Fantasy Island (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Once Upon a Time in Havana - full transcript

- Whoo!

- Alma.

Alma, what are you doing?

Your tía spent an hour
curling that hair.

- Yeah, but, mami,
I just nailed this song,

you know, isn't it awesome?
- Niña...

- Really? 'Cause I feel like
high-school graduation's

probably important, so...
- Alma, ya.

There are a hundred of people
waiting to see you

and celebrate your quinces...
put that dress on right now.

- No way I'm putting on
that big-ass cupcake dress.



- Your abuelita did
that cupcake dress for you.

- Mom, you're not listening
to me, okay?

I don't want a quinceañera.
I never wanted that.

- Ay, you are exactly like
your grandfather Martino.

- You never even met him.
- That's right, Alma.

Because he was a cheater
and a murderer

who only cared about himself
and his music

and not one bit
about his family.

- Heard this story
a thousand times.

- That man abandoned
your pregnant grandmother

to come to this country
with only your uncle Raul.

And you want to be like him...

a drummer who doesn't care
about her family.

Is that it?



I'm coming back in ten minutes.

And if you're not in that dress

that drum set
is going in the trash.

Good.

Alma.

Alma, are you ready?

- One, two, three, four!

♪ ♪

- If you're watching
for the plane,

you're late.

- Now that dress should
pay you for the privilege.

- Thank you.

So our guest arrived last night.

Want to join me?
- Yes.

- "Anna Karenina"?
- Well, you know,

uh, between the kids
and the grandkids,

I just never had
much time to read, so...

Well, "Anna K"

will have to wait.
- Oh.

- This is amazing.

- Better than
Russian literature.

- Oh, well, let's see.

Much better.

- That's our guest, Alma Garcia.

- You know, she is so talented.

- Yeah.

- But her eyes are so sad.

- So tell me,
what can the island do for you?

- Uh, I-I love my family.

I do, but my fantasy

is to just be free of them,

you know, even if it's just
for a couple of days.

They don't understand me.

- What is it they don't
understand about you?

Everything.

I mean, I come from a typical
Cuban family in Miami.

My tío Raul... he's ancient now,

but he's still
the head of the family.

He started
a real estate business.

So my entire family is
in the real estate business...

I mean, except for
my Grandma Lily.

She just wants me
to learn Cuban cooking.

- Hmm.
And your parents?

- Mom only cares
about appearances, um,

having what she considers
to be a real career

and eventually

getting married
and giving her grandbabies.

- Well, uh, I mean, to be fair,

grandkids are just the best.

- You know, Alma,

I know a thing or two
about familial expectations.

You know, sometimes
it feels like

you don't have a say
in your own life, right?

- Exactly, like,
I'm... I'm a musician

for the past ten years.

And in my family,

being a musician
is the worst thing you can be,

'cause my grandfather
was a musician

and he, like, had an affair
and abandoned my grandmother

and they claim
he killed someone.

But that's him.
That is him.

That's not me, you know?

- And you just want to be you.
- For once...

without all the criticism.

Is that dumb?

Because, honestly,
on the plane ride over here,

I considered changing my fantasy

to a jam session with Radiohead.

- No, there's no such thing
as a dumb fantasy.

- Isn't that right?

- Um, well, you know,
I-I've seen a few.

I think I know what you need.

Are you ready to begin?

- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.

- So, uh, what's
through this door?

- A world where your family
as you know it

doesn't exist.

- Okay, okay, cool.

- You'll need this.

- Um...

all right.

All right.

All right, let's do this.
Yeah! Whoo!

Oh, my God.

- Mamacita, where you from?

- Um, Miami.

Uh, wait, no.

What is this place?

- Uh, calle San Lorenzo.

- In Havana? In Cuba?

- Sí.

- And judging by your clothes
and very specific hair,

what are we, in the...
the late '60s?

- 1967.

Do you need a doctor?
- No.

No, I need a club.

