[upbeat music playing]
-[school bell ringing] -[woman] Well, hello there, Crickets.
It's time once again to take a ride
in the cool-as-shit brain of Paxton Hall-Yoshida.
And I, of course, am your driver, Gigi Hadid.
After Paxton had reminded these twerps that he was still king of this jungle,
things have been going great.
He was invited to every rager, kegger, and kickback.
And honestly, he had all but forgotten about ASU.
Yo, you down to scrunch some lunch later?
You know it. Scrunch Bunch.
[Trent grunts]
[Hadid] He was basically getting to live his same high school life,
but with a nicer bathroom.
And all he had to do was coach a little swimming and show up
to a few mandatory staff meetings, like this one.
So I'm looking for a few more volunteers to take calls on the teen help hotline.
So far, it's just me and Lyle.
Some days, it feels like the students help me more than I help them.
That has overwhelmingly been the case.
Another reason why I'm looking for anyone else to help out. Please.
[staff murmuring]
[coughing, clearing throat]
Awesome. Okay.
Thank you. And my apologies, Miss Thompson.
Okay, a few more announcements.
The bird's nest in the cafeteria
apparently belongs to the rare horned grebe,
and the state of California forbids us from relocating it.
[Hadid] There were occasional reminders that Paxton's current life
wasn't exactly what he'd planned for himself,
but he was good at stuffing those feelings of regret deep down inside
until they were nothing more than a little indigestion.
And finally, a reminder
that our Cuisines of The World faculty potluck is coming up.
Now, let's see what country's food we'll be sampling now.
Ah. Luxembourg. Oh! What the hell do they eat there?
-Dibs on bringing the bouneschlupp. -It's all yours.
Meeting adjourned,
and, uh, you guys get out there
and have whatever kind of day you can scrape together.
[indistinct chatter]
Oh! Pax… ton,
uh, can I interest you in going in on a dish together?
I find collaboration is the… the key to cultural understanding.
Also, the pot is very heavy.
Sorry, Mr. Shapiro, not gonna make it.
But maybe next time?
Mmm, don't get your hopes up, Lyle.
You know, there's this crazy coincidence
where his schedule conflicts with every faculty social event.
What can I say? I'm a busy guy.
[laughs]
[Hadid] Yeah, he was a busy guy.
Busy ruling this friggin' school.
Not to jinx it, but we might be looking at the first faculty member
to be voted prom king.
["Heavy" by Princesss playing]
♪ Don't you feel heavy ♪
♪ Don't you feel heavy tonight… ♪
[indistinct chatter]
♪ Will I ever come down Ever come down again ♪
[whistle blows]
All right, listen up.
Welcome to this year's swim team tryouts.
The rules are simple. Fastest times make the team.
Doesn't matter how pretty you are, so some of you can stop flexing.
[Eric laughing loudly]
Oh yeah, this is where it happens.
Let's do this.
Eric. You're back.
Wouldn't miss it for the world. No cap. Loving my chances this year.
[Hadid] Eric Perkins had tried out for the swim team every year.
And each year, he'd failed to make the cut.
But at least he took the rejection well.
Why, God?!
Cool, man. Good luck.
All right, they're ready when you are.
Pax, why don't you run this?
All right.
First heat, you're up. On my whistle.
Get set.
[whistle blowing]
[Eric grunts]
[grunting]
[gasping]
[indistinct chatter]
What up, boys? Back up, back up.
Yes!
[student] Come on, man.
-Ugh! -Yes! I knew it!
[students murmuring]
[Hadid] Oh boy, here we go. Earplugs in.
Or not?
Hey, man, sorry it didn't work out.
[Hadid] Come on, Pax, hit him with some of that effortless charm.
The kid's hurting.
I think it's cool that you kept trying,
but maybe there's like a rec league at a local municipal pool?
I don't wanna swim with some run-of-the-mill dillholes.
I wanna swim as a Cricket. Maybe you could ask Coach for a redo.
Eric, come on, man.
You try out every year, and every year, the same thing happens.
I mean, to even get close, you'd need, like, some serious training.
You wanna train me? Oh my God, yes.
-What? -Wow.
Maybe you're the angel my grandma said she'd send me.
Look, I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean I would train you.
But I'll do anything.
Do you… Do you want my duct-tape wallet? My Dave & Buster's points?
How about one night with my girlfriend Rosalia?
She's brought it up independently, so I think she'd be down for it.
Oh! I don't wanna sleep with your girlfriend, dude.
