The Christmas Pledge (2023) Movie Script
1
[no audio]
[June giggling]
[gentle music]
[June] I have always known
exactly what I'm worth.
$1 Million.
2 million! 3 million!
3,245,000.
That's how much I had
to pay to keep you.
And you are worth it.
You are worth all of it.
[June giggling]
You know what that means, right?
Means you get to stay here,
means you don't have
to go to your mom's.
Means I get to
see you every day.
Airplanes?
We can do airplanes.
We can build any
airplane you want
because I'm not going
to work today or ever.
It's Christmas and
we're gonna do airplanes
and we're gonna make 'em fly.
[upbeat music]
[June] $3,245,000.
That's what he paid my mom
for sole custody
after the divorce.
What I didn't know was
he only divorced her.
He didn't divorce the office.
What do you mean he
backed out of the deal?
He doesn't get to
back out of the deal.
He needs to deliver
500,000 novelty armadillos
before New Year's
or I'll see him in court
from now until July.
Oh, he wants to talk
sphincter molds, does he?
I'll tell him about
sphincter molds.
You tell him that I've
been doing sphincter molds
since before he was born.
[June] What can I say?
You can't divorce your mistress.
June!
Stop playing with that stuff.
The semester starts today.
What? No, it's just my kid
and her danged airplanes.
[gentle music]
I actually thought 3 million
meant he really loved me.
Now, I think he was
just a bad negotiator.
[gentle music]
Here's another
thing I'm sure of,
nothing I do here
matters at all.
My dad's got a dozen companies
and the instant I get a diploma,
he's gonna stick me in a
corner office somewhere
with a thick salary
and that's that.
I'll never have to
worry about a thing.
Not a thing.
Hey, uh, I really
need that back.
Angle of incidence.
Excuse me?
Well, this is an old Wright
Brothers box glider, right?
Mm-hmm.
They used to call
it angle of incidence
but today it's called-
Angle of attack.
Yes, I'm aware.
Um, could you just
give that back? Please-
See if you go over
that, the wing loses lift,
you get loss of
airflow over the wing,
which would lead directly to
an abrupt loss of altitude-
Okay, look, I'm very impressed
that you read
further than I did.
That's, that's awesome.
But that's due in two minutes.
- Okay?
- You know
this can go a lot
farther, right?
I mean, you've really
compromised your lift here.
- But-
- Look, I don't need it
to go farther.
I just need it to go 30 feet.
Just one little
tweak to the wing-
Uh, no. No messing with it.
That is due.
But it could be so much better.
Look, whoever you
are, I don't care.
Okay?
It's just a grade.
I don't need to go
round the world.
Just need it to pass.
But it's an airplane.
It's just a grade.
Oh, come on.
What are you? Seven?
I gotta get that turned in.
And look, if you wanna
take one home to daddy
and play there, that's fine.
But that one is not a toy.
No, no.
Come on. No.
No. Come on.
Please do not.
[airplane cracks]
Ah! No.
What are you doing?
[wind whooshing]
You better go
get that. It's due.
[wind whooshing]
[wind whooshing]
[Declan gasps]
Is this your project?
You get an A.
[playful music]
[June] You know how some
people are like car problems
or annoying relatives?
They just keep turning up.
You are applying
arbitrary standards
to get your favored
result knowing full well
that comparable risks are
tolerated all the time.
And you are ignoring the
fact that risk is cumulative
and will add up to
unacceptable levels
within that timeframe.
[Declan] While
you seem to believe
that the organization can
only do one thing right.
And you do not understand
that it is a question
of priorities.
And those are clearly
spelled out in-
Time!
Enough about the seating chart.
Let's move on to
the actual debate.
[playful music]
But then one day,
one wonderful day,
you move on and you'll
never, ever, ever
have to deal with that arrogant,
stuck up, selfish jerk again-
[record scratches]
[attendees chattering softly]
[June sighs lightly]
[Declan blows raspberry]
- Hello everyone.
- So?
[Emcee] Welcome to
this year's graduation.
So is not a five-syllable word.
[Emcee chattering faintly]
So. [clears throat] Business?
Really? Business major?
That's kind of surprising.
Didn't know I had to
get your approval for it.
Like, business?
I mean really.
[audience cheering]
I mean, I, I would've
figured you for aeronautics.
[chuckles] Figuring wrong
seems to be a habit of yours.
Not just aeronautics
though. Like valedictorian.
Or at least with honors, right?
[audience applauding]
I mean, right?
Even the guy that
forgot his hat can see
that you are way too
smart for business.
Is this your warped way
of giving me a compliment?
Is this your warped
way of receiving one?
[audience applauding]
Fine. Let's just say it.
You're bone-chillingly smart.
And I did not think for a moment
that it would be for business.
[sighs] Explain to me
why it's your expectations
I should meet?
Well, then whose
expectations are you meeting?
'Cause if it's not your
own either, then come on.
You're just coasting.
Like an F-16 being
used as a glider.
[June scoffs]
Are you having some
sleepless nights?
Thinking about all the
places you won't be employed?
Excuse me?
Broadcast, you
majored in broadcast,
not tech, not new media,
broadcast, with honors.
Well, my apologies on
behalf of those of us
who have an actual plan.
Broadcast?
Like big antennas on mountains
and endless reruns
of "Lawrence Welk."
In the age of streaming,
really? [laughs]
Were the newspapers not
hopeless enough for you?
Oh, what, you're saying
you've never watched TV before?
Honestly, no.
Growing up there
was a big screen
in every room of the
house, all streaming.
That's not even the future.
That's the recent past.
I mean, what do you
think you're gonna do?
Exhume Walter Cronkite?
[scoffs] You know, some
of us have actual ideas.
Yeah.
And some of us have
actual earnings.
Go ahead. Say what you want.
I've had a job since day one.
What do you got lined up?
I've got resumes out.
Lined up.
Well, that's lovely.
You can make the
world a better place
by being unemployed with honors.
[sighs] Well, wherever
I end up, I'll be flying.
You'll just be coasting.
Happy graduation.
[audience applauding]
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
[airplane buzzing]
[John] You're what?
I'm not coming in tomorrow, Dad.
You can't take vacation now.
It's not a vacation. I quit.
You what now?
Quit. Quit.
Q-U-I-T.
Look it up in the dictionary.
Quit is not in our
family vocabulary.
Yeah. Well, maybe you
should learn a new language.
Tell me straight.
Is this about money?
Because if it is, good deal.
We can just add
another zero to your-
Dad, it's really not.
Your mom?
Your mom's been talking to you.
Mom hasn't given me
anything other than postcards
in the last 15 years
and you know it.
Private jet, huh?
I'll get you the key.
Dad, I don't want
anything from you.
I just wanna fly
instead of coasting.
Okay?
Okay.
We're good on this, right?
I mean, we're, we're good?
Oh yeah. Yeah, we're good.
So you got another job?
Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Beachwood & Haggle.
Mid-sized investment place.
I'll be doing the
client outreach thing.
Great.
Good for you and all that.
I know you'll do great.
Yeah.
[phone beeps]
[hopeful music]
[car chirps]
[hopeful music continues]
- [door knocking]
- Come in. Come in.
June, I have good news.
I just sold the company.
You're getting a promotion.
A big one.
[June] I resign.
Kids.
Hi, Mr. Kelgood.
I'm calling about the
client-facing job,
wondering if it's
still available.
[bright music]
[bright music continues]
[bright music continues]
[bright music continues]
[June groans]
[TV chiming]
[TV] What is it?
My name is Allison. This is-
[phone ringing]
Jeeper's crow, Dad.
[John] Hey, now we made a
lot of people happy today.
Yeah. Well, you sure
didn't make me happy.
[John] Well, maybe
that's your own fault.
You ever think about that?
Just don't. I am not the
one with the problem here.
You are the one
with the problem.
[John] I'm also the
one who's employed
and there's no reason
you couldn't be too.
Don't you dare.
[John] Don't I dare. What?
Don't you dare try
and keep this up.
I will outlast you.
I will find something.
[John] Where?
We can never be bought.
That's right folks.
Nobody owns us.
No one can buy us.
We only answer to
viewers like you.
Our city's only public
television station since 1969.
Always independent,
right from the start.
We'll always give you our best
because you've always given us
your best, viewers like you.
[John] Sweetheart?
Where?
Just you try and find out.
[John] Wait, what?
[phone beeps]
[upbeat music]
[car chirps]
[upbeat music continues]
- [buzzer buzzing]
- Hello?
Hello. Anybody?
Hello?
Hello? Hello?
Hello?
Anybody?
Hello.
Hi. Excuse me.
Hi. Hi, excuse me.
[gasps] For crying
out loud child.
Sorry.
- Really, sorry.
- What is it you want?
Um, well, hi,
I'm June Schroeder.
I called ahead and
left a message.
Well, don't come in
with the garbage, girl.
Go around front
like a human being.
Well, I tried,
but it was locked.
[wind rustling]
Hello?
Hello, are you in there now?
[Claire] Whom shall
I say is calling?
[chuckles] It's
me. June Schroeder.
We literally just
met around the back.
[lock chimes and thunks]
Finally.
Do you have an appointment?
Uh, no. Like I said, I, I
called ahead and left a message.
If all you need is the pleasure
of talking to our
answering service,
you can do that at any time.
No appointment necessary.
I just wanna talk
to someone in charge.
Whom shall I say is calling?
Look, you can stop
playing games with me now.
I've had a look
around this place.
It is anything but busy, okay?
But you know, [chuckles]
it sure looked to me
like you were digging
up something out back
that you maybe weren't
supposed to have.
So I will get through to someone
in charge sooner or later.
Might as well make it sooner
while I'm more willing
to keep quiet about
certain things, huh?
Well, you got through
sooner than you thought.
That's right. I'm in charge.
First the head of the
board left, then the board,
then the general manager,
and then the station manager.
And who do you think they
dumped all their decisions on?
Don't even think about trying
to play games with me, kiddo.
So, [chuckles nervously]
you admit you could
really use some help then?
You wanna know why my
checkbook's staying shut?
You never argue.
[Declan] Well, you know,
most places, Mr. Leech,
wouldn't consider that
very professional.
I've got all the
help I can stand.
What just got into you?
[June chuckles]
Hold it. Wait a minute.
How do you think
we handled things
on the set of "The
Woking Mysteries?"
Arguments, that's how. We
weren't afraid to argue.
Yeah, I, I heard how
things went down on that set.
Stuff of legend. Am I right?
Yeah, like Mt. Vesuvius.
Keeping things peaceful
here. Mr. Leech, I-
Well, look who still
can't close a deal?
What are you doing here?
What is she doing here?
So tell me, are you actively
saying the wrong things
or are you just forgetting
to say the right ones?
Like how this station is number
42 in the national market.
And that's pretty good for out
of 300 something affiliates.
You know, I led with
that little detail.
Thank you.
Well, there's your problem.
Anyone can lead with
something generic.
What are you gonna come up with
that means something to him?
I did my homework. Okay.
Well, he had a series.
I know I heard that much.
Don't suppose you were
planning on acknowledging that.
Actually, as a matter of fact,
I have three charts
on it right here.
Old news, old news.
What are you gonna come
up with that's new?
What's the new demo
on the streaming site?
What's the new rebrand on
the compilation series?
I mean, is he really
thinking about these things?
Or is it all just, "Welcome
to the '90s again."
Claire, what is she doing here?
[pen scratching]
Don't mind me. I'm just
signing this enormous check.
Well, not too enormous.
Just a little something.
A little pledge for the month.
See now I know, you
people give a darn.
Well, thank you
Mr. Leech. I'd...
I'll be seeing a lot more
of you around here, right?
[laughs] So now let's go shoot.
Claire, what's going on here?
Job interview.
So if I hire her,
what am I getting?
I'm right here.
He's your reference.
Well?
I guarantee you that
she doesn't understand
the first thing about
working in broadcast,
aside from maybe what
she Googled last night.
Well, six months ago,
all I knew how to
do was scheduling.
Anything else?
She's a royal pill.
Observed.
And anything else?
She's smart.
She's real smart.
That we can work with.
This can keep us going
for another week,
including her salary.
Wanna stick around?
Get more pledges.
[sighs] So.
So.
- So...
- Ugh.
This is where you ended up.
Do you always give people
grief for saving your workplace?
[laughs] Is it too much to hope
that you actually
did Google something
about working in
broadcast last night?
- Or...
- Look.
Didn't I just hear that
guy say you have a shoot?
- Yes.
- Hmm.
Yes he did.
As a matter of fact,
since you work here now,
you should come sit
in on it, newbie.
Hmm.
[jaunty music]
Hello, movie lovers everywhere.
I'm Cary Leech,
star of "The Reverend
Woking Mysteries"
and your host for this
edition of "Weekend Classics."
Tonight's movie stars the
infamous Charlie Chaplin.
A giant of the silent screen,
he almost made it in talkies
before leaving the U.S.
to take over Germany
and start World War II.
It wasn't long before
his next picture,
"The Scarlet Empress"
inadvertently helped launch
the Red Scare in his
native U.S. of A.
[June sighs]
How you feeling?
My brain hurts.
This, this cannot be
your business model.
Just let him spout nonsense
introducing old movies
so he'll, he'll make a
donation every once in a while.
Not donations, pledges.
We call 'em pledges.
Ew. Don't say pledge.
That gives me
sorority flashbacks.
Well, it's what we
got going on for now.
Unless you know somebody with
some really deep pockets.
Um, let's just say
no to that. [chuckles]
Yep. Me neither.
So one week to get him to
open his checkbook again.
It's not our only
deadline, but, yeah.
And the only two
things he cares about
are being on screen
and watching us fight,
and one of which he
already has by default.
Yeah.
So, are we gonna fight?
Just try and keep up.
[Declan laughs]
Yeah. Remember to
tell yourself that.
[playful music]
Broadcast. Point me to it.
You mean, you
mean like streaming?
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
All right, let's get
our foreign programming
converted over to NTSB,
resolution 16x9 in 1920 by 24p.
