Alcatraz (2012): Season 1, Episode 1 - Pilot - full transcript

On march 21, 1963,

Alcatraz officially closed
due to rising costs

and decrepit facilities.

All the prisoners were
transferred off the island...

Only, that's not
what happened.

Not at all.

What the hell?

What is it?

Ready your weapon.

What's happening?

Two guards...
Always meet the transfer.



Maybe they forgot.

This is Alcatraz.

No one forgets.

Is anyone here?

Follow me.

Radio the station.

Tell them
to send everyone.

302 men
disappeared that night.

They were never seen
or heard from again...

Until now.

They stayed in
their cells 24 hours a day.

Susie?

Where the hell is she?

Hey, buddy,
you can't sleep in here.



You got two minutes
to get the hell outta here.

As I was saying,
on March 21, 1963,

Alcatraz officially closed
due to rising costs...

Ticket, sir?

Hope you had
a nice time on the rock.

Inside "B" and "C" head count.

- 14, inside "C".
- First tier.

15, inside "C" second tier.

14, inside "B" first tier.

Rack 'em!

Toes on the line.

25. Move, move, move, move!

Let's go!

Not so fast, 2024.

Shake it down.

It's clean, Mr. Tiller.

Take him away.

Today's visiting day.

Not for you.

Tiller.

1x01
- Pilot -

No!

Madsen!
Come on!

Take my hand!

Come on!

Okay, all right.

Aah!

Madsen.

Madsen.

Detective Madsen.

You hear a word
I've been saying?

Lieutenant, I respect you
too much to say yes.

You've been flying solo
for three months.

It's time to get you
partnered up again.

Um, I just remembered
that I have...

Sit.

Yes, sir.

Let's start with rivers.

Just coming off
a stint in vice.

You know, I don't think rivers
knows I'm a detective here.

He's always asking me
to make him coffee.

How about Hollier?

Too slow.

- Fiveash.
- Too fast.

- Kheel.
- Too blond.

We'd look like
the Hardy boys.

Look...We all took
a loss that day.

But you gotta stop
blaming yourself.

I don't.

I blame the guy
that pushed him off the roof.

We've been through
the mug shots.

We followed every lead.

It's time to move on.

Madsen,
we got a homicide.

You're up.

Um...

You're right.
Those are great choices.

Um...

I just...

Yeah, I know.

Give me the day,
and I'll pick someone.

I promise.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Who murders a guy

who's already got
one hip in the grave?

Victim's
Elijah Bailey Tiller.

Folks called him E.B.

78. Neighbor says
the door was open.

Rebecca,

the Vic... he was a fed.

All right, let's get
all we can before we get tossed.

You're done here.

Excuse me?

The victim was a federal agent.

- We're taking over.
- Says who?

Says me.

And you are?

Emerson Hauser.

Now, get out.

I don't leave a crime scene

unless my immediate superior
orders me to.

Okay, run along and play now.

Thanks for being
a dick about it.

Jimmy, do me a favor?

Run Emerson Hauser
through the database.

I wanna know
where he came from.

What are you gonna do?

Jack Sylvane.

Damn it.

Alcatraz.

Vic's name was E.B. Tiller.

Deputy warden?

Hmm.
Diego Soto.

What's your story?

Come on, come
on, that's not fair.

Doc, you really wanna do that?
Shh, shh, shh!

Come on, come on,
come on.

- There ya go.
- Shut up.

Oh!

You're too worried
about the double-ups, doc.

You just gotta shoot.

You have to double up.

Double-ups are key.

Yeah, the high
score's a pipe dream

without the double-up.

Of course, I'm more
partial to Pac-man,

but maybe that's 'cause
I like to eat.

Diego Soto.
Will you marry me?

Dr. Diego Soto?

I'm way smarter
than I look.

Phds in criminal justice
and civil war history.

Four books on Alcatraz?

I'd say you're way smarter
than we all look.

I'm detective
Rebecca Madsen.

I was hoping to borrow you
for a case.

These two look familiar?

Yeah.

Warden James
and his deputy Tiller?

James is long dead,

but Tiller,
he's still alive.

You ever do any research

on an inmate
named Jack Sylvane?

Sylvane?

That was one unlucky cat.

The guy was
a World War II vet.

Got sent to the rock
for robbing a grocery store.

