Kindred (2022) s01e06 Episode Script

1
It's weird. It's
starting to feel normal.
Being here, I mean.
Yeah, I never thought I'd
be okay smelling this bad.
It's like the present almost feels
fuzzy now, which is
like really fucked.
Yeah.
- This one time
- Mm-hmm?
I was at Big Bear, and I was
tripping acid, like, real acid,
and I just fully forgot what
life was before tripping.
And so I just ended
up sitting cross-legged
next to my friend in a tent
just chanting the names of
chain stores like a mantra,
like, "Target, Walmart, Walgreens,
Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Walmart."
- Why?
- I don't know. I guess they just
represented a return to
the real world for me or
Mmm.
Oh, I know. I could just, like,
hold you underwater super gently.
- That sounds horrible.
- Mm-hmm.
That's kind of the point.
It wouldn't work because
I'd know what you're up to.
Okay, got it. I hire
someone else to stab you.
- No!
- Just, like, almost stab you.
No. What if I actually die?
You don't like any of my ideas.
Because you're not the
one getting stabbed.
I'm weirdly into this
book, Robinson Crusoe.
Rufus let me read it to
him, like, all day yesterday,
and I'm, like, actually invested.
It's so good.
If you can somehow shut out
the fact that this whole thing
is happening in a terrifying
and horrible time and place
Mm-hmm?
it's it's kind of like a retreat.
So is that technically a cornrow?
What?
That I'm as lucky as me ♪
Struck it rich ♪
Dirty rich ♪
- No work ♪
- We're gonna have to ration.
If we listen to three songs a night,
I think we could last about a
week?
- A week?
- Mm-hmm.
Do you think that we're
really gonna be here that long?
The sun's up.
I should, um, I should go to the attic.
Before they start waking up.
"What marks were there of a
And how is it possible
a man should come there?
But then to think that Satan should take
human shape upon him in such a place."
I'm bored. Can we read something else?
What? You're bored?
You don't want to see how it ends?
It's it's getting good.
- Nah.
- What about you?
What do you think of Robinson Crusoe?
Carrie? Carrie!
That I deign to search
for my own attendant
is cause enough to box your ear.
It's my fault, Mama. I asked
her to listen to Dana with me.
Rufus, I should have it that
Dana shall no longer read to you.
- But, Mommy
- Hey!
Mr. Weylin will better see Dana's value
elsewhere in the house. You
understand, Mr. Franklin.
In any case, young man, your
piano lessons start presently.
I don't want any damn piano lessons!
Rufus Weylin, I will not
tolerate such language.
It's okay, Rufus. It's okay.
Mr. Franklin's a great teacher.
You'll have fun. Promise.
You might want to start with
emptying Mr. Franklin's bedpans.
- Oh
- Yes, Miss Margaret.
Right? So this is C position.
So your thumb is on the white
key before the two black keys.
Good day.
- May I watch?
- Yeah. Yeah.
We're just, uh, getting
acquainted with the instrument.
Um
Rufus, why don't you show
your mom what you learned?
Rufus! Mmm!
That is marvelous.
Should display your progress
to Mr. Deighton tomorrow.
- Mr. Deighton?
- Yes. A widower and solicitor,
and he and his daughter
they are to dine with us tomorrow.
Rufus, I hear that
Philippa is very handsome.
- I don't want to meet her.
- Hush.
You are to be a gentleman.
And a gentleman ought to be in love.
Don't you agree, Mr. Franklin?
Whoo! The thought
brings forth fond remembrances
of my own coming out.
You would have found me
quite becoming, Rufus.
Relish the opportunity to meet
one half as good as
your mother in Philippa.
Go on.
Um so, uh
We've scoured the woods
from here to Easton.
- The girl is nowhere to be found.
- Go on.
It makes absolutely no sense.
She can't have traveled as far
on foot in such a short time.
Nothing.
- Listen, about last night, I wasn't trying
- The more I know,
the more danger you put me in, you hear?
I'm already in enough trouble.
Somethin' the matter with Luke?
I suspect it's that runaway
that happened under his watch.
He know about our talk?
- Do anybody?
- No.
You need to keep it that way.
Carrie!
Come here.
Take off that dress. Now.
I don't care what that
bitch Margaret wants.
You take it off 'fore you step
foot in this cookhouse. You hear me?