Wow.
Yeah, just gotta say,
none of what you just said
made any sense at all.
[playful music]
Wait, so you're telling me
that you tried to learn
about modern electronics
in a printed volume?
What's wrong with a book?
Mm, lots of books.
You didn't even start
with Google? Come on.
Would you look at
this stuff? It's old.
Okay. But it's not that old.
It's just specialized.
Like, really specialized.
Honestly, I'm not even sure
if you could find what
you're looking for on Google.
Are you saying the exact
thing you just suggested
would not have even worked?
What I'm saying is
it's a craft, you know?
It's its own craft.
And I spent four years
learning this stuff in college,
and you thought that you
were gonna cram it all in
in an all-nighter.
Some of us like to
get a head start, okay?
Whatever. Let's just start now.
Okay.
So live switching.
Yes, live switching.
I remember that.
Yeah.
So I bet you're looking for
a great big switch, right?
Yeah.
[button clicks]
Of course. Mouse clicks.
Mm-hmm.
Because everything's
a computer now.
- Yeah-
- Okay.
Even airplanes are
great big computers now.
Now you're just being mean.
[energetic music]
[energetic music continues]
[energetic music continues]
[energetic music continues]
Uh-uh. No, no way.
Yes. Yes you did.
You missed that cue.
Oh, 'cause you miscued me.
[sighs] I did miscue you
once, but it was not that time.
Right, so if I
can't trust your cues,
I have to figure
them out on my own.
You're getting
hung up on one cue.
You said so yourself,
there's no second
takes when you're live.
Hey, love birds.
We've got "Miles
Gloriosus" back in an hour.
Get ready for showtime.
[June] Showtime.
Hmm.
Well, what can we come up with?
You're seriously
trying to tell me
that you wanna do a
zoom-to-medium closeup
in the middle of camera two?
Yes. Yes, it's perfect.
Read the script. It's
the exact right moment.
I've read the script and no,
you still understand nothing
about screen grammar.
Oh, please. To heck
with the screen grammar.
Ride the fricking moment.
What do you mean by the moment?
- I mean-
- There's a formula.
- Ride the-
- You follow it.
The screen grammar is important.
- I don't know why.
- I've been doing this
- way longer than you.
- Oh,
- here we go again with that.
- So let's go.
Let's not forget,
you wouldn't even be
here if it wasn't for me.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, first of
all, a little low.
I am telling you she is
not at Haggle's anymore.
Now, I know somebody in this
town knows where she's working.
You stop putting me off.
Don't give me that,
wouldn't hire her crap.
They'd be idiots not to hire
her. They'd all be idiots.
And they're even bigger idiots
if they think they can
hide her beneath a bushel.
Now, do you have some more
news for me, or do you not?
[phone chattering]
Yeah, that's what I thought.
Enjoy the coal in your stocking.
And that wraps up our showing
of one of the most
holly-jolliest movies of all time.
Doesn't it just warm
your heart folks?
I watch that one
and I just want to go to
sleep smiling every time.
We'll be back next week with
another "Holly Jolly Hour"
that will bring your whole
family together once more.
I would like to thank
everyone here at KPRP
for making this possible,
including Claire Rubin,
our everything that needs
done, she does it person.
And we got Declan
Riordan, our producer.
I'll give you something
to be thankful for
you holly jolly son-of-a-
And new on the team,
June Schroeder. [chuckles]
Oh, it's our most wonderful
time of the year, folks.
What are you grateful for?
[John chuckles]
[phone ringing]
KPRP Public
Television, how can I-
Is this how you treat
all your important calls?
Excuse me?
Yeah. Well, don't
worry about it.
Nobody's any better these days.
Just gimme the man in charge.
- The what?
- The man in charge.
You think I got all day to
fuel your office gossip?
Whom shall I say his calling?
John Schroeder.
Yeah, that's right,
the John Schroeder.
Schroeder?
Yeah.
I bet you regret dragging
your feet now, don't you?
Well, nevermind.
Just gimme the man in charge
and we can forget your
little fit ever happened.
One moment, please, sir.
June?!
Oh, no. No, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
So you do know him?
How did he find
out I'm working here?
You told him.
Hey, I don't even know the guy.
[June groans]
Family?
He's my dad.
[chuckles] Your dad.
The John Schroeder is your dad.
Oh, so now you know him.
Well, we know of him.
He's kind of famous.
Guy like that,
he could make all of
our problems disappear with one pledge.
[laughs] He's not
calling to pledge.
- He's calling to buy.
- Buy what?
Everything. Everything.
It doesn't matter.
The station, everything
in it, you, me, him.
And he does realize
that's not something that
can actually happen, right?
That's true.
That's true. That that can't
actually happen, right Claire?
But please tell me that
can't actually happen.
No. No, it can't.
Charter's not set up that way.
Although, he could
push for a few things
in exchange for a
large enough pledge.
But even then
there'd be pushback.
He's not gonna settle
for less than everything.
So you're saying there's no
point in making nice with him
and hoping he'll pledge?
Pity.
Just please don't
make me talk to him.
[groans] What?
[Declan chuckles]
- Okay, moving on.
- Yeah.
- Stress ball.
- No.
Yes.
[Claire exhales sharply]
Hello.
And thank you for calling
the voice activated
answering service
for KPRP Public Television.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to call.
You want me to what?
I'm sorry.
I don't understand that command.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to call.
Just get me the front desk.
I'm sorry, I don't
understand that command.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to-
Front desk!
I'm sorry, I don't
understand that command.
Please state the name of-
Front desk! Front
desk, already.
Front desk.
At the sound with the tone,
the time will be 10
minutes past the hour.
- [bell dings]
- Finally, something diff-
Wait, what?
Would you like to
take this brief survey?
[grunts] No,
don't do this to me.
It's been years since I've
been in phone tree purgatory.
You've just qualified
for an exciting offer.
Front desk, you
stupid miserable piece of silicon trash.
What's so hard about that?
Just get me the stupid
stinking front desk.
Have you considered
switching wireless carriers?
Ah!
Front desk. Front desk.
If you don't gimme
the front desk,
I will leave you for
hobos on skid row.
Please enter the
last four digits of
- your social security number.
- Ah! [grunts]
Just get lost, you stupid,
stinking pile of transistors.
Just get lost and, and goodbye.
Goodbye. And get lost too.
[Phone] [chimes] Hello, you
have an important reminder.
[serious music]
[door buzzes]
All right, Miss Radio Voice.
Show your darn face
before I waylay your
boss on his way home.
[Claire] Whom shall
I say is calling?
You know who's here.
I told you once,
I told you twice,
and I ain't gonna tell you
a darn thing ever again.
[Claire] Well, thank
goodness for that.
Have a good day, sir.
Wait, what? No, hold on.
Hold on. Get back on here.
You miserable,
little minimum wage-
Excuse me.
Claire, sweetie. Guess who?
[lock chimes]
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Where do you think
you're going, beautiful.
This is a closed set.
[snickers] Yeah, you
try and talk smart to me
after I get a
signature on these.
Oh, those.
Oh, of course.
Always have time for my
fans, even the noisy ones.
And remember, if you're
going scalp these,
don't settle for
less than a grand.
- Hello, darling.
- Hello.
- You look ravishing today.
- Well, thank you.
How are you Charmer?
We're late. We're late again.
And I am not the reason.
Um, yes, you are.
And you're not about to
pin this on me, okay?
All right. Pardon
me, Mr. Leech.
Declan here was just having
some technical difficulties
- at his workstation.
- Oh, pardon me, Mr. Leech,
but it seems that June
here has forgotten
how to format a shooting script,
which as you know, is very
important for her job.
Okay, well, pardon
me, Mr. Leech,
Declan has forgotten how
to stick to a call time.
Shall we head for makeup?
By which I mean make
up for his delays.
What she's saying
is absolutely false.
I've never missed a
call time, Mr. Leech.
- Don't listen to him.
- But come with us.
We gotta go, okay?
Bye Claire.
- I understand-
- Listen to me-
that call times are
of the utmost importance
- Call time is very important-
- And treating you like
- a star is what really matters.
- As you well know from your-
[both groan]
You got another one of those?
I mean, he doesn't
honestly think
that "The Wizard of
Oz" switched to color
because they ran out of
black and white film.
Does he?
Honestly, who can say.
[June grunts]
Oh. Gimme that.
I mean, we didn't
always do this right?
Just give some loud mouth
a permanent platform
to spout lunacy from?
Because if I wanted that,
I could just call home.
No.
No. This place
used to have a rep.
Good one.
[gentle music]
[sighs] Award-winning programs,
valuable community
institutions, all that.
You can't tell from
looking around today.
Dumped all the archives just
before I got here. So...
All of them?
[air droning softly]
[crank creaking]
[box scrapes softly]
What are those?
Legacy.
[cassette whirring]
[festive music]
We made that?
We used to every year.
One Christmas spectacular
was all we needed
and then we'd get in enough
pledges for the next 12 months.
Local history, local
politics, documentaries,
the stuff that
made a difference.
Why'd you stop?
The board wanted to go edgy.
Thought these fancy
concerts were too expensive.
Wanted to cut it to the
bone and do more with less.
Instead, we ended up
doing less with less.
And now we're doing
next to nothing.
So where's the board now?
Where do you think?
Bailed once they realized
how badly they'd screwed up,
and believe me, nobody was
volunteering to replace them.
Well, let's do
one of these again.
Oh, come on. How hard can it be?
"How hard can it be?"
"How hard can it be?" she says.
Sweetie, we earned those 12
months every single time.
Do you have any
idea what it takes
to stage a show like that?
No. So tell me.
My word.
Multiple cameras,
live switching,
on location, music clearances.
Kept the lawyers busy for weeks.
Plus, it looks like we
always had a star name
to host the show.
That's right.
Star power or the closest
thing to it at this level.
Mayor, some big news
anchor, somebody.
And who is gonna give
us the time of day now?
Plus we don't have much
time to work with anyway.
Christmas is practically here.
So let's do it next Christmas.
No, there is no next year.
We've got a mortgage
on this dump
and we have burned through
every trick for putting it off.
Either we come up with a huge
chunk of change by New Year's,
or we go dark for the
first time in five decades.
New Year's?
It's a hard deadline?
As hard as they come.
Do you two want to be employed
after the balloon drop?
Get that man to pledge.
[Emcee chattering indistinctly]
New Year's.
Yeah.
You got any bright ideas?
Well, he's already
paying this much
to see us squabble, right?
Let's kick it up a notch.
Kick it up.
Play for blood.
So far we've been pretty nice.
I don't think
we've been very nice.
There are definitely
places you could've gone
and you didn't
because you're nice.
Face it.
Nice, just won't do it anymore.
Well, June, I, I just
don't think it's a very good-
Daddy issues.
Hit me with those.
You'll have material for days.
Okay, come on now, gimme
something I can work with.
June, seriously?
- I don't think it's-
- Declan, you've seen
what I go back to if
I can't stay here.
If you can't do it for the
station, then do it for me.
[playful music]
[door buzzes]
Open the door. I got
your heart's desire.
[Claire] You brought
George Clooney?
Oh wait, no, I... [sighs]
[door buzzes]
I bring you nectar and ambrosia.
[Claire] That's a terrible
name for a rock band.
[door buzzes]
I bring you the
glorious wines of nature.
[Claire] If those
weren't metaphorical,
you might've stood a chance.
Wait. I, I would?
Ah!
[bottles clinking]
[John grunting]
[John continues grunting]
Hey, Big John.
[John grunts]
[bottles shatter]
Whoa.
Clean up on aisle five.
What in the world was...
[gasps] You hog!
It's not even nine
o'clock in the morning.
You get a off this property.
- [John] Ah!
- Get, get, get!
Oh, Cary dear.
- I'm so sorry about that.
- Oh, no worries.
I know this is a
good neighborhood.
Well, usually.
[contentious music]
So.
So?
So.
That's your idea?
You can feel free to start
praising it at any time.
We've got our biggest name
talent sitting right over there
and you wanna shoot him
like a '90s talk show.
Yeah. That was a
great era of television.
That was almost
older than you are.
Who is gonna watch that?
Oh, I don't know. Everyone.
This is television.
There is no everyone.
What group?
Which age?
Kids, parents, grandparents,
everyone in between.
Okay? People crave this stuff.
Families don't watch
things together anymore.
What century are you from?
They can, they can.
And they do.
- Name one. Name one family.
- I'll give you one family.
- Mine.
- Yeah. One weird family.
[chuckles] Yeah. We
were weird, all right.
Me, Mom, and a jar of
ashes on the mantle
that used to be Dad.
Car accident, in case
you were wondering.
Oh, I was four, by the way
and Mom had to keep working.
So the time that
we spent together
was mostly watching
KPRP kids programs
early in the morning.
That's what we
did together most.
So, yeah, we watched it.
And lots of us still would.
Don't you dare think otherwise.
Come on, don't let him win.
What if I said you were lucky?
- [laughs] Lucky?
- Lucky.
At least your mom
cared about you.
At least she didn't leave.
She left every single day.
And came back.
Not everyone's does.
So what do you
think of that? Huh?
What have we got
for kids like that?
Uh, June, your dad stuck around.
Yeah, sure. He stuck around.
At least his face did.
His brain? Gone.
Always somewhere else.
At the office, around
the globe, just gone.
At least when your mom was
with you, she was present.
Don't you dare start
making comparisons, okay?
At least your dad is alive.
I would've swapped.
You get that?
There are times I
would've swapped.
At least you know your dad
didn't wanna leave you.
June! You... [exhales heavily]
Say it.
Whatever it is, just say it.
Say it, say it.
If you were like
this all the time,
I can definitely see why.
- Ah, June.
- What did you say?
What did you say?
I was seven. Seven.
What seven-year-old
deserves that?
To have her mom walk out
and her dad checkout.
And it never stopped.
Not in middle school,
not in high school,
not even graduating
with fricking honors.
Not for one second
was I ever more important
than a line on a spreadsheet.
