Home Before Dark (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Magic Hour - full transcript

I'm a reporter.

I know it seems weird, but I've been
like this for as long as I can remember.

I think if they cut me open,
I would bleed ink.

My dad is a reporter too.

My mom says we're like Holmes and Watson.

My dad says that finding the truth
is what makes everything work right.

I need to know the truth.

But since I'm a kid,
people lie to me all the time.

So I learned how to look at things
and really see them.

I write my own paper.

And self-publish.



My sister thinks it's a joke.

But it's my way of figuring out
what's real.

My dad told me
we have to move across country

so he can work on his book,
but I know it's because he lost his job.

He's trying to be happy to make it seem
like everything's gonna be okay.

But I know that he's sad.

So we're going to stay
at my grandpa's house,

since he moved to an old folks' home.

My mom and dad
say we're there to be near him,

but I think it's because it's free,
and we don't have anywhere else to go.

I'm sad to inform you
that this will be the last editorial

for The Bed Stuy Beat.

I'm moving to a place called Erie Harbor,
where my dad grew up.

They say it's pretty and perfect...



but I know that nothing ever is.

All right, let's go unpack. You okay?

Okay, guys. We're here.

All right, let's do it.

Hilde, you okay? I got ya.

Why do people think New York's so scary?

At least in an alley,
someone might hear you scream.

Why would anybody need to hear you scream?

I don't know.
Like if you get mugged or something.

There's no mugging in Erie Harbor,
or honking or pollution.

That is why we are here.
It'll be an adventure.

- A vacation.
- A vacation. Yeah, you said that.

But we don't go to school on vacation.

You probably would.

Just be honest.
We're not going back to Brooklyn, are we?

Yeah. Of course we are.

- Yeah, in a couple of months.
- Yeah.

You know, you kids
will see out the school year and...

- And we will regroup, yep.
- Exactly. We'll regroup.

Yep. Last one to pick out a bed
sleeps in the basement.

Hey, you.

Hey, you know,
I think it's gonna be nice here.

I mean, look at that.
You got a front yard to play in.

You know, I'll get a ton of work done.
Yeah. It's gonna be nice.

You said the word "nice" twice.
Say it again and I'm calling the police.

Hey, what were you writing in the car?

Can I take a look?

Let's see.

Hilde. Come on. It was just a yard sale.

- But she didn't have any customers.
- Well, so what?

What about the guy with the shovel?

Do you think
he was digging something up or burying it?

He was probably just planting something.
You know, people plant.

I mean, they really do.

All right, listen up, you.

Life is not always
about chasing the story, okay?

You got to enjoy yourself. It's okay.

You understand?

You sound like Mom.

- Yeah. Well, you sound like me.
- You're cold.

I know. Well, don't be like me.
You don't wanna be like me.

Help me up.

- Dad.
- Richie!

Dad? Dad?

Yeah. Yeah, come on, come on.
Let's get inside

before this peace and quiet
drives us both insane, right?

Give me back my camera.

It's weird. Stop.

- "Look at it"? I'm not gonna break it.
- Sorry.

go and hike in the woods.
Hike in the woods.

How fun is that?

Love you.

Stop.

Oh, my God.

Maybe you should reach out to your editor.

So he can fire me again?

I'd rather not.

You know, besides,
I'm done reporting the news.

Okay. Well, maybe
I should go back to work.

Between your dad's care
and what we ran through in New York,

I think I might have to.

It helps that we can live here for free.

Yeah, well, if we could
live anywhere else,

believe me, we would.

Hey.

Hey, come here.

I'm okay.

Look, I know this is not
what you signed up for.

- Yeah.
- And I'm sorry.

I promise that I'm not gonna let anything
come between us again, okay.

- Izzy!
- Breakfast! Sorry, babe.

Did anyone see the car
outside our house last night?

And here we go.

Why? Where was it?

Street side. Rolled off at about 4:32 a.m.

"About 4:32 a.m."

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
No, no. You were awake?

Okay, well.
We all excited about our first day?

Are we all excited about our first day?

- Yes.
- Yes. Are we?

- Why are you deflecting?
- What? I'm not deflecting.

- What's deflecting?
- No one's deflecting.

We're just talking, okay?

