Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video

Post Duty

Amazon original thriller Homecoming dropped Friday November 2, 2018.

#Homecoming season 2 has been confirmed.

rottentomatoes: 98%

imdb: 7.7

metacritic: 83

golden globes: 3 nominations

***SPOILERS AHEAD***




Heidi Bergman, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Julia RobertsHeidi Bergman

Social worker Heidi Bergman oversees all clientele at Homecoming Transitional Support Center, an in-patient facility for returning military veterans to re-assimilate back into civilian life based out of Tampa Bay, Florida.


Heidi Bergman, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Julia Roberts

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama

1 nomination: 2018

“Come in.  Hi.  You’re Walter?  Yes.  All right.  That.  Yeah.  Not especially.  It was here when I got here.  I’ve decided it’s soothing.  Oh, good.  Have a seat, please.  We can get started.  And if you don’t mind, I’d like to record just for my reference.  Okay, great.  And… oh.  This is new and it’s a bit bewildering.  I apologize.  Oh.  There we are.  Um, it’s April 10, 2018.  This is Heidi Bergman, I’m with Homecoming client Walter Cruz.  Week one, session one.” — Heidi Bergman

“You can’t triple nothing, AJ.  Do you know what you’d like?  All right, well, take your time.  I’ll come back.  Yes.  Yeah.  Do I know you?  The what?  Are you asking me?  Oh, um, yes.  I mean, years ago.  How many what?  Uh, I-I don’t know, maybe four?  What is this about?  I’m… I don’t, um… um, why don’t you go outside, and I will get a break and come talk to you?  Yeah.  I’ll just… right outside the door.  Yes.” — Heidi Bergman

“Okay, Walter Cruz, 26 years old, three tours.  You got here when, Friday?  Wonderful.  So I am supposed to read you this welcome.  And I warn you, it is very, very boring.  Okay.  ‘Welcome, Walter Cruz, to the Homecoming Transitional Support Center.  First, allow me to thank you, on behalf of the president and a grateful nation for your valuable service.  We thank you for keeping us safe.’  It’s cheesy, I know.  ‘My name is Heidi Bergman, and I am your case worker for this reintegration process.  Our facility is a safe space for you to process your military experience and refamiliarize yourself with civilian life in a monitored environment.’  Which just means getting you situated now that you’re back.  Career-wise, health-wise.  Basically, I work for you.  All right, so the only– I don’t want to say ‘mandatory’– but… yeah, I guess.  The only mandatory elements are the group meals in the cafeteria, the workshops which you’ll hear about, and, um, these meetings with me, which hopefully won’t be too painful.  ‘Compliance.’  Wow.  Eager for what?  I see.  Um, and you acknowledge that your participation in the Homecoming initiative is voluntary and uncoerced?  I just need you to verbally acknowledge that.” — Heidi Bergman

“This is Heidi Bergman for Walter Cruz.  I see no obstacles to approving Cruz for subgroup placement and starting him on… Hi, Colin.  I-I’m here.  Can you hear me?  Uh, hmm.  Can I, can I help you with something?  Oh, shit.Um, how does it look over there?  That’s great.  And it’s the same medication?  There’s no change in… right.  Okay.  Well… oh, no, it’s-it’s fine.  The staff has been really helpful, and we’ve got all the office stuff out of the way.  Right.  Uh, it looks good.  Yeah, the decorator did a great job.  Right.  Well, actually, the guys don’t seem to mind, and, uh… of course.  Understood.  Have what?  Oh.  Absolutely, yeah, and I think we’re seeing… yes, of course.  Okay.  Absolutely.  I just… if you can just give me one sec, um, I just had a session, actually, with a Walter Cruz.  He is a great candidate, really, really, eager to be here.  I-I-I’ll be quick.  I was just thinking, in terms of being granular, as you said, and deliberate, that perhaps we could take a more holistic approach to the initial stages of the treatment.  Well, I feel like we’re just kind of throwing them into the process without developing much of a relationship.  Okay.  No, I get that.  I just, in terms of… um… yeah, okay.  I just was thinking of in terms of improving the data and… understood.  Yeah.  Okay.  You got it.  Thanks, Colin.  All right.  Have a good trip.  If that’s everything, Colin, I’m just, I’m running a little late getting home.  Colin, are you talking to me?  Okay.  I’m-I’m gonna let you go and… oh, great.  Background check the what?  Uh, I-I didn’t realize that was part of my job.  Yes, absolutely.  Okay.  I’m on it right away.” — Heidi Bergman

