Tales from the Loop (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Stasis - full transcript
Upon falling in love, a teenaged girl attempts to make the moment last forever.
♪ ♪
[insects trilling]
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide our wrongs. ♪
MAY:
That moment.
That wonderful feeling
of excitement.
I love you.
MAY:
Why does it always pass?
[Stacey laughs]
ZHI:
How's Jakob?
Good.
Good.
MAY: Even when you know it's special
right then and there,
it still ends.
Why can't we stay
in that moment,
that feeling?
Why can't it last
forever like we wish it could?
[foghorn blows]
[insects trilling]
[insects trilling]
[bird calling]
[car alarm chiming]
[Zhi sighs]
[car door closes]
[seat belt clicks]
[radio static]
MAN: single assumption that makes
the progress of biology...
[engine starts]
assumption that everything
the animals do,
the atoms do.
That some things that are
seen in the biological world
are the result of
the behavior of physical
and chemical phenomena
with no extra assumptions.
You could always say, "Well,
when it comes to living things,
anything can happen."
But if you do that, you never
understand the living thing.
Very hard for us just to believe
that the wiggling of
the tentacle of the octopus
is nothing but a performing
round of atoms
putting into motion the laws.
But it's investigating
this hypothesis...
♪ ♪
You're not dressed.
MAN [over radio]:
is known to be the same
as the matter on the Earth
by the character of the light
that's emitted by those stars
which is a similar kind
of frequency...
[radio shuts off]
MAN:
Uh, what goes on
outside the nucleus of the atom
seems precise
and complete enough
in the sense
that given enough time,
we can calculate anything
as accurately...
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[Jakob hisses]
- Sorry.
- [Stacey laughs]
[Stacey and Jakob laugh]
Thanks.
Think it'll last?
Hope so.
- [song ends]
- [applause]
♪ ♪
Did I see you
by the lake earlier?
Were you with someone?
No.
How come?
You don't ever want to be alone?
Never.
You want to go for a walk?
Where?
Somewhere else.
- [song ends]
- [applause]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Your foot.
Has it always been that way?
Yeah.
Does it hurt?
Uh... s-sometimes.
Well...
I guess
everybody's got something.
♪ ♪
I heard time moves slower
in the woods.
That's not true.
No.
But it'd be nice if it was.
That's why I like it out here.
The moment.
Feels like it can just...
ETHAN and MAY:
Last.
Can I see it?
Your foot?
You don't have to.
No, it's...
it's okay.
♪ ♪
What would you do?
If it was normal?
I'd run.
I bet you'd be fast.
Thanks.
- JAKOB: May!
- STACEY: You there?
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chatter]
JAKOB:
May!
See you around.
JAKOB:
May!
[insects trilling]
♪ Take me ♪
♪ To your darkest room ♪
♪ Close every window ♪
- ♪ And lock... ♪
- You need to clean up.
♪ The very first moment ♪
- ♪ I heard... ♪
- I had hair just like yours.
How old were you
when you got married?
- Your age.
- Really?
It was exciting.
At the time.
♪ To your most barren
desert... ♪
MAY:
What about him?
Satanic sex cult.
He was shot by a jealous husband
and survived
but later died in a freak
hot-air balloon accident.
[sighs]
You're not like this at school.
Usually, you're really quiet.
Yeah.
Well,
I don't like
being around people.
They can be mean.
Am I talking too much?
No.
I like it.
You still with Jakob?
[metal creaks]
MAY:
Follow me.
Ask what he's doing.
Why?
Hey. Uh...
- LUCAS: Hey.
- What is that?
LUCAS:
Yeah. They're the, uh,
main heat-absorbing component.
- They get really hot.
- Yeah.
That's why the, uh,
side arm is needed.
Interesting.
And then you got the coolant
that needs to get replaced.
The weather, it could, uh,
really do a number on them.
Then there's the, uh...
uh...
[stammers]
timer itself
that needs to be reset.
-Uh, thanks for explaining
all that.
-[clears throat]
- LUCAS: Yeah.
- Uh, have a good one.
- You, too.
- Bye.
Okay.
[quietly]:
You take something?
What's that for?
This was just in the lake?
Yep.
Is it dangerous?
Probably.
Where do you learn this stuff?
I've always been curious
about how things work, so...
I take stuff apart
and put it back together.
I-It's kind of weird.
ETHAN:
No, it's cool.
Can I see your room?
