Home Before Dark (2020) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[train bell dinging]
[girl] I'm a reporter.
I know it seems weird, but I've beenlike
this for as long as I can remember.
I think if they cut me
open, I would bleed ink.
My dad is a reporter too.
My mom says we're like Holmes and Watson.
My dad says that finding the truthis
what makes everything work right.
I need to know the truth.
But since I'm a kid,
people lie to me all the time.
So I learned how to look at
thingsand really see them.
I write my own paper.
And self-publish.
My sister thinks it's a joke.
[no audible dialogue]
But it's my way of figuring outwhat's real.
[no audible dialogue]
My dad told mewe have
to move across country
so he can work on his book, but I
know it's because he lost his job.
[no audible dialogue]
He's trying to be happy to make it
seemlike everything's gonna be okay.
But I know that he's sad.
[no audible dialogue]
So we're going to stayat
my grandpa's house,
since he moved to an old folks' home.
My mom and dadsay
we're there to be near him,
but I think it's because it's free, and
we don't have anywhere else to go.
I'm sad to inform youthat
this will be the last editorial
for The Bed Stuy Beat.
I'm moving to a place called Erie
Harbor, where my dad grew up.
They say it's pretty and perfect
but I know that nothing ever is.
[dad] All right, let's go unpack. You okay?
[mom] Okay, guys. We're here.
[keys jingling]
All right, let's do it.
[crickets chirping]
[dad grunts] Hilde, you okay? I got ya.
[dad grunts]
Why do people think New York's so scary?
At least in an alley, someone
might hear you scream.
Why would anybody need to hear you scream?
I don't know. Like if you
get mugged or something.
There's no mugging in Erie
Harbor, or honking or pollution.
That is why we are
here. It'll be an adventure.
A vacation.
[Hilde] A vacation. Yeah, you said that.
But we don't go to school on vacation.
You probably would.
[Hilde] Just be honest. We're not
going back to Brooklyn, are we?
[dad] Yeah. Of course we are.
-Yeah, in a couple of months.-Yeah.
You know, you kidswill
see out the school year and
- And we will regroup,
yep.-Exactly. We'll regroup.
[mom] Yep. Last one to pick
out a bedsleeps in the basement.
[dad sighs]
Hey, you.
Hey, you know, I think
it's gonna be nice here.
I mean, look at that. You
got a front yard to play in.
You know, I'll get a ton of work
done.Yeah. It's gonna be nice.
You said the word "nice" twice.
Say it again and I'm calling the police.
Hey, what were you writing in the car?
Can I take a look?
Let's see.
Hilde. Come on. It was just a yard sale.
- But she didn't have any
customers.-Well, so what?
What about the guy with the shovel?
Do you thinkhe was digging
something up or burying it?
He was probably just planting
something. You know, people plant.
I mean, they really do.
All right, listen up, you.
Life is not alwaysabout
chasing the story, okay?
You got to enjoy yourself. It's okay.
-You understand?-[Hilde sighs]
You sound like Mom.
- Yeah. Well, you sound
like me.-You're cold.
I know. Well, don't be like
me. You don't wanna be like me.
[Hilde laughing]
[boys laughing, chattering]
[Hilde] Help me up.
-Dad.-[boy] Richie!
Dad? Dad?
Yeah. Yeah, come on, come
on. Let's, uh, let's get inside
before this peace and
quietdrives us both insane, right?
[dad sighs]
[Hilde] Give me back my camera.
[big sister] It's weird. Stop.
- "Look at it"? I'm not
gonna break it.-[Hilde] Sorry.
[dad exhales]
[mom] go and hike in the woods.
Hike in the woods. How fun is that?
[Hilde] Love you.
[sister chuckles] Stop.
[dad] Oh, my God.
Maybe you should reach out to your editor.
Oh, so he can fire me again?
I'd rather not.
You know, besides, I'm
done reporting the news.
[mom] Okay. Well, maybel
should go back to work.
Between your dad's careand
what we ran through in New York,
I think I might have to.
It helps that we can live here for free.
Yeah, well, if we could liveanywhere else,
believe me, we would.
Hey.
Hey, come here.
[mom sighs] I'm okay.
