01x04 - Thanatos

[bunniefuu]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Aggie] Freud famously wrote
that the aim of all life is death.

Thanatos, some call it.

The death instinct.

The drive towards self-destruction.

It lives in all of us, he said.

-[sighs]
-A need to court danger.

Put ourselves directly in harm's way.

Sometimes a whisper.

Sometimes a cry.

-An invisible current.
-[car doors open]

-[car doors close]
-A force beyond our control.

Your g*n and your phone.

Which one of you is Simon Says?

g*n, phone.

[Aggie] Freud's theory
was largely dismissed by his peers.

Why, after all, would any living organism
pursue its own demise?

But Freud's theory proved more resilient
than its detractors.

Because who among us
hasn't felt that urge?

We say yes to one more drink.

We strike a match
and run a finger through the flame.

We edge closer.

Tempt fate.

We flirt with death
to prove we're truly alive.

And if we can't stop?

Then that small fire we lit
might just burn the whole house down.

With us still inside.

[grunts]

[Brian] f*ck! Jesus Christ!

Can I… I take this off? It's hot as sh*t.

[exhales sharply]

Oh f*ck.

-[music fades]
-[sighs]

Simon Says?

Simone.

Oh. Isaac calls you Simon.

These the encrypted files
you need cracked?

Yeah.

[Simone] The FBI's got people for this.

Not half as good as me,
but good enough, so

why are you here?

This isn't Bureau business. This is, uh…

It's personal.

[uneasy music playing]

I don't take cash or crypto.

But at some point,

I will ask you to return the favor.

And you'll do it with no questions asked.

What kind of favor?

Do we understand each other?

Wait here. [sighs]

-How long is this gonna take?
-[Simone] As long as it takes.

[dramatic music playing]

[music fades]

[phone buzzing]

[phone buzzing]

[phone buzzing]

[moans]

[phone buzzing]

Hello. [clears throat]

Sorry for stranding you
at the party yesterday.

I, um… had to put out some fires.

You missed the birthday cake.

Yeah, well, I hope you found
some good material.

[sighs] Well, you were right
about your father.

[chuckles] Don't say I didn't warn you.

Maybe next time
we can attempt an actual conversation.

So Nina mentioned the situation
with your ex and the gallery show.

You were right.
It's a stupid idea. She'll k*ll it.

Really?

That is what you want, right?

Uh, well, I… I was just worried about,
you know, the possible perception.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
No bias, no bullshit. I get it.

Look, don't worry. She'll lay it on me.

I didn't mean to put you
in an awkward position.

That's on Nina.

Well, uh, okay.

Thanks for understanding.

That's what friends are for, right?

[disconnect tone]

Don't say you're mad at me.

Not everything is always about you, Nile.

No?

[pensive music playing]

[breathing deeply]

[sighs]

[phone buzzing]

[phone buzzing]

[groans]

Hello?

[man] Agatha Wiggs?

Who is this?

Ellis Boyd. I'm the Ingrams' attorney.

Madison's parents?

Uh… Oh, um…

Uh, thank you for… for calling me back.

The Ingrams are willing to meet you
this afternoon if you're available.

Um, I… I am. I'm free all afternoon.

-Glad to hear.
-[exhales sharply]

Their address is 929 West 75th Street,
between Columbus and the park.

Can you be there by 1:00?

[pensive music playing]

[doorbell buzzes]

[Shelley] Nina?

Yeah, hi.

Come on up.

[door lock buzzing]

-Hey.
-Hey.

I'm so glad you called. There's something
I've been wanting to show you. Come in.

[music fades]

Can I get you some, uh, coffee or water?

No. Thank you though.

Uh, well, it's not quite finished yet,

so I didn't bring it out
for the art walk, but, uh…

Here.

It's new.

And I think
it… it might be my favorite one.

It's powerful, Shelley.

Really?

Really.

I'm glad. I… I was hoping
you would include it in the show.

I'd have it finished by then, of course.

Um, that's actually the reason I called.

Um, I didn't wanna do it over the phone.