And you wanna know
the worst part?
He paid to keep me so
I felt like I owed him.
Like it was some kind of
debt I had to pay back.
You think student loans are bad?
Try having to pay
back a debt like that.
So don't you try and tell me
that I had it any
better than you.
I'm sorry your dad
is gone. I really am.
But at least he
didn't hang around
making whatever
problems you had worse.
[Cary clapping]
What a scene. Ha!
What a scene.
I don't have a check
big enough for that one.
I'm serious. I don't
have a check big enough.
I need to go talk
to some people.
Too much?
Nah. That's not too much.
Now, just gimme a few days.
A few days. No more.
And you'll be hearing
from everyone.
Everyone.
Oh, and this time,
don't forget what a shooting
script is, huh? [laughs]
Whew.
[traffic droning faintly]
June, hey, are you okay?
Look, I, I know what
I said was just-
No, I'm fine.
I'm, really, I'm fine.
Just, we got it, right?
Come on, please
tell me we got it.
We got it.
Yes.
[both chuckle]
Excuse me. I think
your Uber is elsewhere.
You are a callous, rude,
mean little excuse
for a thespian.
Whoa, I've had some
bad reviews before,
but that was a little over
the top, don't you think?
You think this
is Hollywood? Huh?
You think you can just
walk away from anything?
Because, because you're
the big-shot star.
There's no stunt
double out here.
There's no one to
take the fall for you.
Can you cry on cue?
Huh?
- Can you cry on cue?
- Yes. Yes.
Good.
Because if you ever make
my little girl cry again,
you're not only gonna cry on
cue, you're gonna cry off cue
and for the entire running time,
you fourth-rate, Z-grade
certified-farm-fresh,
organic actor.
Whoa. [sobs weakly]
[John snickers]
I felt it.
I really felt it.
I did it.
You did what?
- Um...
- You did what?
Oh my God, I can't believe this.
Just when I thought you'd
finally run out of ways
to royally screw up my life,
you go and invent
a totally new one.
Hey, I'm just trying to help.
Trying and failing.
Do you get that last
part, Dad? Failing.
Look around and listen
for once in your life.
Do I seem any happier when
you pull this stupid stuff?
Well, maybe if you
learned a little gratitude.
Gratitude? For what?
Do you think I was grateful
for every day you spent
screaming on the phone
instead of being with me?
Because whoever was on
the other end of the line
was always more
important than me.
Hey. I paid $3
million for you.
Shut up about the
$3 million, Dad.
You made that back in a month.
You could've retired 15
years ago and you didn't
because nothing is
as important to you
as thinking that the sun doesn't
rise unless you crow at it.
I gave you everything I could.
[chuckles] Yeah, I
guess you did, Dad.
Just not anything that mattered.
- What do I need to do?
- Nothing. Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Just stop trying.
That is the only way you'll
stop making things worse.
But I gotta do something.
Too late, Dad.
Just, too late.
[John exhales softly]
So I take it we now know
why Cary Leech
dropped off the map.
Okay. Yep.
We're not gonna wallow
in our own pity here.
So let's go.
There's only one thing
that can fix this.
Breakfast for dinner.
Let's go.
Let's go, people.
Andele. Get a move on.
[traffic droning gently]
No, no, no.
This is diet suicide.
[Declan laughs]
Look at this.
I don't care.
Can I have some of this?
Syrup?
Okay. Young metabolisms.
I'm in. Let's do this.
[all chuckle]
[all groaning]
Oh my gosh.
More bacon, anyone?
[June & Claire] Evil.
Mm!
Better?
I, I've never felt
better or worse in my life.
Yeah, I hope you don't want
a brainstorming
session right now,
'cause I'm gonna be in
a gluttonous hangover until tomorrow.
I wasn't.
More of a glad to be
still alive session.
It's the only place
that's open this early.
Early enough for my mom to
take me before her shifts.
It's the only place
we ever ate out
so it's a special place.
Claire,
we need to do the
Christmas concert.
Interesting fantasy.
I'm serious. We need to.
Well, the necessity's not
in question, only the means.
We'll think of something.
That is not a plan.
It's Christmas music, right?
I mean, all that famous stuff
is already public domain.
We can make a program
out of anything we want.
Sure. But who's
gonna arrange it?
More importantly,
who's gonna perform it?
[June] I don't know.
We'll find people.
And we're right back
to, that is not a plan.
This is TV. Okay?
And this is not crap
TV either. This is PBS.
That has to mean something.
Yeah, it means we're broke.
It means they'll know we're
not solely about the money.
Um, technically-
- Shut up, Declan.
- Okay.
You know what? Fine, fine.
You wanna plan? Here's the plan.
I will find someone,
you two can sit around in a
sugar coma for all I care.
But I am betting
my entire salary,
which, is really not that much,
but I am betting
my entire salary
that there is at least one,
one really awesome
musician out there
who would cross
oceans to get on PBS.
Mm-hmm.
For PBS!
She's got a lot of energy today.
No more coffee for her.
[Declan laughs]
[motivated music]
Hello? Mr. Krauss.
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Okay. I'm sorry. [laughs]
I'm sorry. Mr?
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Wait, what was that?
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Okay, Mr.
Aubur-general-music-director. [laughs]
My name is June Schroeder
and I am a television producer
at KPRP Public Television.
And we would like to
put your choir on TV.
[Mr. Krauss chattering angrily]
Good morning, ma'am.
Hi. How are you?
We hear you lead the
best orchestra in-
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
Oh, no, no, ma'am.
I, I'm not selling insurance.
I'm with PBS.
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
No, not PS5, PBS. [chuckles]
I can't get you a PS5. Sorry.
Please, sir, I,
I have no control
over when they play the
Louis Valois Orchestra
and, and I really don't care-
[Mr. Krauss chattering angrily]
No, sir, I have no idea what
he's like off the air. Mm-mm.
Ma'am, I, I really
don't have a PS5.
Really sorry about that,
but what I wanted to
talk to you about is-
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
No. No, I am not hoarding
them to scalp on eBay.
Why would I do that?
I have no idea what he
was like in music school.
Nope. No.
Uh-uh.
Ma'am. [chuckles] Please.
I am a television
producer. [laughs]
My buddy cannot get you a PS5
because I don't have
a buddy with a PS5.
You wanna know what
we're gonna do?
Here's what we're gonna do.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's right.
You and me. You and me,
Aubur-general-music-director.
We are gonna take
Louis Valois down.
You are right. I have PS5s.
I have so many PS5s.
I have despised him too.
Mm-hmm. Oh yeah.
With his waltzes and his fiddles
and his, his, um, mincing harps.
It just started with
a few, you know,
and then I just, I
just couldn't stop.
Boxes and truckloads
and warehouses,
filling up my garage,
the attic, the basement.
At last. I know how
to make him pay.
And only your talent
can do it. [guffaws]
I don't even know if my pets
are still alive in there.
Just lost. Lost in
all of my PS5s. [sobs]
Will you really
take that many PS5s?
Are you sure you can't take
more? Please take more?
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
Thank you.
Yes. We can rule together.
[June laughs and sighs]
Hi.
Hi.
- Uh, how's it going?
- Oh, perfect. Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
We have all the music
you could ever want.
We just have to find 500 PS5s
and Louis Valois'
violin on a pike.
How about you?
Uh, great. It looks like
we might have a venue.
It's not a definite yes, but
something other than an no.
Okay, well let's go.
- Let's go. C'mon.
- Okay.
Move, move, move. Oh,
wait, I'm outta coffee.
You probably don't
need more. It's okay.
[bells tolling]
Oh my.
It's perfect.
It's perfect. [laughs]
Wow, this has always been here?
Why have you never
used it before?
Hey, I wasn't here before.
Plus, I think that
they tried to,
but they could never
get a deal done for it-
Oh my goodness. Would you
just listen to those acoustics?
Hello World! Here we are!
Can you imagine what the choir
is gonna sound like under that?
- And the orchestra?
- Uh, June-
We could do better than this.
You hear me? We
could not do better.
Well, if you can't do better,
you have a good reason
for meeting our price.
So I'm sure you're aware,
we're not a very large station.
You are a station who
has had a half a century
to build an endowment.
Yes. Well, you
know how that goes.
Keeps you in business
but you can't go on any
shopping sprees with it.
Do you have any idea
what the wedding demand
is for a place like this?
Oh, I'm sure it's
a wonderful place-
Do you have any
idea what people pay
for those sorts of things?
And I'm sure a little
classy TV exposure
would be just the thing-
Ms. Schroeder, this
building is a century old
and is visible from virtually
everywhere in the city.
Exactly what makes you think
exposure is anything we need?
We've had our struggles,
and I'm sure you have too.
We really feel
that this could be
- an excellent collaboration-
- Ms. Schroeder,
so far you have failed
to present any scenario
that does not represent
a certain short-term cost
to this church in
exchange for dubious
and highly-uncertain
long-term gains.
So unless you are prepared
to meet our standard rate
for an outside event,
I suggest your time would be
better employed elsewhere.
I don't suppose
there's anything else
that could possibly
change your mind?
Unless you intend to march
Cary Leech through our door,
I'm afraid you're
out of options.
Cary Leech?
Child, don't pretend to
have any idea who that is.
It's before your time.
You mean our Cary Leech?
What do you mean,
"Our Cary Leech?"
You first. Show
me your Cary Leech.
I am not accustomed
to taking demands.
Get used to it. Show me.
[cassette clatters]
And the murderer is one of you.
[congregants gasp]
Huh?
I say!
Oh, it's all quite
simple, really.
Now, your late father
was left-handed,
was he not Miss Fairfax?
- Hm?
- Huh?
Knowing that then, perhaps
you can explain to me
how he could possibly have heard
the huntsman's call,
Lord Shepperton?
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
Your turn.
What's this about Cary Leech?
He will be hosting the special.
From here?
Mm-hmm. That's right.
He'll be announcing every song,
telling stories from
set, meeting new fans.
And so help me,
that man signs everything
I put in front of him.
But as for the from here part,
well that's not really
up to me now, is it?
I cannot believe that
you just lied in a church.
I mean in a church, June.
It's not a lie yet, okay?
Not if we can get
Cary Leech back.
June, he's bunkered somewhere.
I mean off the grid
for all we know.
He's probably got a
thousand-acre estate
somewhere in Sun Valley that
we'll never be able to find.
[June] Well, what
addresses do we have for him?
None.
All correspondence goes
through his lawyer.
All right, well
what's his address?
[sirens whoop]
His lawyer works
out of an apartment?
I guess I always kind of assumed
he had a better
lawyer than this.
[footsteps thudding softly]
[traffic droning faintly]
[door knocking]
What do you want now?
Oh!
Hey! Leech!
Come on, open up.
What is going on?
Get on in here.
[Cary groaning]
Right, first thing
I wanna know is,
how did you find me?
For years, I have battled
to preserve my anonymity,
yet somehow, you have penetrated
the wilyest of defenses.
So lay out the trail.
What gossamer thread of clues
did you follow to get here?
[paper rustles]
[Cary laughs]
So I'm gonna go way out on
a limb here and just assume
that there was never
any big check coming.
Meh.
Oh, don't get too sore.
I always knew your
fighting was fake.
I just admired the performance.
How did you even get here?
I mean, the residuals
from your show must be-
Not so much anymore.
But I'd like to think that
what I had, I spent well.
Okay. [chuckles]
Well, um, anything to get
on the air one last time?
For some of us,
there's only one place
we're ever truly happy.
I got nothing for you.
Maybe you still do, actually.
We're throwing a big
Christmas concert
like the station used
to do in the old days,
and we want you to host it.
Oh, no. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
No, negative. Uh-uh.
Nope. Nope, nope.
Nein.
Why not?
You think I'm showing my face
around that studio of yours
while that psychopath
is out there?
You only just caught
me before I blew town.
Find me some other PBS station
that still fills time with
"The Woking Mysteries."
This is to save the station.
This could be big.
Your big closing act.
Oh, if that loon shows up,
it'll be a closing
act all right.
And I don't intend
to star in it.
We-we'll get the police on it.
[Cary] Have you never seen
a single episode of my series?
The bobbies are useless.
How did he hear
the huntsman's call?
What's that?
How did he hear
the huntsman's call?
[suspenseful music]
I remember that one.
Come on.
How did he hear the
huntsman's call?
How?
Hmm. I'll tell you how.
'Twas the moors who done it.
Aye, the moors.
The misty moors where
screams are swallered
and murder rings clear.
'Twas there you set the trap.
Give him a nudge.
- Okay.
- N-no. Stay.
So you laid it.
You laid the trap and waited.
Knowing full well he'd
be done in for sure
by that gouty foot of his.
And once he was,
you'd lay your hands
on the greatest treasure
in lower Shropshire,
his mighty collection
of taxidermed hamster.
- Who wrote this crap?
- Shh. Give him a nudge.
Confess, sir.
Confess and the magistrate
may go easy on ya.
Confess and spare
the bloody wretch
who now answers for your
crimes on the gallows.
Are we seriously airing this?
[Rev. Woking] Confess!
Reverend, he's getting away.
[Cary] Um, who's this now?
The accomplice.
[Cary] The accomplice?
Aye! The accomplice!
[June] [laughs] Come on.
[gentle music]
So whom would
you say is calling?
I don't believe we've met.
Hi.
I am the John Schroeder
who just might be the
worthwhile human being.
Really?
Stranger things have happened.
My wildest fantasies
don't get that wild.
What are you here for?
Because you're sure
not buying anything.
I could buy you dinner.
And just what do you think
you are buying along with that?
Conversation, company.
Come on.
It's been a long time
since I've had anything
other than a business dinner.
A very long time.
You think I trust you?
The only thing you need to trust
is that I won't run
out on the check.
And I am a good tipper.
Come on.
I've been hanging
around here long enough
to know it's just you and the
younglings running the place.
And before them, mostly you.
Come on.
Your good deeds have been
punished long enough.
Let's go get us something good.
The accomplice!
Aye, you, sir.
It was always you.
You and your red right hand.