Nice.
This...?
Yeah.
Uh, it's nothing.
What?
Uh, it's just...
I can't draw, but...
you're prettier than that.
Want to listen to a song?
Sure.
[birds chirping outside]
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide our wrongs ♪
♪ You and me ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ You and me ♪
♪ I know time ♪
♪ Is gonna take its toll ♪
♪ We have to pay ♪
♪ For the love we stole ♪
♪ It's a sin ♪
♪ And we know it's wrong ♪
♪ Oh♪
♪ But our love ♪
♪ Keeps coming on strong ♪
♪ Steal away ♪
♪ To the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ Mm... ♪
♪ They're gonna find us ♪
♪ They're
gonna find us ♪
♪ They're gonna find us ♪
- ♪ Lord, someday ♪
- [May laughs softly]
♪ You and me ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
- [knob turns]
- ♪ You and me ♪
- May!
- Mom.
Get out.
♪ And when the daylight hour ♪
♪ Rolls around ♪
♪ And by chance ♪
♪ We're both downtown ♪
♪ If we should meet ♪
♪ Just walk on by ♪
♪ Oh, darling ♪
♪ Please don't cry ♪
♪ Tonight we'll meet ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street... ♪
[music stops]
- [birds chirping outside]
- [clock ticking]
[dog barking in distance]
[low humming]
[all sounds stop]
MAY:
Mom?
Dad?
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Hey.
Um...
I'm sorry.
Can I... show you something?
I found a way
we can be together.
Put this on.
You fix it?
Go on.
[indistinct chatter in distance]
ETHAN:
It's cold.
Ready?
[indistinct P.A. announcement]
[all sounds stop]
♪ ♪
Neat, huh?
[both chuckle]
Why aren't we...?
Is the whole town like this?
MAY:
It's just us.
♪ ♪
[horn honking]
[whooping]
[May chuckles]
[whoops]
♪ ♪
[chuckles softly]
ETHAN:
So, what do you want to do?
[gulps, sighs]
What about him?
ETHAN [whispers]:
Sent here from another dimension
to see what makes us tick.
[laughs]
Seems about right.
I like being alone with you.
[footsteps echoing]
ETHAN: Here?
MAY: Come on.
When will we ever get
another chance
to do something like this?
[grunts]
Is...?
It's fine.
[panting]
[Ethan grunting softly]
[May panting]
[ragged exhale]
[May exhales]
[inhales, exhales]
You okay?
I forgot to breathe.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
This is like a dream.
In the future, whenever
you walk down this street,
you'll think about
what we did here.
How long does this last?
Long as we want.
- This moment...
- [laughs]
it can last forever.
- What do you think?
- Looks good.
Just good?
Great.
[clears throat]
This is a solid model.
It shoots 333 feet per second.
Cool.
But where are we gonna
keep all this?
MAY:
I've always liked
the idea of living here.
ETHAN:
Now's your chance.
[swing creaking]
ETHAN:
How do you say
"What time is it?"
[speaks Chinese]
- [chuckles]
- [speaks Chinese]
What about "I love you"?
That's not as easy.
Why?
Uh, let me think.
[exhales]
[speaks Chinese]
- [laughs]
- One more time.
[speaks Chinese]
- [speaks Chinese]
- [laughs softly]
[speaking Chinese]
[chuckles]
[speaks Chinese]
[laughs]
[speaks Chinese]
ETHAN:
See?
Easy.
It doesn't freak you out?
Killing deer?
No.
What does?
Uh... Snakes.
You?
Being alone.
I told you, I don't like it.
Why?
Because i-it would just be me,
and I'm not my favorite person.
But you're so confident.
Hey.
Don't worry.
I'm here.
I'll never leave you.
Promise?
Promise.
[May whooping]
[Ethan whooping]
- Faster!
- What?
- Faster!
- [engine revs]
[whooping]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
MAY:
You awake?
Hmm?
How long has it been?
Like this?
Yeah.
Uh...
A month?
Longer?
When we turn it off,
you'll break up with Jakob?
I guess so.
I mean, yeah.
Yes or no?
I said yeah.
It'll be strange,
everything being normal again.
We can always do it
whenever we want, though, right?
Like this?
Maybe at night next time?
[laughs softly]
Yeah.
Okay.
[clicking]
What's wrong?
Is it broken?
- Look, can you fix it?
- Let me think.
I'm stuck here?
I'm here, too.
