Season 4, Episode 1 "Same As It Ever Was"Detailed Synopsis |
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This write-up from the efforts of Blair Rhodes! The scene opens on a Greyhound bus speeding through the night. We find a grown-up CC (presumably returning to Exeter from NYC) sitting across from a mop haired young man reading a book. The unmistake white-hip hop bars of "Once In A Lifetime" can be heard dimly from his earpieces as he leafs through a copy of "Real Life Vampires". CC amuses herself with her BlackBerry(TM). The bus arrives at the station, and the passangers disembark. CC offers to split a cab with the young man, and he accepts. They travel onwards towards Exeter. He introduces himself as Josh, tells CC he's doing some research. He relates a grim tale of local history, an infamous "vampire" exhumation in 1892. CC remains a little skeptical of Josh's abilities. Suddenly, the young man calls the cab to an excited halt: apparently, they're right outside the cemetary where the exhumation happened. He pays off CC and gets out, despite her cautions. The taxi pulls away - and nearly runs into three figures in the headlights! A trio of Old World old-school punks block the car's path. The leader appears to be the one with the lime green mohawk. The driver muscles his way through the pedestrian obstruction, but not before the cocky leader licks the passenger side window, his face briefly vamping out in the dim light. The trio walk off away from the cemetary. CC calls Candy's cellphone, but there's no answer. She calls the Stevens-Knight household and Meryll answers. "CC! So, what's it like being back?" asks Meryll. CC answers tremulously. "It's quite... the same..." ...and we go into the opening credits! ACT ONE Meanwhile in Exeter, Candy and her date Bret exit a move. Bret's undecided about what subject's he's going to take, and Candy reminds him that school starts in two days. They go for coffee, and run into Cynth (scribbling in her diary, who is struggling to find a rhyme for "melancholoy"), and Zak. Candy and Bret get their own table. Cynth gets a call from Cass about the punk-vampires. She tells Zak about the pointy-teeths, but he thinks she's talking about that new band. She tries to tell Candy, but she doesn't seem to understand. Frusdtrated, Cynth drags Candy to the bathroom, but can't get any sense out of her - it's like the Slayer has a mental block, even exclaiming that there's no such thing as vampires as she storms back to her date. Cynth tries to drag Zak to the cemetary to investigate the vampire sighting, but he likewise seems to have a mental block. At her grandmother's house. CC relaxes with a cup of cocoa, and catches up. There are a number of uncomfortable pauses, and a grandfather clock sounds through the big old house as it marks the seconds. Back outside the coffee shop, Cynth goes to use her phone as she drags Zak in the direction of the cemetary. Suddenly, the way is barred by three punks. Goomer - the mouthy one - sports a green mohawk. But no matter how hard he tries, he can't convince them there's something supernaturally nasty about him. In frustration, he vamps out and goes to grab Cynth! ACT TWO Cynth easily dodges Goomer's advances, as Zak proves indecisive. The cavalry arrives - in the form of Bret(!) Rumbled, the vampires form up to attack. Back at the Stevens-Knight house, Brian and Meryll are admiring the new family portrait. Meryll found an ornate wooden frame at a flea market, and thought it would suit the picture. Suddenly he gets a cellphone call from Cynth; it consists of of background noise. It seems like a prank call, but she's not the type. Bret joins Zak and Cynth as the vampires attack. Candy appears, wanting to know what's all the commotion about. The vampires see her, freak, and flee. Everyone decides they need a hot drink. Zak and Candy can't understand who those strange guys were that attacked them for no reason. Cynth tries to get to the bottom of this "mental block", but Zak storms off in a huff, while Candy goes to give Bret some "cake". Cynth slips away; outside, she is horrified to see Candy and Bret making out. Cynth calls Cass. They arrange to meet at the Stevens-Knight house. Cass makes it there first, Meryll opens the door, and gives the weary traveller a big hug. Brian doesn't recongnise her at all, counting on Meryll to feed him data. As they all catch up, Zak arrives home. Cythn and then Candy arrive, both very happy to see Cass. The doorbell rings. It's Goober! Fishing for info while saying he wants to apologise, he confirms that Candy doesn't remember she's the Slayer! ACT THREE Candy bars the door as Brian and Zak phone the police. Cass finds some weapons in the umbrella stand. Candy is shocked to suddenly see a sword at her feet. Meryll ushers people towards the entrance to the basement, but a firebomb