Channel Zero

Mike Painter is here with me.

He's called "America's child psychologist,"

and his new book is "Shaping the Past."

I'm happy to have Mike Painter back on the show.

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

So did becoming a father

change how you look at childhood?

Yeah, I think so.

You know, at the same time,

adulthood is just a mask,

a sophisticated mask, for sure.

But behind it, we're all still the kids we were.

Now, in the book, you talk about your childhood.

Uh, you lost a twin brother when you were 12?

In 1988, in Iron Hill, Ohio,

where I was born, um,

five kids went missing.

The Iron Hill murders.

Never solved.

Yeah.

The last victim, the one they never found

was my brother, Eddie.

You were identical twins.

Losing a twin is like having a...

A phantom limb.

How does a family deal with something like that?

My father was out of the picture.

My mother couldn't cope.

Um, I was sent to live with relatives.

I've never been back to Iron Hill.

I want to do something unusual.

I have someone on the phone.

12 years old.

His family's gone through a tragedy as well.

I'd like you to talk to him.

Show us what you do.

I don't know if that's appro...

Are you there?

Hello?

My name's Dr. Painter.

I'm a...

I'm a doctor who kids like you talk to

about stuff that's on their mind.

Is there anything you want to talk to me about?

Can you tell me your name?

What is this?

Is that your TV?

Turn it off.

Turn it off.

Mike.

Why are you scared to come home?

Mike?

Why are you scared to come home?

_

American goldfinch.

Now he's just part of the yard.

Hey.

I wanted to surprise you.

You sure know how.

Miss Marla, who is that?

Hi, I'm Mike. What's your name?

This is Katie.

Miss Marla?

It's my son.

He is a lurker, this cat.

I swear, he kills for sport.

So you're a vegetarian, then?

Well, I-I don't eat songbirds.

What?

No pictures of me or Eddie...

or Dad.

Well, don't take it personally.

It's just a matter of managing

intrusive thoughts.

Yeah.

Thanks a lot, Mom. It really is, um...

Why have you come? Just tell me.

No, I... I'm so happy to see you.

You are welcome here.

It's just...

I hope you haven't come to rip open a wound.

Once every two years, someone turns up in Iron Hill

to solve those murders.

I've always been afraid that...

one day it would be you.

Yeah, but nothing was stolen?

Okay, uh, Bob will take your statement, Mr. Crumm.

Okay.

Hey, Bob! Line one.

Yes? Can I help you?

Hi, there, uh, my name is Mike Painter.

Oh! Hi.

Uh... my mom saw you on Dr. Phil

and got very excited.

I-I mean, I saw you, too.

So, uh, what brings you here?

I was actually wondering if I could...

Holy shit.

Yeah.

Wow. Mike Painter.

- Gary. - It's good to see you.

Actually, uh, I was hoping we could have a quick word.

- Absolutely. - Yeah.

We'll go to my office.

Nice to meet you.

It was a pleasure to meet you, too.

- Right? - Yeah, it's...

Okay, so Billy Reese was on first.

And then, uh, there was someone... some kid on second,

and you were on third.

Yeah, and you don't remember.

No, no, no, no, I-I remember.

So they went and elected you sheriff.

- This is... - Yeah.

Congratulations.

Look, it's not exactly the wild west.

I mean, we got drunk people doing drunk things, and...

Right now there's some mystery man...

He's, uh... he's going around breaking into houses

without stealing anything. I don't know. it's just...

Didn't the Manson Family do that?

Uh, past troubles aside,

we're a little bit more "Partridge Family"

than Manson Family around here,

but enough on all that.

What about you?

We've... w-w-we've kept on you. I-I even read your book.

Oh, man, that's, um...

That's kind of you.

Well, speaking of past troubles, you know,

Gary, I was hoping I could take a look at those files.

Do you mind if I ask why?

I mean, it's been, uh...

28 years since they dragged those kids out of the woods.

Yeah, minus their teeth.

Look, Mike, all... All I'm saying is that, uh,

a lot of folks,

just like you and your mom, lost people back then.

So...

I'm not saying no.

I guess I'm just saying, why now?

I'm writing a book.

Really?

Is it gonna be a good book?

I hope so.

What I mean is, is it gonna be a respectful book?

Above all else.

Absolutely.

Mike, you know that I-I didn't get stuck here, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's...

But did you know that I married Jessica Hale?

I did hear that.

She would be right annoyed

if I didn't invite you for dinner tonight.

- No. - No, no, no. No, no, no.

There's a lot of people coming, and, uh...

and I think I can help you with those files.

But...

I need your expert opinion on my kid.

Yeah, I-I-I think he's growing up

a little bit strange.

Do we have a casino?

Weren't we supposed to get one, a casino, in this town?

We don't build anything here.

- Well, whose fault is that? - I'll tell you.

- Oh, here we go. - Steam to diesel.

When the railroad switched from steam to diesel,

- that is what killed us. - No. Community.

How kids are raised.

Now everything's all disconnected.

What? Now everything's all connected.

Now any perv can reach through the Wi-Fi

and grope my daughter.

We don't even keep a TV in the house.

I'll tell you something else.

This is not even a town. It's a museum.

But you got to modernize. Take the station.

If the county gave us funds,

what we could do with that.

Well... yeah, and when you're sheriff,

- I think you should do that. - Oh.

When I'm sheriff, the first thing I do is

take down that stupid painting in your office.

- She's got you there. - I know.

- Dad? - I love this town.

I absolutely love it. I love it just the way it is.

And you know that... Hey, buddy.

Katie's been watching TV forever.

I want to watch "Labyrinth."

- It's a tough life, bud. - Dane, honey,

you tell your sister it's time for bed.

And you too... No more TV.

Good night.

Don't.

Mike.

I mentioned this earlier.

That kid is obsessed with David Bowie.

That's strange, right?

You're lucky it's not ABBA.

I wouldn't worry about it.