Oh, you thought you
had it, did you?
Thought you free and clear,
with that trail of clues from
here to Aberdeen. [laughs]
Nay, sir. Nay.
And again, I say nay.
Oh, justice is
visited upon ya, sir.
Justice in the sight of
the parish constabulary
and the Anglican parsonage.
Now, open the gates
and move aside.
Move aside!
[playful music]
What a scene. What a scene.
Let's do another take.
Okay, as much as I'd
love to see that again,
we have bigger
scenes to get done.
Right. Right.
What's next on the
day outta days?
Um, you have to go see a nun.
Uh-huh.
No, Bishop, I had not heard
about the buses coming
in from the convent.
Um, we, we never dreamed
that Mr. Leech's presence
would cause this kind
of disruption. [laughs]
So yes. Yes.
Naturally, we will have
crowd control in place.
Don't you worry.
We are very aware of
how rowdy nuns can be.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm?
We will get you his autograph
most discreetly. Goodbye.
Okay. Crowd control,
exclamation point.
The concert's tomorrow, and
you're just sitting there?
What else is there to do?
I don't know. Something.
There's always something.
Something to get ahead
of, a problem to fix,
something that could go better.
You never did AP
classes, did you?
Can we not have that
discussion again, please?
Well, there's something
that they tell you
when you take AP classes.
"Before the big
test never cram."
Really?
Oh, really.
Yeah, those tests
were pretty big
so if you didn't know the
material the night before,
one long night of cramming
wouldn't help one bit.
And you, June, just put
together one heck of a project.
A really big one.
Okay, so if you didn't
cram before the big test,
then what'd you do?
Put it outta your mind.
Let it go for one night.
Go out somewhere.
Go out like, like where?
You might need
some warmer clothes.
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
So there's a human being
under that awful mustache.
Who'd have thought?
It doesn't bother you?
I mean, there he is, being
all friendly with her.
Doesn't seem he was ever
really that friendly with you.
If he wants to be friendly
with her, he can go for it.
I, on the other hand,
am nowhere near ready to
be friendly with him yet.
Is it too much to hope
that maybe she's
just leading him on,
you know, get a big
pledge out of him?
You've been working for
Cary Leech too long. [laughs]
Camera's on, check's
signed. Easy peasy.
Well, not my dad.
He always gets
something for his money.
Well, that was the
Outsider they were in.
Definitely not fast food.
For a nice evening,
he'd call that a good price.
Has he ever paid for
something and not gotten it?
Like ever?
Hmm. He paid $3
million for me.
[chuckles] Yeah. Yeah,
you heard that right.
$3 million to avoid
joint custody.
Well, what in the world
did he not get from that?
- [tender music]
- Um, I don't know.
All I've ever brought
him is disappointment,
distraction, annoyance,
the list goes on.
Well, he's a fool.
You hear me?
He got the bargain of a century.
Okay?
$3 million for another
10 years with you.
Gosh, I would've paid
so much more than that.
- [chuckles] Shut up.
- I mean it.
I've watched you
and you are amazing.
Simply amazing.
Just stop.
What?
Hasn't anyone ever
told you that?
Anyone at all?
Because got news
for ya: it's true.
I would've paid that much
for 10 more days with you.
10 minutes. Literally
anytime at all.
I'd take that deal.
Declan.
Okay! Uh!
It's getting really late.
We, we gotta go.
Uh, g-go where?
Final exam's
tomorrow. Remember?
We gotta gotta get lots of rest.
Come on, let's go. Here we go.
- Let's go.
- I'm coming. Okay.
[gentle music]
Aubur-general-music-director.
Not conductor, director.
Yes, we have to get it right.
June, first violin
says that the sanctuary
is three degrees too cold.
Tell him we're heating it up.
Can't heat a building
this big that fast.
So just tell him that
and by the time he
thinks of it again,
he'll have adjusted.
What? No.
Nuns do not get
priority seating.
[sighs] Hey, hey! Red lights
on the woodwinds not purple.
It's Christmas. Remember?
I do not care how
scary they are.
Nuns do not get
priority seating.
Just bring him around
during intermission.
We'll do an extra
meet and greet.
Trust me. He'll agree to it.
[Claire] Circuit panels.
Geez, Claire.
What now?
Well, the church
caretaker's a little concerned
about everything we're plugging
into his circuit panels.
For the last time, we
have run the numbers.
Everything is fine as long as
nobody plugs in anything else.
Caretaker says those cords
are running pretty warm.
Call it free heating.
What is all this?
This: fan mail from nuns.
Claire. Ugh.
Oh, is that more for me to sign?
No, not now.
We're on in three.
Declan, camera three is
getting the closeups. Not two.
Come on. Get 'em sorted.
Oh, I can't wait
till this is over.
Well, June, if you
weren't doing this,
what would you be doing?
Probably having a nice quiet
night before Christmas Eve.
[chuckles] Where's
the fun in that?
I know, I, I can see
you're stressed out.
But June, do you really
think you'd be happy
if somehow you were being
prevented from doing this?
If you never even
had the choice.
You'd be miserable,
wouldn't you?
Wouldn't you?
You'd be miserable if you
never even had the chance.
Yeah?
We're on in two. We gotta go.
Also, you're doing a meet
and greet during remission.
Meet and greet?
That means pictures.
- I-I better-
- Come on!
Just come on. Come on.
June, where's our star?
Uh, he's right behind me.
He's right behind... Cary!
Coming. Coming.
I just had to make sure that-
No more taking care of.
- On your mark first position.
- I didn't know
there was a meet and greet.
I had to make sure that
my phone was ready-
On your mark.
[Cary groans]
Okay, quiet everyone.
Hold for countdown.
Everybody good? Okay.
Live on air in 10.
What? No, it's fine.
Nine.
No, no.
Everything's
calibrated. It's fine.
- Eight.
- Electrical meter.
What electrical meter?
Seven.
No, there's, it's not possible.
There's nothing else
on that circuit.
Six.
I- I said there's nothing
else on that circuit.
[electricity buzzes]
Check all the circuits.
Ch-check all the circuits now.
[stressful music]
[electricity zapping]
No!
[dramatic music]
[electricity crackling]
[workers screaming and rambling]
Hello?
Anyone?
Anyone at all?
Anyone?
[tense music]
Anyone at-
Oh! Ugh!
You just had to
plug in your phone.
Oh my gosh. Is it okay?
I have so many pictures on that.
Um, I guess it's
not that important.
Reset for take two?
[sighs] There is no take two.
What? Uh...
Oh, um,
so anything I can do?
Kids, uh, I don't want this
to be the last thing
the station ever does.
Can't we think of something?
[tender music]
[tender music continues]
[radio chattering]
[tender music continues]
Live on air in three, two...
Ah.
Hello, friends of KPRP.
I'm afraid I bring news
of disappointment tonight.
Our Christmas
concert cannot go on
as scheduled and
planned. [sighs]
We're very sorry to
have let you down.
Um,
since there won't
be a broadcast,
there won't be any
pledge drive either.
Anyone who wants to contribute
can do so on our website.
But we expect that this will be
KPRP's last broadcast.
We want to thank you for
supporting us for 47 years.
For half a century we
have brought you our best.
And [chokes]
I guess we all knew it
couldn't last forever.
So I'm Cary Leech,
on behalf of everyone here
from KPRP, signing off.
It has been our privilege.
[gentle wholesome music]
Lo' how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung
It came, a flower bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half spend
was the night
[gentle wholesome
music continues]
[gentle wholesome music fades]
[phone beeping]
[phone ringing]
[phone continues ringing]
June?
Hey, Dad.
What is it?
It must be almost midnight.
This won't take long.
[sighs] You've won.
I've what?
You've won.
You were right.
So just do what you do best.
Sign a check.
I'll be at a desk working
for you by morning.
What are you talking about?
[June] KPRP. They're
still taking pledges.
So?
So make one. And
I'm yours again.
Just make it a big one.
You want me to what now?
Go to the website,
make a pledge.
Just get it done already.
But, but you...
But what? You have trouble
taking yes for an answer now?
[John] But?
Well spit it out.
What's the problem?
But I don't think that's
really what you want.
Don't even try to
tell me what I want.
You've never had
a clue what I want
so there's no reason to
think you can start now.
You care about what I want,
then listen to me.
I just told you.
I- I'll get the accountants
to do that first thing tomorrow.
I'll be in first thing tomorrow.
Merry Christmas, I guess.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
[phone beeps]
[John exhales sharply]
You didn't.
That's a heck of a
way to say thank you.
June, I didn't want this.
I don't recall asking you.
Look, we, we can figure
something else out.
Declan, we're out of time.
Outta luck and outta favors.
At least now I don't
have to find 500 PS5s.
What is it you've been
telling me this whole time then?
You've been acting like this
is a fate worse than death.
But whenever things get hard,
you just pull the rip cord
on the golden parachute, huh?
You know what? Sure.
Go ahead and think that.
Talk yourself into it.
We're so clever.
We can have it all.
What was this to you? Huh?
What was this job to you?
Just another play thing.
Just another toy plane
that happens to be
someone else's grade.
Do not go there. We're
not playing anymore.
This wasn't just a show!
Yeah, you're right. It's not.
Look, if you have
faith in the team,
then you stick with the team.
So do you believe
in this or not?
Declan, grow up.
I grew up when I was four, June.
I had to.
Yeah. Well I
wasn't far behind.
June,
stick with us.
Please. Come on.
We can do this.
You don't have a clue.
So
You gonna clean out
your office or should I?
You won't find anything
worth coming back for.
[car starter whirs]
[engine hums]
Anything I need to know about?
Yeah, we'll be shutting down
the servers ourselves tonight.
[tender music]
[tender music continues]
[tender music continues]
[tender music continues]
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
Um, ahem.
I never did do much
with the IT people.
I don't even know
where to start.
It's okay.
Order of operations.
First we're gonna start
with the graphic station
that is overlays
and lower-thirds.
And then we're gonna move on
to the secondary stations.
What's with this one?
Uh, that's for the website.
It looks like it
might be overloaded.
Overloaded? As in too many
people are trying to access it?
Yeah, but it, it'll redirect
through a different server.
It's okay.
Why is everybody
and their cousin
logging onto us right now?
Isn't this how we get pledges
now? Through the website?
[soft cheerful music]
Oh-
My.
We are, we're saved.
Declan! Look at those numbers.
We're set for years. [laughs]
You beautiful man, you.
[both laugh]
- Oh, Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
[clock ticking]
[door clatters]
[elevator dings]
Welcome back, sweetie.
[elevator chimes]
[June sighs lightly]
[chair creaks]
[June sighs lightly]
[motor buzzing faintly]
[motor buzzing loudly]
[June chuckles]
Yes?
[Declan] Geez, where you
been, land of no phones?
Is that your plane?
Yeah. Yeah.
It's my first one.
A hobby shop gouged
me pretty good,
day before Christmas and all.
You should not be
buying things like that.
My dad isn't gonna give $1
more than he absolutely has to.
[laughs] We don't need it.
We are not taking his money.
What do you mean?
Pledges, June. We got pledges.
Thousands and
thousands of pledges.
So many, we don't even
know how many there are.
It'll take us that long to get
'em off the backup servers.
But the concert was a bust.
And they came through anyway.
You hear me, June Schroeder?
We asked and they gave.
The whole city wants
us to stick around.
And all because one clever girl
said, "Let's not pack it in.
Let's go up to the bell tower
and let's at least have the
decency to say goodbye."
Uh, Declan, have you ever
flown one of these before?
- What's up?
- Because if not,
you probably don't know how
to handle updraft
between city buildings.
Honestly, I'm just surprised
I got this off the ground
without getting arrested.
Okay, well you should
probably land it quickly.
Declan.
Declan, go starboard.
Starboard? D-d-d-
Go starboard right now!
'Cause, I-I-I
don't really know how-
Pull up. Pull up before you...
[glass shatters]
Nice going, Declan.
[glass tinkling]
[gentle music]
[June laughs]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
June, I am so sorry. It's
just the updraft out there.
I don't really know.
And plus it, it's your dad's
building anyway and he-
[cheerful music]
[elevator dings]
[June laughs]
We will not be
needing that. [chuckles]
Claire, honey. Spill it.
What are you not telling me?
No joke.
Now darling, let
me pitch you this.
Reverend Woking in America.
We are miles from making
any of those decisions.
Gotta get 'em in quick, right?
So what happens is, Woking
is called out of retirement
to chase down the dastardly
Flower Pot Killer.
He kills entirely
with flower pots.
[chuckles]
[clears throat] Hmm.
Producers!
I've just had the most
wonderful idea for a revival.
How about ideas for
rebuilding the studio?
That's what we're supposed
to be working on, right?
[laughs] Projects like this,
you've gotta get
a good lead time.
Uh-huh, and how about the
lead time on those contractors?
You're perfect for
that. You're a star.
You can marker, right?
[June laughs]
Funny thing, nobody bothered
to clean out your desk.
[traffic honking]
[Driver] What are you thinking?
Get out of the road!
Hey, buddy. Get out of here.
Bro!
[traffic continues honking]
[festive party music]
[partygoers chattering]
Wow. [laughs]
Someone's getting in the spirit.
[chuckles] Yeah.
Claire insisted on the hat.
Ah.
What do you think?
Oh, never looked better.
Okay, yeah.
[tender music]
[chuckles] Here.
- Oh, thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
You know, for putting
this on last minute,
it is not a bad Christmas party.
It's better than not bad.
It's better than great.
It's amazing.
[June chuckles]
And you need to learn
to take some credit
because you're the one who
put this whole thing together.
We have a lot of
work to do, don't we?
Yeah, but forget about that.
For now, it's Merry
Christmas, darling.
Let's fly.
[upbeat cheerful music]
[upbeat cheerful
music continues]
[upbeat cheerful music fades]
[playful festive music]
[playful festive
music continues]
[playful festive
music continues]
[playful festive
music continues]
[playful festive
music continues]
[no audio]
[no audio]
[June giggling]
[gentle music]
[June] I have always known
exactly what I'm worth.
