01x08 - The k*lling Fields

Episode transcripts for the TV series, "Joe Pickett". Aired: December 6, 2021 – present.*
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Series follows the life of Joe Pickett, a Wyoming-based game warden, and his family in the small town of Saddlestring and the surrounding wilderness of Yellowstone National Park.
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01x08 - The k*lling Fields

Post by bunniefuu »



(FALCONS SHRIEKING)



Where the hell is my chopper?

It's on its way, sir.

And we've had the highway
locked off

since just minutes
after Romanowski escaped.

So we know
he is almost certainly
on foot or horseback,

which means our search zone
is this ten-mile radius.

So we should focus
in this direction.

Straight up and
over the mountain.



Raise your hands
where I can see 'em, Nate.

You first.



North team, move out.

There's a statewide manhunt
looking for me, Joe.

How'd you do it?

I followed the falcons.



You owe me a favor.

I'm here to collect.

I need you to show me
where you found
those vultures.



I'm a wanted fugitive, Joe.

Do you really think
it's a good idea

to go deep into
the woods alone with me?



I don't know
where else to go.



I'll help you look
for the vultures,

but I will not let you
take me back to jail.

Copy that?

Yeah, we'll see.

(EERIE MUSIC)



(DREAMY MUSIC)



Energy.

Fuel.

Life.

For over 58 years,

InterWest Resources have
been powering American dreams.

And now with
the PilotCrest pipeline,

we are powering
America's future.

Hi, I'm Rex Weathersly.

And I know that
the PilotCrest pipeline

will be a blessing for every
Western town it traverses.

A blessing to rural America...
(INHALES DEEPLY)

The real America.

That's because pipelines
are lifelines.

They don't just bring oil.

They bring opportunity.

(TV SWITCHES OFF)

VERN:
"They bring opportunity."

Now, all I need y'all to do
is follow my lead on this one

and we can make more money

than we can spend
in a dozen life times.

You're also asking
for quite a bit of our money.

I mean, we've seen
your get-rich-quick
horseshit before, Vern.

The dirt farm,

the drive-thru strip club.

Now, hold on.

Why should we believe you
this time, Vern?

Well, I got all my bases
covered on this one.

Look, InterWest is doing
whatever the hell I say.

They are convinced
that their route is a lock,

but what they have yet
to realize

is that their current route

runs right through
sacred Native ground.

Oh, it's going to be
a PR fiasco down the road

because by then,
they're gonna be
too far down the path

with too much money
on the line.

And they will desperately look
for an alternative route.

An alternative route,
which I--

we will provide them,

With a healthy lease fee,
of course.

$100,000 per mile per year

in perpetuity.

That's Latin for rich as hell.

Now, all we gotta do
is buy up all the land.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)



What about the law?



You don't think anyone's
gonna sniff this out?

Well, what's illegal
about it?

Fraud?

Insider trading?
Racketeering?

Oh, applesauce.

And don't worry
about Bud Barnum.

Let's just say
I have some information

which could prove harmful
if he becomes a problem.

And that new game warden

who I chose,
personally, myself,

trust me when I tell you,
oh, he's manageable.



You really are
a shady son of a bitch.

You know that, Vern?

Oh, trust me.

I thought of everything.

Mm.



(SOFTLY)
♪ Lives on Drury Lane

♪ Do you know
the muffin man?

♪ Lives on Drury Lane ♪

(SINGING INDISTINCTLY)

♪ Yes, I know the muffin man

♪ Comes from Drury Lane

♪ Do you know the-- ♪

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

(WEASEL CHITTERING)



(WEASEL CHITTERING)

Hey there, little buddy.



What are you?



I haven't seen
one of you before.



(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

Oh.

(CHITTERS)

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

(CHUCKLES) Oh!

(CHITTERING)

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

You wanna buy this?

Oh, yes.

I mean, okay.

But why?

You can't ranch it.
Can't farm it.

It's not near any roads.

You don't even have access--

What we say here,

it's covered by lawyer-client
confidentiality, right?

Right.

just shut the hell up

and buy the goddamned land
for me.

(TENSE MUSIC)



It's this way.

Hey, Clyde, if you brought me
all the way up here

to show me a figment
of your imagination,

I'm gonna sh**t you
in the back of the head.



Is that a chicken leg?



Mm-hmm.



(CLICKING TONGUE)



(WEASEL CHITTERING)

Well, now.

That is something.

How many people
know about this?

Well, I thought
I'd bring it to you first.

So you haven't
told anybody but me.

Haven't told a soul.

I figured, you know
a lot about the inner
workings of the town.