What you lookin' at?
I keep Carrie in that tow linen
so she don't end up like Celeste
or any of their mothers.
Last one might have gotten away,
but Carrie ain't gonna be the next.
You hear me?
Knock, knock.
Mr. Franklin.
How goes the search for Winnie?
Yeah, we'll find her soon.
She's proving herself to
be rather a canny bitch.
But I'm cannier still.
I don't suppose you have any leads?
How goes Rufus's playing, hmm?
Well, uh, not bad for one day, but, uh,
I feel that I should
manage your expectations.
Margaret seems to think that
he'll be concert-ready by tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Oh, Christ.
Deighton visits tomorrow.
Unfortunately, Kevin, a man's
appointment to the agricultural society
is dependent upon that
blithering loiterer's judgment.
It doesn't help that
he considered himself
betrothed to Hannah in their youth.
I do suspect that he half believes
this estate ought to be his.
I do hope you're not planning
to wear that to dinner tomorrow.
Uh, I I don't really
have anything else to wear.
I'll have something arranged.
Celeste.
- Let me help you.
- Thanks.
- My head feels somethin' awful.
- It's really hot.
You shouldn't be exerting yourself.
You don't think I know that?
Go and tell Miss Margaret.
Thank the Lord for that meal bell.
Soon, two days will have come
and gone since Winnie's flight.
I suspect some of you
know where she went
and how she went about going.
I also reason it's in
your nature to keep mum.
Maybe you don't think
it's your business, hmm?
You'd rather keep your
black eyes to the ground
and wait for the supper bell.
But maybe some of you will
afford me your obedience.
Where has the Negress gone to? Where?
Hmm.
A half square of cornbread a day
until the Negress is recovered!
Or until one of you comes
forward with her designs.
No evening meal till then!
Am I clear? Hmm?
Is that clear?!
- Yes, Marse.
- Yes.
- Yes, sir.
- Yes.
You see any of these mongrels
even think about lapping it up,
you shoot.
Now back to work with you!
How long are we expected to work off
a half square of cornbread, Luke?
- We're practically starved as it is.
- Ain't sensible.
Marse Tom's liable to lose
half his stock in this heat
if we keep on with empty stomachs.
You're right, Jupe,
and Marse Tom know that.
He just sore on account
of his shine for Winnie,
but he's a reasonable man.
- Ugh.
- Give it the night, Peter.
Master Tom gon' come to his senses.
You better hope he does. You was the one
that was supposed to be
watching out that night.
Where she go off?
Celeste doesn't seem to agree with
you about Tom being reasonable.
Celeste just think I know
something about Winnie.
You think Tom will really do this
if someone doesn't come forward?
No slave is supposed to leave
Tom Weylin's plantation that way.
If you ask me,
it's fixin' to be a hard few days.
He wouldn't turn you
in, would he? Like
like if things got worse.
No. I don't think so.
No, this just needs to blow over.
What about Nigel or Celeste? You know,
if something happens to them
How can we help take the pressure off?
I don't know. Uh help him.
Hmm?
Luke.
Dana, you shouldn't be
creeping around this late.
Jake's on watch tonight.
- You're not on watch?
- Not by myself.
Not anymore.
Look. I brought you something.
- What is that?
- It's food.
I promise it's good.
There's enough for Celeste and Nigel.
That should hold you over
for a couple days at least.
What about everyone else?
I don't have enough for everyone.
All right.
Come to me with whatever you need, okay?
We're gonna get through this.
Together.
Does Miss Olivia have
anything to do with this?
She know anything about Winnie?
Where she might be?
Mm-mm. No.
Did you take her wherever it is you go?
Yeah. Winnie's gone for good.
Night.
(water
Morning, Mr. Franklin. Making
friends with the ducks, were ya?
Somethin' like that.
I'm jealous of you, Piano Man.
No rest for the likes of me.
Soon, Tom's gonna have me out there
looking for that damn girl of his again.
She must have some real talents
for him to be so upset about her.
Your own must as well.
What do you mean by that?
Well, you tell me.
Is Dana mouthy in more ways than one?
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- You right, Jupe.
- Pitiful sight, isn't it?
- Get up, you good-for-nothing
- Back off, damn it!
The man ain't eaten anything.
He's weak. We all are.
You know, from the feel of that
shove, you don't seem too weak.
