The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) s01e05 Episode Script

1
[mechanical chirping]
[upbeat music playing]
[Verna] You're looking
the wrong way, Gatsby.
Daisy's done run off with the hoi polloi.
[Roderick] As she should.
Growing up, my mom used to tell us
that ravens were the minions of Satan,
'cause Noah threw them
Threw them overboard
and they still survived the flood.
Yeah. Heard that one before.
They're not considered bad omens
in every culture though.
A lot of people believe ravens
bring good fortune.
Not sure I want to know my fortune.
Oh, why?
See how your line splits here?
Your life will take
a complete change of course.
Tonight.
[siren wails]
Woah, listen to the music ♪
Woah, listen to the music ♪
Woah, listen to the music ♪
All the time ♪
Then I know you're not there ♪
It's your turn.
I don't really feel like dancing.
It's not about dancing,
it's about being seen.
Make a friend.
Kiss her as the ball drops,
make sure she'll remember.
[sighs]
[man on TV] Under the direction
of Mr. Alex Parker,
who owns this wonderful building,
the former Times Tower,
and this has become a New Year's tradition
for the last 75 years
Thank God he's got you to call the shots.
What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing but a compliment.
If it was our birthday he'd forget
to eat cake if I didn't take a bite first.
Women are the natural leaders
of the species.
Ancient Egypt had it right.
The ball is gonna drop.
You decide on your resolution?
You already asked us that.
Change the world.
Remember?
Your brother answered for you.
- What do you want?
- That is what I want.
Do I seem like I can't speak for myself?
You strike me as a queen without a crown.
How about this?
If you could be rich or famous, which
Rich.
Okay. You're rich.
You never have to work again.
What now?
What do you do with your life?
[man] Getting closer now.
Less than 20 seconds coming up.
I'd never let a man have power over me,
- and I'd figure out how to live forever.
- [crowd] Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one!
[man] Happy new year!
Cheers to you, Cleopatra.
[Auguste] You always had a way
with the ladies.
Over the years, I mean.
But, you seemed happily married
when I met you.
[Roderick] I was.
What went wrong?
Doesn't matter now.
That when it started?
New Year's 1980?
You're not at home with Annabel Lee,
you're locking lips
with some other woman at a bar.
- Had to.
- Why?
I'll get to that.
What did you do, Roderick?
You and Madeline.
You said this is your confession.
Confess.
[pastor] In death around thee
And their will shall overshadow thee
Be still
The night, tho' clear, shall frown
And the stars shall not look down
From their high thrones in heaven
With light like Hope to mortals given
But their red orbs, without beam
- To thy weariness shall seem
- Who are they?
- As a burning and a fever
- The mothers.
Perry, Leo, Camille.
[pastor] Which will cling to thee forever
Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish
Now are visions never to vanish
From thy spirit shall they pass
No more, like dewdrops from the grass
Just say, "This is a very difficult
moment for me,
please respect my privacy at this time."
This is a very difficult moment for me,
please respect my privacy at this time.
You got it.
Juno.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Just take my arm.
- Juno, you've got his side? Okay.
- I'm fine.
Heads down, just nods, sad smiles,
we are not talking to anyone.
Well, you did it.
You bought out the whole place.
Want a drink?
No bartender?
Fuck, no bartender,
this is a private conversation.
Your date can sit with our dates.
Nothing for them, they're on duty.
Ah.
This is Tony.
Tony, this is who's left.
I asked Tony if he had to follow us
everywhere, even to take a piss.
He isn't being forthcoming.
[Tammy] Mine did.
To the door at least.
Not sure if he was supposed to,
but he did, dirty boy!
[Victorine] This is mental.
And protect us from what exactly?
Leo jumped. Julius saw the whole thing.
He was high as fuck,
not battling some corporate assassin.
So Dad's overreacting?
This is not Dad.
This is Aunt Mad.
- [Victorine] What, for real?
- For real.
Those NDAs better be
locked up tighter than Alcatraz
if that guy thinks
he's staying outside my place.
Right.
Right, the hookers.
The only people out for Usher blood
are Ushers.
It's kind of why I wanted to do this.
I mean, there are three of us left.
Half of us.
And look, I know we haven't always seen
eye-to-eye,
but we have to pull together now,
don't we?
She might be right.
[Victorine] You remember
when they showed up?
The Littles, I mean.
I remember when you showed up.
God, how annoyed we were.