So I thought maybe,

before I report it
to headquarters,

I should ask you
if you think
it's my best play.

'Cause what do they say?

"Knowledge is power," right?

Oh, smart.

(CHUCKLES) Yeah.

Well, I do know
a lot of people.

People who would be hurt
by something like this.

Mm.

You know,

I could handle this for you.

I could make it all
just go away.

Handle how?

Do you really want to know?

Maybe it's better to stay
at arm's length away.

And what would
you want in return?

I wanna be sheriff.

♪ All around
the mulberry bush ♪

♪ The monkey
chased the weasel ♪

♪ The monkey thought
it was all good in fun ♪

♪ Pop goes the weasel ♪

(LAUGHS)

How many we got?

Huh.

There's only
three dead weasels.

What?

With all them expl*sives?

It doesn't seem like
a very cost-effective way

to k*ll three weasels to me.

Is that right, Calvin?

Is that what you think?

Numbnut.

(WEASEL CHITTERING)

Look.

(SIGHS)

sh*t!

Those things get back
in their holes fast.

It's gonna take forever

if we try and k*ll 'em
a few at a time.

Don't sh**t.

I brought supplies.

If it isn't Wacey Hedeman.

Game warden extraordinaire.

You boys almost
done up here?

Almost done?

You gotta be sh1tting me.

You didn't mention
there's a whole giant colony
of these buggers.

Yeah?

So what?

So?

Probably making babies
faster than we can k*ll 'em.

That's so what.

Well, what do you
want from me?

You asked me to pay you
half up front,

which I did.

Now, it's a binary situation.

Either the job is done

or the job is not done,

but you don't get
the other half

until every one
of these weasels is dead.

I might have an idea.

Shut up, Clyde!

The adults are talking.

So we good, Ote?

Have you talked
to Pickett about

getting my hunting license
back yet?

Not yet.

Don't worry about it.
We go way back.

It's as good as done.

You just make sure
that you do your job.

Otherwise,
I'm coming for the first half

and you don't get sh*t.



(BEER CAN HISSES)



I might know a way
to k*ll the weasels.



OTE: April!

April!

Oh, there's
my little ballerina.

Dad.

I picked something up
for you.

Here you go.

Go on, open her up.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

What do you think?

I love it.

Yeah?

I love it so much.



Ooh-wee! Ha!

You look beautiful.



Daddy's making
a little money now.

So we can have
nice things again.

I got a little
science experiment to do.

You like science, right?



We gonna make a secret potion.

Wait!

A weasel?

A goddamned weasel?

Now, this is not a problem.

I got it all worked out.

(SIGHS)

You said you thought
of everything, Vern.

Everything.

Well, I did,
I did think of everything,

but this is not something
that a person could foresee.

It's a goddamned act of God!

An act of God, Vern?

(g*nsh*t)

(HORSE NEIGHS)

Maybe you should start
asking yourself

Could be a nice time
to take stock

of your
decision-making tree, Vern.

Your goddamned
decision-making tree.

This is nothing.

See, every plan has a hiccup,

and the weasel will be ours.

It's handled!

It better be.

We got a lot of money
on the line here.

And Mom's patience
is wearing thin.

And you do not
want to make Mama mad.

Uh, I got it.
Point taken.

(TENSE MUSIC)



Joe.

Yeah.

It's ridiculously
uncomfortable back here.

About as uncomfortable
as my pregnant wife was

when you tied her to a chair?

I was trying to protect her.

Yeah, real protective.



All right.

You might want to
keep quiet for a minute.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)



Hi.

You'll have to turn around.

We've got this
whole area closed off.

We believe
there's a fugitive
up in these woods.

Nate Romanowski?

Yeah, I know, I was there
when he was arrested.

Barnum already up there?

Yeah.

Yeah, the meet point's

about half a mile
up on the left.

And hey, consider Romanowski
armed and dangerous.

Deadly force
has been authorized.



You know,

you're now officially
aiding and abetting
a fugitive.

Yeah.

The day's only just started.



You know,
Marybeth was gonna
get you acquitted.

That was a shitty thing
you did to her.

I escaped because

I didn't want
to be turned over
to a federal agent

who the local police 'bout now
realize doesn't exist.

Doesn't exist?
What's that supposed to mean?

He was no U.S. Marshal, Joe.

He was something much worse.

What about the two
federal agents you m*rder*d

before you started
calling yourself Nate?

Were they something
much worse, too?

What'd you just say?

(TENSE MUSIC)

Were they something
much worse, too?

Nah.

They were federal agents
and something much worse.



