The Undoing (2020) s01e01 Episode Script
The Undoing
1
["Dream A Little Dream Of Me" playing]
Stars shining bright above you ♪
Night breezes seem to whisper
"I love you" ♪
Birds singing in the sycamore tree ♪
Dream a little dream of me ♪
Say nighty-night and kiss me ♪
Just hold me tight
And tell me you miss me ♪
While I'm alone and blue as can be ♪
Dream a little dream of me ♪
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you ♪
Sweet dreams that leave
All worries behind you ♪
But in your dreams whatever they be ♪
Dream a little ♪
Dream of me ♪
- [boy] Where is she?
- [man] She's in her studio.
She's working.
[boy] Why hasn't she come back?
[ominous music playing]
[dreamy music playing]
[humming softly]
Mm-hm.
[blender whirring]
It's crap. It's
- Could you turn that down a bit? Please.
- What?
I'm trying to concentrate
on a very delicate operation.
Blenders don't have volume control.
That's a pathetic excuse.
Just turn it down, anyway.
[whirring stops]
- Dad.
- Yeah?
I did some research last night.
Yes?
On golden doodles.
- Oh, God
- And they don't shed.
- They're hypoallergenic.
- No, no.
- They're really, really cute.
- Listen, Hen. We're not having
- Tell him. It's the dog thing again.
- But why, Dad?
We can't have a dog
because, as I've said before,
all dogs make my throat close up,
so no air gets to my lungs,
which makes me die.
So, it's undesirable.
- But
- Think of another pet.
You can have a cat or a hamster.
I don't know what kids have these days.
Have a vampire bat.
- Is that a promise?
- Yes. That is a promise.
Like the promise of a road trip, too?
Just you and me?
That's a low blow. That will happen.
- Will it?
- It will happen.
Shit, my violin!
- Help me, please. I don't know why.
- What is going on?
I'm suddenly 6 years old.
Oh, God. All right. Why the tie, hmm?
Not another funeral?
- It's The Turd's idea.
- Oh.
And no, no. Not all my patients die, anyway.
[stammers]
Why are you so dressed up?
What's his name?
Ladies' tea. Planning the fundraiser.
Oh, the school auction.
Did I mention I'm not going?
- Oh, did I mention you are?
- I think you'll find I'm not, my love.
Isn't it enough
we give them tons of money?
We actually don't give them money.
- Your dad does, which is sweet of him.
- Uh-huh.
Reminds me, we have dinner with him
next Thursday.
Right. So, I have Reardon
and your dad in the same week.
- I'm just the luckiest girl in New York.
- [chuckles]
Don't you like Reardon?
Well, do you like Reardon?
You like your school?
- Yeah.
- Hey.
Then I love it. Kiss your mom.
- We have to go.
- Mom
- No, I'm not kissing Mom. You do it.
- You need to clean this up.
- I'm not doing this every single morning.
- I know, I want to kiss you. I like this.
Yeah. Right.
- Henry? Henry?
- [Henry] What?
No more smoothies.
You never, ever clean up
[Jonathan] All right,
here's a question and don't lie.
Did you, in fact,
practice that thing at all this week?
Because I heard nothing.
No, I practiced.
- Really?
- Yeah. I swear.
Do you know,
he doesn't even think I'm any good.
Mr. Rosenbaum.
He actually said that, did he?
No. It's not that he says it.
It just
He used to say a lot more good stuff.
I mean, sometimes with the looks
he gives me,
like, I think he wants me to quit.
Well, is it possible that,
as your mom might say,
you're actually projecting that sentiment.
Because somewhere deep down,
in the bowels of your teenage psyche,
you actually want to give it up.
I don't want to give up.
- I love violin.
- Okay, well, that's great, then.
You know, Rosenbaum,
he's an unhappy man.
It is never a good idea
to take measure of ourselves
through the eyes of the joyless.
Well, you can be joyless.
- Beg your pardon?
- Yeah.
You can be joyless when you're stressed.
Do I seem stressed a lot?
Some.
Lately.
Ah. Brilliant. Well, now I'm
Now I'm stressed
about being stressed, so
- thank you very much.
- You're welcome.
You don't play your violin
for Rosenbaum, anyway.
You owe him your respect
and your hard work, but in the end,
your relationship with song
is between you and your music.
- Got it.
- Great. And you're brilliant, okay?
So, fuck Rosenbaum.
I'm telling Mom you said that.
Take your violin and shove it up
his Rosenbaum cheeks, okay?
Dad
[classical music playing]
- [man] Morning.
- Good morning.
Rebecca Harkness has arrived
way too early.
[softly] Oh, great.
- [Rebecca] It doesn't make any sense to me.
- Huh.
One minute, he's attentive, loving.
The next minute he's borderline abusive.
I got both swings last night.
The full pendulum.
And fucking forbid I call him bipolar.
I mean, fucking forbid!
So, you're back to thinking
that he's, um That he's bipolar.
I don't know. The mood swings
What do you think?
Well, I don't know him.
- I only know you.
- Meaning?
- Do not give me that look.
- This is your third marriage. Isn't it?
[scoffs] So, what, we're keeping score?
No. No, I'm just
I'm not doing that.
Okay, this is going somewhere,
and I'm not exactly sure where,
other than a direction not in my favor.
So, just say it.
- Say it! I pay you. Say it.
- Re
Rebecca.
[tense music playing]
I have met few people
more discriminating than you.
You read 100 Yelp reviews before choosing
someone to install your carpet.
Am I right? You try on 20 pairs of shoes
before making a choice.
You do background checks
on your hair colorist.
You did a background check on me,
no doubt.
You vet everything. Everything.
Which is fine.
- I mean, that's appropriate.
- But?
But an attractive man comes along
and shows an interest in you,
and judgment be gone.
That is not what is happening.
I mean, the day that you met Kevin,
you floated into this office.
It was an appointment that was made
to deal with the anguish
of husband number two,
only to declare that you'd met
husband number three.
So, I'm saying
maybe it's possible
that you're less of a victim
of Kevin's moods than you are of your own.
So, excuse me, this is my fault?
- No.
- It is. You're blaming me.
I'm not blaming you.
I'm just saying there's a particular
type of person that you want to be with,
and maybe you're a little too quick
to see that person in the men that you meet,
instead of seeing what's actually there.
[Grace on phone] Oh, well,
I'll probably never see her again
because they hire you
to give them the hard truths,
and then they fire you
for delivering them.
Well, so just up your prices.
The more exclusive you seem,
the more she'll come begging.
Wow. [chuckles]
I have some bad news. The, um
The dress code for the fundraiser
is fancy-glam.
I'm not wearing a tux.
Listen, this is
for Henry's school.
If I can tough out a ladies' tea,
you can stomach one fundraiser.
For Henry.
I will do it.
But not for Henry's school.
I will do it for you.
Because you're hot.
Anyway, I'm here. Okay?
Later, smart-ass.
Yeah, later. Bye.
[doorbell rings]
- Come in.
- Hi.
- Let me take your coat.
- Yes.
They're waiting for you upstairs.
[women laughing]
[Sally] Hello!
- Sorry I'm late.
- Not a problem.
- We have a new mom. A scholarship.
- Oh.
[baby cooing]
She brought her infant.
She's changing her in the bathroom.
You look fabulous.
- [Amanda] Oh, hi, Grace.
- [Grace] Hi.
Is she, uh, on the committee?
Wants to be an involved parent.
Hi. Hi, hi. Sorry.
- Hey.
- Thanks.
Did any of you even know
that she was coming?
I mean, I'm usually the first one
to learn of anything.
People can't wait to tell me stuff.
[Amanda] Because you're so quick
to disapprove.
Well, exactly.
- [Sally] We should get going here.
- [Sylvia] Sorry.
[Sally] Somebody's a bit nervous.
She's back to being the auctioneer.
- [Amanda] You got the guy from Sotheby's.
- [Sally] No, he dropped out.
- We'll be fine. I've done this before.
- Hi.
Hi. Hi.
I'm Grace Fraser.
Elena Alves. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Elena has a boy in fourth grade.
You said his name was Miguel?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Your baby's gorgeous.
- Thank you.
- Hello. Boy or girl?
Girl. Teresa.
Oh. Teresa.
- I love your eyelashes.
- Okay, come on, folks.
The auction's tomorrow.
Thank you so much for letting me join.
Are you kidding?
We're happy to get all the help we can.
That you even have the time with two kids.
I have twins, so regret it.
Jolene!
I mean, they're so much work, right?
[Sylvia] Okay, let's, uh
Let's rank the items.
- Yes.
- We'll start with the least expensive.
Work our way up to the The big tickets.
[Amanda] There's a lot of stuff here.
