Them (2021) s01e04 Episode Script

- [Dionne Warwick: "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"]
- Zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
Zip-a-dee-ay ♪
My, oh, my, my, my, what a ♪
Wonderful day ♪
Plenty of sunshine ♪
Heading my way ♪
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
Zip-a-dee-ay ♪
Well, Mr. Bluebird's ♪
Zip, zip, zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
Zip, zip,
zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
On my shoulder ♪
Zip, zip, zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
And it's the truth ♪
Oh, it's natural ♪
Zip, zip, zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
Everything is gonna be ♪
Satisfactual ♪
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah ♪
Zip-a-dee-ay ♪
Wonderful feeling ♪
Wonderful day ♪♪
♪
What, we're not going to school?
Were you playing
the radio, Daddy?
No. Of course
we're going to school.
It's Gracie Jean's first day.
[distant] Ready?
[distant chatter]
[Henry] Some folks are what?
- [both] Fools.
- That's right.
So we're leaving,
and we're not paying fools
or foolishness any mind.
Right?
Walk straight to the car.
Mind your teachers.
[door opens]
[car door opens]
Lock the door.
I know. I know, I know. Baby.
- Baby, baby. Baby, look at me.
- Look at this bullshit.
Look at me.
Don't even give them
the satisfaction.
- Fuck them.
- [shushes]
Okay.
So look, we got three options.
One: I walk back in the house,
I get my .45,
I kill all these honkies.
I go to jail,
the girls get taken from you.
Look, I got to be honest,
I'm not in love with option one.
Two: I stay home with you.
First week on the job?
You get fired, and
- What was option one again?
- Mm-mm.
Eyes on me. All on me.
All that we've been through,
they think some dolls
are gonna what?
Hmm? Mm-mm.
Now I'm taking the girls
to school,
and then I'm going to work.
You're gonna go inside
and lock the door.
Okay.
We got this.
We got this.
[car door closes]
[engine starts]
♪
- What do you call this?
- A start.
Cross too flamboyant?
I'm sure I don't know
what you mean.
- My children had to see that.
- Whose fault is that?
This place is my our home.
I think it's important
a person knows her place.
If it were me, I can't imagine
living somewhere
I wasn't wanted, all alone.
You're all alone right now.
Be over before they make it
off their lawns.
Is that a threat?
I'm sure I don't know
what you mean.
Betts? Everything okay?
Just fine, sweetie.
Just fine.
Why would you live somewhere
you're not wanted?
Seriously.
Sunshine.
Jasmine in the air.
- It's growing on me.
- And a family to consider.
See, there?
You found the answer
all by yourself.
I wouldn't want my children
growing up in such a
Good thing you don't have any.
Isn't it?
Find some place else to live,
Mrs. Emory.
Because this is as good
as it's going to be for you,
and it'll never be
quite this good again.
You know, the good thing about
being neighbors, Mrs. Wendell,
is you know where to find me.
[Sarah Vaughn:
"Make Yourself Comfortable"]
Ooh ♪
Make yourself comfortable ♪
Ooh ♪
Make yourself comfortable ♪
Ooh ♪
Make yourself comfortable,
baby ♪
♪
I've got some records here ♪
To put you in the mood ♪
Make yourself comfortable ♪
The phone is off the hook ♪
So no one can intrude ♪
Make yourself comfortable ♪
I feel romantic ♪
And the record change
is automatic, baby ♪♪
Oh. Thanks, Emory.
[elevator bell chimes]
Well, see you at the shindig.
[elevator whirs]
It's this thing this afternoon.
These parties are such a bore.
Bunch of stuffed shirts.
You wouldn't have any fun.
I wouldn't go
if I didn't have to.
So just enjoy
your half-day's work.
[elevator bell chimes]
[tongue clicks] Next time.
How are you?
[Lucky] I can say it slower
if you'd like,
or write it down: We're selling.
I'd encourage you
to take another look
at the agreement
that you signed.
It's not a lease
in the technical sense.
There's no bank mortgage,
and the debt is amortized
without any accrual of equity.
- Amortized means
- Means this is usury.
Same kind of pestering happened
to the last colored family
that I placed in Compton.
The Johnson family,
over on Thorson Avenue.
There are new Negro families
just dying to move here.
I'm sure you'll find, in
short order, you're not alone.
You gonna warn them
about what's in store?
Huh?
[dial clicking]
[man] [over phone] Compton
Police Department.
Sergeant Wheatley, please.
[George] I guess it worked.