“Hi.  Something smells good.  Oh, nice.  All right, I just have a little work to finish upstairs.  I’ll be back.  This is, um, good.  Thank you.  I’m sorry.  I was upstairs much longer than I expected.  I just needed to check some things for Colin.  No, he’s not a… Colin’s a busy guy.  We have a lot of things to get through.  What did you get up to today?  The one past the highway?  That’s like five miles away.  Yeah.  You walked there?  What?  Who?  You and the pilot?  Anthony.  I really appreciate you coming down here to help me with the move, I do.  You’ve got your entire life to get back to.  Yes, and your job.  Okay, um… a year?  Right.  Okay.  I did.  I do.  I inspire you?  Do… what do I inspire you to do?” — Heidi Bergman

“Okay, then what happened?  How do you feel about that?  About what just happened.  I guess embarrassed.  Well, because I lost control of myself.  But he hit you.  No, he did.  Says right here, uh, ‘Cruz confronted Rainey, who struck Cruz…’ and that worries you.  How does it happen to you?  Give me an example?  For sure.  How often would you say?  I’m so sorry.  There’s this bird.  He’ll stop in a second.  No, that’s driving me crazy.  He’s some kind of protected species, and we’re not allowed to touch him.  Would you?  I’d love that.  Honestly, I would be forever in your debt.  Um… thank you.  What about sleeping?  Are you having any trouble with that?  That’s very normal.  We would see if one of the guys wants a roommate for a few nights.  Well, some of the guys, when they first get here, and they have a room all of themselves, they’re separate from their unit, it’s just a little too quiet, you know?  So we could ask around.  Maybe Shrier.  Of course.  We’re here to help you make this transition.  Whatever supports that, that’s what we’re gonna do.” — Heidi Bergman

“Got two minutes.  Back away from the door a little bit.  Thanks.  So?  Yeah.  Years ago.  I-I said that.  What-what’s this about?  About me?  Okay, so then… I was a counselor.  I quit.  My mother got hurt and I had to come home to take care of her.  Well, I, you know, it’s-it’s what I could get.  But I had to come back home and… yes.  What does that have to do with anything?  Yes.  Yeah.  Yeah.  Yeah.  I’ll be back in just a second.  Thanks.  It’s a little embarrassing, okay?  I had this whole career, and then I had to come back, and now I do this.  All right?  I was a counselor.  I told you.  Um, I worked with soldiers, their mental health.  Honestly, I don’t remember much about it.  Okay?  I was… it wasn’t a good fit for me.  Are we done?  I am not agitated.  I don’t know.  Do you have a badge?  Do you have some kind of identification?  I answered your question.  I really need to go back inside.  I’m not refusing.  I don’t remember.  I already told you.  No.” — Heidi Bergman

“I don’t know what happened.  I bought the fish food, I’ve been feeding them three times a day.  It is?” — Heidi Bergman

“It is April 17, 2018.  I’m with Homecoming client and fish expert Walter Cruz.  This is week two, session two.  Oh.  It’s okay.  It’s just to give me an idea of some of your experiences.  Oh.  What is ‘Titanic Rising?’  Will you tell it to me?  Titanic?  Yeah.  You fellas had some time on your hands, it sounds like.  And you and Benji and Lesky were all detailed there?  Wait, he bought that?  Oh, no.  No, Jack loves Rose.  Oh, no.  That’s so mean.  So did Benji figure it out?  Did Lesky tell him?  I’m so sorry.  It must have been hard, what happened to Lesky.  Want to talk about it?  Okay.” — Heidi Bergman

“Oh.  Um, no, my break kind of got sort of just crazy today.  No, this guy came in.  Mom, it wasn’t like that.  He just, he was asking about my old job.  Mm-hmm, no, it wasn’t that.  All right, mom, stop.  Please.  I’m sorry I brought it up.  Mom, that’s not what’s happening.  no, mom, nobody wants me back, okay?  Gosh.  He just asked me why I came back, and I said you fell.  Yeah, I said how you fell, and I had to come back and take care of you, and I don’t-I don’t feel bad about it, I don’t want you to.  Okay, fine, whatever, that I came to keep you company and help out.  No, it wasn’t, mom, because… okay, then why did I come home, if it wasn’t to take care of you?  You don’t know.” — Heidi Bergman

“Me?  I-I work with veterans.  I help them.  The cooperative ones, at least.  I do, actually.  It took me a long time to make my way here.  Before.  Um, let’s see.  I was a receptionist.  I got promoted to HR.  Laid off.  So I moved back home with my mom.  You know, tried selling real estate for a while.  I met a guy who was married, um, and I thought, if I left everything behind and moved two states over, it would definitely work out with him.  It did not.  I moved back home.  Um… office manager.  Quit.  Warehouse manager.  Quit.  Applebee’s hostess.  Fired.  And then I realized I wanted to get my master’s in social work.  Four years of night school and I did it.  I worked at the VA in Ocala for three years and now I’m here.  Sure.” — Heidi Bergman

