Introducing: Table Read Podcast | SuburbaKnight Act 1

0:24Apple Vacations, where your story starts. I think something that makes me well-studied to be a nurse is my empathy. Growing up with a big family, I think I've always kind of been a caregiver. When you care give, you get to know the family and the patient and you get really close. And Rasmussen University, they did a very, very good job of giving us the resources that we need. So just being able to apply the knowledge that I've retained to my daily life has been so amazing. Learn more at rasmussen.edu. Bite into a stacked sandwich made with Hero Bread. And the only thing you'll think is delicious.

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1:45It's become one of my favorite apps. All you have to do is scan a product and it instantly tells you if it's ultra processed. If I want to dig a little deeper, I can also see the nutrition quality and overall health quality before I buy it. It makes grocery shopping so much easier. I've got little kids. They're picky eaters, but it really allows me to find brands that are going to taste good for them, but also make their bodies happy. You can download WiseCode on the App Store and give it a try today. All right, so on the count of three, we're going to do Table Read Suburban Night. Ready? One, two, three.

2:22Taylor Reeves Suburbanite! That's pretty good, no? Suburbanite, written by Nick Bannister. Exterior, Walter's Antiques and Curio, day. A modest old antique store. Signs in the window display, sale 40 % off, everything must go. Interior, Walter's Antiques and Curio, day. Walter, 40s, wrinkled clothes, tired eyes. three-day stubble stands amidst a sea of junk. Dated furniture, bookcases, cabinets full of cameras, rotary phones, and old radios. Stacks of dusty books, cases of worn vinyl, racks of old clothes, and strangely, an occasional broadsword or two. It's where forgotten things go to die. Walter walks around the shop with a price gun, mindlessly stamps sales stickers on every item in the place.

3:17Propped in the corner is a complete suit of armor with an exaggerated codpiece covered in spikes. Walters swipes a sales sticker right on the tip. The bell dings and the door swings open. A customer enters. Hiya, welcome to Walt's Antiques. If we don't have it, it didn't exist. The man ignores the cheerful greeting. Yeah, you got phone charges? Walters smiles in sincerely. Interior, Walters Antiques and Curio Day. At the big old cash register, Walter rings up the man's meager purchase. That'll be$27.50. Christ, for that? It's an antique. It has history. Oh, is that why it costs so much? That is why it's worth so much.

3:58Fuck, it's junk. Now I'll give you$5. Walter forces a resigned smile service workers know well. Sure. Walter takes the man's money and he exits. The bell dings. Walter opens the cash drawer and puts in the five. Taped to the cash register is a photo of Walter and his dad in front of the store. Behind them, a banner reads, Walt and Sons Antiques, Grand Opening. Walter slams the cash register shut. Interior, Walter's house, bedroom night. A so-bad-it's-good horror film from the 1980s plays on an old TV propped in the dresser. The title card, Succubus Summer 3, The Beginning. On the TV, a succubus in a flowy white nightgown undresses in front of another man.

4:43He resists her until we see her eyes glow and shimmer. Then all free will fades away and he is pulled to her uncontrollably. Walter lies on top of the covers in his pajamas, covered in a stack of papers and bills. Walter's wife, Samantha, 40s, kind, forgiving, patient, reads a romance novel with a steamy image of a shirtless, muscular, long-haired man who rescues a busty female pirate on a sailboat on the cover. She stops reading and looks at Walter, but he doesn't even feel her gaze. She sighs and slams her book closed. On the TV, the trashy movie has faded, replaced by the interior of a local TV studio.

5:23A tacky trailer park set is the centerpiece, where a middle-aged redneck in a cowboy shirt and a bolo tie sits in a cheap lawn chair in front of a small portable TV. Bobby Joe Williams, 50s, cracks open a cold one, and takes a long drink. Welcome back to Terror Vision. I'm still your host, Bobby Joe Williams. My rating for tonight's viewing of Succubus, Summer 3, The Beginning. He had 11 dead bodies, 7 gallons of blood with splatter, one axe to the head, one dead cat, two naked titties, I give it a four out of a possible five buckets of blood An instant American classic Walter looks up from a handful of bills Look at this guy He knows exactly who he is But he's not buried up to his eyeballs in debt Anxious for the sweet relief of death Samantha sighs loudly again So it went well today?

6:23No, get out while you still can, Sam No, I'm serious, take me a two Go somewhere nice. Start a new life without this. He points to himself. I can't. I love Walter. I refuse to abandon him. She nuzzles his shoulder tenderly. Walter wraps his arm around her. How can I help? Do you have a gun?

