03x01 - Ghost of Oz, Part 1

[bunniefuu]

Is this your card?

Sorry, I was the jack of diamonds.

Uh, but that levitation trick was sick,
though.

Keep working on it.
You're getting there.

I will. Thanks.

Thank you.

- Hi, Ms. Reyna.
- Hi.

I wanted to let you know
the oven repairman just left.

- Ah.
- He asked me to hand you the bill.

Thanks, Samir. [CHUCKLES]

Figures that old oven would finally
break after I moved out. [CHUCKLES]

This is the bookstore where they found
that hidden Mason Briggs book.

Did you hear anything I said?

This is the bookstore where they found
the hidden Mason Briggs book.

It was actually written by a woman,
Sarah Weaver.

Mason Briggs was a made-up name.

...free to look around, and if you need

anything else, just let me know.

Um, President Barnes, um, I recognize

you from your picture in the paper.

- I'm Amy Reyna. We spoke on the phone.
- Layla, please.

I have to tell you,

I am so impressed with everything
you've been doing at the college.

Thank you for saying that.

I'm especially impressed
with your plan to lower tuition,

mostly because I'd like my son, Ruben,
to go there.

Great. Well, where does he go now?

- High school. We've got a few years.
- [LAYLA CHUCKLES]

Come on, the book is right upstairs.

- Nia!
- Yeah.

Nia.

- [CHUCKLES]
- This is Ms. Reyna.

Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. I was just telling

your mom I'm such a big fan of hers.

- Me too.
- [CHUCKLES]

We'll be upstairs, okay?

Bye.

Okay, right up here.

Where am I?

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
This can't be happening.

Hey, you,
do you know how to get to the road?

Which, uh, road exactly?

- Bye, Malcolm.
- [MALCOLM] Be good, Charli.

The Wizard of Oz. Nice.

You know the wizard? Rad.

Uh, is this like a weird theater thing?

What?

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

Enough, Lion. Be quiet.
Did you step on your tail again?

[LION] Uh, sorry, I was, uh, nervous.

Who are they?

Ghost writer

Who are you?

[BOTH] Who are you?

Who are you?

[TIN GIRL] They're just some kids.

That one knows the wizard.

I know of the wizard.

Everyone knows of the wizard.

Look, we must have
fallen asleep in the poppy field

and somehow ended up
in this strange part of Oz.

- This is all your fault, Scarecrow.
- What did I do?

You led us into the poppy field
in the first place.

Hey, don't blame me.
I don't have a brain.

Yeah, go easy on him.
It was an honest mistake. [CHUCKLES]

Lion, you are so
accepting of mediocrity.

How are you gonna
rule the forest like that?

Huh. [CHUCKLES]
That's exactly what my dad used to say.

You know,
this one time I got a thorn in my palm,

and I was very worried
about the risk of infection.

My dad said to rip it out with my teeth,

and I was like, "I can't do that."

Is... Is it just me, or...

Or do these characters seem
like they're from The Wizard of Oz?

"Road to the Wizard." I guess it's
some modern adaptation or something.

Look.

It's blank.

So the characters just jumped
from there to there?

...and you know what? It got infected.
[CHUCKLES]

- Well, I know he meant well.
- [SCARECROW] Whoa.

I have no idea what any of this means.

Wha...

Charli, ho-how are you doing that?

[STAMMERS] Doing what?

The book, it... it's floating.

[CHARLI] Ta-da!

Seriously, how, uh...

A magician never reveals her secrets.

Huh. [CHUCKLES] All right.

So, he couldn't see them,
but he could see a floating book?

We're the only ones who can see them.

Hold on. Oh, no.

[STAMMERS] Where's Dorothy?

[EXCLAIMS] She's missing!

- Sorry.
- We have to do something

before he wrecks the entire store.

You said you're looking for Dorothy?

Uh, you know Dorothy?

Uh, yes.

He's lying.

No, he's not. [STAMMERS]

He's super tight with Dorothy.
Uh, we all are.

[GROWLS]

[STAMMERS] Dorothy said she had

somewhere to go and
asked us to help out.

So, you'll help us find the wizard?

Uh, sure. We'd be happy to.

There you are, Nia. Time to go.

Uh, Mom, actually,
can I stay and hang out with my friends?

Sure. Who are your friends?

This is Charli and...

- Samir.
- Nice to meet you.

Okay, Nia, be home by :. We have

some faculty coming over for dinner.

Sure. Love you.

Love you, sweetie.

We can't just stand here talking
to characters nobody else can see.

I live upstairs. Uh, nobody's home.

Come on. Elevator's over here.

Oh. Um. [CHUCKLING]
You know what? I'll take the stairs.

Is anyone else hungry?