Oh, my God, the music
right now is legendary.

- Go to El Rincón.
- Okay.

- It's that way.

- Thanks.

- But you may want
to change first.

- Yeah.

Hmm.

Come in.

- You look cozy.

- Yeah, you know, I'm just
hanging out with Mr. Tolstoy.

- Have you been spending

every single night in your room?

- No, not every night.

You know, I do do stuff.

- I hope so.

I would hate for you
to squander your youth

inside this suite.

- Anyway, Ruby, I am gonna
be away for a couple of days,

and while I'm gone,

have a chance
to explore the island.

And there's a few things that
need to be taken care of here.

- Yeah, well, I mean,
that's why I'm here.

- Excellent, okay,
I'm gonna give you a list.

- Okay, great.
Um, now, where are you gon...

Right, okay.

- Uh...
Bailar,
dance.
Sí.

Yes, uh, but I'm...

I'm not very good.

- Don't worry.
I can lead anyone.

Okay.

- You like the music?
- Yes, I love the music.

- That's my brother
in the band, Tino.

- Tino, Tino, Tino.

Tino, what?
- Tino Valdez.

You heard of him?
- Yes.

Yeah, I've heard of him.

Wait, are you... are you Raul?

- How did you know?

- Alma.

I got us drinks.

- All the pretty women
came out tonight.

- Can you excuse us a moment?

I need to chat
with my girlfriend.

- It's my great-uncle Raul.
- Oh.

- But he's so young and hot,

which is surprisingly
unexpected.

What is going on?
Why... why am I in 1967 Havana?

- Sometimes going into the past

is the best way to free
yourself in the future.

♪ ♪

- Taking a short break.
We'll be right back.

- Go and introduce yourself
to your grandfather.

Come on.

Come on.

- Maya.

- Mr. Valdez.
Hi, I'm... I'm Alma.

It's my first time
ever hearing you play.

You're amazing.
- Oh, thank you, thank you.

Call me Tino.

- I'm a percussionist as well.

I was thinking maybe I could
sit in with your band sometime.

Women don't play percussion.

Yeah, but you're pretty.

Learn to sing.

♪ ♪

- If you want to play with Tino,

you have to get Raul
on your side.

- Raul... my uncle...

my uncle has always
made it seem like

they were never close.

- Your uncle
must not know them, then.

♪ ♪

- Elena.

I can't believe it.

- Have you missed me?

- How long has it been?

A year?
- About.

♪ ♪

Did you come to Havana
for business or pleasure?

A little bit of both.

- Raul?

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Who are you? Really?

- No one. I'm no one.
- What's going on?

- This girl was spying
on you,
hermano.

- I'm not a spy.
I'm...

I'm a drummer.

- Prove it.

♪ ♪

- She can play, Tino.

- Even a child
can play that rhythm.

Get out of here
and mind your own business.

- Hold on.

Tino, she's an American.

Maybe she can help us.
- Shh, shut your mouth, Raul.

We don't know this girl.
- Yes.

I can help.

- You don't even know
what you're talking about.

- Whatever it is.
No, I'll help.

Yeah, I'll do it.
I mean, I just...

I just want something in return.

- Yes, I know.
You want to play with my band.

- I want you to teach me.

Ay, you're a strange girl.

And for some reason, I like you.

Okay.

But I need to know
if I can trust you.

- What do you want me to do?
Solemn vow?

- No.

You have to talk to my wife.

- Wow.

Oh, my gosh.

- Ay, what's wrong?

Did Raul do something
to upset you?

I'll get my chancleta
and teach him a lesson.

- No, no, no, no.

It's just you're so beautiful.

Well, you... you look like
my grandmother

in pictures
when she was younger.

- That's very sweet.

Go inside
and drink some water, okay?

- All right.
- Let me talk to my crazy men.

What is this?

"The drink menu
could use refreshing.

Please consult
with the head bartender."

Okay, I mean,
sounds easy enough.

All right.