I should warn you,
Mr. Romanowski,

or Mr. Barnes, or...

whatever you call yourself
these days...

I'm not messing around today.



(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(HELICOPTER ROTORS THUMPING)



Get to the trees.
Into the trees.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

(HELICOPTER FADING
INTO DISTANCE)

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)



Hey, hun.

We're gonna be here a while,

if you wanna take
your coat off
so you don't get too hot.

That's okay.

I like it.

Okay.



You know, April,

I was wondering,

do you have
an aunt or an uncle

or somebody I should call?



What about a grandparent?

No, it's just us.

Okay.

Did your mom
say anything to you
when you last saw her?



Okay.



It's all right.
I'll figure it out, all right?



Yeah, this is the place.

It's around here somewhere.

Look.

Were you falconing that day?

I was.

And do you remember
which direction
the wind was coming from?

Northwest.

A vulture,
especially a sick one,

is gonna ride the updraft.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)



I'll bet it was poisoned
over that ridge.

Y-you're not suggesting
we try to get over that,
are you?

Yeah.

How?



We ride.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



South-face search team
headed out.

(DOGS BARKING)

It's Barnum to helicopter.
Any sign of him?

Negative.

You keep looking.

Copy.

Vern.

Hey, Bud.

Mind if I've bend your ear
for a minute?

(TENSE MUSIC)



(HORSE NEIGHS)

NATE: Nah, I don't think
this is a good idea.



Yeah.



W-what do you think
is gonna happen

if you find
one of these weasels?

That you're gonna get
your old job back?

Get a pat on the back?

Get the key to the damn city?



You know who took that?

Clyde Lidgard.

Week before he d*ed.

Somehow, I've been tied
to this thing all along.

I just...

still can't fully
wrap my head around it.



How am I gonna
protect my family

if I can't even see
where the danger's
coming from?



They're not gonna stop.

They're gonna keep coming
until they k*ll me

or someone that I love.

Unless I k*ll
their secret first,
and I need proof.

So that's why
I'm going forward.

Gonna figure this thing out.



You know, if you were to...

take off, Nate,

well, I guess I'd understand.



I asked you
if I could trust you

to look for the truth.

Least I could do
is have your back

while you find it.



(GROANING SIGH)
Ready?

No.

Let's do it.

(HORSE NEIGHING AND SNORTING)



(HORSE SNORTS)

(HORSE NICKERS)

(GASPS)

Easy, easy, easy.

All right,
what now, man?

She's spooked.

(HORSE SNORTS)

Hey.

Yeah, well,
they're not gonna do it.

Let's--let's just go back.

It's a horse, Nate.

You can't just
throw it in reverse.

What if we just
dismount, huh?

We can lead 'em out.

Dismount?

You think that's a good idea?

Well, do you have
any other ideas, Joe?



(HORSE SNORTING)

Come on.



(QUIETLY)
Come on. Easy, boy.

Mm-hmm.
Come on.

That's it, that's it,
come on.

Yah.
Come on, come on.



(HORSE NEIGHS)

Shh.

(HORSE SNORTING)



(HORSES SNORTING)

Easy, easy.



(HORSE NICKERING)

Shh. Easy, easy, easy.



All right, now what?



Dismount.

Now you think
it's a good idea
to dismount? Now?

Easy.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)



(GASPS)



Easy, Joe.

(HORSE WHINNIES)



Okay, okay.



Hey.

(HORSE SNORTS)

(SHUSHING)



Good boy.



(BOTH CHUCKLING)

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(PHONE LINE TRILLING)

The number you have reached
is not in service
at this time.

(SIGHS)



(DIAL TONES CHIMING)

(LINE RINGING)

Twelve Sleep
Sheriff's Department.

Hi, this is Marybeth Pickett.

How can I help you?

I'm worried April Keeley
may have been abandoned or--

or that her mother,
Jeannie Keely,
could be missing.



To you.

You had one hell
of a good run.

What's that supposed to mean?

You're gonna have to drop out
of the Sheriff's race.

We need some new blood
in Saddlestring.

Drop out?

For Wacey Hedeman?
(CHUCKLES)

Not a chance in hell
that's gonna happen, Vern.

I've been doing this job
for 24 years.

That's too long
to hand over the reins

to someone
who carries an umbrella.

Well, here's the thing.

24 years is
an awfully long time

to keep a secret buried.

Some would say too long.

And what exactly is it
you think you know, Vern?

I know about
your daughter over on
Wind River Reservation.

That's it?
(CHUCKLES)

If you think I'm gonna be
ashamed of my daughter,

you got another thing coming.

