Nine Perfect Strangers (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

1
Namaste.
Welcome to Tranquillum House.
I'm Masha.
‐ Are you saying
they don't want the book?
It's not normal to be screaming,
"Dead to the fucking world"
at the top of your lungs.
We're going
'cause we have issues, Benjamin.
With us.
What are you in for?
‐ Weight loss, esteem building,
mind and body transformation.
‐ I mean, I already feel better.
I really do.
Is this not fantastic?
‐ What's that?
Blood draw. Standard practice.
‐ Did she give you any idea
what to expect?
Suffering.
‐ You've got this
strange effect on me ♪
Hey, there.
‐ Hey!
‐ Are you okay?
‐ Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm fine.
I just, um
just a little panic attack.
They come and go.
And sometimes
I just feel like I'm gonna
freak out so I didn't want to,
you know,
disrupt the session or anything.
‐ Oh, well, that session is
officially disrupted, anyway.
Your dad's back there
holding your mom back,
I think she wants to, uh
claw Masha's eyes out.
Something about death,
or something,
I didn't quite catch it.
‐ Yeah, yeah, um,
it's‐‐ it's my brother Zach.
He‐‐ he stopped living
three years ago.
- Kind of why we're here.
- Um
It would've been
his 21st birthday this week.
Or our 21st.
We were‐‐ we were twins.
But, uh, he
stopped living the day before
our 18th birthday. So
‐ Oh, God.
‐ There you have it,
the Marconi family baggage,
which was also searched,
by the way.
Yes. Oh.
‐ I'm sorry, honey.
‐ It's okay.
We really weren't close.
So
‐ Are you all right?
‐ Yeah, I'm fine.
Just needed some air.
‐ Hello.
‐ Hello.
‐ Could I talk to my daughter
‐ Yes.
‐ please?
‐ Mom, Mom, it's fine.
I'm fine. Frances, I'm fine.
I was actually
just gonna go for a run.
We're runners.
Um, I'll see you.
‐ She was telling me
about your son.
‐ Oh.
‐ I'm so sorry.
‐ Thank you.
Yeah, I didn't read anything about
getting my fucking bags gone through.
Anybody else read
anything about that?
'Cause I didn't read anything
‐ Hey.
‐ about that.
‐ Maybe you could take a breath.
The fuck?
I am not taking a breath.
It's a fucking crime is what it is.
Tossing our cells for contraband?
Not giving our shit back,
that's a violation
of our human rights, lady.
Now, I've got prescription
medication in my wash bag
and I'm gonna need it back,
like right‐fucking‐now.
You feel me?
‐ Yao. Would you go and retrieve
Tony's medicine?
‐ Yeah, very good, thank you.
Would you like
your vodka as well?
Or do you take it separately?
‐ Fuck you.
‐ Hey, now.
Let's just take it easy.
‐ Fuck you, too.
Yeah, this is not
what I signed up for.
- Just like, FYI.
- We're okay.
Part of the healing
is finding the wound.
‐ That's why you picked us, right?
‐ What do you mean, she “picked" us?
‐ She accepts less than ten percent
of her applicants.
We're just an equation.
We complement
each other's demons.
‐ What a fuckin' crock.
‐ What is it
you look for in your guests?
‐ Damage.
‐ Potential.
Tomato, to‐mah‐toe.
‐ Is that how
you're feeling about yourself,
Frances? Is it?
About things? About your life?
Tomato, to‐mah‐toe, whatever.
‐ I know women like you.
- ‐ You don't.
- You're so driven.
And you're so committed
to perfection that
you're not even human anymore.
And you whittle
away everybody else
so you don't have to see
your own bumps and bruises.
Maybe some of these
guests did come for struggle.
But I get enough of
that in my day‐to‐day life.
I didn't come here to open a vein.
I came here to have
a little bit of fucking fun.
‐ I'd like to talk to you in private,
if I may.
Look, obviously,
you're a very smart person
building this whole
thing.
But uh,
it just doesn't make any sense.
There's not a qualified
professional in the world
who would confiscate
somebody's medication.
‐ You're a drug addict, Tony.
There's many places you could go
to detox or rehab.
But you came here.
Maybe to fix what caused
you to become a drug addict.