- Well...

I'll peel, you smash.

So how much
have you figured out?

- I think Martino and Raul
are skimming rum from the club.

My grandmother...

she told me about
the Cuban black market.

Yeah.

- Ah, your grandma told you
about the black market

but not how to make tostones?

- She has this press.

She has this... exact press.

I never let her teach me
how to use it.

- Family recipes are
very important to pass down.

Food, music, stories...

it's how we stay connected
to who we are.

Put that plantain in there.

Close that.

Ah, not too hard.
It's not a cockroach.

Sorry.

- Press just enough.

- Okay, well...
- See?

So you were saying?

- Yeah, the smuggling, I mean,
why take that risk?

The baby.

- This little one
will be an American,

a Cuban American.

And I want him...
- Or her.

- Or her to have opportunity.

No more food shortages

or gas shortages

or spies everywhere
watching to see

if we are all good communists.

I believe we can trust you.

- You can, I mean, 100%.
- Good.

You'll stay here with us,

but first I'll teach you
how to make tostones

so you can make
your grandma proud.

- Okay, yeah.

- And then Tino can fill you in
on his plan.

I know he'll make sure
everything goes okay.

And now keep smashing.
- Yes.

- Yeah.
- Okay.

- Willie Colón is playing
at the club next week.

- Oh, ah...
- You should stay.

- I wish I could.
I have to go back.

I have a lot
of responsibilities to attend.

- This is the third time
you've been here

in a couple of years.

You never told me what you do.

- I help people...

people who are lost,

who have a need they don't even
necessarily understand.

- You are a psychiatrist?

In a way, yeah.

But it's more personal.

Sometimes I think I...

I live other people's lives
more than mine.

- No wonder you like
to come to Havana.

Yeah.

- I know you would
rather stay in Cuba

with me.

- It's complicated.

- It's always complicated
with you, Elena.

♪ ♪

- Let's dance.

♪ ♪

- Mm, okay.

I don't know... I think that
we should go out of the box,

so... passionfruit.

- You must be Ruby.
- Oh, hi.

- Elena has told me
all about you.

I am Segundo.
- Ah, Segundo.

Aha, yes.

- I'm the caretaker
of the island,

and I understand
that you are adjusting

to a whole new you.

Yes...

Sometimes I-I don't know
who I am.

- Ah, you will figure it out.
- Yeah, thank you.

But, you know, in...
in the meantime,

I'm currently adding
a new daiquiri to the menu.

So tell me what you think.

- Mmm!
- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- Okay! Great.
- Back to my garden.

I guess he liked it.

- So you're a smuggler now?

- I want to help them.

I mean, my grandmother,
she's so young.

She has so much hope.

- I would imagine
she still does.

- What, you mean me?

- Alma, she wants for you

the same things that
she wanted for your mother.

- Now my mother wants
the same for me, too.

So what, I'm... I'm failing them?

If I pursue my dreams,
I'm letting them down?

Is that what you're saying?
- No, not at all.

All will be clear in time.

Should I?

- Time to go.

- Como los americanos dicen,

this is gonna be
a piece of cake.

You're gonna drive
to the outskirts of the city

towards Pinar Del Río.
- Okay.

- That's where you'll hit
the military checkpoint.

- If we got stopped,
you tell the cops

I'm a local tour guide.
- Wait, is it cops or military?

Military and cops
are the same thing in Cuba.

- Okay, time to go.

- Just stay calm.
- Okay, let's do this.

- Relax, Alma.

Just drive.

You have a boyfriend in Miami?

- Ah, no, no, I don't...

I don't have time
for relationships.

You know, I'm just
trying to focus on,

you know, life decisions.

- What decisions?
- I want to be a musician.

But my family, no,
they want me to have a more...

traditional profession.

- Cubans are set
in their old ways.

Huh, yeah.

When I started to court Lily,

her mother never
let her out of her sight.

- She would chaperone
your dates?

- Yeah.
- No.

