01x04 - Curiouser and Curiouser

[bunniefuu]

Rowan Fielding, I'm your great aunt,

Carlotta Mayfair.

- Is that my...
- Your mother.

MILLIE: Where's the necklace?

CARLOTTA: I took it off Dierdre.

What are you gonna do?

The only thing worth trying.

I'll find out who did this.

I saw a guy stop the elevator
and get in with her.

They're out looking for him.

ROWAN: Who is that?

He's connected with your family.

They call him Lasher.

Now your time has come.

The th witch.

ROWAN: I just felt like
I was swept away.

That's why you need to understand

the full extent of your powers.

I can help you with that.

[GOAT BLEATS]

[CRYING]

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[CHANTING]

♪ ♪

[SOBBING AND WAILING]

[DRUMS PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[GASPING]

Rowan.

[HAUNTING MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Hey.

You sleep well?

Yeah.

Thank you.

How about you?

I had strange dreams.

- You?
- Yeah.

Not surprising.

We shared a lot last night.

I shared a lot.

I overshared.

I know enough about you now
to know how rare that is.

And I still don't know
anything about you.

I mean, who is Ciprien Grieve?

He likes baseball, the Astros,

and...

duck hunting. [BLOWS LURE]

Thumbscrews?

What is this thing?

That is a maple syrup tap.

It's a good memory.

That's what they all are.

Yeah, you can go back to the maple grove

whenever you want.

I've never been there, actually.

Odette brought that back
for me from Vermont.

You don't have a maple grove
of your own?

Other people's memories are... cleaner.

Odette dropped that off
for you for the funeral.

You're coming with me, right?

Of course.

We have a couple of hours.

I don't wanna think about it yet.

Oh, my gosh.

I love poached eggs.

I know. I was in your head, remember?

[LAUGHS] I'm just kidding.

Everybody likes Eggs Sardou.

[LAUGHS]

[LAUGHS]

[DOOR CREAKING]

[WATER DRIPPING]

[STAIRS CREAKING]

[EERIE MUSIC]

[BREATHY SIGHING]

♪ ♪

The necklace is gone.

He's coming for her.

♪ ♪

[EERIE MUSIC]

[VOICES WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]

♪ ♪

[VOCALIZING]

♪ ♪

[GENTEEL MUSIC PLAYING]

Amelia, tell Richard
we'll be ready to leave

in minutes.

Daddy, come on.

We need to get there
before Carlotta does.

Josephine, I am enjoying the news.

I will not let my sister
ruin my morning.

You really want Carlotta in charge

of Rowan's first impression
of the family?

My sister carries all the rope

she needs to hang herself.

Besides, Rowan seems like a smart girl.

She's a doctor, after all.

She'll... she'll see what's what.

Still, hurry up.

[SIGHS]

It's hard to hurry on a day like today.

♪ ♪

I certainly hope they catch
whoever k*lled her.

Whether they catch him
or not, he will be punished.

You've seen it?

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]

[SCREAMING]

Get it off me! Please! Ah!

- [CAR HORN HONKS]
- assh*le!

Help me.

Please, help.

Please, help me.

- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- Calm down.

- Listen, listen.
- No, no.

[GIBBERISH]

- What is he talking about?
- [SCREAMS]

[BLOOD WHOOSHING]

[SPACEY MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[HEART b*ating]

I think we should get going.

I had it.

What did you see?

Its heart, its veins.

It was beautiful.

I just need to keep practicing.

We should get going.

I'll be with you the whole time.

Don't worry.

It's a strange way to meet
my family, that's all.

- Shall we?
- Yeah.

Let me just grab my purse.

Okay.

[ORGAN MUSIC]

♪ ♪

There you go.

Pretty as a peach.

♪ ♪

That's Barnaby Mayfair.

He married a Kennedy a couple years ago.

That's Electa Mayfair,
the older woman there.

People say she's been alive
since the Civil w*r.

- You wanna sit in the back?
- Mm-hmm.