‐ I know.
I know what caused it, okay?
Three spinal surgeries,
a blown knee.
‐ That's just a story.
One that's keeping you numb
and checked out of your entire life.
‐ Okay. Yeah, day one
and you know all this, right?
‐ You're divorced, yes?
‐ Yeah.
‐ You have, two children?
How's your relationship with them?
‐ This is it, right?
This is what you do?
You get people to talk
about their shit,
and then you use it against them.
Huh? You gonna plug me
into an ATM machine now?
‐ Are you happy with your life?
‐ Am I happy with my life?
‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ Who the fuck is happy
with their life?
Just give me my medicine, please.
Have it.
Right now!
And another one, in the morning.
Every day.
I don't want you sick, Tony.
Hmm? I just want you
safe, healed.
Whole.
And I think
that's what you want.
I never wanted
to take your pills, Tony.
Just your secret.
‐ Oh, shit!
‐ I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
‐ Jesus!
‐ I'm sorry.
‐ Oh, you scared me to death.
‐ I'm so sorry.
‐ You shouldn't sneak up on people
in the dark like that.
‐ I wasn't sneaking.
I just‐‐ You know, I read in the
in the the pamphlet, uh, to be mindful
of others that they might
be meditating and try not to
to disturb. So that's
that's what that
Yeah.
‐ Well. I'm not meditating,
just despondently staring
into the gaping void.
‐ Hey, um the the like,
welcoming thing, that was
‐ It was bat shit.
‐ Yeah.
‐ Yeah.
‐ Okay, cool.
'Cause I thought I was just
like losing my mind‐‐ okay.
Hey, um,
you probably don't want
to hear this.
Uhm, you know, people come
to retreats to get away
from it all and I have to say
I am such a huge fan.
‐ Oh.
I've read
Nathaniel's Kiss like, three times.
I think it's
the most romantic book
in the world.
‐ Thank you for that.
‐ So, what's, uh,
what's your crisis?
‐ What's my what?
‐ The British dude, he said that, uh,
Masha like picked us all
for a particular crisis.
With all your success, I just
was wondering, I‐‐
Now I'm realizing that
I am kinda crossing a line.
So, I'm gonna
just gonna take it back.
‐ It's okay, I I'm just
here for a little R&R.
Maybe, my crisis is
I don't have a crisis.
‐ Mm‐hmm Oh.
‐ So are you writing anything new‐‐
‐ What's your crisis?
‐ Oh, uh. Marriage counseling.
Yeah. Well, Ben and I just
a little bit of a bumpy patch.
- ‐ I know that road.
- Oh, you're married?
‐ Not currently.
Have been. Twice. Uh,
optimist‐masochist. Fine line.
‐ “He saw her."
That's my favorite part of, um,
Nathaniel's Kiss.
You wrote, um, “He saw her.
"And until then, she never knew.
"She'd never been seen before.
It was like coming home."
‐
It's a little clunky.
‐ No. No, it's not.
It's the most wonderful feeling
in the world.
To be seen.
‐ You want
a little grown‐ass lady advice?
You can take it or leave it?
‐ I'll take it.
‐ I wouldn't look to novels,
or music, or movies,
to tell you the truth about love.
They lie.
And we're just a pack of dirty liars.
‐ Right?
I mean, yeah.
‐ Hustlers of the heart.
‐ Did you just make that up?
‐ I‐‐ Yeah, I guess I did.
‐ God! You're good.
‐
Oh
‐ I'm gonna get back to‐‐
Ye‐‐ um, thanks.
I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?
Maybe it won't be as
‐ Weird?
‐ Yeah.
‐ Yeah. Let's hope.
‐ Good night.
‐ Good night.
- ‐ Hi, baby.
- Let's have a quiet day today.
Oh, what shower pressure.
Fantastic.
I had a spectacular sleep.
It's going to be
a fantastic day, I can feel it.
You should shower if you're
going to do so before breakfast.
They want us promptly
there at seven.
I am absolutely famished,
by the way.
Which I take as a good sign.
My metabolism is engaged
and firing.
‐ I think I might skip breakfast
and go for a run instead.
‐ Uh, I think brekkie is mandatory.
It's a very precise regimen here.