And watching them trying to fill
that hole.
The drugs, the fame, the spending.
All of it, just fucking sad, man.
[Tammy] You have the same hole, Vic.
I don't know if you see it,
but you have it too.
Camille tried to fill hers
with information,
Perry tried to fill it with
anything really,
and Leo tried to fill his Dad hole
with the love of his fans.
Dad hole.
He went out to check the fucking mail,
he'd end up balls-deep
in an Insta follower.
Dad hole.
You two never had to worry about it.
Original OG kids came up
in the same house as Dad.
- Not true.
- Not true, Vic.
- Not true.
- Oh, boo-fucking-hoo.
My mother was a nurse.
A single nurse.
I don't want to hear how hard it was
being stuck in the same house
as the legendary Annabel Lee.
Only one he ever thought to marry.
[Frederick] Well, true until Juno.
Mmm! Nope. No. No, you don't talk
about the junkie to me.
Look, we are sorry Dad's Dad.
And he dove off of our mother
into a sea of strange pussy
and we have been meeting the fruits
ever since.
And this is tragic, but for all we know
there are three more
coming to take their place.
There, I said it.
Dad's whole thing is just keeping
the door open
for every bastard he has
in the free world.
Okay, just because the door's open
doesn't necessarily guarantee you
a seat at the table.
Come on, he throws us the food
and watches us fight for it.
You know that. Especially us.
You seem to be faring just fine.
Yeah, Dad really loves the heart squeezer.
[Tammy] For some reason.
Really, Tamerlane?
How goes it with your homeo-hipster
subscription boxes?
Let me know when Gwyneth bends you over
and takes one dry with her legal team.
Well, I for one, I can't wait to hear
how she feels about her generic
brand doppelganger.
Didn't Camille have her face ripped off
by one of your flying monkeys?
Chimps. I'm sorry, did you people
not graduate second grade science?
I mean, how fucking hard is that?
Well, this has been fun.
I want to know what sunbaked,
half-rotten carcass
- Camille dug up on you before she died.
- [Victorine scoffs]
Yeah, you got me.
I'm killing the Ushers one by one.
Guess who's next?
[Frederick] Okey-dokey.
I thought we were gonna be toasting
our dead siblings or something.
Fuck off, Froderick.
Froderick and Maderlane.
You two, you're just like Dad and Mads.
Linking arms, side by side,
playing Red fucking Rover,
trying to get me to break through,
so what?
You can knock me down?
Well, guess what?
I don't need to break through.
Because I'm going over the top.
Oh, fuck off, Ray-Bans!
I don't care what Pym says,
it was her, she's the informant.
Do you think the 50 mill
is still on the table?
[sighs] Probably not.
Not with all the dead people and stuff.
[Morrie wheezing]
Am I your daughter?
Two blinks. She said yes.
That's great, jellybean.
I'm sorry. Can you say that again?
Her blood-ox levels
are looking much better
Is my name Lenore?
[doctor] Given the damage to her lung,
she'll need to remain on oxygen.
Did you miss me?
[doctor] This is all good news.
With third degree caustic burns
covering this much of a body
Am I better at bowling than Dad?
Her organs are functioning
much better than expected.
[Lenore] Think I'll be the next RBG?
She's not a Magic 8 ball, honey.
I'm going to take her home.
I don't think she's bothering her.
I think Morrie's excited to talk to her.
No, I mean Morrie.
I think it's time I take her home.
We've still got a long road to hoe.
We're weeks away from even the possibility
of skin grafts.
We have everything we need at home.
I've been working on this for a little bit
and I'm just about ready
to bring her back.
Um, most patients in her condition
remain in intensive care
for 40 to 80 days.
Most patients in her condition
are not industry royalty.
I could build a suite in one day
- that would put your best bed to shame.
- Dad.
It's true.
She's incredibly fragile.
She has zero physical defense,
no protection from
She has the entire arsenal
of the Usher family.
That's better protection than any patient
you've ever had.
Are you mistaking me for a civilian?
I'm not a fucking civilian.
You think I don't know
what I'm talking about?
No, of course not.
You play your cards right
and don't piss me off,
maybe I'll hire you on.
Morrie, honey.
Honey, we can get through this,
we can do it.
Don't you want to come home?
[Victorine] Are you fucking kidding me?
So, you're going to pull out now?
On the day I buried three of my
Well, I'm sorry I didn't know
about the fucking surgery until tonight!