Um, um, I should go pay my respects.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

I'll see you soon.

All right.

♪ ♪

Is that... is that her?

[CONGREGATION CHATTERING]

Oh, my gosh.

I don't think that's her.

Hello, my dear.

I'm so glad you came.

- Of course.
- Please, come to the front.

Okay.

She's getting her claws in quickly.

I hear she's having
a gathering afterwards.

No family invited.

Hmm.

♪ ♪

We now call forward
the immediate family.

♪ ♪

[OTHERWORLDLY SINGING]

♪ ♪

[PHONE BUZZES]

Sorry.

I need to take this.

Okay.

Hello?

♪ ♪

That was my boss.

They think they got
the guy from the elevator.

I'm sorry, but they need me
over there right now.

I'll drop you off
at my place and loop back.

No, no, no. You go.

I... I wanna stay to the end
just to see her, you know,

put to rest.

I don't know. Are you sure?

Yeah. It's broad daylight.

You go, and I'll take
a cab back to your place.

Keep your phone on, okay?

- Call me if you need me.
- I'll be fine.

♪ ♪

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I'm sure it's upsetting to see that.

No wonder everyone was looking

at me like I'm a ghost.

They're looking at you
like you're a miracle.

Someone knew I was alive,
but said I was dead.

Why?

I'm sure you have so many questions.

And I don't want to leave
them unanswered.

But I must get to the house.

There's a small reception.

Why don't you come?

I'm sorry. I don't think I should.

You could see where your mother lived.

There are a few things
of hers that you should have.

I'll think about it.

Thank you.

♪ ♪

[SHUTTER SNAPPING]

♪ ♪

But they did send flowers,

so I suppose they had
the flowers covered.

How strange that was.

♪ ♪

Welcome. You must be Dr. Fielding.

- Yes.
- Please, come in.

Your aunt will meet you in the library.

♪ ♪

[WIND BLOWING]

♪ ♪

Sam said you had come.

I'm so glad you changed your mind.

Please.

Great.

I thought you might want to see

some photos of your mother.

Was she a Mayfair?

She was our cousin.

I'm sorry I wasn't
at the funeral to say goodbye.

But I'm even more sorry
for you, for your loss.

You're mourning two mothers.

And I just can't imagine it.

Thank you.

But all of these photos
and these memories,

and she never said anything
about it to me.

Oh, you must forgive her.

It's my fault. I swore her to secrecy.

It was one of the conditions
of her taking you.

But why?

Things don't end well

for the women in this family.

So it was you.

You told everyone I was dead?

I'd do it again.

Look at you.

You're a doctor.

You're a success and so independent.

Ellie gave you that.

But at the expense
of knowing who I really was,

who I am.

If it'll make you feel any better,

it's what Deirdre wanted for you too.

I don't mean that she wasn't
devastated to lose you.

Of course she was.

But she wanted you free
from this family, free from...

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]

It's all too much to explain.

Free from him.

♪ ♪

Good.

Good.

You understand.

Now that you're here,
knowledge is what you need

to protect yourself.

There are some in this family
who will lie to you.

They'll try to convince you
that he is a gift.

♪ ♪

The devil comes in many forms.

When I was eight years old,
he came to me

and offered himself.

I'd read enough scripture.

I knew his true nature.

So I rejected him.

You're saying he can be rejected,

that there's a choice?

Deirdre wasn't as strong.

But I'm sure you are.

[DOORS OPEN]

Let the celebration of life begin!

- Come on, everybody.
- [PEOPLE WHOOPING]

All right. You can
set up in there, guys.

Oh, Carl.

There you are.

[LAUGHS SOFTLY]

Thank you very much for the invitation.

And I am so very sorry we're late.

Well, you're here now.

Mm.

Why is everybody looking so somber?

My Deirdre was a beam of light.

Can't we be a little joyous?

[RAGTIME MUSIC PLAYING ON PHONOGRAPH]

♪ ♪

Let's party, everyone!

