Strange Angel (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Ritual of Abduction - full transcript

[TAPPING IN DISTANCE]

[INDISTINCT WHISPERING]

BOY: If your heels are
nimble and light,

you may get there by candlelight.

[INDISTINCT WHISPERING CONTINUES]

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score and ten.

Can I get there by candlelight?

Yes, and back again.

[CREAKING]

If your heels are nimble and light,



you may get there by candlelight.

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score and ten.

Can I get there by candlelight?

Yes, and back again.

If your heels are nimble and light,

you may get there by candlelight.

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score and ten.

Can I get there by candlelight?

Yes, and back again.

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score and ten.

Can I get there by candlelight?



Yes, and back again.

SUSAN [DISTORTED]: Jack?

What are you doing up?

Look, there's a...

You must've been having a dream.

It's no wonder you're stirred up.

I wasn't able to sleep, myself.

JACK: Out of sight, out of mind.

We should try and get some sleep.

It's gonna be a big day tomorrow.

♪ ♪

♪ The rhythm is jumpin' ♪

♪ Jump session, ♪
♪ the rhythm is jumpin' ♪

♪ Jump session, ♪
♪ the rhythm is jumpin', ♪

♪ jump session ♪

[SCAT SINGING]

♪ The rhythm is jumpin' ♪

♪ Jump session ♪

♪ The rhythm is jumpin' ♪

♪ Jump session, ♪
♪ the rhythm is jumpin' ♪

♪ Jump session ♪

[SCAT SINGING]

JACK: Boo.

[CHUCKLES]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Here.

That's it?

All my promises are about to come true.

No more worrying about the mortgage,

no more having to work for that S.O.B.

Let's see what they offer you

before we start counting any chickens.

Jack, go on, before you're late.

[LAUGHS SOFTLY]

Maybe we'll celebrate our
next anniversary on the moon.

[ENGINE SPUTTERING, STOPS]

[SPUTTERING CONTINUES]

Come on. Shit.

What time is it?

- Sorry?
- What time?

He should be here any minute, sir.

Excuse me, would either
of you like a refill?

This is second cup, Alice.

If he's much longer, I will burst.

Sorry.

[PANTING]

Hey! Off the lawn!

I'd just like to thank you,
again, Professor,

for agreeing to sponsor our project.

I'm already starting to regret it.

[DOOR OPENS]

Sorry.

Sorry. I'm here.

I have seminar starting.

We need to be fast.

The professor's taking us
to see our new lab.

Lead the way.

Thanks for starting without me.

What was I supposed to do?

We had no idea when you were coming.

It's not my fault,
my truck wouldn't start.

You think I'd be late today?

Hey.

Smile, Rich, we made it.

You will be working here,
under my guidance.

As I told Richard,
before you made grand entrance,

you need to figure out
the basic science of your work.

Even Wright brothers
tested over 50 models

to establish new lift coefficient

before they make plane that can fly.

Well, we're gonna make their plane

look like a horse-drawn buggy.

What I mean is, uh, I expect
the same theoretical rigor

from you two.

Here we are.

Home of Caltech's
first ever rocketry team.

Let us hope it is not also the last.

Fantastic.

So this is the room you're giving us?

Once you clear out, of course.

Richard?

What about the rest of it?

My partner said sponsored projects

get all the resources
they need from the university.

Normally, that is the case,

but yours is far from normal project.

[CHUCKLES]

You were able to produce

a-an impressive amount
of thrust in the desert.

I'm giving opportunity to prove

this was not a fluke.

That was no fluke.

It was a breakthrough.

Maybe. But question is, uh,

can you repeat result
without killing anybody?

Design a rocket motor that can sustain

200 pounds of thrust
for at least a minute,

then we can talk about
additional resources.

How are we gonna build
anything without any money?

He said "design," not "build."

[LAUGHING]: This is why
he gets perfect marks.

Yes, Richard, there will be

no tests on campus without my
approval of a written proposal.

From humble beginnings,

I expect great things.

Welcome to Caltech.

What do you think this does?

No idea.

We should probably hold
onto it, just in case.

We're supposed to be
clearing the space out,

not adding to your personal collection.

Whoa, look at this old accelerometer.

