City on Fire (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Scenes from Private Life - full transcript

Sam?

Sam!

Bye, Pops. See you in 2003.

Happy New Year, Mr. Yeung.

Jesus.

- Hi.
- Hi.

It appears your dad hates me?

No. It's not you he hates,

it's just New Year's Eve.

Matched only
by his hatred for the Fourth of July.

Okay.



Wait, I thought you said
he made fireworks though.

Isn't that like...
It's like an accountant hating tax season.

Well, he wasn't always this way.

The Italians get all the big jobs
in the city,

and he used to do okay
with the smaller gigs.

But now everyone's trying to cut corners.

That sucks. That's like...

It's like if you fired Santa Claus
because you found someone who

could deliver the same amount of presents
using, like, half the reindeer.

Yes. Yes. Yeah, totally.

I mean, if Santa was
a bitter alcoholic with high cholesterol.

But you got to admit,
it's kind of surprising that he's not.

I think
my dad secretly wanted to get fired.

Like, he always blames himself
for my mom leaving



and now the world can't punish him enough,
you know?

Yeah.

Yeah,
I worry about that happening to my mom.

Like... Like if you take away her grief,
what's left?

Besides her worrying about me. You know?

Well, she doesn't have to worry about you
because you're in good hands.

- We can watch the fireworks from the roof.
- All right.

- With a couple enhancements, of course.
- What do you mean by "enhancements"?

I don't know about you, Charles, but
I have had just about enough of reality.

Okay, no. That's exactly
what my mom would worry about though.

Okay. Well,
you don't have to tell her everything.

Besides, you've shroomed before, right?

Yeah, of course.

Oh, my God. Charles,
you never have to lie to me. Okay?

I'm never gonna judge you.

In a world full of bullshit, where people
are going to love you and leave you,

you and I will be the one true thing
in each other's life.

Okay?

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

Let's go.

Here we go!

2003!

Happy New Year!

Holy shit!

I know, right?

You do know?

- I do know.
- Yeah, you do.

Charles...

I have to tell you something.

Anything.

I need water.

Yeah, water.

Let's... I'll get you some...
Water's a great idea.

Let's get you some water. It's...

I'm gonna...
I'll be right back, okay? Stay here.

Sam?

- What the fuck?
- Hi. Hi, Sol.

What the fuck did you do to her?

- What, me? Me? No, no, no, no. I didn't...
- No, no, no. No.

- Charles is a friend.
- What's in her system?

Pizza, hot chocolate,
whatever was in her flask and then...

Yeah, some mushroo...
Well, a lot of mushrooms. I mean,

- she probably took twice as much as me.
- Okay. Hey, hey.

Just keep her alert, okay?

There's a shower downstairs.
Throw her in it.

Okay, sure.

- Now!
- Yeah. Ready?

Happy New Year, Sol.

All right, all right, all right. Yo, yo.

It's almost midnight.

Yo, I said it's almost midnight!

You know, I just wanted
to thank everyone for coming.

It's important for people
to gather to celebrate.

That's right.

You know, this is how
we create ritual. Form community.

Fuck, this is how we start a revolution.

There you go.

We are neighbors, friends,
artistic collaborators...

- Okay...
- Okay.

This bathroom is definitely unpermitted,
but big guy said to cool you down.

- So let's get you in there, right.
- Okay, I need to sit down.

- What? What, here?
- I need to sit down.

Okay. Sorry.

If you're in this city,
it's 'cause you want to make shit.

'Cause you wanna do shit.

You wanna be the shit!

- Charles.
- Don't worry. I got it, I got it.

Yeah, I got it. Don't worry about it.

- Sam, I got it.
- Okay, thank you.

Here.

You have to go from the top.
They're leather.

- What?
- You need to pull from higher.

- Like, here?
- Yeah.

Okay. Well, I... I can... Sorry.

- Can you just grab on?
- Sorry. I got it.

You're closing your eyes?

Look at me. Look at me, Charles.

- Okay, just pull.
- What?

I just want to make sure you're comf...
Like, good.

Okay, yeah, just...

Okay.

Okay.

This town needs us.
Just as much as we need it.

Tell 'em.

Now, if you can see it,
you can be it, motherfuckers.

