Dying for Sex (2025) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[Molly] What was his
name? Was it Bradley? No.
Paul? T.J.? No,
nobody's name is T.J.
[moans, echoing]
We were in our 20s and it was like
he couldn't stop going down on me.
Maybe he was hungry.
Stop. Stop thinking
about that. Stop it.
Be here with Steve.
What did he just say?
I guess I'm a feminist?
I'm the only male
journalist at the magazine
that the female editors
want to work with.
I mean, it-it's fucked.
Journalists can be monsters.
Overworked, underpaid, the
burden of knowing too much.
I'm sorry, I think
we got off topic.
No, it connects. I'm
trying to make a
[sighs]
All right. I get I'm confused,
like, when I get interrupted.
Anyway, so yeah, I just think there's
a little bit of a double standard here.
Molly and I haven't had an
active sex life in years.
Since Molly's breast
cancer diagnosis?
Yeah. I mean, we weren't having much
se much sex when you got cancer, so
[Molly] Because you said my bald
head made you think about your dad.
[Steve speaking, muffled]
But you don't have to take
care of me now. I'm healthy.
I just want you to want me.
Please. Please.
And it's like, now she wants
to again, and I'm the bad guy
'cause I just can't flip a
switch and suddenly be Mr. Sex?
What?
[chuckles] Mr. Sex?
Uh, Mr. Sex probably doesn't
refer to himself as Mr. Sex
if he's actually Mr. Sex.
[chuckles]
Anyways [sighs]
Look, I know my wife.
She's had a really
complicated history with sex.
And I don't think I don't think
this is actually what you want.
I think there's some confusion
here as to what you want.
[therapist] Molly, do you feel
confused about what you want?
- You wanna have sex with Steve?
- To have sex, yes.
[Molly] Shit.
With Steve.
But this isn't an
authentic desire.
- It's the medication.
- Tamoxifen.
Yeah, the drug that prevents
the cancer from returning.
A side effect is
decreased libido,
but Molly's body
is, like, an anomaly
- and it increased hers.
- That's not a side effect.
Okay, but it is. Dr. Pankowitz
said it's the meds.
Dr. Pankowitz is
your doctor, Steve?
- Molly's.
- Mine.
[phone rings]
I put my phone in the technology
tray, like we're supposed to.
- You can just turn it off.
- Sorry, it's the hospital.
I just, um
It's that hip thing I had checked
It's, uh I'm gonna take this.
You can just put him on speaker.
Molly, put him on speaker.
- Hello?
- Can you put him on speaker?
- [doctor] Molly, is this a good time?
- Uh, yes.
Okay. I have the results
of the biopsy on your hip
and, um, unfortunately
- [Molly] Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
- [horns honking]
[pedestrian] Watch where
you're fucking going!
[siren wailing]
- [panting, moaning]
- [kisses]
[bell rings]
[pop song plays on speakers]
[rapid panting, moaning]
[Molly] Fuck.
- [siren wailing in distance]
- [pedestrians chattering]
[vehicle approaching]
- [engine rumbles]
- [lighter clicking]
- Hey, baby. You need a ride somewhere?
- Hi.
[Molly] Is this what it feels
like to push someone off a cliff?
I'm sorry, were you busy?
Uh, I'm on my way to rehearsal.
Are you smoking cigarettes?
What is that, menthols?
Oh, my God. Who are you?
Are you my camp boyfriend?
What is this?
You know how I had that pain in
my hip that wouldn't go away?
Uh-huh.
It's cancer.
[sighing] It's back.
But you
- It's been two years.
- I know.
And you did everything
that the doctor said,
- and you took all of their drugs
- I know.
- and this is still Hmm.
- It's not fair.
I don't want to die just when
I'm getting used to my new boobs.
Stop. You're not gonna die.
I am, actually. It, um,
metastasized to my bones.
- Mmm.
- It's incurable.
[birds chirping]
[sobbing] Can you just give me
one second? I'm so, so sorry.
- Hey.
- [sobs] I'm sorry, I'm
Babe, it's okay. It's okay.
No, I feel like it's just gonna get
a little bit bigger. Just let me
[retches, cries]
I Just kidding.
I'm fine! [chuckles]
- Y-You are?
- No.
- Oh, my God! What the fuck?
- Sorry. I don't know why I said that.
- What the fuck?
- I'm not doing a very good job with this.
- What are you doing? What is it?
- I don't know how to do this!
I don't know how to tell
you that I'm going to die!
Yeah, you're bad at this!
This is a bad way to tell me!
I'm sorry. I'm so
sorry. I'm sorry.