Um…

The truth is… [chuckles]

…I was so taken with your work
that I… I got ahead of myself,

and I didn't think through
the implications.

I should have spoken to my husband first.

I'm not following.

The book that Aggie is writing
about my husband,

it is more complicated than I realized,

um, as far as
a potential conflict of interest.

[scoffs] Um…

I've been divorced from Aggie
for… for two years. Uh…

Our financial interests
are completely separate.

I mean, we're barely
in each other's lives.

-That won't matter.
-Matter to who?

Nile… [chuckles] …for one.

Um, he's afraid that some people
might think that I'm showing your work

to influence the book.

-Are you?
-No.

No, of course not.

But that's not the point.

Honestly, it's for your sake
as much as anything else.

You deserve a debut that's all about you.

-Without the distractions from--
-This is Aggie, isn't it?

Excuse me?

[Shelley scoffs]

She told you not to show my work?

No.

No, no. [splutters]

I told you. My husband, he had concerns,

and he shared them with me, and,

honestly, I've thought about this
from every angle.

I'm really sorry.

I just don't think
it's a good idea. Not now.

Once the book comes out
and some time passes,

we can revisit this.

Sure.

In the meantime, I wanted to introduce you
to another gallerist. Libby May.

She's a rising star.

[elevator dings]

[indistinct chattering]

[Nile] How's it going, Bev?
It's been a while.

-Oh, it's good to see you, Mr. Jarvis.
-You too. Gummy bear?

I really shouldn't.
My dentist just fixed a crown.

So chew it on the other side.
They're really good.

And, yes, my hands are clean.

[Martin] You're late, Nile.

I had to drop Nina off in Brooklyn.

These crisis comms people
bill $3,000 an hour per person.

They brought eight people. Do the math.

[Nile] How come you didn't go
with the Kamdar Group?

[Martin] They said they couldn't field
a top-shelf team on such short notice.

-[Nile] What about Salzman-Adler?
-Booked until January.

Apparently, the crisis comm business
is thriving.

-You believe either of them?
-Not for a f*cking second.

They're all rats fleeing a sinking ship.

[Nile] So who did you go with?

The Montgomery Group.

-Never heard of them.
-They're new.

Westbrook used them
when he ran for governor.

Westbrook lost.

Yeah, but he came close,

which is pretty impressive
when you consider

he was photographed with his c*ck
in a male prost*tute's mouth

four months before the election.

He credits these guys
with helping him weather the squall.

[woman] Hello. Esme Noor.

Nile Jarvis.

Of course, I know.

Hope you do a better job for us
than you did for Westbrook.

[Martin] Let's get started.

Before I introduce you to my team,

I wanna thank you for trusting
the Montgomery Group

to help you navigate
this unfortunate and unfair situation.

We'll start with an overview
of our process, which can get dry,

so I thank you in advance
for hanging in there.

[phone buzzing]

[phone buzzing]

[sighs]

[phone buzzing]

-Hey, Shelley.
-What the f*ck is wrong with you?

You say you care about me? Really?

Whatever you told Nina Jarvis, it worked.
Okay? The show's off.

No, no, hold on. I… I didn't say any--

Bullshit! At least have the decency
not to lie to me.

I'm not an idiot!

Okay, look. You have to understand.

-It's more complicated than you think.
-You're unbelievable.

-Would you please just listen to me?
-f*ck you, Aggie.

-She… Shelley?
-[disconnect tone]

[sighs]

-Your call has been forwarded…
-Oh, f*ck.

Shelley, we need to talk about this.

[sighs] At least let me explain.

[door lock clicks]

Seriously?

That was a life-changing opportunity
for me, and you torpedoed it.

-Honestly, I… I can't.
-No. Hey, hey, come on.

Come on. That's not what--

[Shelley] God forbid
I enjoy the tiniest bit

of professional success for once.

You know I want you to succeed.

No, you don't though. You really don't.

You have no idea how many times
I've given you the benefit of the doubt

with my friends, with my family.