[dad] Look, I know this is
notwhat you signed up for.
-[mom] Yeah.-[dad] And I'm sorry.
I promise that I'm that I'm not gonnalet
anything come between us again, okay.
[typing]
[crickets chirping]
[frogs croaking]
[croaking stops]
[floor creaking]
[dog barking in distance]
[creaking continues]
[vehicle approaching]
[engine stops]
[engine starts]
-[dad] Izzy!-[mom] Breakfast! Sorry, babe.
Did anyone see the
caroutside our house last night?
And here we go.
Why? Where was it?
Street side. Rolled off at about 4:32 a.m.
"About 4:32 a.m."
[mom] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
No, no. You were awake?
Okay, well. We all
excited about our first day?
- Are we all excited about our
first day?-[mom] Yes. Are we?
-Yes.-[dad] Yes. Are we?
- Why are you deflecting?-What?
I'm not deflecting.
- What's deflecting?-[dad]
No one's deflecting.
We're just talking, okay?
- Why do you always ask so many
questions?-That was a question.
You can neverjust let anything go, can you?
Of course I can.
[Izzy] Oh, really? Go ahead. Let it go.
Let's just have a super chill breakfast.
Come on. It'll be fun.
Oh, look at her. She's just eating.
Just enjoying her food.
Not thinking about anything else.
Nothing else. Just her food.
This looks great.
I think it was an undercover cop car.
It had those hubcapsand
spotlight on the driver's side,
-and I was like, "Oh" -See? I told you.
-[mom] Hey.-Can you tell her to stop being
such a nosy little S-H-I-T?
-Language.-[dad] Whoa, whoa, whoa. Uh-uh.
I'm a journalist. I can spell.
[Izzy] Okay, Hilde. The
journalist thing's not a thing.
She had a hundred
"perscribers" in Brooklyn.
- [dad laughs]-
"Subscribers," but thank you.
Hilde, I thought you said you
weregonna stop this once you got here.
You know, so you can be normal.
I never said that. You said that.
[Izzy] Well, what are you gonna
report onin Erie Harbor anyway?
An American flagthat beats up an apple pie?
Mom, stop.
Look, I'm just saying, that guy
outsidelooked like he wanted to
M-U-R-D-E-R us.
-[Ginny] I can too.-What?
-Spell.-Yeah. Okay.
-Time-out, guys.-No.
You know, everything's everything's
gonna be fine, okay? Yes?
- [mom] Mm-hmm. It's gonna
be awesome.-[Izzy] Yeah.
-[dad] Yes?-[mom] Yeah.
[dad] All right. Thank you.
- [mom] Here you go.-[dad]
Will you have some fruit, please?
["Truth Doesn't Make a Noise" playing]
- [mom] Great. I'll pick you up
at 3:00 [Izzy] Bridget, don't pull
- all the way to the God. Never
mind.-Honey. I'm not even
Bridget.
[Bridget] Take care of your
sister, and my name is Mom!
Okay. Okay, give it back.
Did you see his outfit?
[song continues]
[song continues]
[song continues]
[song continues in earphones]
[Bridget] It's snowing!
-Don't freeze to death.-[Ginny giggles]
[Bridget] Yeah. [yells]
Okay. Be very serious.
-[Ginny chuckles]-No laughing. Snow.
Don't freeze.
Okay. Grab all the snow. Grab all the snow.
It's freezing out. Two. Yeah.
- But be very serious. No
laughing.-[Ginny laughing]
[Bridget] No laughing. Very serious.
Let's make snow angels. Ready? Snow angels.
Watch the viburnums.
Oh, sorry.
[birds twittering]
Where are the prices?
For what?
Anything. Like, what about this?
You drink coffee?
I love coffee, but my parents
only let me drink decaf.
Take it. Welcome to the neighborhood.
How'd you know we just got here?
Small town.
Well, why are you havinga
yard sale right now?
-Everyone's busy.-You're here.
But grown-ups have all the money.
Do you have a yard sale every day?
I'm a reporter.
So, you are Matt Lisko's kid, aren't you?
Your dad and I used to be friends.
Haven't seen him for a while.
He okay?
Why wouldn't he be?
Well, when he left, he always
saidthat he would never move back here.