It's probably broken.

Besides, we're not gonna be measuring
acceleration anytime soon.

Of course we will.

[SIGHS] Were you listening?

We have to solve for the basic science

before we launch anything.

Just because we're at Caltech now

doesn't mean we have
to completely change

the way we work.

Listen, I know that explosion
might've spooked you a little.

No, what-what spooks me

is that it doesn't seem
to have spooked you at all.

Well, we can either dwell on the past,

or we can start writing the proposal

for our next test rocket.

The sooner we do that, the
sooner we get it built.

The sooner we get it built,
the sooner we get funding.

No, Jack, we're not here
to build rockets.

We're here to build rocket science.

- What's the difference?
- The difference... [SIGHS]

Look, I don't think
that we can do this alone.

I think we should fill out
our team and find people

who have an expertise
that neither of us possess.

Fluid dynamics, physics,
applied mathematics.

You don't think we're capable
of figuring that stuff out?

No, I don't.

We have access to some of the
brightest minds on Earth, now.

Why wouldn't we take advantage of that?

Because we got this far on our own.

You remember what von Braun

wrote to me in his letter?

He has, he has 20 people
working under him.

It's just how things
are done here, Jack.

What we're doing wasn't done
here at all until today.

I got to get back to work.

My "doctor's appointment" was
supposed to be over an hour ago.

So we're agreed, then, yes?

Sure.

Whatever you say.

HUMPHREY: Parsons.

Don't care if you're sick,
you're on the clock.

Plenty of other guys
be happy for the work

if you don't want it.

Hey.

Ah, I'm just about done here.

Just need that magic ingredient.

The key, see if she starts.

You fixed my truck?

That was the idea.

Come on, get in.

See if she goes.

[ENGINE STARTS, REVS]

[LAUGHS]

Really gun her!

Check she's firing on all cylinders!

Ain't that the sweetest sound?

What did you do to it?

Opened up the venturis,
draw some more air in.

A trick I learned
when I used to race stock cars.

You are gonna notice a lot more power.

[ENGINE STOPS]

What's going on?

I went in to find what was broken,

saw a way to make it even better.

Why?

That's what neighbors do.

We keep an eye out for one another.

Is this about what I saw?

Depends. What did you see?

- That woman.
- What woman?

The one who almost had
A knife put through her.

A human sacrifice?

That'd be something.

She has been peeking out
at me all afternoon.

Never came out to offer me
a refreshment or even say hi.

Now, you can tell her from me,
"I do not bite."

[GROWLS]

[ERNEST LAUGHS]

You ever need anything,

ever again, you know where to find me.

I think we should call the police.

And what? Have him arrested
for fixing our car?

He's probably the one who
broke it in the first place.

Only to make it run better.

I can't figure out
what this guy's after.

Well, it seems pretty obvious.

You saw something you shouldn't have,

and now he's making sure
you don't tell anybody.

Maybe it was a mistake to tell you.

Do you think he knows that I know?

That's not what I meant.

I don't think he's trying to scare us.

Or at least, that's not all
he's trying to do.

My father taught me
about symbols like this.

Your father?

This was before he left.

I was seven or eight.

Most parents teach their
children the ABCs at that age.

Marvel wasn't most parents.

No, I suppose not.

He told me they're not
all meant as hexes.

Some are gateways.

Gateways to what?

Hey. You know I'm not gonna let
anything bad happen.

It's silly. We should be celebrating.

Instead, we're talking about
that creep across the way.

Then let's forget
about all this and celebrate.

To all our dreams coming true.

FATHER SHELBY: What is weighing on you

today, my child?

How can you tell when you're
in the presence of evil?

I mean, did Eve know
the serpent was evil,

and that's what tempted her?

Or was she so innocent that
she just didn't know any better?

I take it you're here on behalf
of your husband again.

Yes.

What precisely
are we talking about now?

This new neighbor of ours.

I find his behavior
repellent, but Jack...

he almost seems compelled.

What threat does this man pose?

That is precisely what
I would like to find out,

but Jack refuses to listen to reason.

Susan, it has been a joy
to see you grow up

to be such an upright,
responsible young woman.

Do you have anything to confess?

I do, Father.

Jack and I are still
taking precautions.