“Do you ever get sick of it?  Just… lying like that?  I mean, d… I mean, Don’t worry, I’m… I’m a liar, too.  Mm.  Just every day, I… I go to work, I pretend to be this… this person, this waitress.  I serve people and I smile and then I go come and it’s the same thing.  I pretend to be a… a good daughter, and sometimes I convince myself… this is me, this is real.  Oh, but then I… like, I’ll be in my car, or right when I wake up, and it’s like I just appeared out of nowhere.  I can just see my whole life.  It’s phony and fake.  And every word that I say, every second… I don’t know, but if it’s… that is a lie, then where’s the other one, the real one?  Me.  The– the one I won’t let myself see.  But then I start to think, what difference does it make?  If we lie or tell the truth, or if it’s real or fake or just… I just want to take it all and just… put it in one place and just say… yes.  Exactly.  Fuck this.” — Heidi Bergman

“Mom, I really don’t want to talk right now.  Well, then, we disagree.  People trusted me, mom.  I lied to them.  It’s not all right.  You don’t understand.  I’m sorry, mom, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.  My job was to help them.  I was just telling you what you wanted to hear.  What am I supposed to do now?” — Heidi Bergman

“Um… if I could just clarify that a bit more?  You’re looking for someone who won’t hold back, who is willing to build their life around this work?  That is me.  That is what I want.  I… I am ready to just put my whole heart into this and, uh, just give it everything I’ve got, from beginning to end.  Absolutely.” — Heidi Bergman

“Hi.  Do you remember me?  I would like to talk to you.  Just to… to tell you what happened.  What we did.  nothing, but you would know the truth, if that’s what you want.  The facility housed, um, 18 soldiers at a time.  We used their medical records to find men udner 30 who had certain symptoms, basic PTSD markers.  The men all signed waivers.  They were used to that.  And then we began the sessions.  We would identify a target memory.  It didn’t have to be, just something resonant, something intrusive.  We delivered the medication through meals over the course of six weeks, and each we would, uh, discuss the targeted memory to see if the response changed.  To see if the memories were deleted.  Yes.  The therapy, the activities… it was all for appearances.  Yes.  I know.  Those belong to Walter.  I was trying– I don’t want you to.  I understand.  I do.  I’ve learned that there are certain objects or cues from that time that could bring back Walter’s memories, and if I… so that he can remember… I just… yes.” — Heidi Bergman


Walter Cruz, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Stephan JamesWalter Cruz, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Stephan JamesWalter Cruz

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama

1 nomination: 2018

“Yeah.  Hi.  Heidi?  That’s nice.  You like fish?  I feel kind of soothed.  Oh, no, it’s fine.” — Walter Cruz

“Yeah.  Friday.  Okay.  No.  No, it’s fine.  Okay.  But mandatory?  Well, that sounds great.  I-I want to be in compliance with all this.  No, I, I mean, I know why I’m here.  You know, other guys, they came home and they got really amped and just dove right into everything and then… and they had problems.  And I don’t want to end up like them, but… I’m eager.  Just, like, a life?  Busy, clean life.  I don’t want to pollute things here with my problems, my stress, or whatever, so I just… I want to put it all behind me.  Oh.  Yeah.  Yes.  I do.” — Heidi Bergman

“That’s right.  Yeah.  Nights?  No, I could do that.  That is true, but I’m a really fast learner.  Thank you.  Appreciate it, bro.    And a couple years after that… chill, Rainey.” — Heidi Bergman

“And then my buddy Shrier pulled me off.  Then nothing.  Counselor sent us back to our rooms and then they told me to come here.  About what?  Why?  No, he didn’t.  Yeah, I know, but… it just doesn’t feel like me, to react like that.  Yeah, it does.  I mean, you know, Rainey’s obviously dealing with his own shit, and so it came out sideways.  Happens to us all sometimes, me included.  Different ways.  Uh, it’s mostly like, uh, I’ll get these flashes– things I could do to myself, it’s… it’s just tension.  Okay, here’s an example.  I-I wouldn’t really do this, but… there’s this desk in my room.  It’s wooden and it’s got these sharp corners and when I first got here, I don’t know why, I just imagined myself sitting down in a chair and leaning all the way back and, like, slamming my forehead into the corner of the table.  Just like jamming it into right here.  But I mean, that was an extreme, it… it doesn’t always happen like that.  That’s incredible.  Well, I could take care of him for you if you want.  No problem.  Dead of night, full camo.   He’d wake up in the Everglades, everybody wins.  See?  Gone.  Did it with my mind.  Yeah, a little.  Nightmares, things like that.  What do you mean?  Okay.  Maybe.  Yeah, I’d be okay with that.  That’s allowed?” — Heidi Bergman