Well, we have over 200 people
confirmed coming, that's a record.
Thanks to the Spensers lending us
their home.
I did a walk-through yesterday.
Oh, my God.
Did you see the David Hockneys?
Two, on facing walls in the dining room.
- And what about Suki's closet?
- Oh, I'll get there.
Maybe Monday night, with any luck.
Yes!
[Sally] Okay, let's do this.
Okay, we got four separate stays
in the Hamptons.
A pair in Vale and Aspen.
A cooking lesson at Tribeca for eight.
You never know how much those go for.
[Jolene] Stem-cell face-lift.
Does anybody really believe in those?
[Sylvia] Kathy Sennot got one.
Did not work.
[Sally] We have a bunch of consults.
A college admissions counselor.
A pre-school admissions counselor.
A genealogist that'll come to your house.
That could actually go.
[Jolene] I don't see any artists.
Where are the artists?
[Sylvia] Are you saying
we can't scratch up one lousy playwright
in all of New York City?
Grace, maybe you could donate
a therapy session.
I am not doing that. That is not happening.
Why not? "Do I hear $500
on saving your marriage?"
Uh, 500, and I will throw in my husband.
[Sally] Grace, you know
what would be awesome?
I think Jonathan would be a huge get.
You want to auction Jonathan?
- [Sally] Well
- Yes! I'm putting him up.
Grace's husband is a doctor.
- He was featured in New York magazine.
- Oh.
He's an oncologist, Sally.
Who's gonna bid on cancer?
[baby coos]
[Diane] A private, after-hours tour
at the Guggenheim.
They're doing the Salon de la Rose Croix.
You know, I was just there
on Tuesday for the Chagall exhibit.
I swear, I actually felt light-headed.
[Jolene] I don't really get Chagall.
[Amanda] I mean, who doesn't get Chagall?
[Jolene] Me. One minute he's a modernist.
Then it's stained glass.
The guy's all over the place.
If he were alive today,
they'd put him on Prozac
[chatter fades]
[tense music playing]
[cell phone buzzing]
Hey. Hold on.
Tell me that wasn't odd. My God.
She was just feeding her child.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
There was definitely
something more going on.
- Excuse me. Like she was
- Like what?
Point! Point your foot!
Like she was being passive-aggressive
about it. You didn't get that?
No.
You know, I've seen her
at the school before.
Sitting across the street
on one of those benches.
[classical music playing]
After she drops her son off,
she just sits there.
[Grace] With the baby?
[Sylvia] Now with the baby.
When she was pregnant,
she wouldn't even be reading a book.
I feel like telling her, "You live in New York.
It is a crime not to be frantically busy."
Who just sits around quietly?
What an unfathomable state of being.
Albeit with
spectacular breasts.
- [laughs] Oh, my God. They were beautiful.
- You're bad.
[softly] Up, up, up, up, up, up.
Tall. Get your
Don't let your Shoulders down.
Shoulders down.
Stop smiling. Stop smiling!
Elena, what's wrong?
[Grace] It was hostile.
It just was.
But I don't blame her.
I mean, we were talking about art.
We were talking about money.
It was pretty vulgar.
And she was just trying to say, hey,
here I am, I'm a real, real woman.
I'm a real mom. I'm struggling, and
[clicks tongue]
I don't know.
Sometimes I think
we should move out of the city.
Said the most New York person
I've ever met in my life.
No, but don't you worry sometimes
that you're raising your son in a bubble?
I thought that was the whole essence
of modern parenting, isn't it?
Keep them protected from reality
for as long as possible,
so that when they finally emerge,
they can't cope and end up self-harming.
- I thought we were doing really well at that.
- Well
Wow. What about Schenectady, huh?
I hear nice things about Schenectady.
It sounds horrible. Even phonetically.
So, is this a serious conversation?
Yeah.
Yep. Manhattan is a lonely place.
I mean, when you think about it,
we don't have a lot of close friends.
Well, that's only 'cause we hate everyone.
You hate everyone. I don't.
I wouldn't call us isolated.
Our days are stuffed
with people and their problems.
I mean, we're right up close with them
at their most vulnerable.
It's not a conventional social life,
but in terms
of meaningful human interaction,
I would say we did very well.
Mmm.
- I don't like you being lonely.
- Well
You lonely in there?
Would you like some company?
Would you like to be washed, Grace?
Dr. Fraser, with his magic hands.
- God!
- Shall I get my rubber gloves?
- Come on. Come in.
- I'm coming, Grace.
[classical music playing]
[pop music playing over speakers]
[shower running]
[Elena] Grace?
Hi.
Elena.
We met at the fundraiser committee.
- Yes, yes. Of course.
- How are you?
- I'm I'm well. [laughs]
- Good.
Thank you so much
for making me feel so welcome.
Like, the other women
I don't know, I felt like an intruder.
But you made me feel at home. So
Thank you.
[laughs] Well, I know that, um
everybody is very happy to have you there.
We need all the help we can get.
How can I help?
'Cause nobody actually
made me do anything.
Um I suppose
Because most of the work
was already done, and
And you were occupied
with your sweet baby.
Yeah.
But I want to be a part of it.
At school.
I really do.
I know.
I really do.
[Jonathan coughs]
[Grace] She was just standing there.
Naked.
Yeah?
I'm all for women being comfortable
with their bodies,
but it was
- Weird.
- Good weird?
Were you a little bit aroused?
- No.
- Oh, Christ. We're nearly there.
The sooner we can get out, the better.
Look, I've got that early flight to Cleveland.
When do you get back?
Possibly tomorrow night,
if I can get away,
but, you know, I do hate to forfeit
my Hyatt reward points.
That's how you get
the complimentary breakfast, Grace.
Okay, here we are.
Slump, dread, sob.
- Despair.
- Look at me.
Mmm.
I'm very proud of my wife. Come on.
- [clears throat]
- Oh, Christ. They're coming.
Hold the elevator!
Oh, sorry. Sorry!
- Couldn't face it.
- You're so bad.
Profound and existential dread.
[doo-wop music playing over speakers]
- [woman] Hi. May I take your coat?
- [Grace] Thank you.
[woman] Thank you.
[Jonathan] Thank you.
- [man] Champagne?
- Thank you.
Thank God. Thank you.
I love you very much.
I thought there was gonna be some glam,
I didn't think this much.
[Jonathan groans]
Can we hide?
Let's go and pretend to be interested
in those Hockneys, hm?
No, we're stuck here for a bit.
We have to have cocktails
with the headmaster first.
- Come on. Robert.
- [Jonathan] Christ.
- [Robert] Grace.
- Hi.
- Jonathan.
- [Jonathan] Hey.
Thank you both so much for coming.
- There you are.
- It's a
- Hello.
- [Grace] Dad.
[Robert] Franklin.
Such an honor and a privilege, sir.
You left out thrill.
- [Robert] Yes, I did.
- [Grace chuckles]
Well, thank you for coming.
I'm not coming. I'm going.
- Really? Now?
- I've been on the silent auction.
I'm apt to win one of Henry Ford's
- original dipsticks.
- [Grace] Mmm!
I would like to be long gone
before that happens.
- Jonathan.
- Franklin.
You're looking well.
I am? Very surprising, thank you.
- Dinner Thursday?
- Absolutely.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi. Hi, hi.
- Hello, darling.
- Jonathan.
- Franklin.
You're not gonna fucking believe this.
- [Sylvia] What?
- They're not even here.
- [Grace] Who?
- The Spensers.
- Oh.
- What, you don't think that's rude?
We could take it as rude. Or it could be:
"Well, we're gonna be out of town,
happy to let you use our palace."
Can't you ever just be not nice?
Oh, she can, I promise you.
You hear those fucks didn't show?
It's a fabulous turnout.
I was worried people wouldn't show,
and it seems that absolutely
everybody is here,
so we can relax.
There she is.
[Sally] Oh, our lactator-in-chief.
[Grace] She looks a bit uncomfortable.
[softly] That's the mom
I was telling you about.
- Oh, that's her? The nudist?
- Mm-hm.
I want those boobs.
[Amanda] We should go talk to her.
She must be feeling so awkward.
[Jolene] Actually, she seems okay.
Mmm, maybe better than okay.
- [Jonathan] Am I missing something?
- [Jolene] Look at the men.
[Amanda] Like Pavlov's dogs.
Grace, I think she might be looking at you.
Really? Is she?
[Jonathan] Uh, yeah. I think she is.
[Diane] Well, here you all are. I think
they'd like to get started. It's bidding time.
- Start herding the people.
- [Sally] All right. Here we go.
Come on.
Is that enough? We've put in an appearance.
- Would you stop?
- Can we go?
Hey. I'll make it up to you later.