Ten years of my life
I took a backseat to your f*cking career.

We're not even married anymore,
and I'm still doing it.

-That's not fair.
-Not fair?

We made choices together.
I was supporting us.

Oh, right, right. And if my work wasn't
making money, then it was just a hobby.

Did I ever force you to stop painting?

No. No, you wanted a baby.

We both did.

That doesn't mean I wanted
to give up everything else.

-Jesus Christ.
-But your work was what's important.

Your work was real.

Shelley, I support you.
I've always supported you.

-I still do!
-Bullshit!

You just sabotaged my one chance at--

I'm protecting you
from Nina Jarvis and her husband.

They are f*cking dangerous.

Oh my God. You need to leave.

Nile Jarvis might be an actual m*rder*r.

Who you're writing a book about
because you know it will sell!

-No, that's not why I'm doing this.
-No?

No. I'm doing it
because I think he k*lled Teddy Fenig.

What?

[Aggie sighs]

I know how that sounds. I do.
Especially coming from me.

But I… I don't think it was a suicide.

-[Shelley scoffs]
-I'm telling you.

I was with Nile
the day before he disappeared.

And I told him about Teddy,
about the accident, and Cooper.

And I think
Nile might have done something. I…

That is what I'm trying to find out.

Aggie.

Aggie, this…

If anyone k*lled Teddy,

it was you.

He made a mistake.

A horrible mistake.

But you made sure
he'd never forgive himself.

And rather than ask yourself
what that means or how that feels,

you need to find someone to blame.

It's what you do.

Always.

You'd rather invent a m*rder
than look in the g*dd*mn mirror.

You don't care about Teddy.

Or Nile.

Or me.

[sighs] You want a bestseller.

That's all you want.

That's all you've ever wanted.

You need to go.

I mean it. We're done.

-Shelley--
-No. Go!

[stirring music playing]

[breathing heavily]

[keys jingling]

[groans]

[car engine starting]

[breathing heavily]

[Esme] We only need to flip one vote
to secure the council's approval.

And based on our analysis,

the two council members most likely
to switch votes are Haas and Mathers.

Just show me my yes.

Michael Morgan, who joined us recently
from McKinsey,

will walk you through Haas's profile.

-Michael?
-[Michael] Thanks, Esme.

So Lionel Haas is serving
his second term on the council.

He's a former public school teacher.

Ugly divorce.

Shares custody of his seven-year-old son,
although Haas is the primary caregiver.

Late last year, the son was diagnosed
with a rare carcinoma.

He's being treated at Mount Sinai.

Haas is trying to get him into a trial
at Sloan Kettering.

So we have a clean emotional asset--

Waste of time.

Sorry, excuse me?

Uh… [splutters] …waste of time?
How much clearer do you need me to be?

-No--
-We should let Michael finish.

He's been working up a profile on Haas
for the last 24 hours.

I've known Haas for five years.
Mathers for seven.

I know you won't get any traction
with either of them.

If you don't mind my asking,
what makes you so sure?

You're trying to convince the sheep
instead of the shepherd.

It's been staring me in the face
since Phineas Gold told us to f*ck off.

Why it's taken me
so long to realize it, I, um…

Yeah.

We need to focus

on Olivia Benitez.

Benitez?

[Nile] Yeah.

There's no way she backtracks
after publicly condemning the project.

It's a cry for attention directed at me.

Olivia Benitez is a true believer.

She's an opportunist.

You dangle something more tasty

in front of her
she can crow about on… TikTok,

she'll flip.

[Esme] I disagree.

Supporting Jarvis Yards would be
a capitulation to a power structure

she has spent her career
trying to dismantle.

Yeah. Go on.

All her self-righteous virtue signaling
is just political theater.

She wants something.

We just have to figure out what it is.

[stirring music playing]

[sighs]

[exhales]

[phone line ringing]

The customer you are trying to reach
is not available.

-Please record your message.
-[beep]

Hey, uh, I'm just checking in again to see
if you got anything off Nile's laptop.