I know. I-I know.
We need a fresh one.
And that will fix it?
It should.
Well, where do we get one?
They're not here.
[door opens]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[footsteps approaching]
[wind whooshing]
ETHAN:
Found it.
Nice. A forbidden love.
They communicate when they can
meet through secret messages
left under a rock
by the lighthouse.
- Shut up.
- What?
- Oh. I didn't...
- Just shut up.
- Look. I'm sorry.
- Shut up!
What are you doing?
I'll make it so
they have nothing
to cover themselves with.
- That's stupid.
- You don't have to be here.
Hey, can you just...
It's not like anyone's
gonna see them.
So, what, I'm stupid?
No, that's not what I said.
Yes, it is.
I didn't know it was your mom.
I didn't do anything.
May...
can we just...
- Can we just what?!
- Why are you being this way?
- What way?
- Like a bitch.
Don't call me a bitch,
you cripple.
♪ ♪
[wind whooshing]
[wind whistling]
♪ ♪
Ethan?
Ethan!
Ethan!
Ethan?
Ethan!
Answer me.
♪ ♪
Will you look at me?
I didn't mean to sa...
[sniffles]
When you said you felt
stuck here,
it really hurt.
And...
I was scared that
you were gonna leave me.
And seeing my mom like that...
I'm just really upset right now,
and I can't be alone.
I need you.
Will you talk to me?
Please?
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[loud thud]
- [sea birds calling]
- [water flowing]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[sniffles]
MAY:
That moment...
that wonderful feeling
of excitement.
Why does it always pass?
Even when you know it's
special right then and there,
it still ends.
Why?
Why can't it last forever,
like we wish it could?
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we
always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide... ♪
[music stops]
- [birds singing]
- [water flowing]
Something on your mind?
Boyfriend?
I don't think we'll
be together much longer.
I see.
Sometimes things are special
because they don't last.
[TV droning indistinctly
in next room]
What is it?
[horn honks in distance]
[horn beeps loudly]
[motorcycle passes]
[horn honks]
Hey.
How are you?
And you?
I...
What happened?
You broke your promise.
And you said what you said.
May.
[speaks Chinese]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[insects trilling]
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide our wrongs. ♪
MAY:
That moment.
That wonderful feeling
of excitement.
I love you.
MAY:
Why does it always pass?
[Stacey laughs]
ZHI:
How's Jakob?
Good.
Good.
MAY: Even when you know it's special
right then and there,
it still ends.
Why can't we stay
in that moment,
that feeling?
Why can't it last
forever like we wish it could?
[foghorn blows]
[insects trilling]
[insects trilling]
[bird calling]
[car alarm chiming]
[Zhi sighs]
[car door closes]
[seat belt clicks]
[radio static]
MAN: single assumption that makes
the progress of biology...
[engine starts]
assumption that everything
the animals do,
the atoms do.
That some things that are
seen in the biological world
are the result of
the behavior of physical
and chemical phenomena
with no extra assumptions.
You could always say, "Well,
when it comes to living things,
anything can happen."
But if you do that, you never
understand the living thing.
Very hard for us just to believe
that the wiggling of
the tentacle of the octopus
is nothing but a performing
round of atoms
putting into motion the laws.
But it's investigating
this hypothesis...
♪ ♪
You're not dressed.
MAN [over radio]:
is known to be the same
as the matter on the Earth
by the character of the light
that's emitted by those stars
which is a similar kind
of frequency...
[radio shuts off]
MAN:
Uh, what goes on
outside the nucleus of the atom
seems precise
and complete enough
in the sense
that given enough time,
we can calculate anything
as accurately...
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[Jakob hisses]
- Sorry.
- [Stacey laughs]
[Stacey and Jakob laugh]
Thanks.
Think it'll last?
Hope so.
- [song ends]
- [applause]
♪ ♪
Did I see you
by the lake earlier?
Were you with someone?
No.
How come?
You don't ever want to be alone?
Never.
You want to go for a walk?
Where?
Somewhere else.
- [song ends]
- [applause]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Your foot.
Has it always been that way?
Yeah.
Does it hurt?
Uh... s-sometimes.
Well...
I guess
everybody's got something.
♪ ♪
I heard time moves slower
in the woods.
That's not true.
No.
But it'd be nice if it was.
That's why I like it out here.
The moment.
Feels like it can just...
ETHAN and MAY:
Last.
Can I see it?