I've gotta learn from the office that you
literally booked me
- for surgery next week, Victorine.
- Well, fuck me, I thought you'd be happy.
Who's the candidate?
We're supposed to be partners in this,
I haven't even vetted the candidate.
Look, she's one of yours.
I will get her file.
It doesn't matter
because we're not ready, Victorine!
Do you remember this?
Yeah.
What is it?
Say it.
That's our prototype.
No, baby, it's our beginning.
The first stab at it works, Al.
I know it works. It's not that.
You know what else it is?
$200 million of Roderick Usher's money
and, for some reason, right,
for whatever reason
he wants it right now.
So if he says human trials,
you'd better believe, babe,
we're doing human trials.
There's no way
you could have gotten clearance for this.
Oh, no.
- No, no, no.
- Okay. Al.
No, Vic. No, you didn't. What did you do?
- Baby, it's not like that.
- You didn't.
No, tell me that my signature
isn't on falsified data.
Listen, the reports are fine.
- Tell me right now
- It's It's
that my signature isn't
on falsified reports, Victorine!
Al, fucking Don't be a fucking child!
Shit, how do you think
this industry works?
It is It is filled
It is hard enough as it is,
and as a woman
As a woman you should know
it is infinitely harder.
Oh, don't you dare.
You sang a different tune when that money,
my money
Usher money, Fortunato money,
came rolling into your clinic.
And into your bank account.
Yeah, I think I'm out.
What do you mean, "out"?
You're right. I let this go too far.
Wait, out of Out of us?
Wow.
You're not gonna say anything, Al,
about the NDA?
Whoa.
Well, it doesn't cover
illegal activities, so
Yes, it most certainly fucking does.
Yeah, that's a That is a Pym Special.
And you signed it. And I'm telling
I'm asking you
Okay, babe, I'm begging you, please.
Don't do this.
Because they
they will just rip you apart into pieces
and even after they win, and they will
Al, they will win. Okay? Please.
Baby, please don't do this.
You're not who I thought you were.
What are you going to do, Al?
Goodbye, Vic.
Wait.
You're not going to tell anyone!
Of course I'm going to tell.
And I don't fucking care if you sue me
or you rip me apart!
You Ushers
I really didn't want to think it, but
you're all fucking monsters.
[yells]
[Victorine] Hi, it's me again.
Listen, just
Look, I am sorry.
Okay, please, just call me back.
We can work this out.
Just This is my
This is my third message
Don't do me like this, please.
[sighs]
[sniffles]
[soft mechanical chirping]
[chirping continues]
Oh.
[beeps]
Oh, my. You didn't take up smoking,
did you?
Oh, no.
It's just chirping. It's weird. Sorry.
How did you get past Kevin Costner
in the hall?
It is for your own protection, all of you,
to keep you safe.
And good morning, how are you?
What do you want?
I'm just making the rounds.
Checking on my ducklings.
Seeing if anything unusual is happening.
[chirping continues]
Sorry. Do you hear that?
Listen.
I hear a delightful rumor
that you're moving forward
with human trials.
- We are working on it.
- When?
Can I ask why you're interested
in HeroVesta all of a sudden?
I'm now taking an interest.
You and Dad.
Lucky me.
It's important.
Maybe the most important thing right now.
We need to get it on a fast track.
So we can implement
a very special human study
on a candidate that will surprise you.
A candidate we cannot risk.
Do you understand?
[chirping echoing]
Am I boring you?
Mmm? No. No, sure.
Look, whilst I appreciate your sudden
and not at all alarming interest
in HeroVesta,
don't you have bigger fish to fry?
Like what?
Not to put too fine a point on it,
but aren't you still on trial?
[scoffs]
Not for much longer,
I would imagine.
You know, I think I see where they get it.
The Pym Reaper.
If only we had a chessboard and a beach.
Hmm.
Love Bergman.
Can I ask you something
man to man, Arthur?
Yes, Auguste.
You're a smart man.
You could be anywhere, doing anything.
You know what they are,
why do you do this?
I wouldn't be where I am today
without Roderick Usher.
Neither would you, by the way.
Apologies for the wait, gentlemen.
We're here during my lunch hour
to discuss the recent tragedies
that have been suffered by the defense,
and Mr. Pym's motion for a continuance.
[Auguste] Why?
None of the deceased
were defendants in this trial.
Mr. Dupin insinuated early on
that there was an informant close
to the family,
and since then, we believe
the family is under attack.