That's really not something you should be offering people.
Please, Paxton.
This is my greatest dream, and I know I can do it with some help.
I just…
I don't want everyone to think of me as a failure.
[Hadid] And here was the one way Paxton and Eric were the same.
Yeah.
Maybe I could meet up with you a couple times after school?
Couple ti-- Yes! Yes!
Thank you, Paxton.
Perkins, you are back in the game.
See you later, bro!
Shit.
I think if you can keep pace in your first splits,
you can smoke 'em in that last 50.
[in singsong] Hi. I have fresh towels.
Devi, you can't be in the boys' locker room.
Okay, fine, fine. I'm leaving.
I wanted to let you know I got the towels back to white, the goggles back to clear.
I do need to fix the door handle on the equipment closet, but I got it.
You know you don't have to do all that, right?
Our last manager just smoked weed and cut up orange slices for us.
Yeah, but I kind of sent the Princeton rep Coach Noble's number,
so just in case she calls him, he has a bunch of good things to say.
I thought you were doing this job to hang out with me.
You know very well that is not why I'm doing this job,
although it is a nice perk.
But I just really need to get into Princeton.
I know I belong there,
just like how you realized you belong back at your old high school.
[Hadid] Ow. Why did that sting?
I thought we liked it here. We're killing it, remember?
I mean, I wouldn't say I belong here.
Oh my God. Agh! No girls allowed.
Dude, you are fully clothed.
Yeah well, emotionally I'm hanging D.
Oh my God, it's fine. No one here's even--
-Oh my God, there's a penis. Okay, bye. -[Paxton chuckles]
Well, now that we're bro-lone, we're still gonna Oculus later?
I say we get high, order some soup dumplings,
and then transport ourselves into the loins of the Matrix.
Yeah, I'm game.
Pax. You have an Oculus? Yo, can we come through?
-Sure. You guys should definitely pull up. -Dope.
-[knocking on locker] -Knock-knock. Splish-splash.
Uh, why don't we say six? I gotta take care of something first.
Excited to become one of Paxton's little swimmers.
Hope you boys didn't wear him out too much. [chuckles]
Uh, okay.
Okay, coach, this can take as long as you need.
I already cleared my schedule and told my mom you'd drive me home.
How about I give you a couple tips, and then you can take the bus?
A couple tips?
The bus?
[scoffs] I thought you were gonna rebuild me from the ground up.
Why don't we just swim, yeah?
-[Eric] Oh, all right. -Okay.
Try a lap for me, okay?
You ready?
Go.
Stop. Stop.
[Eric] Noodle. I need a nood.
All right, um, what I'm noticing is, your form is… bad.
Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
First, your hands need to glide through the water like this,
so you don't create more resistance.
And also, you don't need to hold your breath
when your face is in the water.
-You can breathe under there? -No, dude, obviously not.
When your face is in the water, you exhale,
and when you come up, you inhale.
You're tiring yourself out trying to do both.
Why don't we just try it again, all right?
Ready?
Go.
Oh my God, it's working.
Yeah, man, that's, uh… that's great.
Well, I think that's enough for today's sesh.
Okay, coach. I'm gonna keep practicing.
-Okay. -Inhale.
[exhaling loudly in water]
[Hadid] After a deeply annoying
but actually kind of successful training session with Eric,
Paxton was finally off-duty and free to do what he did best,
which is chill, or whatever this is.
-Oh, he's dead. -[Paxton] Agh!
-That's okay. -Avenge me.
What's up, fools? Who wants to get bottom-shelf blitzed?
[student] Hey, man.
Hey, I didn't realize you guys were coming.
Oh, my bad. I thought you'd be cool with me telling couple people.
Wait, we can go somewhere else if it's, like, a thing.
Nah, it's… it's totally cool.
[Hadid] But it didn't feel cool. It felt wrong.
So how many people did you guys invite?
Hi.
[excited chatter]
What up?
[Hadid] Paxton was freaking out.
His little get-together had swelled into a huge rager.
The same thing actually happened
at this year's Victoria's Secret chili cook off.
["Run It Up" by King Flexx playing]
♪ I go hard on the bass line ♪
♪ I ain't gonna stop till I get mine ♪
♪ So I'mma run it up ♪
♪ I'mma run it up… ♪
Paxton, how could you throw a party and not tell me?
I had to hear it from the backstrokers. The backstrokers.
-Do you know how humiliating that is? -I didn't mean to have a party.
It kind of just appeared on my doorstep.