I suggest we surrender to it, pumpkin.
‐ There's only so much
surrendering I can do, Leon.
You go. Don't be late for breakfast.
You certainly wouldn't want
to break a rule.
‐ What's that supposed to mean?
‐ Look, it means rules
are meant to be followed.
How else to ensure
the survival of a civilized society?
‐ You have to seek out
the wonderful, Heather,
because it doesn't
just come knocking.
Maybe life will surprise you.
‐ You know what you said to me?
Right after. Do you remember?
You said, “Things happen for a reason."
What
What reason?
As much
as I love you, and I do, I do
‐ Finish it.
‐ I'm angry.
At me?
‐ Yeah.
For being so constantly upbeat.
For trying to make sense of
of the most incomprehensible.
But mostly,
for making me feel so alone.
You make me feel so fucking alone.
You ask, "Why are we here?"
I'm here because I miss liking you.
I know,
you didn't deserve that.
‐ Hmm.
But I got it just the same.
‐ The other night, dear ♪
‐ Yes!
‐
Hi, there, handsome.
Hey, honey. I am unfortunately
gonna have to postpone my trip.
I'm so sorry.
‐ Oh, no. What happened?
‐ It's Ari.
He was in a car accident.
‐ Oh, my God. Is he okay?
‐ They put him into
an induced coma
to help with his healing.
I'm trying to get him
transferred to a better hospital
Here, you go detective,
you can keep it.
I told him I loved him.
He's an imaginary person
and I I told him I loved him.
This happens to a lot of women
of your age and circumstance.
Good morning.
‐ This should be on Instagram.
Woo!
‐ Oh, this is so adorable.
So healthy.
‐ It It's like a dream.
The perfect breakfast.
‐ Yes, if you can't have substance,
style will do,
I suppose.
‐ How we doing, everybody?
‐ I lost weight!
‐ Y'know, I was meaning to say.
Why you trying to lose weight?
You're not fat.
‐ Thank you. But I'd
I'd still like to be thinner.
‐ But why? I don't get it.
Why is everybody so obsessed
with that kind of thing?
‐ I don't think we are, Ben.
And If you're looking for
commonality, I think we're
all obsessed with being a little
better than we were yesterday.
A little less lousy,
a little less in the toilet.
I could be wrong, but isn't
that the essence of life?
Identifying your hump
and then hurling yourself over it.
‐ Told you, she's, like, a gifted writer.
‐ Good morning, good morning, everybody.
What fell off the chuckwagon?
That's not me.
Uh hey, guys, look,
I know I came in a little rough
to the dock yesterday
and I apologize, okay?
And if I offended any of you
and I probably offended most
of you, sorry. New day, huh?
‐ Mm. Seems like someone
got his meds back.
‐ You know what, Lars?
I did.
Thanks for caring.
‐ Who are you, really?
‐ You mean, like, deep down?
‐ He does look familiar, right?
Like, I've seen your face.
Probably on Dateline or something.
People!
All right!
Today's schedule.
We will all begin
with a little dirt‐digging.
In the afternoon‐‐
‐ What do you mean, dirt‐digging?
‐ Soil bacteria has special qualities.
It can fight anxiety,
depression, maybe even cancer.
‐ I'm not I'm not that big
on dirt or bacteria.
It's kind of a Protestant thing.
I don't wanna talk about it.
You got an excuse for everything.
‐ Hmm?
‐ I said, you got an excuse‐‐
‐ No! Still can't hear,
- your mouths is
- Okay.
- ‐ I get it.
- Team
‐ Yeah, this is definitely not a team.
I mean, this is like
the opposite of a team.
‐ Something you need?
‐ Tell me, you pool sit
when you're stressed.
And you've been down here
every day of late. What's wrong?
‐ I received some disturbing messages.
Threats.
‐ Threats from who?
‐ Anonymous.
‐ Should we report it?
‐ To who? The police?
What are they gonna do?
It could be from anyone.
I wasn't a very nice person
in my previous life.
You would've shot me too
if you'd known me then.
‐ No. No, I wouldn't have.
‐ No. You wouldn't have.
You and Delilah okay?
‐ She still gets a little jealous.
‐ She'll have to get over
that, won't she?
Hmm?