We talked about this.

I know.

You speak of Eve.

Do you remember the first instruction

she was given?

Be fruitful and multiply.

I know.

I am sorry for this and all of my sins.

What would you have me do?

Simple.

A flower only opens

for a bee who's come to pollinate.

RICHARD: There's a pecking order
that must be respected.

Colleagues ask questions first,

then the grad students,
then, if there's time,

- undergrads.
- [HORN HONKING]

Where am I on that list?

I doubt I'll have much to say

about the laminar boundary layer
around an elliptic cylinder.

The topic is not important.

Every student from GALCIT
will be there.

This is where we should
be recruiting people.

Yeah, right.

This is where the best
and brightest minds

on campus congregate, right?

We should be in there with them.

Don't, Jack.

The Athenaeum is invite only.

We'll see about that.

The lecture is in ten minutes.

Hold your horses. I'm just gonna
get a quick peek inside.

Good day, sir. Is there
something I can help you with?

Uh, yeah, maybe you can.
I'm looking for the room

my pal Bertie ate in.

Bertie?

As in Einstein.
His friends call him Bertie.

Are you a member of the faculty club?

You never know, I may be.

Well, the moment you're invited,

you're more than welcome
to look in any room you like.

In the meantime, please be on your way.

Your loitering is bothering our guests.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Good afternoon, Professor Hammond.

Some day, this place
is gonna be begging me to join,

and I'll agree on one condition only:

that they fire their fucking doorman.

In most cases, the
boundary layer is turbulent

over much of the airfoil.

But the properties of the
small laminar region downstream

from the stagnation point

have a noticeable impact
on the transition phenomena.

I would like to thank Professor Mesulam

for his generosity in checking
the mathematical derivations.

If there remains any questions
that you would like to ask,

I will now briefly open the floor.

Yes, you in the back.

Thank you for that
illuminating talk, Professor.

I've learned everything
I would ever want to know

about laminar boundary layers,

but I'm curious if you've ever
given thought to aircraft

that wouldn't experience
that sort of air friction?

I'm afraid I don't follow.

I don't mean aircraft designed to fly

within Earth's atmosphere,

but those designed to
leave Earth altogether.

[STUDENTS MURMURING]

Which one of my students
put you up to this?

No one did, sir.

I'm not interested in playing along.

Is there anyone who would like
to ask a serious question?

I am being serious.

My partner here and I are heading up

Caltech's first project dedicated

to the science of rocketry.

[STUDENTS MURMURING]

This is the project you left
the propeller team for,

Mr. Onsted?

Speak up, Richard.
I don't think they heard you.

Um, yes, sir.

Yes, it is, Professor Tillman.

Because he realized
the same thing I did,

that propellers are a dying technology.

This institute prides itself

on breaking new frontiers,
and yet, I can't help but notice

a certain acquiescence
to the status quo.

The question you all
must ask yourselves:

do you wish to merely be technicians,

- or are you innovators?
- That's enough.

Rockets are the future,

whether you want to
believe in them or not.

And Mr. Onsted and I are going
to build machines

that will allow mankind
to explore the cosmos,

and we're looking for a few
fortunate souls to join our team.

Only the most brilliant

and bold among you need apply.

No, no. No, no, no.

What's your name?

Parsons, sir. Jack Parsons.

Are you a student?

I'm entirely unfamiliar with you.

I'm not a student, no.

I'm a chemist, primarily.

- [STUDENTS SNICKERING]
- MAN: You kidding me?

TILLMAN: "A chemist, primarily"?

Perhaps you're aptly named Jack,

as in "of all trades..."

master of none"?

[STUDENTS LAUGH]

I'd venture to say
I know more about chemistry

than anyone in this room.

TILLMAN: I'd venture to say

that you'd venture to say
a lot of things.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

You claim you're working on
the science of rocketry,

but that's a contradiction in terms.

Rockets aren't science.

They're a harebrained idea
fit only for Hollywood films.

And here's why.

I, uh, realize
you're primarily a chemist,

but a man working on rockets

ought to be familiar with
the basics of aeronautics.

Do you know what
this equation suggests?

Excuse me. What's the matter?