- Why do you always ask so many questions?
- That was a question.

You can never
just let anything go, can you?

Of course I can.

Really? Go ahead. Let it go.

Let's just have a super chill breakfast.

Come on. It'll be fun.

Look at her. She's just eating.

Just enjoying her food.

Not thinking about anything else.

Nothing else. Just her food.

This looks great.

I think it was an undercover cop car.

It had those hubcaps
and spotlight on the driver's side,

- and I was like, "Oh..."
- See? I told you.

- Hey.
- Can you tell her to stop being

- such a nosy little S-H-I-T?
- Language.

I'm a journalist. I can spell.

Okay, Hilde.
The journalist thing's not a thing.

She had a hundred "perscribers"
in Brooklyn.

"Subscribers," but thank you.

Hilde, I thought you said you were
gonna stop this once you got here.

You know, so you can be normal.

I never said that. You said that.

Well, what are you gonna report on
in Erie Harbor anyway?

An American flag
that beats up an apple pie?

Mom, stop.

Look, I'm just saying, that guy outside
looked like he wanted to...

M-U-R-D-E-R us.

- I can too.
- What?

- Spell.
- Yeah. Okay.

- Time-out, guys.
- No.

You know, everything's...
everything's gonna be fine, okay? Yes?

- It's gonna be awesome.
- Yeah.

- Yes?
- Yeah.

All right. Thank you.

- Here you go.
- Will you have some fruit, please?

- Great. I'll pick you up at 3:00...
- Bridget, don't pull all the way to the...

- God. Never mind.
- Honey. I'm not even...

Bridget.

Take care of your sister,
and my name is Mom!

Okay. Okay, give it back.

Did you see his outfit?

It's snowing! Don't freeze to death.

Yeah.

Okay. Be very serious.

No laughing. Snow.

Don't freeze.

Okay. Grab all the snow.
Grab all the snow.

It's freezing out. Two. Yeah.

But be very serious. No laughing.

No laughing. Very serious.

Let's make snow angels. Ready?
Snow angels.

Watch the viburnums.

Sorry.

Where are the prices?

For what?

Anything. Like, what about this?

You drink coffee?

I love coffee,
but my parents only let me drink decaf.

Take it. Welcome to the neighborhood.

How'd you know we just got here?

Small town.

Well, why are you
having a yard sale right now?

- Everyone's busy.
- You're here.

But grown-ups have all the money.

Do you have a yard sale every day?

I'm a reporter.

So, you are Matt Lisko's kid, aren't you?

Your dad and I used to be friends.

Haven't seen him for a while.

He okay?

Why wouldn't he be?

When he left, he always said
that he would never move back here.

He did? How come?

You wanna know the best way
to keep a secret?

Pretend there isn't one.

Can you do me a favor?

Ooh. Can I play?

Hey. Hey, how was school today?

How was writing today?

- Yeah. Okay, touch?, touch?.
- What does that mean?

That means I'm trying
to change the subject.

That's what that means.
It's French, and it's fancy.

All right, you. All right, it's late.

Look, I'm glad you're out exploring,

but I need you to be home
before it gets dark, okay?

It's called magic hour, okay?

Then why would I wanna come home?

Well, because it is a new town,
and because I asked you to.

It's okay. The lady
with the weird yard sale walked me home.

Ms. Gillis.

- Wait. What?
- Yeah. Ms. Gillis.

She told me you used to be friends.

- Penny Gillis?
- Yes.

Yeah. Yeah.
We... We went to high school together.

Yeah, and she left something
out on the lawn for you.

Let's hit the jumps.

Richie!

Oh, I thought you'd like it.

I do.

I do. I... I love it.

What did she say, Ms. Gillis,
when she gave that to you?

She said that
you'd be happy to have it back.

And that she has something else for you.

Okay.

Wow.

You know the results
of the latest Gallup poll?

Half the country never
even heard of the word Watergate.

Nobody gives a shit.

You guys are probably pretty tired, right?

Well, you should be. Go on home.

Get a nice, hot bath.
Rest up 15 minutes.

Then get your asses back in gear.

We're under a lot of pressure, you know,
and you put us there.

Nothing's riding on this except for
the First Amendment to the Constitution,

and the freedom of the press,
and maybe the future of the country.