What you said the other night.
That woman.
Those people.
The gall, George.
What happened?
[exhales]
I don't know, Mrs. Wendell.
Betty.
What you said at that meeting
I'd be lying
if I said I didn't
you know, stay awake
all night thinking about it.
Thinking about
everything you said.
If words were deeds
Hmm.
When I was in Korea
there were,
there were things, sometimes,
needed to be done.
And
it takes
a certain type of man to
do certain types of things.
You know
what would make me happy?
Mm?
A day off.
[laughs softly]
Just one day where I didn't have
to make a single decision.
And then someone else
would just take care
of everything.
All this mess.
- I should
- Oh, God, listen to me.
I've kept you. Shoo, shoo.
[chuckles]
Thank you for the delivery
and the visit.
Always a pleasure,
never a chore.
My mother used to say that.
Betty, if there's anything
you ever need
from me,
anything, don't hesitate to ask.
[bird cawing]
[children shouting playfully]
♪
[indistinct chatter]
[students murmuring]
Psst. [laughs]
Let's blow this joint.
I want to show you something.
Come on.
Come on, let's go.
[both laugh]
[both laugh]
[shushes]
They know we'll all be at lunch.
- Who?
- [shushes]
[both laugh]
[Doris] Right here.
[gasps softly]
[both laugh]
Who's there?
- Run.
- Go, go.
[both laugh]
Run.
- Oh, my God.
- In there!
- Oh, my God.
- [squeals]
[both laugh]
I apologize for dropping in.
No need. I love company.
Back home in Georgia?
Place was full of folks.
Door was always open.
Been here long?
Not too long. Few weeks.
Months?
Time flies out here, don't it?
Think it's 'cause
the sun's always shining.
Hard to tell where morning
stops and evening begins.
Mm. Could tell time by
the trees in North Carolina.
My girls always knew
when dinner was by the shadows.
- [chuckles]
- Trees.
I do miss those.
Hmm.
Well, go on.
I know you didn't come over here
to talk about trees.
- You were looking for me.
- [laughs softly]
That obvious?
It's not every day
you see another Negro
in this neighborhood.
And judging by the look
on your face
outside my window,
it's been a while.
It has.
I know how hard it can be.
This place.
These p-people.
They tried all the dirty tricks
in the dirty trick book
to get us out of here.
Hollering outside the door
all hours of the night.
Nails up the driveway.
Stu stu stuck a letter
in the mailbox.
"Keep an eye
on your little niggers."
I stopped sleeping.
Eating.
I couldn't leave.
Scared to. [laughs softly]
Does things to you. Your head.
I thought I'd go mad.
But things have a way
of coming round. [laughs]
Just like he said they would.
He?
The man in the black hat.
[man over radio] we are free
from demonic possession,
for no demon can cross
the blood line
[inhales]
I'm gonna tell you a secret.
[man over radio] Amen! Amen!
I've done that before, you know.
What?
What they were doing.
Fucking.
[laughs softly]
Why aren't you on the squad?
I don't know.
They've been begging me
since I got here.
♪
There.
Better.
Okay. Now, pout your lips,
like this.
- [pops lips]
- [both chuckle]
[whispers] Close your eyes.
You should try out, though.
- Me?
- Why not?
You're the prettiest
colored girl I've ever seen.
It's like my mom always says.
You can be better.
You can always be better.
What are you doing in here?
Who told you
you could be in here?
Um, I have to get to class.
- You got to be better than that.
- Get the fuck off of me.
Get the fuck off of me!
- I'm sorry.
- It's all right. I
I shouldn't have grabbed you.
You're a smart girl.
- You don't know me.
- No. No, I don't.
But I know your mom and daddy
wouldn't have brought you here,
put you in this school,
with these kids,
if they didn't want
something better for you.
[Ella Mae] I was scared.
At first.
But he taught me.
He taught me how to see things
as they really are.
Now, there I was,
wasting all my time
on those mean old white folks
outside my window.
What I really needed to be doing
was tending to my own home.
Making it clean.
Isn't it clean?
Oh, since I was little,
been scared of dirt.
Country girl scared of dirt.
Can you believe that? [laughs]
He knew that about me.
Said I'd been preparing
for this day all my life.
Had me start with myself.
A bath.
Every hour.
I liked that. [laughs softly]
I scrubbed
and scrubbed and scrubbed.
Psalm 51:7.
"I shall be clean.
Wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow."
[laughs]
And when I was clean
and then the room was clean,
and-and-and the kitchen
was clean.