So, how come you don't look like you're having any fun?
Shouldn't you be holding Trent's feet?
[Trent] Yeah, get me down.
Oh, that was sick.
What the hell? Who brought a keg?
I don't know, but this is like the biggest party of the year,
and it's being hosted by a teacher.
Yeah, I think that might be a problem.
I mean, what if someone finds out about this?
Nah, no one's gonna tell.
You've been to tons of parties since you've been back.
-And no one has said anything. -Yeah, but I haven't thrown a party.
This feels different in, like, a not great way.
Do you want me to get rid of everyone? I know how to clear a room.
I can totally whip up a classic Devi meltdown just like that.
-[chuckles] -[Trent] Yeah.
[grunting]
I feel sexy. I just feel sexy, you know what I mean?
You know what? No.
I think I probably just need to relax. It is a pretty good party, isn't it?
Uh, nuh doy, it's fire. Let's do a shot, bro.
-All right, yeah, why not? -Okay. I'll be right back.
[knocking on door]
Okay.
[indistinct chatter]
Paxton?
Lindsay. Hey.
Um, a drunk kid called the student hotline and asked for a ride home from this party.
Did they call you too?
Here you go, one shot of…
apple juice.
-Hi, Miss Thompson. -Hi.
Okay.
Professor Yoshida-Hall.
-I drank too much at your party. -Oh my God.
Mr. Thompson, does your car have a back seat?
Because I'd like to lie down.
Wait, this is your house?
You're having a party with all these students?
Okay, it's actually a funny story.
-I got an Oculus recently-- -[Gerard] Ahh!
-Damn. -Oh.
Oh my God. Um, yeah, I can't be here. I gotta go.
Lindsay, wait--
Gerard, come on. Let's go.
Oh gosh. Oh my God. Okay.
[Hadid] Paxton showed up to school the following Monday
anxious to smooth things over with Miss Thompson,
and hopefully keep his job in the process.
Linds. All right, listen.
I swear I did not plan for that to be a party, all right?
I had a couple friends over, then people kept showing up--
You know you're a grown-up, right?
If drunk people showed up to my apartment,
I'd be like, "No, thank you," and close the door.
It's not that simple.
No, it is that simple.
I mean, you're a staff member, and they're students.
Look, I… I'm not gonna narc on you, but grown-up to grown-up?
What are you doing?
Get your shit together, dude.
[gentle music playing]
[Hadid] Later that afternoon,
Miss Thompson's words were still ringing in his ear.
What was he doing?
Why was he back at his high school?
And how did he end up training the most annoying person on Earth?
Okay, so I was reading Michael Phelps's biography,
and he had a bit of a head start on me.
So we're gonna have to pump up our training sessions
to, like, three times a week to bridge that gap.
Dude, there is literally nothing you can physically do to be Michael Phelps.
And frankly, I don't know why you're trying.
Not to be a dick, but you're really not good at swimming.
Are you negging me?
Because it's working, Coach. I'm fired up now.
I'm serious.
Like, what is making you keep going? Why not just give up?
Why would I give up? We barely started.
Because it's going to be a super hard, uphill climb?
You don't think I know that?
I've almost drowned several times. There's still water somewhere in my head.
So why not stick to stuff you're good at? Like robots and tuba.
Look, why are you setting a goal that you're probably gonna fail at?
It's okay if I fail as long as I tried.
And maybe I don't fail, and then I'm really proud of myself.
What kind of person just gives up on their dream
when they haven't even tried?
[Hadid] Yeah, Paxton, who would do that?
You know anyone who would do that?
-You really want this? -More than anything in the world.
Then let's make you a jock.
-Nice! [yelps] -[Paxton] Oh!
You good?
I'm all right.
All right, let's go.
All right, you ready?
On your mark, get set…
[whistle blows]
Come on, you got this. Let's go.
["Chain Reaction" by Cobra Man playing]
[gasping]
How was that?
We can do better.
A lot… better.
Do it again.
Okay, I'm gonna swim with you this time.
Don't try and beat me, just try to match my pace. Got it?
-Got it. -All right.
["Chain Reaction" continues playing]
I mean, who was that for?
What are you talking about?
That's right, come on, let's go, let's go. Come on, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig!
[gasping]
We can do better. Come on, do it again.
[Eric gasping]
It's easy, all right? So like this, and the water is coming up here.
You're going side-- No. Eric, it… it's over.
Uh--
[Paxton] Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Come on, come on, push.