$1 Million.
2 million! 3 million!
3,245,000.
That's how much I had
to pay to keep you.
And you are worth it.
You are worth all of it.
[June giggling]
You know what that means, right?
Means you get to stay here,
means you don't have
to go to your mom's.
Means I get to
see you every day.
Airplanes?
We can do airplanes.
We can build any
airplane you want
because I'm not going
to work today or ever.
It's Christmas and
we're gonna do airplanes
and we're gonna make 'em fly.
[upbeat music]
[June] $3,245,000.
That's what he paid my mom
for sole custody
after the divorce.
What I didn't know was
he only divorced her.
He didn't divorce the office.
What do you mean he
backed out of the deal?
He doesn't get to
back out of the deal.
He needs to deliver
500,000 novelty armadillos
before New Year's
or I'll see him in court
from now until July.
Oh, he wants to talk
sphincter molds, does he?
I'll tell him about
sphincter molds.
You tell him that I've
been doing sphincter molds
since before he was born.
[June] What can I say?
You can't divorce your mistress.
June!
Stop playing with that stuff.
The semester starts today.
What? No, it's just my kid
and her danged airplanes.
[gentle music]
I actually thought 3 million
meant he really loved me.
Now, I think he was
just a bad negotiator.
[gentle music]
Here's another
thing I'm sure of,
nothing I do here
matters at all.
My dad's got a dozen companies
and the instant I get a diploma,
he's gonna stick me in a
corner office somewhere
with a thick salary
and that's that.
I'll never have to
worry about a thing.
Not a thing.
Hey, uh, I really
need that back.
Angle of incidence.
Excuse me?
Well, this is an old Wright
Brothers box glider, right?
Mm-hmm.
They used to call
it angle of incidence
but today it's called-
Angle of attack.
Yes, I'm aware.
Um, could you just
give that back? Please-
See if you go over
that, the wing loses lift,
you get loss of
airflow over the wing,
which would lead directly to
an abrupt loss of altitude-
Okay, look, I'm very impressed
that you read
further than I did.
That's, that's awesome.
But that's due in two minutes.
- Okay?
- You know
this can go a lot
farther, right?
I mean, you've really
compromised your lift here.
- But-
- Look, I don't need it
to go farther.
I just need it to go 30 feet.
Just one little
tweak to the wing-
Uh, no. No messing with it.
That is due.
But it could be so much better.
Look, whoever you
are, I don't care.
Okay?
It's just a grade.
I don't need to go
round the world.
Just need it to pass.
But it's an airplane.
It's just a grade.
Oh, come on.
What are you? Seven?
I gotta get that turned in.
And look, if you wanna
take one home to daddy
and play there, that's fine.
But that one is not a toy.
No, no.
Come on. No.
No. Come on.
Please do not.
[airplane cracks]
Ah! No.
What are you doing?
[wind whooshing]
You better go
get that. It's due.
[wind whooshing]
[wind whooshing]
[Declan gasps]
Is this your project?
You get an A.
[playful music]
[June] You know how some
people are like car problems
or annoying relatives?
They just keep turning up.
You are applying
arbitrary standards
to get your favored
result knowing full well
that comparable risks are
tolerated all the time.
And you are ignoring the
fact that risk is cumulative
and will add up to
unacceptable levels
within that timeframe.
[Declan] While
you seem to believe
that the organization can
only do one thing right.
And you do not understand
that it is a question
of priorities.
And those are clearly
spelled out in-
Time!
Enough about the seating chart.
Let's move on to
the actual debate.
[playful music]
But then one day,
one wonderful day,
you move on and you'll
never, ever, ever
have to deal with that arrogant,
stuck up, selfish jerk again-
[record scratches]
[attendees chattering softly]
[June sighs lightly]
[Declan blows raspberry]
- Hello everyone.
- So?
[Emcee] Welcome to
this year's graduation.
So is not a five-syllable word.
[Emcee chattering faintly]
So. [clears throat] Business?
Really? Business major?
That's kind of surprising.
Didn't know I had to
get your approval for it.
Like, business?
I mean really.
[audience cheering]
I mean, I, I would've
figured you for aeronautics.
[chuckles] Figuring wrong
seems to be a habit of yours.
Not just aeronautics
though. Like valedictorian.
Or at least with honors, right?
[audience applauding]
I mean, right?
Even the guy that
forgot his hat can see
that you are way too
smart for business.
Is this your warped way
of giving me a compliment?
Is this your warped
way of receiving one?
[audience applauding]
Fine. Let's just say it.
You're bone-chillingly smart.
And I did not think for a moment
that it would be for business.
[sighs] Explain to me
why it's your expectations
I should meet?
Well, then whose
expectations are you meeting?
'Cause if it's not your
own either, then come on.
You're just coasting.
Like an F-16 being
used as a glider.
[June scoffs]
Are you having some
sleepless nights?
Thinking about all the
places you won't be employed?
Excuse me?
Broadcast, you
majored in broadcast,
not tech, not new media,
broadcast, with honors.
Well, my apologies on
behalf of those of us
who have an actual plan.
Broadcast?
Like big antennas on mountains
and endless reruns
of "Lawrence Welk."
In the age of streaming,
really? [laughs]
Were the newspapers not
hopeless enough for you?
Oh, what, you're saying
you've never watched TV before?
Honestly, no.
Growing up there
was a big screen
in every room of the
house, all streaming.
That's not even the future.
That's the recent past.
I mean, what do you
think you're gonna do?
Exhume Walter Cronkite?
[scoffs] You know, some
of us have actual ideas.
Yeah.
And some of us have
actual earnings.
Go ahead. Say what you want.
I've had a job since day one.
What do you got lined up?
I've got resumes out.
Lined up.
Well, that's lovely.
You can make the
world a better place
by being unemployed with honors.
[sighs] Well, wherever
I end up, I'll be flying.
You'll just be coasting.
Happy graduation.
[audience applauding]
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
[airplane buzzing]
[John] You're what?
I'm not coming in tomorrow, Dad.
You can't take vacation now.
It's not a vacation. I quit.
You what now?
Quit. Quit.
Q-U-I-T.
Look it up in the dictionary.
Quit is not in our
family vocabulary.
Yeah. Well, maybe you
should learn a new language.
Tell me straight.
Is this about money?
Because if it is, good deal.
We can just add
another zero to your-
Dad, it's really not.
Your mom?
Your mom's been talking to you.
Mom hasn't given me
anything other than postcards
in the last 15 years
and you know it.
Private jet, huh?
I'll get you the key.
Dad, I don't want
anything from you.
I just wanna fly
instead of coasting.
Okay?
Okay.
We're good on this, right?
I mean, we're, we're good?
Oh yeah. Yeah, we're good.
So you got another job?
Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Beachwood & Haggle.
Mid-sized investment place.
I'll be doing the
client outreach thing.
Great.
Good for you and all that.
I know you'll do great.
Yeah.
[phone beeps]
[hopeful music]
[car chirps]
[hopeful music continues]
- [door knocking]
- Come in. Come in.
June, I have good news.
I just sold the company.
You're getting a promotion.
A big one.
[June] I resign.
Kids.
Hi, Mr. Kelgood.
I'm calling about the
client-facing job,
wondering if it's
still available.
[bright music]
[bright music continues]
[bright music continues]
[bright music continues]
[June groans]
[TV chiming]
[TV] What is it?
My name is Allison. This is-
[phone ringing]
Jeeper's crow, Dad.
[John] Hey, now we made a
lot of people happy today.
Yeah. Well, you sure
didn't make me happy.
[John] Well, maybe
that's your own fault.
You ever think about that?
Just don't. I am not the
one with the problem here.
You are the one
with the problem.
[John] I'm also the
one who's employed
and there's no reason
you couldn't be too.
Don't you dare.
[John] Don't I dare. What?
Don't you dare try
and keep this up.
I will outlast you.
I will find something.
[John] Where?
We can never be bought.
That's right folks.
Nobody owns us.
No one can buy us.
We only answer to
viewers like you.
Our city's only public
television station since 1969.
Always independent,
right from the start.
We'll always give you our best
because you've always given us
your best, viewers like you.
[John] Sweetheart?
Where?
Just you try and find out.
[John] Wait, what?
[phone beeps]
[upbeat music]
[car chirps]
[upbeat music continues]
- [buzzer buzzing]
- Hello?
Hello. Anybody?
Hello?
Hello? Hello?
Hello?
Anybody?
Hello.
Hi. Excuse me.
Hi. Hi, excuse me.
[gasps] For crying
out loud child.
Sorry.
- Really, sorry.
- What is it you want?
Um, well, hi,
I'm June Schroeder.
I called ahead and
left a message.
Well, don't come in
with the garbage, girl.
Go around front
like a human being.
Well, I tried,
but it was locked.
[wind rustling]
Hello?
Hello, are you in there now?
[Claire] Whom shall
I say is calling?
[chuckles] It's
me. June Schroeder.
We literally just
met around the back.
[lock chimes and thunks]
Finally.
Do you have an appointment?
Uh, no. Like I said, I, I
called ahead and left a message.
If all you need is the pleasure
of talking to our
answering service,
you can do that at any time.
No appointment necessary.
I just wanna talk
to someone in charge.
Whom shall I say is calling?
Look, you can stop
playing games with me now.
I've had a look
around this place.
It is anything but busy, okay?
But you know, [chuckles]
it sure looked to me
like you were digging
up something out back
that you maybe weren't
supposed to have.
So I will get through to someone
in charge sooner or later.
Might as well make it sooner
while I'm more willing
to keep quiet about
certain things, huh?
Well, you got through
sooner than you thought.
That's right. I'm in charge.
First the head of the
board left, then the board,
then the general manager,
and then the station manager.
And who do you think they
dumped all their decisions on?
Don't even think about trying
to play games with me, kiddo.
So, [chuckles nervously]
you admit you could
really use some help then?
You wanna know why my
checkbook's staying shut?
You never argue.
[Declan] Well, you know,
most places, Mr. Leech,
wouldn't consider that
very professional.
I've got all the
help I can stand.
What just got into you?
[June chuckles]
Hold it. Wait a minute.
How do you think
we handled things
on the set of "The
Woking Mysteries?"
Arguments, that's how. We
weren't afraid to argue.
Yeah, I, I heard how
things went down on that set.
Stuff of legend. Am I right?
Yeah, like Mt. Vesuvius.
Keeping things peaceful
here. Mr. Leech, I-
Well, look who still
can't close a deal?
What are you doing here?
What is she doing here?
So tell me, are you actively
saying the wrong things
or are you just forgetting
to say the right ones?
Like how this station is number
42 in the national market.
And that's pretty good for out
of 300 something affiliates.
You know, I led with
that little detail.
Thank you.
Well, there's your problem.
Anyone can lead with
something generic.
What are you gonna come up with
that means something to him?
I did my homework. Okay.
Well, he had a series.
I know I heard that much.
Don't suppose you were
planning on acknowledging that.
Actually, as a matter of fact,
I have three charts
on it right here.
Old news, old news.
What are you gonna come
up with that's new?
What's the new demo
on the streaming site?
What's the new rebrand on
the compilation series?
I mean, is he really
thinking about these things?
Or is it all just, "Welcome
to the '90s again."
Claire, what is she doing here?
[pen scratching]
Don't mind me. I'm just
signing this enormous check.
Well, not too enormous.
Just a little something.
A little pledge for the month.
See now I know, you
people give a darn.
Well, thank you
Mr. Leech. I'd...
I'll be seeing a lot more
of you around here, right?
[laughs] So now let's go shoot.
Claire, what's going on here?
Job interview.
So if I hire her,
what am I getting?
I'm right here.
He's your reference.
Well?
I guarantee you that
she doesn't understand
the first thing about
working in broadcast,
aside from maybe what
she Googled last night.
Well, six months ago,
all I knew how to
do was scheduling.
Anything else?
She's a royal pill.
Observed.
And anything else?
She's smart.
She's real smart.
That we can work with.
This can keep us going
for another week,
including her salary.
Wanna stick around?
Get more pledges.
[sighs] So.
So.
- So...
- Ugh.
This is where you ended up.
Do you always give people
grief for saving your workplace?
[laughs] Is it too much to hope
that you actually
did Google something
about working in
broadcast last night?
- Or...
- Look.
Didn't I just hear that
guy say you have a shoot?
- Yes.
- Hmm.
Yes he did.
As a matter of fact,
since you work here now,
you should come sit
in on it, newbie.
Hmm.
[jaunty music]
Hello, movie lovers everywhere.
I'm Cary Leech,
star of "The Reverend
Woking Mysteries"
and your host for this
edition of "Weekend Classics."
Tonight's movie stars the
infamous Charlie Chaplin.
A giant of the silent screen,
he almost made it in talkies
before leaving the U.S.
to take over Germany
and start World War II.
It wasn't long before
his next picture,
"The Scarlet Empress"
inadvertently helped launch
the Red Scare in his
native U.S. of A.
[June sighs]
How you feeling?
My brain hurts.
This, this cannot be
your business model.
Just let him spout nonsense
introducing old movies
so he'll, he'll make a
donation every once in a while.
Not donations, pledges.
We call 'em pledges.
Ew. Don't say pledge.
That gives me
sorority flashbacks.
Well, it's what we
got going on for now.
Unless you know somebody with
some really deep pockets.
Um, let's just say
no to that. [chuckles]
Yep. Me neither.
So one week to get him to
open his checkbook again.
It's not our only
deadline, but, yeah.
And the only two
things he cares about
are being on screen
and watching us fight,
and one of which he
already has by default.
Yeah.
So, are we gonna fight?
Just try and keep up.
[Declan laughs]
Yeah. Remember to
tell yourself that.
[playful music]
Broadcast. Point me to it.
You mean, you
mean like streaming?
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
[playful music continues]
All right, let's get
our foreign programming
converted over to NTSB,
resolution 16x9 in 1920 by 24p.
Wow.
Yeah, just gotta say,
none of what you just said
made any sense at all.