- [crying] Oh, God.
- [sighs]
You look so nice.
Like, if you're dying, like, why are
you fucking weirdly vibing right now?
- Like, glowing from within right now.
- [chuckles]
- Is this your natural inner radiance?
- [chuckling] I don't know.
- I'm so fucking confused, overstimulated.
- What is this? Is she drunk?
- No. No. I just told her that I'm dying.
- What? No, I'm not drunk.
- I'm human having human emotions.
- Why is her crying so loud?
[strained] This is how I cry!
She's an actress. Her emotions
live very close to the surface.
Huh? Leave!
- Go!
- No, I won't do that.
My friend is a paying customer!
She bought this fucking
weird fucking soda from you.
- Yeah, I did. Good Value Diet Soda.
- Okay, that's nice.
But that doesn't
give you the right
to stand outside my store
and scream like a lunatic!
Don't come out here and tell two
people in a private conversation
- [both yelling, muffled]
- [Molly] Look at her.
- No. She's nice. You're not so nice.
- Do not fucking talk about her!
[Molly] Not afraid. Everything out
in the open. I love this woman.
- [whimsical music playing]
- [mouthing] Oh, my God.
[no audible dialogue]
I'm having a normal reaction,
and a deep experience that I don't
even wanna fucking be having!
- So go inside!
- The hell is What the
- Fine.
- Mm-hmm.
- Stay.
- Cool.
Just shut the fuck up! Please!
- [music fades out]
- [sniffles]
[door opens, closes]
- He said we can stay.
- Yeah. No, I heard.
You have to try this soda. The
aftertaste is unbelievably bad.
- Oh, it's junk.
- I know. I can't stop drinking it.
It's very bad.
When did you find out?
Twenty minutes ago.
- What?
- In the middle of couples therapy.
- [doctor] Molly, is this a good time?
- Uh, yes.
Okay. I have the results
of the biopsy on your hip
and, um, unfortunately it is not
what we had hoped for [distorts]
[Molly] It didn't feel real. I couldn't
even hear what the doctor was saying.
I didn't feel sad, I just saw
myself as a seven-year-old, dancing.
And this seven-year-old version
of myself was being so mean to me.
[classical music
plays, muffled]
She was really a jerk.
[grunts, distorted]
She knew.
She knew what I'd done with
my life and was mad about it.
She knew that Steve didn't touch
me anymore, and she got so sad.
Because I think that she could
see that I've spent my whole life
being scared of what I feel.
And I was so fucking pissed
at her at this point.
And also, she's a
terrible dancer.
[music fades out]
I got off the phone
and I told Steve,
and he gave me this look
of, like, pity, or
I don't know. It wasn't
pity, it was like
I'll call the hospital.
We're gonna get through this.
[Molly] Excitement.
Oh, fucking Steve! I wanna
shove him into a bush.
If I'm sick, then everything
is so simple between us.
Yeah.
He's the caretaker and the
martyr, and I'm his patient.
- Mm-hmm.
- And that means he won't touch me.
Oh, my God. Can he not see you?
If he doesn't wanna touch you,
then, like, he's not well.
But I Like, I support your marriage.
Obviously, I support your marriage.
So I'm standing there,
and I'm looking at him,
- and then all of a sudden
- Uh-huh.
I get this flash of a memory of
this guy who went down on me in my 20s.
I did not think you
were gonna say that.
I mean, his head is in my hands. So
vivid. I can feel his hair in my fingers.
- [friend] Oh, yes.
- [Molly] I mean, someone walked in on us.
I never even finished, but it
was the best I've ever felt.
- Yes.
- [Molly] And I just kept thinking,
I don't wanna die without
ever feeling that way again.
And then I run across the
street to this bodega.
To this bodega? Like, you ran
from therapy to here? Like
Yeah. It's right there.
Oh, look. That's Dr. Anne.
- Oh, my God. What is she saying?
- [Molly] I don't know.
- "Are you okay?" Are you okay?
- No, I'm very bad.
Wait. Oh, my God. She's
getting Steve. Shoot. Hide me.
- What?
- Hide me. [stammers]
Oh, um Hold on. Uh
I don't think this is
gonna give you what want.
Oh, no. Oh, oh I mean,
make another choice.
- We have Steve. Steve's on the move.
- Okay. All right. Let's go.
Where are we going?
Just leave it.
- [Steve] Don't leave!
- Here. Go, go, go. I got you.
[Molly] Thank God
he doesn't jaywalk.
[friend] Oh, my gosh.
Okay. Are you good?
