Got talked into buying the big carriage.
That's a lot of carriage, let me tell you.
- Hmm? - Two horse powered.
Wow.
Ben Franklin, Sam Adams,
and General Washington himself.
I heard they're in town
for the big Freemason gathering.
(sighs) It's the most illustrious group
of men in the American colonies.
Oh, to be one of them.
CYRUS: Oh, I think Ben Franklin's
- actually coming over here. - What?
Laugh, man. Laugh like I've made a quip.
(forced laughter)
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: Higgintoot.
I trust you're well?
Yes, well, three of my five nephews
survived the winter, so we're pleased.
Oh, excellent news. Excellent news.
You know, I was actually wondering whether
you'd be free to drop by the Freemason lodge
this Friday at 5:00.
- I could use a man like you. - Of course.
Ah! Splendid, then. I'll see you there.
And, uh-- ooh! Enjoy the view.
Ah, yes.
Knockers. (chuckles) My favorite.
I wish she had three instead of two. (chuckles)
Right. (clears throat)
Damn those pesky wedding vows.
♪ ♪
Okay, great.
See you tomorrow.
- Thank you. - Hmm?
Jay, we just got another booking for the event.
- Yeah1 - Event? What event?
Nothing was run by me as lady of the house.
Again-- Because you're dead.
But just to bring everybody up to speed,
we are hosting a high-end whiskey tasting...
- (whoops) - ...and so far,
the feedback's been great.
We even got a writer from Sippr NY
to come review it, which is huge.
Sippr is like Eater, but for drinks.
To put it in terms you still don't understand.
Well, I don't like that the event promotes alcohol use.
Said the cocaine fiend.
But I do like your description of it as high-end.
Sounds snooty. Well done.
(phone buzzing, ringing)
Oh, hold on.
It's crazy you can publicize a drinking event.
In my day, when folks were boozing,
you didn't know if you were going to get arrested,
get shot or go blind.
Ooh-whee! It was fun. (laughs)
JAY: Are you sure?
Okay. Uh, well, uh, thanks, I guess.
Bad news, babe.
Um, you know how I was supposed to secure
the liquor license before the B and B opened?
Might want to get down here!
Sam and Jay are about to have a fight.
Well, I forgot.
But then, in kind of a hero move,
last week, I realized that I forgot.
Jay, the whiskey tasting is tomorrow.
Which is why I have been hounding the liquor board
to expedite the process, and that was them.
And they said that the earliest
that they can come to do an inspection
is eight weeks from now.
No. We've been serving alcohol for months.
Welcome drinks, wine pairings with dinner.
Wait, we have been doing it for months,
and we haven't been caught.
So what's one more day?
Yes. Jay, I like your style.
If we cancel on the Sippr guy, he may never come back.
We'll be blowing a huge opportunity.
As the wife of a robber baron,
if I might just add, sometimes one must skirt the law
to advance one's own business.
This is nuts. Serving alcohol
without a license is a criminal offense.
What are the ghosts saying?
Well, Hetty's saying sometimes you need
to bend the law in business,
and Pete's arguing against.
And whose mansion are we standing in right now?
Okay, I had a three-bedroom
in a very good school district.
I guess it's just one more day.
Yes, Sam! Let's break the damn law.
(laughs)
And please enjoy this cheese platter
while we wait for the other guests to arrive.
Thank you so much.
Uh, Sam, why are we wasting space on almonds?
We need pungent. Where's the Roquefort?
Who are the young folk?
Ah, they're here for the whiskey tasting.
She's an art history major, and he's a frat guy
trying to prove he's not a douche
by bringing her to this classy event.
I am tired of people stereotyping frat dudes.
We are just as refined as the next guy.
Babe, check it out.
Frog testicles.
Yes, he's a remarkable young man.
Damn, I miss my frat days. Great friends, epic parties.
Isaac knows what I'm talking about.
- He was a Freemason. - What's a Freemason?
We were the original fraternal organization.
Ben Franklin, George Washington, Samuel Adams
were counted amongst our membership.
It was, like, crazy exclusive.
The kid who played Chunk in Goonies
was in my pledge class, so I get it.
Here's an idea.
What if we started our own fraternity?
- (gasps) - A ghost fraternity?
- Oh, hell yes! - A ghost fraternity?
Okay, but how is that any different than all of us
just hanging out like we always do?
Because a fraternity has rituals and traditions.
And a cool secret handshake!
ISAAC: Yes.
Also, it's slightly different
than what we do every other day.
Yeah! Anything different is good.
Okay, fine. I'm in.
(grunts) Flower, what do you say?
I forget what we were talking about.
It's just like doing bong hits with Chunk.
I love it. This frat's gonna be amazing!
Is that the guy from Sippr?
ALBERTA: Yep, and he is making love to that whiskey.
