01x01 - Monster at the Gate

[bunniefuu]

Get back here!

Got a heart on the mend

And a head full of tunes

Sister sits on the porch

Cloud crosses the moon

Oh

Well, looks like we
found our troublemakers.

Heel.

Hey, big guy.

I'm gonna have to run you out of here.

Hope you at least got a bellyful.

So you're the new Vern Dunnegan.

I am.

Joe Pickett.

Well, nice to meet you, Warden.

Elk really did a number
on your ranch, didn't they?

Yeah, they sure did.

Well, brought my tools,

so I'll get this fence fixed up.

And say, Vern and I go way back, and...

situation like this, he
would have figured out a way

to get the State to pay for the damage.

Ah, same rules apply.

I mean, the law doesn't change

just 'cause there's a new game warden.

Wait. That's the law?

Officially, the state owns the elk,

so Game Commission's liable
for any damage they do.

Vern, that old slippery son of a bitch.

Always acted like he was doing
me some sort of big favor.

That sounds like Vern.

Yep.

Well, I brought some tools.
Let me give you a hand.

Great.

Target sh**t'?

Nope.

That b*llet hit flesh.

Gonna have to come back.

Maxine, come on. Up.

Don't go getting yourself k*lled, now,

'fore you help me with my fence.

Stay.

Please drop the Kn*fe.

Little early for elk season, you know.

Meat for the pot, Warden.
Just meat for the pot.

Some of us got families to feed.

Seems to me you didn't have
to k*ll the only trophies

in the herd just to fill your freezer.

Then again, there's
quite the black market

for antlers and velvet.

Say a haul like this'd
fetch you a couple grand.

Yeah, well, I wouldn't know
anything about all that.

Either way, I'm gonna
have to write you up.

Ote Keeley, isn't it?

You're kidding me, right?

No. I'm not kidding.

Wait a second.

I know you.

You're that brand-new game warden

that arrested the governor of Wyoming

for fishin' without a license.

That's you, isn't it?

I didn't know he was the governor.

Oh, you didn't know he was the governor?

Yeah. I read about that in the paper.

"Rookie Game Warden
Arrests Governor Budd."

Yee-hoo!

Hey, you ain't really gonna
write me a ticket, are you?

See, I'm a professional
hunting outfitter.

Just...

Can't feed the kids,

outfitter's license gets pulled.

I ain't kiddin'.

I know we can...

we can work something out, can't we?

I'm not kidding either.

Give me your driver's license.

I got a kid.

Another on the way.

How am I supposed to support them?

Not like this.

You know there's more animals
in Wyoming than people?

Ain't no one gonna care
about them critters.

What in the hell could
this possibly matter?

You know these bulls you
just k*lled are new papas?

Now, how the hell am I
supposed to know that?

'Cause it's April.

I figure the least I can do

is make sure nobody kills 'em

when they're having their babies.

Give their young a chance
to stand on their own.

I figure it's the least
any of us can do, Ote.

Don't you think?

Vern Dunnegan would
never pull this sh*t.

I'm not Vern Dunnegan.

No.

You sure as hell ain't.

License.

Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy.

Now we're in really,
really deep, ain't we?

I'd suggest you give that back to me.

I give you this g*n,

you're gonna lock me up
for a long, long time.

On the other hand,

new game warden

found out in the middle of nowhere,

sh*t dead by his own g*n,

well...

that might start to look like

things weren't going
so hot in the new town.

How 'bout that story?

Things been a little rough lately.

Financial hardships and the like.

The elk.

The blood, they'd notice that.

How 'bout I let you walk

and you don't write me a ticket?

No.

What?

I'm still gonna write you the ticket.

Are you stupid?

You'd rather die

than not write me a ticket?

No.

Would you rather a m*rder
rap than getting a ticket

for huntin' out of season?

Yeah.

Maybe.

Ah!

Ah!

I have kids!

You want to leave my
kids without a father?

For what? What?

Couple of bucks.

Nah.

You can't k*ll me. You're a lawman.

Oh, I don't know about that, Ote.

They find you out here dead, all alone,

might start to think things
weren't going so well.

Financial hardships and such.

No, no.

The blood.

You really think the cops are gonna care

about what happened to someone like you?

No.

I don't.