Follow me.

Time of death, 9:08 p.m.

Hey. Hey.

You need to get outta here, now.

But I know Ms. Gillis.
I was just with her today.

- I got this.
- Yeah.

Hey. Hey, sweetheart.
Well, she had an accident.

No. Hey, hey.

Look, this is an active investigation,
sweetheart.

You could disrupt evidence.

Of what? You said it was an accident.

It's late. Shouldn't you be asleep?

- What's your name?
- I'm Hilde Lisko.

Sheriff?

Heard it on the scanner.

Penny Gillis fell down a flight of stairs
changing a light bulb.

Any signs of foul play?

No, come on. In Erie Harbor? Come on.

It's just a shame she lives alone.
She probably would've been all right.

Man, it's like this family is cursed.

Yeah.

She had an accident, you understand?

There's nothing to be afraid of.

- Yeah?
- Hi. I'm a reporter for the news.

Nothing's riding on this except
the First Amendment to the Constitution,

freedom of the press,
and maybe the future of the country.

- Principal Collins.
- Have you read this?

My child thinks
there's a murderer in Erie Harbor.

I'm reading it.

- What did you do?
- I'm a journalist.

- No, you're a fourth grader.
- You sent this to the whole effing school?

Izzy, language.

- Technically, effing isn't...
- Hilde, not now.

Look, you left the house
in the middle of the night?

- Come on. What were you thinking?
- Mom said we could have more freedom here.

Yeah, well, that's gone now.

Someone we know got murdered last night.

Okay. Come on, Ginny. Screen time.

Okay, first of all, you don't know that.

The shed was ransacked.
There are weird footprints,

- signs of forced entry. There was...
- Yeah, it could have been the paramedics.

You think about that?
No, you... You know what?

I'm not... I'm not going there with you.

She was your friend.
Don't you wanna know what happened?

I don't understand.
You used to take me out

and cover homicides
in the South Bronx all the time.

Yeah, well, that's 'cause
we couldn't afford a babysitter, okay?

I don't believe you.
How is this any different?

All right, look, this is a small town.
You know, and New York was bigger.

Nobody was keeping track
of what crime was happening and when.

Here, everyone knows everything.

Here, everyone's hiding everything!

I'm not gonna just make nice,
if that's what you're asking me to do.

Come on. That's not what it is.

Okay, maybe it is a little bit
of what it is, but that's not the point.

Ever since we got here,
you've been acting weird.

And this house?
There's stuff I've never noticed before.

Oh, God, just go to school.

Come home. Do your homework.
Eat, sleep, rinse, repeat.

It's not that hard.

You'd have never let a story like this go.

Damn it, Hilde!

Why can't you just be a little kid
for once in your life?

Huh?

It's okay, Dad.

I know you didn't mean it.

God.

Hey. Hey, hey.

I'm sorry.

Okay? That wasn't cool.
I didn't mean that.

- Yeah.
- Hilde... Hilde.

Help your sister out a little.
Help your sister!

Okay. I heard you.

Have a great day, honey. Love you.

Yep.

I mean, she just comes here
and starts shit out of nowhere.

There she is.

What a weirdo.

I've had 20 calls this morning
from angry parents.

I don't know what things are like
in New York, but this is a quiet town.

And it's developmentally inappropriate
for her age.

Yeah, with all due respect,
Hilde is an unusual case.

With all due respect, every parent
thinks their child is exceptional.

But at this school,
Hilde is like any other kid.

If she breaks the rules,
she has to face the consequences.

Listen, I may have yogurt on my shirt,

and I look like I haven't...
I haven't showered in a week because,

you know, I haven't.

But I'm also a former public defender,
so I know a thing or two about rules,

and my daughter has not broken
any of them.

I'm sure her extracurricular activities
have been inconvenient for you,

but my guess is that you're firing
this trumped-up warning shot across my bow

so that when you feel like
pursuing disciplinary action,

you'll have a proper paper trail.

- Is that about right?
- Mrs. Lisko.

Bridget.

Hey. What are you in for?

- I'm...
- Just... Just kidding.

I totally read your article. I'm Donny.