‐ It's difficult.
‐ That's what life is more
than anything, difficult.
Hmm.
We are and we always will be
profoundly and inextricably bound.
Don't you agree?
Love her.
And she will feel loved.
‐ Fuck!
That's it, I'm done.
‐ Digging graves is not doing
my back any favors.
‐ What are you talking about?
They dug half of it for us
and you haven't
even stood up, yet.
‐ I am still helping
and exerting myself.
Not that I've asked for your opinion.
‐ It feels good, doesn't it?
To exhaust the body
with hard, hard work.
Pre‐industrial man,
he didn't get depressed
because he
was too busy working.
Would you please lie down
in your ditches?
‐ Uh
‐ We spend our lives avoiding
the thought of
the one true guarantee.
That our time here is limited.
We are terrified of death,
not because it is unknown,
but because it forces us
to confront
our deepest regrets.
Be it
lies we have told
people we have hurt
professional failures or
or simply
an unfulfilled life.
So, I want you all now
to close your eyes.
Think of your life, past.
Imagine that your body,
has returned to the Mother Earth,
and that your soul
has been set free.
And your loved ones
your loved ones
are gathered around you.
‐ Marconis, we okay with this?
‐ Yeah. You good, Mom?
‐ I'm fine.
‐ Now, think of all the things
that matter to you.
The events that pre‐occupy you.
Everything that you're obsessed about.
That you're worried about,
that is stopping you from having a full
and extraordinary, exceptional life.
Think of the relationships
that matter to you.
The people who will mourn you.
What do you want them
to say about your life?
Now that it is over?
‐ You know,
this exercise is ridiculous.
‐ Just lie down, Frances.
Contemplate.
‐ What is it gonna take?
What do I have to say
to get out of the dirt hole?
You wanna hear that if I die today,
nobody would care? Fine.
Because if I did die today,
nobody would care.
Because I'm humiliated
and I am alone
and it's only gonna get worse.
And you'll love this.
I pre‐paid my own funeral.
Because nobody else
is gonna do it, okay?
Is that enough? Does that count?
Can we stop now?
‐ Frances, this isn't just about you.
You now have the chance
and you have the choice
to come back and reinvent yourself.
When you hear
the sound of the chimes,
I invite you
to rebirth yourself
out of the Earth
and into your new life.
‐ That was interesting.
‐ Could you just be open, please?
‐ Okay.
All right! Next up
is the hike this afternoon.
‐ Yeah, I I don't think
I'm up for a hike.
‐ Of course. It's not mandatory,
though highly recommended.
We can schedule you
for some acupuncture,
maybe, it'll help with your back.
‐ Oh, that would be lovely.
‐ Jessica, your session
with Masha is now.
- ‐ Is that mandatory?
- Yes. Yes, it is.
This is absolutely incredible.
You know, I toured
the Acupuncture Houses, uh, in Beijing.
I was doing some research
for one of my books.
But have you been?
‐ Oh, Lulu's been everywhere.
‐ Oh.
‐ I trained in Oregon.
‐ Oh! La‐di‐dah‐di.
Oh.
The Bai Hui point.
It's where all energies converge.
Is that right?
‐ That's right.
Try to keep still, Frances.
‐ Oh. I felt that.
‐ Yeah, I'm just taking some blood.
‐ Oh. Why?
‐ For your blood sugar.
‐ Ah. Okay.
Well, next time maybe
give me a heads‐up
before you shiv my lipids.
‐ Okay.
‐ Okay, good one.
You're funny. I like you.
‐ Well that makes
one of us.
Can I ask you two a question?
Mm‐hmm, of course.
‐ I mean, is Masha crazy
or is she the real deal?
Masha?
Masha is the realest of them all.
Hundred percent.
‐ Why are you here?
‐ Oh, I thought we had
our one‐on‐one, but I can come‐‐
‐ Oh, no.
Why are you at Tranquillum?
‐ Oh!
‐ What are you hoping to gain?
‐ Um
Transformation, for one thing.
I'm really interested
in fixing what's broken,
you know?
‐ And what would that be?
‐ Uh
‐ You are very nervous.
‐
Yeah, I am.
‐ There is no reason to be.
Tell me.