[playful music]
Wait, so you're telling me
that you tried to learn
about modern electronics
in a printed volume?
What's wrong with a book?
Mm, lots of books.
You didn't even start
with Google? Come on.
Would you look at
this stuff? It's old.
Okay. But it's not that old.
It's just specialized.
Like, really specialized.
Honestly, I'm not even sure
if you could find what
you're looking for on Google.
Are you saying the exact
thing you just suggested
would not have even worked?
What I'm saying is
it's a craft, you know?
It's its own craft.
And I spent four years
learning this stuff in college,
and you thought that you
were gonna cram it all in
in an all-nighter.
Some of us like to
get a head start, okay?
Whatever. Let's just start now.
Okay.
So live switching.
Yes, live switching.
I remember that.
Yeah.
So I bet you're looking for
a great big switch, right?
Yeah.
[button clicks]
Of course. Mouse clicks.
Mm-hmm.
Because everything's
a computer now.
- Yeah-
- Okay.
Even airplanes are
great big computers now.
Now you're just being mean.
[energetic music]
[energetic music continues]
[energetic music continues]
[energetic music continues]
Uh-uh. No, no way.
Yes. Yes you did.
You missed that cue.
Oh, 'cause you miscued me.
[sighs] I did miscue you
once, but it was not that time.
Right, so if I
can't trust your cues,
I have to figure
them out on my own.
You're getting
hung up on one cue.
You said so yourself,
there's no second
takes when you're live.
Hey, love birds.
We've got "Miles
Gloriosus" back in an hour.
Get ready for showtime.
[June] Showtime.
Hmm.
Well, what can we come up with?
You're seriously
trying to tell me
that you wanna do a
zoom-to-medium closeup
in the middle of camera two?
Yes. Yes, it's perfect.
Read the script. It's
the exact right moment.
I've read the script and no,
you still understand nothing
about screen grammar.
Oh, please. To heck
with the screen grammar.
Ride the fricking moment.
What do you mean by the moment?
- I mean-
- There's a formula.
- Ride the-
- You follow it.
The screen grammar is important.
- I don't know why.
- I've been doing this
- way longer than you.
- Oh,
- here we go again with that.
- So let's go.
Let's not forget,
you wouldn't even be
here if it wasn't for me.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, first of
all, a little low.
I am telling you she is
not at Haggle's anymore.
Now, I know somebody in this
town knows where she's working.
You stop putting me off.
Don't give me that,
wouldn't hire her crap.
They'd be idiots not to hire
her. They'd all be idiots.
And they're even bigger idiots
if they think they can
hide her beneath a bushel.
Now, do you have some more
news for me, or do you not?
[phone chattering]
Yeah, that's what I thought.
Enjoy the coal in your stocking.
And that wraps up our showing
of one of the most
holly-jolliest movies of all time.
Doesn't it just warm
your heart folks?
I watch that one
and I just want to go to
sleep smiling every time.
We'll be back next week with
another "Holly Jolly Hour"
that will bring your whole
family together once more.
I would like to thank
everyone here at KPRP
for making this possible,
including Claire Rubin,
our everything that needs
done, she does it person.
And we got Declan
Riordan, our producer.
I'll give you something
to be thankful for
you holly jolly son-of-a-
And new on the team,
June Schroeder. [chuckles]
Oh, it's our most wonderful
time of the year, folks.
What are you grateful for?
[John chuckles]
[phone ringing]
KPRP Public
Television, how can I-
Is this how you treat
all your important calls?
Excuse me?
Yeah. Well, don't
worry about it.
Nobody's any better these days.
Just gimme the man in charge.
- The what?
- The man in charge.
You think I got all day to
fuel your office gossip?
Whom shall I say his calling?
John Schroeder.
Yeah, that's right,
the John Schroeder.
Schroeder?
Yeah.
I bet you regret dragging
your feet now, don't you?
Well, nevermind.
Just gimme the man in charge
and we can forget your
little fit ever happened.
One moment, please, sir.
June?!
Oh, no. No, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
So you do know him?
How did he find
out I'm working here?
You told him.
Hey, I don't even know the guy.
[June groans]
Family?
He's my dad.
[chuckles] Your dad.
The John Schroeder is your dad.
Oh, so now you know him.
Well, we know of him.
He's kind of famous.
Guy like that,
he could make all of
our problems disappear with one pledge.
[laughs] He's not
calling to pledge.
- He's calling to buy.
- Buy what?
Everything. Everything.
It doesn't matter.
The station, everything
in it, you, me, him.
And he does realize
that's not something that
can actually happen, right?
That's true.
That's true. That that can't
actually happen, right Claire?
But please tell me that
can't actually happen.
No. No, it can't.
Charter's not set up that way.
Although, he could
push for a few things
in exchange for a
large enough pledge.
But even then
there'd be pushback.
He's not gonna settle
for less than everything.
So you're saying there's no
point in making nice with him
and hoping he'll pledge?
Pity.
Just please don't
make me talk to him.
[groans] What?
[Declan chuckles]
- Okay, moving on.
- Yeah.
- Stress ball.
- No.
Yes.
[Claire exhales sharply]
Hello.
And thank you for calling
the voice activated
answering service
for KPRP Public Television.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to call.
You want me to what?
I'm sorry.
I don't understand that command.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to call.
Just get me the front desk.
I'm sorry, I don't
understand that command.
Please state the name of
the person you wish to-
Front desk!
I'm sorry, I don't
understand that command.
Please state the name of-
Front desk! Front
desk, already.
Front desk.
At the sound with the tone,
the time will be 10
minutes past the hour.
- [bell dings]
- Finally, something diff-
Wait, what?
Would you like to
take this brief survey?
[grunts] No,
don't do this to me.
It's been years since I've
been in phone tree purgatory.
You've just qualified
for an exciting offer.
Front desk, you
stupid miserable piece of silicon trash.
What's so hard about that?
Just get me the stupid
stinking front desk.
Have you considered
switching wireless carriers?
Ah!
Front desk. Front desk.
If you don't gimme
the front desk,
I will leave you for
hobos on skid row.
Please enter the
last four digits of
- your social security number.
- Ah! [grunts]
Just get lost, you stupid,
stinking pile of transistors.
Just get lost and, and goodbye.
Goodbye. And get lost too.
[Phone] [chimes] Hello, you
have an important reminder.
[serious music]
[door buzzes]
All right, Miss Radio Voice.
Show your darn face
before I waylay your
boss on his way home.
[Claire] Whom shall
I say is calling?
You know who's here.
I told you once,
I told you twice,
and I ain't gonna tell you
a darn thing ever again.
[Claire] Well, thank
goodness for that.
Have a good day, sir.
Wait, what? No, hold on.
Hold on. Get back on here.
You miserable,
little minimum wage-
Excuse me.
Claire, sweetie. Guess who?
[lock chimes]
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Where do you think
you're going, beautiful.
This is a closed set.
[snickers] Yeah, you
try and talk smart to me
after I get a
signature on these.
Oh, those.
Oh, of course.
Always have time for my
fans, even the noisy ones.
And remember, if you're
going scalp these,
don't settle for
less than a grand.
- Hello, darling.
- Hello.
- You look ravishing today.
- Well, thank you.
How are you Charmer?
We're late. We're late again.
And I am not the reason.
Um, yes, you are.
And you're not about to
pin this on me, okay?
All right. Pardon
me, Mr. Leech.
Declan here was just having
some technical difficulties
- at his workstation.
- Oh, pardon me, Mr. Leech,
but it seems that June
here has forgotten
how to format a shooting script,
which as you know, is very
important for her job.
Okay, well, pardon
me, Mr. Leech,
Declan has forgotten how
to stick to a call time.
Shall we head for makeup?
By which I mean make
up for his delays.
What she's saying
is absolutely false.
I've never missed a
call time, Mr. Leech.
- Don't listen to him.
- But come with us.
We gotta go, okay?
Bye Claire.
- I understand-
- Listen to me-
that call times are
of the utmost importance
- Call time is very important-
- And treating you like
- a star is what really matters.
- As you well know from your-
[both groan]
You got another one of those?
I mean, he doesn't
honestly think
that "The Wizard of
Oz" switched to color
because they ran out of
black and white film.
Does he?
Honestly, who can say.
[June grunts]
Oh. Gimme that.
I mean, we didn't
always do this right?
Just give some loud mouth
a permanent platform
to spout lunacy from?
Because if I wanted that,
I could just call home.
No.
No. This place
used to have a rep.
Good one.
[gentle music]
[sighs] Award-winning programs,
valuable community
institutions, all that.
You can't tell from
looking around today.
Dumped all the archives just
before I got here. So...
All of them?
[air droning softly]
[crank creaking]
[box scrapes softly]
What are those?
Legacy.
[cassette whirring]
[festive music]
We made that?
We used to every year.
One Christmas spectacular
was all we needed
and then we'd get in enough
pledges for the next 12 months.
Local history, local
politics, documentaries,
the stuff that
made a difference.
Why'd you stop?
The board wanted to go edgy.
Thought these fancy
concerts were too expensive.
Wanted to cut it to the
bone and do more with less.
Instead, we ended up
doing less with less.
And now we're doing
next to nothing.
So where's the board now?
Where do you think?
Bailed once they realized
how badly they'd screwed up,
and believe me, nobody was
volunteering to replace them.
Well, let's do
one of these again.
Oh, come on. How hard can it be?
"How hard can it be?"
"How hard can it be?" she says.
Sweetie, we earned those 12
months every single time.
Do you have any
idea what it takes
to stage a show like that?
No. So tell me.
My word.
Multiple cameras,
live switching,
on location, music clearances.
Kept the lawyers busy for weeks.
Plus, it looks like we
always had a star name
to host the show.
That's right.
Star power or the closest
thing to it at this level.
Mayor, some big news
anchor, somebody.
And who is gonna give
us the time of day now?
Plus we don't have much
time to work with anyway.
Christmas is practically here.
So let's do it next Christmas.
No, there is no next year.
We've got a mortgage
on this dump
and we have burned through
every trick for putting it off.
Either we come up with a huge
chunk of change by New Year's,
or we go dark for the
first time in five decades.
New Year's?
It's a hard deadline?
As hard as they come.
Do you two want to be employed
after the balloon drop?
Get that man to pledge.
[Emcee chattering indistinctly]
New Year's.
Yeah.
You got any bright ideas?
Well, he's already
paying this much
to see us squabble, right?
Let's kick it up a notch.
Kick it up.
Play for blood.
So far we've been pretty nice.
I don't think
we've been very nice.
There are definitely
places you could've gone
and you didn't
because you're nice.
Face it.
Nice, just won't do it anymore.
Well, June, I, I just
don't think it's a very good-
Daddy issues.
Hit me with those.
You'll have material for days.
Okay, come on now, gimme
something I can work with.
June, seriously?
- I don't think it's-
- Declan, you've seen
what I go back to if
I can't stay here.
If you can't do it for the
station, then do it for me.
[playful music]
[door buzzes]
Open the door. I got
your heart's desire.
[Claire] You brought
George Clooney?
Oh wait, no, I... [sighs]
[door buzzes]
I bring you nectar and ambrosia.
[Claire] That's a terrible
name for a rock band.
[door buzzes]
I bring you the
glorious wines of nature.
[Claire] If those
weren't metaphorical,
you might've stood a chance.
Wait. I, I would?
Ah!
[bottles clinking]
[John grunting]
[John continues grunting]
Hey, Big John.
[John grunts]
[bottles shatter]
Whoa.
Clean up on aisle five.
What in the world was...
[gasps] You hog!
It's not even nine
o'clock in the morning.
You get a off this property.
- [John] Ah!
- Get, get, get!
Oh, Cary dear.
- I'm so sorry about that.
- Oh, no worries.
I know this is a
good neighborhood.
Well, usually.
[contentious music]
So.
So?
So.
That's your idea?
You can feel free to start
praising it at any time.
We've got our biggest name
talent sitting right over there
and you wanna shoot him
like a '90s talk show.
Yeah. That was a
great era of television.
That was almost
older than you are.
Who is gonna watch that?
Oh, I don't know. Everyone.
This is television.
There is no everyone.
What group?
Which age?
Kids, parents, grandparents,
everyone in between.
Okay? People crave this stuff.
Families don't watch
things together anymore.
What century are you from?
They can, they can.
And they do.
- Name one. Name one family.
- I'll give you one family.
- Mine.
- Yeah. One weird family.
[chuckles] Yeah. We
were weird, all right.
Me, Mom, and a jar of
ashes on the mantle
that used to be Dad.
Car accident, in case
you were wondering.
Oh, I was four, by the way
and Mom had to keep working.
So the time that
we spent together
was mostly watching
KPRP kids programs
early in the morning.
That's what we
did together most.
So, yeah, we watched it.
And lots of us still would.
Don't you dare think otherwise.
Come on, don't let him win.
What if I said you were lucky?
- [laughs] Lucky?
- Lucky.
At least your mom
cared about you.
At least she didn't leave.
She left every single day.
And came back.
Not everyone's does.
So what do you
think of that? Huh?
What have we got
for kids like that?
Uh, June, your dad stuck around.
Yeah, sure. He stuck around.
At least his face did.
His brain? Gone.
Always somewhere else.
At the office, around
the globe, just gone.
At least when your mom was
with you, she was present.
Don't you dare start
making comparisons, okay?
At least your dad is alive.
I would've swapped.
You get that?
There are times I
would've swapped.
At least you know your dad
didn't wanna leave you.
June! You... [exhales heavily]
Say it.
Whatever it is, just say it.
Say it, say it.
If you were like
this all the time,
I can definitely see why.
- Ah, June.
- What did you say?
What did you say?
I was seven. Seven.
What seven-year-old
deserves that?
To have her mom walk out
and her dad checkout.
And it never stopped.
Not in middle school,
not in high school,
not even graduating
with fricking honors.
Not for one second
was I ever more important
than a line on a spreadsheet.
And you wanna know
the worst part?