Your foot?
You don't have to.
No, it's...
it's okay.
♪ ♪
What would you do?
If it was normal?
I'd run.
I bet you'd be fast.
Thanks.
- JAKOB: May!
- STACEY: You there?
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chatter]
JAKOB:
May!
See you around.
JAKOB:
May!
[insects trilling]
♪ Take me ♪
♪ To your darkest room ♪
♪ Close every window ♪
- ♪ And lock... ♪
- You need to clean up.
♪ The very first moment ♪
- ♪ I heard... ♪
- I had hair just like yours.
How old were you
when you got married?
- Your age.
- Really?
It was exciting.
At the time.
♪ To your most barren
desert... ♪
MAY:
What about him?
Satanic sex cult.
He was shot by a jealous husband
and survived
but later died in a freak
hot-air balloon accident.
[sighs]
You're not like this at school.
Usually, you're really quiet.
Yeah.
Well,
I don't like
being around people.
They can be mean.
Am I talking too much?
No.
I like it.
You still with Jakob?
[metal creaks]
MAY:
Follow me.
Ask what he's doing.
Why?
Hey. Uh...
- LUCAS: Hey.
- What is that?
LUCAS:
Yeah. They're the, uh,
main heat-absorbing component.
- They get really hot.
- Yeah.
That's why the, uh,
side arm is needed.
Interesting.
And then you got the coolant
that needs to get replaced.
The weather, it could, uh,
really do a number on them.
Then there's the, uh...
uh...
[stammers]
timer itself
that needs to be reset.
-Uh, thanks for explaining
all that.
-[clears throat]
- LUCAS: Yeah.
- Uh, have a good one.
- You, too.
- Bye.
Okay.
[quietly]:
You take something?
What's that for?
This was just in the lake?
Yep.
Is it dangerous?
Probably.
Where do you learn this stuff?
I've always been curious
about how things work, so...
I take stuff apart
and put it back together.
I-It's kind of weird.
ETHAN:
No, it's cool.
Can I see your room?
Nice.
This...?
Yeah.
Uh, it's nothing.
What?
Uh, it's just...
I can't draw, but...
you're prettier than that.
Want to listen to a song?
Sure.
[birds chirping outside]
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide our wrongs ♪
♪ You and me ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ You and me ♪
♪ I know time ♪
♪ Is gonna take its toll ♪
♪ We have to pay ♪
♪ For the love we stole ♪
♪ It's a sin ♪
♪ And we know it's wrong ♪
♪ Oh♪
♪ But our love ♪
♪ Keeps coming on strong ♪
♪ Steal away ♪
♪ To the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ Mm... ♪
♪ They're gonna find us ♪
♪ They're
gonna find us ♪
♪ They're gonna find us ♪
- ♪ Lord, someday ♪
- [May laughs softly]
♪ You and me ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
- [knob turns]
- ♪ You and me ♪
- May!
- Mom.
Get out.
♪ And when the daylight hour ♪
♪ Rolls around ♪
♪ And by chance ♪
♪ We're both downtown ♪
♪ If we should meet ♪
♪ Just walk on by ♪
♪ Oh, darling ♪
♪ Please don't cry ♪
♪ Tonight we'll meet ♪
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street... ♪
[music stops]
- [birds chirping outside]
- [clock ticking]
[dog barking in distance]
[low humming]
[all sounds stop]
MAY:
Mom?
Dad?
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Hey.
Um...
I'm sorry.
Can I... show you something?
I found a way
we can be together.
Put this on.
You fix it?
Go on.
[indistinct chatter in distance]
ETHAN:
It's cold.
Ready?
[indistinct P.A. announcement]
[all sounds stop]
♪ ♪
Neat, huh?
[both chuckle]
Why aren't we...?
Is the whole town like this?
MAY:
It's just us.
♪ ♪
[horn honking]
[whooping]
[May chuckles]
[whoops]
♪ ♪
[chuckles softly]
ETHAN:
So, what do you want to do?
[gulps, sighs]
What about him?
ETHAN [whispers]:
Sent here from another dimension
to see what makes us tick.
[laughs]
Seems about right.
I like being alone with you.
[footsteps echoing]
ETHAN: Here?
MAY: Come on.
When will we ever get
another chance
to do something like this?
[grunts]
Is...?
It's fine.
[panting]
[Ethan grunting softly]
[May panting]
[ragged exhale]
[May exhales]
[inhales, exhales]
You okay?