Now, let 2003 be the year
that we take back what's ours.

Let's burn this city to the ground.

Charles, I can't undo my top.

- Is... Is that me?
- Can you... Yeah.

Okay.

Right here. Yeah.

I just...

Okay, I got it.

- Thank you.
- Yeah.

Ten!

Nine!

Five! Four!

- Charles, where are you?
- I'm here. Are you okay?

One!

Happy New Year!

I told you I would take care of you,

but it looks like
you're kind of the one taking care of me.

Never really had that before.

It's nice.

You're really nice, Charlie.

I like... I like taking care of you.

Sam?

Sam, you said I could tell you anything.

I think I need to tell you
that I love you.

Don't just stand there. We gotta hurry.

One, two and...

Dave, it's Regan.

If you could call me back
as soon as you get this message,

it's about my father.

It's time sensitive.

Please record your message.
When you have finished recording,

you may hang up
or press one for more options.

Alan,

I really hope this is still your number
and I would say, I'm sorry to bother you.

Except I'm clearly not bothering you

since you, like the nine other members
of our legal so-called team,

are not answering the phone.

Call me back or tell someone else to.

I need help.

I don't... I don't know how to...
How to do this

or how it works or if it works, but...

I... I know I can't lose her.

So... So, please, God, hear me pray.

Like to
give everyone a little alone time in here

to see what happens.
Guilty ones tend to fall asleep.

No chance with that.

I'm innocent
and wired on adrenaline and anxiety.

Love it when a suspect tells
me they're innocent right off the bat.

It feels so believable.

Suspect? I thought I was a witness.

So, Mr. Goodman,

how'd it happen that we found you
covered in blood,

bag of dope in your pocket,

standing over a girl
with a hole in her head?

When you put it that way...

Before we start, I have to ask...

- Sure, do you want a lawyer?
- Not about me.

The girl. She... She going to live?

I'm not sure. Doesn't sound great.

If you're a religious man, which I am not,
I'd say now is the time to pray.

Okay...

Mr. Yeung.

Detective McFadden,
Manhattan North Homicide.

I'm one of the detectives
working your daughter's case.

Homicide? But... But she isn't dead.

No.

But, you know, if anything changes,

we just want to make sure
we didn't miss something.

You know, you get a much better class
of detective this way.

And believe me, you don't want this
handled by the jokers in violent crime.

Now, I know this is a difficult time,

but do you mind
if I ask you a few questions?

Half a gram of heroin in that jacket.

I'm assuming you were buying, not selling?

What? No, neither.

Like I said, it wasn't my suit,
and I've never done drugs.

Never?

Okay. Well, I have smoked pot.
Tonight, actually.

- Wait, so you were high in the park?
- My goodness.

No. I barely even inhaled.
I just wanted to seem like I was fun.

I was at a party,
hosted by the Hamilton-Sweeneys.

Maybe you've heard of them.

Doesn't ring a bell.

My roommate, William,
his father was the host,

though he wasn't there.

Neither was William.
He's estranged from them now.

I didn't have a suit nice enough
to wear to a party like that.

Summer whites, the invitation said.

So I... I borrowed William's.

So his jacket, his heroin.

Were you aware of his habit?

He told me it was in the past.

Foolishly, I believed him.

Addicts have that way about them.
They lie as easy as they breathe.

But I am not a liar.

It is like I told you,
I was waiting for the bus.

She was waiting for something
or someone else.

When I got back, she was gone.

When I followed that sound into the park,

I... I found her, and I called you.

Okay.

Let's say you're just a Good Samaritan
with lousy timing.

It doesn't mean
you're off the hook just yet.

You've been dusted for gunpowder residue
and obliged us a set of fingerprints.

I'm also gonna need your phone number
and your address.

Do not lie. I will be checking.

And you don't leave the city.
Till this case is solved,

you will continue to be
a person of interest

in an attempted murder.

Thank you, Detective Parsa.

And I hope you find who did it.

I only spoke to her briefly,

but she seemed like
a girl with so much to live for.

Son, wake up. Well, good morning.

Jesus Christ.

Sorry. I shouldn't be here.
I don't belong here. I'm sorry.

This is God's house.
Everyone belongs here.

