01x03 - Optics

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Homecoming". Aired: November 2018 to present.*
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Heidi Bergman leaves Homecoming; a facility helping soldiers to start a new life. She gets a job as a waitress and is questioned years later about why she left. Which leaves her to question why she's been misled and what the true purpose of the facility was. "Homecoming" is based off a podcast of the same name.
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01x03 - Optics

Post by bunniefuu »

(PEN CLICKING)

(PEN CLICKS)

(CLICKING CONTINUES)

(TYPING)

(PHONE RINGING NEARBY)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(LIGHT BUZZING)

(LIGHTS BUZZING)

(PEN CLICKING)

(PEN CLICKING)

(LADDER SQUEAKING)

(SIGHING): Oh, God.

What are you ?

What is this?

What?

We're not robbing a bank.

What are you doing?

Hey, stop!

We're just gonna go get a beer.

Sure we are.

Come on, then.

I got it.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Can I help you?

Maybe.

Yeah, um, we've kind of got a little problem.

Oh.

What?

Well, uh, you know, we've really been looking forward to coming home, and now we're here, and it's like I mean, look at this place.

REINA: It's weird, right?

I think we're the only thing in this whole building.

- (LAUGHS)

- WALTER: Yeah, not much to do.

REINA: I think we have some board games.

Do you like Monopoly?

- Yeah.

- Or Twister?

(CHUCKLES)

WALTER: Well, actually, I was thinking maybe me and him could run into town, grab a beer?

REINA: Town?

WALTER: Yeah, nothing far.

I mean, that that'd be okay, right?

REINA: What are you asking WALTER: Is there a bus or something we could take?

REINA: It's just, um, there Uh, I think the I think there's a form

- that you need to

- A form?

Yeah, I You know what, it's I think it's in the back.

If you could just Could you just wait here for a second?

- Yeah, yeah, no problem.

- Okay.

(EXHALES)

See?

She said it's okay.

No, she didn't.

Look.

Hi.

Someone's trying to leave the premises What the f*ck?

Shrier.

(CAR ALARM CHIRPS)

Are you f*cking nuts?

- Yo, in or out?

- All we got to do is fill out a stupid form There are no f*cking forms!

- Listen to me.

- (STARTS ENGINE)

All right, you stay, all right?

I'll be okay.

Really.

(TIRES SQUEAL)

(ELECTRONIC STATIC)

(ELECTRONIC STATIC)

(CLICK, ELECTRONIC STATIC)

(CLICK, ELECTRONIC STATIC)

(TIRES SCREECHING IN DISTANCE)

(WHISPERING): What the f*ck?

(HORN HONKS)

- (HORN HONKING)

- Don't do anything until they do, all right?

(HONKING)

(TIRES SQUEALING, HORN HONKING)

(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)

See?

Florida.

You see palm trees, you say Florida.

License plates, Florida Yeah, that's 'cause it's Florida.

Walter, they built a functioning North African village outside of f*cking Tucson.

I know.

I was there.

That was a training exercise.

- Exactly.

- No, not "exactly.

" I'm not agreeing with you.

Look, they had the food.

All right?

The furniture.

Think about what you're saying.

This entire area for miles They had the f*cking smells, Walter.

All right?

I it was perfect.

What, you don't think they could pull off Florida?

Does it seem like this would be difficult for them?

Who's "them"?

(CHUCKLES)

Look, I know you're trying to keep us safe, okay?

- Don't patronize me.

- I'm not.

I'm just saying, this is different, man.

All right?

So you don't got to worry so much anymore.

Why?

Why?

Why is this different?

Because they want to help us.

Okay?

The whole point of this program is to help us.

(CHUCKLES)

Uh, listen, I know that lady's friendly or whatever, but you have to be careful what you say to her.

- Who, Heidi?

- Yeah, Heidi.

Even that name, man, it's like, come on.

Okay, so, what, she she's a part of this whole thing, this what?

Exercise.

Okay.

Yes.

Just like Tucson, but it hasn't started yet.

What would any of this be training us for?

To see what we'd do if we were deployed here.

At home.

Where the f*ck are we?

SHRIER: Shoe store.

Look familiar?

f*ck.

They got us, they got us.

(INDISTINCT RADIO TRANSMISSION)

- w*apon.

- Wait, Shrier, no!

Shrier!

(GRUNTING)

Wait.

(FISH t*nk BUBBLING)

(LAUGHS)

I'm sorry.

It's just funny now.

That's why it looked all frozen.

It was a retirement community.

Everyone was asleep.

