♪ Level up, I know you see me comin' ♪
It's return of the mack!
Back from winter break,
which for me, was more like a winter grind.
This semester, I'll be laying the foundation
for a brand-new, exciting venture.
Negotiating Annika's deal for "Social Submarine"
may have lit the fuse on our breakup,
but it gave me the confidence I needed as a manager.
So now, I'm starting my own company.
I've been investing in myself.
I got bespoke business cards Patrick Bateman would kill for.
And because I'm my father's son, boom.
[bell rings] Look good, feel good.
But not so much physically.
I been crashing on the Gamma couch
because I'm still on the outs with Aaron.
As for the girls...
- ♪ So level up ♪ - ♪ So level up ♪
- ♪ There's no time to waste ♪ - ♪ There's no time to waste ♪
[music slows down and stops]
[tense hip-hop beat]
As for Zaara, Lauryn, and Kiela,
they're figuring life out as children of our divorce.
There's a reason most titans of industry are lone wolves.
Do you think we'd have Tesla today
if Elon Musk wasn't the world's loneliest man?
Now I've got a hot, new client on the line,
and I've just gotta do is reel that marlin in.
♪ ♪
Andre Johnson.
Are you ready to take it to the next level?
both: ♪ Watch out, world ♪
♪ I'm grown now ♪
♪ I'm grown ♪
♪ Learn something new every day ♪
♪ I don't know so I'ma feel my way ♪
♪ Got the weight of the world on me ♪
♪ But no regrets ♪
♪ This is what I say ♪
both: ♪ Watch out, world ♪
♪ I'm grown now ♪
♪ I'm grown ♪
♪ You can't tell me nothin' ♪
both: ♪ My heartbeat is so loud ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Mama, look, I'm grown now ♪
♪ I'm grown ♪
♪ ♪
So if I was your manager, I'd take all that TikTok hype
and I would use it to get you a college tour, okay?
And then we would leverage all the buzz from that
to get you a record deal, right?
And when your album comes out,
you've already got an army of fans waiting.
Uh-huh?
I mean, look at Chance. 2013, "Acid Rap."
Then he uses that to book a great college tour
and then in 2016, "Coloring Book" is a hit.
That's three Grammys right there, boom!
Then 2019, boom. All-time wife guy.
Okay, well, that--that part is definitely optional,
but I can get you started right away, okay?
I'm a Gamma and this year,
we are co-hosting the Greek Freakend,
which is sort of like a homecoming
for all of the Black frats and sororities in SoCal.
It's gonna be insane.
Has the college tour grind
paid off for you and your other clients?
So trust is key, so I'm just gonna level with you.
You would actually be my first client
that I don't have a pre-existing relationship with.
Oh. What do you mean?
Well, I--
I represent my ex-girlfriend and my best friend.
I just--I'm not a big shot yet,
but I would always treat you like one.
♪ ♪
Honesty does go a long way with me.
You know what?
If you in, so am I.
Freakend, baby. Let's get it. - Yes, sir.
Word! So we got ourselves a deal?
Got ourselves a deal, man.
Did you ever do this hairstyle?
Hi, girlies!
Did you have a good Christmas in New York?
Did you, like, ice skate at Rockefeller Center
and have tea at the Plaza?
Bitch, do I look like Elouise?
Luca threw the Christmas ham out the window
because apparently,
he's a raw vegan now and my mom cried.
It was amazing.
When it's not your toxic family,
it's just like immersive reality TV.
[moody pop music playing]
♪ ♪
Oh, no. Is that a post-breakup wallow playlist?
[softly] Yeah.
How's Annika been?
Well, one minute, it's "Andrew who?"
And the next minute, it's, "Can you please read
this six-page letter that I wrote him?"
She's barely left the suite since we got back.
I think she's, like, afraid of seeing Andre.
Well, I mean, even with no chance
of running into Zeke after our breakup,
all I wanted to do was hide out and cry.
Then maybe we should take her out? Yeah?
Because this really cannot go on.
[upbeat funky music]
♪ ♪
Is that a Douglas Frederick Edwards
victory dance I see?
My good brother, you are looking
at the soon-to-be 5% stakeholder
and hospitality director of the Bar None.
What? No way. You talked to Ray?
Oh, yes, I talked to Ray and I laid out
how the DougOut has already boosted revenue 26%,
and things went exactly as planned.
- Wow, man. Congratulations. - Thank you, buddy.
The power of manifestation is real, man.
- Oh, yo, and-- - It's real.
Yo, make sure you free up this Saturday.
Sloane is gonna throw a little celebratory outing for me.
Okay.
Maybe you could invite Edie, double-date.
Unless that's too serious for your casual situation?
- No, it's--it's cool. - [chuckles]
It's cool, you know?
