Original subtitles

(BED CREAKING)

Judith?

(POP MUSIC PLAYING OVER HEADPHONES)

Judith.

Oh, man, you're a deep sleeper.

I thought you'd never wake up.

Oh, I've had this dream before.

Look, I don't have much time. Let me do the talking.

How do you not have much time? You're dead.

Whatever. That's your perspective.

You're not dead?

Well, it turns out

all that stuff Lischak was talking about is true.

You know, relativity, string theory...

(CHUCKLING) Different dimensions.

The human eye can only see

a fragment of the electromagnetic spectrum.

But that's not the point.

You're about to be tested, so you need to get ready.

Are you talking about finals? No.

This sounds bad. I'm not good with tests.

Here's what you need to remember.

It's all true, and you're not alone.

Is it gonna be, like, written, oral, essay, multiple choice?

Do I need to run or jump?

Are superpowers required, because I don't have any.

Of course you do.

I knew it.

God's behind this, isn't he?

He's behind everything.

By the way, Adam and Cruella?

I was so wrong.

Yeah. Can you believe it?

It's good you forgave him, though.

Well, he did almost freeze to death.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Your hair looks good.

Yeah? I want to cut it.

No way. It's hot.

I really miss you.

I didn't go anywhere.

I'm just hard to see sometimes.

But you're okay?

Be strong, Jo-Jo.

Oh, hey. Watch this.

Cool, huh?

(CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS)

Yeah, like I can go to sleep now.

(KETTLE WHISTLING)

Judith?

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

♪ What if God was one of us?

♪ Just a slob like one of us

♪ Just a stranger on the bus

♪ Trying to make his way home

♪ Just trying to make his way home

♪ Just trying to make his way home

♪ Just trying to make his way home ♪

Honey, wake up.

You've slept through two snooze alarms.

What time is it?

Late. The kids are all up.

Oh, God.

I had the strangest dream.

I saw Judith.

She was in our kitchen.

You've been working too hard.

No, I--I was just making a cup of tea,

and she just walked right through the kitchen.

God, I could've sworn I was awake.

No, no. I'm not sick.

Okay.

I swear I listened all year,

I took notes, I--I got B's,

but it's like I never even saw this stuff before.

Physics is hard to retain.

It's counterintuitive to the way

we day-to-day perceive the world.

I mean, we ignore the quantum and trust the Newtonian. It's habit.

I have no idea what you just said.

That's because men understand science better.

They've done studies, Grace.

Ah! Not you, you don't count.

What?

See, we don't fundamentally believe in subatomic probability.

I mean, I do, but, you know, I'm a science stud.

Science and stud do not go together, dude.

Jonas Salk had a very sexy jawline.

Why do you know that?

So, you're all confident about the physics final?

I don't study for finals.

It's against the laws of anarchy.

How can there be laws of anarchy?

I really need to update my portfolio

so I can get an internship this summer.

Otherwise, it's back to the hotel,

a fate worse than death.

GRACE: I have to get a job this summer, too.

My dad is threatening to make me work at the temple.

Camp counselor.

Girardi, what's with the zombie look?

I saw Rocky.

Wait, Rocky?

FREIDMAN: Dead Rocky?

Every year this time, she breaks down.

It's like her warranty's up.

You looking for me, Joan?

What are you doing here?

I wasn't sure you'd see me.

Sometimes you don't.

Are you around a lot?

Well, I like to check in.

What's going on?

You and Judith don't know you're dead?

I have to show you to the other side?

Go to the light. That's my advice.

You watch too many movies.

Why is this happening to me?

There's been a disturbance in your magnetic field.

You'll understand it soon. I have to go now.

Rocky.

Rocky, wait!

Rocky, come on!

I need to know more.

(CHUCKLES)

I got you guys.

I got you guys. Man, that was easy.

So not funny, dude.

Hey, Will?

Guy out here, he says he has an appointment.

I pretended to be your assistant,

which I thought was kind of fun.

Who is he?

New president of the Citizens' Watchdog Committee.

Oh, here we go.