“Shrier.  Give it a break, man.” — Heidi Bergman

“Oh.  That’s way too much.  Yeah.  Once a day, max.  Just a sprinkle.” — Heidi Bergman

“Oh.  It’s just a funny story, about this guy we used to mess with, Benji.  He was this little guy, and he was obsessed with… you know the movie Titanic?  Okay, so that was Benji’s number one favorite movie of all time.  I mean, he’d watch it over and over.  We’d literally have to listen to him fall asleep watching it.  One day, this guy Lesky asks him what he though of Titanic Rising.  And Benji was like, ‘what?’  And Lesky was like, ‘well, the sequel to Titanic.  Titanic Rising.’  And Benji’s like, ‘what the fuck are you talking about?’  And Lesky’s like, ‘well, I really thought you would have seen it, seeing as how Titanic’s your favorite movie.  It’s got all the same characters but it’s ten times as good.’  I finished that worksheet.  Yeah, I wasn’t sure how to answer some of the questions, so I just… God.  I mean, we were so incredibly bored.  We’d spend all day locking up this one street, just standing there, getting yelled at by dudes in cars.  Yeah, and Shrier, too.  Anyway, so… Benji chews on this all day, and that night, he gets online, and he’s in there an hour, maybe two hours.  Finally, he comes out and he says, ‘no way.  There’s nothing about that on the Internet.  No such thing as Titanic Rising.’  And Lesky, all casually, just says, ‘well, of course not.  It was an independent movie.’  He completely bought it.  Lesky had this whole line about how James Cameron had self-funded the sequel so he could work around the studio system, but then the studio tried to suppress it for copyright or whatever, so it’s hard to get your hands on.  It got really involved.  There was a… there was a mafia subplot.  You know, where the Italians are below deck, and Jack and Rose have to foil them.  And there was tons of sex.  I mean, tons.  Jack was, Jack was fucking this Polish teenager down in steerage.  No, Rose is fucking the captain.  She was literally fucking the captain when they hit the iceberg.  This thing went on and on.  And so meanwhile, Benji is obsessively trying to get himself a copy of this thing.  I mean, pleading with the guys down at the PX, ‘please, would you get me a copy of this movie?  It’s called Titanic Rising.’  And then Lesky got to them.  You know, the guys at the PX.  And so Benji, he goes back in there and he asks for it again, and they say, ‘oh, Titanic Rising.  Yeah, we can’t get that anymore.  It’s too emotional for the soldiers.  It’s too good.’  Yeah.  Yeah, Benji eventually… no, Lesky died.  It’s okay, uh… makes the story a little sadder, I guess.  Yeah, Lesky died– let me think– not too long after that.  Vehicle he was in rolled over an IED couple months after that.  It was kind of annoying, actually.  You know, Benji kept asking about Titanic Rising and eventually we just had to tell him Lesky made the whole thing up.  We couldn’t tell him anything else about it because he was making the whole thing up.  Well, yeah.  Maybe.  Maybe later.” — Heidi Bergman

“Yeah.  Week two.  No.  no.  What-what are these questions for?  Yeah.  Sure.  All right, bro.  You’re up next.  You, too.  Have a good rest.  What?  I was being polite.  Whatever, man.  I’ll see you at dinner.” — Heidi Bergman

“Wow.  That’s impressive.  No.  Did you ask?  I kind of do, yeah.  Are you gonna eat?  It’s good.  What?  Pineapple a Florida thing?  What-what do you mean?  Yeah.  ‘Cause that’s where the plane landed.  It wasn’t an airport.  It was a base.  Okay.  So?  They drove us straight here.  Well, no.  Yeah.  Yeah, I think so.  There’s palm trees in Florida.  Look, what are you trying to say, man?  If we’re not in Florida, where are we?  Or they’re not hiding it.  You’re wrong and we are in Florida.  No, you’re not.  All right, uh… why don’t we go for a walk?  We’ll go on a walk into town and we’ll ask people what state we’re in.  We can leave whenever we want.  No, but of course we can.  Oh, I’m being a moron?  I gave a fuck about you.  The guys in our unit gave a fuck about you.  Look, I’m not trying to dismiss what you’re saying.  What is happening?  I mean, what the fuck are you talking about?  No, seriously, man.  You’ve been here longer than me.  You tell me.  What’s going on?  You’re not crazy.  Jesus Christ.  Shrier.  Shrier.  Shrier!  Shrier!” — Heidi Bergman

“See?  Florida.  Yeah, that’s ’cause it’s Florida.  I know.  I was there.  That was a training exercise.  No, not ‘exactly.’  I’m not agreeing with you.  Think about what you’re saying,  This entire area for miles… who’s ‘them?’  Look, I know you’re trying to keep us safe, okay?  I’m not.  I’m just saying, this is different, man.  All right?  So you don’t got to worry so much anymore.  Because they want to help us.  Okay?  The whole point of this program is to help us.  Who, Heidi?  Okay, so, what, she-she’s a part of this whole thing, this… what?  Where the fuck are we?” — Heidi Bergman