And plus, it'll give me a chance
to box out any other clowns on her roster
and show her I'm a good hang in the streets,
not just in the sheets, so...
[dramatic hip-hop beat]
I'm glad you're recovered, but that's nasty.
Yo, Pop. What's the A/V situation?
We need subwoofers so loud
the neighborhood think it's The Big One.
All right, so the audio guy said
he could offer a hearing damage guarantee.
- Okay. - But not on paper.
Okay. Sounds scary, but promising.
Get after that.
Cole, how we doing on the posters?
Look at those!
Yeah, well, I did a Greek theme.
TK is Zeus and all the little people are the Cal U students
electrified by his music-slash-lightning bolt.
It is evocative. Let's get those up everywhere.
Oh, also I've already handled the press
and TK's car service, so we're good on those fronts.
Hey, real quick, real quick.
You want me to put your friends on the comp list?
You know, that hot lesbian chick,
the hot activist,
and the hot girl who dated Zeke?
They can come if they want.
- Word. - Gotcha.
In the before times,
I probably would've dropped the invite in the group chat,
but things have been pretty much tumbleweeds
since the breakup, so I'll send some solo texts.
Would you guys want to share some apps?
Andre liked to start with the chili cheese tots.
And then he wonders why he has hemorrhoids.
I mean, [bleep]! It's the chili cheese!
Spinach dip it is.
Okay. [two notifications chime]
[smooth upbeat music]
Are you--are you guys not gonna answer those texts?
Wow. You know, happy hour's almost ending.
Lauryn and Annika, you want to go grab another round?
Come, come, come, come, come. Let's go.
Wait, did Andre invite you to this Freakend show
that his new client's performing at?
Yep. We should go, right?
Just--I feel bad. I've barely seen him.
It's like the judge is making us choose
between Mommy and Daddy.
Well, Mommy has just been crying all the time,
and Daddy's throwing a party.
If Annika finds out, she will freak
or, worse, insist on coming.
Oh, my God. None of us can handle that right now.
Okay. So we just won't tell her.
[approaching footsteps]
Are you guys going to the Greek Freakend?
- What's Greekend? - I can't go to Greece.
I have class.
The event Andre's helping to produce this weekend
that he just texted Lauryn about.
[quirky tense music]
Um, no. I don't think so.
Yeah, no. It sounds sweaty.
So sweaty. I--[sighs]
I don't even want to go. - Okay.
Maybe we can do something together.
♪ ♪
- For sure, yeah. - Sounds cool.
I thought divorce was supposed to be fun.
Like, two Christmases and a super-hot, young stepdad.
♪ ♪
[Missy Elliot's "WTF (Where They From)"]
Shorty what?
♪ The dance that you doing is dumb ♪
♪ How they do it where you from? ♪
♪ Ayy! Triflin'! ♪
♪ Stickin' out your tongue ♪
♪ Girl, but you know you're too young ♪
♪ A bunch of girls do it ♪
[cheers and applause]
♪ ♪
Freakend, baby! Whoo!
It has been a grind, but luckily,
I am the world's most attentive manager,
so it has been smooth sailing with TK.
All that's left to do
is to check in on my guy and enjoy the show.
- This is so nice, Sloane. - Thank you!
I got a really good work relationship with the winery,
so they always hook me up.
Work relationships. Hookups.
Yeah, that's a story I know all too well.
You know what I'm talking about.
I really wish Edie could've been here today, guys,
but I guess I'll just have to toast
to your success twice as hard solo.
It's all good, man.
I mean, did Edie say why she had to bail?
Oh, yeah. She did.
She said last minute that she had too many papers to grade.
Timeless cover story.
Did she decide that hanging with her boy toy's best friend
felt too serious?
Have I breached the fragile boundaries of our relationship?
Oh, excuse me. Arrangement?
I don't know. Who's to say?
[laid-back jazz music]
Kinda just sitting in the dark on this one.
You can--you can just drown your situationship anxiety
with this orange wine.
- Please. Take it. Yeah. - Mm-hmm.
Good year.
It's a bad bitch breakup recovery kit.
Like first aid for your heart.
Aren't we supposed to be doing something together?
We will tonight.
We will greet you on the other side with pizza
and the rom-com of your choice.
But first, you know, it's time to heal.
We've got sage to cleanse your room from his energy,
a guide to hip-opening stretches to release,
you know, pent-up feelings,
a tarot deck, and a guided journal for healing.
Mm-hmm. Let the heart mending begin.
Go. Go in there and do all that.
Have fun. [door closes]
[Joy Crookes' "Feet Don't Fail Me Now"]
♪ ♪
♪ I been posing with red skies ♪
♪ Retweeting picket signs ♪
♪ Put my name on petitions, but I won't change my mind ♪
♪ I'm keeping up appearances ♪
Guys, you were right, okay?