So what do you think?
Notes of vanilla, dried fruit,
a playful offering with which to start.
- (doorbell ringing) - Uh...
If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back.
- Hi. Jay Arondekar? - Yes.
My name's Sherry. I'm with the Hudson Valley Liquor Authority.
Sam, we're being raided. Toilet, sink or drink.
You got to get rid of the hooch.
I'm here to inspect your property
for a liquor license.
Oh. (weak chuckle) I thought you couldn't come
for, like, eight weeks.
Well, today is your lucky day.
I had a cancellation and was told you folks
are in a bit of a time crunch.
Now isn't exactly the best time,
so maybe you could come back, like, say, tomorrow?
Once we arrive, if we're denied entry,
- it's an automatic fail. - Meaning...
You'll have to wait a year before you reapply.
Okay, uh, would you just hold on one moment?
- SHERRY: No, wait-- What? - Thanks.
This is not good.
We can't be without a liquor license for a year.
We have to get the guests out of here.
Wow. I guess someone's wishing they listened to the fellow
with the modest house after all, huh?
What are we gonna do? Are we gonna kick out the Sippr guy?
Can you imagine the review he'll write?
He'll shred us.
- I have an idea. - SAM: What?
I said, "He'll shred us."
I was talking to Alberta.
Okay, well, you can see how it's confusing, though, right?
Well, you have a bunch of booze
and a bunch of thirsty customers
with Johnny Law breathing down your neck.
And you also have a secret room with a hidden entrance.
What are you saying, Alberta?
Girl, I'm saying let's do a damn speakeasy.
Alberta's suggesting that we sneak our guests
into the vault and call it a speakeasy.
(exhales) That's a great idea.
It's cool, it's down a secret passageway.
That's what I'm saying!
We could sell it as part
of the whiskey tasting experience, make it our theme.
I strongly advise against this.
You're gonna run a speakeasy in the house
while that woman is performing inspections?
This is crazy.
Yes, Pete, apparently we are.
Ooh, all right, Sam! You won't regret it.
Yeah, unless they get fined, arrested,
or put out of business.
Either way, it's gonna be
a wild night. (laughing)
- What's going on? - It's 1928,
and Johnny Law is hot on our tails.
Oh, is this like a speakeasy thing?
Yes, exactly. And as long as you know the password-- um, uh...
Arrow... nerd.
Pretty sure Arrow would have sufficed.
Then you can come on in.
- Arrow nerd. - SAM: You're in.
ALBERTA: Let's go, let's go, let's go.
(creaking)
- (laughs) - Let's go, let's go, let's go.
♪ ♪
So, uh, how long do you think this is going to take?
Well, I need to check the common spaces,
make sure there are an appropriate number of egresses,
look at the general sanitary conditions,
ensure there's no pest feces or active infestations.
Cool. So, like, ten or 15 minutes?
This is going to take several hours, sir.
Ooh, the Paper Mate 98 ball pen?
(chuckling): Oh, this gal means business.
That baby glides.
Ooh. Yeah.
You've all been chosen as members
of the inaugural class
of the very exclusive ghost fraternity.
What makes it exclusive?
Pete and Alberta aren't in it.
Didn't they choose not to be in it?
Be that as it may, they're out.
Now, you may be wondering, what is a frat?
And the answer is an organization that promotes
high-minded conversations
about philosophy, poetry and ethics.
What? No, it's not that at all.
It's about binge drinking, taking drugs,
and doing one day of charity every three years.
But, Trevor, we're ghosts.
We can't do any of those things.
Okay, fine, but we don't have to be lame.
We can do fun stuff, like jumping off the roof.
Yes! (laughs)
Like ättestupa.
In Viking society, when old people
no longer able to support themselves,
we throw them off cliff.
Is very fun.
Just every story, man,
- it just keeps getting darker. - Yeah.
Wouldn't everyone prefer to plumb the depths
of human knowledge and learn timeless lessons
about morality, like we did in the Freemasons?
Look, guys, I think we have different visions
of this thing, which is fine.
Doesn't mean that one's better than the other.
Just means that you should start your own frat.
And I'll do the cool one.
So...
how's it going down here?
A completely immersive experience
to go along with the tasting. Well done.
And the fake corpse-- That's a nice touch.
Look, I can make him pick his nose.
- That's great, Blane. - Oh, they're being so loud.
The inspector's going to hear. This is so nerve-racking.
Pete, this is living!
Didn't you ever color outside the lines?
Well, one time I was late for a movie,
so I parked in a loading zone.
It was a Sunday, so it was probably allowed,
but, man, it ruined Gremlins for me.
We lived very different lives, Pete Martino.
BOTH: Thor-Finn, Thor-Finn, Thor-Finn!
Jump, Thor!