Now, now, you promised to play nice with the citizens.

I don't remember that.

(SCOFFS) He's about 12. Don't eat him alive.

I promise to cook him first.

Ryan Hunter, Lieutenant Girardi.

We meet again.

Well, this is a surprise.

I meant to introduce myself in this capacity

the night of the rescue,

but I felt you had enough on your mind.

Please.

I'd like to reiterate my gratitude

for saving my daughter's friend.

I suppose this automatically qualifies you as a good citizen?

Anyone would have done the same.

So, what can I do for the citizens, Mr. Hunter?

As you know, this counsel was formed

in the wake of the various scandals

inside the Arcadia Police Force.

Most of which you brought to light.

So you know it's my highest goal

to keep the department clean

and accountable to the community.

We're just here to help you realize that goal.

Out of curiosity, why would a young guy like you

want this job?

I have the dubious distinction of being independently wealthy.

I always meant to do that.

I was just in the right dot com place

at the right time,

and also had sense enough to get out.

It's in my DNA to give back to the community.

Well, you let me know what you need from us.

Police reports, stats, tickets to the pancake dinner.

It cuts both ways.

We're here to help you in any way that we can,

so don't hesitate to pick up the phone.

Great.

Well, this was painless.

Hope it stays that way.

My hope as well.

HELEN: I don't know if this makes sense,

but I see things that aren't there,

except they are.

And then sometimes they happen.

Yes, we call that crazy.

No, listen.

Last night I saw Joan's dead friend Judith,

only I was not dreaming.

I really did see her.

Okay.

And last year, when Joan got sick,

somehow I knew, and I just went to the hospital,

and there she was.

And the night of Kevin's accident,

I had this vision of him lying on the ground,

and then the cops came.

So is there anything this could be

other than I'm having a breakdown?

Well, you could be possessed,

but, you know, usually there's more foaming from the mouth.

Well, thanks. You've been a real comfort.

Okay, look.

There's such a thing as a charism,

but it's rare.

What is a charism?

It comes from the Greek word for gift,

and in theology,

it's a divine spiritual talent

given to people for the good of the community.

There are all kinds.

There's preaching, teaching, prophecy,

and interpretation of tongues.

And the one you're describing

is the discernment of spirits.

Why would I have this? Do you have this?

No.

I prayed for that charism my whole life,

and if you've got it without even being confirmed,

I'm extra pissed at God.

Well, you can have mine.

I don't know what to do with it.

Well, you know, don't panic, okay?

There's still a chance

that you're just losing it.

I mean, after all, your kid went nuts.

Hi.

Well, thanks. I'll cling to that.

Can I have a green tea, please? Sure thing.

Hi, Joan!

It's me. Over here.

JOAN: Oh, God.

That's right. It's me.

Can we cut to the chase?

What's going on?

'Cause I don't wanna go back to crazy camp.

A lot of things are going on.

Gravity, inertia, entropy, electrodynamics,

strong force, weak force.

Oh, so we're being funny now, are we?

I thought you'd be happy to see your friends.

Yes. Alive.

That's-- That's how I like to see my friends.

They were trying to illustrate a point.

Matter is neither created nor destroyed.

Okay, I've been studying physics.

I get that part.

I know you understand it,

but you have to believe it

because it's going to be on the other test

which is unlike any test you've ever had.

No chance you could help me study for this one,

maybe give me an advance copy?

Just start with the question.

What question?

The one you asked the first time you saw me.

Think about it.

Why me?

That's the one.

How about you?

Uh, I went with sugar and chemicals.

I'm good.

Why aren't you with Lilly?

She dump you?

You know, sometimes I do the dumping.

I'm not always the dumpee.

Hmm.

Did you dump Lilly?

Nobody got dumped. We both had to work.

Oh.

So it's really just me that's all alone and pathetic.

Pretty much.

What do you remember about me as a kid?

Well, I remember once you stuffed beans up your nose.

Kev, seriously.

Was there anything special about me?

There was Ya-Ya.

What?

You had this imaginary friend named Ya-Ya.

You were always talking to him.