He paid to keep me so
I felt like I owed him.
Like it was some kind of
debt I had to pay back.
You think student loans are bad?
Try having to pay
back a debt like that.
So don't you try and tell me
that I had it any
better than you.
I'm sorry your dad
is gone. I really am.
But at least he
didn't hang around
making whatever
problems you had worse.
[Cary clapping]
What a scene. Ha!
What a scene.
I don't have a check
big enough for that one.
I'm serious. I don't
have a check big enough.
I need to go talk
to some people.
Too much?
Nah. That's not too much.
Now, just gimme a few days.
A few days. No more.
And you'll be hearing
from everyone.
Everyone.
Oh, and this time,
don't forget what a shooting
script is, huh? [laughs]
Whew.
[traffic droning faintly]
June, hey, are you okay?
Look, I, I know what
I said was just-
No, I'm fine.
I'm, really, I'm fine.
Just, we got it, right?
Come on, please
tell me we got it.
We got it.
Yes.
[both chuckle]
Excuse me. I think
your Uber is elsewhere.
You are a callous, rude,
mean little excuse
for a thespian.
Whoa, I've had some
bad reviews before,
but that was a little over
the top, don't you think?
You think this
is Hollywood? Huh?
You think you can just
walk away from anything?
Because, because you're
the big-shot star.
There's no stunt
double out here.
There's no one to
take the fall for you.
Can you cry on cue?
Huh?
- Can you cry on cue?
- Yes. Yes.
Good.
Because if you ever make
my little girl cry again,
you're not only gonna cry on
cue, you're gonna cry off cue
and for the entire running time,
you fourth-rate, Z-grade
certified-farm-fresh,
organic actor.
Whoa. [sobs weakly]
[John snickers]
I felt it.
I really felt it.
I did it.
You did what?
- Um...
- You did what?
Oh my God, I can't believe this.
Just when I thought you'd
finally run out of ways
to royally screw up my life,
you go and invent
a totally new one.
Hey, I'm just trying to help.
Trying and failing.
Do you get that last
part, Dad? Failing.
Look around and listen
for once in your life.
Do I seem any happier when
you pull this stupid stuff?
Well, maybe if you
learned a little gratitude.
Gratitude? For what?
Do you think I was grateful
for every day you spent
screaming on the phone
instead of being with me?
Because whoever was on
the other end of the line
was always more
important than me.
Hey. I paid $3
million for you.
Shut up about the
$3 million, Dad.
You made that back in a month.
You could've retired 15
years ago and you didn't
because nothing is
as important to you
as thinking that the sun doesn't
rise unless you crow at it.
I gave you everything I could.
[chuckles] Yeah, I
guess you did, Dad.
Just not anything that mattered.
- What do I need to do?
- Nothing. Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Just stop trying.
That is the only way you'll
stop making things worse.
But I gotta do something.
Too late, Dad.
Just, too late.
[John exhales softly]
So I take it we now know
why Cary Leech
dropped off the map.
Okay. Yep.
We're not gonna wallow
in our own pity here.
So let's go.
There's only one thing
that can fix this.
Breakfast for dinner.
Let's go.
Let's go, people.
Andele. Get a move on.
[traffic droning gently]
No, no, no.
This is diet suicide.
[Declan laughs]
Look at this.
I don't care.
Can I have some of this?
Syrup?
Okay. Young metabolisms.
I'm in. Let's do this.
[all chuckle]
[all groaning]
Oh my gosh.
More bacon, anyone?
[June & Claire] Evil.
Mm!
Better?
I, I've never felt
better or worse in my life.
Yeah, I hope you don't want
a brainstorming
session right now,
'cause I'm gonna be in
a gluttonous hangover until tomorrow.
I wasn't.
More of a glad to be
still alive session.
It's the only place
that's open this early.
Early enough for my mom to
take me before her shifts.
It's the only place
we ever ate out
so it's a special place.
Claire,
we need to do the
Christmas concert.
Interesting fantasy.
I'm serious. We need to.
Well, the necessity's not
in question, only the means.
We'll think of something.
That is not a plan.
It's Christmas music, right?
I mean, all that famous stuff
is already public domain.
We can make a program
out of anything we want.
Sure. But who's
gonna arrange it?
More importantly,
who's gonna perform it?
[June] I don't know.
We'll find people.
And we're right back
to, that is not a plan.
This is TV. Okay?
And this is not crap
TV either. This is PBS.
That has to mean something.
Yeah, it means we're broke.
It means they'll know we're
not solely about the money.
Um, technically-
- Shut up, Declan.
- Okay.
You know what? Fine, fine.
You wanna plan? Here's the plan.
I will find someone,
you two can sit around in a
sugar coma for all I care.
But I am betting
my entire salary,
which, is really not that much,
but I am betting
my entire salary
that there is at least one,
one really awesome
musician out there
who would cross
oceans to get on PBS.
Mm-hmm.
For PBS!
She's got a lot of energy today.
No more coffee for her.
[Declan laughs]
[motivated music]
Hello? Mr. Krauss.
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Okay. I'm sorry. [laughs]
I'm sorry. Mr?
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Wait, what was that?
[Mr. Krauss] I'm a
general music director!
Okay, Mr.
Aubur-general-music-director. [laughs]
My name is June Schroeder
and I am a television producer
at KPRP Public Television.
And we would like to
put your choir on TV.
[Mr. Krauss chattering angrily]
Good morning, ma'am.
Hi. How are you?
We hear you lead the
best orchestra in-
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
Oh, no, no, ma'am.
I, I'm not selling insurance.
I'm with PBS.
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
No, not PS5, PBS. [chuckles]
I can't get you a PS5. Sorry.
Please, sir, I,
I have no control
over when they play the
Louis Valois Orchestra
and, and I really don't care-
[Mr. Krauss chattering angrily]
No, sir, I have no idea what
he's like off the air. Mm-mm.
Ma'am, I, I really
don't have a PS5.
Really sorry about that,
but what I wanted to
talk to you about is-
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
No. No, I am not hoarding
them to scalp on eBay.
Why would I do that?
I have no idea what he
was like in music school.
Nope. No.
Uh-uh.
Ma'am. [chuckles] Please.
I am a television
producer. [laughs]
My buddy cannot get you a PS5
because I don't have
a buddy with a PS5.
You wanna know what
we're gonna do?
Here's what we're gonna do.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's right.
You and me. You and me,
Aubur-general-music-director.
We are gonna take
Louis Valois down.
You are right. I have PS5s.
I have so many PS5s.
I have despised him too.
Mm-hmm. Oh yeah.
With his waltzes and his fiddles
and his, his, um, mincing harps.
It just started with
a few, you know,
and then I just, I
just couldn't stop.
Boxes and truckloads
and warehouses,
filling up my garage,
the attic, the basement.
At last. I know how
to make him pay.
And only your talent
can do it. [guffaws]
I don't even know if my pets
are still alive in there.
Just lost. Lost in
all of my PS5s. [sobs]
Will you really
take that many PS5s?
Are you sure you can't take
more? Please take more?
[orchestra director
mutters indistinctly]
Thank you.
Yes. We can rule together.
[June laughs and sighs]
Hi.
Hi.
- Uh, how's it going?
- Oh, perfect. Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
We have all the music
you could ever want.
We just have to find 500 PS5s
and Louis Valois'
violin on a pike.
How about you?
Uh, great. It looks like
we might have a venue.
It's not a definite yes, but
something other than an no.
Okay, well let's go.
- Let's go. C'mon.
- Okay.
Move, move, move. Oh,
wait, I'm outta coffee.
You probably don't
need more. It's okay.
[bells tolling]
Oh my.
It's perfect.
It's perfect. [laughs]
Wow, this has always been here?
Why have you never
used it before?
Hey, I wasn't here before.
Plus, I think that
they tried to,
but they could never
get a deal done for it-
Oh my goodness. Would you
just listen to those acoustics?
Hello World! Here we are!
Can you imagine what the choir
is gonna sound like under that?
- And the orchestra?
- Uh, June-
We could do better than this.
You hear me? We
could not do better.
Well, if you can't do better,
you have a good reason
for meeting our price.
So I'm sure you're aware,
we're not a very large station.
You are a station who
has had a half a century
to build an endowment.
Yes. Well, you
know how that goes.
Keeps you in business
but you can't go on any
shopping sprees with it.
Do you have any idea
what the wedding demand
is for a place like this?
Oh, I'm sure it's
a wonderful place-
Do you have any
idea what people pay
for those sorts of things?
And I'm sure a little
classy TV exposure
would be just the thing-
Ms. Schroeder, this
building is a century old
and is visible from virtually
everywhere in the city.
Exactly what makes you think
exposure is anything we need?
We've had our struggles,
and I'm sure you have too.
We really feel
that this could be
- an excellent collaboration-
- Ms. Schroeder,
so far you have failed
to present any scenario
that does not represent
a certain short-term cost
to this church in
exchange for dubious
and highly-uncertain
long-term gains.
So unless you are prepared
to meet our standard rate
for an outside event,
I suggest your time would be
better employed elsewhere.
I don't suppose
there's anything else
that could possibly
change your mind?
Unless you intend to march
Cary Leech through our door,
I'm afraid you're
out of options.
Cary Leech?
Child, don't pretend to
have any idea who that is.
It's before your time.
You mean our Cary Leech?
What do you mean,
"Our Cary Leech?"
You first. Show
me your Cary Leech.
I am not accustomed
to taking demands.
Get used to it. Show me.
[cassette clatters]
And the murderer is one of you.
[congregants gasp]
Huh?
I say!
Oh, it's all quite
simple, really.
Now, your late father
was left-handed,
was he not Miss Fairfax?
- Hm?
- Huh?
Knowing that then, perhaps
you can explain to me
how he could possibly have heard
the huntsman's call,
Lord Shepperton?
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
Your turn.
What's this about Cary Leech?
He will be hosting the special.
From here?
Mm-hmm. That's right.
He'll be announcing every song,
telling stories from
set, meeting new fans.
And so help me,
that man signs everything
I put in front of him.
But as for the from here part,
well that's not really
up to me now, is it?
I cannot believe that
you just lied in a church.
I mean in a church, June.
It's not a lie yet, okay?
Not if we can get
Cary Leech back.
June, he's bunkered somewhere.
I mean off the grid
for all we know.
He's probably got a
thousand-acre estate
somewhere in Sun Valley that
we'll never be able to find.
[June] Well, what
addresses do we have for him?
None.
All correspondence goes
through his lawyer.
All right, well
what's his address?
[sirens whoop]
His lawyer works
out of an apartment?
I guess I always kind of assumed
he had a better
lawyer than this.
[footsteps thudding softly]
[traffic droning faintly]
[door knocking]
What do you want now?
Oh!
Hey! Leech!
Come on, open up.
What is going on?
Get on in here.
[Cary groaning]
Right, first thing
I wanna know is,
how did you find me?
For years, I have battled
to preserve my anonymity,
yet somehow, you have penetrated
the wilyest of defenses.
So lay out the trail.
What gossamer thread of clues
did you follow to get here?
[paper rustles]
[Cary laughs]
So I'm gonna go way out on
a limb here and just assume
that there was never
any big check coming.
Meh.
Oh, don't get too sore.
I always knew your
fighting was fake.
I just admired the performance.
How did you even get here?
I mean, the residuals
from your show must be-
Not so much anymore.
But I'd like to think that
what I had, I spent well.
Okay. [chuckles]
Well, um, anything to get
on the air one last time?
For some of us,
there's only one place
we're ever truly happy.
I got nothing for you.
Maybe you still do, actually.
We're throwing a big
Christmas concert
like the station used
to do in the old days,
and we want you to host it.
Oh, no. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
No, negative. Uh-uh.
Nope. Nope, nope.
Nein.
Why not?
You think I'm showing my face
around that studio of yours
while that psychopath
is out there?
You only just caught
me before I blew town.
Find me some other PBS station
that still fills time with
"The Woking Mysteries."
This is to save the station.
This could be big.
Your big closing act.
Oh, if that loon shows up,
it'll be a closing
act all right.
And I don't intend
to star in it.
We-we'll get the police on it.
[Cary] Have you never seen
a single episode of my series?
The bobbies are useless.
How did he hear
the huntsman's call?
What's that?
How did he hear
the huntsman's call?
[suspenseful music]
I remember that one.
Come on.
How did he hear the
huntsman's call?
How?
Hmm. I'll tell you how.
'Twas the moors who done it.
Aye, the moors.
The misty moors where
screams are swallered
and murder rings clear.
'Twas there you set the trap.
Give him a nudge.
- Okay.
- N-no. Stay.
So you laid it.
You laid the trap and waited.
Knowing full well he'd
be done in for sure
by that gouty foot of his.
And once he was,
you'd lay your hands
on the greatest treasure
in lower Shropshire,
his mighty collection
of taxidermed hamster.
- Who wrote this crap?
- Shh. Give him a nudge.
Confess, sir.
Confess and the magistrate
may go easy on ya.
Confess and spare
the bloody wretch
who now answers for your
crimes on the gallows.
Are we seriously airing this?
[Rev. Woking] Confess!
Reverend, he's getting away.
[Cary] Um, who's this now?
The accomplice.
[Cary] The accomplice?
Aye! The accomplice!
[June] [laughs] Come on.
[gentle music]
So whom would
you say is calling?
I don't believe we've met.
Hi.
I am the John Schroeder
who just might be the
worthwhile human being.
Really?
Stranger things have happened.
My wildest fantasies
don't get that wild.
What are you here for?
Because you're sure
not buying anything.
I could buy you dinner.
And just what do you think
you are buying along with that?
Conversation, company.
Come on.
It's been a long time
since I've had anything
other than a business dinner.
A very long time.
You think I trust you?
The only thing you need to trust
is that I won't run
out on the check.
And I am a good tipper.
Come on.
I've been hanging
around here long enough
to know it's just you and the
younglings running the place.
And before them, mostly you.
Come on.
Your good deeds have been
punished long enough.
Let's go get us something good.
The accomplice!