[Molly] Why am I so much
bigger than I thought I was?
[Steve] Wait, wait, wait. Just
let me talk to you for a second.
- [Molly] Drive! Nikki, please drive.
- All right.
- He's getting closer. I can feel it.
- [Steve] Nikki, no! Nikki, no!
- I don't have a fucking push start thing.
- [Molly] Oh, my God!
Like, I'll deal with it in
It just sticks. Also, one other
thing, just super quick
- Hey, hey, hey. Hi.
- Oh, my God.
[both chuckle, kiss]
Hold on just a sec.
- Just don't tongue me down right now.
- Mmm. What? Oh.
- I mean
- Hi. Hi, Molly.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Sorry. Didn't see
you there. [chuckles]
[chuckling] Did Nikki tell
you that she moved in?
Oh, yeah.
- We're living in sin.
- Yeah.
- Taking the plunge.
- [both chuckle]
- Yeah.
- Don't tell my grandma in Taiwan.
[Nikki chuckles]
- [rapid thudding]
- [breathes heavily]
Your boobs are so relaxing.
They're like a cup of hot tea.
[sighs] I'm sorry. He's playing Mahler's
Sixth with the phil tomorrow night.
I'm playing Mahler's
Sixth tomorrow!
Don't ever ask him about Mahler
because he starts whispering
in a really weird way.
Are you telling her how
I'm horny for Mahler?
[chuckles]
You guys are living together
already? When were you gonna tell me?
- I love him.
- You just met him.
[chuckling] It's been,
like, three months. I think?
- Is he being nice to you?
- Yes, he's being nice to me,
and I'm being nice to him.
This is why I didn't
want to tell you.
- [whispers] Sorry. Sorry.
- Please don't be weird.
Just tell me to fuck off.
Fuck off.
It's good. It's different.
He doesn't vampire off my self-esteem
or sell my shoes on the Internet.
Noah's the most normal guy that
I've ever had amazing sex with.
Look at that. Look at that.
But you have amazing
sex with everyone.
[Nikki] Mmm.
You once had an orgasm on the subway
just from listening to a podcast.
- Yeah.
- Was it true crime?
I think it was The Daily.
[both chuckle]
- Steve hasn't touched me in three years.
- What? No.
How is that even possible? I
didn't know it was that long.
I mean, my tits
were full of cancer,
and then with the chemo, I
had diarrhea for about a year.
But still. Like,
you're you. You.
[phone rings]
[Molly] Probably Steve.
But the worst thing is he's gonna forgive
me for this because I'm his sad, sick,
unfuckable wife.
He's the one who's
gonna save me.
- [Nikki] There.
- [ringing continues]
[Molly sighs] Not yet.
Um, are you gonna tell Gail?
[sighs] What's Noah's Wi-Fi?
TimpaniTime45. Are you
going to tell Gail?
She's on a trip. Can we make
fun of that password, please?
No. Where? Where is
your mom on a trip?
- She's north.
- You're lying.
Yes, I am. Will you tell
me more about the play?
No. No. Please don't do
your thing. Just talk to me.
Why are you hiding from Steve?
Why don't you wanna
tell your mom?
She loves you.
- She's gonna need to know
- Stop!
I'm making you soup.
- The good kind from the packet?
- Mm-hmm. I know what baby likes.
[breathes sharply]
[sobs]
- [slurps]
- That is why
It is this big Shakespeare
production. It's, like, this is it.
This is what I've
been hoping to do
ever since I was a kid pretending
that I wasn't from New Jersey.
It's not a big deal. Please, you
don't have to call me every day.
No. It's not fine. It's
not. It's not fine.
[Molly] You've been like this since
you were 22, you beautiful flake.
I just Yeah, I get really
caught up in work and
- What's that like?
- No. Fuck that.
You do everything for Steve. You
organized his whole stupid book.
It wasn't stupid. It
was a Pulitzer finalist.
Well, nobody bought it because
it was so fucking depressing.
Well, it wasn't supposed to be
fun. It was about climate change.
Pfft. I couldn't shit for
a month after I read it.
[Nikki giggles]
I was too sad to shit.
[door buzzes]
Okay, you know
what? That's Steve.
- He's been texting me.
- Not yet.
[door buzzes]
[teenager] Dad, get the door.
Hi, Winter. Hi.
This is Winter, Noah's daughter.
She stays here on
Wednesdays, which is great.
And, Winter, this
is my friend Molly.
- [door buzzes]
- Dad?
- Yeah, look at my body right now.
- [Winter] Dad.
I'm, like, afraid of her.
But she's really sweet.