Mom had to pretend to make sandwiches for him,

no one was allowed to sit in his chair,

we had to make room for him in the car.

You were totally obsessed with it.

And you got really mad

if anyone said he wasn't real.

What did he look like?

You said he always was different

and sometimes he was a girl.

Then one day when you were four or... four or five,

you announced he was gone.

You said, uh,

"I can't see Ya-Ya anymore."

You weren't sad, just matter of fact.

Kind of like a sociopath.

You wanna hear about the time

you threw up spaghetti on Hazel the babysitter?

No.

No, I'm good for now. Good night.

It was hilarious. It was in her hair.

(HELEN LAUGHING)

What are you doing?

Stop, you're making a mess!

Stop!

Th-That's not funny!

(CLOWN LAUGHING)

Whoa.

Should God look weirder than they do?

Hey, do something.

It's not up to me.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

WILL: Okay, got it. I'll be right there.

Yeah, I know the place.

I have to go.

They're just clowns.

Right.

(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)

(SIREN WAILING)

WILL: Is the damage confined to this area?

Yes, and nothing is missing.

Some of the icons are gold or silver.

This is just vandalism.

Any disgruntled parishioners?

Angry mail? Threats?

Someone's always disgruntled,

and hate mail comes with the territory.

But nothing unusual, nothing too disturbing.

I don't think it's kids.

We've had that before.

It's terrible, Father.

You know, I'm not a religious guy,

but it's hard to look at a thing like this.

Thank you.

Uh, I should go make some phone calls.

And we're gonna find who did this.

Sick bastard.

I mean the perp, not the Father.

You Catholic, boss?

Call Forensics.

I did. They're on their way.

See what's keeping 'em.

(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)

Hi.

Studying. Ignoring you.

This won't take long.

I'm not gonna help you, okay?

It's every physicist for himself.

Just explain the electromagnetic spectrum to me.

Nope.

Luke, it's not for class. It's personal.

You have personal issues with the electromagnetic spectrum?

I just want to understand it a little better.

I'll pay you $10 and I'll clean your room.

$20. And that includes the fish tank.

Chicken?

Okay.

This is the electromagnetic spectrum.

Give me your ring.

Okay.

This is what the human eye can see of it.

Over here we have atoms, molecules,

particles, magnetic fields, gravity, blah, blah, blah.

Stuff that we can't see, but which we can quantify

with mathematical equations based on its behavior.

That is, we can construct a feasible metaphor.

What's over here?

Everything else.

What do you mean?

Dimensions, time warps, time travel, I mean...

Stuff we haven't figured out how to do yet.

Ghosts.

Yeah, ghosts, UFOs, shape-shifting,

whatever you like.

Everything's possible that has not been defined.

So where's God?

No, I cannot get into God

because that's unified field theory,

and that's my area and I'm not giving you the edge.

Luke.

(INHALES)

(EXHALES)

Breathe through your nose.

(INHALES)

Look at him badgering the priest.

Well, it is his job to get the story.

Whose side are you on?

His.

Oh, right.

I saw this.

I knew this was gonna happen.

I--I dreamt about it.

Don't.

No, I can't help it. It's true.

Well, did you happen to dream about who did it?

Clowns.

In my dream it was clowns.

I don't think there's a charism for clowns.

Yesterday you took this seriously.

Okay, I'm sorry. All right?

I just get cranky when I'm picking up

broken pieces of saints.

Looks like it might be related

to another church vandalism case over in Marsten.

If that pans out, then it's a serial thing,

and then it's a front page story.

Is that what this is to you?

A byline?

This is news.

Printing the story is only gonna help catch the guy.

Isn't that what you want?

I--I want it not to have happened.

I think that's everyone's first choice.

People pray in here. Do you get that?

They come in here with their insides all churned up

and their hearts hurting,

and all of their dead relatives,

and their hopes and dreams and failures,

and what keeps them awake at night,

and they put it in here.

And some creep comes in here and does this

without even thinking about what it means.

Lilly.

No, you don't care. You just dabble in it.