I was told these deaths were accidental.
We are still investigating, Your Honor,
but a continuance is warranted
and needed in this case.
I wouldn't have thought counsel
would be this opportunistic,
but I suppose I'm not surprised.
- Just what is he implying?
- Three dead bodies in a week, Mr. Dupin.
And until we know why this happened,
and how it's related
to Mr. Dupin's informant
I'm sorry, who said it's related?
How can we know it isn't?
You won't disclose.
For their safety.
Continuance isn't the end
of the world, Mr. Dupin.
But, Your Honor, this is bullshit!
This family has repeatedly managed
to evade prosecution,
no matter how much evidence
stacked against them,
no matter how many testified,
no matter how many bodies they pile up,
they always slip through the cracks.
It's almost supernatural, Your Honor.
And you're going to let them do it again.
I'm gonna go ahead and assume
you're not intending to imply
what you're implying.
- I'm not implying anything, Your Honor.
- Your Honor, if I may?
Perhaps we can avoid a continuance
after all.
Mr. Dupin can help us cut through
this mess
if he simply identifies his informant
and allows an investigation
to take its course.
[Roderick] Who was it, by the way?
I mean, things all got so Well
You know how they got.
I guess it got lost in the shuffle,
but it doesn't possibly
matter now, Auggie.
Just out of curiosity.
Who was it?
Who was your informant?
Oh, come on. I get why
you didn't answer that day,
but now, Auggie, it's done, it's all over.
[sighs]
There was never an informant.
Oh, I'm impressed, Auggie.
- I didn't think that you had it in you.
- Come on.
There's no ethics to your defense,
and I'm supposed to run
my case by the book.
There's even more scrutiny on me
because you're so unscrupulous so, yeah,
one time I play your way.
Relax, Auggie, I mean it.
It was good.
This would have been a fun one.
I'm as sorry as you
we couldn't play it through.
Watching you shit on your principles
would have been worth every fucking penny.
- Fuck you.
- Drag me, you fucking honey badger.
We got you off your white horse
and down in the mud.
I shouldn't have pointed at the kids.
But, Roderick, if I'd thought for a moment
they'd start dying
Easy there.
No. Let's play in the mud. You're right.
I pointed at the kids,
figured it would stir you all up.
Pressure the fault lines.
Maybe even pitch you against each other.
Hell, you might eat each other alive
but, hey, it could finally crack
the fortress.
Let you all knock it down from inside.
But, Roderick, I didn't imagine
for a moment
the kids would start dying.
Figured you might torture them a bit.
But I never imagined in a million years
any of them would end up dead.
You really stepped in it this time.
Why, if it weren't for you,
they would all still be alive today.
[heart thumping]
[thumping continues]
[screaming]
- [gasps]
- [thunder rumbling]
[sighs]
Auggie, let me relieve you of that burden.
No one died for your lie.
So don't carry that.
You see, one had nothing to do
with the other.
So, just
You can let that go.
And the mind of guilt
is full of scorpions.
And I wouldn't wish their sting on anyone.
Never waste your time on guilt or shame.
Is their alchemy a savage cross to bear?
And he'll change everything.
You could track how many prescriptions
of your drugs are being written.
Know which drugs are underperforming
and where.
Customize your sales force,
annihilate the competition.
Yeah, but I don't much love computers.
- And they take up half the building and
- They'll only get smaller.
Much smaller, and fast,
and you're expanding anyway, aren't you?
- Roddie says you're building a new campus?
- We are. Yeah.
Well, I, you know
I'm interested.
Well, that is forward thinking of you.
Not many men want to listen to me talk
about tech for half an hour.
Oh, I doubt that.
Well, maybe not the radio version, anyway.
I'm happy to answer any questions
you might have.
How do you take your coffee?
How do you take your morning coffee?
That's top of my mind for me right now.
In solitude.
Uh-huh.
So, this computer
what, company that you're pitching,
- this is your company?
- Yes.
And why would a woman
want to run her own company?
Same reason a man would.
Yeah, I get it, but why go it alone?
You could be doing more sitting
at that desk outside my door
in one day than you could on your own.
A secretary can't build you an algorithm
to triple your sales
You think you're the first to walk in here
with a computer infrastructure pitch?
You're right, we're expanding,
and we are buying all that stuff already.
I'm not sure why you're talking
to me this way.
Take a guess, sweetheart,
you're a pretty smart girl.