Now that Thor up here, it, uh...
seems pretty high.
Starting to feel bad
for old people we throw off cliff.
You're a ghost. You'll be fine.
Oh.
Is this stove properly ventilated?
Yes, I would assume it is.
Well, you'd be surprised.
A lot of these older homes have renovations
- that were done without proper permitting. - (Thor screaming)
Oh, my God!
Improper permitting, you say?
Yes, it's a real problem.
- Thor rules! - Oh, my God!
Best fraternity ever! Yes!
- (cheering continues) - (doorbell chimes)
I'll be right back.
- Arrow nerd. - Excuse me?
Our buddy texted us about a speakeasy here.
Oh, yeah, that's not actually happening anymore.
MAN: But he just texted us.
- Hey, yo, Blane! - (whispers): Okay, okay.
It was a test.
And you passed,
so shut up, follow me, quietly.
♪ ♪
ISAAC: "Any moment might be our last,
everything is more beautiful because we are doomed."
Anyone know from where those words come?
- My worst nightmare? - ISAAC: No.
It's The Iliad! (laughs)
This is the point of a fraternal organization.
The Freemasons sought to build moral character
through study of the classics.
- TREVOR: "The classics." - (laughter)
Hey, what's going on lame-da, lame-da, lame-da?
- We're going to party in vault! - You guys should come.
No, rest assured, we're quite fine in here.
TREVOR: Suit yourself.
Lame-da! (laughs)
(both sigh)
Okay, where were we? Ah, yes.
Throwing a party of our own.
- I can't do this, man. - What?
Look, I joined your frat 'cause I hate siding
with Trevor on basically anything, but...
I just gotta get out of here.
Well, it's just you and me, then.
That was so rude of Sasappis
just to leave us here like that.
I think I should go give him a piece of my mind.
- You just want to go to the party, don't you? - Desperately.
Thank you for understanding. Oh!
- HVU! - (overlapping party chatter)
- MAN: Go, Turtles! - Man, these guys can drink.
I had two light beers in college one night.
Woke up in a trash heap in northern Nevada.
Ooh!
Oh, well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.
Yes, fine. We got bored. You win.
Go ahead, do that weird gesture with your hands
- where you make a little "T." - T-Money! Yeah, that one?
- Ugh. - Ugh. Good. Get it out of your system.
Wait. Where's Isaac?
Oh, uh, he's, uh, still at the frat meeting.
You left him at the meeting alone?
- Yes, and we feel awful about it. - Mm-hmm.
(gasps) Tiny hot dogs.
Oh, they smell just as good as the big boys.
(music playing softly)
- SAM: Hey. - Hi.
So how's it going up there?
Slow. That lady is thorough.
How's Sippr guy enjoying himself?
He thinks that the high-end whiskey
that we're serving him isn't "special."
Uh, Sam, if I may,
I know where you can get a whiskey
that will knock this man's socks off.
- Am I holding for ghosts? - Yup.
My bootlegger boyfriend stored booze upstairs
- the night I performed. - Do you think it's still there?
Oh, I know it is. I'll take you right to it.
Okay. Hey, uh, Elliot.
Uh, how would you like to try Prohibition-era whiskey
stashed on this property 100 years ago by bootleggers?
I would like to try that very much.
Great. Wait here and we'll be right back.
Uh, there is just one little problem.
- It's in the wall. - SAM: Seriously?
Damn it.
SAM: Jay, Alberta said the whiskey is still in the wall.
ALBERTA: (chuckles) Mm-hmm.
Yep, it's still there.
Oh, my precious booze.
And also a possum skeleton.
He died years before you guys moved in.
Cute little guy. You know, pre-rotting.
All right, I'm all done with my inspection.
- Everything looks good. - Oh!
Great. So you're leaving?
Yup, just as soon as I fill out the requisite paperwork.
Okay if I set up shop in the kitchen?
Uh... Why don't you use the library?
- It's more comfortable. - Or the upstairs den.
Very end of the hall. Quiet.
No, the kitchen's fine.
SAM: This is insane.
There's no way we can break a hole in this wall
without Sherry hearing us.
Okay, I have an idea.
We Shawshank it.
Shawshank Redemption. The movie.
- I still haven't seen it. - JAY: Seriously?
- Sam, it's on, like, four times a day. - Okay.
In that movie, the main guy, Andy Dufresne,
he escapes from prison by crawling through a pipe,
and what he does is he waits for a storm,
and then he uses the cracks of thunder to cover up
when he hits the pipe with a rock.
So you're saying we should wait for a storm?
No, babe, I'm saying we make our own storm.
Is anyone else turned on right now?
A little.
This woman is a machine! Working in pen,
no cross-outs, really focused.
Oh, Jay looks like he's gearing up, Sam.
Oh, don't mind me.
I'm just gonna tenderize a little meat.