Make it up to me now. Let's find a room.
They must have a few.
- You're so bad.
- Come on. In Suki's closet.
- In Suki's clothes. Both of us.
- Stop!
- Make an Englishman happy. Come on.
- [laughs]
All right.
- You know what I love about this?
- What?
You could never tell they were rich.
It's all so classy and understated.
Hi. We're ready to start.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
I'm Sally Mayberry,
head of the auction committee
for our wonderful Reardon school!
[cheering and applause]
We have a positively fabulous afternoon
in store for you.
Now, some of you might be thinking:
"Don't I already pay enough in tuition?"
- [woman] Damn right!
- [all laughing]
Yes. Of course you do.
Yes, I feel the same way.
But it is our responsibility
to make sure that Reardon can accept
the students it wants to accept,
and that those students are able to attend,
despite their financial circumstances,
ensuring that the name Reardon is always
synonymous with diversity!
[man] Hear, hear!
And of course, we have to make sure
that our teachers are so well paid
that we do not lose them to other schools.
We love our teachers at Reardon! [whoops]
- Just not enough to invite them to the party.
- Shoosh.
Okay, now, Diane Porter is gonna
start the party.
Let's go!
[whoops]
[Diane] Before we turn
to our scheduled items for bid,
observe.
This may look like an ordinary glass
of tap water,
but it is much more than that.
This is very special water
that will serve to prime the pipes
to your generously deep pockets.
[all laugh]
What is the value, you may ask,
of an ordinary glass of tap water?
That depends.
What is the value
of your children's education?
The value of his or her teachers?
The opportunity of the less fortunate
to enjoy the privilege of your offspring?
Who will bid 1,000 dollars
- for this glass of water?
- [crowd gasps]
Who is gonna stand up and clang that bell?
[woman] One thousand!
[Diane] One thousand dollars!
Thank you. Money for our kids.
- [woman 1] Two thousand!
- [Diane] Two thousand!
Three thousand, thank you, ma'am.
Five thousand, right there!
- [man 1] Eight!
- [Diane] Eight thousand, right here!
- [man 2] I bid ten!
- [Diane] Ten thousand!
- [applause]
- Ten thousand!
[gasps softly] Elena. Sorry
- I
- Sorry.
[Grace] Are you okay?
I'm sorry.
'Cause sometimes I just feel
overwhelmed.
And lost.
- Mm.
- Like
Do you ever feel that?
If you ever want to talk
for free Uh
- I apologize.
- Don't
I didn't mean it to sound like that.
But if you do ever wanna talk
You're so kind.
Thank you.
And, please, don't be intimidated.
The parents at Reardon
can be a little, um
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
But
most of them are very kind. They're
They are nice people. Kind people. And
But you are the most kind.
It's true.
I feel it.
[tender music playing]
[Diane] All right, our next item,
- Knicks tickets. Wow.
- [applause]
You can rub elbows with Spike Lee.
Pitch him your idea for a new movie.
Hey, you never know.
They might even win the game.
All right. Who's gonna take
these tickets off my hands?
Let's start the bidding at 1,500.
- Thank you.
- [Diane] Fifteen hundred, right here!
Two thousand, in the front.
Twenty-five hundred. Do I hear 3,000?
Three thousand over here.
- Thirty-five?
- [man 1] Yeah.
- Four thousand, near the piano.
- [man 2] Right here!
Six thousand dollars!
- Going once, going twice
- Elena?
Oh, hi.
I'm going home 'cause I forgot to pump
and it's getting a bit uncomfortable.
Well, I have a car.
My driver could take you, if you want.
- Oh. Oh, no, I'm
- Please.
I'm in Harlem,
so it'll be faster to take the subway.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah. I'm sure.
But thank you.
Oh, hey. It's all right.
Thank you.
For your kindness.
[Diane] Do I hear 80? Eighty thousand?
Gentleman in the front. Ninety?
Ninety thousand. If we reach 100,000,
we'll donate a C-class to a child in need.
[crowd laughs]
So, what was all that?
What's going on with you and the nudist?
Oh, she was upset, and she just, um
I suggested she use our car,
but she didn't want to, so
You are a very nice person.
- [chuckles]
- Come here.
[applause]
I love you.
- [Diane] Thank you so much!
- I love you.
It's been an incredible evening!
You raised so much money
for a good cause! Thank you.
- [indistinct chatter]
- [piano playing jazz]
- [Sylvia] We're good?
- [Grace chuckles]
- Well, you're not gonna be happy.
- [Grace] What?
- I just got paged.
- Mm-hm.
Shelby McGibbon's lungs
just filled up with fluid.
Go.
You want to come?
Legitimate excuse to duck out early.
- The driver could drop me at the hospital?
- Oh, I can't. I'm on the committee.
- Go. Go, go. Take the driver.
- Really?
- I'll Uber.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll call.
- [Sally] Where's he going?
- Emergency. One of his patients.
Honestly, staring down cancer
every day with children,
maintaining a sense of humor all the while.
How does he do it?
I wonder myself.
[distant siren wailing]
[somber music playing]
[Shelby] Ten dollars.
[Jonathan] Yep.
You have my solemn word.
You can trust me.
I'm a doctor.
[Shelby] Ten bucks
if I beat leukemia.
Yeah.
I mean, if you prefer,
I could give you a whole talk about, uh
you know, being brave and fighting
and all that sort of stuff.
But I do find, generally speaking,
money works best.
[Shelby] How about 10 dollars,
and when I apply to medical school,
you write my recommendation.
I don't know. I don't know, Shelby.
I'd have to see your transcripts
because I can't recommend just anyone.
You could be awful.
Am I going to die?
You're not gonna die.
- If you die, I'll kill you.
- [both laugh]
Hey.
Did everything go okay?
[sighs]
Oh, no.
I'm so sorry.
- Honey.
- Yeah.
Fuck.
[sighs]
Oh.
[sighs]
Hey.
[moans softly]
[both moan softly]
[baby fussing]
[boy] Where is she?
[man] She's in her studio.
Why hasn't she come back?
She's working, okay?
You think you can take yourself
to school today?
- Catch the bus outside?
- [baby cries]
Yeah.
Go get your things. You're gonna be late.
[baby continues crying]
[tense music playing]
- [Grace] Henry?
- Uh-huh.
Come on. Have you eaten?
- Yeah.
- We got to go 'cause I'm, uh
I'm late, and I got an early session.
- Quick! Put those books away.
- Yeah. Okay.
Mom.
I don't think
Dad is actually allergic to dogs.
I think he just says it.
Yeah. You're right.
It's not about being allergic.
He would never want me to tell you this,
so don't say anything, all right?
Okay.
But when he was younger,
he was actually your age,
he was home alone,
he was taking care of the family dog,
it got out of the house
and it was hit by a car and killed.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
I mean, it was very traumatic for him.
And it was actually made worse
because his parents
- blamed him for it.
- What?
Yeah. That's why he hates talking about it.
What kind of dog?
Um What kind of
I think it was
It was a small dog.
That's what I know.
Anyway, I honestly don't think
he's ever gotten over it.
Quick. Put everything away,
would you? Let's go.
- Put your coat on. It's freezing outside.
- All right.
[Grace] At some point,
you are gonna have to talk about it.
The why of it all.
It had nothing to do with us. Or you.
- Bullshit!
- Here we go.
So, what was it about, then?
Just sex?
If I had a clue, I wouldn't be here
paying these criminally high rates.
We are paying these criminally high rates.
That's just a bit deflective,
isn't it, Joseph?
Is it possible that you were drawn
to the secret of it all?
Maybe more than you were
to this other man, Dennis?
The affair got to be yours alone?
Michael couldn't know about it,
so he couldn't micromanage it?
I don't think that's it.
[cell phone buzzes]
[Grace sighs]
I'm sorry. Are we keeping you
from something?
I apologize. This is my son's school.
It is programmed for emergencies only,
so I do have to take it.
Now, you said you knew Dennis
when you were single
but never had sex with him then.
I wasn't even attracted to him then.
No one was. He's not attractive.
- Okay.
- [Grace] Exactly. Then what changed?
Part of the thrill of adultery is that
it exists in the shadow
of a primary relationship.
It's the clandestine part of it
that provides much of the erotic jolt.
Could that have been it here?
The lie?
What about the fear of getting caught?
Maybe you wanted to get caught.
Why would I want that?
To show Michael
that he can't control you after all.
I think this is more about Michael
and your marriage
- than it is about this other man.
- [door opens]
[door closes]
He doesn't always love
when other people are right.
So, you wanted to get caught.
I think I better check on him.
[man] So, we're gonna try
and get the new protocol
for the pro-bono work in place
as soon as possible.
