[ Dog barking distantly ]
[ Exhales ]
[ Dog barks ]
Deb: Coming! Hello!
Hi. Deb.
My name is Joy Hartman.
I'm a detective with the NYPD.
Oh.
I wanted to speak with you about
your ex-husband, Keith Powell.
He's not dead, is he?
I'm so sorry.
Oh, my God.
So, what was your
relationship with him like?
Sometimes good,
sometimes not good.
It was a relationship.
Right.
And, um, have you been
to Montreal in the
past couple of weeks?
All right, you know what?
I'm not one of these
ladies with wet hair
who kills the father
of her child, all right?
So you can just put
that shit to rest.
If you're looking for
a bad guy,
why don't you look into
who Fat Franky is.
Hey, Crystal. Did you ever ask
your family about Fat Franky?
Family?
Yeah.
What about my family?
Did you ever ask them
about Fat Franky?
My family would have
to be in the mob
to know about a guy
named Fat Franky.
My family's not in the mob.
My father has a very reputable
construction company.
All right, look.
His girlfriend told us
there's this guy named
Fat Franky who's been
causing trouble.
So he had a girlfriend?
Check with her.
♪ Obedear, the sky is low ♪
♪ Watch fluent seamen
rig their rudders ♪
El? I have to leave now,
I have my rehearsal!
Sweetheart?
Is everything okay?
Can I go in, you think?
He's okay.
Uh, I do think you should
keep your energy,
you know, like,
light and airy.
Yes. Yeah.
[ Knocking on door ]
Come in!
Hey, Baba ganoush!
Hey, Pita Bread!
Okay, it's insane
that you're here.
I'm literally writing
about you right now.
All good things, I hope.
I actually just finished
an entire sentence
about how you and I
can sit in silence together
and envision what the
other person's thinking.
Like, let's do it.
Let's sit in silence.
Track lighting.
Yeah.
Ahh!
[ Giggles ]
So, El, I was, um, thinking
maybe you should just see
a...doctor for the rash.
Oh, no. As long as I'm not
exposed to the sun ever again,
I'll be totally fine.
[ Whimpers ]
El, you're scaring me.
I got you, girl!
[ Laughs ]
Hey.
Dory.
What are you doing here?
I just came
to bring him these.
It's really not
a good time right now.
He's losing it, and I'm late
for my first rehearsal.
Right, yeah, I mean, I'll just
drop them off with --
No!
I don't want him
getting crazier.
Right. [ Chuckles ] I mean, I
seriously can't just --
Dory.
I told you
it's not a good time,
please don't throw
a fit about it, okay?
Portia.
[ Floor boards creak ]
[ Intro to "They Always Fly
Away" by Blouse plays ]
♪ Do you want to follow me
indoors? ♪
♪ Get the elevator to my floor ♪
♪ There's
a lonely blackbird... ♪
Ugh!
Oh, my God. Are you okay, ma'am?
I'm so sorry.
Oh, my God, I feel so bad.
Oh, my God, Molly?
Oh no, I'm so sorry!
This makes it
so much worse.
I'm sorry, I was late to work,
and I knocked you down.
It's fine, don't worry.
Are you sure you're all right?
Yeah. Drew, right?
Yeah. Yeah, Drew.
Yes.
We met at the drink thing.
Oh, that was so fun.
Yes. Yes, um.
Well, it was nice to see you.
Yeah, it was so good to see
you.
I feel so stupid --
No. No!
I -- I got to run. Bye!
Sorry!
No -- no problem!
So, we actually
do taco Wednesdays,
which is kind of fun.
That's Tim, our accountant.
He's kick-ass at bowling!
So, this is it.
This is headquarters,
AKA your new home!
Take it in.
That's Clayton,
the Communications Director.
You won't be
working with him,
but that's okay
because he's a meanie.
[ Phone ringing ]
I said, he's a meanie!
[ Laughs ]
Now let me show you
to Mary's office,
she wants to greet you,
but usually, like,
don't knock
on her door or anything,
'cause she's, like,
really, really busy,
and she does not
have time for you.