I'm still gonna write you that ticket.

Three.

Two.

One.

Hey.

I just put the girls to bed,

but you should say "hi."

They'll be happy to see you.

Yeah. Sounds good.

Joe, what happened to your face?

Just game warden business.

Guess what I'm doin'.

We're gonna be a
two-income household again.

You find anything good?

Oh, yeah.

I'm trying to decide between

tractor doctor and rodeo clown.

Some might say it's not the best use

of my law degree, but...

I can see it.

Hey.

After all the moving around,

here we are.

You finally have your own post.

The girls started their new school.

I can go back to work.

We made it, Joe.

This right here?

It's what we worked so hard for.

Pretty nice.

Yeah, it's pretty nice.

Mom, someone's calling for you!

I'm out front, hon.

Can you see what it's about?

Had a bit of a thing today.

It's a doctor.

Says it's about your blood work.

Yeah, I had a physical last week.

It...feels kind of late to call, right?

Hmm.

Mind if I take it?

Please, yeah.

Good night, Daddy.

Night-night.

Sweet dreams.

We didn't get a song.

Oh.

Just one?

Please?

Hush-a-bye

Don't you cry

Go to sleep, little baby

When you wake You shall have cake

And all the pretty Little horses

Blacks and bays Dappled and grays

Coach and six white horses

Night, Daddy.

Marybeth, what is it?

It's good news.

I'm pregnant.

Great.

Yeah.

I'm sorry. I feel like a terrible person

for feeling like this.

I just...

One minute, I just...

Well, I guess I thought
I might get me back.

You know?

Hey.

We'll figure it out.

Like always.

Okay, got everything?

Okay.

Okay.

Wait! I almost forgot to feed Buckaroo.

Grab the bowl quickly.

No, going outside.

That cat's not coming back.

No.

You want me to talk to her?

No, not yet.

Let's let her make one
friend in Saddlestring first.

Okay!

Okay.

Let's do it.

Look at that.

Oh.

Hi, there!

I got a question for you.

What's a girl gotta do

to make some new friends in this town?

I don't know.

Divorce the game warden.

Your mom's a real people person.

Yeah.

I'm not a people person.

I'm more of an animal person, like you.

Huh.

Buckaroo's not coming back, is he?

No. No, I don't think so, hon.

But it can't hurt to
leave out food for him,

just in case?

Nope, I guess it can't.

Vern Dunnegan.

Didn't expect to see you here.

Didn't you get the memo,

you're retired?

Old habits die young, I guess.

So you're the Vern Dunnegan

I've heard so much about.

And you must be

the Mrs. Joe Pickett

that I've heard so much about.

I'm Marybeth.

Nice to meet you.

Vern is the previous
game warden in this area.

And he cast a pretty big
shadow, I have to admit.

Seems my shadow gets bigger
with each passing year.

Oh, God, me too, Vern. Me too.

All right, ladies. You
want a balloon animal?

Yay!

Okay.

Have fun.

How's Sandy doin'?

Uh, we split up.

Oh. I'm sorry to hear it.

Don't be.

I rolled over one morning
to take one last look

at her puffy face.

Turns out, I could only
take her in small doses.

I may only have two decades left,

and I don't want to
spend 'em arguing about

why I don't want to take salsa lessons.

Well, how's retirement treating you,

other than not having
to take salsa lessons?

Surprisingly lucrative.

I've been doing some
consulting for InterWest.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

They're planning on building a pipeline

right through Saddlestring.

They needed some help with the locals,

and who better to help

but the unofficial
mayor of Saddlestring?

I gotta tell you, Joe...

Couple nights ago,

Ote Keeley was drunk,

sh**t' off his mouth
over at Stockman's Bar.

He was saying something about

he stole your own g*n away from you?

Is that true?

Ah, it just happened too fast.

I wasn't expecting it.

Everything bad happens fast.

There's a reason game wardens are k*lled

more than any other officer of the law.

Poachers are usually
drunk, always armed.

You leave a man in
the middle of nowhere,

he turns into a g*dd*mn
caveman with a g*n.

You're right.

You're damn right I'm right.

I just don't want you to end up

a sad story I tell my friends.

I appreciate it, Vern.

Take my advice.

You gotta learn to bend a little.

