Greek Salad (2023) s01e01 Episode Script

I inherited my family's love
for traveling.
My father always said, when you take off,
even if you know the destination,
you never know where you're going.
And now, on my way to Athens,
I thought, all my dreams will come true.
Go! Go! Go!
Get out here!
Now I'll have to tell the cops
what I'm doing here.
I'm not with them.
How do I explain I'm not like these guys?
But then it's never easy
to explain who you are.
So, my name is Tom.
I'm 26, I was born in Paris.
When I was 8, my parents split up.
At 10, I moved to New York
with Mom and my sister.
Then Dad came to be near us.
When I was 15, Dad moved back to Paris
and I went with him.
My sister stayed with Mom in New York.
After I graduated, at 18,
I went back to New York
to go to business school.
Mia had a fight with Mom,
and moved back to Paris with Dad.
And now, I just arrived in Athens, and
I was happy to see my sister, Mia.
Mia!
What are you doing, asshole?
Fuck! Stop, Mia!
Calm down!
-Shut up!
-Calm down!
Fuck! Stop it, Mia!
Stop!
When times are tough, family is important.
Those bonds are crucial.
A week ago,
Georges, Mom's father, died.
It was the first time
I ever went to a funeral.
My parents hadn't seen each other
in five years, and…
they were both upset that Mia didn't come.
I was scared they'd start fighting again.
All I got was a text saying "TKT," okay?
"T'inquiète."
Wendy
Stop, calm down.
-Calm down, it's okay.
-It's okay?
She says it's my fault Mia's not here.
And you, too, Dad.
Right!
-See how she talks to me?
-Come on.
We broke up 15 years ago,
can't we just talk normally? Calmly?
Unbelievable.
That's Tom's half-brother?
How's your start-up going?
Fine.
It's kind of complicated.
We need to raise funds.
It's not easy, but it's fine.
Tom said you were fundraising
for your company?
Yes. It's a start-up
oriented toward green economy.
That's cool!
Yes, it's great,
because the world's reaching
a breaking point.
Well, yeah.
Tom and I are very lucky, because we know
that green economy is
the 21st century's gold mine.
You okay, Tom?
Yes.
You seem worried.
No, I'm fine.
Yes, it's just that…
It seems Grandad left Mia and me
a huge inheritance.
Some property he bought in Greece,
during the crisis.
So we could sell it for a huge profit.
So now that I'm in Athens,
I was curious to see what I inherited.
Who is it?
Hi, it's Tom.
-Who?
-Tom Rousseau.
Xavier and Wendy's son.
-Tom!
-Mia's brother.
Come on up! Seventh floor.
Tom!
You've changed.
-I know.
-You were just a child.
Amazing!
Welcome to Athens!
But…
Actually, I came to see Mia. Is she here?
No, she moved out a while ago.
-Really?
-And there's the Parthenon.
Yeah, the Parthenon. Great.
Did your father tell you
I work for Der Spiegel?
He's a reporter for Der Spiegel.
-The German newspaper.
-Yeah, great.
Yes, he told me. That's great.
I'm going to Lesbos tonight.
There was a fire in a migrant camp there.
Did you hear about that?
Vaguely.
But…
Do you know where Mia is now?
Don't be so formal.
I don't know where she lives.
But I know the NGO she works for.
She works for an NGO?
I was curious to see my sister,
and find out why she didn't come
to the funeral.
Hi, how are you?
Mia…
Christophe!
Tom?
-Fuck, Mia!
-What are you doing here?
Are you okay?
Yes.
-So happy to see you.
-Me, too.
But you could've warned me.
I left you 10 messages! You never answer.
I changed my phone number recently.
What are you doing here? It's so weird.
And I have so much to tell you.
See you later?
What?
So he's your boyfriend?
Yes. How did you know?
I know you!
I know that little face of yours.
"Kristos"
Stop.
-Abdou, these are the keys.
-Thanks.
-It's so weird to see you here.
-Yeah.
How long are you staying?
Just a few days.
It was a chance to see you.
Can I crash at your place?
Not really. Because…
We kind of all live together,
so it's a bit complicated.
Do you live on campus?
Having the whole Erasmus experience
like Mom and Dad?