And you just wanna write a story about it,

but to me, this was everything.

(STUDENTS CHATTERING)

God's here.

How's it goin'?

Why do you ask questions you know the answer to?

To give you the opportunity to respond.

Of course.

Thanks for all the extra work at exam time.

You've already done most of the work, Joan.

The last couple of years,

think of them as kind of a training ground,

a spiritual boot camp.

You're doing quite well.

And I'm God. I should know.

Whatever it is you're preparing me for,

I'm not ready.

You will be.

Oh, look, there's Adam.

Why don't you go say hi?

Were you Ya-Ya?

Why do you ask questions that you know the answer to?

(SIGHS)

Hey, Jane.

You remember Ryan, right?

Sure.

Good to see you again.

Get this, Ryan was just jogging by

and we ran into each other, totally random.

And, you know, we were talking.

I--I was mentioning to him I was looking for an internship,

so, uh, he thinks he can get me one at the Herald.

The paper, where my brother works?

He owns it.

Owns the paper?

More like a silent partner.

So, what are you, like, rich?

I've been lucky.

So, uh, I'll set up a meeting for next week.

Great. Thanks.

I really have to jet on my portfolio,

so I'll see you later, Jane.

You've been really good to Adam.

I think saving his life was probably enough.

Why don't you like me, Joan?

I don't not like you.

I don't know you.

We have a lot more in common than you realize.

Oh, really? Besides Adam?

I saw you talking to her.

Who?

The custodian?

Yeah. Nice metaphor.

Kind of relentless, isn't she?

Or he?

A little annoying.

Omnipresent and always right.

You...

You can see...

God.

Since I was about your age.

We'll have plenty of time to talk.

(WIND HOWLING)

The hour before that, nada.

It's dead, Sammy.

It's like there are plagues coming.

Please, just let me close up. I have to study.

(DOOR OPENS)

Oh. Oh, wait, there's a customer.

He hasn't heard about the plagues.

I'll call you back later.

Hi, we're...

Oh.

Hi.

It's you.

And it's me.

Here we are.

Do you have anything on how to run a newspaper?

You're kidding, right?

Not really.

Just about everything I know was self-taught.

All the information in the world

right here for the taking.

Most people don't know how to use it.

That's to our advantage.

That and the other thing.

Right. Yeah.

Of course.

So, when did it all start for you?

Oh, I was 14.

I was a lonely, emotional kid.

And when my parents got divorced,

I needed someone to talk to.

So I made him up.

And suddenly, he was real.

You know why you were chosen and all that?

I don't really care.

Where do you think it's leading?

I mean, there must be some kind of big plan.

Right? That's why we're meeting.

It's all coming together.

Like I said, Joan, I just don't care.

What do you mean?

Well, he's master of the universe,

he created everything.

I'm supposed to be impressed?

With this universe?

You do watch the news occasionally?

Yeah, but...

If he were really that divine,

not to mention smart and merciful,

he would have scrapped the free will idea.

We would have been like computers.

Intelligent, capable, infallible even,

but not free.

I don't get it.

We don't have to be bossed around

by some love-starved egocentric deity.

I didn't ask to be born, but now that I'm here,

it's all up to me.

I like it that way.

My life is a gift? Okay, thanks.

He can't ask for it back.

Does he know you feel this way?

We've talked about it.

He enjoys the debate.

He's a great conversationalist.

Very well-informed.

If you know that he's God, how can you just say no?

He's in charge.

But he's not.

But he will be.

When it's over, it's over.

That's a little something he left out of the story.

That's not true.

How do you know?

I just know.

Hmm.

Hegel.

I haven't read him in a while.

Do you know what his philosophy was?

Life must be some kind of terrible mistake.

But the beautiful thing, Joan?

It's not my mistake.

Don't look at me like that.

I'm a good guy.

I saved Adam's life.

Okay, so here's what we're looking at.

A Three Stooges film festival.

If you say yes, it's true love.

A Yugoslavian film I can't pronounce

about, uh, people wearing bad clothes and being hungry.

It's quite a masterpiece.