You can't go around pissing
off degenerates like Ote Keeley.

Guys like him don't have enough to lose.

It makes them unpredictable.

Ticket the tourists.

You got a better chance

of making it to retirement that way.

Are you suggesting I give
Ote his hunting license back?

Well, it wouldn't be the
dumbest thing you ever did.

All due respect, I think...

I'm gonna do things a little different.

Yeah.

We'll see.

Oh!

Hey, man.

Why don't you watch where you're going?

Just move on, Keeley.

Oh, you tellin' me what to do?

See, I think you're out
of your jurisdiction there,

Game Warden.

I'm here with my family.

Yeah. And I'm with mine.

Whole lot, too.

Ever since you took away my livelihood.

Well, if you got an issue,

you call during business hours.

Here I thought game
wardens were always on duty.

Not for you, I'm not.

Come on.

Who's that?

Ah, he's just some poacher I ticketed.

Should I be worried?

No!

Someday, I'm gonna live there,

and I'll walk into one of those fields,

and I'll close my eyes.

And I'll remember what it
used to be like for us here,

and this'll just be a memory.

I wanna go there, too.

I want to go where you go.

Then look at it.

See if you focus enough,

if you can hear it.

Hear the wind.

The sounds of the bison in the distance.

Listen.

I think I can hear it. Can you, Joey?

Yeah.

I can hear it.

Vern, what's up?

Have you met the Bouvier sisters?

Nope. I don't think so.

Trust me, you'd remember if you had.

Apparently they didn't get the memo

that I'm no longer the game warden.

I'll text you their address.

Who is it?

Oh, I think he's the new Vern Dunnegan.

Yeah. I'm Joe.

Is he as handsome as Vern Dunnegan?

Oh, hi.

Vern told me you had some
sort of game warden issue.

Oh, yes. It's Hey You.

Excuse me?

The emu.

He's in the bedroom.

Oh, you have a emu in your bedroom?

Hey You.

Sorry? What's that?

That's his name, "Hey You."

Ah, got it.

Yeah.

Come on in.

Oh, please, come in.

Yeah?

Yeah, don't be shy.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah, just follow me.

All right.

Just around here.

Oh, just so's you know,

Hey You can be a little territorial.

Yeah, just a little.

Yeah.

Here you are.

Here we are, honey.

It's Mommy.

Hi, Hey You.

Oh, hi, big boy.

Hey You.

How about
we just, uh--

Mommy. It's
Uncle Joe--

Oh!

Like I told you.

All right, uh...

do you have a sheet or something

I could use to throw
over Hey You's head?

Oh, yeah, I have a
quilt that can cover him.

Uh, which quilt?

Reba.

But that's my quilt.

But it's Hey You's favorite.

All right, then.

Oh, well, thank you.

I made it myself.

We were redheads once.

Yeah, we love her.

There you go.

Yeah.

Yeah, let's go this way.

Yeah, very good.

You look like a matador.

Just a little.

Yeah, just maybe...

Okay, we're fine.

Listen, he loves that,
because it comforts him.

Yes.

Okay, have at him.

Hi, sweet.

Hi, hi.

Here he comes.

Hey You, relax...

Oh!

Oh, my Lord!

Not bad.

Well, I recommend
keeping the door closed

so Hey You doesn't
get back in the house.

But he does like
watching Jeopardy!, so...

Oh, please take this
as a little thank-you.

Yes. For Vern.

You know, you did a much better job

than I would have guessed
after reading about you

in the newspaper.

Mm-hmm.

The paper?

Mm.

Hmm?

"Run-in with local outfitter."

"Grabbed his g*n."

What?

"Lost control of his sphincter"?

Hi. How are you?

Good.

What?

It ain't lit.

Jeannie,

is the address we have
on file still good?

Well, I don't know.

It's where I am now,

but g*dd*mn landlord's

trying to evict me, so...

Hey, you mind if I take a look?

I'm a...

I was a lawyer.

I don't need your g*dd*mn charity.

Okay. Suit yourself.

Just sit here and read about celebrities

going through menopause, I guess.

Well...

wouldn't want you to have to do that.

Who'd your landlord give this to?

My daughter.

How old is she?

She's nine.

Oh,

my daughter's nine, too.

Cute.