How long have I even been in here?
Wow. 28 minutes?
Time really does heal.
♪ ♪
Where the hell are you bitches?
♪ Tell me who fresher than me, I'll wait ♪
♪ Got a couple hundreds that I keep in the safe ♪
♪ This is not a game, so you know I don't play ♪
I love Dad weekend! This is amazing.
Not now.
Andre, hey.
I'm sorry that we have been busy with,
um, other stuff, but we are 100% here for you today.
Oh, I'm all good. I haven't even noticed.
You know, I've just been so focused
on handling all this stuff for TK
and planning for my business.
Probably won't even be able to hang out that much today.
Just grind, grind, grind.
Well, you haven't missed much.
Honestly, Annika's been a lot.
I'm just--I'm solid. I'm like a rock.
I been grinding so hard,
I'm like a seventh grader at his first school dance.
[chuckles]
By the way, does she know that you're here?
Oh, well, uh, we actually told her we weren't coming,
so we left her with a few distractions.
- Yeah. - Mm.
If she knew we were coming,
then she'd insist she's okay to go, but she's not.
One thing I don't need are my friends lying to me.
I can decide for myself what I can handle.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Um, we'll find you later.
♪ ♪
- Aaron, you okay? - Hmm?
Yeah, no. I'm fine.
I'm fine.
I just still can't believe
Edie hit me with that flimsy-ass excuse.
Right, we're still on that? Okay.
You know I know what's going on here, right?
She wanted to keep things casual,
and obviously, she caught feelings,
so now she's tryna play mind games,
act like she doesn't care, but I see right through that.
Or she's just a grown woman who knows what she wants,
and isn't looking for more.
Nah, that can't be right. I don't think so.
No, I do agree.
I think you're so used to Zoey playing mind games with you,
you don't know that
you don't have to read between the lines with Edie.
I had to learn this with Sloane.
- You did. - Yes.
Look, bro, the key to a mature relationship
is just honest communication.
Oh, I guess I just feel kinda bad.
Because she keeps coming back for the free trial
instead of subscribing.
I know that you have a lot to sort out,
but in the meantime, between-time,
maybe your answer is at the bottom
of this next bottle of wine.
Mm.
♪ Yeah, I'm gon' surf ♪
♪ We gon' surf ♪
♪ It was like homework ♪
♪ My wrist got work ♪
♪ I'm gon' surf, we gon' surf ♪
[cheers and applause] ♪ Surf, yo ♪
TK brought the house down!
Now it's time for me to go celebrate
with my number-one client!
[upbeat hip-hop music]
♪ ♪
Uh, you good?
Sure your friends don't wanna stick around?
- Oh, uh... - What's up, bro?
I'm sorry, man.
Um, really big management company approached me
after you did, and I invited them to the show.
And they really liked it, so I think I might end up,
you know, signing with them.
I-I don't understand.
What do they have that I don't have?
Oh. Uh...
experience?
Oh, come on.
That's overrated. They're stuck in their ways.
I don't know, bro.
Bro, I delivered a paid gig
within the first week of you being signed to me.
Just let me show you what else I can do.
Look, I'm sorry.
You seem like a great guy, a'ight?
But these guys, they have a office in the Arts District.
You don't even have an office.
I-I don't know, man. You just don't seem too legit.
♪ ♪
All right. Bet.
I guess if I'm not your manager,
then I'm the promoter,
and the promoter doesn't take 10%, okay?
They take half of the door. So take care, TK.
♪ ♪
[phone line trilling]
- [clears throat] Hey. - Why'd you guys bail?
I told you.
But this was supposed to be our day to hang out.
What happened to giving me 100% support?
This felt like 12%, tops.
- We had to deal with Annika. - Annika this, Annika that.
I am tired of being the bigger person.
It's time to get small.
When are you guys gonna put me before her?
Okay, what happened to being the grinding lone wolf?
I was overcompensating! Damn!
I-I'm sorry that I have to beg my friends to care about me.
I-I feel like because I'm the nice guy,
I get screwed over. What is it gonna take?
You guys want me to have a meltdown?
Because here you go. - Andre.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Everything okay?
Dad is mad that we bailed.
We can talk about it later.
♪ ♪
TK doesn't think I'm legit.
But I am legit. I'm too legit to quit.
You get it.
But I found an office that is sensible and stylish for lease.
Now that it's all that's left to do is get a co-signer,
someone who has resources, someone who's believed in me,
and somebody I know will say yes.
No. Absolutely not.
Dad, listen. I can do this. I know I can.
You can't tell someone, "I can do this"
and in the same breath say, "I lost my first real client."
It doesn't inspire confidence.