Surely a man as confident
as yourself knows

the fundamental equation
of airplane performance.

Since we don't have all day,

let me explain in terms
a layman would understand.

From this equation,
one could extrapolate

that the amount of fuel needed
for an aircraft

to achieve thrust greater than
the pull of gravity

would be so heavy as to render
such a feat impossible.

Or, unless you've come up
with some kind of

magical fuel that none of us
have ever heard of?

I haven't,

but that doesn't mean I won't.

Excuse me?

Just because the math doesn't exist

for what we're trying
to do, doesn't mean

what we're trying to do can't exist.

And maybe gravity will reverse,

and maybe the sky will turn purple,

and maybe, just maybe,
Santa Claus is real.

[STUDENTS LAUGH]

This is Caltech, Mr. Parsons.

We don't deal in fantasy.

We deal in hard facts.

[BOARD SLAMS]

[WOMAN HUMMING NEARBY]

[HUMMING GROWS LOUDER]

[HUMMING CONTINUES]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪ ♪

[HUMMING]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[DOOR OPENS]

[GLASS CLINKS]

Jack?

Why didn't you tell me you were home?

What are you doing?

I tried knocking. Nobody answered.

So you just came in?

Orange tree in my backyard
is going bananas.

[LAUGHS]

Anyway, I got more than
I know what to do with,

so thought I'd come over, make
you some fresh-pressed juice.

Got to find a juicer.

Jack will be home any minute.

ERNEST: Don't worry.

There's plenty for everybody.

Ooh, got you.

You know, for someone who's married

to a man who handles
dangerous chemicals all day,

I thought you'd have a thicker skin.

Come on. Sit down.

Make yourself comfortable.

Do you mind if I ask you
a personal question?

Are you and Jack happy?

Are you?

Of course.

It's just, he's out of
the house a lot, and...

he could be up to anything
and you'd never know.

I know exactly what he's doing.

Well, I guess it cuts both ways.

You could be up to anything

while he's out and he'd never know.

I don't... I don't know
what you're implying,

but Jack and I
tell each other everything.

Of course you do.

The lie of marriage.

You think you know somebody,
but there are some things

that you can never truly know.

Why are you doing this?

Oh, I'm just curious.

You know, some people
read books, and...

I read people.

ERNEST: ...on a farm just
outside Creve Coeur, Missouri.

Now, I don't speak French,

but supposedly
that means brokenhearted.

No one's happy there.

Small-minded people

living small-minded lives. [SLURPS]

Welcome home.

Just getting better acquainted
with your lovely wife here.

Get out.

ERNEST: Excuse me?

I said get out.

You can't just come into a man's home.

Do you only go places
where you're allowed?

A bit of the pot calling
the kettle black. [LAUGHS]

I'm just trying to
share my bounty, Jack.

I like to share things.

Let me ask you something.

When you were a boy and
tried to summon the devil,

you ever wonder what you'd have
done if he'd actually shown up?

SUSAN: We think he's part of one
of those fringe religious groups

that are popping up all over the city.

He stuck this to our door.

What do you think the "93" means?

That we're gonna be the 93rd?

93rd...?

Victim, or something?

Pretty sure if this guy
had 92 other victims,

we'd know about it.

Yes. Of course.

He try something when
he was alone with you?

Uh, no. Not exactly.

He was acting menacing enough though.

Asking all these strange questions.

But he didn't take nothin'?

Not that we're aware of, no.

What are you going to do?

Lot of kooks out there.

If we arrested every one,

no space left for the actual criminals.

But what if he threatens us again?

Well, like my pop always said,

"Best way to stop a bully"

"is to bully him back."

[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]

[CLUCKING]

- Did you tell him?
- SUSAN: What?

About my dream?

You think I'd tell
that lunatic anything?

How long was he in here
before you came in?

I have no idea.

Son of a bitch.

That must be how he knew!

SUSAN: Knew what?

Jack, what are you going to do?

Howdy, neighbor.

How do you like having
a fucking knife pointed at you?

I've faced worse.

What're you looking for?

What's the matter? You don't like
people going through your shit?

[WHISTLES]

Fascinating read.

Too bad you're nothing like
the man who wrote it.

I am the man who wrote it.

I don't think so.