Well, then it was time
for me to clean my boys.
[man speaking indistinctly
over radio]
[Ella Mae] A mother's work
is never done.
They look
around my Gracie's age.
[man over radio]
bows down before him
How old are your boys?
[man over radio]
what am I doing?
Mrs. Johnson?
[man over radio] I praise
thee, my God.
Thou shall not torment me now
Are they, are they in school?
Roland, where are the boys?
[man over radio]
a way out of this land.
The man moved up the mountain
and he saw a great herd
of swine feeding.
And the devils besought him,
saying,
"Send us into the swine,
that we may enter into them."
And forthwith
Jesus gave them leave.
And the unclean spirits entered
into the swine.
And the herd ran violently
[oven timer dings]
There they are.
[man continues indistinctly
over radio]
a blind eye to the devil.
Now raise your hands
and praise Him.
Everyone here today
that harnesses the power
from the will of God
♪
[man's voice distorting]
[choir singing over radio]
love in the Lord's hands.
Praise God.
Praise Jesus!
Praise His name. Amen.
♪
When your left eye jumps ♪
And your flesh
begin to crawl ♪
Yes, when your
left eye jumps ♪
And flesh begin to crawl ♪
You can bet
your bottom dollar ♪
You got a mule
that's kicking in your stall
What?
Just never thought
I'd see the day.
Don't suppose you got
some Old Fitz in the back?
Maybe in my private stock.
[song ends]
[microphone thudding]
Uh, dummy up there,
uh, men of honor.
Um, as you know,
uh, back in the Great One,
I was a doughboy.
Probably, uh,
probably more so now.
- [laughter]
- Uh
It was the Second Battle
of the Marne and, uh,
the sum came back breathing
with all the parts
that God gave me, no mean feat.
Uh, but as of last week,
we-we won a bigger battle.
Gentlemen,
we got the Pentagon contract.
[cheering, applause]
And that's actually
thanks to you.
And our way of saying thanks
to you is we want to give
all the engineers
a percentage of the profits.
- Wow.
- [cheering, applause]
All right, guys.
Thanks, have a good night.
[panting softly]
[band playing]
If you ever go
to a session or dance ♪
And you want the sax man
to prance ♪
When the band starts
its swinging ♪
Get the crowd
to join in singing ♪
Go, go, go, turn them on ♪
And go, go, go,
make him blow, man ♪
[fading] Go, go, go
with the beat, man ♪
Go, go, go
Go
♪
[doorbell rings]
[exhales] Miss Betty.
Right this way.
[door closes]
♪
♪
Elizabeth.
Hi, Dad.
[glass clinks]
How are Jane's boys?
Oh, you haven't kept in
They're fine.
Annoying.
Like all boys.
And you and, uh
- Clarke.
- Mm-hmm.
And children?
No. We can't.
We can't seem to find the
Everything's been
so busy lately.
Well, don't tell me
you've had to find work.
No, nothing like that.
No. Just
neighborhood activities.
O-Over in, uh
Compton.
You're still there.
[Betty] You still
have Ferdinand.
Of course.
I hated to break up the set.
He misses Griselda.
You still have
No. I got rid of that ages ago.
Betts, why'd you come back?
Consuela told me you were here.
- How are you, Mother?
- Fair to middling.
Almost didn't recognize you.
What the years can do
to a woman's face.
Answer your father.
Why did you come back,
Elizabeth?
Pink champagne ♪
That stole my love from me ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Pink champagne has stole
Emory. [chuckles]
I thought you'd be, uh, enjoying
your half-day. Know I would.
Yes, sir. I figured
a quick snort for the road.
Mr. Stoat, with the toast.
The company,
it's-it's very generous, sir.
Yeah. Well, um
You know, I find myself
ourselves,
in a bit of a pickle here.
- Sir?
- I didn't actually tell Stoat.
Do you understand?
That my new engineer was a
[whispers] Negro.
Exactly.
So I'm just thinking out loud
here, maybe now is not the
Maybe there's a better time
Sure you're right, sir.
- The pickle. I've got you.
- Great. [laughs]
I knew I could count on you.
Now I think there's a
back entrance,
I think it's right through here.
If you could excuse me, sir?
Thank you.
[clears throat]
Gentlemen.
Henry Emory, sir.
"Hell-raising 370th."
You raise hell?
Sicced the devil on him in '45.
Oh. Oh, yeah.
Hey-ho. [chuckles]
Mr. Stoat, I'd like you
to meet Henry Emory.