[CHEERING]

Please, Tessa,

don't get up on your high horse
today and embarrass yourself.

[SIGHS]

♪ ♪

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

Two of our guys spotted him, grabbed him

before he could hurt himself.

You sure he's not just tweaking?

No way.

Albrecht's here.

He wants to watch you work.

Oh.

Guess I chose a good day to wear a suit.

- Jeez.
- Samir.

Ciprien.

Sir, it's been a long time.

Is there a file on him,
anything I should know?

I would prefer that you read him cold.

After you.

[GRUNTING]

Can you work with him in this state?

[STRAINED GROANING]

Hey.

It's all right.

You're safe now.

[STRAINING] I'm so tired.

Make it stop.

I'm gonna come a little closer.

I'm gonna put my hands on you.

I promise you, I won't hurt you.

I just need to see
what you were up to yesterday.

♪ ♪

It's okay. It's okay.

[LOW WHOOSHING SOUND]

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[STRAINING]

It was him.

He was in the elevator with her.

- Used a garrote.
- Hmm.

Was he in control of his actions?

Or was he being operated on
by an outside force?

You mean, was he possessed?

Well, I try to avoid
that word when I can.

Too many outdated associations.

But yes, that's what I'm asking.

No.

The k*lling looked professional.

He was hired to do it.

- We need to get him help.
- No. No.

No!

Oh, please, please. Ah!

[BONES SNAP]

♪ ♪

[LOW WHOOSHING SOUND]

♪ ♪

Lasher.

Well, now, hair just like your mother's.

Got her eyes too, didn't you?

You know, I just love San Francisco.

My honey took me
on a trip up there, .

If only we'd known you're alive,

we could have met.

But she who shall not be named
made like you never existed.

You know that, right?

Yes. Yeah.

She told me.

She told you?

Hi. I'm Tessa.

I've been dying to meet you.

- Hi.
- This family doesn't have

many neurosurgeons who've won
awards and gone to Stanford.

You know a lot about me.

Yeah.

You're Deirdre's daughter,
so I looked you up.

Tessa, I told you.

Beware of my daughter.

She's a real... what do they call it?

A social justice warrior.

If she starts to talk your ear
off about these b*rned women,

just walk away.

The b*rned women.
I actually read about that.

Has that happened here?

- You brought it up.
- [SIGHS]

Yeah. There's a crowd online

who are saying that the women
were b*rned for being like us.

They are not like us.

And you know that.

Anyway, the point is,
it's exciting for the family

to have a designee
who might actually use

her power to help people.

I'm sorry. A what?

- A designee.
- All right.

That's enough.

Let's let her breathe.

Has anyone offered you a drink?

Not yet.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It's lovely chatting with you ladies.

Oh, great.

Thank you.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

I think I saw you last night
at the funeral procession.

That's what it is.

Yes.

Did you happen to notice
if I was with someone?

No.

Why?

Just one of those nights.

Hmm.

Um, hey that... that word
that Tessa used, "designee",

what does that mean?

Come with me.

The Mayfair Matriarchs.

We call them the designees

because the will designates them.

That's Mary Beth.

She's my favorite.

That's Antha.

She's your grandmother.

And that's Katherine.

She built this house.

Forgive me.

I'm not certain about these two.

There are , after all.

And Deborah.

She's the furthest back
who had her portrait done.

Sometime in the...

I don't know exactly,
but it was way, way back.

Deirdre should be here too.

Of course, Carlotta never let her

have her portrait done.

Probably never even told her
she owned the house.

Carlotta doesn't own the house?

Nope.

She just wants you to think she does.

The designees are the ones
who are really in charge.

That's you.

Still, years of women handing down

everything to their daughters.

How many families can say that?

Not many.

And when you have a daughter,
you'll give it all to her.

Oh, no, no, no.

No kids for me.

My patients are my kids.

If you say so.

Anyway, you should talk to my dad

about your inheritance.

He administers the trust.

They all seem to be wearing
the same necklace.