Tom hasn't been sneaking you
any crumbs from the dinner table?
Get the hell out of here.
Better start watching
the way you talk to me.
Things going so south for
ya, you might just regret it.
- Come on
- Don't be touching me!
That Jake right. You're
just the right hand
to all that evil up in that house.
Back to work.
What are you doing in here?
I was retrieving a
book for Mr. Franklin.
You were reading it.
You are never to linger in this room.
Do you understand me?
Hmm.
Mr. Franklin.
A word?
I found your slave
reading in my library.
Oh, I'm I'm so sorry.
Um, she she didn't, um
She may collect books for you,
but she's never to read
alone while on this estate.
Nor in the presence of my
stock. I have policies to uphold.
Yes, yeah. Of course. I understand.
It is not enough to understand, sir.
I have a damn runaway on my hands,
and I can't afford
anybody filling my slaves
full of ambitions
inappropriate to their stations.
I'll fix it.
Are you okay?
- No.
- Tom told me what happened.
You have to be more careful, Dana.
That library is like a
shrine to his dead wife.
Careful?
I should be careful?
Sorry, I-I forgot for a second
that I wasn't a human being here.
Why should I give a
fuck about his dead wife?
You're right. I'm sorry. Okay.
Everyone's a little tense.
While I was outside earlier,
I saw someone collapse.
I really thought that
everyone was gonna turn on Luke
right then and there.
This starvation situation is is bad.
You're right.
Luke's not gonna stay quiet.
I'm gonna go to Olivia's.
- What for?
- I have to tell her what's going on.
If these people starve any
longer, Luke or Sarah will break.
They'll tell Tom, and if
they don't, someone else will.
Okay, uh, shall I come with?
No. No.
Someone will notice if
we're both gone. Just
keep playing the piano.
- Shh!
- Olivia?
It's Dana.
- You alone?
- Yeah.
Get in.
What is going on?
What the fuck is going on?
These crazy heifers trying
to cut all my hair off.
That's what's going on.
If somebody sees her, we don't
want her looking like herself.
Why is she still here?
Oh, you think it's easy finding
safe passage for a runaway?
It don't matter either way.
- I'm going back to the Weylins'.
- No, you're not.
Yes, I am. I'm tired
of listening to you.
You ain't got no plan for me.
You ain't made no way for me.
You offer me nothin'!
At least I know what
I got with Marse Tom.
No, you don't! Tom is not
going to welcome you back.
He thinks you tried to poison him.
- But I didn't try to poison him!
- It doesn't matter because that's what he thinks.
And if he doesn't try to kill
you, then you'll wish he did.
So either you listen to us
and you get to Philadelphia,
or you stay down there till you
change your mind. Which is it?
- All right.
- Mm.
I won't go back to him.
Olivia, it's Luke.
- Olivia.
- Luke can't know she's here. He will turn us in.
Miss Olivia, open up.
I hear you in there.
Get in that crawlspace quick.
- I need your help.
- My help?
Celeste she's in a bad way.
I think the baby's coming early.
I'll go with you.
Alice, you stay here and
keep watch over everything.
Hey? All right?
Dana, you come with
me. I need your help.
Hello, hello, hello.
- Archibald.
- Good day to you, sir.
- Welcome.
- Mrs. Weylin.
So soon after our evening at the Taneys.
And might I introduce my
youngest daughter Philippa?
Delighted by your
acquaintance, Mrs. Weylin.
Your dress is most becoming, and
you're attending girl is quite pretty.
What a charming creature.
Might I present my son Rufus?
Hello.
Delighted by your
acquaintance, Mr. Rufus.
Oh!
And who might this be?
My apologies. Mr. Kevin
Franklin of New York.
A very gifted musician, and
employed as Rufus' piano tutor.
- Pleasure.
- Oh, the pleasure's mine, sir.
That Miss Weylin attests to your skill
is all the endorsement
a man can require.
It does not take an expert to
observe Mr. Franklin's talent.
I do believe supper is ready.
Yes, please. I believe
I remember the way.
This way, dear.
Don't worry. She's just a girl.
She was back doing her chores
when she got dizzy and
took a fall in the garden.
- Nigel found her.
- Dizzy?
She's been having aches
in her head all day.
- She hasn't eaten anything.
- What?
Tom's been starving everyone
out looking for Winnie.