I'm proud of her.

And, um,
it's a new world, Vern.

People understand
those things now.

But I've done the math
on how old her mother was

when she had
that child of yours.

It's bad math.

It's ugly, man.

You really think
the new world

is gonna understand
something like that?

It's time to hang it up, Bud.

This job is all I have, Vern.

If not this,
what am I gonna do?

I don't know.

Maybe take up salsa lessons.

I heard what you said
back there about needing proof

and protecting your family
and all of that.

I also wonder
how much of it,
deep down,

is really about you
wanting to be
back in uniform.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

I know when they took
my uniform,

I didn't know
who I was without it.

But I learned
it's not the uniform
that makes the man.

It's the man
that makes the uniform.

You're a good guy, Joe,
'cause you are good.

Not because of the uniform.



You used to wear a uniform?



Yeah, I had it
pretty good there
for a while, too.

A uniform I believed in,

a beautiful wife

that loved me
more than I deserved,

and I did everything
by the book.

I was proud of my service.



So one day I get this order

that I really
couldn't live with.

And I didn't think it was
for the good of the country
as they claimed.

It was more for personal gain.

So I refused.



And that's when
everything turned.

They stripped me
of my uniform,
my wife was found m*rder*d.



Senseless, you know?

A thr*at?

Retaliation?

I had to learn the hard way...

that sometimes power

is more powerful
than the truth.



I lost everything that I love.

I got nothing, bro.

I don't want the same thing
to happen to you.



My guy on
Highway Patrol said

Pickett passed by
early this morning

on his way
up the mountain.

Goddammit, Vern.

This thing is
spinning out of control.

Well I just neutered Barnum,
so we're good on that front.

We just need to
get our eyes on Pickett.

Now.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

JOE: You smell that?

Yeah, what is that?

(WIND HOWLING)

Death.

(OMINOUS MUSIC)



Why would someone do this?



Weasels eat carrion.



So they, uh...

they poison the elk

and then the weasels
eat the poisoned meat.

Just like the vultures.



(EXHALES DEEPLY)

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

Agh.

Agh!



You know, 100 years ago,
superstitious settlers,

they forced
the Miller's weasel
into extinction.

On purpose.

(CHUCKLES) 100 years later,
they rise from the dead.

That is--that is a miracle.



And what do we do?

We wipe 'em
right back out again.

100 years,

and we've learned nothing.



(GROANS ANGRILY)



Let's go find the proof.



I don't see any.

They must have
cleaned them up.

Check every hole.

(CORK POPS)

Mom, what are you doing?

I'm tasting
the Chateau d'Yquem.

(GASPS)

This house has
an excellent wine cellar.

It's almost like
we're not even
in Saddlestring.

You shouldn't do that.
It's probably
really expensive.

Oh, it is.
And that's why
I picked it.

You want a glass?
You look tense.

I'll pass.

You know, a couple of glasses
of wine when I was pregnant
did not hurt you.

You know, I just--

(SIGHS) Mom,
I'm just worried about April.

I can't find
Jeannie Keely anywhere.

I mean, I called...

every hospital, every shelter.

I think we both know that
that girl's mama is long gone.

You know, April has no one.

She has no one
to take care of her.

And even if Jeannie
does come back,

what are they gonna do,
live in her car?

I mean, that poor girl
can barely read or write.

She's skittish,
she's underfed, she's--

She's not your problem.

You can't save every stray,
Marybeth--

I'm not trying
to save her, Mom.

Yes, you are.

(SIGHS)

It's what you've always done,

You'd bring home
some injured animals,

some lost dogs.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

'Cause you have a big heart.

You're always
trying to help people.

It's what-- (CHUCKLES)

well, one of the things
I love the most about you.

But you can't
save everyone, Marybeth.



(DIRT SCRAPING)

Joe.

There's nothing here.

(DOWNBEAT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Keep lookin'.

The sun's going down.



We have to go
if we're gonna

get off this mountain
before dark.



It's a fox.

Must have been
eating the elk.

No, foxes don't eat carrion.

Not unless they have to.

This is autumn.

Fresh meat everywhere.

Fresh meat?

Like weasels.



(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(GASPS)
Holy sh--

That's your proof.
You did it, man.



Yeah, we did it.

We did it.



(SOLEMN GUITAR MUSIC)



Here.



Montana's that way.



Really hope
this works out
for you, Joe.

Yeah.

I hope it works out
for you, too.



Nate.



Thanks.



Yeah.



Oh, Joe.

Some friendly advice.