Uh, Mary! Dory Seif and
Julian Marcus are here for you.
Oh! Oh!
Oh! Ah!
Was that my fault
or you fault?
I feel like that
was not my fault.
What an entrance! Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm so sorry.
Well, Dory actually
brought you some flowers.
Oh, no, those weren't --
um, I threw them in the trash.
You threw flowers
in the trash?
How strange.
See, I think if I can
just make the strips flow,
then it's gonna
be easy for me to see
where the story problems are.
[ Insane laughter ] I got it.
Okay, babe, uh, I'm gonna
tell you something,
and I don't want
you to freak out.
Okay.
We are officially
out of aluminum foil.
But we need to
cover the windows.
Trust me,
I think it'll be okay
if a little sunlight
gets on some of these strips.
Okay. Do you see
where we are right now?
We are 20, maybe
[Screaming] 30 minutes away
from the sunlight
hitting one of the strips!
Do you not give a shit?!
I do, I really do,
and -- and I --
Good!
I'm trying, but I've never
had to do this before!
But I want to
do it right!
I want you to look back
after you're better
and think I did it right!
Well, you're not
doing it right,
and you've never done it right,
and I'm sorry,
but I don't ask
for a lot either.
[ Scoffs ]
You ask for so much.
you have expectations that
literally no one can fulfill.
Well, if I have expectations
that nobody can fulfill,
maybe I shouldn't be
with anybody, should I?
You don't mean that.
You embarrass me, Marc.
And it's sad that I feel
that I deserve to be
with someone
who's less deep than me,
who's less smart than me,
and not dynamic in...
the... least-ah!
I am so sick
of chasing after you!
[ Shrilly ]
Ow! My balls!
You will never find someone
who puts up with your shit!
You will die alone!
[ Groaning ]
From the world of darkness,
I hereby loose
demons and devils.
The power of scorpions
will torment you.
Death to pigs!
Sup -- Pfah!
I'm sorry. Sorry. Shit!
What happened?
I'm still struggling
with the language, okay?
Why?
I just -- I don't identify
with that kind of
susceptibility, I don't know.
I mean, I can work on finding
the motivation another way,
I just don't -- I don't think
that this is like me.
North Star.
Why are you, um,
doing that?
Sorry, me?
Mm-hmm.
Am I -- Am I North Star?
Yeah.
I'm so sorry.
I don't really know
you that well,
and you're so talented,
um...
But I just want to say,
you absolutely have
the susceptibility to do this,
like all of us do.
I really think good,
smart people have the potential
to make
really big mistakes.
Okay, I wouldn't call
the Manson Murders a mistake.
This was full-blown carnage
as a result of mental illness.
Yeah, but susceptibility
isn't mental illness --
I'm sorry,
what are you defending?
I'm sorry, I know
everyone's arguing,
but we're due
for a five.
Okay.
Take five, go tinkle.
North Star.
I'm so sorry.
Do you like spaghetti?
I'm making you dinner tonight.
[ Laughs ]
[ Phone ringing ]
Alan.
Hey, buddy. What's going on?
What, are you slogging down
some English breakfast?
Earl Grey, actually.
Toss a little milk
in there, get down,
have yourself
a little party?
So, how's it going?
Good. Good. Good, good, good.
I want to tell you,
I bumped into your wife
at a bodega in midtown.
She's really sweet.
Yeah, she's the best.
Yeah, she is.
Yeah, she's, um, she's
a really wonderful woman.
You know, I hesitate
to tell you this,
but when I, um,
ran into her at the bodega,
she seemed
a little nervous.
And at first, I didn't
really think anything of it,
I was like, whatever.
But then I saw her cross the
street and meet up with someone,
and it was a man.
Oh...
Yeah, she has
friends in town,
so that was probably
what that was. [ Chuckles ]
No, I don't think so.
I didn't have my glasses on,
so maybe -- it's not for sure --
but I think, um...
I think it was Max.
What? What? That's typical!
Well, if it were true...
What should I do?
I'm a paranoid person,
so I think that,
um, I'd go through
all her shit.