I don't think you're grasping the seriousness of this.

No.

No, no, no.

That's what I'm trying to say.

Everything's fine now.

It's fine.

I didn't want you to have to come in on your day off.

Me and Shrier apologized.

We picked up the old guy and we told him we just got back.

And it turns out he was in the Navy, so he was basically cool.

Look, it was stupid, I know.

He was definitely happy to see us get back in that van.

- I'll bet he was.

- But the point is, Shrier's fine now.

I mean, seriously, when we were driving back, I hadn't seen him that happy in a long time.

I mean, he was wrong and he knows it.

We're in Florida, we're getting help.

That's all there is to it.

I am glad to hear that.

Shrier's a good guy.

It's just things that worked well for him over there, they don't work as well here, you know?

They'll keep that in mind, right?

Who?

Well, I mean if if there's gonna be any disciplinary action, you you'll tell them, right?

You'll tell them it was my fault, that Shrier's all right.

Do you feel like you have to take care of Shrier?

Take care?

No.

But you two are close.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

I mean, well, yeah, I mean we spent a lot of time together.

Like, a lot.

It's It's nice, that camaraderie.

(LAUGHS)

Actually, I was gonna say annoying.

Like weird or I don't know.

You ever spent way too much time with someone?

How do you mean?

- Well, are you married?

- No.

- But you have a boyfriend.

- Where you going with all this?

Okay.

Uh Let's say we're taking a road trip somewhere.

Who is?

We are?

- Mm-hmm.

- Okay.

Where are we going?

How about Yosemite?

- Sure.

- Okay.

We're taking a road trip to Yosemite.

That's, what, like 3,000 miles?

- At least.

- Okay, but we figure that'll be half the fun, right?

The drive out there.

I mean, we'll make a cool playlist, we'll stop at weird local diners, talk to old cowboys.

But the rest of the time, we're essentially just driving in the car.

What do we do in the car?

- Oh, are you asking me?

- Yeah.

Oh, um, we could read aloud to each other.

Sure, um That's incredibly nerdy, but

(LAUGHS)

- (CHUCKLES)

- Okay.

And then we're doing what?

We're talking about what we're gonna do - when we get there, right?

- Mm-hmm.

- I mean, check out the scenery, the animals.

- Yeah.

But then for the rest of the time, we're just driving.

And it gets boring.

Even if we're the most interesting people in the world.

The playlist is over, we're not hungry anymore, we ran out of funny stories to tell.

I'm tired of reading aloud.

And I'm tired of listening to it.

- (LAUGHS)

- And for a second, it gets almost scary like, we did this on purpose?

And now we just got to keep on going?

But it's that moment, that boredom that's when you really get to know a person, you know?

You're forced to be yourself or as close to your real self as you can be in front of another person.

You have no choice.

(WHISPERING): This road trip sounds terrible.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

You should try it with people sh**ting at you.

Right.

But you get what I mean, right?

Uh (CLEARS THROAT)

sure.

I do.

WALTER: You haven't, have you?

- (TURNS PEN)

- Haven't what?

Taken a road trip with a boyfriend.

Uh, on a road trip Wow.

I've had boyfriends.

Yeah, but that's not what I asked you.

I know that's not what you asked me.

I mean, come on.

Windows down, radio's on, flying through the pines.

(PHONE VIBRATES)

Colin, hi.

Uh (CLEARS THROAT)

yes, I'm actually talking to him right now.

Got your feet up on the dashboard.

- (CLEARS THROAT SOFTLY)

- He's staring at you.

Certainly.

Thanks.

- (LAUGHS SOFTLY)

- (HEIDI SIGHS)

No, I haven't.

Happy?

Mm, I'm satisfied.

(DISHES CLATTERING)

I'm sorry, I know we missed the farmers market.

- There was an emergency at work.

- That's fine.

Gave me a chance to think; I realized a few things.

- You've changed.

You know that?

- (SCOFFS)

Changed to what?

Well, I don't know.

That's the part that scares me.

You're working constantly.

You never tell me anything about what you're doing.

What is there to tell?

It's work.

Well, it's literally the only thing you care about.

If we really love each other,

- then I think we should

- If we what?

Love each Heidi Jesus Christ.

I'm really starting to think that we're on really different pages here.

- I agree.

- About what?

I think it might be best.

No, Heidi, I'm talking about moving out.

I know.

W we don't have to rush into anything.

(PHONE VIBRATES)

Don't answer that.

Please.

Look at me.

Look at me.

Don't answer that.

- I - (VIBRATING CONTINUES)

Give it to me.