How's that
a federal crime?

That's the unlucky part.
The store sold stamps.

Which makes it
a post office.

And feeding your family
becomes a federal offense.

Sent him to leavenworth.

Another prisoner
got frisky in the shower.

Jack murders him.

Next stop, the rock.

So...Why all the interest
in Jack Sylvane?

E.B. Tiller
was killed last night.

Sylvane's prints
showed up at the scene.

I'm sorry.
That's just not possible.

Why not?

'Cause Jack Sylvane
died over 30 years ago.

Okay, 2024, on your feet.

Let's go.

Attaboy.

That's it.

What did
you say to my wife?

Oh, would you look
at that?

I must have made
a mistake.

It's red
getting sprung today.

Not you.

You should really
eat something.

Remember,
this is Alcatraz.

Things can always
get worse.

I need to use
the locker room.

It's 8 bucks to enjoy
the facilities as a guest.

Hey, you got
some change comin'.

Hey.

Brought you your change
and a fresh towel.

Becky!

Uncle Ray.

Hiya, sweetie.

Get ya something?

Jack on the rocks.

Jack on the rocks, huh?

I need your help
with a homicide.

Goes back to Alcatraz.
DB's Elijah Bailey Tiller.

So...Somebody finally
nailed E.B.

I knew you'd know him.
Any insights?

Ball breaker, this guy.

Of the worst variety.

Worked the rock
for about ten years.

Deputy warden
when I was a guard.

Got out before
she shut down.

Ray Archer?

Dr. Soto.
This is my Uncle Ray.

It's an honor, sir.

You know me?

Know you?
I studied you.

I even named a character
after you in my comic.

Ray Archer's your Uncle?

Sort of.

He raised me after
my parents died.

My grandfather
was a guard too.

Tommy Madsen.
He and Ray were best friends.

It's where they met.
You write about him?

Sure.

Get you a drink, son?

Club soda would be great.

Well, I found him
back at my place.

Jack Sylvane's transfer order
to San Quentin,

dated the day the Rock
was closed in '63,

-and look who signed it.
-Robert Kennedy.

And here's Jack's
death certificate.

Okay.

So how's a dead man
dropping fingerprints

- at a murder scene?
- You think these are phonies?

Memory serves...Tiller
joined up with the feds.

Federal officer
gets a federal investigation.

This isn't your case,
is it, Becky?

-No, but...
- No, but nothing.

If it's not your case,
stay out of it.

This is about Alcatraz.
You worked...

Damn it, Rebecca.

Let it go.

For once in your life,
just...walk away.

My folks...

Are really, really smart.

They teach at Stanford.

And they're always
telling me what to do.

But...

Smart doesn't always
make you happy.

So mostly, I just
hear what they have to say...

And then I do the opposite.

You're the expert.
What do you think happened?

I don't know.

But last time on the island,

I stumbled across a room
that was full of files and boxes

and all sorts of stuff
I wasn't supposed to see.

Pier 33,
first boat out?

I'll bring the coffee.

So I spoke to the warden
at San Quentin.

He confirms Sylvane's transfer
and death in '76.

But you think he's alive
and that he killed Tiller.

I don't know.
It just doesn't make sense.

Sylvane was a thief,
not a killer.

So if Jack's been around
all this time,

why'd he wait so long
to kill Tiller?

Where the hell's he been?

Where are we now?

The barracks.

The guards lived here
with their families.

I can't imagine
children living here.

They took the boat
to school every day.

Way cooler than the bus.

Here's the room.

Still locked.
Any ideas?

Department issue.

Flashlight.

Aren't you kind of young
to be a detective?

Yeah. I get that a lot.

Bet you have a pretty cool
origin story.

I was raised by a cop.

He'd bring his cases home,
I'd read them before bed,

put post-its where
I thought he should look.

I actually helped him
solve a few cases.

Nice.

How come the inmate files

weren't transferred
with the inmates?

Holy crap!
You gotta come see this.

- This is...
- Everything!

It's all their stuff.

SFPD!
I'm armed.

What the hell is that?

This is a mistake.

She found us,

and she won't stop
until she finds him.

You need her, Emerson.

Good. You're awake.

Detective Madsen...

Welcome to Alcatraz.

Mm...

My head.

Where are we?

Alcatraz.