[cell phone buzzing]
[tense music playing]
[sighs]
- Sylvia?
- [softly] Just a sec.
It's my daughter's school. Excuse me.
- Excuse me.
- [man] Sylvia, can it wait?
Two minutes.
- [woman] Is this going to affect?
- Did you hear?
What?
The school's, a family
It was a family tragedy?
- A fourth grader?
- Grace.
It was Elena.
What?
She was found dead.
What?
Well, didn't you get
the school alert?
Yes. What happened?
There's been no official word.
At first I heard
[scoffs] aneurysm, but
What the school
is being told is that
she was murdered.
[gasps]
What?
- I know.
- Oh, my God.
And, apparently her son,
the poor thing, discovered her.
God, this is awful, um
What do they know?
Do they know who did it?
No. Nobody seems to really know
anything.
- I cannot bear it. That poor woman.
- I know.
And that poor little boy. It's
You know, they're looking for the husband.
They are.
Evidently, they were having problems.
It's always the fucking husband.
Can you imagine?
Letting his own son discover
his mother like that?
Oh
You know what, actually,
I'm right in the middle of a meeting,
so I'm gonna call you later
when I know more.
Yeah.
[Elena] Did I do something wrong?
- No. I just
- You seem unnerved.
- Really?
- Yeah. Just
Do I unnerve you?
No.
Well, you would tell me?
If I did something wrong.
You didn't do anything wrong.
- Okay?
- Okay.
[man 1] How well
did you know Elena Alves?
[Sally] Not very well,
but she had just started, uh
She was part of the auction committee.
I arranged to have her participate.
She was a scholarship mom.
[woman] I've only met her a few times.
- In the schoolyard.
- [man 2] Do you remember what time
- you left the fundraiser?
- What time I left?
I think, uh, I was home by 11.
And what time did you learn
something had happened?
[Sylvia] The school sent out an alert.
An alert that went out from the school
on all of our phones.
- Did you know Elena Alves?
- [Sylvia] No, we'd met.
- Mm-hm
- I didn't know her.
The most time I've ever spent with her
was at a meeting recently at Sally's.
Do you know if Miguel took the bus,
or did somebody come pick him up?
Well, normally his mom comes
to school to pick him up.
- Did you know Miguel?
- Yeah, we were in math together.
Okay. Did you say
you knew Miguel as well?
Yeah, sometimes we played together
after school.
And did everything seem okay lately?
He's He's okay lately?
[line ringing]
[voicemail] Hello, this is Jonathan Fraser.
I can't answer your call right now,
but I will get back to you
as soon as possible.
If this is a medical emergency,
please call 911
or go to the emergency room.
Hi, sweetheart. It's It's me, um
Can you give me a call
'cause something came up at school.
Everything's fine. Henry is fine, but I
I just I just want to fill you in, um
I hope Cleveland is good.
- I love you
- Mrs. Fraser.
I'm Detective Paul O'Rourke, 23rd precinct.
Oh, my God. What happened? Is it my son?
No, it's not about your son.
I'm sorry if we frightened you. We
We do that sometimes.
Right, um
I'm Detective Joseph Mendoza. NYPD.
We just wanna talk for a minute.
Can you please just tell me what happened?
Well, the mother of a child
who attends your son's school was killed.
- I'm sure you heard of that.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- The school sent out a message.
- I'm so sorry. I just
- No, no. No need to apologize.
- I got two kids.
- Right.
We just want to ask a few questions,
if that's okay.
Of course.
I didn't know it was Mrs. Alves
until, um Until I spoke to a friend.
- And who was the friend?
- Um
Sylvia Steinetz.
She and I are part of a committee
at the school that we serve on.
- The, uh, auction committee?
- Mm-hm.
She just joined.
[Mendoza] And what time
did you learn of her death?
Hmm, let me check my phone.
Uh, at 2:46 p.m.
- From, uh, Sylvia Steinetz?
- Yes.
Is that important? What time I got the call?
Well, you're a shrink, right?
You only ask the important stuff?
She wasn't, um, a patient of mine,
Mrs. Alves.
She was a She
I mean, I wasn't treating her.
How well did you know her?
Uh, not well. As I said, she'd only
just joined the committee.
And you saw her last when?
I saw her last night, at the benefit.
[Mendoza] And you didn't talk to her
after that?
No.
Did you notice anyone
Mrs. Alves might have spoken to?
I mean, there were just some men
who were paying her special attention.
What do you mean, special attention?
No, I mean, the special attention
that men sometimes pay to a woman.
And what about Mrs. Alves' husband?
Was he there last night?
Not to my knowledge.
I mean, I never met him, so
Do you suspect the husband of this?
Right now, we're just, uh, gathering facts.
Would it be possible for us
to speak to your husband?
Um Well, um, why?
Well, he might have seen something.
Oh. No. No, he didn't.
So, you've spoken to him
since this news came to light?
No, but anything that he would have seen,
- I would have seen, so
- Where's your husband now?
He's in Cleveland.
He's at an oncology convention.
[Mendoza] Where's he staying?
- I think at a Hyatt or something.
- When did he go there?
Uh, this morning.
- Early.
- [door opens, then closes]
- [Henry] Mom?
- [Grace] Henry.
- [Henry] Um, orchestra ran over.
- [Grace] Mm-hm.
- What's going on?
- I'm just talking to these men.
Could you go to your room,
and I'll, um I'll be up in a minute.
- I'll make you a snack.
- Is everything okay?
Yes. Yep. Everything's fine.
I just need you to go upstairs,
and, um, I'll be right there.
Off you go. I'll be right there.
- Okay.
- Good.
Go on. [laughs]
Did your son know the Alves boy?
Um No.
No. I mean, they're
They're in different grades.
Yeah, but it's kind of a small school,
isn't it?
That's what I read on the website.
Small school, individual attention.
That's why it costs the big bucks, right?
What is the tuition there?
- How much do you pay?
- Um
It's
50,000 dollars a year.
Fifty grand. How do you think
they could afford that?
The Alveses?
I mean,
I think it was a scholarship.
But I don't really have
any knowledge of, uh,
the Alveses' financial circumstances.
Are we upsetting you, doctor?
If there's anything,
anything else I can do
Sure.
Here's my card. My cell phone.
If you can think of anything else.
I will I will give you a call.
Good.
- [Mendoza] Thank you.
- [door opens]
[O'Rourke] Right. Thanks.
[Henry] What was that about?
- What?
- The police.
- Henry
- Are they here for the murder?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I saw it on my phone.
- Really?
- Yeah.
They mentioned Reardon.
Oh. Did you, um?
Did you know the boy?
I think his name is Miguel.
I don't think so.
- Thank you.
- Kind of scary, huh?
This happening at your school?
How you feeling about it?
Did the father do it?
It's
- It's too soon to know.
- Did you know her?
Um Hm?
The mom who got
Did you know her?
Not really. I mean, she was
She was on the auction committee.
Was she nice?
Yeah.
Yeah, she was very nice. She
She seemed a little sad.
[O'Rourke] Where do you go
to school? You go to Reardon?
Okay. What grade are you in?
- Fourth.
- Okay.
Do you like it?
It's all right.
So, you were gonna go to school,
but instead, you went where?
- My mom's studio.
- She's an artist?
I know it's hard.
We gotta find out who did this.
[ominous music playing]
[camera shutter clicking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
Hey, honey, um, I'm sure
you're at some scintillating dinner,
but I really need you to call me
and talk about this school incident.
It's nothing bad with Henry,
but can you call me, please?
[cell phone whooshes]
[cell phone buzzes]
[cell phone whooshes]
[cell phone buzzes]
[panting]
[drawer slams]
[line ringing]
[man 1 on phone]
Hyatt Regency at the Arcade.
- Um, Jonathan Fraser, please.
- Is he a guest?
Yes.
I'm sorry. I'm not seeing
a Jonathan Fraser.
Would it be under another name?
[woman 1] Hyatt Place Independence.
This is Jessica.
Uh, Jonathan Fraser's room, please.
- I'm sorry. I don't see any reservation.
- [stammers]
[woman 2]
Hyatt Cleveland Legacy.
Could you put me through
to Jonathan Fraser's room, please?
- Can you spell that?
- Fraser. F-R-A-S-E-R.
Uh, yes.
Transferring you now.
[line ringing]
[woman 3] Hello?
- Uh
- Who is this?
Who are you?
Excuse me?
Uh
Can you, um, put me through
to, uh, Jonathan Fraser, please?
- [clears throat]
- Uh, hold on.
Jonathan?
[man 2] This is Jonathan.
Uh
Jonathan Fraser?
Yes. Who is this?
I'm I'm sorry I'm sorry.