It belongs to you now too.

Where is it?

That's a really good question.

[RAGTIME MUSIC PLAYING ON PHONOGRAPH]

♪ ♪

He was a hired hand, like you said.

In and out of jail, nothing
very interesting here.

Thank you for your help with this.

So Lasher k*lled him
for what he did to Deirdre?

I'm sorry you had to witness
the grisly epilogue.

The thing is, sir,

the elevator at the Pontchartrain Hotel

was wiped.

Wiped?

I went over there
in the hours after the m*rder,

and I couldn't get a single memory.

- Hmm.
- Somebody did some clean up.

There is a supernatural component

to this that hasn't been accounted for.

Hmm. Well, that's very thorough

of you, above and beyond.

Thank you.

I will keep it in mind.

Uh, don't you want me
to follow up on this?

You have to keep Ms. Fielding
safe while she's here.

That's job enough.

Thanks again for your help.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[MAYFAIRS CHATTERING]

♪ ♪

[CELL PHONE DINGS AND BUZZES]

♪ ♪

Oh.

There's the guest of honor.

You can call me
Uncle Cortland, if you like.

That's a very bad habit you got there.

Oh, it's just a little indulgence.

This was my father's.

His name was Julien.

And we used to sit
together right in front

of that fireplace in there

with the family ledger on his lap

and this old thing in his mouth.

He'd say, "Cortland, someday,

you're gonna run this business.

And I'll bet you good money, you're

gonna piss it all away".

Looks like he was wrong.

Well, let's just say
my name's on the bank.

[LAUGHS] And it's a good thing, too,

because soon after he d*ed,

my sisters kicked me out of this place.

You don't seem like the kinda guy

who gets pushed around.

It was all they had.

I'm a softie, really.

Don't tell.

Just look what they've done
with the place.

Of course, the house belonged
to Deirdre legally,

which means it's yours now
and everything in it,

except for this pipe.

I don't want it.

What?

The pipe or the house?

Uh, don't be in a hurry to decide.

When you're ready,

I'll help you with the paperwork,

no matter what you choose.

I'm sure you're overwhelmed

with such, uh, an abundance of gifts.

They said you would call him that.

Are you frightened of him?

Shouldn't I be?

Absolutely not.

He serves you, not the other way around.

Serves me how?

What... what even is he?

Well, he is an extension of yourself,

something to connect you
to your mother and her mother

and her mother before that.

I don't know what that means.

Well, if you want
an explanation, ask him.

Talk to him.

Here you are.

I have been a terrible hostess.

I should've been more attentive.

I wanted to give you a little something

of your mother's, her rosary.

Oh, no, no, no.

I... I don't think I should take that.

Oh, please.

Please, I want you to have it.

It's for protection.

Oh, please, don't scare her

with your superstitious nonsense.

I am the only one
looking out for her soul.

Oh, like you looked out for Deirdre's?

I did the best I could.

She kept your mother's light
under a bushel

until she could snuff it out entirely.

How dare you?

You weren't here day in
and day out, bathing her,

feeding her, seeing to it
that she was still breathing.

I have always had to do
the hard parts in this family

while you played
the master of ceremonies.

Brava, sister dear. [CHUCKLES]

After you held Deirdre
hostage for years,

you somehow made
yourself into the victim.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Your mother was very ill.

I... I did what the doctors told me.

I'll show you the medical records.

And then you'll understand, won't you?

Listen, maybe you
should sit, right here.

♪ ♪

Please, don't take pity
on her, sweetheart.

Sweetheart?

This woman is a doctor.

You can refer to her as such.

Josephine, it's time to go.

Party's over.

[CROWD MOANS]

Here, um...

take my card.

Please, find me in my office.

When you're ready,

we'll go over the will...
and everything else.

♪ ♪

Will you stay for dinner?

♪ ♪

You can have a look around.

I'd like that.

Why are we leaving her there,
alone with Carlotta?

She's not alone with Carlotta.