There's gonna come a time,
real soon,

where you're gonna have
to lean into that anger,

not away from it.



You go speaking
truth to power,

power is gonna
try to bite your ass back.



(RATTLING)

What you got there, Ote?

That there?

That's what I like to call
an insurance policy.

What you boys
doing up here?

You weren't supposed to be
back up here until tomorrow.

Could ask you
the same thing, Wacey.

Yeah, well, I was just
checking up on your work.

Making sure
it's all up to par.

Up to par, huh?

Mm-hmm.

(SCOFFS)
Listen to this assh*le.

Wacey.

Where's my hunting license?

Oh, I'm working on it.

Bullshit.

You've been saying that
for three weeks.

Hunting season
starts in six days
and you ain't done sh*t.

I'm getting it.

I want my license
by tomorrow.

Or else.

Or else what, Ote?

Or else I tell Joe Pickett

what we've been up to.

(SOFT TENSE MUSIC)

You do know that you'd
go to jail too, right?



Maybe. (SPITS)

Or maybe I turn state witness
or some sh*t.

(RATTLING)



What you got
in the cooler, Ote?



Ain't nothing
for you to worry about.



You do your part,

we ain't got any problems.



I can't let you
leave with that.

Yeah, well, I ain't so sure
I'm asking permission.

Mm.

(SPITS)



What d'you think, Hank?

(ALL CRYING OUT)

(g*nsh*t)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Come on.
I'm gonna sh**t you, Ote.

Come on!

(g*nshots)

sh*t!



I'm on-- I'm on your side.

Oh, yeah?

(SHOUTS)

(GROANING)



(g*n CLICKS)

(WHIMPERS)

sh*t.

Come on!



Christ!

Hyah!



(BOW TWANGS)



That's it.

Come on!



sh*t.



(ARROW WHISTLES)

sh*t!
(GROANING)



Son of a bitch!
(GROANS)

(SCREAMS)

(GENTLE MUSIC)



(BIRDS SINGING)



Huh.



Hell of a rider.

Like a...

rodeo rider.

(TENSE MUSIC)



(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(ENGINE REVVING)



You know who I bet
could really use this house
right about now?

Joe's family.



Hyah!

(HORSE NEIGHS)



What's wrong, hun?

I forgot my other book
at home.

I have a report due and
I can't do it without my book.

I need to go back and get it.

Okay, we can swing by
and get it tomorrow.

My report is due tomorrow.
I need to go now.

Hun, it--
it's a 30-minute drive

plus I told your dad we'd
stay here till he gets back.

I didn't even wanna
come to this place.

And now I have to get
in trouble at school
for it too?

I know sometimes
April needs help,

or her mom,

or Nate Romanowski,

but I'm your daughter,
and sometimes I need help.

Hey, okay.

All right.

We'll go get it, all right?

Okay.

(DOWNBEAT MUSIC)

Hey, Mom, Sheridan and I'll
be back in an hour, okay?

Okay, have fun.



(BACKPACK ZIPPING)



Hyah!

(LABORED BREATHING)

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(HORSE SNORTING)

(LABORED BREATHING)

(GROANS)



(WEASELS CHITTERING)



(GASPING)



(TREE SNAPS)



We haven't read together
in a while, hun.

Maybe we could
do that tonight.

Maybe.



Sher, I can tell
something's been
bothering you.

I want to help.

Hun, I want to help more than
anything in the world.

You got to tell me
what's going on.



(INHALES SHAKILY)
I can't.



You know, you can
tell me anything, right?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



(PHONE BUZZING)

(LINE TRILLING)

Hi, it's Marybeth,
leave me a message.

Marybeth,
listen to me closely.

It's Wacey.
Wacey's the k*ller.

You need to get out of the
Kensinger's house right now.

Don't tell anyone
where you're going.

Just go!



Whoa, whoa, whoa!

(ENGINE REVVING)



(ENGINE TURNS OVER)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)



Hey, let's be quick, hun,
all right?

Okay.



(GASPING)

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

Hey, hun, your dad's here.

No, Mom, no!



Joe?

(SHOTGUN BLAST)

(GROANING)



(SHOTGUN CLICK-CLACKS)

No!

(DOOR SLAMS AND LOCK CLICKS)

(LATCH CLICKING)

(PANICKED GROANING)

(THUMPING AGAINST DOOR)

(GASPING, SOBBING)

Mom?

(SOFT OMINOUS MUSIC)



(WACEY THUDS AGAINST DOOR)



(WACEY THUDS AGAINST DOOR)

Run.

(WACEY THUDS AGAINST DOOR)

No.

Run!
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