[sighs]
[ominous music playing]
[classical music playing]
["Dream A Little Dream Of Me" playing]
Stars shining bright above you ♪
Night breezes seem to whisper
"I love you" ♪
Birds singing in the sycamore tree ♪
Dream a little dream of me ♪
Say nighty-night and kiss me ♪
Just hold me tight
And tell me you miss me ♪
While I'm alone and blue as can be ♪
Dream a little dream of me ♪
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you ♪
Sweet dreams that leave
All worries behind you ♪
But in your dreams whatever they be ♪
Dream a little ♪
Dream of me ♪
- [boy] Where is she?
- [man] She's in her studio.
She's working.
[boy] Why hasn't she come back?
[ominous music playing]
[dreamy music playing]
[humming softly]
Mm-hm.
[blender whirring]
It's crap. It's
- Could you turn that down a bit? Please.
- What?
I'm trying to concentrate
on a very delicate operation.
Blenders don't have volume control.
That's a pathetic excuse.
Just turn it down, anyway.
[whirring stops]
- Dad.
- Yeah?
I did some research last night.
Yes?
On golden doodles.
- Oh, God
- And they don't shed.
- They're hypoallergenic.
- No, no.
- They're really, really cute.
- Listen, Hen. We're not having
- Tell him. It's the dog thing again.
- But why, Dad?
We can't have a dog
because, as I've said before,
all dogs make my throat close up,
so no air gets to my lungs,
which makes me die.
So, it's undesirable.
- But
- Think of another pet.
You can have a cat or a hamster.
I don't know what kids have these days.
Have a vampire bat.
- Is that a promise?
- Yes. That is a promise.
Like the promise of a road trip, too?
Just you and me?
That's a low blow. That will happen.
- Will it?
- It will happen.
Shit, my violin!
- Help me, please. I don't know why.
- What is going on?
I'm suddenly 6 years old.
Oh, God. All right. Why the tie, hmm?
Not another funeral?
- It's The Turd's idea.
- Oh.
And no, no. Not all my patients die, anyway.
[stammers]
Why are you so dressed up?
What's his name?
Ladies' tea. Planning the fundraiser.
Oh, the school auction.
Did I mention I'm not going?
- Oh, did I mention you are?
- I think you'll find I'm not, my love.
Isn't it enough
we give them tons of money?
We actually don't give them money.
- Your dad does, which is sweet of him.
- Uh-huh.
Reminds me, we have dinner with him
next Thursday.
Right. So, I have Reardon
and your dad in the same week.
- I'm just the luckiest girl in New York.
- [chuckles]
Don't you like Reardon?
Well, do you like Reardon?
You like your school?
- Yeah.
- Hey.
Then I love it. Kiss your mom.
- We have to go.
- Mom
- No, I'm not kissing Mom. You do it.
- You need to clean this up.
- I'm not doing this every single morning.
- I know, I want to kiss you. I like this.
Yeah. Right.
- Henry? Henry?
- [Henry] What?
No more smoothies.
You never, ever clean up
[Jonathan] All right,
here's a question and don't lie.
Did you, in fact,
practice that thing at all this week?
Because I heard nothing.
No, I practiced.
- Really?
- Yeah. I swear.
Do you know,
he doesn't even think I'm any good.
Mr. Rosenbaum.
He actually said that, did he?
No. It's not that he says it.
It just
He used to say a lot more good stuff.
I mean, sometimes with the looks
he gives me,
like, I think he wants me to quit.
Well, is it possible that,
as your mom might say,
you're actually projecting that sentiment.
Because somewhere deep down,
in the bowels of your teenage psyche,
you actually want to give it up.
I don't want to give up.
- I love violin.
- Okay, well, that's great, then.
You know, Rosenbaum,
he's an unhappy man.
It is never a good idea
to take measure of ourselves
through the eyes of the joyless.
Well, you can be joyless.
- Beg your pardon?
- Yeah.
You can be joyless when you're stressed.
Do I seem stressed a lot?
Some.
Lately.
Ah. Brilliant. Well, now I'm
Now I'm stressed
about being stressed, so
- thank you very much.
- You're welcome.
You don't play your violin
for Rosenbaum, anyway.
You owe him your respect
and your hard work, but in the end,
your relationship with song
is between you and your music.
- Got it.
- Great. And you're brilliant, okay?
So, fuck Rosenbaum.
I'm telling Mom you said that.
Take your violin and shove it up
his Rosenbaum cheeks, okay?
Dad
[classical music playing]
- [man] Morning.
- Good morning.
Rebecca Harkness has arrived
way too early.
[softly] Oh, great.
- [Rebecca] It doesn't make any sense to me.
- Huh.
One minute, he's attentive, loving.
The next minute he's borderline abusive.
I got both swings last night.
The full pendulum.
And fucking forbid I call him bipolar.
I mean, fucking forbid!
So, you're back to thinking
that he's, um That he's bipolar.
I don't know. The mood swings
What do you think?
Well, I don't know him.
- I only know you.
- Meaning?
- Do not give me that look.
- This is your third marriage. Isn't it?
[scoffs] So, what, we're keeping score?
No. No, I'm just
I'm not doing that.
Okay, this is going somewhere,
and I'm not exactly sure where,
other than a direction not in my favor.
So, just say it.
- Say it! I pay you. Say it.
- Re
Rebecca.
[tense music playing]
I have met few people
more discriminating than you.
You read 100 Yelp reviews before choosing
someone to install your carpet.
Am I right? You try on 20 pairs of shoes
before making a choice.
You do background checks
on your hair colorist.
You did a background check on me,
no doubt.
You vet everything. Everything.
Which is fine.
- I mean, that's appropriate.
- But?
But an attractive man comes along
and shows an interest in you,
and judgment be gone.
That is not what is happening.
I mean, the day that you met Kevin,
you floated into this office.
It was an appointment that was made
to deal with the anguish
of husband number two,
only to declare that you'd met
husband number three.
So, I'm saying
maybe it's possible
that you're less of a victim
of Kevin's moods than you are of your own.
So, excuse me, this is my fault?
- No.
- It is. You're blaming me.
I'm not blaming you.
I'm just saying there's a particular
type of person that you want to be with,
and maybe you're a little too quick
to see that person in the men that you meet,
instead of seeing what's actually there.
[Grace on phone] Oh, well,
I'll probably never see her again
because they hire you
to give them the hard truths,
and then they fire you
for delivering them.
Well, so just up your prices.
The more exclusive you seem,
the more she'll come begging.
Wow. [chuckles]
I have some bad news. The, um
The dress code for the fundraiser
is fancy-glam.
I'm not wearing a tux.
Listen, this is
for Henry's school.
If I can tough out a ladies' tea,
you can stomach one fundraiser.
For Henry.
I will do it.
But not for Henry's school.
I will do it for you.
Because you're hot.
Anyway, I'm here. Okay?
Later, smart-ass.
Yeah, later. Bye.
[doorbell rings]
- Come in.
- Hi.
- Let me take your coat.
- Yes.
They're waiting for you upstairs.
[women laughing]
[Sally] Hello!
- Sorry I'm late.
- Not a problem.
- We have a new mom. A scholarship.
- Oh.
[baby cooing]
She brought her infant.
She's changing her in the bathroom.
You look fabulous.
- [Amanda] Oh, hi, Grace.
- [Grace] Hi.
Is she, uh, on the committee?
Wants to be an involved parent.
Hi. Hi, hi. Sorry.
- Hey.
- Thanks.
Did any of you even know
that she was coming?
I mean, I'm usually the first one
to learn of anything.
People can't wait to tell me stuff.
[Amanda] Because you're so quick
to disapprove.
Well, exactly.
- [Sally] We should get going here.
- [Sylvia] Sorry.
[Sally] Somebody's a bit nervous.
She's back to being the auctioneer.
- [Amanda] You got the guy from Sotheby's.
- [Sally] No, he dropped out.
- We'll be fine. I've done this before.
- Hi.
Hi. Hi.
I'm Grace Fraser.
Elena Alves. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Elena has a boy in fourth grade.
You said his name was Miguel?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Your baby's gorgeous.
- Thank you.
- Hello. Boy or girl?
Girl. Teresa.
Oh. Teresa.
- I love your eyelashes.
- Okay, come on, folks.
The auction's tomorrow.
Thank you so much for letting me join.
Are you kidding?
We're happy to get all the help we can.
That you even have the time with two kids.
I have twins, so regret it.
Jolene!
I mean, they're so much work, right?
[Sylvia] Okay, let's, uh
Let's rank the items.
- Yes.
- We'll start with the least expensive.
Work our way up to the The big tickets.
[Amanda] There's a lot of stuff here.
Well, we have over 200 people
confirmed coming, that's a record.