♪ Showcase, rotate, keep it
keen, lean smile on my face ♪
♪ Tac and repel at the waist ♪
♪ And I bend the right ways when
I hear me a beat and a bass ♪
♪ Just need me a beat
and a bass ♪
[ Sighs ]
♪ Easily sweeten the taste ♪
♪ Increasin'
all the symptoms... ♪
Nia: Hello?
Nia!
Yeah? Who's this?
Incredible News is here!
You're here to welcome
Incredible News into your home!
[ Laughs ]
[ Gasps ] Nia!
Oh! Elliott!
Uh, you know, it's, uh,
it's really not a good time.
I'm, uh, feeding the baby.
Okay, well you're gonna
want to feed the baby this!
[ Laughs ]
Okay, so listen.
This is my card in case
you need anything, all right?
Call me anytime.
I know how hard this is.
Thanks for coming over.
Here.
Take some hand cream.
Crystal made it.
It's Jergens and pear paste.
I call it "Baby hair."
I try to do it all
natural ingredients...
Yeah.
...but sometimes
I can't get them,
so I just use
whatever I can find.
I hear you.
You know?
Keith screwed up a lot,
but he always knew
how to redeem himself.
I was getting
so pissed at him
for not picking up
Kaitlin twice in a row,
but then he sends me this email
just a couple of days ago
saying how much he loved us.
It's like he knew it was
gonna be the last email
he was ever gonna send to me.
Life is crazy, right?
I'm sorry, when did
he send this email?
[ Exhales ]
Guess it was Monday.
Why?
Why are you acting like that?
Could you do me a favor?
Could you forward me
that email?
All right.
Thank you.
Sure.
[ Phone dialing ]
Randy: Hello?
Hi. Is this Randy?
Yeah. Who's this?
Hi, my name is Dory Seif.
I'm calling from
Mary Ferguson's office.
Are you aware that there's
an upcoming election?
Hey, Dory.
No, I wasn't aware.
Hey, I'm sorry to pry,
but you sound a little...blue.
Is everything okay?
Oh, um, I'm fine.
Yeah. Thank you, um...
I just want you to know
how excited I am
to be representing
this candidate for Senate.
Yeah, I'm sorry, I know
it's none of my business,
but I can't help
but feel like
your sadness is,
like, palpable.
Could you tell me
more about that?
Well, um...
Everyone hates me.
And they should.
[ Sighs ]
I just don't have
anyone to talk to.
I'm sorry to hear that.
You can talk to me, though.
What are they upset about?
I keep messing things up.
And I don't know
how to fix it.
Yeah, well, what if I
let you suck my cock?
It's really big and hard.
Oh, I think
you'd like it, Dor --
Ah!
Julian: Dory.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Um, I -- I actually, uh,
was able to convince
a voter to vote for Mary,
so it's -- it's good.
[ Clears throat ]
[ Grunts ]
And then I thought,
if my book is about lies,
the book itself
needs to be a lie!
Right?
Absolutely.
[ Groans ]
Oh, my God, I'm sorry.
The bar cart is
heavier than the dog.
[ Insane laughter ]
That's insane, right?
I've thought the same thing.
I should really let guests
know when they come over.
Anyway, then I
started thinking --
what is our society's
biggest lie?
Christ narrative.
Propaganda!
Propaganda.
So then I thought, what if my
book embodies propaganda, okay?
Making the reader complicit,
making them paralyzed, you know?
[ Sighs ]
So, it goes bar cart, dog,
lamp, coffee table?
[ Baby gurgles ]
Can I?
Oh... Um...
I'm sorry, no.
Elliot, I think that
we should just stick
to weighing furniture today.
Hi. Come here.
But we have to know.
I mean, we never
expected that order.
I mean, wouldn't it
be so surprising
if the baby weighed more
than the coffee table?
I think that we can safely
assume that she's lightest?
Nia, please.
Give me the baby.
I just need to go
to the bathroom,
so, just, um,
just wait here.
Okay.
Automated voice:
Bathroom. Yushi, bathroom.
Bathroom. Yushi.