- Looks good.
- Yep.

They've done
some redecorating.

Dr. Soto, I'm Hauser.

I read your books.

Um, did you...gas us?

We have strict protocols
for intruders here.

I'm Lucy Banerjee.

You're quite resourceful,
detective Madsen.

Lifting the photo
from the crime scene

was not only bold
but effective.

I'll need that back.

Emerson Hauser,
you wanna tell me why

there's no record of you
working for the FBI?

I run a special division
in charge of criminals

who hold a particular allure
for our government.

You know I don't believe
a word of that, right?

So...

You built the bat cave...

Underneath Alcatraz.

But why would you do that?

Who's the old guy?

That is a
computer-generated simulation

of what Jack Sylvane
should look like today.

Should?

Lucy, run the green street
surveillance.

Traffic cam
caught this last night.

The older gentleman
is our victim... E.B. Tiller,

and meet...

Jack Sylvane.

85 years young.

What? That's him?

Dr. Soto?

It's him.

Jack Sylvane disappeared
from Alcatraz in 1963.

What does that mean,
he escaped?

No one ever escaped
Alcatraz.

Not to mention,
the guy looks exactly the same,

which, if you're keeping
score at home,

isn't possible.

So the San Quentin transfer
was bogus.

As was
the death certificate.

That still doesn't explain
why he hasn't aged.

No, it doesn't.

Yes?

What's going on?

Local PD found a uniform
at a crime scene.

Alcatraz issue.

Tell you what...
I'll give you your prints back

if you let me come
with you.

Why?

Because you gassed me,
and now you owe me one.

Don't forget
your lunchbox.

Yeah.
Let's go, doc.

Coming!

Keep at it.

You'll owe me
a transfusion.

You'd think a month
in the hole

would teach you
not to run your mouth.

Just saying...
That's a lotta blood

from a guy
who ain't sick.

Oh, I didn't know there was
another doctor among us.

Fetch me a stethoscope
for Dr. Sylvane here.

Do me a favor, Jack.

Keep your opinions,
medical or otherwise,

to your godforsaken self.

So how many
they take from you?

'Scuse me?

Vials of warm red blood?

What the hell
do you care?

This place is nothing
compared to downstairs.

Sent me out on visiting day.

I'm not talking about
the hole.

I'm talking about
below the hole.

I missed seeing my wife.

Trust me,
you're better off.

Who the hell are you?

The same as you.

A number.

2002.

Yeah, well...

2002, I don't trust you.

And I ain't better off.

You listen to me.

Something terrible's
gonna happen here.

2024.
That's Jack's number.

Is this the man
who attacked you?

Yeah.
That's the son of a bitch.

Did you give him
a locker key?

No. He never asked.

And is the video camera
in the lobby working?

You kidding me?

Nothing's worked here
since like 1975.

Here.

591 NPQN.

- You got a plate number.
- It's the cab he took off in.

I'll have SFPD run it.

Turn around slow!

Do it now!

Show me your hands.
I said show me your hands!

Are you Barclay Flynn?

I'm here for you.

- Aah!
- Open the safe.

Okay.
See?

Here. You can have
anything you want.

Gimme the bag.

What bag?

The soft black bag.

Here, take it.
Take it.

That's it?
That's what you came for?

Oh, my God.

- I got a pulse.
- This one's gone.

Officer down.
I repeat... office down.

We need backup and a bus.

Stay with him.

I lost him.

His name is Barclay Flynn.

So what's this guy's
connection to Sylvane?

Why assume
there has to be one?

Silly me,
looking for motive.

Even if Jack Sylvane
didn't know Flynn,

it doesn't mean there weren't
people who wanted him dead.

So...you're implying

that Sylvane's
being used by someone,

that he was told to do this.

I don't think
I was implying it.

I thought
I was saying it.

What have you got?

Listen,
Jack's wife remarried.

Only get this...
Wasn't just some guy.

She married Jack's brother.

She's still alive?

Jack could go
looking for her.

She's dead.

But his brother,
he's still alive.

And if Jack knows that...

- Right. He could be next.
- Whoa.

What about Eliot Ness?

Won't he be pissed
if we leave without him?

I wanna find Jack.
I wanna know what happened.

And he's never
gonna tell us.

So...are you with me?

All the way.

Hi. Can I help you?