Thanks to the Spensers lending us
their home.
I did a walk-through yesterday.
Oh, my God.
Did you see the David Hockneys?
Two, on facing walls in the dining room.
- And what about Suki's closet?
- Oh, I'll get there.
Maybe Monday night, with any luck.
Yes!
[Sally] Okay, let's do this.
Okay, we got four separate stays
in the Hamptons.
A pair in Vale and Aspen.
A cooking lesson at Tribeca for eight.
You never know how much those go for.
[Jolene] Stem-cell face-lift.
Does anybody really believe in those?
[Sylvia] Kathy Sennot got one.
Did not work.
[Sally] We have a bunch of consults.
A college admissions counselor.
A pre-school admissions counselor.
A genealogist that'll come to your house.
That could actually go.
[Jolene] I don't see any artists.
Where are the artists?
[Sylvia] Are you saying
we can't scratch up one lousy playwright
in all of New York City?
Grace, maybe you could donate
a therapy session.
I am not doing that. That is not happening.
Why not? "Do I hear $500
on saving your marriage?"
Uh, 500, and I will throw in my husband.
[Sally] Grace, you know
what would be awesome?
I think Jonathan would be a huge get.
You want to auction Jonathan?
- [Sally] Well
- Yes! I'm putting him up.
Grace's husband is a doctor.
- He was featured in New York magazine.
- Oh.
He's an oncologist, Sally.
Who's gonna bid on cancer?
[baby coos]
[Diane] A private, after-hours tour
at the Guggenheim.
They're doing the Salon de la Rose Croix.
You know, I was just there
on Tuesday for the Chagall exhibit.
I swear, I actually felt light-headed.
[Jolene] I don't really get Chagall.
[Amanda] I mean, who doesn't get Chagall?
[Jolene] Me. One minute he's a modernist.
Then it's stained glass.
The guy's all over the place.
If he were alive today,
they'd put him on Prozac
[chatter fades]
[tense music playing]
[cell phone buzzing]
Hey. Hold on.
Tell me that wasn't odd. My God.
She was just feeding her child.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
There was definitely
something more going on.
- Excuse me. Like she was
- Like what?
Point! Point your foot!
Like she was being passive-aggressive
about it. You didn't get that?
No.
You know, I've seen her
at the school before.
Sitting across the street
on one of those benches.
[classical music playing]
After she drops her son off,
she just sits there.
[Grace] With the baby?
[Sylvia] Now with the baby.
When she was pregnant,
she wouldn't even be reading a book.
I feel like telling her, "You live in New York.
It is a crime not to be frantically busy."
Who just sits around quietly?
What an unfathomable state of being.
Albeit with
spectacular breasts.
- [laughs] Oh, my God. They were beautiful.
- You're bad.
[softly] Up, up, up, up, up, up.
Tall. Get your
Don't let your Shoulders down.
Shoulders down.
Stop smiling. Stop smiling!
Elena, what's wrong?
[Grace] It was hostile.
It just was.
But I don't blame her.
I mean, we were talking about art.
We were talking about money.
It was pretty vulgar.
And she was just trying to say, hey,
here I am, I'm a real, real woman.
I'm a real mom. I'm struggling, and
[clicks tongue]
I don't know.
Sometimes I think
we should move out of the city.
Said the most New York person
I've ever met in my life.
No, but don't you worry sometimes
that you're raising your son in a bubble?
I thought that was the whole essence
of modern parenting, isn't it?
Keep them protected from reality
for as long as possible,
so that when they finally emerge,
they can't cope and end up self-harming.
- I thought we were doing really well at that.
- Well
Wow. What about Schenectady, huh?
I hear nice things about Schenectady.
It sounds horrible. Even phonetically.
So, is this a serious conversation?
Yeah.
Yep. Manhattan is a lonely place.
I mean, when you think about it,
we don't have a lot of close friends.
Well, that's only 'cause we hate everyone.
You hate everyone. I don't.
I wouldn't call us isolated.
Our days are stuffed
with people and their problems.
I mean, we're right up close with them
at their most vulnerable.
It's not a conventional social life,
but in terms
of meaningful human interaction,
I would say we did very well.
Mmm.
- I don't like you being lonely.
- Well
You lonely in there?
Would you like some company?
Would you like to be washed, Grace?
Dr. Fraser, with his magic hands.
- God!
- Shall I get my rubber gloves?
- Come on. Come in.
- I'm coming, Grace.
[classical music playing]
[pop music playing over speakers]
[shower running]
[Elena] Grace?
Hi.
Elena.
We met at the fundraiser committee.
- Yes, yes. Of course.
- How are you?
- I'm I'm well. [laughs]
- Good.
Thank you so much
for making me feel so welcome.
Like, the other women
I don't know, I felt like an intruder.
But you made me feel at home. So
Thank you.
[laughs] Well, I know that, um
everybody is very happy to have you there.
We need all the help we can get.
How can I help?
'Cause nobody actually
made me do anything.
Um I suppose
Because most of the work
was already done, and
And you were occupied
with your sweet baby.
Yeah.
But I want to be a part of it.
At school.
I really do.
I know.
I really do.
[Jonathan coughs]
[Grace] She was just standing there.
Naked.
Yeah?
I'm all for women being comfortable
with their bodies,
but it was
- Weird.
- Good weird?
Were you a little bit aroused?
- No.
- Oh, Christ. We're nearly there.
The sooner we can get out, the better.
Look, I've got that early flight to Cleveland.
When do you get back?
Possibly tomorrow night,
if I can get away,
but, you know, I do hate to forfeit
my Hyatt reward points.
That's how you get
the complimentary breakfast, Grace.
Okay, here we are.
Slump, dread, sob.
- Despair.
- Look at me.
Mmm.
I'm very proud of my wife. Come on.
- [clears throat]
- Oh, Christ. They're coming.
Hold the elevator!
Oh, sorry. Sorry!
- Couldn't face it.
- You're so bad.
Profound and existential dread.
[doo-wop music playing over speakers]
- [woman] Hi. May I take your coat?
- [Grace] Thank you.
[woman] Thank you.
[Jonathan] Thank you.
- [man] Champagne?
- Thank you.
Thank God. Thank you.
I love you very much.
I thought there was gonna be some glam,
I didn't think this much.
[Jonathan groans]
Can we hide?
Let's go and pretend to be interested
in those Hockneys, hm?
No, we're stuck here for a bit.
We have to have cocktails
with the headmaster first.
- Come on. Robert.
- [Jonathan] Christ.
- [Robert] Grace.
- Hi.
- Jonathan.
- [Jonathan] Hey.
Thank you both so much for coming.
- There you are.
- It's a
- Hello.
- [Grace] Dad.
[Robert] Franklin.
Such an honor and a privilege, sir.
You left out thrill.
- [Robert] Yes, I did.
- [Grace chuckles]
Well, thank you for coming.
I'm not coming. I'm going.
- Really? Now?
- I've been on the silent auction.
I'm apt to win one of Henry Ford's
- original dipsticks.
- [Grace] Mmm!
I would like to be long gone
before that happens.
- Jonathan.
- Franklin.
You're looking well.
I am? Very surprising, thank you.
- Dinner Thursday?
- Absolutely.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi. Hi, hi.
- Hello, darling.
- Jonathan.
- Franklin.
You're not gonna fucking believe this.
- [Sylvia] What?
- They're not even here.
- [Grace] Who?
- The Spensers.
- Oh.
- What, you don't think that's rude?
We could take it as rude. Or it could be:
"Well, we're gonna be out of town,
happy to let you use our palace."
Can't you ever just be not nice?
Oh, she can, I promise you.
You hear those fucks didn't show?
It's a fabulous turnout.
I was worried people wouldn't show,
and it seems that absolutely
everybody is here,
so we can relax.
There she is.
[Sally] Oh, our lactator-in-chief.
[Grace] She looks a bit uncomfortable.
[softly] That's the mom
I was telling you about.
- Oh, that's her? The nudist?
- Mm-hm.
I want those boobs.
[Amanda] We should go talk to her.
She must be feeling so awkward.
[Jolene] Actually, she seems okay.
Mmm, maybe better than okay.
- [Jonathan] Am I missing something?
- [Jolene] Look at the men.
[Amanda] Like Pavlov's dogs.
Grace, I think she might be looking at you.
Really? Is she?
[Jonathan] Uh, yeah. I think she is.
[Diane] Well, here you all are. I think
they'd like to get started. It's bidding time.
- Start herding the people.
- [Sally] All right. Here we go.
Come on.
Is that enough? We've put in an appearance.
- Would you stop?
- Can we go?
Hey. I'll make it up to you later.
Make it up to me now. Let's find a room.