He did? How come?
You wanna know the
best wayto keep a secret?
Pretend there isn't one.
Can you do me a favor?
[keys jingling]
[lock clicks]
[waves lapping]
[ship horn blows]
Ooh, can I play?
Hey. Hey, how was school today?
How was writing today?
- Uh, yeah. Okay, touché,
touché.-What does that mean?
That means I'm tryingto change the subject.
That's what that means.
It's French, and it's fancy.
[Hilde giggling]
All right, you. All right, it's late.
Look, I'm glad you're out exploring,
but I need you to be
homebefore it gets dark, okay?
It's called magic hour, okay?
Then why would I wanna come home?
Well, because it is a new town,
and because I asked you to.
It's okay. The ladywith the
weird yard sale walked me home.
Ms. Gillis.
-Wha Wait. What?-Yeah. Ms. Gillis.
She told me you used to be friends.
-Penny Gillis?-Yes.
Yeah. Yeah. We went
to high school together.
Yeah, and she left
somethingout on the lawn for you.
[kids laughing]
[boy] Let's hit the jumps.
[boy] Richie!
[laughing continues]
[laughing stops]
Oh, I thought you'd like it.
[Matt] I do.
I do. I I love it.
What did she say, Ms. Gillis,
when she gave that to you?
She said thatyou'd be
happy to have it back.
And that she has something else for you.
Okay.
[exhales] Wow.
[chuckles]
[footsteps approaching]
[man on TV] You know the
resultsof the latest Gallup poll?
Half the country nevereven
heard of the word Watergate.
Nobody gives a shit.
You guys are probably pretty tired, right?
Well, you should be. Go on home.
Get a nice, hot bath. Rest up 15 minutes.
Then get your asses back in gear.
We're under a lot of pressure,
you know, and you put us there.
Nothing's riding on this except for the,
uh, First Amendment to the Constitution,
and the freedom of the press,
and maybe the future of the country.
[sirens wailing]
[vehicles passing]
[police radio chatter]
[officer] Follow me.
Time of death, 9:08 p.m.
Hey. Hey. Uh-uh.
You need to get outta here, now.
But I know Ms. Gillis. I
was just with her today.
-I got this.-Yeah.
Hey. Hey, sweetheart. Well,
she, uh she had an accident.
No. Hey, hey.
Look, this is an active investigation,
sweetheart. You could disrupt evidence.
Of what? You said it was an accident.
It's late. Shouldn't you be asleep?
-What's your name?-I'm Hilde Lisko.
[man] Sheriff?
Heard it on the scanner.
[sheriff sighs] Penny Gillis fell downa
flight of stairs changing a light bulb.
[man] Any signs of foul play?
[sheriff] No, come on.
In Erie Harbor? Come on.
It's just a shame she lives alone.
She probably would've been all right.
[man] Man, it's like this familyis cursed.
[sheriff] Yeah.
She had an accident, you understand?
There's nothing to be afraid of.
- [man] Yeah?-Hi. I'm
a reporter for the news.
[door closes]
[man] Nothing's riding on this except the,
uh, First Amendment to the Constitution,
freedom of the press, and
maybe the future of the country.
[phone ringing]
[ringing continues]
- Principal Collins.-[woman]
Have you read this?
My child thinksthere's a
murderer in Erie Harbor.
[Collins] I'm reading it.
-[Matt] What did you do?-I'm a journalist.
- No, you're a fourth grader.-You
sent this to the whole effing school?
-[Ginny] Ooh.-Izzy, language.
- Technically, effing
isn't Hilde, not now.
Look, you left the housein
the middle of the night?
- Come on. What were you thinking?-Mom
said we could have more freedom here.
Yeah, well, that's gone now.
Someone we know got murdered last night.
Okay. Come on, Ginny. Screen time.
Okay, first of all, you don't know that.
The shed was ransacked.
There are weird footprints,
- signs of forced entry. There was Yeah,
it could have been the paramedics.
Huh? You think about that?
No, you You know what?
I'm not Mm-mm. I'm
not going there with you.
She was your friend. Don't you
wanna know what happened?
-[Hilde sighs]-[Matt exhales]
I don't understand. You used to take me out
and cover homicidesin
the South Bronx all the time.