“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?” — Heidi Bergman


Thomas Carrasco, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Shea WhighamThomas Carrasco

“Um, no, I… no, I’m-I’m sorry, I’m-I’m not here to eat.  Heidi?  Is that your name?  H-Heidi Bergman.  Correct?  Um, I’m Thomas Carrasco with DoD IG.  The Department of Defense.  Office of the Inspector General?  No, sorry, it is– it’s-it’s a… and you’re Heidi Bergman.  You were employed at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center?  How many?  How many years ago did you work at Homecoming?  We received a complaint about that program, and you’re the listed admin, so… the soldiers, uh, that you treated there, how… how-how were they… sure.  Right-right now?  I’ll just meet you out there?  I’ll meet you out there right outside.  Right outside?  Right outside.” — Thomas Carrasco

“I appreciate your cooperation… sure.  Yeah, so… you-you did work at Homecoming, at the Tampa facility?  Well, my department, we field and review complaints, and I’m currently following up on certain allegations… the… no.  But you were an administrator there.  Correct?  A counselor.  All right.  Um, and why did you leave that job?  Why?  So you quit the job in Tampa ’cause your mom got hurt and now you work here at this restaurant?  ‘Cause your mom got hurt.  And is your current employer, are they aware… I’m just… you didn’t want to talk inside.  What were your duties there?  And what did that involve?  Ms. Bergman, I’m simply trying to get some basic information about the program.  It’s not my intention to agitate.  C-can you tell me if your clients were there on a voluntary basis, or…?  You don’t know?  Uh, I have a business card.  As I explained, we received a complaint.  This was four years ago, during your time there.  Specifically, that one… ‘one of the soldiers, he wants to leave, h-he wants to go home, but they won’t let him.’  My question is, were the men there voluntarily?  Is there a reason why you’re refusing… you don’t remember anything about your work?  What about the name Walter Cruz?  Do you remember him?” — Thomas Carrasco

“I’ll file my report.  The complaint will be elevated.  There’ll be an investigation.  They’ll establish what happened, decide who’s responsible.  What do you mean?  I don’t know.  Someone like you, that… that’s-that’s not what they’re after.  At-at your level.  An employee.  I don’t know.” — Thomas Carrasco


Colin Belfast, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Bobby CannavaleColin Belfast

“Yeah, H-Heidi?  Connection’s really shoddy.  You-you there?  Yeah.  Yeah.  I-I barely got you.  Uh… fuck.  What was I gonna ask?  Nope, it’s totally gone now.  I– what was I gonna…?  Well, anyway, I’m at the new laboratory.  Everything’s up and running.  You’re gonna have a totally consistent supply now.  You can just focus on working with the guys.  Yeah– oh-oh, Heidi, let’s not throw that word around the facility, okay?  Now that the guys have moved in, we should be, you know, discreet.  Hey, how’s it all going there?  Yeah, I know, an office building isn’t the ideal clinical environment.  A-and the decor, Heidi, the vibe?  I told them we want hip but masculine.  How’s that looking?  Okay, perfect.  You know, we’re gonna be in a legitimate setting as soon we have some results.  Okay, but you understand the urgency here, right?  We need the data.  That’s the key.  I’ve got that presentation at the DoD in six weeks.  We need to have everything squared away by then.  Understood?  Okay, so how soon do you think you might have that for me.  The data, Heidi.  Y-y-you’re pushing on that, right?  ‘Cause we need to be surgically precise on this.  Everything these guys remember… we have to get really granular with all that shit.  No, Heidi, Heidi, Heidi, I-I don’t have a lot of time.  I got to be at the airport in, like, 32 minutes.  Holistic?  Okay.  What would any of this be training us for?  Yeah, okay, Heidi, I’m gonna stop you there.  Okay, what we’re seeking here, Heidi, is information, not relationships, not rapport, whatever these men are holding onto, that’s exactly what we need to know.  Okay, well, based on what you just said, you don’t, so I need you to 180 on this, okay?  Heidi, if I go into the DoD and I say things like, ‘holistic,’ you know what they’re gonna… no, I don’t even know what they would do.  We need a real proof of concept here, just a house of data to drop on the appropriations people so they shut their mouths, stop prevaricating, and open up the approval process.  That’s our goal.  Understood?  You’re a rock star, Heidi.  I’m serious.  It’s all great work.  I just need that aggressive, constant focus from you and we’re gonna be fine.  Okay?  Okay, I’m running to the airport.  This flight’s like 22 hours long.  Guys, what the hell is all this?  We, we can’t have crap all over the floor.  This stuff is going to America, all right?  You know, USA?  Yeah, so it’s got to be clean.  This– it’s got to be a sterile facility, okay?  Sterile, clean? How– how the hell do you say ‘sterile…’ w-wait, Heidi, wait!  I remember what I was gonna ask.  Did we run the background check on the busboys?  On… damn it.  The busboys.  Did we background check the busboys?  Whoever we’ve got working in the cafeteria.  What?  Uh, well, of course it’s part of… okay.  Listen, Heidi, we need to be extremely thorough with the food service.  Now, you are my point person there, right?  Great.  So I need you to get into that tonight.  Okay?  Busboys, caterers, whatever.  Background checks, full workup, okay?  We got to be, we got to be seamless about all this.  Understood?  Okay, good.  Got to go.  Hey, Heidi.  You are killing it.  Fist bump.” — Colin Belfast