- [Noah] I didn't hear that.
- It's like I'm a dork. I am cool.
- I am cool.
- [Noah] Okay.
- Hi, wait. Hold on. Don't get the door.
- [Noah] Okay.
- It's Steve. We're not doing that.
- [Noah] Oh.
- Oh, did he cheat on you?
- No. She doesn't wanna talk about it.
My cancer is back,
and it's not curable.
- [door buzzes]
- [whispers] Oh.
- Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. I had no idea.
- It's okay.
- [Molly] No cancer pity face.
- [door opens]
- [Steve] Molly.
- I let him in. What? What's happening?
[Nikki groans]
[Steve] Sorry to barge
in like this. I just
[Winter whispers] Is
she dying of cancer?
[Noah] Oh, my God,
baby, I don't think
All right, Molly,
let's head out.
[Molly] I forgot how hot he is
when he's mad and wearing a blazer.
Hello? What's going on?
I'm sorry. She's not dying of
cancer. It's just incurable.
How is that
different than dying?
[Molly] Stop saying "dying."
Is there any way you
could stop saying "dying"?
Are you guys smoking in here?
- [sighs] Are you smoking in here?
- [laughs]
- Oh, come on.
- Who are these people, Dad?
- Molly. Let's go.
- This is why I don't wanna live with you
- and your random-ass girlfriend.
- [Molly] Whoa, yes.
- [Noah] Nikki is not random-ass.
- [Nikki] No. I am random.
- [Molly] Yes.
- This is happening fast, but I love her.
We're drinking soda too? Great.
[groans] I have to study for the
PSATs. I can't deal with cancer.
- I think we should talk about it.
- I don't wanna talk about it.
Smoking? And having stressful
emotional interactions.
That's This is perfect.
This is exactly what we need.
Can we go?
[Molly] Oh, you're so
disappointed in me. It's so hot.
None of this is
appropriate right now.
[Molly] I'm always doing the
wrong thing and you hate it.
It's a great environment for
you right now. [clears throat]
Hey, Steve.
Nikki.
I called the hospital.
They want you to meet with a
palliative care social worker
after our appointment
with the doctor tomorrow.
Just to help with some of these
big emotions you're having.
[clears throat]
We're done.
Look at this. Can't
even recycle it.
I'm making you juice.
You remember when
you used to fuck me?
Like, really fuck me?
[sighs]
You'd take me to parties
with all your friends,
and you'd talk about books
I never read. [chuckles]
And I'd get insecure,
and I'd pick a fight.
You'd have to take me home.
My priority right now is keeping
you alive as long as possible.
[breathes deeply]
Which means no caffeine,
no sugar, no green drink.
[sighs]
We're gonna start a food diary.
We're gonna set a bedtime.
- Molly. Molly!
- [panting]
Do you not wanna live longer?
I wanna blow you.
[whispers] Okay.
[panting]
[both moaning]
[moaning continues]
[moaning]
[sobbing]
- [sobbing] I'm sorry.
- [whispers] It's okay.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay.
[Molly] What if that's
the last time I have sex?
Half a blow job
that made him cry?
It's okay.
- It's just your boobs.
- What?
[sobbing] When I touch 'em, it
makes me think of the mastectomy,
and then I think
about losing you.
- My boobs make you think about death?
- Yeah.
I just don't understand,
like, what is this all about?
Like, wha-what is this
need of yours to blow me?
'Cause it's a little weird
considering what happened to you.
I'm sorry, but just, like,
your childhood trauma
You say trauma like "traw-ma"?
- It's a W-What do you mean?
- Say it.
- Trauma.
- "Traw-ma."
Yeah. That's how you say it.
Jesus! Fuck! I'm just
saying, what I'm
The first time you got
cancer, it re-traumatized you.
And then, like, this recurrence is
gonna probably add to the trauma.
[sighs] You're just deflecting.
You're deflecting, and you
can't even talk about it.
My mom's boyfriend made me give
him a blow job when I was seven.
- There. I talked about it.
- But you haven't processed it.
- I don't What does that mean?
- You know what it means.
When do you know that you've
processed your childhood?
You know what it means.
[sighs]
I have an interview
with CNN in ten minutes.
I tried to reschedule it
but they wouldn't let me.
[Molly] Who are you?
Do you know anything about me?
Um, can you get the interview with the
with the family with the with the baby?
Yeah.
[Molly] Did I do this? Did
I stop you from knowing me?
Are you the last person
I'll see before I die?
Is this sweater Does it give
me a little pooch in the front?
[Dr. Pankowitz] All right. Well.