So we carried her over
to the Jezebel cabin,
and she said she thought
the baby was coming.
Why are you all standing around?
Get back to work.
Baby's coming too soon.
What do I what do I do? What
Be with her. Talk to her.
Take her hand. Talk to her.
Okay, here comes a contraction.
Dana's gonna help you.
Squeeze my hand.
- You're okay. You're okay.
- The baby's breech.
What's that What's that mean?
What's that mean?!
Mmm.
Mr. Weylin, the rumors prove true.
Sarah has grown into a fine cook.
Do the grounds stand up to
your memory, Mr. Deighton?
I regard my time here with
the warmest of sentiment.
The late Miss Hannah and I
used to run unfettered
beneath the low oak branches.
When I was good and worn out,
Father would sit me on his lap
tell me stories of
beating back the redcoats.
It pleases me greatly to see
such fine alteration to this house
since those salad days.
- Enough.
- I'm sorry, Marse.
Out.
Carrie, you will take over the service.
Very good.
Is everything all right
with your girl, Tom?
Yes, yes. It's just
you've caught us in a period
of, uh, disciplinary action.
What was the cause of the discipline?
They don't want to give up a runaway.
I see. That's a shame.
It will be sorted soon enough.
I'm sure of it.
Push.
Okay. Good job.
- You're doing so good.
- Okay, Dana.
- Good job.
- Now I'm gonna rotate the head.
Okay.
I got the baby in a good position.
It's okay.
- Just a little bit more, okay?
- I'm sorry, I can't.
You're about to meet your baby.
You're doing so good. You're so close.
You're so close. You're
about to meet your baby.
Here comes another contraction.
Okay.
Okay.
Wait, wait, wait. Wait,
wait, wait. What's happening?
She's seizing. She's seizing.
Grab that strap over there.
I don't want her biting her tongue.
Celeste. Hey.
Hey. Hey.
Go get Tom.
Hey. Hey, can you hear me?
Celeste! Celeste!
When true hearts lie withered ♪
And fond ones are flown ♪
Oh, who would inhabit ♪
This bleak world alone? ♪
Marvelously done, dear.
Wonderful.
You play beautifully, Mr. Franklin.
Rufus, why don't you show Philippa
- what you've been practicing on piano?
- No, thank you.
Play, boy. Do not deny our guests
the pleasure of your talents, hmm?
Hey, you're doing so well,
Rufus. Don't give up, okay?
Marse Tom, you're
needed by the quarters.
Celeste's baby is coming.
Please excuse me. I'll return presently.
Yes, of course.
Dana. I need to get this baby out.
When I make the cut,
I need you to pull the
baby out by the feet.
Wait, wait, wait. What
what about Celeste?
No. No, no, no. We have
We can save them both.
She's dead, Dana.
Save the child.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
She didn't make it.
Can I hold it?
This hair blond.
Clean up this mess,
hmm? Get the grave dug.
- Luke
- Leave me be, Dana!
Just
leave me be.
Oh!
Mwah! Don't fret, my dear.
Philippa's no great loss.
- I was led to believe she was pretty, not scarred.
- Shut up!
- Rufus.
- Stop treating me like a child.
You don't care if I play well.
You just want people to like you.
Well, I don't, and I never will.
I'm guessing that piano
shit's not going so well.
I should have warned you.
Celeste isn't the first.
It's terrible what Tom
does to these girls.
I guess I've just gotten used to it.
Luke
he looked at me like
like he blames me.
We did the best that we could.
If you're worried he's gon'
tell Tom about Winnie, don't be.
He just lost somethin' really precious.
He's not gon' care about anything
else for a long, long time.
Meal bell.
It took all of this for
that piece of shit
to come to his senses.
Well at least it's done.
I gotta get back home.
I'm sorry, but I
I don't want to be like you.
I don't want to get used to this.
Yeah.
It's hard to believe that you could.
Look at all this suffering.
But people here choose
survival for its own sake.
They have to.
When you appeared in the nursery
and you came back after the fire,
even when you went back that
same night, I held on to you.
Because I was holding on
to an old version of myself.
It's hard to look at you.
You have your father's face.
I get you hope
that something between us
could be put back together.
I had that same hope,
then years passed
before I saw you again.
And holding on to all
of that nearly killed me.
So I moved on.
And I need you to move on.
I can't.
I can't.