They must have a few.
- You're so bad.
- Come on. In Suki's closet.
- In Suki's clothes. Both of us.
- Stop!
- Make an Englishman happy. Come on.
- [laughs]
All right.
- You know what I love about this?
- What?
You could never tell they were rich.
It's all so classy and understated.
Hi. We're ready to start.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
I'm Sally Mayberry,
head of the auction committee
for our wonderful Reardon school!
[cheering and applause]
We have a positively fabulous afternoon
in store for you.
Now, some of you might be thinking:
"Don't I already pay enough in tuition?"
- [woman] Damn right!
- [all laughing]
Yes. Of course you do.
Yes, I feel the same way.
But it is our responsibility
to make sure that Reardon can accept
the students it wants to accept,
and that those students are able to attend,
despite their financial circumstances,
ensuring that the name Reardon is always
synonymous with diversity!
[man] Hear, hear!
And of course, we have to make sure
that our teachers are so well paid
that we do not lose them to other schools.
We love our teachers at Reardon! [whoops]
- Just not enough to invite them to the party.
- Shoosh.
Okay, now, Diane Porter is gonna
start the party.
Let's go!
[whoops]
[Diane] Before we turn
to our scheduled items for bid,
observe.
This may look like an ordinary glass
of tap water,
but it is much more than that.
This is very special water
that will serve to prime the pipes
to your generously deep pockets.
[all laugh]
What is the value, you may ask,
of an ordinary glass of tap water?
That depends.
What is the value
of your children's education?
The value of his or her teachers?
The opportunity of the less fortunate
to enjoy the privilege of your offspring?
Who will bid 1,000 dollars
- for this glass of water?
- [crowd gasps]
Who is gonna stand up and clang that bell?
[woman] One thousand!
[Diane] One thousand dollars!
Thank you. Money for our kids.
- [woman 1] Two thousand!
- [Diane] Two thousand!
Three thousand, thank you, ma'am.
Five thousand, right there!
- [man 1] Eight!
- [Diane] Eight thousand, right here!
- [man 2] I bid ten!
- [Diane] Ten thousand!
- [applause]
- Ten thousand!
[gasps softly] Elena. Sorry
- I
- Sorry.
[Grace] Are you okay?
I'm sorry.
'Cause sometimes I just feel
overwhelmed.
And lost.
- Mm.
- Like
Do you ever feel that?
If you ever want to talk
for free Uh
- I apologize.
- Don't
I didn't mean it to sound like that.
But if you do ever wanna talk
You're so kind.
Thank you.
And, please, don't be intimidated.
The parents at Reardon
can be a little, um
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
But
most of them are very kind. They're
They are nice people. Kind people. And
But you are the most kind.
It's true.
I feel it.
[tender music playing]
[Diane] All right, our next item,
- Knicks tickets. Wow.
- [applause]
You can rub elbows with Spike Lee.
Pitch him your idea for a new movie.
Hey, you never know.
They might even win the game.
All right. Who's gonna take
these tickets off my hands?
Let's start the bidding at 1,500.
- Thank you.
- [Diane] Fifteen hundred, right here!
Two thousand, in the front.
Twenty-five hundred. Do I hear 3,000?
Three thousand over here.
- Thirty-five?
- [man 1] Yeah.
- Four thousand, near the piano.
- [man 2] Right here!
Six thousand dollars!
- Going once, going twice
- Elena?
Oh, hi.
I'm going home 'cause I forgot to pump
and it's getting a bit uncomfortable.
Well, I have a car.
My driver could take you, if you want.
- Oh. Oh, no, I'm
- Please.
I'm in Harlem,
so it'll be faster to take the subway.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah. I'm sure.
But thank you.
Oh, hey. It's all right.
Thank you.
For your kindness.
[Diane] Do I hear 80? Eighty thousand?
Gentleman in the front. Ninety?
Ninety thousand. If we reach 100,000,
we'll donate a C-class to a child in need.
[crowd laughs]
So, what was all that?
What's going on with you and the nudist?
Oh, she was upset, and she just, um
I suggested she use our car,
but she didn't want to, so
You are a very nice person.
- [chuckles]
- Come here.
[applause]
I love you.
- [Diane] Thank you so much!
- I love you.
It's been an incredible evening!
You raised so much money
for a good cause! Thank you.
- [indistinct chatter]
- [piano playing jazz]
- [Sylvia] We're good?
- [Grace chuckles]
- Well, you're not gonna be happy.
- [Grace] What?
- I just got paged.
- Mm-hm.
Shelby McGibbon's lungs
just filled up with fluid.
Go.
You want to come?
Legitimate excuse to duck out early.
- The driver could drop me at the hospital?
- Oh, I can't. I'm on the committee.
- Go. Go, go. Take the driver.
- Really?
- I'll Uber.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll call.
- [Sally] Where's he going?
- Emergency. One of his patients.
Honestly, staring down cancer
every day with children,
maintaining a sense of humor all the while.
How does he do it?
I wonder myself.
[distant siren wailing]
[somber music playing]
[Shelby] Ten dollars.
[Jonathan] Yep.
You have my solemn word.
You can trust me.
I'm a doctor.
[Shelby] Ten bucks
if I beat leukemia.
Yeah.
I mean, if you prefer,
I could give you a whole talk about, uh
you know, being brave and fighting
and all that sort of stuff.
But I do find, generally speaking,
money works best.
[Shelby] How about 10 dollars,
and when I apply to medical school,
you write my recommendation.
I don't know. I don't know, Shelby.
I'd have to see your transcripts
because I can't recommend just anyone.
You could be awful.
Am I going to die?
You're not gonna die.
- If you die, I'll kill you.
- [both laugh]
Hey.
Did everything go okay?
[sighs]
Oh, no.
I'm so sorry.
- Honey.
- Yeah.
Fuck.
[sighs]
Oh.
[sighs]
Hey.
[moans softly]
[both moan softly]
[baby fussing]
[boy] Where is she?
[man] She's in her studio.
Why hasn't she come back?
She's working, okay?
You think you can take yourself
to school today?
- Catch the bus outside?
- [baby cries]
Yeah.
Go get your things. You're gonna be late.
[baby continues crying]
[tense music playing]
- [Grace] Henry?
- Uh-huh.
Come on. Have you eaten?
- Yeah.
- We got to go 'cause I'm, uh
I'm late, and I got an early session.
- Quick! Put those books away.
- Yeah. Okay.
Mom.
I don't think
Dad is actually allergic to dogs.
I think he just says it.
Yeah. You're right.
It's not about being allergic.
He would never want me to tell you this,
so don't say anything, all right?
Okay.
But when he was younger,
he was actually your age,
he was home alone,
he was taking care of the family dog,
it got out of the house
and it was hit by a car and killed.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
I mean, it was very traumatic for him.
And it was actually made worse
because his parents
- blamed him for it.
- What?
Yeah. That's why he hates talking about it.
What kind of dog?
Um What kind of
I think it was
It was a small dog.
That's what I know.
Anyway, I honestly don't think
he's ever gotten over it.
Quick. Put everything away,
would you? Let's go.
- Put your coat on. It's freezing outside.
- All right.
[Grace] At some point,
you are gonna have to talk about it.
The why of it all.
It had nothing to do with us. Or you.
- Bullshit!
- Here we go.
So, what was it about, then?
Just sex?
If I had a clue, I wouldn't be here
paying these criminally high rates.
We are paying these criminally high rates.
That's just a bit deflective,
isn't it, Joseph?
Is it possible that you were drawn
to the secret of it all?
Maybe more than you were
to this other man, Dennis?
The affair got to be yours alone?
Michael couldn't know about it,
so he couldn't micromanage it?
I don't think that's it.
[cell phone buzzes]
[Grace sighs]
I'm sorry. Are we keeping you
from something?
I apologize. This is my son's school.
It is programmed for emergencies only,
so I do have to take it.
Now, you said you knew Dennis
when you were single
but never had sex with him then.
I wasn't even attracted to him then.
No one was. He's not attractive.
- Okay.
- [Grace] Exactly. Then what changed?
Part of the thrill of adultery is that
it exists in the shadow
of a primary relationship.
It's the clandestine part of it
that provides much of the erotic jolt.
Could that have been it here?
The lie?
What about the fear of getting caught?
Maybe you wanted to get caught.
Why would I want that?
To show Michael
that he can't control you after all.
I think this is more about Michael
and your marriage
- than it is about this other man.
- [door opens]
[door closes]
He doesn't always love
when other people are right.
So, you wanted to get caught.
I think I better check on him.
[man] So, we're gonna try
and get the new protocol
for the pro-bono work in place
as soon as possible.