Yeah, well, that's 'causewe
couldn't afford a babysitter, okay?
I don't believe you.
How is this any different?
All right, look, this is a small town.
You know, and New York was bigger.
Nobody was keeping trackof what
crime was happening and when.
Here, everyone knows everything.
Here, everyone's hiding everything!
I'm not gonna just make nice, if
that's what you're asking me to do.
Oh, come on. That's not what it is.
Okay, maybe it is a little bitof
what it is, but that's not the point.
Ever since we got here,
you've been acting weird.
And this house? There's
stuff I've never noticed before.
Oh, God, just go to school.
Come home. Do your homework.
Eat, sleep, rinse, repeat.
It's not that hard.
You'd have never let a story like this go.
Damn it, Hilde!
Why can't you just be a
little kidfor once in your life?
Huh?
It's okay, Dad.
I know you didn't mean it.
[Matt] God.
Hey.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. I'm sorry.
Okay? That wasn't cool. I didn't mean that.
-Yeah.-Hilde Hilde.
["Creep" playing]
[dishes clatter]
[Bridget] Help your sister
out a little. Help your sister!
[Izzy] Okay. I heard you.
[Bridget] Have a great
day, honey. Love you.
[Izzy] Yep.
[song continues]
[chattering]
[boy chuckles]
[song continues]
I mean, she just comes
hereand starts shit out of nowhere.
There she is.
[boy] What a weirdo.
[Collins] I've had 20 callsthis
morning from angry parents.
I don't know what things are likein
New York, but this is a quiet town.
And it's developmentally
inappropriatefor her age.
Yeah, with all due respect,
Hilde is an unusual case.
With all due respect, every
parentthinks their child is exceptional.
But at this school,
Hilde is like any other kid.
If she breaks the rules, she
has to face the consequences.
Listen, I may have yogurt on my shirt,
and I look like I haven't I haven't
showered in a week because,
you know, I haven't.
But I'm also a former public defender,
so I know a thing or two about rules,
and my daughter has not brokenany of them.
I'm sure her extracurricular
activitieshave been inconvenient for you,
but my guess is that you're firingthis
trumped-up warning shot across my bow
so that when you feel
likepursuing disciplinary action,
you'll have a proper paper trail.
-Is that about right?-Mrs. Lisko.
Bridget.
Hey. What are you in for?
-I'm Just Just kidding.
I totally read your article. I'm Donny.
-I'm But maybe we should pretend
you don't know me for a couple
of days, maybe a week, you know?
Until this whole thing blows over.
Fair enough.
What about you? What'd you do?
[chuckles]
[hip-hop playing]
[Donny] Mm. You feelin' the wiggle?
Ooh, that's the best
part. That's the stuff.
You and I both know that the
worldisn't always kind to troublemakers.
Especially little girls.
If a little boy did what Hilde
did, he wouldn't be in trouble.
He would be the school president.
Your daughter made up a
storyabout a woman being murdered.
My daughter writes a
newspaperin her spare time.
She is nine years old, and
she has a passion in life.
She has work that she
lovesmore than anything else.
I I never had that,
and I am guessing by that
half-assedinspirational cat poster
that you didn't either.
You mean the poster my
colleaguesgot me as a present
when the school board
finallygave me this job
after offering it to two menwho
were far less qualified than me?
So, yeah, I know all about being a girl.
[exhales]
I'm sorry.
You're right. But you don't know Hilde.
She's not like any other kid. She's my kid.
And I'm her mom.
[sighs] So no matter how tired I am,
or how exhausting it can
beto deal with someone
who is so tiny and so driven,
I am going to make damn
surenobody crushes her dreams.
[bell rings]
[door closes]
[girl] Well, both problem
setswere exactly the same.
Because she copied off me.
[girl] Yeah. I'm gonna
sayyou copied off her, okay?
Thanks, Baby Einstein.
You can leave now. Bye!
But it's not the truth.
Who cares? What are
you gonna do about it, huh?
Write an article about
mein your stupid little paper?
You know what? Go ahead.
Any press is good press.
Hilde.
[thunder rumbling]
[Matt] Life is not alwaysabout
chasing the story, okay?