Landlord can't give
this to anyone under 14,

so...

legally you can stay put
till he figures that out.

Not a long-term solution,
but it's something.

Marybeth?

Thanks.

You can lay down here.

Great.

The doctor will be right in.

I read that thing about your husband.

My goodness, sure glad he's okay.

Exactly where did you
read about my husband?

Thank you.

Joe.

Hey, country weird.

Why are you reading a book? It's recess.

Bermuda Triangle?

Sounds boring.

It is boring.

Especially if you
don't know how to read.

What are you laughing at, April?

Wait. Oh, my God.

That's my jacket.

I donated this old
jacket to Salvation Army,

and now April's wearing it.

See?

Look, there's my name.

Secondhand.

That's her new name now.

Bye, Secondhand!

I don't think the Bermuda Triangle

sounds boring.

Oh, you gotta be shittin' me.

Hey!

April?

Why is this perfectly
good jacket in the garbage?

Hmm?

I don't like that jacket anymore.

Oh, boo-hoo.

You don't like that jacket.

Well, you know what, April?

I don't like ungrateful kids!

And I sure as sh*t

don't like shithead husbands

who get their names in the paper

for sh**ting their mouths all over town!

Trying to be some big sh*t.

The game warden already
took your license.

You think this is gonna help things?

Could you stop it?

Huh?

How's this gonna help things?

I'm warning you!

Now, don't you worry.

I got a plan to get my license back.

You got a plan, huh?

Bye, Lumpy.

See you, Grumpy.

Dad's home!

Come on, girl.

What's wrong?

What makes you think something's wrong?

I don't know.

What kind of mood's your mom in today?

Not great.

All right. Do me a favor, will you?

Just keep your sister
outside for a few, okay?

Mom and Dad need to have a little talk.

Tell her she looks nice. She likes that.

She didn't know where it went.

Okay, come here. Drop it.

Okay, Mom, calm down.

Yeah, it's... it's gonna be okay.

Yep, I'm gonna talk to Joe right now.

Okay.

Okay. Bye.

You look nice.

And you.

I don't have time for it right now.

Apparently Mom's husband
was just arrested.

Arrested?

White-collar stuff.

She needs us to go get her.

When?

Right now.

All the way to Jackson Hole?

I dare you.

Hey, girls?

Yeah?

Come on, eat quick,

and then put your PJs on.

We're going to get Grandma Missy.

Just Missy.

She doesn't like the word "Grandma."

I know. I know.

Elroy needs a break.

Altitude's gettin' to him.

We should keep moving.

We can take a break over the ridge.

Nah, besides,

I gotta piss.

Again?

What's this, the fourth time
we stopped, so you can piss?

Here.

Doc calls it "splastic" bladder.

Happens when I don't hydrate enough.

They're sayin'
hydrating's real important

for overall health.

Wow.

That's a real interesting
factoid, Calvin.

Now, Ote, would you get
back on your damn horse?

What the hell?

What the hell's that?

Dumb bird.

Oh, sh*t.

They asleep?

Yeah.

They're asleep.

I assume you heard.

Well, apparently, everyone has.

I assume you're mad at
me for not telling you?

I know I probably should have. I just...

I didn't want

to worry you.

I know how dangerous your job is.

I just thought we were
doing this thing together.

You're...

you're right.

Is Keeley the same guy
you had a problem with

at the farmers' market?

Yeah.

Is this gonna escalate?

No.

No, don't worry. I can handle it.

Joe, I'm not some damsel
who needs your protection.

If there's a dangerous
situation going on,

you need to tell me.

I would. It's not.

It was...stupid.

I let my guard down for a
minute and I shouldn't have.

It was...stupid.

You know, I read something once

that always makes me think of you.

That people who grow up
around v*olence sometimes

have a hard time recognizing
danger when it comes.

I made a dumb mistake, okay?

Let's not make it any more than that.

Okay.

I'll do better.

I won't die dumb. I promise.

I don't want you to die smart either.

Better than dumb.

And just so you know,
I did not sh*t my pants.

That part was exaggerated.

Well, I sure am glad we cleared that up.

Hey.

Hmm?

Do me a favor.

Be nice to my mother.

Of course.

It's open.

Mom?

Mom?

They took him away.

Oh.

My lover!