What is particularly making
you anxious right now?
‐ You.
You're, like, super smart
and intuitive.
And very fucking hot, by the way.
I'm sorry, but you are, and I'm, uh
I'm okay. I'm fine. Um
And I'm okay
with people looking at me
on the outside,
you know, I've basically
cultivated that but,
being seen on the inside, which
you strike me as very
capable of, um,
- it just makes me
- You came here afraid.
You were afraid before
you knew of my existence.
‐ When I was, uh
lying in that ditch,
you know, um,
imagining my own death,
I thought about comments.
Not my family.
Comments.
Saying how tragic it was
that someone so
young and
pretty
died like that.
And for a second,
it made me feel better.
For a second.
Then I realized
my Instagram account
would be deleted a week later
and everyone would move on,
forget about me.
‐ You want your life
to be important,
to mean something.
‐ Yeah.
‐ But that's not
what you really came here for.
‐ Um, it's not?
‐ Why doesn't he love you anymore?
‐ I don't know.
‐ It's unfair.
‐ Mm‐hmm.
Attractive.
‐ If you don't mind,
I'm social distancing.
‐ Actually, I do mind.
‐ Well, then fine.
I have my cramps.
‐ You can't have both cramps
and hot flashes
I don't think.
‐ For you, I can. So bye‐bye.
- ‐ You know what, lady?
- ‐ Here we go.
‐ One of the reasons I came
to this funny farm,
my entire adult life
people have been telling me
to fuck off.
- ‐ Well
- And in the very short time
that we've known each other,
you've practically medaled at it.
You know what,
I'm not fucking off.
All right?
This place practically screams,
"welcome mat."
I'm going to enjoy the nature.
I'm going to enjoy the food.
I'm gonna enjoy the pool.
I'm even gonna enjoy you
bobbing up and down
like a cork in the pool.
You know why?
Because every day is a gift.
This whole place
is my fucking gift, lady.
‐ Did I hear something?
I could have I
I just thought
Did anyone say something?
I don't see anybody. No. Nobody.
Nobody. Nobody.
Son of a
You bastard!
- ‐ I'm sorry, what did you say?
- ‐ Ugh!
‐ Okay, let's take this to
a higher plane, shall we?
You're gonna start
with your hands out
in front or behind you.
Eyes on the ground.
Six to eight feet in front of you.
We're gonna start with your right foot,
move it forward one step.
Think right step, left step
‐ Right. Left. Right.
‐ So how did it go?
‐ Yeah, oh, uh
‐ Wait, was she amazing?
I bet she was.
‐ I think both of
y'all are a little star‐struck.
‐ Oh, no. I'm I'm actually,
not a star‐struck person.
I used to work on Broadway,
so I've met stars,
real stars.
I met Alan Cumming.
So, I'm not star‐struck.
‐ Wow, Broadway.
What'd you do on Broadway?
‐ Oh, I did, um wardrobe, um,
hair and make‐up, props.
I kinda actually
I did it all.
Yeah, till I had my girls.
And my husband,
he didn't want me to
work anymore.
He made enough money
so, you know, he just
he didn't like the idea
of a nanny raising our kids.
‐ That's nice. At least you had
that time with your kids.
‐ What did you say?
‐ Huh?
Well, they're still my kids.
Just because they're off
with someone else, they're still
they're still my kids.
What did I say?
‐ You you said, had,
past tense. But
‐ Seems like she had a past
and now it's tense.
‐ Is that really something
to be proud of?
These bloody breeders.
Biggest threat to the planet
is overpopulation and they keep
pumping them out without an apology.
‐ It's incredible you're still single.
Crazy.
‐ Whatever.
‐ Why torture yourself? ♪
‐ Are you fucking kidding me? Are you‐‐
‐ Why deprive yourself? ♪
‐ Hey, hey, hey.
No, no, no. Come here.
Hey!
You all right? Hey?
- You okay?
- ‐ I don't know I
‐ Just take deep breaths.
Deep breaths. In and
- Oh, good.
- ‐ Oh God!
‐ Oh.
‐ What happened?
‐ I don't know. Ah you you
were sleeping, you were snoring
and then all of a sudden, you
you were choking. It was
so weird.