shatters the kitchen window and sets that room alight, blocking their escape. Cynth puts the fire out with an extinguisher. She grabs a crossbow from the kitchen - horrifying Brian and Meryll - and shoots through the broken window at a vampire. Zak suggests they escape in cars. Candy remains at the door, bluffing that she'll come out. There's a tense standoff as Brian demands Cynth hands over the crossbow before anyone gets hurt. Zak and Brian can't get their head around all this "Slayer" business - does it have something to do with a heavy metal band? CC races upstairs to Candy's room, looking for weapons. From the windows, she can see the flickering light from five Molotovs. Zak appears and orders her away from the window. She distracts him and shoots Goomer in the shoulder with a crossbow. They argue and struggle over the crossbow, Zak's "mental block" preventing him from understanding what's happening. Candy agrees to come out, but they'll have to back up, as she's shy. Goomer sugests they just look away ... and gets shot in the other shoulder! In retaliation, he hurls a firebomb into Candy's bedroom, setting it ablaze. Everyone barrels into the garage, piling into the cars. Meryll insists on taking the family portrait, becomeing near hysterical when Cass nearly leaves it behind. Brian, Cass, and Cynth pile in the sedan, while Zak, Cynth and Candy in the Meryll's car, with Zak at the wheel. The plan is for Brian to reverse out at speed, cutting a swathe through the foe, Zak will follow, and they'll both head for the police station. The roller door opens to reveal a line of vamps! ACT FOUR Brian hits the gas and reverses like a rocket. Cynth dusts a vampire with her crossbow. Zak freaks out that the punk just disappeared, while Brian yells it was a trick of the tailights. Suddenly, Goomer drops down onto the sedan from above the garage and swings at CC in the passenger seat as she uses the portrait as a shield. Goomer breaks the window and the portrait's glass ... and the Stevens-Kight family gets their memories back. Shocked, Zak slips up at the wheel, and reverses into the rose garden. Brian shakes it off and keeps reversing. Cynth grabs as many weapons as she can, while Cass tries to fend off Goomer. Brian aims for the edge of the driveway, and Goomer is scraped off at speed like a barnacle. He falls off, as Brian makes it to the street and lurches to a parallel stop. Sirens sound in the distance. Candy is in full attack mode, dusting two vampires with one stake as Cynth tosses her another. The remainder of the vampires scatter. Framed in the headlights of the sedan, Candy kneels next to the mangled vampire and puts a stake to his chest. He notes that there's a lot of his buddies in the sewers nowadays. He also mentions that there's a treasure hunt going on; though hew didn't find the treasure, at least he had some fun! Completely over him, Candy dusts the leery punk. Later, the fire marshall confirms there was mainly superficial damage, but Candy is gutted they got her room. Meryll clutches the remains of the portrait. She said when she found it, it just sort of called out to her, and it went so nice with the family portait of them in their white shirts (even Zak!) and they looked like a real, normal happy family... Zak exit's Meryll's car and walks into the house, looking torn up. Brian gives the sedan keys to Candy; she leaves with Cynth and CC to check on Josh at the cemetary. Brain goes to see Zak (still gingerly holding the frame). The young man's in his room, just aimlessly chasing a slow tune around on his guitar. Brian stands in the doorway, as Zak reveals how much he missed being in a normal family, and that he hates their situation. Gently, Brian tells him that everything happens for a reason. He holds up the frame in front of him to illustrate that though they're not a picture perfect family, they have each other. Zak thanks him, and closes the door on him. Brian wishes his son good night from the other side of the door. Candy, Cass and Cynth (3C?) arrive at the cemetary and find Josh, unharmed. They offer him a ride to Exeter and he accepts,. He asks if anyone knows anything and recieves an emphatic "NO!" Later, alone in her room at her grandmother's, Cass speaks to someone on her phone. Everything's pretty much the same; she misses them. Brian vengefully burns the frame as Meryll deals with her guilt by making up a bed for Candy in the front room. Mother and daughter share an awkward moment, Meryll obviously preferring things as they were (even if they were false), Candy trying to convince her mom she can take care of herself. They almost hug, but... Candy wishes her mother goodnight. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: MORGAN DAVIE ROLL CREDITS (COMPANY IDENTIFICATION) (Post credits sequence):Suddenly, we're back with a joyful Cynth: "Oh! 'Allegory'!" |