And he doesn't need our help.

Ciprien?

Have you got out
the old Mayfair archives?

Yes.

The Haitian or the Dutch?

The Dutch.

Now, what do you want with that stuff,

love letters and diaries?

If I'm going to end all this,

I need to know how it all began.

End it?

Now, I know that's not your job.

I'm assigned to protect
the Mayfairs, so it is.

Don't get hurt.

You're one of my favorites.

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GASPS]

♪ ♪

[VOICES WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]

♪ ♪

[WHISPERING VOICES GROWING]

♪ ♪

[EERIE LAUGHTER]

♪ ♪

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING ON TV]

♪ ♪

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[DOOR CREAKING OMINOUSLY]

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

♪ ♪

Dinner will be ready momentarily.

♪ ♪

Thank you. I'll be right down.

[BELL RINGING]

♪ ♪

Gather the rest
of the staff in the kitchen.

I've changed the dinner plans.

♪ ♪

"She professes her love for me,

but still, she wears the necklace.

So long as it hangs around
her neck, she belongs to him".

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[CELL PHONE BUZZES]

♪ ♪

I heard about the portraits
and the designees today.

Deirdre must've had all her meals here.

What was she like when she was young?

It seemed like she had a little bit

of a rebellious streak.

[SCOFFS SOFTLY]

When did she get sick?

She was never really well.

What exactly was her diagnosis?

Well, she had so many... diagnoses.

I mean, I'd like to read
her medical file

if you have it.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

Would that be all, Ms. Carlotta?

Yes, Sam.

Very well. Good night.

Good night, Doctor.

Eat, please.

It's all for you.

[LAUGHS WEAKLY]

I'll tell you the truth.

Your mother was the bane
of my existence.

From the moment she was born,

she made every waking hour

of my life difficult.

And the hours I spent

praying for her, prayers

better spent on the deserving.

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

This will be the last one.

♪ ♪

I commend you, Deirdre,

to almighty God.

I entrust you to your creator.

May you rest in the arms of the Lord

who formed you from
the dust of the Earth.

May holy Mary, the angels,
and all of the saints

welcome you into the bosom of the Lord!

♪ ♪

[CELL PHONE BUZZING]

♪ ♪

For Stella,

redeem her soul from evil, oh, Lord.

For Antha, redeem her soul
from evil, oh, Lord.

For Deirdre, redeem her soul
from evil, oh, Lord.

For Rowan, redeem her soul
from evil, oh, Lord!

♪ ♪

What are you doing?

♪ ♪

Help! Help!

Get me out of here!

Help!

Someone, help me!

Get me out of here!

Rowan?

Sip, get me out of here, now.

♪ ♪

Oh, Lord, forgive me my sins.

♪ ♪

Rowan, it's me.

[DOOR RATTLING]

Hold on.

- [FLESH SQUELCHING]
- Oh!

[GASPS]

♪ ♪

Sip. No.

No.

Sip, stand up. Don't pull it out.

Don't pull it out.

♪ ♪

[COUGHING]

♪ ♪

She's already mine.

♪ ♪

[GROANS]

[GRUNTING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

No!

What do you want from me?

♪ ♪

[GASPS]

♪ ♪

There's no happiness ahead for you.

You fell in love with her, didn't you?

♪ ♪

MAN: Mortal men are fragile.
There's never been one

who can contend with a Mayfair woman.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

SPALDING: This episode is called
"Curiouser and Curiouser".

Rowan is going down this rabbit hole

into the wonderland of Mayfair...

who they are, what they are,
how they work.

[ALL CRYING]

I think, deep down,
what she really wants

is another encounter
with this being, Lasher,

and she's gonna go to dangerous
places in order to have it.

[GASPS]

[GASPS, BREATHING HEAVILY]

♪ ♪

Hey.

SPALDING: It was really, really fun

to work with the production designer

to think about what
the apartment would be like

for this character.

I still don't know anything about you.

I mean, who is Ciprien Grieve?