We don't even lock the door.

Well, I'm Jewish.

I'm adopted, but...

Well, the first thing I said
when my parents told me was,

"So, I'm not chosen?"
And they said, "You are, Charlie, by us."

And, you know,

no offense to the Weisbargers
of Flower Hill, Long Island,

but, like, biblically speaking,
that's not really the same thing.

What's brought you here, son?

Something terrible happened,
and I don't really know what to do.

I wanna know if she's okay,
but part of me wants to not know

and wants to keep not knowing,
because if she's not, then I...

I don't really know what I'll do.

Like, if she...

If she does not survive,
then I will not survive.

Does that... Does that make any sense?

I'm sorry. It's too much to explain.

Cate, can you turn that down?

It's really loud.
It's giving me a headache.

Or you're really hungover.

How do you even know what that is?

So, you admit it?

I admit nothing.

Sorry for the wait, Regan.

Your father is sleeping,
and I really don't want to disturb him.

- We've got the flight ahead of us.
- Okay,

but that's why I'm calling.

Did Amory or Felicia speak with him?

Because there are some things
he needs to know before he lands.

They haven't. And the doctors
warned against unnecessary stress.

Okay, but unfortunately,
this stress is necessary,

and the more time he has to process it,
the better. So, if you could just wake him

and put him on the phone,
I'd really appreciate that.

I'm sorry, Regan. I'm not gonna do that.
You can talk to him when he's home.

He hung up on me.
The fucker hung up on me.

Redirect those eyeballs somewhere else.

I thought you were talking to me.

- Who else were you talking to?
- Hold on, Will. Hold on.

Hey. Yes. Sorry, I... I couldn't...

I didn't make it to the party last night.
Something came up.

No need for an explanation.
You're a coward, I get it.

And I wish I had literally anyone else
in the world to call.

But when my father gets back from
the Mayo Clinic today,

he's going to be taken directly
to the judge's chamber to be arraigned.

What?

- What's the charge?
- Wire fraud.

What... That's a...
That's a federal offense.

Yeah. Apparently,
it can get you 20 years in prison.

Not to mention we have loans coming due
on the 5th Avenue buildings.

So, if the banks won't do business
with us, well, we could lose everything.

Regan, your father would
never do anything dishonest.

Well, obviously... Not on purpose, like...

You know how diligent I've been, but if...

I can't look at every document
that has his signature on it.

I'm not even sure if
he knows anything about it,

or if he's gonna be totally blindsided.

What does Amory think?

I wish I knew. I can't get a hold of him.

I got a message through a lawyer that said
everything had been taken care of

and I should just stay home,
and I... I can't do that.

So... Anyway, I know it's not your day,
but if you could... The kids could just...

Oh, my God. Yeah, of course I'll take 'em.
It's the least I could do.

Well, yeah. No shit.

Gotta say, they're not exactly
getting me at my best.

Can't be worse than I am right now.

I've never known you to be anything
other than an elegant drunk.

Just get here as soon as you can, okay?

Yeah, yeah.

Fuck.

- Parsa.
- McFadden.

Detective, what's the latest?

One thing you should know about me,
I fucking hate hospitals.

Yeah, yeah. Who doesn't? How's the girl?

Alive.

- And the father?
- A wreck.

Samantha's his whole life.

Wife left when Sam was 11, moved
to California with a yoga instructor.

Never heard from her again. Brutal.

Did he have any thoughts
on what she was doing in the park?

No. Samantha was a good student.

Got into NYU on scholarship,
but she's got a big life in the city,

and her father has his own problems.

Apparently, he makes fireworks,
but business isn't so good.

Fireworks, huh?

Sam's a photographer, a writer,
into new music in downtown clubs.

I'm getting dropped at
8th and University Place.

- Come meet me.
- Why?

It's her dorm. Has a roommate.

Yeah, okay. I'll see you there.

Jesus. What the fuck?

Hi.

Is that blood?

- Yes. This is blood.
- You okay?

It's not my blood
if that's what you're asking.

But if you're just wondering
in a more general sense, no, I'm not okay.

Jesus, Merce.

See, last night, I went to
the Hamilton-Sweeney Fourth of July gala.