I'm Jack.
Uh...

I'm looking for
Alan Sylvane?

I'm Alan junior.
I'm his son.

Uh...our dads
were friends.

Come on in.

I'll get dad.

How are your flowers?

Um...

The roses, they grow,
but...

The tulips are dying.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Last month I come
and...

They say you are ill?

I'm good now.

I'm worried.

And...there is no one
I can ask.

I'm sorry about that.

Your brother, uh, Alan,
says hello.

He looking out for you?

I must, um...

Ask you for something.

- Yeah, anything.
- Anything you need.

Oh, no.

Oh, please,
you must let me go.

Please don't do this,
Sonya.

- I have to.
- Please don't do this.

Please...you must
let me go.

- Don't do this.
- Give me a divorce.

No. No. No. No.

Jackie, I can't do this.

-Jackie...
- No!

Ah!
That's it, Jack.

You're done.

Back to your cell, Jack!

That's my mom.

She died four years ago.

You have her eyes.

Hello, Alan.

How?

You look the same.

You got old.

They told me
you died.

I threw dirt
on your coffin.

Did she suffer?

She got cancer.

She suffered.

What happened to you,
Jackie?

What happened was...

My brother married my wife.

And nothing
that came after that...

Matters worth a damn.

Police!

- He took my dad.
- Who did?

He said his name
was Jack.

He say where
he was going?

Said he wanted to find
his wife.

It's okay, Sonya.

What you did.

In my heart...

There's only love for you.

Turn around, Jack.

Do I know you?

No, you don't.

Now, give me your gun,

and I won't blow
your brains out.

Gimme the gun, Jack.

You don't want to hurt
anyone else.

I hurt people.

I killed Tiller
out of hate.

And the other guy... Flynn?

Why'd you kill him?

I only did
what they told me.

What who told you?

Jack.

What who to you?

Where have you been?

What happened
to you, Jack?

Shoot me.

No.

Jack, put down the gun!

Do it!
Get on your knees!

This is where I belong!

Hey! Ho! Stop!

Tell me what happened
to you, Jack.

Huh? What happened?

I'll take it
from here.

You've done enough
on your own.

You should have
killed me.

One fingerprint,
as promised.

So what happened
to Jack?

He's in prison.

A spanking new identity
and a nice long life sentence.

What about his brother?

Oh, he won't be a problem.

"He won't be a problem"?

I looked into this Flynn.

No ties to Jack Sylvane
or Alcatraz.

Forget about Barclay Flynn.

We need to worry about
our next victim.

"Our next victim"?

Jack Sylvane
was just the beginning.

You knew this was
gonna happen.

That's why you're here.
You've been waiting for this.

A very, very long time.

Come with me.

Meet the '63s.

256 prisoners on the right.

46 guards on the left.

On March 21, 1963,

Alcatraz officially closed
due to rising costs

and decrepit facilities.

All the prisoners
were transferred

off the island.

Only,
that's not what happened.

Not at all.

Radio the station.

Tell them
to send everyone.

Kid.

I don't know where
these men went

or what happened to them,
but we need to do our job.

You understand me?

What's your name?

Hauser.

Emerson Hauser.

The worst criminals
this country has ever known

are coming back.

They're coming back
to our streets,

and no one's gonna be able
to find them

because they don't exist.

2002.

My grandfather wasn't a guard.
He was an inmate.

No!

That's him.

He killed my partner.

You knew this.

You wanted me in on this
all along.

Oh, no.
You've got that wrong.

You're too young.
You're too impetuous.

If you want to stay
and find him,

you'll have to prove
to me every day

that you deserve
to be here.

Is anyone else's head
exploding right now?

I want in.

Your transfer orders.

It'll be difficult for you.
No one can know.

Not Ray Archer,
not your friends.

No one.

If they found out,

it would be very,
very dangerous.

I'm gonna need a partner.

What, him?

Me?

Partner?

Yes!
Of course yes!

Good.

Good.

Wouldn't want to have
to kill you.

So we have to find
these '63s.

More than that...

We need to find
who took them.

I know you.

Well, if that's true,

it's news to me.

Welcome home, Jack.

You're not gonna give me
a hard time, are you?

E.B. Tiller was my friend.

Take him to his cell.

Not to worry, Jack.

You won't be lonesome long.