[Izzy] Hilde, I thought you said you
weregonna stop this once you got here.
You know, so you can be normal.
[Bridget] Hilde, not now.
[Matt] Why can't you just be
a little kidfor once in your life?
[thunderclap]
[man] You guys are
probablypretty tired, right?
Well, you should be. Go on home.
Get a nice, hot bath. Rest up 15 minutes.
Then get your asses back in gear.
["Rebel Girl" playing]
[song continues]
My name's Hilde Lisko.
Sergeant Miller's kid already
came bywith the Thin Mints.
No. I wanna seea copy of the police report
for the incident at 215 Oakdale Ave.
Uh-huh. You need to settle down.
[Hilde] Why can't I see the police
report? It's a matter of public record.
[desk officer] Why aren't you at school?
[Hilde] Because crime
doesn't careif it's third period.
Hello again, little lady.
I'm not going away.
Can someone deal with this?
I warned her. I explained to her
Nevertheless, I persisted.
Okay, Senator. Come with me.
All right. So, sit.
Oh, hold on. Let me get this for you.
Sit right there. Sit.
You know you can get into a lot of
troublesaying something is murder when it isn't.
Well, by the way people are
acting, looks like I was right.
I need to see the Penny Gillis file.
No, I can't do that.
You girls crack the case yet?
[snickers]
You know what? I changed my mind.
I'm gonna get you that file.
I can't show you everything,
but here's what I got.
Something's missing.
It was a machine on the table,
and it was, like, right here.
It looked like
this.
-A VCR?-Yes.
What's a VCR?
- [Bridget] It's
horrible.-[Matt] It's not good.
"This article, or paper, or
whatever you call it, is so lame."
Oh, that's not good.
-Keep "Doesn't this girl have parents?"
I mean, come on. You know
what? Turn off the comments.
- She doesn't need to
see this.-Ah, that's not
Look, I'm gonna print
it out first, just in case.
In case what?
Well, remember when, uh, I
got all those death threats?
Yeah, you taught me, always
hold onto corroborating evidence.
[Bridget] Death threats?
Matt, this is our kid.
You know, maybe we just needto
tell her she needs to stop doing this.
Bridge, come on. That's
not gonna do any good.
Look, you know she's gonna do it anyway.
I'll just tell her nobody commented. Okay?
You know what? I'm done.
Lisko. I know that name.
My dad's a reporterfor
the New York Sentinel.
Well, was. He was covering
this caseabout a missing girl.
Just couldn't let it go. I
think that's why he got fired.
He's always been Well,
he used to be like me.
Can't let something
gountil he figures it out.
Hmm. Well, I wonderif he lived here in '88.
What do you mean?
Well, it was before I came
to town, but I heard about it.
The mayor's kid went missing.
His name was Richie Fife.
[female deputy] He was abducted one
nightwhile he was riding his bike home.
Everyone started locking their doors.
People moved away.
I mean, they caught
the guy who did it, but
they never found outwhat
happened to Richie.
What do the cops think happened?
I don't know.
They never released the file,
and once it was in the past,
folks around herewanted
it to stay that way.
Well, do you thinkthey
caught the right guy?
Actually, the person they
arrestedfor Richie's murder
that was Penny Gillis's brother.
Keep diggin'.
Hey. Everything I said here
You do knowwhat an
anonymous source is, right?
Don't worry. I've seen All
the President's Men 36 times.
I won't quote you.
Why are you helping me?
I don't like when they
pat meon the head either.
[frogs croaking]
[sighs]
Dad?
Dad?
Dad.
All right.
[beeps]
[printer whirring]
Hey. Hey, what are you doing up?
You told me there were no comments.
Oh, sweetie.
Look, I I just didn't
wantyou to get hurt, okay?
But it it's so mean.
Look, I know. I know, I know.
Look, when people don't
haveto say things to your face,
like on the Internet, yeah, they
can they can be really mean.
All right?
I was talking about you.
I thought we didn't keep secrets.
[footsteps departing]
[inhales, exhales loudly]
[Hilde sobbing]
[sobbing continues]
[kids laughing, chattering]
[no audible dialogue]
[kids chattering]
Oh, my God. How embarrassing.