See, your father couldn't make it,
but I did meet the demon uncle.

Totally get the nickname.

But the really interesting
part of the night was later,

when I had found a girl in the park
who had been shot in the head.

I was then taken into custody
as a suspect in her attempted murder.

Stop... You're serious?

How could the cops possibly think
that you shot someone?

I'd say 90% racism

and 10% the half-gram of heroin
that they found

- in the pocket of your lovely suit jacket...
- Okay.

...which they kept
because it is now evidence.

Look, I am really sorry about your night

but it's not like I kept my drugs
in your jacket.

Plus, I haven't worn
that fucking suit in years.

You wore it for dinner
at Minetta Tavern last week!

William, you told me
you would quit using heroin!

It was a condition
of my moving in with you!

Yeah. Well, they don't call it
addiction for nothing?

I mean, look. If you would have just
not gone to that party behind my back,

then none of this would've happened.

So, you're going to start
a different fight,

so we don't have to finish this one?

You always turn tables
when you're cornered!

I don't like being cornered.

I wanted you to come with me.

No. Mercer, listen to me, okay?
I didn't want to go.

That's my family. That's my invitation.

My suit, my fucking heroin.

And if... if...

If you could just stop being
so interested in me all the time...

Where I go, what I'm doing,
where I come from,

what I fucking inject into my veins...
We could have a beautiful life.

This is... This is exactly why
I didn't fucking say anything to you,

because... because I know
how judgmental you can be.

- I'm not... No, I'm not judging you.
- No?

- William, I am growing concerned...
- Okay.

...for your health, for our relationship!

Our relationship. All right.

Let me ask you a question.
How can you make such a big deal

out of something that you didn't
even know was happening?

No.

That is some twisted logic.

Damn, you... you really are an artist.

Yeah, well, maybe if you were
more creative, you would understand.

You know what? I am feeling
a burst of creativity coming out of me.

Are you seriously walking out?

No, yeah, I seriously am.

You're... You're just going to stand there?
Really?

What, you don't think that I can move you?

- You can try...
- Seriously?

...but I'm hoping that you won't.

Okay. Stiff as a board, strong as a rock.
Stiff as a board, strong as...

I'm sorry.

I'm just so tired.

I know you are.

It's a sickness.

I know it is.

Hey.

Please don't give up on me.

Mommy, Mommy!

Cate, honey, what is it?

The blue bird we saw last night,
it's dead.

Okay. Don't touch it. It's full of germs.

Doubtful. It's barely starting to smell
or draw flies,

so it hasn't been dead that long.

Okay, avian crime scene investigator.

Are you sure it's dead
and not just sleeping?

Quite sure. It's been shot.

Shot?

Look here. A clean through-and-through
wound to its belly.

Who would shoot a beautiful bird?

I... I don't know, honey,
but we should probably get rid of it.

Will, can you get, like,
a box or something that we can put it in?

It's just a dumb, dead bird, Mom.
It doesn't need a funeral.

Yes, it does. I'm going to find a flower.

Please? Anything, a newspaper...

Just so I don't have to touch it.

What is a parrot doing in Brooklyn?

It's not a parrot.
It's a great blue turaco.

Probably escaped from
the World of Birds at the Bronx Zoo.

- How old are you?
- Ten.

Will's 12.

He used to be like you.

Interested in things, you know?

Thank you.

- That him? Will?
- Yeah.

Hey, Will. Did you know Venus
is the only planet that spins clockwise?

Okay.

Hey. I've missed you.

What's this? A flower?

- Is that for me?
- Yes.

- Hey.
- Hi.

What, no "thank you?"

I'm... I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Jesus. Come... Come on.

- Will's over there.
- Hey, champ.

What's with him?

What is it ever?

Hey. Your dad's getting in today,

- so he wasn't there last night?
- No.

- So, you didn't talk to him?
- Not yet.

All right, guys. What are we gonna do?

Jesus.

Charles,

- where are you?
- I'm here.

Sam, wake up. Sam, come on, please.

- Hey.
- Hi.

Hi.
I wasn't expecting you till after lunch.

Pass me the milk, please?

Yeah, of course.

Everything okay at Mickey's?

Yeah, yeah, fine. I just...