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

Oh. So light and airy.

- [POPS]
- [EXCLAIMS]

[BUBBLE WRAP POPPING]

[SNIFFING, GROANS]
Um, does this smell okay to you?

The bananas are looking a little, uh...
[CHUCKLES] ...ripe.

- [GROWLS]
- Can you control your machine?

You know what,
let's all sit down and have a chat.

[CHARLI] So, let's get this straight.

You were on your way to see the wizard?

Yes. I need courage. [CHUCKLES]

And maybe some antacid?

My stomach is a little iffy. [GROWLS]

Right. Courage,
heart, and brains. Got it.

[CHUCKLES] How'd you know that?

- Uh, it's hard to explain.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

Take us to the wizard.

[BELL RINGING]

You all see the floating bell
and moving Legos, right?

[SAMIR] Bell ?

I don't remember bell in the movie.

- Maybe it's some sort of clue.
- A clue for what? And from who?

Maybe it's from the wizard.

He's probably telling us
how to get back to the road.

[CHARLI] And that
road would happen to be,

I'm totally guessing here,
yellow and made of brick?

Yes. [CHUCKLES]

Give us a sec.

I'm lost.

If the wizard wants them
to go back to the yellow brick road,

why did he let the characters
out of the book in the first place?

He didn't.
The wizard doesn't have any real powers.

Remember the movie? It's just
some goofy guy behind a curtain.

This isn't the movie.

It's not even the original book.
It's a modern update.

Other than there being a Tin Girl
instead of a Tin Man,

I'm pretty sure it's not that different.

I think we need to play this out.

Figure out this bell clue
and try to get them back to the wizard.

Maybe then they'll
go back into the book.

[SCARECROW] Hey, check it out.

I built a house.

Tick tock. We're wasting time.

We need to find the wizard.

We'll start tomorrow. I gotta get home.

Oh, well, where are we gonna stay?

- Hey, Charli.
- Hi, Dad.

Bye, Dad!

Bell . Bell .

[STAMMERS] Maybe we're supposed to
ring the bell times.

I'll be super stoked to help you
once the wizard gives me a brain.

Until then,
I'm just gonna space out if that's cool.

Syd?

Hey, sis.

Mom!

Yes, Sydney's moving back home.
We discussed this already, Charli.

You said she might move back home.
I didn't know it was a done deal.

I'm not happy about it either,
but business has been slow.

She's right. And college is expensive.

We can't pay for Syd to live
in campus housing anymore.

This is so unfair.

- Why can't she take the smaller room?
- I...

- Because I need space to study.
- Okay, look. Girls, I am sorry.

But you're just gonna have to find
a way to make it work.

[CHARLI] Hey, be careful with that.
It's important to me.

Don't worry. I'll handle this.

What are you doing?

Unpacking.
What does it look like I'm doing?

Scaring her.

Your sister won't wanna stay here
if she's afraid.

Maybe I've lost my touch.

[LION] Look at this place.

Are you royalty as well? [CHUCKLES]

Uh, you know, I'm actually supposed
to be king of the forest one day.

Well, we don't even own the house.

It belongs to the university.

Okay, now remember,
no talking to me at dinner.

You're invisible. [SIGHS]

We have company.

Yes, remember?

Sorry, it's been a busy day. [SIGHS]

Nia, meet Avery Boyd,
who is the head of the university board.

And Todd McCormack,
our school's version of Indiana Jones.

[ADULTS CHUCKLING]

She means I run
the Archaeology Department.

[CHUCKLES]
I still don't get it, but whatever.

Sorry to make you suffer
through a faculty dinner, Nia.

But my parents made
me do it all the time

when I was your age. At this very table.

Avery's father was the president
of the university in the s.

Oh, cool. It's my pleasure, really.

[SNIFFS, GROWLS]
It's a little pink in the middle.

I'd put it back on the grill
for a few minutes.

I wanted to thank you both for
your support with the Eloquent Peasant.

I know it was the centerpiece
of the library for many years.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm
going to miss being

able to walk across the quad to see it,

but I...
I understand your decision, of course.

Thanks to your mom,

the Eloquent Peasant is going back
to Cairo where it really belongs.

[LAYLA] It was a tough decision,
but ultimately,

it was the right thing to do
on moral grounds.

I think the right thing to do
on moral grounds

is to let me have
a bite of these potatoes.

No!

- [GROWLS]
- Stupid fly.

So, Mom, I wanted to ask you if it's

okay if I meet some friends downtown?

There's a big video
game expo on Saturday.

Sorry, hon. I need to be at the library.

And I have to be at the restaurant.

We're thinking of changing the menu.

Okay, then I can just take a subway.

All my friends are allowed to do it.