6:48Walter, I don't want to talk about money or the store anymore tonight. She grabs the remote and turns off the TV. Bobby Joe's smirking face vanishes with a blip. She leans over and kisses his neck. Maybe a fire. She turns his face toward hers, kisses him. Walter goes back to the documents. What's wrong? I'm sorry. I want to. I just... I have so much on my mind. Well, let me take your mind off of it. She kisses him again, deeper. This time he kisses her back. She touches his chest, but he stops, sighs. Oh, Sam. She sighs, resigns herself. It's fine. It happens to guys your age. Walter gobsmacked.

7:37I still love you, though. Though? What do you mean, though? The phone rings. Hold on. He answers it. Yeah, I'm barely older than you, you know. What? Ah, shit. I'll be right there. Sam looks up from the bed, worried. What is it? Something's wrong at the store. I gotta go. Now? I'm sorry. He kisses her on the cheek. Walter throws on pants and a shirt. He heads out the door. My age? Exterior, Walter's Antiques and Curio, night. Walter pulls up to the storefront. I'm sorry, can I go back to that my age? I hated that. I don't like my age either, but I don't. Yeah, you're right. He kisses her on the cheek.

8:21Walter throws on pants and a shirt. He heads out the door. my age. Hmm. Genius! That was the difference. You got younger. That's what changed it. I heard it. That's our next Webby right there. Can we do it again just so I can hear it? Exterior, Walter's Antiques and Curio, night. Walter pulls up to the storefront and gets out of his car. Walter sees a locksmith and a banker wrapping a thick chain around the store's front door handles. The locksmith closes a comically large lock in the chain. Hey, what are you doing? We're taking possession of our property, Mr. Canope. Walter glares at him. Okay, so I'm a little behind.

9:04Okay, everyone's a little behind. It's a recession. Your rent is four months late. Yeah, that's pretty behind. The banker and locksmith walk away. Okay, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Walter yanks out his checkbook, faded, old and hardly used. How much do I owe you? After fees, penalties, and surcharges? The banker shows Walter the number. We only see Walter's reaction. Fuck you! Very sorry for saying that. As I said, we'll be taken what's ours. They walk away again. How much to leave it unlocked till morning? Exterior, Walter's house night. Samantha's car pulls into the driveway. She sees a moving van parked along the sidewalk.

9:46Moving men are unloading boxes, lots of boxes, and bringing them inside. Interior, Walter's house, living room night. Samantha enters. Walter? She gets her first look at the inside and drops her keys. Walter? The house is a fucking disaster. The entire contents of the shop are now inside the Canope family home. Stacks of junk, rows of shit, piles of... What the fuck? Walter peeks his head around the corner in the kitchen. He struggles to hold the landline receiver to his ear as the cable is stretched to its limit. Hi. You're home early. Walter! One second. Yes, Mrs. Brewster, I'd be happy to ship it to you.

10:29Free shipping? No, absolutely not. Walter retreats further into the kitchen. Sam hangs back and inspects what used to be her house. She absentmindedly looks through some junk in disbelief. Interior of the kitchen day. The kitchen is in much the same condition as the rest of the downstairs, overrun with all manner of junk. Mia, 18, a goth rebel type, dark-haired and dressed to the toe in shades of black and gray, pulls the phone cord like a rope towards her, while her father struggles to talk into it as it runs away from his face. Dad, I need the phone! He covers the receiver. I need to make this sale, Mia!

11:06He goes back to the phone. Sorry, Mrs. Brewster. Mrs. Brewster, could you hold on one second? Sam follows Walter into the kitchen. She finds a medieval mace on her kitchen counter and holds it up quizzically. How did that get there? That should be an ancient curio, not mid-century kitchen appliances. He laughs to himself. No one else is amused. Mia tugs on the phone cord. Walter tugs back. Dad! Mrs. Brewster, can I call you back? Hello? It's dead. Mia tugs the phone free of his grasp. She holds it to her ear as she leaves. Two hours I was to phone with her for a$50 sale. Walter? What happened to our house?

11:48Walter sighs. Oh, you noticed, huh? Notice? Walter! The bank foreclosed on the shop. If I didn't take some of the inventory, they'd... Sam gets it. Your dad's shop. Walter struggles for words. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, Jack. I was late turning my page. Yeah, don't let it happen again. I'm sorry. My apologies. Walter struggles for words. I just couldn't let them board it up like some common thrift store. Sam moves closer to Walter. It's just a bunch of junk, babe. Your dad wouldn't want you to be burdened with this. You don't have to carry it for him. No, no, it's not. I'm not carrying it for him.

