that you have,
people do get past it.
How?
I don't know. Everyone's different.
I went back to work.
Solved cases.
Made me feel useful.
My grandmother started a book club.
My sister got really into Pokémon GO.
She's 42.
It's weird. I don't know.
But you gotta do something.
[sentimental music playing]
Rejoin the world.
[crickets chirping]
Be around people.
Listen, if you want out,
I promise you, I completely understand.
But I do need an answer
by tomorrow morning.
- [dial tone]
- [music stops]
[clicks tongue]
Okay. I'm in.
[gentle music playing]
Your first job is going to be
to compile a list of suspects.
Tell people that
you're making videos for your family,
and get them all on camera.
You know what I could say?
Do not tell people
you are in a video club.
I'll visit you as much as I can,
but we should meet at my office sometimes
since I'm Emily from Sacramento.
I was thinking that I should have
a nickname for you. Like Emerino.
Good God, I hate that.
Okay. All right. How about Eminem?
Nicknames are stupid.
Please, just call me Emily.
- [knocking]
- [Didi] Charles, it's Didi.
- Hi there.
- [Charles] Hey.
I just came by to bring you the schedule.
Lots of fun stuff planned
for your first week. You settling in okay?
Yeah. Unpacking's a little slow,
but I've got Froggy here to help me.
Sorry. That's my nickname for Emily.
Pretty much everyone calls her that.
Froggy. Cute.
So cute, right?
Okay. See you tomorrow.
[chuckling]
Bye, Froggy.
[door shuts]
[phone ringing]
Hey.
You know what I'm holding right now?
That collage you did in maybe first grade.
- All the shapes.
- Oh God. Please don't send that to me.
I would never. It's mine. I love it.
You remember what you said to me
when I asked you what it was?
You said it was
a a dog fixing his spaceship.
His broken spaceship. Right.
Yeah, I thought that was
the greatest thing I'd ever heard.
Such imagination.
That's how I knew
you were your mother's daughter.
Anyway, I just want you to know
that I took your advice
and I found a project.
Oh, you did? What is it?
Well, it's a little out of the ordinary.
Probably not what you had in mind,
but I'm
I'm taking a class
at a retirement community
in San Francisco.
Oh, wow. What kind of class?
What kind of class? It's Well, it's, um
It's a It's
Well, it's kind of cool, you know?
It's a photography, uh
you know, painting, uh
gardening class.
It's a what?
Yeah, it's neat.
Like, you know, you grow stuff
and you take photos,
and you then, you know, paint.
You do a painting
based on the photograph.
It's multidisciplinary.
Sounds like a cool club.
Yeah, it is.
It is a cool club. Clubs are cool.
Yeah. Meet people, expand your world.
You'll be in the city.
I mean, this is this is wonderful.
I think so too. I Hey, you know what?
Let's talk tomorrow.
I'll tell you all about it.
I'd really like that. All right. Bye, Dad.
All right. Bye, sweetheart.
Oh my God. That was scary.
[exhales heavily]
[gulls caw]
[traffic passes in distance]
[car horn blares]
[soft rock music plays]
Classic spy.
[music intensifies]
We're in the movies ♪
Watching some people move their mouths ♪
And a religious figure ♪
Who's not really a religious figure ♪
Cause he's an actor ♪
We feel okay ♪
Which is how we feel
Most of the time now ♪
Nothing can be done
Without the willingness to succeed ♪
Let's go to the opera since ♪
All of our favorite memories
Have failed us ♪
You make the choice ♪
You make the choice ♪
You make the choice ♪
You make the choice ♪
[music ends]