[Charlie] Sam?
Sam!
Bye, Pops. See you in 2003.
["We're Going to Be Friends" playing]
Happy New Year, Mr. Yeung.
- [squeals, laughs] - Oh. Jesus.
- Hi. [strains] - Hi.
It appears your dad hates me?
No. It's not you he hates,
- it's just New Year's Eve. - Oh.
Matched only by his hatred for the Fourth of July.
Okay.
[Sam grunts]
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.
[chuckling] Yes. Yes. Yeah, totally.
[chuckles] 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.
[chuckles]
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. [chuckling] 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.
[chuckles] Okay, no. That's exactly what my mom would worry about though.
Okay. Well, you don't have to tell her everything.
- [chuckles] - 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.
- [chuckles] - Let's go.
Here we go!
Whoo! [squeals, laughs]
2003!
[pedestrian] Happy New Year!
Holy shit!
I know, right?
You do know?
- I do know. - Yeah, you do.
[both laughing]
Charles...
I have to tell you something.
Anything.
[exhales sharply]
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-- [chuckles]
Uh, I'm gonna-- I'll be right back, okay? Stay here.
[dance-punk music playing]
[Sam grunting]
- [grunts] - Whoa.
Sam?
- What the fuck? - Hi. Hi, Sol. [giggles]
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?
Um. Uh, pizza, hot chocolate, um, whatever was in her flask and then, um--
[Sam groans]
Yeah, some mushroo-- Well, a lot of mushrooms. I mean,
- she probably took twice as much as me. - Okay. Hey, hey.
Whoa. Hmm.
Just keep her alert, okay?
There's a shower downstairs. Throw her in it.
Okay, sure.
- Now! - Oh. Yeah. Ready?
Happy New Year, Sol.
All right, all right, all right. Yo, yo.
- [shushes] - [music stops]
It's almost midnight.
[whooping]
- Yo, I said it's almost midnight! - [crowd cheering]
You know, I just wanted to thank everyone for coming.
It's important for people to gather to celebrate.
[guest] That's right.
You know, this is how we create ritual. Form community.
[crowd cheers]
[Nicky] Fuck, this is how we start a revolution.
[cheering intensifies]
There you go.
- [Nicky] We are neighbors, friends... - [Sam grunts]
...artistic collaborators...
- Okay, um-- This, uh... - Okay.
...bathroom is definitely unpermitted, but, um, 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.
- Mm-hmm. [blows raspberry] - Okay. Oh, sorry.
If you're in this city, it's 'cause you want to make shit.
[cheering]
'Cause you wanna do shit.
[exclaims] You wanna be the shit!
[cheering]
- Charles. - Don't worry. I got it, I got it.
Yeah, I got it. Don't worry about it.
[groaning, straining]
- Sam, I got it. - [sighs] 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, um-- Well, I-- I can-- Sorry.
- [Sam] Can you just grab on? - Sorry. I got it.
You're closing your eyes? [laughs]
Look at me. Look at me, Charles.
- [laughs] Okay, just pull. - [chuckles] What?
I just want to make sure you're comf-- like, good.
Okay, yeah, just--
- [sighs, chuckles] - Okay, um.
Okay.
[Sam groans]
[sighs]
This town needs us. Jus-Just as much as we need it.
[guest] Tell 'em.
Now, if you can see it, you can be it, motherfuckers.
[cheering]
Now, let 2003 be the year that we take back what's ours.
[cheering]
[Nicky] Let's burn this city to the ground.
- [shower running] - Hmm.
["Maybe Not" playing]
Charles, I can't undo my top.
- Is... [stammers] ...Is that me? - [Sam] Can you-- Yeah.
Okay.
[exhales sharply]
- Right here. Yeah. - [Sam mumbles, groans]
I just--
Okay, I got it.
- [Sam] Thank you. - [Charlie] Yeah.
Ten!
[all] Nine!
[shivers]
[all] Five! Four!
- Charles, where are you? - [Charlie] I'm here. Are you okay?
[all] One!
Happy New Year! [cheering]
[Sam sighing]
- [Sam groans] - [sighs]
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.
[sighs]
Uh, I like-- I like taking care of you.
[Sam] Mmm.
Sam?
Sam, you said I could tell you anything.
[chuckles]
I think I need to tell you that I love you.
[sighs]
[no audible dialogue]
[paramedic] Don't just stand there. We gotta hurry.
[doctor speaks indistinctly]
[announcer speaks indistinctly]
[doctors speak indistinctly]
[paramedic] One, two and--
[siren blaring]
[machines beeping]
[breathes deeply]
[machines beeping]
- [voice mail beeps] - [Regan] Dave, it's Regan.