Or a tractor pull. Tractor pull's always good.

Laser tag?

It makes me wanna go back.

What happened at the church.

Y-You mean all the way?

The full metal nun back?

Look, it's just... I was thinking about why I left

and it's because I wasn't sure.

I mean, I had questions. I was angry.

I didn't completely understand what God was up to.

I was just a little confused, that's all.

And so I threw away my whole vocation

because I was a little confused.

That's the whole reason you left?

Okay, the guy thing was part of it.

I mean, I kept thinking about falling in love

and how I would never get to do that.

You're not really supposed to feel that way

if you have a calling.

So I thought maybe I was hiding from life in here,

and now that I'm out,

I feel like I'm hiding from God.

You're just stuck.

Psychological quicksand.

I was like that after the accident.

I didn't want to live. I didn't want to die.

Eventually, one choice just comes into focus.

And you thought I was just handsome.

(CHUCKLES)

Now you're getting warm, Jo-Jo.

A cop and an artist.

An avenger and a visionary.

What kind of kid did you'd think they'd have?

Okay, can you stop showing up like that?

I mean, I miss you, but it freaks me out

because none of my other friends are dead.

Losers.

So it's meant to be.

It's some kind of calling.

Circumstances conspire.

Energies converge into powerful new forces.

That's where you come in.

You have to go.

(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

Come on in.

I can't.

Why not?

It's on fire.

No, it's only water.

(SIREN WAILING)

Something's wrong.

(SIREN BLARING)

(MEN YELLING)

Okay.

They think they've got it contained.

It won't affect the other structures.

Anybody hurt?

No. Synagogue was empty.

Are we looking at the same guy?

Can't know yet.

Rabbi's over here if you want to talk to him.

What's his name? Polanski.

Polanski?

(GLASS CRASHING)

(EXPLOSION)

(FIREMEN SHOUTING)

Joan?

It's late.

Yeah, I know.

How's Grace?

Snoring.

(SIGHING) Yeah.

It's good she can sleep.

Uh, Dad...

I think I know who did it.

What?

The guy who rescued Adam.

Ryan Hunter.

I had the weirdest feeling about him that night.

And I've seen him since,

and we've talked, and he...

Has this thing with God.

He told you this?

He thinks he's smarter than God.

He thinks it's some kind of a game.

You just have to trust me on this.

Joan, a lot of people think they're smarter than God.

A lot of people have big problems in this area.

I'm one of them.

I don't burn down religious institutions.

No, this guy is different.

I--I know it. And don't ask me how I know, I just do.

So please, for once in our lives,

trust that I might know something you don't.

Ryan Hunter was just in my office yesterday.

He's on the Citizens' Watchdog Committee.

He works with the police.

I appreciate you wanting to help,

but you need to leave this to me.

Okay, sweetie?

You just take care of your friend.

Go back to bed.

The place looks better.

I've been thinking about what you said.

Um, I just want you to know it's okay.

Um, I can't compete with God.

On the other hand, I don't feel so slighted losing out to him.

I, uh,

appreciate you

taking me seriously

and giving me a chance.

It could have been fun.

Father Ken said that if I think

I somehow had something to do

with the church getting destroyed,

then I'm making myself too important

and I have to pray for humility.

He also says that I'm feeling this way

because it's the first time

I've really ever

confronted the fact that I'm...

That I could...

That you are...

That we might...

(SIGHS)

You were the first guy

who ever made me...

Speechless?

So because you make me feel so

whatever,

I should probably figure out what this

whatever is

because I can't hide from myself.

Because according to St. Augustine,

"To know yourself is to know God."

I like this Augustine.

And Father Ken.

Is it wrong to make out in a church?

Just checking.

Come on. Let's get out of here.

Okay. So I've made a decision.

Since my father has enough on his mind

with the synagogue being a pile of rubble and all,

I can't afford to flunk physics.

So for the first time in the history of final exams,

I am going to study.

Hey, coma girl. What?

Impromptu study group at lunch? You in?

Oh. Yeah.

(WOMAN CHUCKLING)

Yeah, that's great.