“I know all sorts of things, Heidi.  It’s my facility.” — Colin Belfast

“The truth?  And-and what’s that?  That-that you ran everything?  That everyday you were with these men, making sure they complied.  No.  I’ve never set foot in this place.  That’s the truth.” — Colin Belfast

“How should we sum up?  Let me tell you a story.  We had a guy come in, three tours, great record.  The kind of guy you just… you know what, I guess this is on a, a personal level.  It’s just the kind of guy you just root for.  You know, smart, articulate, tons of potential.  He came into the program with anxiety, sleeplessness, fantasies of self-harm.  In the opening weeks, there were incidents of paranoia, even violence.  We were losing him.  Now, I-I don’t have to tell any of you what that’s like, watching these guys slip away.  This is a month later.  ‘I feel great.  For the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to things.’  Now, of course we will keep a close watch over the next 18, 24 months, but for today, you can pick any metric you want: heart rate, sleep cycle, cognitive response.  Our guy is not ‘coping.’  He’s not ‘making the best of it.’  He’s cured.  And now what does he want more than anything?  He wants to go back to work.” — Colin Belfast

“Geist rewards results and I deliver.  You know what that means?  Huh, Heidi?  It means I’m headed to Redwood and you’re heading to whatever fucking suburb I pulled you out of.” — Colin Belfast

“What, you think you could fix this without me?  Who-who eliminated the memory hiccup?  Who pivoted the medication to comfort management?  The-the roller, Audrey, that’s all me.  You talked to-to Geist?  No, I-I-I haven’t.  I am so excited for you, Audrey.  I’m so excited that they have finally recognized your skills, and I am here and willing to assist in any way possible.  I’m a problem solver.  I really– I really am.  What?” — Colin Belfast


Anthony, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Dermot MulroneyAnthony

“In here.  It’s cacio e pepe.  It’s a little cold now, but… he’s a micromanager, huh?  Oh.  Okay.  Well, you’re here now.  Ah, well, I ended up taking an amazing walk, actually.  Out to that little airfield.  Is it?  Yeah.  Guess I did.  Anyway, there was this jet out on the runway, and the pilot, and he’s leaning up against he plane, and he’s got his paper and a coffee and I thought, ‘wow.  I wonder if I could do that.’  Live like that.  Fly all over.  Come back here.  It’s beautiful here.  So we started chatting… um, well, the… yeah, and he said there’s a flight school.  It’s not too far from here.  Wait, wait.  Before we start talking like this… do I?  Really?  At Keebler?  I hate that job.  Wait, Heidi.  We’ve been together almost a year now.  Well, yeah, we started texting in August, so that’s like… yeah, like ten months?  But I… and I know you always said you wanted to keep things simple.  I get it.  But the truth is you inspire me.  After all those false starts, you got out of that town and you found a calling.  You’re helping those guys and it’s finally happening for you.  I’m sorry?  Well, just… just make a fresh start.  You know.  Leave the past behind like you’re doing, but together.” — Anthony