He wouldn't have, you know,

his shelves crowded with
knickknacks or whatever.

It's too much for him.

He likes baseball?

He wants to curate and choose
these few simple objects

and to pick the memories
that he's gonna experience

when he touches them.

What is this thing?

That is a maple-syrup tap.

It's a good memory.

That's what they all are.

Yeah. You can go back to the maple grove

whenever you want.

I've never been there actually.

Odette brought that back
for me from Vermont.

You don't have a maple grove
of your own?

Other people's memories are cleaner.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

[GASPS]

[DOORS BANG OPEN]

[MOURNERS MURMURING]

SPALDING: The rose petals are
really one of the ways

that Lasher showed love for Dierdre.

It was a particular language
between the two of them.

At the funeral, Lasher sends
these petals in,

and it's the first moment

that Rowan experiences Mayfair
magic as really beautiful.

And Carlotta, who'll do
anything, as we've seen,

to try to stop Lasher,
is furiously, even in death,

trying to keep Lasher away from Dierdre.

♪ ♪

Rowan has never had a family,
and now Rowan is being told

she has this family,

there are all of these
characters and relations.

And I think she's very curious
to know them

and curious to understand
who she is in relation to them,

what they knew about
her mother, Dierdre.

"Why was I sent away?"

CARLOTTA: I'm sure
it's upsetting to see that.

No wonder everyone's looking
at me like I'm a ghost.

They're looking at you
like you're a miracle.

Someone knew I was alive
but said I was dead. Why?

We know the answer to that,

but she's going to find out very
quickly that it was Carlotta.

I thought you might want

to see some photos of your mother.

Carlotta is very, very clever
in her approach to Rowan.

She knows there's nothing to be
gained by lying.

Rowan's gonna hear things from
other members of the family.

She has to get out in front of this.

She wants to tell her version of things.

All of these photos and these memories,

and she never said anything
about it to me.

You must forgive her. It's my fault.

I swore her to secrecy.

So it was you?

You told everyone I was dead.

If it'll make you feel any better,

it's what Dierdre wanted for you, too.

Being compassionate,
empathizing, you know, saying,

"This is what Dierdre wanted
for you", which is a lie.

You know, all those things are
real calculations by Carlotta,

but they're true enough that
maybe Rowan will believe

that's all that's bad about
what Carlotta's done.

[GROANING]

Cip knows that Lasher is
extraordinarily dangerous.

Can you work with him in this state?

What he's learning in this is that

Lasher is tormented by Dierdre's death.

It's okay.

[GROANING]

Lasher has come
and is torturing this man

for having k*lled Dierdre.

Lasher is in grief,

and that is information for Cip
and for the Talamasca.

Lasher's clearly not responsible
for Dierdre's death.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLES]

Huh.

♪ ♪

Will that be all, Miss Carlotta?

Yes, Sam.

Once those doors are shut
in that dining room,

Carlotta can speak her truth.

Those doors have been locked,

and she can say what she wasn't
able to say before

because she knows how this is gonna end.

I will tell you the truth.

Your mother was the bane
of my existence.

Everything that Carlotta has gambled on

and tried to do in her life
to stop Lasher has not worked.

Carlotta has been frustrated every turn.

This is the moment where she
thinks, "I have to do it now".

Redeem her soul from evil, oh, lord.

Redeem her soul from evil, oh, lord!

For Rowan!

Redeem her soul from evil, oh, lord!

"I'm close to the end of my life,

and so I'm going to do this
to the both of us

and I believe this family will be purged

and rid of this being, Lasher".

Help! Help! Get me out of here!

Carlotta's willing to take
herself down, the house down

to destroy Rowan in pursuit
of making sure

that Lasher's connection to
anyone on Earth is extinguished.

Rowan! It's me!

[DOORKNOB RATTLING]

Hold on!

[Kn*fe PLUNGES]

No!

Stand up. Don't pull it out.

Don't pull it out.

She's already mine.

♪ ♪

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