Yeah, let's say that.
My dream's to be like Mom and Dad!
I was kidding.
Okay, fine, if it's too complicated…
I thought you were staying
with Dad's friend.
I went by his place…
He wouldn't say why you left.
I'm not surprised.
We slept together,
but he couldn't deal with it.
What?
You slept with Dad's friend?
Mia!
Okay, okay.
You have time to work here,
on top of school?
Sure.
And this is Kamal. My brother, Tom.
Hi, I'm from Cameroon, I speak French.
-Really? Sorry, nice to meet you.
-You, too.
This is Yannis, our lawyer.
Want a coffee?
No, thanks. Lily and I quit coffee.
-Really?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
-What?
Nothing.
Okay.
So…
I'm not gonna lie,
you blowing off the funeral
didn't go over well.
It wasn't easy for me either.
You could've made an effort.
For Granny.
-Or for Mom.
-Okay, fine. I get it.
Anyway
Grandad invested in a lot of property
during the financial crisis.
What a sleazebag!
Mia, he worked in real estate.
Opportunism can be a virtue.
Know what he said after Brexit?
"Now we'll get our British pride back."
The majority voted for Brexit, so…
Yeah, but now most of them regret it.
I just wanted to talk about Grandad.
What did you wanna say?
Right! About his property…
It's Mom.
Shit!
Mr. Rousseau!
We can speak French, I studied in Paris.
-Very well.
-Please, sit down.
Thank you.
Georges, your grandfather,
was a great man.
I have to say, I cried
when I heard the news.
But as Plato said,
"It's not living that counts,
it's living well."
That's very true.
When he came to Athens many years ago,
he asked me to be his advisor.
I found him the building
we're here to talk about.
It's an entire building?
Yes, it's an amazing building,
-in the heart of Athens.
-Really?
He got it for nothing, after the crisis.
The 2010 crisis?
No, after the 1974 crisis.
The political crisis.
You know,
Greece is a land of tragedy and crisis.
It's the powder keg of the Balkans!
After the 2010 crisis,
the prices fell.
But now, they're going up.
Then, I said, "Don't sell."
Now, I say the opposite.
You must sell.
-Really?
-Yes, and quickly.
I've got a very nice offer
from Titanas Construction.
So you need to set a price now.
Okay, sure.
Where is your sister?
She's here.
Well, not here. But she's in Athens.
But anyway,
she doesn't like paperwork and all that.
You both have to sign the sale documents.
Don't worry, she'll be here.
In 100 feet, you'll arrive
at your destination,
75 Leonidou.
Wow, it's a shithole.
-Hi, Socratis.
-Hi!
Hey, you!
You came for the building?
Giulia!
He came for the ad.
Go on!
It's probably for the apartment!
So you speak French! Me too.
Really? Cool.
-Where are you from?
-I'm Italian.
But it's also complicated.
My mom's from Bologna,
my dad's from Sicily.
So it's like North and South…
It's very tense!
Here it is.
Yeah!
So we're all from different countries.
Some are Erasmus students, other work.
The kitchen and the living room.
If you want the room,
you need to know the rules.
-Nice, right?
-Yes, nice.
This is one of the terraces.
You can see the whole city from up here.
It's fucking beautiful.
So, will you call me?
-If you want the room.
-Sure.
-Got my number?
-Yes.
-Ciao!
-Ciao.
And…
Tom!
-Can you help me with this?
-Sure.
-Where do I put it?
-By the trash can.
-How did your meeting go?
-Very well.
Sit down.
So…
You know that…
You're so serious, you're freaking me out.
No, wait. You know that…
Mia, come here a minute.
-What?
-You don't even know them.
-And you invite them to your place?
-Sure.
But not me?
-Tom, it's different.
-Really?
-Hi, Shadi!
-Reem.
That's Reem's brother.
Can you lend me some money?
Tell me how it's different.
I don't get it.
That's how the organization works,
we're here to help people in need.
You help the first person who comes along
but your brother, your own family,
you don't give a shit about?
But when it comes to saving the world,
you're on the front lines.
What a shitty thing to say!
They left their country
because of the war.
Their parents aren't here.
Now they should sleep on the street?
You compare that to our privileged family,
who never had a problem?