Um, if you could call me back as soon as you get this message,
um, it's about my father.
It's time sensitive.
[voice mail] Please record your message. When you have finished recording,
you may hang up or press one for more options.
- [voice mail beeps] - [Regan] 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.
[sighs]
[breathing heavily]
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.
[machines beeping]
[cries] So-- So, please, God, hear me pray. [breathing shakily]
[police chattering]
[sighs]
Like to, uh, give everyone a little alone time in here
to see what happens. Guilty ones tend to, uh, fall asleep.
- No chance with that. - [grunts]
I'm innocent and wired on adrenaline and anxiety.
Mm-hmm. Love it when a suspect tells me they're innocent right off the bat.
It feels so, uh, believable.
Suspect? I-I thought I was a witness.
So, Mr. Goodman... [sighs]
...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...
[inhales deeply] Uh, before we start, I have to ask--
- Sure, do you want a lawyer? - Not about me.
The girl. Uh, 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, uh, now is the time to pray.
Okay... [stammers]
[sighs]
[machine beeping]
[knocks on door]
[detective] Mr. Yeung.
Detective McFadden, Manhattan North Homicide.
I'm, uh, one of the detectives working your daughter's case.
Homicide? [stammers] But-- But she isn't dead.
No. Uh--
But, uh, you know, if, uh, 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, uh... [sighs] ...know this is a difficult time,
but do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
[sniffles]
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? - [sighs]
Okay. Well, I have smoked pot. Tonight, actually.
- Wait, so you were high in the park? - Oh, my goodness.
No. I barely even inhaled. I just wanted to seem like I was fun.
Hmm.
I was at a party, hosted by the Hamilton-Sweeneys.
Maybe you've heard of them.
Doesn't ring a bell.
My... [inhales sharply] ...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.
[breathes shakily] So I-- I borrowed William's.
So his jacket, his heroin. Hmm.
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... [sighs] ...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, uh, you don't leave the city. Till this case is solved,
you will continue to be a person of interest
- in an attempted murder. - [sighs]
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. - [exhales sharply]
Jesus Christ.
Oh, sorry. [stammers] 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.
[stammers] I'm adopted, but--
Well, the-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?
Um...
[stammers] ...something terrible happened, and I-- I don't really know what to do.
[stammers] I wanna know if she's okay, but part of me wants to not know
and wants to keep not knowing, because i-if she's not, then I--
[chuckles] I-I don't really know what I'll do.
Like, if she--
[sighs] I-If she does not survive, then I will not survive.
Does that-- Does that make any sense?
I'm-- I'm sorry. It-- It's too much to explain.
[stammers]
[cartoons on TV chattering]
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?
- Mm-mmm. I admit nothing. - [cell phone chimes]
[cell phone rings]
[Dave] 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. - Uh, okay,
but that's-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.
- [phone ringing] - [grunts, groans]
- Who else were you talking to? - Hold on, Will. Hold on.
Hey. Um, yes. Sorry, I, uh-- 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.
[Keith] Regan, your-your father would never do anything dishonest.
Well, obviously-- [stammers] 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.
Um... [sighs] ...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.
[inhales] Just get here as soon as you can, okay?
Yeah, yeah.
- Fuck. - [phone rings]
- 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?
[McFadden] 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. [sighs]
[Parsa] Did he have any thoughts on what she was doing in the park?
No. [sighs] Uh, Samantha was a good student.
Uh, 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, uh, 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.
[gasps] Mmm. Jesus. What the fuck?
[yawns, groans] Hi.
Is that blood?
- Uh, yes. This is blood. - You okay?
It's not my blood...
- [sighs] - ...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-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?
Mm-hmm.
[scoffs] How could the cops possibly think that you shot someone?
- [groans] I'd say 90% racism... - [groans]
...and 10% the half-gram of heroin that they found
- in the pocket of your lovely suit jacket... - Okay. [sighs, groans]
...which they kept because it is now evidence.
- Look, I am really sorry about your night... - Mm-hmm.
...but it's not like I kept my drugs in your jacket. [chuckles, groaning]
Plus, I haven't worn that fucking suit in years.
[inhales sharply] 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, hmm? [chuckles]
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.
[stutters] 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-- [inhales sharply]
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-- [stammers] 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... - Mmm. Okay.
...for your health, for-for our relationship!
[scoffs] Our relationship. All right. Hmm.
Let me ask you a question. Um, 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.