‐ I don't
understand how you just
just start choking.
‐ I don't know.
Do you have a medical condition?
‐ No.
Not that I know of, I don't
- ‐ Oh, that was scary.
- ‐ Oh, what is that?
‐ What?
‐ Is that a grape?
‐ No. No, I don't
‐ Is that
Don't! What are you doing?
‐ I don't I don't think so.
Keep Damn it.
It is a grape.
‐ Huh.
‐ Ah
How did it a grape get in my
‐ I don't know. Yeah.
‐ Oh. Did you put
a grape into my mouth?
‐ No. What are you
‐ Oh, my God!
‐ I No
‐ Did you throw a grape into mouth?
‐ I know, I tossed the grape
in your mouth
but it was an accident, okay?
You were snoring and I just
you know, I just wanted
to wake you up.
And
I'm sorry.
‐ You could've killed me.
‐ I could take that shot all day long
and the odds of it going in are like
Do you want a grape?
‐ What?
I do not want a grape.
I'm not gonna
Don't you
How do you like it?
Who's Paul?
Who's what?
‐ Paul. You were
You were saying his name, Paul,
when you were sleeping.
‐ No, I wasn't.
‐ Yes, you were.
‐ No, I wasn't.
‐
Got it.
So who is he?
‐ I don't know.
I can honestly say,
I don't know who Paul is,
but I do know
that it's none of your business.
‐ Well, which is it?
‐ Paul Drabble. Uh
Is a man I met
online, a man I fell in love with online.
A man who did not fall in love
with me,
either online or offline.
Allegedly from
Canada, who had a fake child,
that got a fake illness
and then he convinced me to
send him
quite a bit of real money.
‐ Oh, I'm sorry.
‐ I mean, you know, it's not like
I had to date online.
I get asked out by men
all the time.
There's multiple sources that say
I'm‐‐ I'm very good in bed,
even enthusiastic.
‐ Well, you don't have
to talk about this
if it makes you
feel uncomfortable.
‐ Doesn't make me uncomfortable.
Does it make you uncomfortable?
‐ Yeah, a little.
‐ There's a part of me
that thinks it was worth it.
You know, six months of love
and companionship.
I don't know, half a year of
that, feeling like that
Not a bad deal. Right?
‐ Maybe you could put
it in one of your books.
It'll make a good story, no?
‐ Yeah, maybe.
I take it you've never read me.
‐ Well, uh, yeah. You know what?
I read a snippet.
‐ Snippet.
‐ Yesterday.
When I was taking
a piss on this massive tree,
found an article
all about your Beating Heart.
‐ Wait, what?
‐ Isn't that what it's called?
The Beating
The Beating Heart?
‐ No!
‐ It was.
‐ No.
‐ The That's what they said.
‐ No, it's not.
It can't
No, because it can't be
because it's not
It's not published yet.
And so it's still
in manuscript format.
‐
I don't know what to tell you.
Maybe the guy got
a leaked copy or something.
I'd be stoked, actually.
It means he really wanted
to read it, right?
You're in demand.
I would take it as a compliment.
‐ What did it say?
‐ I don't I don't remember.
‐ Just what‐‐ You‐‐
I know you're lying.
What did it say?
‐ He didn't like it very much.
‐ He‐‐ He didn't like‐‐
Did he hate it?
‐ What do critics know anyway, huh?
Look at poor Stallone.
Ah, the fucking critics
treat him like garbage
and Rocky is the greatest movie
ever made.
‐ So they hated it.
Well. That's that.
‐ Where are you going?
Implicitly,
it may seem like a kids' game.
But when it comes to trusting,
when it comes
to being ourselves,
when it comes to letting go,
kids have a lot to teach us.
That's right.
Let's give it a go.
Okay, come on, Carmel.
Come on!
Okay, you ready? Here we go
All right.
Come on, Carmel.
‐ Oh, my God!
Oh, wow, you got me.
Got you!
‐ All right,
I wanna do him next.
‐ Mom.
Mom!
‐ Honey!
Honey!
Take your hands off me.
Just take
your fucking hands off me!
Please, honey. Please.
‐ Napoleon, please step back.
It's okay.
It's okay!
Heather, what's going on?
‐ I just want you to step away.