Our family has problems, too.
Yeah, right!
Now that you've left home
you don't give a shit about us?
-You're the one who doesn't give a shit.
-That's not true.
I'm like you, I feel sorry for them.
War, poverty…
Everything that's happening to them.
I wish I could help migrants.
They're fucking refugees.
Okay, but refugees
aren't always fantastic people.
They may be total assholes.
I don't think they're assholes.
-You speak French, Reem?
-Yes, a bit.
I studied at Damascus French school.
-There's one in Damascus?
-Yes.
I didn't know. Did you?
Lycée Charles de Gaulle.
That's funny. We also…
We studied at a French high school…
in New York.
How could I have known?
I'd rather not comment.
She's a Syrian migrant and colleague?
Not a migrant! A refugee.
She escaped the war, she has papers,
and she works.
-Get in. Help them get in.
-What?
-You got your license here?
-Yeah.
Kristos insisted.
How long have you two been together?
Before him, there was Tobias.
I met Kristos in Lesbos.
When I was
at Isabelle's girlfriend's place.
He inspired me to come here
to study Political Science.
-Really?
-Yeah.
Great!
-What?
-Nothing.
-There's a lot of graffiti here.
-What?
-There's a lot of graffiti.
-Yes.
Like it?
Yeah…
I'll find you a bed
but just know it won't be comfortable.
-So this is your dorm?
-Yeah.
Welcome to my home!
-This is my room.
-That's cool. Okay.
There!
Paco? This is Paco. My brother, Tom.
-How is it going?
-Fine and you?
What did he say? I didn't get it.
Sorry, I said "Fine."
Okay.
-He's not Spanish?
-No, Belgian.
It's a proper melting pot here.
Not really.
Really?
Yes.
I told him you make
the best goat cheese in the region.
Exactly.
What the hell? Like you're a farmer!
-Why'd you say that?
-I don't know.
Take it easy!
I said that when we first met.
He said he was into agriculture and…
I wanted him to like me,
so I said our parents were farmers.
Good job.
I lied, and then…
There's no going back now.
I can't tell him our folks
are bourgeois pigs.
He's right, Tom. We can't trust a system
that only creates
bankruptcy and suffering.
Sure.
Isn't he handsome?
He chained himself to the parliament,
to fight deportations.
-Really? Great.
-Yes.
I'm gonna go to bed. I'm wiped out.
Fuck…
-We're going to another place for drinks.
-No, I'm going back.
-No!
-Yes, I am.
-Come on!
-I really can't.
-Where is it?
-That way.
-Is it safe?
-Tom, come on.
Come on, Kristos!
-What?
-You'll keep saying the same things?
Sacred light and air
sharing space with the Earth, as equals…
-Do you have a boyfriend?
-Yes.
His name is Marco. He lives in Rome.
It's a bit complicated between us,
because of the distance.
-Really?
-Yes.
I get it.
What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?
Yes. She is in New York.
Wow. That's even further away.
Yes.
What?
Tom…
No, absolutely not. Really.
I know you too well.
She's just your type. A little doll.
-Those little kitties.
-No way.
What do you mean, "little dolls?"
You don't know Lily.
She's super rock and roll.
-Lily?
-Yeah.
Yeah, really rock and roll.
-We're gonna move in together.
-What?
Fuck, Tom, you're 26!
Enjoy yourself! Have fun!
Well… I am having fun with Lily.
You sound like an old couple. What's next?
A dog, kids and a fireplace?
Ciao.
-Okay, bye.
-Ciao.
You're head over heels!
No way! I was looking at the building.
I have to tell you…
I'd have never imagined her living here.
The lower floors are unoccupied,
but the top floor's really nice.
Really? The lower floors are empty?
You're well informed
for a guy who just got here.
I'll explain later.
Hello?
Go! Go! Go!
Come on! Get out of here!
Let me go. Fuck!
What's going on?
Easy!
Bravo! Great job!
We're criminals!
Fuck!
Mia!
What is going on?
Like Kristos said,
they're clearing out the squats.
-This is a squat?
-You didn't get it?
No, I didn't.
I've never seen a squat before!
And since you didn't say so,
no, I didn't get it.
Hey! Sit back!
You work in a bar?