Mmm.
Smart girls are only sexy
until they don't wanna fuck you,
and then they're competition,
and then what do you do?
You take them down a peg.
Well, Roderick Usher's sister. Mmm.
It's funny,
I just had a very interesting conversation
with Roderick Usher only a few days ago,
and now suddenly his sister's in my office
to pitch me some sort of computer thing
that will require me to, what?
Computerize all our records, right?
"Why don't you let me take
all those sensitive company papers
that my brother was just talking about
out of the basement
and computerize them for you."
And even if this is innocent,
well, I don't know just what to do.
So you figured you'd humiliate me?
No. No, no, no.
No, I don't wanna humiliate you.
I don't need to.
You do realize the entire company
knows about you, right?
Yeah, you're the go-to gossip
around here for decades.
You two are an office fairytale.
Longfellow knocks up his secretary.
Ooh. Such a scandal.
I was here, you know?
I worked for your father.
I knew your mother.
And she was a great secretary.
She was a full-service secretary.
Until her brain rotted.
Until she killed a giant.
Until she killed a great man.
And it must have been so tough
for you growing up.
I don't know why he didn't
just claim you as heirs.
Would have made such a difference.
Everybody knew about you anyway,
but here you both are,
working the mail room.
Pitching from the fringes.
I don't need nor want to humiliate you,
you're doing fine on your own.
And I know it's not your fault.
But hey, it worked out pretty good for me,
what with the old man gone.
That's the way this business works.
Chairs empty out, sad to say,
but they don't stay empty long.
So I'm grateful for that part of it.
So don't misread me here, Madeline,
I'm actually on your side.
You and Roderick.
I'm helping. Ask him.
I'm giving him a hand up.
And I can do the same for you.
It just has to make sense.
So just don't And this is important
Don't fuck with me, Madeline.
Either of you. Do not fuck with me.
Fuck me, now that's fine.
Hell, you'll climb that ladder fast.
Men have to climb
on their bellies in the dirt,
but women, they can climb it
on their backs.
On their knees.
World's unfair that way, but it works,
so you can fuck me any time you want.
But don't you ever fuck with me,
Madeline Usher. Do you get me?
I get you.
[Annabel] That's disgusting.
That's men.
I don't understand why you went
in there in the first place.
To look him in the eye.
Now I know what we're up against
and it's not much.
Testosterone, hubris, aftershave.
I'm relieved.
I mean, shit. What if he was smart?
Don't have to be smart to be dangerous.
I'm not scared of rattlesnakes
'cause they're so smart.
[Auguste] He's smart, all right.
Don't misjudge him, he's misjudged you.
Don't make the same mistake.
People misjudge me all the time.
Everywhere I go.
Used to make my blood boil.
But now I get it.
It's an opportunity.
He's underestimated you. That's a gift.
A failure of imagination.
He sees you as formidable, he locks down,
closes ranks, shuts the doors,
battens the hatches.
But he doesn't think much of you,
either of you.
And that's great for us.
[Madeline] I agree.
This one gets it, Roddie.
[Auguste] So we learned two things.
First, he isn't worried about you,
which is great.
And second those records still exist.
In hard copy.
In the basement.
Best time to destroy them
will be during construction.
They can get lost in the move
to the new campus,
disappear quietly before everything
gets computerized.
So, that gives us our clock too.
I don't like this. I'm sorry, I don't.
[Auguste] And you're right.
This is dangerous.
And once we do this next part,
there is no going back.
Well, we're doing it.
[Roderick] So what are we looking at?
And this.
This is from Leo's phone.
Double the security detail.
It's ridiculous. Leo jumped off a balcony,
Julius saw it.
No one in the room with Cami,
and no one could have made
these things happen.
[Madeline] I know that face.
I really had to dig back
and I thought I was a little nuts
but I thought it through again and again
and I can't deny it.
I know that face. You know her too.
New Year's Eve 1980.
That New Year's.
Don't tell me you don't remember.
- Arthur, please leave us.
- No, he stays.
I'm sorry, you just mentioned New Year's
in front of another person.
We don't have many rules,
but that one's yours.
So you remember?
- 'Course I remember.
- You remember that bar?
I remember a bar.
You stubborn, stubborn man.
I remember we were drunk
and maybe a little high,
and definitely a little fucking distracted
that night.
And since we've both sworn
to never discuss that night again,
I don't know what you're talking about.