Craig, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Alex KarpovskyCraig

“So, you’ve been in a leadership position before?  Good.  That’s good.  And you don’t mind working nights?  Okay.  Now, you don’t seem to have much experience in this field.  Is that right?  Okay.  I like hearing that.  All right.  Well, that should do it.  Thank you so much for coming in.  We’ll, uh, let you know soon.  That was great.  That was really, really great.  That was wonderful.  I really like the part where you ask me about my experience working at the store because an interview, it’s a conversation, essentially, right?  It’s a two-way street.  So that was really, really nice.  Thanks a lot.  Good job.  Let’s see here.  Okay, how about Rainey?  All right.  You’re week four, is that right?  Okay.  So a month from now, you could be doing this for real.  Whatever you choose to do, this could be good practice.  Okay?  All right, so let’s start.  Great.  Welcome.  Hi.  This is my shoe store.  I own it.  Could I take a look at your résumé?  Thanks.  Okay.  I see here that you served in the military.  That’s great.  We love that.  So, what is something you learned in the military that you could apply to your work here at the shoe store?  Okay, but just give it a try.  Okay?  Okay, right, but I remember last week you were talking about, um, communication between team members and how important that is for you guys.  Right?  Rainey, just humor me a little.  Okay?  Please.  Okay.  No, no, that’s good, that’s good, there’s something there.  Could you tell me more about that?  Don’t worry about that.  Hey, shut that out.  Don’t worry about that.  Let’s just keep it right here, let’s stay in the shoe store.  Rainey.  Rainey.  All right?  Now, what were you saying?  Talking about infection, right?  Okay, that was interesting.  Um, yeah, personal anecdote, is always– you know, I feel like in a, in an environment like this, however…. what’s not necessary?  You have a job?  Rainey, we’re talking about what’s next for you.  Your next chapter.  Look, this is just an exercise to help you acclimate… what’s ridiculous?  Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.  Okay.  Relax.  Fuck.  Let’s take a breath.” — Craig


Joseph Shrier, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Jeremy Allen WhiteJoseph Shrier

“Good job, dude.  Yeah, you fucking nailed it.  In a couple years, think you’ll be assistant manager.  Assistant regional manager.  Oh, lazy and stubborn?  You’re the full package, huh?” — Joseph Shrier

“‘Have a good rest?’  Okay.  Yeah.  We’ll have a nourishing repast, and then, to rest.  You just took them?  Do you even know what they are?  You think they’d tell us the truth?  Ah.  Delicious pineapple cobbler?  Man, they’re laying it on thick.  The Florida thing.  That that’s where we are, Florida.  How do you know that?  Right, and, uh, what airport in Florida did you land at?  Right.  Me, too.  All right, so where did you go after that?  Right, and on the way you saw a sign that said, ‘Welcome to Florida.’  Something like that?  Oh, you saw another road sign?  No?  Anything like that said ‘Florida’ on it?  See, I don’t.  No, I don’t… I don’t remember seeing anything like that.  Are you sure you did?  I mean, it looks like Florida, right?  Because of the fucking palm trees?  What does that mean?  Yeah, there’s palm trees in Florida.  There’s also palm trees in California and Cuba and probably, I don’t know, the Philippines, all right?  Lebanon.  Nothing.  I’m just… I’m just saying, all right, I’m pointing out that the only reason we think we’re in Florida is because that’s what they told us, right?  I mean, that’s the only reason we have to believe that.  I don’t know.  All right?  That’s my whole point.  See, why would they hide that from us?  Oh, because I’m usually wrong?  When I feel like a situation could potentially be fucked up?  Because they’ve never lied to us before?  Yeah.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Let’s go, uh, get a beer.  We can leave whenever we want.  How do you know that?  I mean, someone told you that?  No, no, if we are allowed, all that means is that they would’ve been expecting it.  All right?  They would’ve planned for it.  Don’t be a fucking moron.  All right, so what?  You think this is just a place where they want to help us out?  Where we can, like, take it easy a-and process shit?  I mean, does that make any sense?  Look, when’s the last time anybody gave a fuck about you?  Hmm?  All right, all the shit we’ve been through when we were deployed, people gave a fuck about you?  Yeah, and where are those guys, huh?  I mean, where is everybody?  It’s just you, just me.  We-we got picked for this really nice treatment w-with palm trees and pineapples.  Why?  You can think whatever the fuck you want, man, but it’s not gonna change the reality of what’s happening.  Nothing.  All right?  Whatever.  Forget it, all right?  I’m-I’m crazy.  Here, here.  I’m on board, all right?  Here.  Mmm, that’s fucking good.  What is that, pineapple?  Oh, that’s fucking delicious.  Yo!  Hey, you guys try this fucking pineapple cobbler?  No, it’s amazing.  Here.  Look, it’s good.  Hey, look.  Open up.  It’s good.  Fucking Florida food.  There you go.  Hey, everybody listen up!  Shut the fuck up!  Everybody, listen!  Who here thinks we’re in Florida, huh?  Who here thinks any of this is fucking real?” — Joseph Shrier

“What the fuck?  Don’t do anything until they do, all right?  You see palm trees, you say Florida.  License plates, Florida… Walter, they built a functioning North African village outside of fucking Tucson.  Exactly.  Look, they had the food.  All right?  The furniture.  They had the fucking smells, Walter.  All right?  I-It was perfect.  What, you don’t think they could pull off Florida?  Don’t patronize me.  Why?  Why?  Why is this different?  Uh, listen, I know that lady’s friendly or whatever, but you have to be careful what you say to her.  Yeah, Heidi.  Even that name, man, it’s like, come on.  Exercise.  Yes.  Just like Tucson, but it hasn’t started yet.  To see what we’d do if we were deployed here.  At home.” — Joseph Shrier