I forgot to breathe.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
This is like a dream.
In the future, whenever
you walk down this street,
you'll think about
what we did here.
How long does this last?
Long as we want.
- This moment...
- [laughs]
it can last forever.
- What do you think?
- Looks good.
Just good?
Great.
[clears throat]
This is a solid model.
It shoots 333 feet per second.
Cool.
But where are we gonna
keep all this?
MAY:
I've always liked
the idea of living here.
ETHAN:
Now's your chance.
[swing creaking]
ETHAN:
How do you say
"What time is it?"
[speaks Chinese]
- [chuckles]
- [speaks Chinese]
What about "I love you"?
That's not as easy.
Why?
Uh, let me think.
[exhales]
[speaks Chinese]
- [laughs]
- One more time.
[speaks Chinese]
- [speaks Chinese]
- [laughs softly]
[speaking Chinese]
[chuckles]
[speaks Chinese]
[laughs]
[speaks Chinese]
ETHAN:
See?
Easy.
It doesn't freak you out?
Killing deer?
No.
What does?
Uh... Snakes.
You?
Being alone.
I told you, I don't like it.
Why?
Because i-it would just be me,
and I'm not my favorite person.
But you're so confident.
Hey.
Don't worry.
I'm here.
I'll never leave you.
Promise?
Promise.
[May whooping]
[Ethan whooping]
- Faster!
- What?
- Faster!
- [engine revs]
[whooping]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
MAY:
You awake?
Hmm?
How long has it been?
Like this?
Yeah.
Uh...
A month?
Longer?
When we turn it off,
you'll break up with Jakob?
I guess so.
I mean, yeah.
Yes or no?
I said yeah.
It'll be strange,
everything being normal again.
We can always do it
whenever we want, though, right?
Like this?
Maybe at night next time?
[laughs softly]
Yeah.
Okay.
[clicking]
What's wrong?
Is it broken?
- Look, can you fix it?
- Let me think.
I'm stuck here?
I'm here, too.
I know. I-I know.
We need a fresh one.
And that will fix it?
It should.
Well, where do we get one?
They're not here.
[door opens]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[footsteps approaching]
[wind whooshing]
ETHAN:
Found it.
Nice. A forbidden love.
They communicate when they can
meet through secret messages
left under a rock
by the lighthouse.
- Shut up.
- What?
- Oh. I didn't...
- Just shut up.
- Look. I'm sorry.
- Shut up!
What are you doing?
I'll make it so
they have nothing
to cover themselves with.
- That's stupid.
- You don't have to be here.
Hey, can you just...
It's not like anyone's
gonna see them.
So, what, I'm stupid?
No, that's not what I said.
Yes, it is.
I didn't know it was your mom.
I didn't do anything.
May...
can we just...
- Can we just what?!
- Why are you being this way?
- What way?
- Like a bitch.
Don't call me a bitch,
you cripple.
♪ ♪
[wind whooshing]
[wind whistling]
♪ ♪
Ethan?
Ethan!
Ethan!
Ethan?
Ethan!
Answer me.
♪ ♪
Will you look at me?
I didn't mean to sa...
[sniffles]
When you said you felt
stuck here,
it really hurt.
And...
I was scared that
you were gonna leave me.
And seeing my mom like that...
I'm just really upset right now,
and I can't be alone.
I need you.
Will you talk to me?
Please?
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[loud thud]
- [sea birds calling]
- [water flowing]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[sniffles]
MAY:
That moment...
that wonderful feeling
of excitement.
Why does it always pass?
Even when you know it's
special right then and there,
it still ends.
Why?
Why can't it last forever,
like we wish it could?
["The Dark End of the Street"
by James Carr playing]
♪ At the dark end ♪
♪ Of the street ♪
♪ That's where we
always meet ♪
♪ Hiding in shadows ♪
♪ Where we don't belong ♪
♪ Living in darkness ♪
♪ To hide... ♪
[music stops]
- [birds singing]
- [water flowing]
Something on your mind?
Boyfriend?
I don't think we'll
be together much longer.
I see.
Sometimes things are special
because they don't last.
[TV droning indistinctly
in next room]
What is it?
[horn honks in distance]
[horn beeps loudly]
[motorcycle passes]
[horn honks]
Hey.
How are you?
And you?
I...
What happened?
You broke your promise.
And you said what you said.
May.
[speaks Chinese]
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