‐ I'm not gonna do that.
But what I am gonna do,
is hold your hand.
Do you know what
they say about holding hands?
It's intimate.
It can be more intimate
than lovemaking even.
Do you know why?
There's something intuitive about it,
something knowing about it.
Perhaps, it's it's
the nerve endings in the
fingertips or the sensory
systems in the hands,
but people feel each other.
They know each other,
even people they've never
even met before.
What do you feel
in my hands, Heather?
Somebody who's been where
where you are, maybe?
Somebody who has stood
where you stand?
‐ You have never stood where I stand.
Do you think she
was really going to jump?
I don't know.
Maybe not today,
but she's certainly ideating.
This group is
a powder keg, Masha.
I mean
Lars is Honestly,
I I don't know what Lars is,
but I know, he's not just
a guest.
He‐he's got some agenda.
I can smell it.
‐ You swept his room?
Top to bottom.
‐ Yao, would you sweep
it again for me?
No problem.
‐ Oh. I'm sorry.
I didn't realize you were
in a meeting.
‐ No. It's quite all right.
Please.
Come on in.
How can I help you?
‐ Um I think
I think I have to go.
I don't
want to find myself.
I don't
think I'm equipped for
the discovery.
I just had kind of
a near‐death experience myself,
so guess that's one thing
we have in common, huh?
Mine wasn't as exotic as yours, but
First, because I almost
choked on a grape.
And, uh second,
I didn't I didn't
I didn't see the little girl,
joyously riding her bike.
I just
I just saw the truth.
‐ Which is
‐
How much time do you got?
‐ Sit.
Frances.
What?
‐ The truth is that I'm a
twice‐divorced, middle‐aged
hot‐flashing, menopausal heap.
I've become a punchline.
I have been down
in these dark holes before.
And the one way out was
that I could write my way out.
Turns out
I'm a one‐trick pony
that can no longer do her one trick.
‐ You're a car, Frances.
‐ Oh, okay. A a car?
‐ Hm. And your gas tank is empty.
And you're smoking,
you're churning,
you're wheezing.
You can't get going. But
in a few days,
you're gonna refuel.
And I promise you, you're gonna
feel a thousand times better.
‐ I totally expected
a metaphor there.
I just thought
maybe it would be
something a little more
lyrical.
‐ Okay. Try this.
Kintsugi.
‐ A bowl?
‐ No. The Japanese art
of repairing broken pottery.
The broken pieces are mended
with lacquer,
powdered gold to make
something stronger.
More beautiful.
‐ Does beat a crappy car.
‐ This will be you.
‐ I just, uh
I don't think I want it.
‐ It's what you need.
‐ I I think
I may need a Four Seasons
and a couple of bellinis,
is what I need.
‐
Frances, give me one more day.
Please.
One more day.
If tomorrow you you
you don't wanna stay, fine.
I'll respect your decision.
But give me one more day. Yes?
‐ I don't think anything
is gonna change.
‐ What have you got to lose?
You've come this far.
‐ Okay.
Just no more metaphors.
Like I can take it.
‐ We're in deep, me and you ♪
‐ Aim is lit, hope is dry ♪
‐
Hey, honey.
She wasn't gonna jump.
‐ Stop trying to shield me
from everything, Dad! I saw!
I fucking saw it.
‐ Honey
You know, as well as I do,
your mother would‐‐
‐ You watch me like I'm the problem.
Do you realize you guys
are the fucked up ones inside?
And all you do
is hide it from me.
And from each other,
from everybody.
‐ Must admit I've done wrong ♪
‐
One at a time.
Oh, hey. Um, how's
how's Frances?
‐ She's hurting.
You're right, Delilah, this is
a particularly volatile group.
But they're a brilliant one,
and we need them all.
Let's start the Protocol.
The new Protocol.
‐ O Okay, but it's, it's only day two.
‐ Mm‐hmm. But we have to make it
to day three.
We can't lose any of them.
‐ They haven't fully detoxed.
It hasn't been tested.
‐ They are begging to be saved.
They're on their hands and knees.
You can both see that.
I've made the decision.
All right?
Let's go, my loves.
There is no time to waste.
This is exciting.
‐ I ain't gonna stop loving you ♪