12:29This was him. I can't... She sighs. All right. Until you can get the shop again, until then, just make me a promise. Anything. Promise me you'll keep this fucking thing out of my kitchen. Sam thrusts the mace in Walter's arms. He doesn't expect the weight, and it drops to the floor, him along with it. Interior, Walter's house, bedroom, night. Walter sits upright, awake, besides a sleeping Sam. He looks up from his stack of invoices and checks the clock on the bedside table. 2.30, he sighs. He looks over at Sam. He brushes a strand of hair off her sleeping face and notices the romance novel, the one with the hunky sailor.

13:12Walter picks it up and examines it. He moves to get out of bed. Interior, Walter's house, bathroom night. Walter flips the light on. He leans into the mirror and takes a hard look at the person looking back at him. He runs his hands over his face, stretches the skin, looks at the bags under his eyes, his receding hairline, damage control. He takes his shirt off. He looks at his chest, sucks in his gut, tries to show off his dead bod, but it ain't what it used to be. He pulls his pants open and looks at his dick.

13:49This is all make-believe, people. I'm an actor playing a role. Just an actor playing a role. That's all that's happening here. We call on what we know, I guess. He lets his gut loose and shakes his head in disgust. Walter sighs and flips the light off. Interior Walter's house, living room, night. Walter navigates all the junk and finds a cardboard box labeled Let's Get Medieval on their asses. He rolls his eyes. Oh, Mia. He drops the heavy mace into the cardboard box. He turns and takes it all in. He takes a deep breath, exhales. Oh, fuck. Interior, Walter's house, living room night. Walter collapses into his desk chair.

14:31He taps on the desk for a second before he grabs the TV remote and flips on an even older model TV than the one upstairs. Do you suffer from erectile dysfunction? Decreased libido? Sudden mood swings? Try Viagra. Walter sets off the TV.

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17:43Just checking. Lightning flashes outside the window, then thunder. A woman screams. Wow. Yikes. Oh, that did something to my body. Walter wakes with a start. He gets his bearings, confused. He goes to the window and looks out, searching for the scream. It rains hard. The rest of the neighborhood is quiet except for the house across the street. Two women in raincoats load furniture from inside the house into an unmarked truck. Walter leans forward, gets a closer look. What the... After the furniture is loaded, the figures carry out what looks like two body bags. Lightning strikes again, reveals a third figure, who wears a dark coat and sticks to the shadows.

18:30The figure yanks out the for sale sign in the yard and tosses it into the back of a truck. The figure senses he's being watched and looks right at Walter. Shit. Walter quickly shuts the curtains. He chuckles to himself at how silly he's being. He steals one last glance back at the dark house, still unsure of what he saw. Exterior, Walter's house, day. Walter exits the house carrying a handmade yard sign. It reads, Walter's Antiques and Curio, open. The paperboy rides by and knocks over the sign with a well-thrown newspaper. Hey! Walter looks over and sees his neighbor, Andy, early 30s. A large man-child that wears an old band shirt stretched over his beer belly, waves and walks over.

19:13Morning, Walt. Morning, Andy. Walter watches as a construction crew works on the stripped-down house across the street. New neighbors. I guess the Maitland's finally caved. Walter thinks. You know what's weird, though? They moved out in a big hurry last night, in the rain. I never even saw the Maitland's leave. You know what else is weird? I've been burping up what tastes like spinach all day. I don't think I've got spinach in, like, a month. Just then, a trio of pastel-colored joggers, Nancy, 40s, Diane, 40s, and Karen, 30s, jogged by the men. They were all very attractive, clad head-to-toe in activewear, looking to get noticed.

19:52Hi, Diane. Ugh, creep. They jog on. What? An expensive car roars down the street, pulls into the driveway of the stripped-down house across the way. Everyone turns to the expensive-sounding engine. Time slows down. The car door opens and out steps. Richard Sarandon, 40s, very handsome, in dress pants and a white dress shirt with several top buttons undone to reveal his chiseled chest, all very fashionable and expensive. He throws on his blazer like a runway model, still in slow motion. Andy and Walter's mouths hang open. The joggers all slow and turn, jogging backwards to get a better view. Diane trips and hits the ground, bolts back up awkwardly.

20:37Who is that? That is... a man. Richard sees the group watching him in waves. He excuses himself and crosses the street. Oh God, he's coming over. Just keep smiling. I thought I'd introduce myself. Richard. Richard Sarandon. Walter. This one's Andy. Richard extends his hand for a handshake, but before Walter can shake it, Diane intervenes and puts her fingertips in Richard's hand. Enchanté. Oh. Est-ce que ton père a été un volet? Parce qu 'il vole les leçons de ce Paul Matfradant de you. Oh. Oh, my. Richard kisses her hand. Diane giggles. Whoa. That was awesome. What did he say? I have no idea.