But it should.
The only reason that I lost TK
is because my eye for talent is so good
that another manager thought he was worth poaching.
I'm just trying to follow in your path.
You started your own company.
Aren't you happy that I'm trying to build something
with my own hands, too?
No, I'm embarrassed that I've raised
at least two kids who think
the only way to be successful is to skip steps.
Did you look at my business plan?
But the only plan your ass needs
is to get to and from a promising internship,
not someone to co-sign for some office.
But if I don't get the co-sign,
then I have to pay six months of rent up front.
I-- - Okay. Which you don't have.
Which means when your binder plan doesn't work,
my ass is stuck on the line for your lease.
Man, I'm trying to buy a boat.
[soft dramatic music]
Dad, all I'm asking is for you to believe in me.
♪ ♪
Look, I believe you're gonna do great things, Junior.
One day.
But as your father, I can't help you get in over your head.
[somber music]
[laughing] What? [door opens]
You guys got a sec?
[sighs] Look...
I'm sorry for how things have been since we got back
and then I made you feel like
you had to put me ahead of Andre.
I don't know, I got stressed that maybe
you guys would kind of side with Andre by default
and I'd get left behind.
Okay, listen.
We definitely should not have lied
about going to Andre's thing,
but we only did it because we care about you a lot
and we knew you were going through it, so...
We were just trying to protect you.
I know.
But that doesn't mean that
you guys should feel like you can't show up for him
or that you have to sneak around or whatever, okay?
Okay. And thanks.
Of course.
And thank you for the tarot cards.
I know that it was a part
of your little underhanded plot,
but I'm really loving my new witch era.
[laughter]
I don't know, I was thinking about
swapping the Malbec out for the Pinot.
It's just been selling better. What do you think?
[laid-back hip-hop music]
You okay?
Actually, there's something
I've been wanting to talk to you about.
Mm. Something serious?
Should we get out the red table?
All right, come on.
♪ ♪
So I didn't want to tell you about this sooner
because I wasn't sure
how serious this was even gonna get.
Mm.
But I really like you,
and the longer I kept it to myself,
the harder it got to tell you.
And then you were talking about
how important open communication is.
Okay, okay. What is it?
[sighs] So when Avery's dad and I first separated,
money was tight.
We couldn't even afford lawyers
or for either one of us to move out.
So we didn't.
It sounds like it was rough.
You'd think so, but for us, it actually is a lot easier.
♪ ♪
You said is easier, like present tense.
You mean you're still living with your ex
who's actually your husband?
Mm...
technically?
Do you technically still sleep together?
No, no, no.
He sleeps in the guest room. I sleep in the bedroom.
Completely separate.
We live completely separate lives outside of our son.
I'm asking you, do you cook for each other,
do you change in front of each other?
Hey, does--does any of that even matter?
You got me out here looking crazy.
What, you--you--you--you here with me and then you go to him?
Respectfully, how I handle my life and raise my kid,
that's my decision.
Mm.
And respectfully,
that's a decision I don't gotta be a part of, so...
[somber music]
We done here.
[somber music]
- But--but Doug... - Yeah, I said we're done.
♪ ♪
Are these seats taken?
[indistinct chatter]
So I just wanna say I'm sorry
about how everything went down.
And I shouldn't have snapped at you.
It's just been--[scoffs]
It's been a rough couple of days.
Well, I usually enforce a zero-tolerance policy
on men raising their voice at me.
- Yeah. - I get it.
And I also get that
by rule of proximity and ancient girl code,
you guys ended up in Annika's corner.
But I also haven't gotten over everything.
And just because I'm a guy
doesn't mean I'm automatically the asshole.
Of course not,
and we weren't trying to choose sides or anything,
but clearly, we did, and we let you down.
We're sorry.
Even Annika feels bad about it, just so you know.
And we're also really sorry we missed
your new star client's performance, by the way.
♪ ♪
He's no longer my client.
Oh.
All right. Well, what about another round on us?
Yeah. Bring us up to speed.
Okay, so I'm trying to get
a small, curated list of clients...
[smooth upbeat music]
You know what they say.
If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
[soft music]
Sorry, Edie. [phone keyboard typing]
You are a special woman,
and I have enjoyed what we've had,
but I think maybe
our free-love cheek-clapping days
have come to an end,
though we can continue to clap the cheeks...
of our minds?
Of our minds? That's weird. No.
Uh, continue to clap the cheeks as work colleagues.
I like that. Work colleagues.
Okay, maybe... work colleagues?
Academic peers? Work colleagues?
No, let's just keep it simple.
Nice. Well said, Aaron, well said.
Oh, hold on.
"Wanna come over?" All right.
Yes, I am on my way. Okay.
[inhales deeply and clears throat]