But let me take the ride with you, Mads.
You're saying that imaginary bartender
that you dreamed up 40 years ago is back,
hasn't aged a day and is
Maybe I'm saying,
"Gee, Roderick, did you happen to,
I don't know, fuck that pretty bartender
all those years ago?"
"Now you've got another heir
running around,
and maybe this one's psychotic."
Tell me everything.
This woman looks remarkably like
a certain bartender we met back in 1980
just up the street from here, in fact.
The bar's long gone now.
I already checked, but I know I'm right.
And since my brother likes to stick
his dick into anything that moves,
you've got new bastards popping up
like new smart phones,
and maybe this one is crazy
and wants to be first in line.
Beef up security, let Pym do what he does.
[Arthur] I'm on it.
I assume I'm authorized to negotiate
on your behalf with this individual?
Unless you object right now,
I assume I'm authorized
to approach these negotiations
from a hostile posture.
Text me the location of the bar,
where it used to be, anyway.
I'll go from there.
I'll return with the receipt.
Once the transaction is complete.
Her eyes, Arthur.
The receipt.
I'd like it to be her eyes.
Both of them.
Extracted.
With patience.
[Victorine] I know
you're having second thoughts
and that's totally normal.
But this this might be the single
most important thing you've ever done.
[chuckles]
It might be the most important thing
you ever do,
and I'm, well, you know what,
I'm jealous of you, quite frankly.
It's not that I don't want to be
an important person.
I mean, who doesn't?
- I just
- [chirping]
it's about being the first.
That's where I get scared.
[distorted] Just because
it's all happening so fast.
I suppose I'd feel better as well
- if I could talk to Dr. Ruiz.
- [chirping]
I'm sorry?
What's more important to you
being famous or saving lives?
You've always dreamed about one of those.
Not so much the other.
Ever think the balance was off
in that equation?
As a scientist, I mean.
Excuse me?
Dr. Ruiz, she's supposed to be performing
my surgery
and I haven't gotten to talk to her yet.
I'd kind of like to hear
what she has to say about it.
- I'm I'm sorry. Just
- [chirping]
Do you
Do you hear that?
Hear what?
[chirping continues]
Dr. Ruiz, yes, of course she is
She's performing the surgery.
Really?
Yes.
Do you know the term
"operant conditioning"?
It's what a horse has that lets them know
a rider might be nervous or hesitant.
- [chirping intensifies]
- They read erratic behavior.
Not fear, not exactly.
But animals learn real quick
to avoid that person.
That's you. In a nutshell.
You're so out of touch
with your human side
you can't even listen to anything outside
your own head.
You really don't hear that?
- [chirping stops]
- Do have Dr. Ruiz give me a call.
And if she says I should do this,
I'll do it.
No questions asked.
[sighs]
[mechanical chirping]
[phone ringing]
Shit.
Shit.
Oh, shit.
[voicemail] You've reached
Alessandra Ruiz. Leave a message.
- [beeps]
- [sighs]
It's me again.
Listen, you have to call me back,
I am losing it.
Every time the phone rings,
I think it's you,
and every time it's not, I get
Please, Ali.
Please.
Look, she'll do the trial if you will.
This all hinges on you.
I love
I will give you anything you want.
Just name your price.
- [chirping]
- [sighs]
[operatic music playing]
Could have saved some room
and brought another bouquet.
I know, I know.
I know, it's better for the environment.
Watching a plant grow is more therapeutic
than if it's in a bouquet.
Who wants to watch their favorite flower
die slowly in a vase?
[chuckles]
It's looking good so far.
You built it so fast.
Hmm.
Better look good. It cost enough.
Are there gonna be reporters?
When she comes home?
Probably.
I hate that.
Well, just talk to Pym.
He'll tell you what to say
or what not to say.
That feels so gross.
Come here.
You understand who we are in the world,
don't you?
We're part of a kingdom.
We're like royalty.
People fear that. They envy that.
They want to tear it down.
They want to tear us down.
Now, do you know that I've had
Eleven personal death threats
since I turned 30? Not Fortunato. Me.
Someone once mailed me a bullet
with my name etched in the casing.
Now you don't have to worry about that.
Not now.
But you will.
Someday soon.
Now, if you could see
the paper trail of shit
that Pym has protected this family
from over the years,
it's it's thicker than a phonebook.
That's what that man does for us.
So, if he tells you to say something,
you say it.
If he says to keep quiet about something,
you keep quiet.