I, um
I just wanna say,
I'm sorry. So
[Steve] Well, thanks,
Dr. P. Appreciate that.
[Molly] Say something.
[Steve, muffled] I know
we got a long road ahead.
I guess I'm wondering how soon you
think you'll have a treatment plan.
- [Dr. Pankowitz, muffled] Soon.
- [Molly] What do you want?
What do you want right now?
Well
[Molly] Say something.
Say something.
possible for Molly to
come off the Tamoxifen now?
- Yeah, we could do that.
- Side effects have been rough.
- What side effects specifically?
- Stop it. Stop it. That's not
What?
It's not yours to
- He's my doctor.
- [thud]
- [Steve] Okay.
- Sorry.
I think we're still reeling
from the stage four of it all.
- Stop it. Stop it.
- What?
- It's my life. It's my death. It's mine.
- Okay.
[sighs]
- You know, maybe I should just
- No, you can stay.
Oh
- Okay, are you trying to hurt me?
- No. It's not about you.
This is about what I want.
This is about how I feel.
And I wanna feel things.
[stammers] I want to feel things.
[stammers] What
does that even mean?
I don't need to have
this conversation.
I don't need palliative care.
I'm not gonna die tomorrow.
Well, palliative care is all about
how you want to live with this.
Well, I'm here for psychological
support, pain management.
And when you're actively
dying, I'm here for that too.
Hey. I know it's cheesy,
but [whispers] everybody
has a bucket list.
I tell patients to dream big.
You know, climb a mountain,
eat something spicy.
- You know, roller-skate.
- I have cancer in my bones.
Well, it doesn't have
to be roller-skating
You think if I learn to
fucking roller-skate
- What about whales?
- Look
Have you ever seen
a whale before?
I'm too young, and
it sucks, okay?
I haven't done
anything with my life.
I actually don't know what
I like, or what I want.
I've never
I've never even had an
orgasm with another person.
[sobbing] And now
I'm going to die.
[social worker] Good.
Molly.
Hey.
We have something for your list.
[sobs, sniffles]
[singing] "Orgasm
with another person."
[both laughing]
Yeah?
What is that?
Oh.
You know, I like to have
a little leather on me.
[Molly] Ask her.
Are you into leather?
I like to be hog-tied.
Like, hands and feet?
Like, legs together.
What does that feel like?
Thank you for not
asking if it hurts.
[exhales sharply] It's
It's very intense.
Does that kind of
thing speak to you?
You know, because you
could start exploring.
Molly, there's a
whole world out there.
If you want it.
[car door opens, closes]
[pedestrians chattering]
I think I just left Steve.
Okay.
I told him I don't
wanna die with him.
Oh.
Oh, shit. [chuckles] Okay.
I wanna die with you.
But it's okay if you can't.
If it's too much to
[chuckles]
["Vampire Empire" playing]
Yeah. Let's do it. Die with me.
[chuckling] Yeah.
[Molly] Thank you.
Thank you.
Sweetie.
- [horn honks]
- Oh.
Jesus Christ!
I felt that in my fucking asshole,
okay? This is a fucking hospital!
- Go somewhere else to honk your horn.
- Hey. Move your car, please!
Sir, I'm talking to my friend
who just left her husband.
- So just give me one fucking second!
- Cry me a fucking river!
- Jesus Christ!
- Move your car! I need to get home.
I'm being appropriate. I'm with someone
at the hospital. I'm not honking.
- I'm not yelling at people.
- Cry me a river. Move the car.
I'm a person doing the thing that
people are doing at the hospital
- other than being sick.
- You know what? Fuck it.
- I'll move it myself. Ah, fuck!
- What? Don't get up. Oh, my God!
No. Just stay there.
I'm sorry. I don't
- Go, go, go!
- [Molly giggles]
Fuck you! You started this!
You're a fucking dick!
- [horn honks] - [Nikki]
Just get in. Get in. Go.
[Nikki] Get in. Get in.
Drive.
I see you there rejecting
All your earthly power ♪
I wanted to see you naked
I wanted to hear you scream ♪
Wanted to kiss your
skin And your everything ♪
You turn me inside out And
then you want me Outside in ♪
You spin me all around And
then you ask me Not to spin ♪
You say you wanna be alone
And you want children ♪
You wanna be with me
You wanna be with him ♪
You give me chills I've
had it with the drills ♪
I'm nothing, you are nothing
We are nothing with the pills ♪
I am empty till she fills
Alive until she kills ♪
In her vampire
empire, I am ♪
Falling, yeah ♪
[song ends]