Um… [sighs]

I also wanted to let you know
that I'm about to meet Madison's parents,

which, frankly, I'm surprised
they agreed to. But, uh…

Uh, yeah, call me when you get this.

[sighs]

[car horn honking]

[doorbell rings]

Hi there.

I'm Agatha Wiggs.
Sorry I'm a few minutes late.

James Ingram. This is my wife, Mariah.

Please come in.

[door closing]

[James] I'm sorry our attorney
didn't get back to you sooner.

Oh, well, thank you for seeing me.

Well, honestly, we went back and forth
about whether we should even respond.

Uh, of course.
I know this… this can't be easy.

[footsteps approaching]

I'm going out.

That's our son, Christopher.

He and his sister were very close.

Whenever this gets dredged up, you know,
he doesn't do well with it.

I put out coffee in the living room.

There's cream and sugar.

[Aggie] Oh, black is fine.

[Mariah] James.

Ms. Wiggs, grieving our daughter is
hard enough without the public attention.

It's why we avoided speaking to the press.

Thank you
for making the exception with me.

Um, is there anything
you'd like to ask me, um,

before we get started?

You told our attorney that Nile had, uh,

consented to this book.

Yes, he's agreed to talk to me.

Why?

Um, well, he respects my work.

Uh, he wants to set the record straight.

[Mariah] Why would he trust you
to do that?

Is it because you believe he's innocent?

Mrs. Ingram, I promise you,
my obligation is to the truth.

I agreed to no conditions whatsoever.

-So whatever you say to me about Nile…
-Ms. Wiggs.

…I have no loyalty.

I think you misunderstand.

The only reason we're doing this
is because Nile vouched for you.

[uneasy music playing]

Uh, you… you spoke to Nile? [scoffs]

[scoffs] You sound surprised.

I… I…

I just wasn't aware
you were, uh, in contact with him.

Or… or how you might feel about him.

How we feel?

We feel awful about the way
those vultures in the press hounded him.

The way they hound him still.

They just keep circling and circling.

They won't be satisfied until he…

Poor Nile has had to… bear the lies
and the rumors.

It's been a kind of hell.

I pulled a few things from Madison's life
I thought you might wanna see.

[stirring music playing]

I've only got a few minutes.

I talked to Abbott.
Agatha Wiggs reached out about a book.

He talked to her once on background.
That's it.

You're sure?

He wouldn't lie to me.

[sighs]

I'm his supervisor,
but we're also friends.

Friends?

Yeah. Are we done?

I hope so.

What are you so worried about
at this point?

It's a closed case. Everyone at the Bureau
knows that Madison's death was a suicide.

Except Abbott.

He accepts the case is closed.

Some people don't care about the truth.
They just believe what they wanna believe.

That's what we're trying to manage.

So you keep an eye on Abbott
until I tell you otherwise.

-[car door closes]
-[footsteps retreating]

Hmm.

[gentle piano music playing]

[music fades]

She's beautiful.

[James] Yeah.

She was a birder.

She knew them all.

She'd walk through Central Park,
and just from a warble or a chirp

or a flash of color
between the leaves, she'd point…

"Northern parula."

"Yellow warbler." [laughs]

That's quite an unusual hobby.
How did she get into it?

A therapist suggested, uh,
she find something concrete

and outward facing
to focus her… her restlessness.

Uh, birding helped, along with medication.

When… she took it.

I loved my daughter.

But she was capricious. Willful.

She was bipolar.

I… I… I didn't realize.

[James] Well, it's no one's business.

I'm only telling you now for Nile's sake
to give you some context.

When was she diagnosed?

In her mid-teens.

And after all the specialists
and the psychiatrists,

what good did it do her?

At a certain point,
you have to take responsibility

for your choices, your life, and

Madison had so much anger.

At whom?

At the world. At us.

Me, mostly.

-Don't say that.
-No, but it's true.

The cruelest irony

is that Nile made Madison
the happiest she'd ever been.

She was practically glowing that day.

They both were.

Madison wasn't an easy person to love.

Believe me.

Nile saved her life, you know.