No problem.
And now!
(simultaneous thuds)
And now!
(simultaneous thuds)
And now!
(thudding and wood clattering)
Oh, that's a beefy rib-eye.
Oh, my God.
(chuckles) Ooh-whee! Yes.
That's some sweet Kentucky bath water.
Mm, and one nasty-ass possum.
(Sam groans)
TREVOR: Hey, I've been looking for you, bud.
I suppose you've come to gloat
about your fraternity vanquishing mine.
No, I came to invite you downstairs.
It may not be a Masonic lodge,
but speakeasy's pretty cool.
And we missed you.
Well, the truth is, I wouldn't even know
what the inside of a Masonic lodge looked like.
What are you talking about? (gasps)
Was it all freaky blindfolded stuff?
No, Trevor.
Despite my claims, I never actually was a Freemason.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: Wow! (chuckles)
I had heard the rumors, but that is a big carriage.
Well, it doesn't get the best miles per bale of hay,
but, uh, she sure is roomy.
Indeed. Indeed.
And a good thing too, Higgintoot,
because I've invited you here today
because I would like you
to take a large oak desk
to John Jay's house.
You mean... You mean after the meeting?
After the...
Oh, dear.
You thought I was inviting you
to the Freemasons meeting.
Oh... I mean, I... I mean, no.
Look, after John Jay's, why don't you come back?
Really?
Oh, darn it! I've done it again, haven't I?
I simply meant in case any of the Freemasons
needed a ride home. (chuckles)
I am sorry.
So, when I got the chance to start my own fraternity,
I decided to turn it into the Freemasons,
so I could finally belong.
But here I am, rejected once again.
They didn't reject you today.
They rejected being in the Freemasons,
Which makes sense, 'cause it seems
like the Freemasons kind of sucked.
And Ben Franklin-- I hate to say this,
as a Penn guy-- sounds like a dick.
He was a bit full of himself.
Although, he did discover electricity.
Like they weren't gonna find that.
Look, I didn't get into my first choice frat,
but the guys I ended up with
turned out to be my best friends.
Didn't one of them dump your dead body into a lake?
The point is, you may not have chosen us ghosts,
but you're here now,
and we're lucky to have you.
Thank you, Trevor.
You know, there's a statue
of Ben Franklin on campus at Penn,
him sitting on a bench.
Ugh, of course there is.
Why are you telling me this?
Because every weekend,
kids get drunk and pee all over it.
Oh.
Oh, Trevor...
What a gift you've given me.
So, what do you think?
I have never had anything like it.
I feel like I've been training my whole life for this.
Cheers.
ALBERTA: Little tip, Sam.
You and Jay wait 20 minutes before drinking it,
see if any of these folks go blind.
I can't believe it. We pass our inspection,
we nail the whiskey tasting.
Are we great business people?
- We might be. - (both laugh)
Oh, what a night. That was fun.
I gotta admit, I was nervous at first,
but then I started to, you know, get into it.
Ooh, see? Being bad feels pretty good.
- Doesn't it? - It was exciting.
That's why you gotta take risks every now and then.
Yeah, you're right. You're totally right.
Pete, you spent your whole life being afraid.
Don't make that same mistake in your afterlife.
Just go for it.
Okay.
Whoa!
Okay. You're gonna see this as a defeat,
but this is a proud moment for you,
and I want you to acknowledge that.
PETE: Okay, I feel... I feel proud.
Good.
♪ ♪
(music playing)
Hey, to the ghost frat and its founding member,
Isaac Higgintoot.
ALL: Huzzah!
THOR: Yeah!
♪ ♪
(sighs) What an event. I mean, hats off to you both.
Someone is gonna get a very nice review in Sippr.
That's great. Uh, thank you.
I mean, I really don't understand
your business model at all.
Just giving away $5,000 bottles of vintage whiskey,
but I am not complaining.
(nervous chuckle)
Did he say $5,000?
(guests whooping)
- Yeah! - Can't get enough... ♪
Are we bad business people?
We might be.
You know, I think it's smart
you're saving a little money doing this yourselves.
Totally. Now we're only 30 grand down
from the whole whiskey thing.
Hey, wait a minute.
What is this?
HETTY: It's a letter.
Does possum have pen pal?
Open it up, Sam.
"My dearest Earl..."
(yelps) That was my bootlegger boyfriend.
(laughs) The letter must have fallen out of the crate.
"I can't wait for us to be together
once we get rid of you-know-who."
Signed, T.
"Get rid of...?"
Sam. This might have something to do
- with Alberta's murder. - Did Earl knock me off?
Or maybe it was T. But who the hell is T?
Samantha, fire up that podcast machine.
- We've got two new suspects. - (gasps)
Captioning sponsored by CBS
and TOYOTA.
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org