[cell phone buzzing]
[tense music playing]
[sighs]
- Sylvia?
- [softly] Just a sec.
It's my daughter's school. Excuse me.
- Excuse me.
- [man] Sylvia, can it wait?
Two minutes.
- [woman] Is this going to affect?
- Did you hear?
What?
The school's, a family
It was a family tragedy?
- A fourth grader?
- Grace.
It was Elena.
What?
She was found dead.
What?
Well, didn't you get
the school alert?
Yes. What happened?
There's been no official word.
At first I heard
[scoffs] aneurysm, but
What the school
is being told is that
she was murdered.
[gasps]
What?
- I know.
- Oh, my God.
And, apparently her son,
the poor thing, discovered her.
God, this is awful, um
What do they know?
Do they know who did it?
No. Nobody seems to really know
anything.
- I cannot bear it. That poor woman.
- I know.
And that poor little boy. It's
You know, they're looking for the husband.
They are.
Evidently, they were having problems.
It's always the fucking husband.
Can you imagine?
Letting his own son discover
his mother like that?
Oh
You know what, actually,
I'm right in the middle of a meeting,
so I'm gonna call you later
when I know more.
Yeah.
[Elena] Did I do something wrong?
- No. I just
- You seem unnerved.
- Really?
- Yeah. Just
Do I unnerve you?
No.
Well, you would tell me?
If I did something wrong.
You didn't do anything wrong.
- Okay?
- Okay.
[man 1] How well
did you know Elena Alves?
[Sally] Not very well,
but she had just started, uh
She was part of the auction committee.
I arranged to have her participate.
She was a scholarship mom.
[woman] I've only met her a few times.
- In the schoolyard.
- [man 2] Do you remember what time
- you left the fundraiser?
- What time I left?
I think, uh, I was home by 11.
And what time did you learn
something had happened?
[Sylvia] The school sent out an alert.
An alert that went out from the school
on all of our phones.
- Did you know Elena Alves?
- [Sylvia] No, we'd met.
- Mm-hm
- I didn't know her.
The most time I've ever spent with her
was at a meeting recently at Sally's.
Do you know if Miguel took the bus,
or did somebody come pick him up?
Well, normally his mom comes
to school to pick him up.
- Did you know Miguel?
- Yeah, we were in math together.
Okay. Did you say
you knew Miguel as well?
Yeah, sometimes we played together
after school.
And did everything seem okay lately?
He's He's okay lately?
[line ringing]
[voicemail] Hello, this is Jonathan Fraser.
I can't answer your call right now,
but I will get back to you
as soon as possible.
If this is a medical emergency,
please call 911
or go to the emergency room.
Hi, sweetheart. It's It's me, um
Can you give me a call
'cause something came up at school.
Everything's fine. Henry is fine, but I
I just I just want to fill you in, um
I hope Cleveland is good.
- I love you
- Mrs. Fraser.
I'm Detective Paul O'Rourke, 23rd precinct.
Oh, my God. What happened? Is it my son?
No, it's not about your son.
I'm sorry if we frightened you. We
We do that sometimes.
Right, um
I'm Detective Joseph Mendoza. NYPD.
We just wanna talk for a minute.
Can you please just tell me what happened?
Well, the mother of a child
who attends your son's school was killed.
- I'm sure you heard of that.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- The school sent out a message.
- I'm so sorry. I just
- No, no. No need to apologize.
- I got two kids.
- Right.
We just want to ask a few questions,
if that's okay.
Of course.
I didn't know it was Mrs. Alves
until, um Until I spoke to a friend.
- And who was the friend?
- Um
Sylvia Steinetz.
She and I are part of a committee
at the school that we serve on.
- The, uh, auction committee?
- Mm-hm.
She just joined.
[Mendoza] And what time
did you learn of her death?
Hmm, let me check my phone.
Uh, at 2:46 p.m.
- From, uh, Sylvia Steinetz?
- Yes.
Is that important? What time I got the call?
Well, you're a shrink, right?
You only ask the important stuff?
She wasn't, um, a patient of mine,
Mrs. Alves.
She was a She
I mean, I wasn't treating her.
How well did you know her?
Uh, not well. As I said, she'd only
just joined the committee.
And you saw her last when?
I saw her last night, at the benefit.
[Mendoza] And you didn't talk to her
after that?
No.
Did you notice anyone
Mrs. Alves might have spoken to?
I mean, there were just some men
who were paying her special attention.
What do you mean, special attention?
No, I mean, the special attention
that men sometimes pay to a woman.
And what about Mrs. Alves' husband?
Was he there last night?
Not to my knowledge.
I mean, I never met him, so
Do you suspect the husband of this?
Right now, we're just, uh, gathering facts.
Would it be possible for us
to speak to your husband?
Um Well, um, why?
Well, he might have seen something.
Oh. No. No, he didn't.
So, you've spoken to him
since this news came to light?
No, but anything that he would have seen,
- I would have seen, so
- Where's your husband now?
He's in Cleveland.
He's at an oncology convention.
[Mendoza] Where's he staying?
- I think at a Hyatt or something.
- When did he go there?
Uh, this morning.
- Early.
- [door opens, then closes]
- [Henry] Mom?
- [Grace] Henry.
- [Henry] Um, orchestra ran over.
- [Grace] Mm-hm.
- What's going on?
- I'm just talking to these men.
Could you go to your room,
and I'll, um I'll be up in a minute.
- I'll make you a snack.
- Is everything okay?
Yes. Yep. Everything's fine.
I just need you to go upstairs,
and, um, I'll be right there.
Off you go. I'll be right there.
- Okay.
- Good.
Go on. [laughs]
Did your son know the Alves boy?
Um No.
No. I mean, they're
They're in different grades.
Yeah, but it's kind of a small school,
isn't it?
That's what I read on the website.
Small school, individual attention.
That's why it costs the big bucks, right?
What is the tuition there?
- How much do you pay?
- Um
It's
50,000 dollars a year.
Fifty grand. How do you think
they could afford that?
The Alveses?
I mean,
I think it was a scholarship.
But I don't really have
any knowledge of, uh,
the Alveses' financial circumstances.
Are we upsetting you, doctor?
If there's anything,
anything else I can do
Sure.
Here's my card. My cell phone.
If you can think of anything else.
I will I will give you a call.
Good.
- [Mendoza] Thank you.
- [door opens]
[O'Rourke] Right. Thanks.
[Henry] What was that about?
- What?
- The police.
- Henry
- Are they here for the murder?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I saw it on my phone.
- Really?
- Yeah.
They mentioned Reardon.
Oh. Did you, um?
Did you know the boy?
I think his name is Miguel.
I don't think so.
- Thank you.
- Kind of scary, huh?
This happening at your school?
How you feeling about it?
Did the father do it?
It's
- It's too soon to know.
- Did you know her?
Um Hm?
The mom who got
Did you know her?
Not really. I mean, she was
She was on the auction committee.
Was she nice?
Yeah.
Yeah, she was very nice. She
She seemed a little sad.
[O'Rourke] Where do you go
to school? You go to Reardon?
Okay. What grade are you in?
- Fourth.
- Okay.
Do you like it?
It's all right.
So, you were gonna go to school,
but instead, you went where?
- My mom's studio.
- She's an artist?
I know it's hard.
We gotta find out who did this.
[ominous music playing]
[camera shutter clicking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
Hey, honey, um, I'm sure
you're at some scintillating dinner,
but I really need you to call me
and talk about this school incident.
It's nothing bad with Henry,
but can you call me, please?
[cell phone whooshes]
[cell phone buzzes]
[cell phone whooshes]
[cell phone buzzes]
[panting]
[drawer slams]
[line ringing]
[man 1 on phone]
Hyatt Regency at the Arcade.
- Um, Jonathan Fraser, please.
- Is he a guest?
Yes.
I'm sorry. I'm not seeing
a Jonathan Fraser.
Would it be under another name?
[woman 1] Hyatt Place Independence.
This is Jessica.
Uh, Jonathan Fraser's room, please.
- I'm sorry. I don't see any reservation.
- [stammers]
[woman 2]
Hyatt Cleveland Legacy.
Could you put me through
to Jonathan Fraser's room, please?
- Can you spell that?
- Fraser. F-R-A-S-E-R.
Uh, yes.
Transferring you now.
[line ringing]
[woman 3] Hello?
- Uh
- Who is this?
Who are you?
Excuse me?
Uh
Can you, um, put me through
to, uh, Jonathan Fraser, please?
- [clears throat]
- Uh, hold on.
Jonathan?
[man 2] This is Jonathan.
Uh
Jonathan Fraser?
Yes. Who is this?
I'm I'm sorry I'm sorry.
[sighs]
[ominous music playing]
[classical music playing]