21:34Walter clears his throat. So I guess we have you to thank for getting rid of that old eyesore. How did you manage to get the Maitlands to sell? I wanted it, so I bought it. Richard glares at Diane. And I always get what I want. The other women fanned themselves. Which reminds me, next weekend everyone in the neighborhood is invited for a little get-together at the house Food, drinks, entertainment Next weekend? But the house? Oh, I'll be there Delightful One of the construction workers yells over to Richard He turns and shouts back Must be off, wonderful meeting you all Richard heads back across the street Mmm, yummy Diane's Fitbit beeps and she heads back off I mean, he was alright, I guess Walter watches Richard as he slings his coat over his shoulder and heads inside the house.

22:27Interior, Walter's house, living room, day. Walter organizes some items in the store. The doorbell rings. Mia bounced down the stairs. I got it! She opens the door. Her friend, Kai, 18, non-binary, is on the other side. Bye! Mia tries to quickly slip out, but Walter stops her. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Where are you off to in such a hurry? Ugh, just going to hang at Kai's Well, aren't you going to introduce Well, well, aren't you going to introduce us all to Kai? Uh, no She tries again to leave, but again, Walter stops her Mia, stop, turn, explain What? Hi, Mr. K You must be Kai, I have heard so much about you Happy?

23:10Alright, let's go Mia pushes Kai out the door in a hurry Hey, what's all that stuff in there? Just a bunch of junk my dad's collecting Mia slams the door behind her. Sam comes down the stairs. Who was that? Our daughter. I'm pretty sure she's embarrassed of me. Embarrassed? Of all this? Sam moves closer to him, embraces Walter. She's a teenager. She'll get over it. No, I just don't get it. I used to be cool. I was in a freaking band, remember? You were in a kid rock cover band. He was cool. For a while. I mean, what happened? You grew up. Well, I hate it. Well, at least my taste got better. Well.

23:52I'm sorry, can I go back? Because this is, I'm hitting at her now, right? Or no. When I say taste got better, am I referring to her, right? You're referring to Kid Rock. Oh, Kid Rock. Oh, then I did it correctly. I'll do it again.

24:13Sam moves closer to him, embraces Walter. She's a teenager. or she'll get over it. I just don't get it. I used to be cool. I was in a freaking band, remember? You were in a kid rock cover band. He was cool. For a while. I mean, what happened? You grew up. Well, I hate it. At least my taste got better. Well. Sam kisses him. How's business? Walter gestures broadly at the empty store. Wanna close up early? Does this mean you're not mad at me anymore? Oh, I wouldn't go that far. But if I'm going to be the sugar mama in this relationship, you've got to start putting out. Fair. Walter nods as he kisses her passionately.

25:01She undoes his pants and reaches inside.

25:06Uh-oh. Again, this is a character in her reading. She finds nothing. How's that? How dare you? Walter nods as he kisses her passionately. She undoes his pants and reaches inside. They kiss. Sam's hand feels around in search of something that isn't quite there. What's wrong? Walter sighs. Nothing. I'm just... Maybe I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping. I guess I have a lot on my mind. Sam steps back. Is it me, Walter? Is everything all right here? She points to her body. Yes. Oh, God, yes. I just... Then what, Walter? Ever since you took over the store, it's... I mean, we haven't... You know?

25:53I just don't want to let you down. This whole thing... I'm just scared I'm not the man you thought you married. Well, you're a bigger idiot than I thought, but... He laughs. She kisses him. Look, I love you, okay? I know. Now sell some of this junk so I can have my house back, please. She heads upstairs. Interior, Walter's house, living room, night. Walter sits on the couch, bleary-eyed. He hasn't slept. He flips through yet another stack of bills while he talks on the phone. Okay, uh, well, just let that one bounce, and I'll see if I can sell my car or a kidney or something. Thanks. He hangs up, and we see the foreclosure bill he looks over.

26:38He sighs and rubs his eyes, looks up at the TV. Terror Vision with Bobby Joe Williams is on again. He's propped up in his favorite lawn chair, a case of cheap beer almost empty beside him. I'm Bobby Joe Williams, reminding you that there are 24 hours in a day and 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not. The final segment of the film starts to play. Lightning strikes over an old mansion surrounded in fog. Wolves howl. A scream. Outside. Walter listens, jarred. Walter grabs an antique spyglass like a pirate. Walter's POV through spyglass. A light pops on upstairs in Richard's house. The new windows are large and modern.

27:27The house glows from within, red. Another scream. The screams of terror become screams of pleasure.