The boy who wrote that knew who he was

and what he wanted.

He wanted to perform magic,

ride a comet, conjure the devil.

The man in front of me leaves

in a three-piece in the
morning, gets back at night

in a goddamn monkey suit
with his name stitched in it.

All these different costumes.
No fucking idea who he is.

You don't know what the fuck
you're talking about.

Keep trying to work so hard

to keep up the illusion
that you matter,

but you know you don't.

You know that if you died tomorrow,

the world would just go on spinning.

I know, 'cause I used to be the same.

Then I found a different way.

The note I left was not a threat.

It was an invitation.

JACK: To what?

A place where you can be the man

you always dreamed of being.

I don't need help.

I just got my foot
in the door at Caltech.

- [SCOFFS]
- You don't believe me?

Stodgy place like that'll never
appreciate a man like you.

Everything you know,
you learned in your garage.

So what?

They're gonna do
everything in their power

To make you feel like you don't
belong, if they haven't already.

You can stop proselytizing.
I'm not interested.

Really? Or are you just chicken?

Call me that one more time.

Or what? You're gonna call
the police on me again?

How much longer do you need
to keep working there?

JACK: My boss asked me to stay
until they can find a replacement.

I felt bad leaving them in the lurch,

so I'm gonna work there weekdays.

Nights and weekends
with Richard for a while.

I thought your position
at Caltech would mean

I'd get to see more of you, not less.

Yeah, it will,

once Pueblo can find someone
to fill my shoes.

Granted, they are
pretty big shoes to fill.

Just make sure you
keep this Sunday free.

We have dinner with my family.

[SIGHS]

He specifically asked
if you'd be there.

All the more reason to skip it.

I think we need to stay
on his good side, don't you?

He's keeping us
in the bank's good graces.

Unless you think that's no
longer going to be an issue?

All right. I'll go.

I'll even bring my mother.

Make Virgil think twice
about inviting us next time.

Oh, and when you go out
today, lock the doors.

I thought you dealt with him.

I did. Just in case.

[DOOR OPENS]

[GRUNTS]

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

♪ ♪

RICHARD: My mailbox was stuffed
full of them this morning.

You mean, what I did paid off?

Sure did. This is a promising CV

from a Mr. Gordon, first name Flash.

Uh, this one is from John Carter,

sent all the way from Mars, apparently.

This one's from Buck Rogers.

Oh, that one should go
to the top of the heap,

- don't you think?
- Mm-hmm.

This is quite a team

that you have managed
to assemble here, Jack.

What the hell are you guys doing here?

We're here for the rockets.

JACK: Let me guess.
You're the Green Hornet,

and he's Kato.

What?

[CHUCKLING]: Oh, no.

This is just to keep the head
warm and to attract the dames.

And Kato

is Japanese, if I'm not mistaken.

Chiang here is Chinese.

Is that right?

It's a good thing he doesn't
listen to the Green Hornet,

'cause nothing pisses him off
like people making that mistake.

Samson Hunt's the name,
fluid dynamic's the game.

"Samson Hunt"?

[GIGGLES]

You know these guys?

Uh, I know of them.

They've had some trouble getting
onto any other thesis teams.

Well, that's because nobody gave
Chiang the respect he deserves,

but he sparked to what you
said in Tillman's lecture

about you guys not having the math

for what you're trying to do here.

[BOTH SPEAKING MANDARIN]

[BOTH LAUGH]

What did you guys
just say to each other?

Inside joke.

JACK: All right. Joke's over.

Tell him to put down the goddamn chalk.

I wouldn't, if I were you.

Wait.

This is incredible.

JACK: What is?

Oh, don't you see it?

May I?

♪ ♪

You're smart.

For an American.

[SOFT LAUGHTER]

[CHALK SCRIBBLING]

[CHOIR SINGING]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[CHOIR SONG ENDS]

Mother? Open sesame.

RUTH: Jack, my darling.

Mm, say something, I've missed
the sound of your voice.

Are you ready?

Come in for one moment,
I have a surprise for you.

What kind of surprise?

You're a Caltech man now.

That must be commemorated.

Guess which hand.

[LAUGHS SOFTLY]

You always guess right.

That fob you wear ought to
be attached to something.