Don't the folks send you money?
What do you mean, "no?"
I just said that so they'd leave me alone.
You quit Erasmus?
I enrolled, but only went for a week.
Explain. I don't understand.
The folks weren't crazy
about me going to Athens.
So I said I was doing Erasmus,
like them. And they calmed down.
Dad was happy
that I was studying poli sci.
Greece is the cradle
of democracy and Europe…
And Mom
she loves Greek mythology, Ancient Greece.
Eventually, they let me go.
Great, good job.
Promise not to tell them.
I wouldn't even know how.
What do you do all day
if you don't go to class?
There's only time for the bar and the NGO.
Really?
I quickly realized that, in politics,
the more you talk, the less you do.
So I dropped out.
Now I work,
and I'm more politically useful.
What? A building?
What are you talking about?
What the hell?
-What?
-Why didn't you tell me?
I tried a million times.
You were always busy,
or surrounded by people.
-So you lied to me?
-What?
-You lie to your sister!
-No way! Never.
And you? You lie to everyone.
Kristos, the family. So don't lecture me.
We inherited a building,
and you say nothing?
The truth is,
Mom advised me not to tell you.
Excuse me? And why?
She said you were too young
and you hate paperwork.
Asshole.
You're the kid here, her little lapdog.
I mean, come on.
A lapdog?
Yeah, you and your ritzy chick,
your boring middle-class dreams.
What's wrong with being middle-class?
Do I wanna make money
and have a nice life? Yeah.
Is that a problem? No.
Great.
You think you're not middle-class?
Just because you want to be rebellious
and live in a shitty squat
with Che Guevara?
Well, you're his little lapdog.
At least I'm not a navel-gazer
who's getting rich
and pretending to save the planet.
Go on, keep lecturing me!
With your amazing life,
your wacko career plan!
You'll definitely save the world.
You're smarter than the guys in power.
Plus, they're all assholes, right?
No. You're something else.
You lie to everybody.
You sleep with anyone, even Dad's friends!
Fuck you, Tom.
-I don't care about your angel face.
-I know!
You don't care about anything!
You know what? Fuck off!
Go live with your bitch,
who's a clone of your mother!
You're pathetic!
-Hi, Dad.
-How's Athens?
Great. Really, it's a great city.
How's Mia?
-Are you happy to be together?
-Sure.
We're so happy to see each other.
-Is she with you?
-Yes, she is.
-Everything's fine.
-Can I talk to her?
No, you can't,
she had to run some errands.
And she left her phone on the table.
How's college going for her?
Actually, it's going really well.
You can tell she's learned a lot.
About politics and stuff.
So, yeah. All good.
-Is it nice where she lives?
-Yes.
She had… I mean, she's got a big house,
and she shares it with people.
-She has roommates.
-Yes, exactly.
She's met a lot of nice people.
It's crazy you're doing
the same thing your mom and I did.
It's funny. You've been partying, right?
Yes, it finished late.
The parties in Barcelona
were absolutely crazy.
Yes, you told me.
Wait, Mom is calling me too.
-Can you tell Mia to call me?
-Yes. Hold on.
Everything I've been taught,
all the human sciences I've studied,
all the research I've done
on the principles and essence of things,
have led to one conclusion:
All I know is that I know nothing.
-Socrates?
-Yes.
Socrates.
And now, where do I go?
What do I do?
I'd love to have
an app that gives you advice
on how to run your life.
I'd like a blue dot to tell me what to do.
Don't take that road.
It'll lead you nowhere.
Don't listen to your parents.
Listen to your girlfriend, Lily,
and try to make as much dough as possible
to launch your start-up
and build your future.
Hi, Giulia, it's Tom.
Here it is.
With a personal touch, it'll be great.
Sure.
I love Greece.
I can see why.
-It reminds me of Italy.
-Really?
Is the music okay?
Yes, it's great.
Sorry, I'm not really into modern music.
That's okay. I love it.
A nice Pinot Grigio and Vivaldi
and it's just like home.
Here's the whole gang.
Hey, Mia.
Call me.
Mia, it's me.
I know you're mad at me,
but we need to talk.
So call me, please.
-Mia?
-Tom, what the hell are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
and Rosemary Ricchio