Push.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
That's my boy! Whoo!
Did I do it, Paxy? Did I make you proud?
Yes.
Trust-- Whoa, okay, noodle.
-Noodle! -[Eric gasps]
Thank you.
That was great, man. I mean, I can't believe I'm actually saying this,
but if you can swim like that in front of Coach Noble, you might have a shot.
Thank you, Paxton. If I could move my shoulders right now, I'd hug you.
-No problem, man. I'll set it up. -[chuckles] Ow.
My bad.
Damn, you're a miracle worker.
I can't believe how good he's gotten.
-I lost a lot of money to Janitor Stacy. -Wait, you bet against me?
The odds were not in your favor.
That's definitely true.
And, yeah, that weird little dude is actually sort of good now.
[Devi] Hmm.
There's still a pretty decent chance he blows it in front of Coach Noble,
but I gotta say, I'm feeling kind of hopeful.
Oh no. Did you move those kick boards that were holding the door open?
Yeah, that's them in your hand.
Okay. We're stuck in here.
Uh, maybe not.
[doorknob rattling]
Okay, yeah. But hey, it's all right.
-We can call someone. -[Devi] Hmm.
Although my phone is out by the pool. Do you have yours?
Mine's in my backpack in the girls' locker room.
That's okay. We're okay.
Um, I was supposed to meet with Coach Noble after our practice,
so when I don't show up, he'll definitely come looking for me.
[snoring]
[Devi sighs]
I can't believe I don't have my phone.
What if Akshara from Princeton called me back?
I told her I'm available any time of the day
in the last ten voicemails that I left her.
Hey, I don't know much about college admissions,
but I do know about getting too many calls from thirsty girls,
and you're not coming off well.
-How dare you? -I'm just being honest.
I don't think it would hurt you to play it a little more… cool.
-Really? -Yeah.
Okay. Maybe you have a point.
[chuckles softly]
Well, since we're trapped here,
and apparently experimenting with radical honesty…
[inhales deeply]
…can I ask what really happened at ASU?
The reason I left was because… no one there liked me.
What? How is that possible?
I don't know.
Everyone just decided I was some huge loser,
and I was just like, maybe I don't belong at college.
So I left.
And now every day I'm like, "What did you do?"
So I guess being hot all your life actually turned out to be a disadvantage.
[laughs]
Yeah, I guess so.
Well… damn.
I mean, I've been working so hard to be this cool, sexually-successful senior,
but maybe I'll have to glow back down before I go to college.
Yeah, you might.
[lips smacking] Hmm.
Wait, did you say "sexually successful"?
No, no, hold up.
-[giggles] -Wait, wait, is it that Ethan kid?
-Yeah. -Shut up.
Well, actually, Ben first, but he--
-Ben? Gross? -[laughs]
-What?! [laughs] -Doesn't matter.
You heard it here, she bangs.
-Damn. -Mm-hmm.
-Okay. [laughs] -[chuckles]
Yeah, congrats.
-Thank you. -Yeah.
[both chuckle]
[inhales deeply]
You know, I really thought it was gonna be you.
Why?
Because you came up to me out of nowhere
and asked me to take your virginity as a complete stranger?
Okay, don't make me sound like I'm nuts. You're the one that said yes.
Yeah. Yeah, that's true.
You know what I think about a lot?
What?
What you said to me when we broke up.
What did I say?
[Devi sighs]
You told me that we couldn't be together until I liked myself.
-Damn. I said that? -[chuckles softly]
That's pretty cold.
I… I mean… you weren't wrong. I was kind of a maniac.
Maybe a little bit.
Hey, look at this role reversal.
I mean, I'm this cool jock, and you're this big dork.
[tsks, chuckles]
For the first time,
I feel like we're equals.
Equals?
No way, Devi.
You're way too good for me.
[laughs] Shut up.
[romantic music playing]
[tense music plays]
Coach, I can explain--
Son, I know you used to be a student here less than a year ago.
I know Devi used to be your girlfriend.
But something tells me,
if I had walked in two seconds earlier, I'd have to fire you.
This is your one warning.
From now on, there is no room for slipups.
-Okay. -Now go.
I-- I'm really sorry, Coach.
Just… go.
[Hadid] After getting chewed up and spit out by Coach Noble,
Paxton turned to his Nintendo Switch, looking for an easy win.
-But Mario Party was kicking his ass too. -[video game music playing]
[June] Paxton?
Oh hey, honey. Hi.