Give it.

Are you seriously ?

Hi, Colin, can you hold on just a second?

We're done.

Get your sh*t out of my bathroom and your f*cking forks.

There we go.

Can you ?

Hi.

Can you hear me?

Hey, listen honey, you're gonna have to finish Dad, okay?

Soon.

Daddy has to get on this call.

- Listen - I - Sorry.

- Colin, I didn't catch that.

Yeah, it's okay.

I'm home.

- Oh, that's nice.

- Yeah, it's my little girl's birthday today, so, you know, not really something I could push.

- No, of course not.

- (MEOWS)

- Oh.

- (LAUGHS)

- Um, Colin, Colin?

- Heidi, continue.

- Go ahead.

- Hello?

Heidi?

- Come on.

Shrier?

- Um oh, yes.

Did you see my report on that?

Yeah, I did.

So, did we reassign him?

He's gone, right?

Well, I just, I just wanted to to wait - What?

No.

Wait?

- and speak to you before We don't have to wait.

What are we waiting for?

The guy's a classic week five burnout.

Paranoid ideation, irritability, anxiety, got impulse control problems.

No, we don't need those kind of results.

No, thank you.

Right, but don't you think that, you know, cutting him off midstream might have serious effects that we should observe?

Heidi, the client is experiencing adverse effects, - correct?

- Well, yes.

- Hello?

- Yes.

Okay, and so, we have a protocol for that, right?

(WHISPERING): I'm sorry.

Domestic reassignment.

- I I'm just concerned.

- Don't overthink it, Heidi.

Well, we've seen what happens when we pull someone off the medication partway.

Yeah, I'm aware of that, Heidi.

You don't have - to explain it to me.

- No, no.

I know.

I'm sorry.

- I wrote the f*cking protocol.

- I just, you know Shrier is ramped up to week four dosage, so taking him off the medication now, the withdrawals could be serious panic att*cks, hallucinations.

Uh, I mean, are his is his family really equipped - to handle that?

- Okay.

So now you're talking about something that's completely outside of our jurisdiction.

You know what?

Two minutes.

Give me two minutes.

- No, but, Colin, if you could just listen - Heidi, Heidi, Shrier belongs with his family now.


That's the protocol.

No, him and his friend, too.

What's his name?

Cruz?

Yeah, he's gone, too.

So ah!

f*ck.

Wait.

You want to remove Walter Cruz?

He was in the van with him, wasn't he?

With Shrier?

b*at up the old guy, the security guard, whatever the hell No.

No, no.

Didn't you read ?

- I wrote all this up.

- He stole a vehicle, Heidi.

Okay?

Threatened a civilian.

- He's paranoid.

He's agitated.

- No It's the same thing as with Shrier, right?

- No, no, no, not at all.

- So we should just cut bait - with the both of them.

What do you mean?

- Cruz has shown no problematic symptoms, none.

I think this was a situation where he just really felt compelled to help his friend.

He really believes in the process.

- Yeah, okay, well, I don't - He's committed to it.

Uh, no, I don't think so.

I think it's too much of a risk.

Like, we should just expel.

No, I no, um, I mean, I understand what you're saying.

I'm only hesitating because I think, with Cruz, we'd be missing a real opportunity.

O optically.

Optically?

Yeah yes.

Yes, I think that, uh, you know, Cruz is gonna provide us with some really powerful data.

Yeah, okay, but it still doesn't And and if th this incident is on his report, I mean, just imagine how that will really, uh, you know, dramatize the progress.

He's a perfect case study, you know?

Uh-huh.

No, that is interesting.

I mean, he is a tough case, right?

And, you know, he's he's got a lot of issues, and w we would have lost him, but then, of course, because the Exactly, the treatment is so effective.

Uh-huh.

All right, well, that sounds great, Heidi.

That sounds great.

As long as y you feel confident that there's not gonna be - any additional misbehavior.

- No, I feel confident.

Very confident.

Nope.

I will take full responsibility.

S so, if there's nothing else, Colin Hey, we're getting full attendance at the lunches, right?

Everyone's getting full doses?

Uh, yeah, as far as we can tell, you know, considering that we're administering the medication - in this unconventional - Yeah, well, listen, these are highly paranoid, highly unstable people here, okay?

They're noncompliant.

Half of them don't even take the placebo, right?

Look, if you don't feel confident the cafeteria is correctly administering the medicine No, no, no.

I'm not I'm not saying that.

Maybe that's the problem anyway here, right?

If they're getting insufficient med you know what?