She attempted suicide
two years before she succeeded.

Nile found her in the bath,
her belly full of pills.

By the time Nile got her to the hospital,
she'd turned blue.

He tried so hard.

We all did.

But it was never enough.
Nothing was ever enough.

I'm… I'm curious if you have any insights,

or… or even just a theory
why they never found her body.

She didn't wanna be found, that's why.

So you think it was hostile?

Well, isn't it?

Denying your parents closure.

[James] Maybe she just

wanted to spare us the trauma
of finding her.

-She… she left a note, didn't she?
-Mm-hmm.

I thought you might wanna see it,
so I made a copy for you. It's here.

And you're…

you're certain it's authentic?

Absolutely.

Three different forensic experts
confirmed the handwriting is Madison's.

There's no forgery.

No question.

Uh…

You keep it if it's useful.

We just hope the truth will put an end
to these crazy conspiracy theories.

Because every time
someone writes something,

it feels like
they're k*lling her all over again.

[mysterious music playing]

You'd rather invent a m*rder
than look in the g*dd*mn mirror.

[sighs]

[sniffles]

[knocking at door]

[Brian groans]

[knocking at door]

I need… I need a bathroom!

[sighs]

Hey!

Open this door,
or I'm gonna take a piss on the floor!

[sighs]

[sighs]

[exhales sharply]

[zipper unzips]

[urine trickling]

[moans]

You're too late.

-[guard] Come with me.
-[sighs]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Brian] So?

Nile Jarvis?

[chuckles] Yeah.

None of the files you grabbed
was his fitness app.

But I did find a heavily encrypted link

to a private network.

You know him?

When was this recorded?

[Simone] It wasn't.

This is a live feed.

Can you

trace where he is?

No way. Feed's running through
multiple VPNs, so it's untraceable.

OpSec is flawless.

I copied the decrypted link
and pasted it to the drive,

so you can show it to your people.

You are bringing this
to the Bureau, right?

[breathing heavily]

[tense music playing]

[Steve barking]

[keys jingling]

[barking continues]

[Aggie] Aw. Oh.

-[Steve whines]
-Hey.

Hey. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, love.

I'm sorry, baby.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

You just needed a walk.
Yeah, it's not your fault.

Oh, baby. [kisses, sniffles]

[phone buzzing]

[phone buzzing]

Hey. I was starting to worry.

I've been calling.

Did you get into his files?

Yeah.

So you accessed his fitness app?

Are… are you there?

There was nothing.

[scoffs]

Nothing?

No, they didn't go anywhere that night.
He was asleep by 10:00.

Look, this is my fault.

For getting you into this.
We didn't even know each other, and I…

I put these ideas in your head.

You played a hunch. I get it.

We all go a little crazy sometimes.

But there's nothing else for you to do.

I mean it, Aggie. Let it go.

For your own good.

[stirring music playing]

[breathes deeply]

[distant siren wailing]

[keypad beeps]

[Aggie] And what is bloodlust, really,

if not that same death instinct
turned safely outward?

[sighs]

We are, all of us, drawn to monsters.

[barks]

Enthralled by the fantasy that any of us
brave enough to sling a stone

can slay Goliath.

We play the hero,

the savior,

valiant and righteous.

So we hunt the beasts that prey upon us.

Convinced our act of violence
will be the thing that keeps us safe.

But does it, in the end?

Once Goliath is vanquished,

the dragon slain,

deep down we know the real threat remains

within us,

ever present…

itching for release.

[suspenseful music playing]

[car alarm chirps]

The truth is,

we need our villains

alive and well.

Because without them,

we're left to face ourselves.

[breathes deeply]

[suspenseful music continues]

[music intensifies]

[music swells]

[music subsides]

You brought company.

My chief of staff, Elijah Garrity.

[Elijah] Hi there.

What do you want?

So we own this building,

this entire square block,
as I'm sure you know,

but our plans to develop this space
are now shot,

thanks to city council regulation.

[Nile clears throat]

[blows] Asbestos.