Nurse Cory, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Jason RogelNurse Cory

“You’re week two?  Do you ever hear ticking or squeezing sounds in your head after you run?  Any history of periodic sudden nausea?  Numbness in your limbs?  Excessive fatigue after eating or drinking?  They’re on the form.  Okay, you’re all set.  Can you send in the next one?” — Nurse Cory


Rainey, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Rafi GavronRainey

“Yeah.  Working at a shoe store?  Hi.  Wow.  All this?  Yeah, I do.  Not too much, honestly.  It was a fucking desert.  There weren’t too many shoe stores.  I was?  I don’t know.  Shoes.  Uh… you got to find the right size or you could get infected.  I just, I had this one pair of boots that was too small for me, and I was lazy or stubborn or whatever…  huh?  What the fuck you just say?  Yeah, just that I kept wearing them, and over time, I skinned the front of my big toe off, and then there was fungus and it got infected, and by the time I had someone look at it, they were like, ‘what the fuck is wrong with you?  You almost lost your toe.’  So, yeah, shoes.  I get what we’re trying to do here.  It’s unnecessary.  This is.  I have a job.  My next chapter?  My whole fucking book is over there.  All right, Craig?  I understand what it is, and it’s ridiculous.  This, bro.  You…” — Rainey


Dara, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Frankie ShawDara

“Mrs. Trotter.  Hello?  Yeah.  Drink some coffee.  AJ, we talked about this.  I work here.  We’re not scamming the people.  Uh, everything.  See?  Get out of here.” — Dara

“Yo!  You okay?  Really?  Okay.” — Dara


AJ, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Jacob PittsAJ

“I just need you to help me with this one thing.  It’s not a scam.  What about this is a scam?  Heidi.  Heidi, random question.  Would you want to know if you could double or triple your net worth?  Does that sound like a scam?” — AJ


Mrs. Trotter, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Gwen Van DamMrs. Trotter

“Hmm.” — Mrs. Trotter


Ellen Bergman, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Sissy SpacekEllen Bergman

“Did you stop by the pharmacy?  Hon?  What, did Dara not show up?  A guy?  They want you back?  Well, is that such a terrible idea?  Maybe you should give them a call, see if they have anything available.  It’s a big company, isn’t it?  Maybe there’s… I know it was challenging, that job, but if you get a second chance to make it work down there… they’ll take you back.  Wouldn’t they? I-If you just explain?  Me?  That’s not why you came home, honey.  No, Heidi.  You came back and then I fell.  That was two months later.  Yes, it was.  I don’t know.  No.  You wouldn’t tell me.” — Ellen Bergman

“Well, I do.  I, uh… I hope you know there’s nothing you could tell me that would make… all right.  Well, what if it’s not?  So what, then?  What don’t I understand?  that what you were doing there was fishy?  I knew that the first time you told me about it.  Well, you’d just gotten your degree.  You had, what, three years experience?  And they wanted you to run that whole thing, a company like that?  Pay you that salary?  Fishy.  People make compromises.  You did what you had to do.  You took a job.  Maybe it wasn’t.  You know, they kept you busy down there, but whenever we did talk, you know how you sounded?  Happy.  Just… just brimming.  Go to work.” — Ellen Bergman


Audrey Temple, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Hong ChauAudrey Temple

“You were a problem solver.  But now you are a problem.  And this… …is the solution.” — Audrey Temple


Gloria Morisseau, Homecoming, Amazon Prime Video, Esmail Corp, Gimlet Pictures, Crocodile, We Here At, Red Om Films, Anonymous Content, Universal Cable Productions, Amazon Studios, Amazon Video, Marianne Jean-BaptisteGloria Morisseau

“Hello.  Yes.  What do you want?  Now?  What’s that gonna change?  You can sit.  Something they did?  What does that mean?  That was your job?  All that, just so you could send them back?  He thought you were helping him.  It worked.  Whatever you did.  Walter called me to tell me that he wasn’t coming home.  He sounded happy.  But then, two days later, the Geist people called to tell me to come get him.  I didn’t know what to think.  Then I got your envelope, the recordings.  I understand what you did.  I don’t forgive you.  Those years were taken from him.  Walter wanted to believe.  That was the best thing about him.  And you used that.  Why would we do that?  He’s finally back to who he was before this whole mess.  The war, what you did to him, that place.  You want to help Walter?  Then stay away from him.  You made mistakes.  My son paid the price.  Now you want to come back for another try?  He doesn’t want that.  Any of it.  He’s finally where he belongs.” — Gloria Morisseau



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