As convincing of an argument as that is,
I just don't feel comfortable.

[BOYD] Don't feel bad.

My parents wouldn't let me ride
the subway until I was in high school.

Thanks.

[LION GRUNTS]

- My potatoes.
- [LION MOANING]

Not bad. [MOANING CONTINUES]

[NIA SIGHS]

[PARENT] Wow. Ooh, Samir, what is this?

[SAMIR] You taught me.

- [PARENT] First one for Mama.
- Wow.

- What do you think? Okay.
- Thank you.

[PARENT] Pass me your plate.

- Don't know. [CHUCKLES]
- [SAMIR LAUGHS]

Yeah?

[BOTH GIGGLE]

[PARENT] You are good, you.

- Samir, this qatayef is perfect.
- [SAMIR LAUGHS]

Oh, you got the ashta just right.
So creamy!

- I learned from the best.
- Mm-hmm!

So... Idris has gone three days
without a nightmare.

- That calls for a special dessert.
- Yes, it sure does.

I've gone a lot longer than that.
How about giving me some?

Mama, can I get seconds?

No, habibi. It's late.

Okay.

Well, I'm off.

Now that my dinner is done,
I will deliver dinner to other people.

- [SAMIR CHUCKLES]
- I don't like when you work late.

That is when people
order dinner delivery.

It's my busiest time.

- Don't wait up, hmm? [LAUGHS]
- Okay.

I won't. I have to be at the university
at : a.m.

I was moved to mornings
for the next week.

Okay, Idris. It's bedtime.

- [CHUCKLES]
- [GROANS]

I don't get it.
Why are you doing the dishes?

It's one of my chores.
If you help, it will go by quicker.

You want me to rust?

I'm just saying...
You made the dessert and the salad.

You don't understand.

My parents work very hard,
so, the least I can do is help out.

Time to read Idris a story.

He thinks I've been keeping away
the talking spider.

That helps him fall asleep.

So far so good.

You're babying him.

Let him figure it out on his own.

[SCOFFS] She really does need a heart.

Hmm. Do you think I should dye my mane?

Like, maybe some emerald highlights?

[NIA] Quiet. I need to concentrate.
I'm down to my last life here.

That looks fun. Uh, can I have a turn?

This isn't some arcade game.

It's tactical RPG
with a very sophisticated strategy.

- So that's a no?
- [PHONE RINGING]

[SAMIR] Hi. Just checking in.

How's everyone doing?

Oh, we're doing good.
[CHUCKLES] But Nia won't let me play.

[CHARLI] I thought we were all
working on the bell clue.

Uh... I am. I'm letting it...
percolate in my subconscious.

Well, I'm consciously working on it,
and I have an idea.

What if "bell" isn't an actual bell,
but the name of a street?

Smart. Bell could be an address.

It is.
There's a Bell Avenue near my house.

I pass by it every day.

Cool. Let's check it out
tomorrow after school.

We can all meet at my
house and walk over.

- [PHONE BUZZES]
- I just texted you the address.

Nia, what's wrong?

Nothing. See you there.

Oh. Now I see why your mother
doesn't want you to take the subway.

We're completely underground.

If anything happens, we're trapped.

How common are
earthquakes around here...

[GRUNTS] ...or active volcanoes?

Oh! Actually, don't tell me.

[CHARLI] I really
thought this was a lead.

What are we going to do?
We'll never find the wizard.

I'll just spend the rest of my life
in this ugly part of Oz.

Alone and scared.

That's not going to happen. Be patient.

I have been.

Ever since the poppy field fiasco,
nothing's made sense.

- Thanks again for that, by the way.
- But...

Go easy on him. Any one of
us could've made that mistake.

Please stop bickering.
It won't get us anywhere.

- Maybe you're just hungry.
- [LION GRUNTS]

[SIGHS] I usually keep
some fishy crackers on hand

for when my brother
gets cranky like this.

We can all go to my house for a snack.

Come on.

[BOTH CHITTER]

Hey, Dad!

These are my friends, Nia and Samir.

- Hey, friends!
- Hi.

Oh, Nia's mom is the president
of the university.

Oh, you don't say. My company's painting
the Hawthorne Club on campus.

In fact, I just finished for the day
and need to unload the truck.

- Let us help.
- Thank you!

I like these friends.

Everybody grab a box. Bring it inside.

Uh, emergency. Emergency!

- What is it? You okay?
- No. Look at my tongue.

[GROANS] Am I coming down with a cold?

I'm not a vet. I have no idea what
your tongue's supposed to look like.

Huh?

Excuse me.

What are you doing?

I'm just helping a
friend unload a truck.

- What friend?
- [GROWLS]

Her name is Charli.