Yeah. Let me, um So what
is it you do exactly here, son?
I'm an engineer.
Got my degree at Fayetteville.
Yes, Henry's family just settled
in Compton, Mr. Stoat.
- All right.
- East Compton.
- All right.
- Were you at Arles, sir?
I was.
Still some of the trenches
you fellows laid down in One.
Did you ever take
a shit in them?
Because that's all
they were good for.
- [laughs]
- [chuckles]
Yeah.
[Berks] Oh, if I could wish
for anything, it would be
to be down there in the trenches
with you fellas, but, uh,
damn flat feet.
I won't keep you, sir.
Just wanted to introduce myself.
And so you have.
You are a credit, Emory.
- Smarts and bravery.
- Thank you.
Any more of you hiding
out there in the bushes?
[laughs] - He's a
diamond in the rough, sir.
Noticed it immediately.
Won't let you down, Mr. Stoat.
If we manage to sell,
even at a loss,
with a small loan from you,
we could find somewhere
without all this bother.
Maybe here in Hancock Park.
We could, we could visit more.
Or at all. Hasn't been to see us
in [sighs]
I don't know how long.
And now, same old Elizabeth.
In seven years,
I haven't asked
Clarke works.
We don't want charity.
Just a loan.
Before it's all too late.
It's good you've come to me.
And of course I can help.
Consuela, would you go and bring
me my checkbook, please?
- [Consuela] Right away, Mr. Haber.
- Thank you.
You're certain?
She's back, Esther.
I'm sorry.
Thank you, Consuela.
You'll spend the night.
You've come all this way.
We've barely had a visit.
You know, this can wait
until after supper.
Why don't I draw a bath for you,
uh, wash the travel off.
I should
Clarke worries if I don't
Your mother feels
you want something.
She thinks that's the only
reason that you've come back.
[whispers] It's not
Excuse me?
I've missed you.
You really have, haven't you?
Could you,
could you just write the check?
I wish to God you'd never
come back here, Betty.
[water running]
♪
♪
[insects chirping]
[brakes squeaking]
I have to show you something.
- I have to show you something.
- What, now?
- Yes.
- What about dinner?
It'll keep. It'll keep.
Girls, come on! Let's go!
Did you get the chicken
à la King I left you?
Uh, grabbed a bite
with one of the boys, actually.
Always better the next day,
anyway, huh?
- Where were you?
- When'd you get home?
Um, maybe an hour ago.
Must have just missed you.
Desmond's had a sale.
Uncle on the shopping, Betts.
The kitchen needs new wallpaper.
Their patterns were horrid,
anyway, so
Not that I expect you to notice
anything that goes on here.
Told you, I tried to get away
for your meeting.
Our meeting.
Everyone was there.
I looked like a fool.
Marty said it went gangbusters.
So, what was more important?
J-Just give it a rest,
will you, Betts?
No, it seems like there's
always something, some place
- you'd rather
- Oh, hey, look at this.
Oh, a miracle.
[laughs softly]
Electricity, gas,
that car you had to have.
It all just is.
"Oh, yeah, Clarke,
you work to pay for all this."
Any of that overtime showing up
in our bank account, or?
Oh, Jesus.
[sighs]
Okay.
I'm sorry
I wasn't at the meeting.
I know you needed me there
and I'm sorry.
Clarke.
I didn't need you there.
I wanted you
to want to be there.
[brakes squeak]
I'll be right back.
Mrs. Emory.
I wanted him to see for himself.
See?
You know what I'm talking about.
Luck.
Apologies for dropping in
like this.
[panting]
What?
What? [panting]
Where are your children,
Mrs. Johnson?
My-my-my boys?
Well, t-they're at their
auntie's for the evening.
- It's bullshit. It's bullshit.
- That's enough.
Luck!
But I saw
What happened here?
Earlier, you were
trying to tell me.
- You can tell me.
- He couldn't tell you anything, Mrs. Emory.
Hasn't spoken a single word.
Not since he returned.
- Come on, baby.
- [crying]
But I saw
♪
[Henry] "'They keep good watch, '
Dick whispered.
'Let us back to the land, good
master, ' answered Greensheve.
'We stand here too open,
for look, ye,
when the seas break heavy
and white out there behind us,
they shall see us plainly
against the foam.'
'Ye speak sooth, ' returned Dick.
'Ashore with us,
right speedily.'"
Old Dick's in a spot, huh?
Greensheve is gonna save him.
Or maybe he'll save himself.
[insects chirping]
[exhales]
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