Yeah.

- My mom would chain me
to a nightstand if she could.

Sometimes I just want to...

run to the other side
of the world, you know,

and never see them again...

at least I used to.

- No use in that.
Family's everything.

They're the only people who
will always be there for you,

protect you.

It all comes from love.

Suffocating love...

- But love all the same.

Okay, here we are.

Remember, I'm a tour guide.

Act normal.

- Yes.

Yes, and... and Mr. Valdez here
is my tour guide for the day.

Yeah, he's gonna show me
some local musicians

in Pinar del Río.

- I prefer
American rock and roll.

- Oh.

- Elvis Presley.
- Yeah,
sí.

- Did you hear his new song,
"Suspicious Minds"?

- Who doesn't love Elvis, right?

- Ah...

Have a nice day.
- Mm.

- Yes!

- Thank you, God.

- Yes, okay, okay.

Now we just got to go
drop off this rum

and get back, because you...
you owe me a jam session.

Okay?
- Yeah.

- Yes, okay.
Let's go.

♪ ♪

- I hear you're a born smuggler.

No, I was terrified.

I was terrified.

I mean, don't you ever worry

that you're gonna get caught
and, you know, go to jail?

- I'm too pretty
to worry,
chiquita.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Come on, Alma!

Let's see what you can do.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Wow, wow.

I've never seen
a woman drummer before.

You're very, very talented.

- Thank you. You are, too.

Please, please,
never stop singing.

- Oh, that's just for fun.
- No.

- Oye, I was wrong, americana.

You're good enough
on the timbales

to play with any man.

Thank you.

- Hey, but that conga
you played for me

needs work.

Tomorrow
your real lessons begin.

- Okay, yes.

Yeah, yes, deal. Cheers.

- Oh, hello.
- Hi.

- I got a note from Roarke

to talk to you
about farm-to-table options

on the restaurant menu.

- Come, harvest with me.
- Okay.

- Hey, but... but be gentle.

Stressed plants attract bugs.

- All right.

Segundo, can you just
be straight with me?

Did Roarke really need me
to go and do all these things?

Or is she just, you know,
getting me out of my room?

- Why would she do that?

- There's nothing wrong
with a grown-ass woman

spending her weekend,
reading "Anna Karenina."

- Why do you want to read that?

She dies in the end.

- Oh, my God... Segundo.

Okay, you just spoiled it.

- No, no, no, no.

I save you hours of sadness.

Okay.

Look, I-I-I get that, um,

you know, I was supposed
to be getting out there

and... and whooping it up,

living my best
20-something life.

But sometimes I just,

oh, I miss being 75 years old.

And now this young body
I'm inhabiting,

it's just... I don't know
what to do with her.

Oh, I'm... I'm sorry.

I'm stressing out the plants,
aren't I?

I'm sorry.

- I think you need
some lemonade.

- Oh no, no, no, no, no.
I'll go get it.

Being spry is definitely
one of the pluses of being...

Oh, dang.

- Are you hurt?
- Oh, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes.

You know, for the record,
if I were reading in my room,

that would have not
just happened.

- When you're not worrying
about other people's problems,

what do you want, Elena?

- I never think about that.

- Do you ever think
about leaving it all behind?

- All the time.
- Maybe you should.

- No, because to me,
wants are fleeting.

you know, I think about...
about needs.

- You know, these past few years

since the revolution,

many people in Cuba
need so much.

Having the luxury to reach
for something we want,

it feels important.

- Stop eating my ice cream.
- Ah.

- Don't tell Tino you saw me
talking to that man.

- What are you doing, Raul?

- My brother's too cautious.

We'll never get out of Cuba
if we don't take bigger risks.

- No, no, Tino
wouldn't like this.

- This isn't your family, Alma.

Stay out of it.

- I was hoping the sun
wouldn't rise today.

- Mm.

Thank you
for such a lovely night.

Honestly.

- You don't have to say goodbye.