Um...

I'll catch up with you.

Sure. Why not?

Yeah, yeah.

Hi.

Hey. Hi, Joan.

Oh, right. Of course you two know each other.

Yeah, what are you doing here?

Ryan just got elected to the school board.

I'm showing him what he got himself into.

You're on the school board?

Just trying to help out.

(BELL RINGS)

Well, I gotta go to class, so...

Oh, um, I think I've learned enough for one day.

Thank you, Helen. Sure, sure.

All right. Bye.

Bye.

Well, you're just everywhere.

I do what I can.

It's a brilliant idea,

hiding in plain sight.

I'm not hiding, Joan.

I'm onto you.

Beyond what we've discussed?

Beyond that.

Like vandalism and arson.

You can't imagine how lonely I've been

all these years, Joan.

And frustrated knowing there had to be someone out there

with a similar experience, wondering who it was,

and if we'd meet, and when we did,

if that person would be a worthy opponent.

I have to admit,

I never pictured a 16-year-old girl.

Seventeen.

With a working knowledge of physics,

not to mention a real bug up my ass

about anyone who wants to hurt my friends.

The point is I'm impressed.

And I'm excited.

I think this is gonna be a fair fight, don't you?

I have a slight advantage.

I have God on my side.

So far, I have the cops, the newspaper,

and the school board.

He didn't stop any of that from happening.

I think

this is going to be the challenge of a lifetime.

I personally feel violated

that Lischak is including popular science on the exam.

It's like the Maroon 5 of physics.

Admittedly, they have a groove and the lead singer's hot.

People, are we going to study,

or are we going to revert back to hormones?

Well, hormones are physics.

I mean at least the conversion of hormones

can be construed that way.

It's not an evolved form, of course.

Hey.

I got the internship at the paper.

The one Ryan set up for you?

Yeah. He's a real godsend.

Maybe it's not such a good idea for you to do that.

Why not?

I don't like him, Adam.

I thought you did.

No, no.

Actually, it's the opposite. He's just...

He's what?

(SIGHS)

He's what, Jane?

I'll be right back.

Is she spinning out again?

Did she ever stop?

Okay, God, so what's the message here?

Ryan is the adversary?

I told you before, he's a connection.

He's evil.

Connections are mostly neutral, Joan.

Ryan is human,

and every human, by virtue of free will,

has the choice of how to direct his actions

for good or evil.

Yeah, he's made it clear how he's directing his.

He saved Adam. He got him a job.

He trashed churches and burned down a synagogue.

The universe is kinetic, Joan.

Every day, you have to make a choice.

Make it better or worse.

Most people do a little bit of both.

And there are those powerful enough

to overbalance the scales on either end.

So is this fancy talk

for you expect me to save the world?

Counterbalance is a better word.

You want me to fight back?

I expect you to fulfill your true nature,

same as it ever was.

I really don't think I'm up to this.

I think you are,

or else you wouldn't have met him.

(SIGHS)

This--This is seriously going to cut into my normal high school routine.

You never liked high school that much.

If you want me to do this, I get it,

but I can't do it alone.

My own father doesn't believe me.

My ex-boyfriend is siding with the Devil.

I have no weapons.

Other people who have fought back,

you know, the other Joan,

she had an army, okay?

I don't have anything like that.

Where's my army?

(TRAPPED PLAYING)

LUKE: Quit it, Freidman!

♪ And it seems like I'll be wearing the same old chains

Yeah. So basically I'm on my own.

You have everything you need, Joan.

♪ Good will conquer Evil and thee

♪ And I know some day I will find the key

♪ And I know somewhere I will find the key

♪ Well, it seems like I've been playing your game way too long

♪ And it seems the game I've played has made you strong

♪ When the game is over

♪ I won't walk out the loser

♪ Yeah, I know that I'll walk out of here again

♪ Yeah, I know someday I'll walk out of here again

♪ But now I'm trapped

♪ Ooh, yeah

♪ Trapped

♪ Ooh, yeah

♪ Trapped

♪ Ooh, yeah ♪