- I'm...
- But maybe we should pretend

you don't know me for a couple of days,
maybe a week, you know?

Until this whole thing blows over.

Fair enough.

What about you? What'd you do?

You feelin' the wiggle?

That's the best part. That's the stuff.

You and I both know that the world
isn't always kind to troublemakers.

Especially little girls.

If a little boy did what Hilde did,
he wouldn't be in trouble.

He would be the school president.

Your daughter made up a story
about a woman being murdered.

My daughter writes a newspaper
in her spare time.

She is nine years old,
and she has a passion in life.

She has work that she loves
more than anything else.

I never had that,

and I am guessing by that half-assed
inspirational cat poster

that you didn't either.

You mean the poster my colleagues
got me as a present

when the school board finally
gave me this job

after offering it to two men
who were far less qualified than me?

So, yeah, I know all about being a girl.

I'm sorry.

You're right. But you don't know Hilde.

She's not like any other kid.
She's my kid.

And I'm her mom.

So no matter how tired I am,

or how exhausting it can be
to deal with someone

who is so tiny and so driven,

I am going to make damn sure
nobody crushes her dreams.

Well, both problem sets
were exactly the same.

Because she copied off me.

Yeah. I'm gonna say
you copied off her, okay?

Thanks, Baby Einstein.
You can leave now. Bye!

But it's not the truth.

Who cares? What are you gonna do about it?

Write an article about me
in your stupid little paper?

You know what? Go ahead.
Any press is good press.

Hilde.

Life is not always
about chasing the story, okay?

Hilde, I thought you said you were
gonna stop this once you got here.

You know, so you can be normal.

Hilde, not now.

Why can't you just be a little kid
for once in your life?

You guys are probably pretty tired, right?

Well, you should be. Go on home.

Get a nice, hot bath.
Rest up 15 minutes.

Then get your asses back in gear.

My name's Hilde Lisko.

Sergeant Miller's kid already came by
with the Thin Mints.

No. I wanna see a copy
of the police report

for the incident at 215 Oakdale Ave.

Uh-huh. You need to settle down.

Why can't I see the police report?
It's a matter of public record.

Why aren't you at school?

Because crime doesn't care
if it's third period.

Hello again, little lady.

I'm not going away.

Can someone deal with this?

I warned her. I explained to her...

Nevertheless, I persisted.

Okay, Senator. Come with me.

All right. So, sit.

Hold on. Let me get this for you.

Sit right there. Sit.

You know you can get into a lot of trouble
saying something is murder when it isn't.

Well, by the way people are acting,
looks like I was right.

I need to see the Penny Gillis file.

No, I can't do that.

You girls crack the case yet?

You know what? I changed my mind.

I'm gonna get you that file.

I can't show you everything,
but here's what I got.

Something's missing.

It was a machine on the table,

and it was, like, right here.

It looked like...

this.

A VCR?

Yes.

What's a VCR?

- It's horrible.
- It's not good.

"This article, or paper,
or whatever you call it, is so lame."

Oh, that's not good.

- Keep...
- "Doesn't this girl have parents?"

I mean, come on.
You know what? Turn off the comments.

She doesn't need to see this.

Look, I'm gonna print it out first,
just in case.

In case what?

Well, remember when
I got all those death threats?

Yeah, you taught me,
always hold onto corroborating evidence.

Death threats?

Matt, this is our kid.

You know, maybe we just need
to tell her she needs to stop doing this.

Bridge, come on.
That's not gonna do any good.

Look, you know she's gonna do it anyway.

I'll just tell her nobody commented. Okay?

You know what? I'm done.

Lisko. I know that name.

My dad's a reporter
for the New York Sentinel.

Well, was. He was covering this case
about a missing girl.

Just couldn't let it go.

I think that's why he got fired.

He's always been...
Well, he used to be like me.

Can't let something go
until he figures it out.

Well, I wonder if he lived here in '88.

What do you mean?

Well, it was before I came to town,
but I heard about it.

The mayor's kid went missing.

His name was Richie Fife.

He was abducted one night
while he was riding his bike home.

Everyone started locking their doors.

People moved away.

I mean,
they caught the guy who did it, but...

they never found out
what happened to Richie.

What do the cops think happened?

I don't know.