Um, listen, dinner's gonna be ready in 20, and it's your turn to say grace.
So Dad's tuning his guitar in case you need musical accompaniment.
Okay.
Hey. Are you okay? You look upset.
Mom, I-I-I'm a fuckup.
Whoa, honey.
Why would you say something like that about yourself?
I'm such a failure.
Paxton… you're too young to be a failure.
You're 19. You're figuring yourself out.
Now your Uncle Gary, he's a failure.
He's 55, and he's in prison for defrauding a children's hospital.
Well, at least he tried to do something.
Paxton, it's very overwhelming to have your whole life in front of you
and feel like you need to do it perfectly.
But you don't.
Nobody does.
We all hit these bumps on the road, but they don't have to define us.
We can just learn from them.
What am I supposed to learn from dropping out of college
and working at my old high school?
Maybe…
to let go of who you were
and find out who you wanna be.
[inspirational music playing]
[chuckles softly]
[Hadid] One rousing chorus of "Our God is an Awesome God"
and a full night's sleep later, Paxton was back at school,
hopeful for a sign of what he should do with his life.
And a sign he got.
[dramatic music playing]
[whistle blows]
[student 1] Whoa.
[indistinct chatter]
[student 2] Nice turn.
[excited chatter]
So? How'd I do?
Eh.
Good enough to be a JV alternate.
-[all cheering] -Yes!
That's what I'm talking about, bro.
-[cheering continues] -Whoa, all right. Hey.
-I'm so proud of you, man. [chuckles] -Thank you. [sighs]
Dude, that was very moving.
I think a few of the guys were crying.
Yeah, it was awesome, right?
I mean, I actually changed someone's life today.
Like, I helped them achieve a dream of theirs. It was crazy.
You should be really proud.
You know what? I am. Glad I didn't give up on him.
So, seems like you get to keep coaching for the time being?
Even after yesterday?
-That was a bit of a close call, huh? -[Devi] Yeah.
So I assume we probably can't do that again.
Not if I wanna stay employed.
Well, I actually feel like it's kind of for the best.
Uh-- Don't get me wrong, it ruled. You still know what you're doing.
[chuckles]
But it did feel like closure.
Yeah, it did.
So I guess this is just a student-faculty professional relationship now.
Yep. Vibes here are officially over.
[Devi chuckles]
["Modern Animal" by Magic City Hippies playing]
'Sup guys?
Oh, David, isn't it cultural appropriation to dress up like a piñata?
Oh yeah? Sick necklace, Tiny Soprano. You're really pulling it off.
-Well, always a pleasure. -[Devi] Mmm.
♪ And you’re right if I had you tonight I wouldn’t call the next day… ♪
There are some vibes that are still alive and well.
What?
Oh no, there are no vibes. That was all insults.
Sure, sure. Whatever you say.
-It's none of my professional business. -[Devi] Hmm.
♪ I’m just another modern ani ♪
♪ Animal ♪
[Hadid] This is Paxton Hall-Yoshida.
He was once the coolest kid in this school,
but now he was ready to retire that crown in search of something else.
Yo, Paxton. Come over later? My cousin's hooking us up with whippets.
Yeah, man, not gonna be able to make it.
[upbeat music playing]
[Hadid] He wasn't quite sure exactly where his path was gonna take him,
but he knew he was at least moving forward.
And today, that meant a quick trip to Luxembourg.
So, Pax, what are you doing here?
Oh, is the student lounge out of Funyuns?
I wouldn't know.
I was too busy making this quetschentaart.
-[Mr. Shapiro gasps] -Oh. Wow.
And hey, if you still need volunteers for the student help hotline, I'm down.
[teacher 1] If Paxton's doing it, I'll do it too.
-[teacher 2] Me too. -[teacher 3] I'll do it.
-[teacher 4] Count me in. -[teacher 5] I'll do it.
[Hadid] As delicious as this international cuisine looks,
I think I'd better be on my way.
But Paxton seems like he's taken a step in the right direction,
and I think we've all learned a lot about proper swimming technique.
John McEnroe, the rest of his journey is your problem.
Gigi out.
["What's Life" De Lux playing]
♪ Oh, let's just try to take one breath ♪
♪ And oh, let's just try not to forget ♪
♪ Oh, what's life If you're never having fun? ♪
♪ Oh, what's life If you know it's not over? ♪
♪ Oh, what's life If you're never gonna try? ♪
♪ Oh, what's life When you know it's just begun? ♪
♪ Oh, what's life ♪