Maybe we should be giving them the medication at lunch and dinner.

What?

No.

Doubling the dosage?

What's your feeling on that?

- Uh - Pivot?

I think we would run the risk of seriously overmedicating the clients.

I mean, that could really lead to confusion, - loss of skills - Ah, wait, wait, wait.

- recovery time.

- Loss loss of skills?

Really?

They'd be unfit, you're saying?

Unfit, yes, exactly.

- Uh, significant impairment.

- Okay.

Okay, well, that's not something that we want.

- (SINGING IN DISTANCE)

- I still th sh*t, sh*t.

- They're doing the cake.

- Oh, the cake.

Oh, well, happy birthday to

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Yay.

(SIGHS)

(EXHALES)

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

- Hi.

You actually showed.

- How are you?

Oh, well, yeah, thanks thanks for for coming.

It's You guys need menus?

- Oh, sure.

- Oh, no.

- We're just gonna get a drink, and - We could eat a Uh, or we can eat, certainly.

No, that's fine.

Um, we'll have two vodka martinis, please?

- WAITRESS: Okay.

- Thanks.

That's what you like, right?

Uh, sure.

Yeah.

So (LAUGHS SOFTLY)

How have you been?

Good.

Good, just trying to take good care of myself.

Yeah, I left Keebler.

- Oh.

That's good?

- Yeah They completely reorganized the whole marketing department.

Massive layoffs, dozens of us.

- Oh, wow.

- Yeah.

It was just such a viper's nest.

You know, cutthroat, ruthless.

Yeah, my job now is more straightforward.

Well, that sounds great.

- I'm a personal trainer.

- Yeah oh.

I was gonna ask.

Yeah, thank you.

It's, um, CrossFit-based but not CrossFit per se.

- Mm-hmm.

- Uh, sort of my own philosophy.

Um, so how about you?

- How's Tampa?

- Oh, I moved back home.

You did?

Is there a a VA near there or a base or something?

No.

No, I'm a waitress now.

You're joking.

You, you quit your job?

The only thing you cared about?

Anthony, that's not true.

Well, that's not how I remember it.

Well, that's actually why I wanted to talk.

I wanted to, um just, I know that things didn't end well, and I, I guess I could have handled it better.

- You guess?

- And I would like to, um I mean, I'm sure that you've moved on, but No, I haven't.

Oh.

I appreciate you reaching out, Heidi, uh, I've thought about this moment a lot, actually.

- Me, too.

- That's a surprise.

It never seemed like that at all.

How did it seem?

It seemed like you didn't care - about anything except your job.

- Okay.

Which, I understand how important that was for you, helping those guys, but it it was hard for me.

And you had that boss who was calling constantly.

- My boss?

- Yeah, Colin?

I don't know.

Your boss or your supervisor?

Colin.

Right, right.

Yeah, um, and, I mean, I was thinking marriage, kids, the whole thing.

It's just it's just so hard when you meet on the Internet.

I don't know you don't know what the stakes are Did I say anything about work?

- What?

- I mean, that seemed weird.

Weird?

I don't Anything that I was really stressing out about?

Is this why you wanted to see me?

- No.

- Because it seems like you're really interested in what I remember about your job, not what I was going through.

- Oh, no.

- You didn't tell me anything important, if that's what you're worried about.

Your precious top secret job was always off limits.

In fact, you treated me like a g*dd*mn child.

- Anthony - I can't believe this.

Are you trying to cover your tracks or what?

You haven't changed at all.

Why did you even want to see me?

I just wanted to talk about what happened.

To us?

Sure.

Mm-hmm.

You know, we we dated for months, and I Jesus Christ, Heidi, it was almost a year.

- Okay.

Exactly.

- Yeah.

We were dating and I got the job down there - and you helped me move.

- Right.

And then, the end.

What what happened?

Uh, what was that like for you?

It Well, uh, I mean, for me it was over.

Us.

I just was trying to explain that to you and be gentle at the same time, and your boss called

- Colin.

- Y yeah.

What why do you keep saying his name like that?

- How?

- Like you've never heard of him.

He called constantly.

It drove you crazy.

I don't You don't remember him?

Uh No, I don't.

I re I remember moving down there, and that's all.

(LIVELY MUSIC PLAYING)

(PAPER SHUFFLING)

(EXHALES)

(LIGHT BUZZES)

(MARKER SQUEAKS)

(LIGHT BUZZES)

(LIGHT BUZZES)

(LIGHT BUZZES)

(LIGHT BUZZING)

(PAPER SHUFFLING)
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