- Hmm. - 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. [scoffs]
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. - [breathes deeply, groans]
Okay. Stiff as a board, strong as a rock. Stiff as a board, strong as--
[Mercer exhales, grunts]
[breathes sharply]
[breathing shakily]
[William] I'm sorry.
[sniffles, exhales sharply]
[sighs] I'm just so tired.
I know you are.
[William] It's a sickness.
I know it is.
[sighs]
Hey.
[sniffles]
- Please don't give up on me. - [inhales deeply]
[Cate humming]
- [boat honks horn] - [humming continues]
- Mommy, Mommy! - [breathing heavily]
[Regan] 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.
[groans]
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--
[stammers] Just so I don't have to touch it.
[Will inhales, blows raspberry]
[Regan] 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.
[child] Hey, Will. Did you know Venus is the only planet that spins clockwise?
Okay.
- [chuckles] Hey. Oh, I've missed you. - [Cate exclaims, giggling]
[Keith] What's this? A flower?
- [Keith] Is that for me? - [Cate] Yes. [giggles]
- Hey. - Hi.
[Cate and Keith chuckling]
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, uh-- [sighs] Your dad's getting in today,
- so he wasn't there last night? - No.
- So, you didn't talk to him? - Not yet.
- [Cate exclaiming, babbles] - [Keith grunts]
- All right, guys. What are we gonna do? - [Cate exclaims, chuckles]
- [laughs] - Oh. Jesus.
Charles,
- where are you? - [Charlie] I'm here.
- [siren wailing] - Sam, wake up. Sam, come on, please.
- Hey. - [Charlie] 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, um--
I just woke up early and got bored, so I-- I came home.
[parent] Okay.
Um, can I take this?
[Parsa] Ah. [grunts]
Know exactly where we're going?
Who we need to, uh, talk to here?
Oh, 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. [groans, chuckles]
- Thank you. - [groans]
[muffled rock music plays]
- What happened? - Who said something happened?
May we come in and ask you some questions, please?
[breathes heavily] Yeah, um.
[Parsa] When was the last time you saw Samantha?
Two weeks, maybe?
We both, um, 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, um...
[chuckles] ...but she goes to a lot of music shows.
Her friends are in some band.
Do you, uh, remember the name of the band?
I've never heard of them... [stammers] ...but it's Latin.
It's-- It's like carpe diem, but not. [chuckles]
She doesn't have much here.
She started with more... [chuckles]
...but it just got less and less, and now she barely sleeps here. [chuckles]
Well, where do you think she's sleeping?
I mean, she ever mention anybody, uh, special?
No, but, um, she doesn't tell me a lot. [chuckles]
Did Sam do something?
You think there's anything to this music angle?
Uh-- [chuckles] I mean, it's the only angle we have. So, uh, sure.
[inhales sharply] 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.
- Ah-- - [cell phone ringing]
[Parsa sighs]
Hey.
Yeah, yeah. On my way.
You, uh, got a wife?
Ah... [chuckles] ...for now. What about you?
What about me? What, do, uh, I have a wife?
Yeah, no, that wasn't my wife. That was, uh, 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? - [sighs] No one knows better than you.
Park is always tough. Lots of traffic, trash and leaf litter.
[patrol officer] 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.
- [indistinct chatter] - [bass plays]
Hello?
[occupant] Hey, asshole. That's just a little too much.
[Nicky] Don't be a little bitch.
[occupant] Sorry if I don't wanna die.
- [Nicky] You're not gonna die. - [occupant] Fine. Lose a fucking hand.
Stop talking and just light that thing already. Come on.
Uh... [stammers] ...sorry to interrupt, but, um, you guys--
[Nicky] What the fuck? Who the fuck let you in here?
- [Sewer] Charlie? What are you doing here? - Yo, dude, drop it.
[stammers] Drop-Drop it now! Fuck!
It fucking worked.
[groans, coughs] It fucking worked!
That was beautiful. [groans, muttering]
- [coughing] What the fuck, Nicky? - Yo, it fucking worked. It fucking worked.
Jesus.
- You shouldn't have seen that. - [Sewer] Hey, Sol, don't.
- I-I can explain. I-I-I came-- - [grunts]
[wife] Let me guess. You caught a new case.
Yeah. Attempted murder. [sighs] Teenage girl in the park.
Some son of a bitch put one right in her skull. [sighs]
[wife] Oh, my God. What's wrong with people?
Hey, uh, I gotta go.
[grunts, breathes heavily]
[sniffs] Oh, fuck. Fucking stinks.
[McFadden] Hey, you got something?
Does this look like Latin to you?
Carpe fucking diem.
[chuckles]