What's her last name?

What?

Uh... why?

Do you have a phone number
so I can verify your story?

You want to call my friend?

It's her father's truck.

Never mind.

I'm calling the police.

Hi, I'd like to report a robbery.

An African American girl is
in the process of stealing from a truck.

[CHARLI] Hey. What's going on here?

Is this your truck?

- Yes.
- I caught her stealing stuff from it.

She's not stealing from me.
She's helping me.

[PERSON] Oh, my. I...

I'm sorry, I...

I know what this must look like,

but she couldn't say whose truck it was,

and there have been
a lot of break-ins lately. And...

- My mistake.
- Yeah, that's quite a mistake.

Never mind. False alarm.
[CHUCKLES] Thank you.

[SIGHS] I'm so sorry, Nia.

Just ignore her, okay?

Ignore her? Is he joking?

I think I have another lead.

I just did a search for "bell"

and ran across the bell tower
at the university.

[CHARLI] Do you wanna grab a bite first?

No. I wanna go.

Seriously. We don't have time to waste.
It could be the answer.

[SCARECROW] Whoa! What is this place?

It's a university.
People go to school here.

Epic! [CHUCKLES]

Oh, I'd k*ll to study here.
What do you need to get in?

A brain.

Are you okay?

I can't believe
what that woman said to you.

Whatever. I'm fine.

[SAMIR] Look.

Are those monkeys?

The witch's monkeys.
They found us. [GROANS]

There are more
characters out of the book?

The witch controls them
with her golden beanie.

- Which means the witch is close.
- [LION PANTING]

[LION] Run!
- [CHARLI SCREAMS]

[MONKEYS SCREECHING]

- [LION] Whoa! [GIGGLES]
- [SCARECROW] Oh! [GIGGLES]

Do something. Scare them off.

Oh, uh, I can't roar on command.

- Boo!
- [ROARS]

- [MONKEYS SCREECHING]
- [SCARECROW LAUGHS] Bye-bye.

No. No, no!

No! Gross!

Help! I'm going to rust!

Oh, this is bad, very bad. [GROANS]

If the monkeys are here,
then so is the witch. Oh!

- Why is she after you anyway?
- Who knows? She's wicked.

[CHARLI] You with us, Nia?

Check this out.

Avery Boyd Promenade.
Opened in . So?

Is that the Avery Boyd?

Billionaire Avery Boyd?

Yeah.

His dad used to be University President.

Oh.

- He was just at our house for dinner.
- Wow.

All the buildings have funny names.
I noticed on our walk.

[CHUCKLES] "Sir Isaac Newton."

Yes! That's it.

All the buildings
are named after famous people.

Famous white men, to be exact.

Tell me about it.

So,
across the quad is the Darwin Building,

named after Charles Darwin.

There's the building
named after Thomas Edison.

And... Alexander Graham Bell.

Then what are we waiting for?

[TIN GIRL] That doesn't look like brick.

Close enough. Plus, it's yellow.

Number is... this way.

[GASPS] The wizard. [CHUCKLES]

[GROWLS]

How do we know this is the right place?

Trust me. It is.

Oh, mighty Wizard,
give me courage, please.

I am cowardly now, but with
your help, I can rule the jungle.

- Excuse me.
- [WHIMPERS]

Nia, hello.

Professor McCormack. Hi.

Uh, nice to see you again.

[LION] Tell him if he wants to see

the wizard, he'll have to wait his turn.

- [LION CHUCKLES]
- Uh...

[SMACKS LIPS] So...
[GIGGLES] What are you doing here?

I, uh... I work here.

I run the archaeology department,
remember?

[CHUCKLES] Of course. Duh.

Did you know Oliver?

Yes. We're part of
a young archaeology club at school,

and Oliver has been helping us.

Really?
Well, you didn't mention that at dinner.

I forgot to bring it up.

But, yeah, we're looking for Oliver.
Have you seen him?

I, uh... [INHALES DEEPLY]

I hate to be the one to...
To tell you this, uh...

Oliver d*ed last week.

d*ed?

Yes. He had a heart condition and
didn't expect to live as long as he did.

He was, uh, actually a mentee of mine.

He was a great guy. I...

I-I think, uh, it's... it's wonderful

that you are taking such an interest in

archaeology at such a young age, and...

Thanks.

Excuse me.

What was that all about?

He told me that office belonged
to someone named Oliver.

He d*ed last week.

I-I can't believe I'm
saying this, but...

What if the person
who has been writing us clues

and who released the characters

from the book isn't the wizard, but...

Look.

"Oliver Ramos."

When I found the book in the bookstore,
it was glowing just like that.

So... That means...

Yep. We're dealing with a ghost.