- Oscar, you know what you said

about want versus need?

I had no idea
what a wise man you are.

- I hope you get
what you want, Elena.

I'll always be here
for you, Elena.

She's dead.

All right.

- Hello? Ruby?

Hi, I'm Gina Delgado,
the island doctor.

- Hi.

I didn't know
we had one of those.

Yep, at your service.

I heard you hurt your ankle.

- Yeah, a, uh,
tragic gardening accident.

But you know,
I-I've been icing it, so...

- Ah, let me check?

- Yeah.
- Great, just gonna...

A little bit of pain?
- Yeah.

- All right,
that is definitely a sprain.

Just, um, keep it elevated,

continue icing it,
and you should be able

to put some weight on it
by tomorrow.

- Oh, okay.

Well, um, thank you, Dr. Gina.

- Yeah.

I tried reading that once,

but someone spoiled
the ending for me.

Oh, same.

- Do you mind if I take a look?
- Oh, please. No, go ahead.

But before you go thinking
I'm all literary,

I haven't actually read
all of those,

you know, yet.

Do... do you, um,
you know, live here full-time?

- Mm, I'm on
a neighboring island.

But I'm here a lot.

You know, medical emergencies
and the margaritas.

Yes.

- You should try this one.

It's tragic but romantic.

- Oh, Gabriel García Márquez.

- And I won't spoil
the ending for you.

Yeah.

You know, um,

did we just start a book club?

I guess we did.

Well, let me know
when you're done with it,

and we'll have a Márquez
and margaritas night.

- Oh, that'd be lovely.

Thank you.

- Yeah.

Hey.

- My gift to you.
- What?

No, no, no, no, no.
That's too much.

You need to save your money.

- You risked your safety
for the sake of my family.

And if you're gonna play drums,

you need a real
Cuban conga drum.

Thank you.

- Now close your eyes.

- Wait, I thought
you were gonna teach me.

- I am.
Close your eyes and listen.

Tell me what you hear.
- I...

I hear the waves...

breaking against the wall...

- People laughing...

Horns honking.

- All the rhythms of my home.

I channel these sounds
into my playing.

- Hmm.

- You're a technically
wonderful musician.

But you're not connected.

You need to play
from your soul, Alma,

not your head.

- Yeah.

Yeah, I get stuck in my head
a lot, actually.

I don't know, but then I just
go and pop in the ear buds

and tune out
the rest of the world.

But I'm starting to realize

I don't really listen
much at all, actually.

- Ear buds?

Uh, never mind.

- Raul?

What's he doing?
That's a committee member.

He's up to something.

He shouldn't be with him.

- I don't think
you want to get involved.

- You know something?

Oye, this is my family.

You need to tell me
if he's in trouble.

- Stay here.

Raul, what have you done?

- Raul, what have you done
to Felipe?

- I didn't mean
to shoot him, Tino.

You have to believe me.
- He was spying on you.

- You killed a committee member?

- It was an accident.

We were fighting for the gun,

and... and it went off.

I-I'll explain it to the police.

- No, you're not
talking the police.

Take this.

You're going to
pick up Lily at her
tía's.

And then you're gonna
go to Cheo's.

- Cheo?

Your father's old
fishing buddy from Vedado.

- How did you know that?
- Doesn't matter how she knows.

Pay attention!

Cheo has a boat,

and he can get
you and Lily to Miami.

Give him this money.
- No, no, no.

You're coming with us.

- It's a small boat... we won't
all make it across the sea.

- No, Tino.
We have a plan, okay?

We're going to America together!

You're going to be
a star musician!

- Hey...

Once Felipe's death
is discovered,

they won't just punish you.

The whole family will be
under constant surveillance.

Getting out now
is Lily's only chance.

Our baby's only chance.

- I'll stay.
I'll take responsibility.

- Raul, I love you.

You won't survive a day
in Castro's prison.

- Lilly will never leave you.

- You will tell her
that I killed our neighbor.