Because he's also protecting you.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
Attagirl.
You've got to be smart.
You have to realize,
you can't trust people.
Not you. Not anyone.
Hell look at your own mother.
[scoffs]
Your mother, who looked us in the eyes
and said that she was going out
with her girlfriends that night. And lied.
Your own mother who lied.
I'm so glad Mama's coming home.
So she can heal.
So we can all start to heal.
[sighs] Yes.
We've almost got her.
[indistinct chatter]
[sighs] God.
You can't be fucking serious.
Ma'am?
Who are you talking to?
I'm sorry?
Do you have a date out here?
Keep it down, I'm trying to work.
Ma'am, I haven't been talking to anyone.
[Bill] Jesus, Tam, did you just
fall asleep in mid-sentence?
No!
But say that again.
I was just saying,
just, like, a few weeks.
Just a postponement.
For the last time,
we're not postponing the launch.
With everything that's happened,
you need a break.
Listen to me, Bill, because I really don't
wanna go through this again.
The optics will be fine.
A few "my heart will go on" tweets
will pad it out.
You can't even sit upright
because you're so tired.
I haven't seen you sleep in like
I mean, it's been a fucking long time,
Tammy. Like, horror movie long.
Well, Billy Boy,
I guess that's why you're in front
of the camera and not me, right?
You're making approvals
you don't even remember making.
- Every executive does that.
- The trial's been suspended, Tam.
The trial! If what is happening right now
feels like a bridge too far
to the United States government,
maybe take a page out of their book!
Absolutely not.
I would like to be successful.
Okay, then, do it for me, please.
As a favor.
Did you just say do it for you?
For you?
[chuckles]
I'm sorry, Bill, just who do you think
you are in this?
You have one job, you smile,
you jazz-ercise,
and you bring that army of fitness fuckers
with you.
You are a face, you're not a mouthpiece,
so just smile and shut the fuck up.
Okay, then.
From a strictly business perspective,
you can't sell health
unless you look healthy.
If you try to tell me what to do
with my business one more time
- Our business. Ours.
- That's cute.
I have hand selected every single aspect
of this company.
Every single aspect, including you.
- BILLT.
- Hey now.
Let's just finally say it.
You were selected. You were chosen.
You headhunted.
Baby, we met at VidCon.
Did you think that was an accident?
I had a list.
I think I still have the grid I made.
It was between you and Yogi Yohann.
You are just trying to hurt me.
No, honey, it's true.
You fit the brand better than Yogi.
And you were so eager.
And it worked out pretty well
before the head got boring,
but never forget,
I can easily replace you.
I'll just find another fitness guru
with a hot ass and a snappy slogan.
Wow.
I mean, there is no Goldbug
without me, Tammy.
It isn't a lifestyle brand without me.
That is what I bring.
Without me, it is just
a lowly-ass box of cosmetics.
- Fucking stop it! Stop it!
- What the
Don't stand there and look all hurt,
you asshole.
You think I don't know.
You are fucking that whore behind my back.
- What the fuck are you talking about?
- You think I'm stupid?
I have seen her on four
of your streams, BILLT.
The bodyguard out there saw you two taking
a walk in the park this afternoon!
That was you, you psycho!
I was walking with you!
You're fucking some whore!
Some fucking knock-off off-brand me!
It is pathetic, so yes,
forgive me for finally being honest,
but you are a product!
You are a fucking mascot,
and don't forget,
I own the BILLT name now,
so you are an asset.
And I don't care who you fuck,
as stupid as that sounds,
but if you fuck me on this launch,
I will fuck a trench through you.
You are losing it, honey.
And those girls, the goddamn hookers,
that was always you!
And I always fucking hated it! I hated it!
Every minute of it!
You done?
I walk out that door
and I'm not coming back.
Fucking great.
[Roderick] You must be enjoying this.
This impossible bullshit.
Never touched her.
Well, no more than Mads did. Anyway
The truth.
It's impossible anyway. Isn't it?
- [metallic clinking]
- Fuck you too.
Maybe this is just a psycho bastard
like she said. Maybe it's nothing.
Maybe I'm losing my mind.
The doctor says not to trust it.
And dementia's a nasty little bitch.
Or maybe I know
what's actually happening here.
Crazy as it sounds.
If all this crazy bullshit is right,
then maybe I know how to stop it.
You dare me?
Mmm.
Take 'em five at a time.