[WATCH TICKING]

Thank you.

How much did you pay for it?

None of your business.

I won't be needing eight
place settings anytime soon.

Besides, when we move
back to the big house,

we can buy a new set.

You spoil me.

We have to keep up appearances.

Especially around you-know-who.

I thought we were past that.

We'll never be past that.

The best defense against
condescension is prosperity.

Which is why one always
shows up bearing gifts.

You know, Virgil hates it
when you bring flowers.

He's allergic.

Is he?

[LAUGHS]

RUTH: My gosh! In front of
the whole department?

- JACK: Yeah.
- SUSAN: You didn't tell me this.

JACK: Must've slipped my mind.

There's been a lot of exciting
things happening.

It's hard to keep track.

We just had two geniuses join our team.

One of them comes all the way
from China.

- How exotic.
- Patty. Elbows.

Tell us more about this talk you gave.

It sounds fascinating.

Well, all of GALCIT was there.

Everybody was very keen
to hear about our work.

VIRGIL: Sorry, a-am I
correct in understanding

that the-the university is funding you

to design a rocket
intended to reach the moon?

That's the ultimate objective, yes.

Neat-o.

VIRGIL: That reminds me
of an article I read,

some years ago,
about a man named, uh, Goddard.

Robert Goddard? He was an early
pioneer of the field.

Yes, that's the one.

What did he do?

Goddard was the first
to successfully fire

a liquid fueled rocket.

I thought you were the first?

VIRGIL: No, I-I believe this man, uh,

Goddard beat Jack by about ten years.

Shared many of the same
aspirations, in fact.

- That's right.
- Now, forgive me,

if-if I'm misremembering,

This was The New York Times, mind you...

And-and I know I'm no scientist

like our man Jack, here...

But this article made it seem like

those aspirations were preposterous.

That a rocket stood no chance of
working in outer space.

Something to do with the lack
of air to push against.

Well, Virgil, that criticism
grossly misunderstands

Newton's third law of motion:

that for every action, there is
an equal and opposite reaction.

S-So you consider yourself

more of an expert than
The New York Times?

When it comes to rockets, I do.

So you truly do believe,

that you, Jack Parsons,

can build a ship that will take us all
to the moon?

Yes.

Where do you get such faith
in yourself?

Where do you get your faith in God?

Well, see, the difference is,

other people share my faith.

Sorry.

Now, Lucifer's original sin...

was pride, hmm?

Thinking that he was

an equal of the Lord.

Now, remember, Jack,
you are just a man,

a man with responsibilities.

[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]

So instead of attempting
the impossible,

you should focus on
paying your mortgage.

Susan, go and fetch my checkbook.

Virgil. VIRGIL: Now, I'm sorry.

When I married into this family,
your mother was a widow

and you were a helpless young girl.

I swore to ensure your well-being,

and when Jack married you,

he assumed that obligation.

We women can take better care
of ourselves than you think.

Your father's money took care
of you, until it ran out.

Now, I am making this out to the bank,

so don't you get any ideas.

This is not a-a gift, mind you.

This is a loan.

It's time you two started facing...

[PEN SCRIBBLING]

...reality.

Don't let what he said get to you.

He's just jealous.

It's true.

He thinks he's smarter than everyone.

It needles him to know
an actual genius.

Did you know?

Know what?

He said he just wanted to talk.

We don't have to deposit the
check, if you don't want to.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[CLATTERING NEARBY]

[JACK SHUSHING]

[FOOTSTEPS NEARBY]

Wait there.

[CLATTERING NEARBY]

[CLATTERING CONTINUES]

[CLUCKING]

[SIGHS]

[SQUAWKING]

[BANGING ON DOOR]

You're right, okay?! I'm not
the man I thought I'd be

when I was eight fucking years old!

No one is!

You get married.
You get responsibilities.

We can't all be like you.

[CHICKEN CLUCKING]

You can be exactly like me.

You just need to have an open mind.

Jack, please come inside.

ERNEST: How many miles to Babylon?

What did you just say?

I heard it's three score and ten.

How the fuck did you know about that?

That wasn't written
in any of my notebooks.

No. It wasn't.

So how did you know?!

Magic.

♪ ♪