Uh, don't worry. Trace amounts. Sub .5%.

Barely detectable.

Well below the level requiring remediation
in every municipality in this country,

except New York City.

What are we doing here, Mr. Jarvis?

Other than getting exposed to asbestos.

You survived
the New York public school system.

Wow. Funny.

Look, we both know
I'm just a useful boogeyman

that you're using to rile up the crowd.

And granted, it is working.
I appreciate your instincts.

I mean, taking me down
as an opening gambit? Brilliant.

What do you really want? Long term.

Because you're smart. You're ambitious.

But progressive wells,
they run dry quickly.

Five bucks at a time.

[Elijah] Your point being?

My point being is,
I am willing to take the write-down

and donate all of this land to the city.

If Olivia approves your zoning plans
for Jarvis Yards.

It's a win-win.

You spin this whole thing
like it's your idea.

Olivia Benitez, the young upstart

who extracted her pound of flesh
from the big, bad Jarvis family

to alleviate
the affordable housing crisis.

Throw in some green space.

You make the rounds on MSNBC.

You bring in your mainstream libs,

the ones you still need to convince
you're not just some naive ideologue,

but that you're here to make some moves.

My vote isn't for sale.

[splutters, chuckles]

Being a radical,

it gets you attention.

Showing you're a pragmatist,
that gets you donors.

The kind you need to level up,
run for Congress, mayor,

maybe even someday governor.

You're young, and you're talented.

And you're playing the long game
even if you don't even know that yet.

Take the win.

What do you think?

I think we're done here.

[tense music playing]

[Nile] f*ck!

-[sighs]
-[phone line ringing]

[Martin] So what did she say?
She go for it?

Uh, I got her attention, but, um…

-But… but what?
-Uh…

She says she's not for sale.

[Martin grunts] So, no.

All right.

I'll find another way
for her to change her mind.

You don't take the carrot,
you use the stick.

Right?

Right.

[tense music continues]

[g*n c*ck]

[Brian] Turn around.

What the f*ck is wrong with you?

Turn around!

Hands on your head.

This is private property, Agent Abbott,

so unless you have a warrant,
it is trespassing.

I can tell you where she is.

Madison, I mean.

What did you say?

[grunts]

[dramatic music playing]

[grunts]

[gasps]

[screams]

[both grunting]

[gasping]

[straining]

[grunts]

[Brian coughs, wheezes]

[dramatic music intensifies]

[music subsides]

[gasps] Jesus!

[Steve barks]

f*ck.

Hey.

-Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.
-What time is it?

It's… it's after midnight.
But I saw your lights on, so…

Honestly, I've had a hell of a day, and I…

I felt like talking to someone.
And I realized it wasn't my wife.

Looks like you've had a head start.
Maybe I could

catch up?

I could really use a drink.

[sighs]

Sure. Come on in.

Thanks.

["Tonight You Belong To Me" playing]

-♪ I know ♪
-♪ I know ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To somebody new ♪

♪ But tonight ♪

[Nile] Thanks.

♪ You belong to me ♪

-♪ Although ♪
-♪ Although ♪

♪ We're apart ♪

♪ You're a part of my heart ♪

♪ And tonight ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To me ♪

♪ Way down by the stream ♪

♪ How sweet it will seem ♪

♪ Once more just to dream ♪

♪ In the moonlight ♪

♪ My honey ♪

-♪ I know ♪
-♪ I know ♪

♪ With the dawn ♪

♪ That you ♪

♪ Will be gone ♪

♪ But tonight ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To me ♪

♪ But tonight ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To me ♪

♪ Way down, way down along the stream ♪

♪ How very, very sweet it will seem ♪

♪ Once more just to dream ♪

♪ In the silvery moonlight ♪

♪ My honey ♪

-♪ I know ♪
-♪ I know ♪

♪ With the dawn ♪

♪ That you ♪

♪ Will be gone ♪

♪ But tonight ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To me ♪

♪ But tonight ♪

♪ You belong ♪

♪ To me ♪

♪ Just to little old me ♪