You'll go to sleep on the chair.
Won't feel a thing.
Just drift
off.
Of course, not the best look
for your product.
This khopesh was in someone's belly
circa 2000 BCE.
Just go out like a warrior
in ancient Egypt.
[strains]
[strains, sighs]
Takes 10 seconds to fall 70 floors.
That's no time at all.
And you don't even feel it.
You fucking You can do 10 seconds.
Some wind in your hair.
That's quite a view.
[laughs]
[gasps]
Wasn't so hard.
You fucking coward.
You fucking coward.
Ten seconds, you'd save them all.
[exhales]
[upbeat music playing]
[Victorine] Oh.
Dad.
Will you turn it down?
[volume decreases]
Um
What What are you doing here?
Well, I was just I Well
I think we should talk, if that's okay.
Yeah, okay.
I I hope I'm not interrupting.
No. No, I'm just in project mode,
you know.
I know, I'm excited. Um
- [sighs]
- Uh
Look, I'm shit at preambles.
I made a life by getting to the point, so
I'll get to the point.
I'm sorry.
You and your brothers and your sisters,
I always thought of you
as a pride of lions.
And a young lioness
has to grapple with her
She has to grapple with her siblings
before she goes off to hunt, right?
Just learn how to use her claws and
and her teeth and her strength,
before she can go off
and slaughter the water buffalo.
I
I want to apologize.
For turning you kids against one another.
I I wanted to make you stronger.
And I was
I was wrong.
And
your work
Well, I may need your work
more than you know.
I am not strong.
I am
I am not brave.
And your work
Well, it can make a big difference for me,
so I am here to support you
with everything everything I've got.
It may even be a matter of
I'm sorry, can you just
turn the music off?
I'm trying to Trying to talk with you.
Well, no, I'd very much rather not.
Because, you see, there's a
There's a problem.
Because if I turn it off
Look, I'll show you,
maybe you can You can help me fix it.
[music turns off]
[mechanical chirping]
[whispers] See?
It's just
It's just loud.
I mean, do you do you hear that?
Because people keep telling me,
they can't hear it.
Yeah, I can hear it.
Right?
And you were
You were saying? About my work?
What is that?
Your support, it means so much to me.
And I think
I think it works.
Well, it does.
It does work.
- You're not going to tell anyone!
- Of course I'm going to tell.
And I don't fucking care if you sue me
or you rip me apart!
You Ushers
Fuck.
I really didn't want to think it, but
you're all fucking monsters.
[yells]
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
Oh, God!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just
I just I just wanted to hit the door.
I just wanted to stop you.
Look, babe, okay, wait, hang on.
Okay. Just hang on there.
[panting]
Okay.
[gasps]
[groaning]
[man speaking indistinctly]
[groaning]
[knock on door]
[man] Okay in there, Ms. Usher?
[groaning]
- Fuck off!
- [man] You okay?
I heard noises.
Just want to make sure everything
[hesitates]
Have you never heard a woman
getting eaten out before?
Fuck off you pervert or I'll replace you
with someone less cringe.
[groaning]
This was an accident.
This was an accident, you hear me?
I mean, you just
You said you were going to tell, Al.
You didn't mean that, did you?
You believe me, right?
Yeah. Yeah. You believe me.
No.
No, no, no. Ali.
Okay. I take it back, I take it back.
[chirping]
I forgot.
What the fuck is that noise?
And that smell?
Dad!
[Roderick] Yeah.
I remember now!
[gasps]
There you are!
So, I've been calling you
and calling you all
Don't take that tone with me.
I'm sorry, Dad, she's
she's not being a team player,
but you see, it works.
You're
You're fully funded.
Let's just get out of here
and we'll get the paperwork started.
No.
No, not until she apologizes.
Not until she promises
to be a team player.
Well, she's she's quite dead.
Isn't she?
Yes, that would explain it, wouldn't it?
Like, why it's it's making that sound.
It's just pumping a
dead useless heart.
Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry. I'm just
- I can fix it.
- No, no.
Yeah, I can fix this.
No, no, no Oh!
You know, I wish you'd just jumped.
Maybe then I wouldn't have to do this.
Who am I kidding?
'Course I would.
Because the work is everything.
Success is Success is everything.
- [sobs] No.
- And if we're going to succeed,
we just need a better heart.
No!
[gasping]
Oh. [gasps]
Daddy?
[gasps]
[thuds]
[chirping continues]