Aye, you, sir.
It was always you.
You and your red right hand.
Oh, you thought you
had it, did you?
Thought you free and clear,
with that trail of clues from
here to Aberdeen. [laughs]
Nay, sir. Nay.
And again, I say nay.
Oh, justice is
visited upon ya, sir.
Justice in the sight of
the parish constabulary
and the Anglican parsonage.
Now, open the gates
and move aside.
Move aside!
[playful music]
What a scene. What a scene.
Let's do another take.
Okay, as much as I'd
love to see that again,
we have bigger
scenes to get done.
Right. Right.
What's next on the
day outta days?
Um, you have to go see a nun.
Uh-huh.
No, Bishop, I had not heard
about the buses coming
in from the convent.
Um, we, we never dreamed
that Mr. Leech's presence
would cause this kind
of disruption. [laughs]
So yes. Yes.
Naturally, we will have
crowd control in place.
Don't you worry.
We are very aware of
how rowdy nuns can be.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm?
We will get you his autograph
most discreetly. Goodbye.
Okay. Crowd control,
exclamation point.
The concert's tomorrow, and
you're just sitting there?
What else is there to do?
I don't know. Something.
There's always something.
Something to get ahead
of, a problem to fix,
something that could go better.
You never did AP
classes, did you?
Can we not have that
discussion again, please?
Well, there's something
that they tell you
when you take AP classes.
"Before the big
test never cram."
Really?
Oh, really.
Yeah, those tests
were pretty big
so if you didn't know the
material the night before,
one long night of cramming
wouldn't help one bit.
And you, June, just put
together one heck of a project.
A really big one.
Okay, so if you didn't
cram before the big test,
then what'd you do?
Put it outta your mind.
Let it go for one night.
Go out somewhere.
Go out like, like where?
You might need
some warmer clothes.
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
So there's a human being
under that awful mustache.
Who'd have thought?
It doesn't bother you?
I mean, there he is, being
all friendly with her.
Doesn't seem he was ever
really that friendly with you.
If he wants to be friendly
with her, he can go for it.
I, on the other hand,
am nowhere near ready to
be friendly with him yet.
Is it too much to hope
that maybe she's
just leading him on,
you know, get a big
pledge out of him?
You've been working for
Cary Leech too long. [laughs]
Camera's on, check's
signed. Easy peasy.
Well, not my dad.
He always gets
something for his money.
Well, that was the
Outsider they were in.
Definitely not fast food.
For a nice evening,
he'd call that a good price.
Has he ever paid for
something and not gotten it?
Like ever?
Hmm. He paid $3
million for me.
[chuckles] Yeah. Yeah,
you heard that right.
$3 million to avoid
joint custody.
Well, what in the world
did he not get from that?
- [tender music]
- Um, I don't know.
All I've ever brought
him is disappointment,
distraction, annoyance,
the list goes on.
Well, he's a fool.
You hear me?
He got the bargain of a century.
Okay?
$3 million for another
10 years with you.
Gosh, I would've paid
so much more than that.
- [chuckles] Shut up.
- I mean it.
I've watched you
and you are amazing.
Simply amazing.
Just stop.
What?
Hasn't anyone ever
told you that?
Anyone at all?
Because got news
for ya: it's true.
I would've paid that much
for 10 more days with you.
10 minutes. Literally
anytime at all.
I'd take that deal.
Declan.
Okay! Uh!
It's getting really late.
We, we gotta go.
Uh, g-go where?
Final exam's
tomorrow. Remember?
We gotta gotta get lots of rest.
Come on, let's go. Here we go.
- Let's go.
- I'm coming. Okay.
[gentle music]
Aubur-general-music-director.
Not conductor, director.
Yes, we have to get it right.
June, first violin
says that the sanctuary
is three degrees too cold.
Tell him we're heating it up.
Can't heat a building
this big that fast.
So just tell him that
and by the time he
thinks of it again,
he'll have adjusted.
What? No.
Nuns do not get
priority seating.
[sighs] Hey, hey! Red lights
on the woodwinds not purple.
It's Christmas. Remember?
I do not care how
scary they are.
Nuns do not get
priority seating.
Just bring him around
during intermission.
We'll do an extra
meet and greet.
Trust me. He'll agree to it.
[Claire] Circuit panels.
Geez, Claire.
What now?
Well, the church
caretaker's a little concerned
about everything we're plugging
into his circuit panels.
For the last time, we
have run the numbers.
Everything is fine as long as
nobody plugs in anything else.
Caretaker says those cords
are running pretty warm.
Call it free heating.
What is all this?
This: fan mail from nuns.
Claire. Ugh.
Oh, is that more for me to sign?
No, not now.
We're on in three.
Declan, camera three is
getting the closeups. Not two.
Come on. Get 'em sorted.
Oh, I can't wait
till this is over.
Well, June, if you
weren't doing this,
what would you be doing?
Probably having a nice quiet
night before Christmas Eve.
[chuckles] Where's
the fun in that?
I know, I, I can see
you're stressed out.
But June, do you really
think you'd be happy
if somehow you were being
prevented from doing this?
If you never even
had the choice.
You'd be miserable,
wouldn't you?
Wouldn't you?
You'd be miserable if you
never even had the chance.
Yeah?
We're on in two. We gotta go.
Also, you're doing a meet
and greet during remission.
Meet and greet?
That means pictures.
- I-I better-
- Come on!
Just come on. Come on.
June, where's our star?
Uh, he's right behind me.
He's right behind... Cary!
Coming. Coming.
I just had to make sure that-
No more taking care of.
- On your mark first position.
- I didn't know
there was a meet and greet.
I had to make sure that
my phone was ready-
On your mark.
[Cary groans]
Okay, quiet everyone.
Hold for countdown.
Everybody good? Okay.
Live on air in 10.
What? No, it's fine.
Nine.
No, no.
Everything's
calibrated. It's fine.
- Eight.
- Electrical meter.
What electrical meter?
Seven.
No, there's, it's not possible.
There's nothing else
on that circuit.
Six.
I- I said there's nothing
else on that circuit.
[electricity buzzes]
Check all the circuits.
Ch-check all the circuits now.
[stressful music]
[electricity zapping]
No!
[dramatic music]
[electricity crackling]
[workers screaming and rambling]
Hello?
Anyone?
Anyone at all?
Anyone?
[tense music]
Anyone at-
Oh! Ugh!
You just had to
plug in your phone.
Oh my gosh. Is it okay?
I have so many pictures on that.
Um, I guess it's
not that important.
Reset for take two?
[sighs] There is no take two.
What? Uh...
Oh, um,
so anything I can do?
Kids, uh, I don't want this
to be the last thing
the station ever does.
Can't we think of something?
[tender music]
[tender music continues]
[radio chattering]
[tender music continues]
Live on air in three, two...
Ah.
Hello, friends of KPRP.
I'm afraid I bring news
of disappointment tonight.
Our Christmas
concert cannot go on
as scheduled and
planned. [sighs]
We're very sorry to
have let you down.
Um,
since there won't
be a broadcast,
there won't be any
pledge drive either.
Anyone who wants to contribute
can do so on our website.
But we expect that this will be
KPRP's last broadcast.
We want to thank you for
supporting us for 47 years.
For half a century we
have brought you our best.
And [chokes]
I guess we all knew it
couldn't last forever.
So I'm Cary Leech,
on behalf of everyone here
from KPRP, signing off.
It has been our privilege.
[gentle wholesome music]
Lo' how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung
It came, a flower bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half spend
was the night
[gentle wholesome
music continues]
[gentle wholesome music fades]
[phone beeping]
[phone ringing]
[phone continues ringing]
June?
Hey, Dad.
What is it?
It must be almost midnight.
This won't take long.
[sighs] You've won.
I've what?
You've won.
You were right.
So just do what you do best.
Sign a check.
I'll be at a desk working
for you by morning.
What are you talking about?
[June] KPRP. They're
still taking pledges.
So?
So make one. And
I'm yours again.
Just make it a big one.
You want me to what now?
Go to the website,
make a pledge.
Just get it done already.
But, but you...
But what? You have trouble
taking yes for an answer now?
[John] But?
Well spit it out.
What's the problem?
But I don't think that's
really what you want.
Don't even try to
tell me what I want.
You've never had
a clue what I want
so there's no reason to
think you can start now.
You care about what I want,
then listen to me.
I just told you.
I- I'll get the accountants
to do that first thing tomorrow.
I'll be in first thing tomorrow.
Merry Christmas, I guess.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
[phone beeps]
[John exhales sharply]
You didn't.
That's a heck of a
way to say thank you.
June, I didn't want this.
I don't recall asking you.
Look, we, we can figure
something else out.
Declan, we're out of time.
Outta luck and outta favors.
At least now I don't
have to find 500 PS5s.
What is it you've been
telling me this whole time then?
You've been acting like this
is a fate worse than death.
But whenever things get hard,
you just pull the rip cord
on the golden parachute, huh?
You know what? Sure.
Go ahead and think that.
Talk yourself into it.
We're so clever.
We can have it all.
What was this to you? Huh?
What was this job to you?
Just another play thing.
Just another toy plane
that happens to be
someone else's grade.
Do not go there. We're
not playing anymore.
This wasn't just a show!
Yeah, you're right. It's not.
Look, if you have
faith in the team,
then you stick with the team.
So do you believe
in this or not?
Declan, grow up.
I grew up when I was four, June.
I had to.
Yeah. Well I
wasn't far behind.
June,
stick with us.
Please. Come on.
We can do this.
You don't have a clue.
So
You gonna clean out
your office or should I?
You won't find anything
worth coming back for.
[car starter whirs]
[engine hums]
Anything I need to know about?
Yeah, we'll be shutting down
the servers ourselves tonight.
[tender music]
[tender music continues]
[tender music continues]
[tender music continues]
[gentle music]
[gentle music continues]
Um, ahem.
I never did do much
with the IT people.
I don't even know
where to start.
It's okay.
Order of operations.
First we're gonna start
with the graphic station
that is overlays
and lower-thirds.
And then we're gonna move on
to the secondary stations.
What's with this one?
Uh, that's for the website.
It looks like it
might be overloaded.
Overloaded? As in too many
people are trying to access it?
Yeah, but it, it'll redirect
through a different server.
It's okay.
Why is everybody
and their cousin
logging onto us right now?
Isn't this how we get pledges
now? Through the website?
[soft cheerful music]
Oh-
My.
We are, we're saved.
Declan! Look at those numbers.
We're set for years. [laughs]
You beautiful man, you.
[both laugh]
- Oh, Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
[clock ticking]
[door clatters]
[elevator dings]
Welcome back, sweetie.
[elevator chimes]
[June sighs lightly]
[chair creaks]
[June sighs lightly]
[motor buzzing faintly]
[motor buzzing loudly]
[June chuckles]
Yes?
[Declan] Geez, where you
been, land of no phones?
Is that your plane?
Yeah. Yeah.
It's my first one.
A hobby shop gouged
me pretty good,
day before Christmas and all.
You should not be
buying things like that.
My dad isn't gonna give $1
more than he absolutely has to.
[laughs] We don't need it.
We are not taking his money.
What do you mean?
Pledges, June. We got pledges.
Thousands and
thousands of pledges.
So many, we don't even
know how many there are.
It'll take us that long to get
'em off the backup servers.
But the concert was a bust.
And they came through anyway.
You hear me, June Schroeder?
We asked and they gave.
The whole city wants
us to stick around.
And all because one clever girl
said, "Let's not pack it in.
Let's go up to the bell tower
and let's at least have the
decency to say goodbye."
Uh, Declan, have you ever
flown one of these before?
- What's up?
- Because if not,
you probably don't know how
to handle updraft
between city buildings.
Honestly, I'm just surprised
I got this off the ground
without getting arrested.
Okay, well you should
probably land it quickly.
Declan.
Declan, go starboard.
Starboard? D-d-d-
Go starboard right now!
'Cause, I-I-I
don't really know how-
Pull up. Pull up before you...
[glass shatters]
Nice going, Declan.
[glass tinkling]
[gentle music]
[June laughs]
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music continues]
June, I am so sorry. It's
just the updraft out there.
I don't really know.
And plus it, it's your dad's
building anyway and he-
[cheerful music]
[elevator dings]
[June laughs]
We will not be
needing that. [chuckles]
Claire, honey. Spill it.
What are you not telling me?
No joke.
Now darling, let
me pitch you this.
Reverend Woking in America.
We are miles from making
any of those decisions.
Gotta get 'em in quick, right?
So what happens is, Woking
is called out of retirement
to chase down the dastardly
Flower Pot Killer.
He kills entirely
with flower pots.
[chuckles]
[clears throat] Hmm.
Producers!
I've just had the most
wonderful idea for a revival.
How about ideas for
rebuilding the studio?
That's what we're supposed
to be working on, right?
[laughs] Projects like this,
you've gotta get
a good lead time.
Uh-huh, and how about the
lead time on those contractors?
You're perfect for
that. You're a star.
You can marker, right?
[June laughs]
Funny thing, nobody bothered
to clean out your desk.
[traffic honking]
[Driver] What are you thinking?
Get out of the road!
Hey, buddy. Get out of here.
Bro!
[traffic continues honking]
[festive party music]
[partygoers chattering]
Wow. [laughs]
Someone's getting in the spirit.
[chuckles] Yeah.
Claire insisted on the hat.
Ah.
What do you think?
Oh, never looked better.
Okay, yeah.
[tender music]
[chuckles] Here.
- Oh, thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
You know, for putting
this on last minute,
it is not a bad Christmas party.
It's better than not bad.
It's better than great.
It's amazing.
[June chuckles]
And you need to learn
to take some credit
because you're the one who
put this whole thing together.
We have a lot of
work to do, don't we?
Yeah, but forget about that.
For now, it's Merry
Christmas, darling.
Let's fly.
[upbeat cheerful music]
[upbeat cheerful
music continues]
[upbeat cheerful music fades]
[playful festive music]
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music continues]
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music continues]
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music continues]
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music continues]
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