They never released the file,
and once it was in the past,

folks around here
wanted it to stay that way.

Well, do you think
they caught the right guy?

Actually, the person they arrested
for Richie's murder...

that was Penny Gillis's brother.

Keep diggin'.

Hey. Everything I said here...

You do know
what an anonymous source is, right?

Don't worry. I've seen
All the President's Men 36 times.

I won't quote you.

Why are you helping me?

I don't like
when they pat me on the head either.

Dad?

Dad?

Dad.

All right.

Hey. Hey, what are you doing up?

You told me there were no comments.

Oh, sweetie.

Look, I just didn't want you
to get hurt, okay?

But it... it's so mean.

Look, I know. I know, I know.

Look, when people don't have
to say things to your face,

like on the Internet, yeah,
they can be really mean.

All right?

I was talking about you.

I thought we didn't keep secrets.

Oh, my God. How embarrassing.

"This article, paper, or whatever it is,
is so lame."

"Go home. You're a loser."

"Perhaps you're too young to understand
the words 'sensationalist' and 'trash.'"

"Cute little girls
aren't supposed to be journalists.

Stick to tea parties."

Freak.

You're probably
never gonna talk to me again.

"Keep it up. Maybe someday
you'll write something intelligent."

"Maybe Hilde killed her."

"See, this is why
you shouldn't educate girls."

"I hate whoever wrote this."

"Who even let this little girl
on the Internet?"

"Hate to break it to you, but you suck."

"You're ugly."

Well, that felt off-topic.

"You're just a stupid little girl.

Why don't you learn
to keep your mouth shut?"

Excuse me, ladies.
Do you want to sit down?

A friend of mine once said

that the best way to keep a secret
is to pretend like there isn't one.

Well, I thought she said it, but then
it turned out to be Margaret Atwood.

I don't like secrets.
And I don't like pretending.

You asked who cares about the truth.

I do.

'Cause if the truth doesn't matter...

nothing ever will.

No, no, no!

Hi. I'm Donny.

I'm Spoon. Wesley Witherspoon.

I'm Izzy, Hilde's sister.

Stop!

You.

Hilde Lisko, come with me.

Sit.

I have a change of clothes in my car.
Don't move.

Yes, Principal Collins.

Money.

What are you doing?

I get sweaty when I'm nervous.

You are your father's daughter,
aren't you?

Isn't everybody?

Today I'm gonna show you
how to hook up your VCR.

There's two slots.
One is your out, and one is your in.

You're gonna want to go from your out,

plugging the color-coded yellow cable
into the slot there.

I don't understand
why some old VCR is so important.

And you'll have to find
the appropriate source on your television.

Typically it's called video one.

Hilde?

Iz. Iz, you guys here?

I mean, mine would stick better, but...

Oh, yeah, right.
I'm definitely gonna need a new tire.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, probably a new bike.

- Come on!
- Grandma, today!

Half an eternity later. Yeah.

You're so slow. Can't make it up the hill.
Oh, 'cause of my broken bike.

Hey! No!

Stop! Help!

Get off Richie!

No!

Richie!

Richie!

Help!

Is that Dad?

Hilde.

We just got here, okay?
Dad's acting weird enough already.

You can't show him that tape.
Not right now.

Maybe this is why he's been sad.

Look, you don't even know if it is him.
And if it is, then that's really serious.

I wanna help him.

Then don't go up there.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey, what's this for?

It's just...

I love you,
and I want everything to be okay here.

Well, thank you, scout.

Hey, you know what?

I think I love you too.

You know, I'm pretty sure I do. Yeah. Wow.

Bye.

Hey, where are you going?

I'm going to make it right.

Make what right?

I'm going to figure out
the Penny Gillis case.

I know there's something more here.

Look, Hilde, I know what happened
to Penny was... was terrible, but...

Look, you gotta let it go.

I don't think you hid
those comments from me

because you didn't want me to get hurt.

I think you did it
because you don't want me to stop.

Look.

I know that you don't think
that you're a journalist anymore...

but I don't believe it.

So you can come back when you're ready.

But until then...

I'm gonna find out the truth,
for both of us.

Hilde!

Get back here.

Be smart.

I'd rather be brave.

Yeah. Well, be both.