Yu-shi.
Toilet. Cesu.
[ Cellphone ringing ]
Hey, man. What's up?
Allen:
[ Whispering ] You were right.
What?
You were right.
[ Sighs ] I went through her
things. She's cheating on me.
I found condoms.
Magnums.
Oh, magnums, huh?
It's bad enough that, you know,
she's cheating on you, but...
Oh, why does it have
to be magnums, you know?
This sucks.
I got to go.
Yeah, okay.
Feel better, all right? Let
me know if you need anything.
[ Cellphone clicks ]
[ Thud ]
[ Sighs ]
♪♪
[ Laughs ]
What do you taste?
[ Laughing ] That's amazing.
You're such a good cook!
[ Inhales ]
Only two people in the world
know this story
I'm about to tell you.
My mother and my priest.
What is it?
[ Exhales ]
When I was in Peru,
I wanted to go swimming.
Everyone said the surf
was too strong.
Mm-hmm.
But I was stubborn.
And I'm so glad I went
in the water that day
because I was pulled under
for nearly 3 minutes.
I almost died
and I experienced
what the modern world
calls God.
What was it like?
Nothing that you've ever
cared about matters.
Nothing that you know
is real.
[ Whispers ]
This is all an illusion.
Wow. That's so cool.
North Star.
Yeah?
Do you know why we're going
to be best friends forever?
[ Laughs ]
Tell me.
Because you're
dangerously beautiful.
I love beautiful women,
I can't help myself.
You're also the smartest person
I've ever met in my life.
[ Voice breaking ]
You don't know me that well.
Is it hard for you
to accept that?
Yeah. Yeah.
Am I right to assume
that you let other people
take advantage
of you in the past?
Yeah.
I'm not gonna let that
happen anymore, okay?
Okay.
Mary is phenomenal,
you're gonna love her.
Thank you, thank you.
Okay. All right,
talk to you soon. Bye.
Dory! Dory!
Do you plan on making
any calls today?
Yeah, I just did like
three in a row, so...
Wow. Yeah, that's
not that many.
Is everything okay?
Yeah. It's great.
Okay, guys,
this is me asking you nicely
to please keep it down.
Okay, do you expect us
to be completely silent?
We're all literally
talking on the phone.
Aren't you a writer
for New York Mag?
What was wrong
with that job?
I freelance, it doesn't
take up all my time.
That must be code
for they fired you.
I actually have an article
coming out tomorrow.
Hmm.
Oh. Uh, is that
the Chantal one?
Yeah.
How'd that turn out?
I don't think you're
going to like it.
Well, can I read it?
That's not how it works.
Seriously, Julian?
You don't trust me to read it?
I mean, you're not
in the fucking CIA.
Yo, chill.
Why don't you
think I'm gonna like it?
Is it gonna, like,
ruin my life or something?
You need to take a breather.
[ Heartbeat ]
Yeah. Maybe I do.
[ Heartbeat continues ]
♪♪
[ Panting ]
♪♪
[ Breathing heavily ]
Hello?
Hi, Dory.
This is Nia Carpourtalas.
I work with your
friend Elliot Goss.
Oh. Hi.
Hi. Um, Elliott's fine,
everything's fine,
but he is headed to a treatment
center called Hallways
that we've provided
at our expense,
and we just thought
we should let you know
that we're making sure
he gets the help he needs.
Okay.
And he does have a message
that I am reluctant to relay.
But he wanted me to let you now
that it's all your fault.
[ Breathes rapidly ]
[ Cellphone clicks ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
♪♪
[ Panicked breathing ]
[ Screaming ]
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
Hello?
Hello?!
Who's there?!
Oh, God.
[ Quietly ]
Okay.
Okay, okay, okay.
Okay. Okay.
[ Inhales sharply ]
Okay. Okay.
Come on, come on, come on.
[ Elevator dings ]
[ Suspenseful music climbs ]
♪ All by myself
to clean up your furries ♪
♪ All by myself,
all by myself ♪
♪ All by myself
to clean up your worries ♪
♪ All by myself ♪
[ Coughs ]