I just woke up early and got bored,
so I... I came home.

Okay.

Can I take this?

Know exactly where we're going?

Who we need to talk to here?

Hell if I know how a college dorm works.

I lived at home, got my 45 credits
from Mohawk Valley and split.

Guess we find someone in charge
and find her room.

Yeah, all right.

Thank you.

- What happened?
- Who said something happened?

May we come in
and ask you some questions, please?

Yeah.

When was the last time you saw Samantha?

Two weeks, maybe?

We both decided to stay
for the summer, but she comes and goes.

I've got an internship at the library,
so I'm gone weekdays.

She's gone most nights and weekends.

Yeah? Where does she go?

Not that I've ever been invited,

but she goes to a lot of music shows.

Her friends are in some band.

Do you remember the name of the band?

I've never heard of them, but it's Latin.

It's... It's like carpe diem, but not.

She doesn't have much here.

She started with more

but it just got less and less,
and now she barely sleeps here.

Well, where do you think she's sleeping?

I mean, she ever mention anybody special?

No, but she doesn't tell me a lot.

Did Sam do something?

You think there's anything
to this music angle?

I mean,
it's the only angle we have. So, sure.

Panda Girl asked
if Sam was guilty of something,

not if she was a victim. That says
something about what she was into.

Or it says something about Panda Girl.
Kind of judgy, if you ask me.

Hey.

Yeah, yeah. On my way.

You got a wife?

For now. What about you?

What about me? What, do I have a wife?

Yeah, no, that wasn't my wife.
That was CSU.

They're ready at the crime scene.

Felicia, why don't you go to the car?
I'll be just a minute.

Bill lands shortly. We can't be late.

I promise yours will be
the first face he sees.

Sordid business in the park last night. Tragic.

Apparently, she was a young girl.
What kind of animal...

By the way, I was curious,

did Keith Lamplighter ever show up
at the party?

Yeah, I don't remember seeing him.

Let me check.

Yeah, looks like he didn't show.

I wonder what would have kept him away.

I guess he got a better offer.
Have a good one.

Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!

- Hi!
- Regan, honey!

Listen, I don't know what...
What people have told you,

but we're going to have to go
with these men.

He's coming alone. You can follow.

- Wait, are you fucking cuffing him?
- What's happening? I don't...

What, do you think he's gonna flee?

Whatever this is, I'm innocent.

Yeah, I know. Of course you are,

and they're... And we're...
We're gonna have to figure this out,

but it's gonna be a process.

No, I mean, I'm asking.
It's a... It's a question.

Can I go with him, please?
So that I can explain everything?

We can explain.

We'll see you there, darling.

Can you be careful with him?

You knew they were gonna cuff him.

We had to make some compromises.

They agreed to this private arraignment

so they didn't have to hold him
in the Tombs for the weekend.

They cuffed him. They handcuffed
an old man. You're fucking insane!

Look, I know you're upset.

- How's it looking?
- No one knows better than you.

Park is always tough.
Lots of traffic, trash and leaf litter.

Think we got something!

That's a great find,
for somebody else's case.

That thing looks 20 years old,

not to mention our vic
was shot with a .38, not a .45.

I'm gonna go for a walk.

Hey! Save the city. Fuck Bloomberg.

Hello?

Hey, asshole.
That's just a little too much.

Don't be a little bitch.

Sorry if I don't wanna die.

- You're not gonna die.
- Fine. Lose a fucking hand.

Stop talking and just light
that thing already. Come on.

Sorry to interrupt, but you guys...

What the fuck?
Who the fuck let you in here?

- Charlie? What are you doing here?
- Yo, dude, drop it.

Drop it now! Fuck!

It fucking worked.

It fucking worked!

That was beautiful.

- What the fuck, Nicky?
- Yo, it fucking worked. It fucking worked.

Jesus.

- You shouldn't have seen that.
- Hey, Sol, don't.

I can explain. I came...

Let me guess. You caught a new case.

Yeah. Attempted murder.
Teenage girl in the park.

Some son of a bitch
put one right in her skull.

Oh, my God. What's wrong with people?

Hey, I gotta go.

Fuck. Fucking stinks.

Hey, you got something?

Does this look like Latin to you?

Carpe fucking diem.