[chatter increases]
"This article, paper, or
whatever it is, is so lame."
[kids laughing]
[Hilde] "Go home. You're a loser."
[laughter increases]
"Perhaps you're too young to understandthe
words 'sensationalist' and 'trash.'"
"Cute little girlsaren't
supposed to be journalists.
Stick to tea parties."
[boy] Freak.
You're probablynever
gonna talk to me again.
[Hilde] "Keep it up. Maybe
somedayyou'll write something intelligent."
"Maybe Hilde killed her."
"See, this is whyyou
shouldn't educate girls."
"I hate whoever wrote this."
"Who even let this
little girlon the Internet?"
"Hate to break it to you, but you suck."
"You're ugly."
Well, that felt off-topic.
"You're just a stupid little girl.
Why don't you learnto
keep your mouth shut?"
Excuse me, ladies. Do you want to sit down?
A friend of mine once said
that the best way to keep a
secretis to pretend like there isn't one.
Well, I thought she said it, but thenit
turned out to be Margaret Atwood.
I don't like secrets. And
I don't like pretending.
You asked who cares about the truth.
I do.
'Cause if the truth doesn't matter
nothing ever will.
[kids gasping, laughing]
[rock music playing]
No, no, no!
Hi. I'm Donny.
I'm Spoon. Wesley Witherspoon.
I'm Izzy, Hilde's sister.
Stop!
[Collins] You.
Hilde Lisko, come with me.
[Collins sighs] Sit.
I have a change of clothes
in my car. Don't move.
Yes, Principal Collins.
[Hilde] Money.
What are you doing?
Uh, I get sweaty when I'm nervous.
You are your father's daughter, aren't you?
Isn't everybody?
[bell ringing]
[man] Today I'm gonna show
youhow to hook up your VCR.
There's two slots. One is
your out, and one is your in.
You're gonna want to go from your out,
plugging the color-coded
yellow cableinto the slot there.
[VCR whirring]
I don't understandwhy
some old VCR is so important.
[man] And you'll have to findthe
appropriate source on your television.
Typically it's called video one.
Hilde?
Iz. Iz, you guys here?
[boy] I mean, mine
would stick better, but
[boy 2] Oh, yeah, right. I'm
definitely gonna need a new tire.
- [boy 3] Yeah.-[boy 2]
Yeah, probably a new bike.
-[boy 1] Come on!-[boy 3] Grandma, today!
[boy 3] Half an eternity later. Yeah.
[boy 1] You're so slow. Can't make itup
the hill. Oh, 'cause of my broken bike.
[Matt grunting]
[boy 1] Hey! No!
-Stop! Help!-[boy 2 screaming]
[boy 1] Get off Richie!
[boys in video screaming, yelling]
[boy 2] No!
[boy 3] Richie!
[boy 1] Richie!
Help!
Is that Dad?
Hilde.
We just got here, okay? Dad's
acting weird enough already.
You can't show him
that tape. Not right now.
Maybe this is why he's been sad.
Look, you don't even know if it is him.
And if it is, then that's really serious.
[sighs] I wanna help him.
Then don't go up there.
Hey.
[chuckles] Hey.
Mm.
Hey, what's this for?
It's just
I love you, and I want
everything to be okay here.
Oh, well, thank you, scout.
Hey, you know what?
I think I love you too.
You know, I'm pretty sure I do. Yeah. Wow.
Bye.
Hey, where where are you going?
I'm going to make it right.
Make what right?
I'm going to figure
outthe Penny Gillis case.
I know there's something more here.
Look, Hilde, I know what happenedto
Penny was was terrible, but
Look, you gotta let it go.
I don't think you hidthose comments from me
because you didn't want me to get hurt.
I think you did itbecause
you don't want me to stop.
Look.
I know that you don't thinkthat
you're a journalist anymore
but I don't believe it.
So you can come back when you're ready.
But until then
I'm gonna find out
the truth, for both of us.
["The Champion" playing]
Hilde!
Get back here.
Be smart.
I'd rather be brave.
Yeah. Well, be both.
[song continues]
[song continues]
[song continues]
[song continues]
[song ends]
["People Are Strange" playing]
[song continues]