I don't want to.
'Cause I'm right here,
and you're right here,
and I want to be a family.
But you're a grown woman.
There are so many years that
I never got to spend with you.
I can I can tell them
to you if you want to know.
I ought to get back.
I got a lot of things
to do. I finally
found a contact for Winnie
that I need to see about.
It's about time she's on her way.
I didn't say anything!
You up and left us!
Do not stop playing on my account.
Please.
Go on. It will cheer me.
Might I sit here with you?
Are you all right?
I offer very little as a
companion to Mr. Weylin.
I disagree.
Well, you're not my husband.
Leave Tom.
Uh
No. I can't.
Why not? He is an awful man.
Save yourself.
Find someone to take care of you.
But who?
- Who?
- Find them.
I'm so sorry. I
I admire you, Margaret. I do, but
Tom, Mr. Deighton, and you
all widowers
forever in mourning.
This piano has brought bad luck.
Perhaps its previous
owner still haunts it.
Shall I burn it?
I wish there to be no bitter
feelings between us, Kevin.
Good night.
Target, Walgreens, Walmart.
Target, Walgreens Walmart.
Brought your supper.
I ain't hungry.
Luke.
I'm
I'm so I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry.
You think this is just
about a day with no food,
some runaway?
This ain't your fault, Dana.
It's mine. I should
have been more gentle
with what was between us,
but I was proud of it
of her.
Tom saw that, so he took her.
Took her in such a way
wasn't nothing to do
but die to save herself from shame.
- That's not true.
- It's the same way he took Nigel's mother.
Sold her off as soon
as his own Hannah died.
Ever since we was boys,
he never let me have
something to myself.
You know, he promised me my own acreage.
A farm of my own. Said I could earn it.
He's a man of his word Tom.
I used to think that,
but now I don't know.
I don't know.
I think me and Nigel are
gon' be here till we die.
I want to help Nigel
and you.
Like your helped Winnie?
What about the folks back here, huh?
With Jake here to mind them?
I'm not runnin'.
Nobody's suffering any more than
they already do on my account.
Nigel told me you could read.
You want to help
you could teach him.
Help make him about as
smart as you seem to be.
Would you?
Kevin.
Come on in here.
I've just
spoken to my wife.
She would also like piano lessons.
Oh.
You will teach her, yes?
Yeah.
- Yeah, totally.
- As it seems the boy
does not seem to be taking to music,
Margaret will simply take over
half of his allotted lessons.
Occupying her time might
preserve my sanity
at least until her damn sister arrives.
Rufus doesn't do so well under pressure.
Isn't that the truth?
I don't know what to do with him, Kevin.
Must I bribe him into competence
with cakes and candies like his mother?
Nothing takes.
Boys need to spend time with
their fathers to understand them.
That's a luxury I wasn't afforded.
My father did not live to
tell me his war stories.
He was shot dead.
Yeah, I lost, uh
lost my father at a young age, too.
- To battle?
- No. No, to, uh, illness.
You have to try to give
him what you never had.
You appear to be uncommonly sensitive
to my son's needs and proclivities.
I will entertain
your suggestion to spend
more time with the boy.
I apologize for my behavior today.
I fear the present situation
has turned me womanly.
I suffered an an unexpected blow
to my numbers between this afternoon
and Winnie.
Hmm.
When they run away
ah, it disturbs me.
I mean, they think they know
what's best for themselves.
They do not.
How do they not know that I
offer them safety, protection?
Are you just getting back from Olivia's?
No. I've been here a while.
Oh.
Um
Is, uh
Is Winnie still
What's wrong?
Celeste died.
- What?
- The baby died, too.
I, um
I was there.
I watched.
Oh, my God, Dana.
I don't know what to say.
There's nothing to say.
Luke's out there digging
a grave for both of them
by himself.
And it wasn't even
his kid. It was Tom's.
I told Luke that I'd
teach Nigel to read.
It's the least I could do.
- Dana
- I know it's dangerous,
but he's wrecked.
And I have to do something.
No.
You're not seeing what
I'm seeing every day.
- I know that.
- Do you?
I just need you to be safe, Dana.
I don't think it's
enough for me to be safe.
When I'm not safe, I get to go home.
These people, they don't
they don't get that.
And I
I can't help but feel
like somehow this is
my fault.
No.
Margaret.