The federal government
came into my house,

and they took my lover away.

Oh, great.

See you've been drinking again, Mom.

I... I am not.

I haven't had a drop in over a year!

But who could blame me
on a night like tonight

if a did have a glass, hmm?

Or two!

Who could blame me?

I mean, I do think that I am entitled

to one glass of wine

on the night that

the government stole my lover.

You gotta tell her to
stop saying "lover."

It's creepy.

Stop it.

I decorated this entire place.

Shep has no taste, and I
picked out every damn piece.

And now they're saying that
I have to leave it all behind!

Frozen assets.

I mean, this chair.

This one, single chair.

Well, it cost more
than your entire house.

How does that make you feel?

Like maybe I should take up wire fraud.

Joe?

I'll wait in the car.

Yep.

You could have married anyone.

How you would end up
with a park ranger...

Mom, stop it!

...is beyond me.

Stop it! He's not a...

Joe is a good man and a good husband

and a good father.

And it looks to me like
maybe I should be the one

giving you advice on picking men.

You're right.

You're right.

Okay, sorry, Mom.

Mom, I'm sorry. Okay.

Hey, I'm sorry. Please stop.

It's gonna be okay.

Okay, let's just get your stuff,

and we're gonna go.

It's gonna be okay.

Missy's all set up.

Just so you know...

You were right, I should
have trusted you more.

Yeah. You should have.

Yeah.

And I want to think
that I didn't tell you

'cause I didn't want to worry you,

but if I'm honest with myself...

Just didn't want you
to think less of me.

What do you mean?

Ever since Ote took my g*n,

I keep hearing my
dad's voice in my head,

and he's telling me,
"Never give an inch.

"Never look weak."

I do my best to be a good man,

a moral man.

But in that moment,

when I looked at everything
Ote almost took from me...

I, uh...

I almost k*lled the son of a bitch.

Joe. It's okay to be angry.

You're allowed.

It won't make you dangerous.

I know what anger looks like

when it's given free rein,

and I don't want that
for my wife, my kids.

What?

Sometimes life has a way of forcing us

to deal with unfinished business.

Well, that business is finished.

I grew up.

It's done.

Okay.

Joey? Joey, open the door!

Joey, please open the door!

Please.

Come on, open the door, Joey!

He's coming. Open the door, Joey!

Open the door!

Hey, son.

We're in real deep now, ain't we?

Joey, open the door!

Ain't we?

Get back here!

You gotta come home sometime!

Joe?

What are you doing?

It's 2:00 in the morning.

Um...

Missy, I forgot you were there.

Then the monster came
down from the mountains

in the middle of the night.

Sheridan had a bad dream.

I heard it rattling around
looking for our house.

Sheridan, knock it off.

You'll scare your sister.

I'm already scared.

What did it look like?

It was like the shape of Dad but more...

dark.

How'd you sleep?

Not good.

After you woke me up, the dog
kept scratching at the door.

I did not sleep much.

Joe,

I may not have been
at my best last night.

That's okay.

Apology accepted.

That was not an apology.

I might not have been
at my best, either.

Also not an apology.

Oh, great,

now I have a
seven-year-old,

a
nine-year-old,

and a pair of
ten-year-olds.

Morning.

Then the man walked
toward the wood pile,

where he fell down with a boom.

Hold up, Sheridan.

Just then, you said
"man," not "monster."

You said "man."

I guess it could have been a man.

Where'd Maxine want to go last night

when she kept you up?

Out back.

I'll go take a look.

Take your g*n.

Eat your breakfast.

Hello?

Someone here?

Dad?

Joe? Joe, what is it?

It's Ote Keeley.

He's dead.

Why is he here?

I don't know.

Remember how I told you
things weren't gonna escalate?

I was wrong.

Hush-a-bye
Don't you cry

Go to sleep, Little baby

When you wake You shall have cake

And all the pretty Little horses

Blacks and bays Dappled and grays

Coach and six white horses

I guess I just learned

not to run away from that fear.

Fear can be good.

It's there for a reason.

Keeps us safe.

Don't be scared of it.

Hush-a-bye
Don't you cry

Go to sleep Little baby

When you wake You shall have cake

And all the pretty Little horses

Blacks and bays Dappled and grays

Coach and six white horses