I'm the head of this family,

and I make the decisions.

You will tell her

that I was having an affair
with Felipe's wife

and he caught us.
- She won't believe me.

- She will.

You're gonna
make her believe it.

- Tell her that
her mother was right,

that I'm
a good-for-nothing musician

that only cares about himself.

That's the story
you will tell her.

And she will hate me
for the rest of her life.

And you will never
tell her the truth.

You understand?

Vamos.

- You sacrificed yourself?

- Everything Raul did
was because he wanted

my unborn child to be born free.

I couldn't live with myself
if he suffered for that.

I want to report Martino Valdez.

He killed a member
of the defense committee.

You can find him
at El Rincón tonight.

If they come to the club,

there will be fewer patrolmen
at the dock,

and Raul and Lily will have
an easier time escaping.

Don't be so sad, Alma.

We're gonna play some music.

Good evening.

I have...

I have a special guest tonight...

the future star in America.

Please welcome to the stage

Alma Garcia.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Play me out, americana.

♪ ♪

- Are you okay?

- I want to tell
the police the truth.

I want them to know
that it was Raul

who killed Felipe, not Martino.

- I understand that impulse.

- Oh, but you don't
think I should?

- Mm, I can't tell you
what to do.

- No, I need to redeem
my grandfather.

I need my grandmother
and my mom to know the truth,

but I know they made peace
with their past

and if I tell them
the truth now,

it'll destroy their
relationship with Raul

and, I don't know, just shatter
my entire family.

- I don't think the young woman
I met the other day

would have understood that.

- Yeah, but I have
to do something.

I mean,
I have to make this better.

- There could be another gift
you can give him.

- They made it.

- Oh.

Are you sure?
- As sure as I am sitting here.

- Oh, thank God.

- They are gonna have
beautiful lives

in America, Tino.

Raul will be successful,

and... and Lily
is gonna give birth

to a beautiful
and healthy baby girl.

- And you're gonna
have two granddaughters.

- And the youngest one
is gonna be

a pain in the ass but cocky.

You would've loved her.

Who are you?

Where do you really come from?

- I'm just an americana
who plays the drums.

- You told me your family

doesn't want you
to pursue music.

- Yeah, but you told me
that family is everything.

- Play for them.

Really play for them...

From your soul.

They will understand.

- It's beautiful,
but where is Alma?

- Mrs. Valdez?
Mrs. Garcia?

I hope you're enjoying
yourselves.

- Oh, yes, yes.
Thank you so much.

But, um, you said we were gonna
meet my daughter Alma.

Where is she?

- Well, I believe she is
where she belongs.

She's a musician!

She's wonderful.

♪ ♪

Come, let's dance.

♪ ♪

- Ruby?
I hear you took a tumble.

I'm so glad
you're up and around.

- Ha.

Take the day off.
Really?

I mean, that's my task?

You deserve it.

- Okay, but you could
at least just admit it.

Okay, you didn't really need me

to come up
with new daiquiri flavors

or to talk to Segundo
about vegetables.

- No, but I do need you
to engage with our guests

on a profound level.

And how can you do that

if you're not truly engaged
into your new life?

So this is kind of like a...

Mr. Miyagi
in "The Karate Kid" situation?

- Yes, exactly.
You know, wax on, wax off.

Exactly.

- You know, the tasks
got you out of the room.

So it's a good thing.

- But seriously, I mean,
were you really even gone?

- I took a couple
of days off in Havana, yes.

I worked.

I also played.

- Oh, well, okay.
- Mm...

- And...

Enjoy your day off, Ruby.

- Thank you.

Hi.

Do you mind if I join you?

- Come on over.
- Thanks.

- You are in for a treat.
- Oh?

- They added
a passionfruit daiquiri,

and it is so much better
than the margaritas.

- Oh, really? Okay.
- Yeah, yeah.

- All right, let's try it.

♪ ♪

Yeah, really.

It's so good.