Twenties (2021) s01e06 Episode Script

1
- Previously on "Twenties"
- Quintrell actually
gives a shitthat's why
I don't wanna mess this up.
- I been taking
a lot of these meetings.
This is the first one
I really like.
- I don't wanna date someone
I can't get in contact with.
- I like you.
Why ain't that enough?
- It is.
- Do I make you feel
happy and content?
- You make me feel alive.
- It sounds like
y'all were on a date.
- Don't fall under her spell.
- Too late.
- Well, the only person I want
exploring this body is Chuck.
- No wonder you look
so bored all the time.
- Don't get in your head
about it.
- Too late.
[bright, cheerful music]
[tinny hip-hop playing]
♪
- Every little step
I take ♪
You will be there ♪
Every little step I make ♪
We'll be together ♪
Every little step I take ♪
You will be there ♪
Every little step I make ♪
We'll be together ♪
- Ah, ah, ah, ah.
- She's so happy.
- For now.
- Can't believe
you called my home ♪
And as a matter of fact,
it blows my mind ♪
You would even talk to ♪
[music stops]
- Good morning!
- Why are you so chipper?
- Uh, just happy to be here.
You good?
- No, I'm annoyed.
- What's wrong?
- Our writer's assistant
picked a fine time to get
hit by a semitruck.
- Damn, is she a'ight?
- It's so hard
to find someone
who is actually committed.
- I could be in a coma
and still come to work.
- Well, that's good,
because I'm gonna need you
and Lauren to step up
while she's out.
- Whatever you need.
- Right now,
I need you to back up.
- All right.
- Come on, Courtney.
[dramatic musical sting]
- Congrats, Queen!
- I want you to sit
right next to me.
- Ida develops really close
relationships with people,
particularly women.
She takes them on trips,
calls them
all hours of the night,
tells them
her deep, dark secrets.
Things get really intense,
and then out of nowhere,
she gets bored and never
talks to them again.
- [muffled]
Hattie.
Hattie!
- Yeah.
- And I'ma make your head
nod back ♪
This the type of beat
that make you red ♪
[thunder booms]
I'ma make your head
nod back ♪
[garbled voice]
- Whoop!
This is all the stuff
for Ida's Easter baskets.
- Why is she sending out
Easter baskets?
She don't know Jesus.
- It's a thing she does.
Every year,
she sends out gift baskets
to all the people in
the industry she cares about.
- She don't care about
nobody.
- I know.
This is a chess move.
She only cares about
the people
who have the ability
to green light her projects.
- I thought the whole point
of being successful
was that you didn't have to
kiss people's asses anymore.
- Oh, noshe kisses
people's asses all the time.
That's why
she's so successful.
- I'm so confused.
[dramatic chords]
- Now you have to
replace that.
[dramatic, sweeping
orchestration]
♪
Excuse me, guys'scuse
thank you.
Gosh! 'Scuse me!
Everyone just stay calm!
I know things
didn't go as well
as we had hoped
with Quintrell,
but he hasn't signed an overall
deal with anyone else yet,
so there's still hope.
Now, give me your bright ideas
so I can pass them off
to my boss as my own.
- Let me take him to Miami
for the weekend.
Just because he's a film snob
doesn't mean
he doesn't like fast cars
and loose women.
- Actually, he doesn't.
- I think I know
what black men are into.
- I think you know
what basic black men are into.
- I'm a lotta things,
but basic isn't one of them.
- I just read a piece in "GQ,"
and apparently, his mom died
while he was in college
so he got super religious,
and he's saving himself
until marriage.
And, he was born and raised
in New York City,
so while he might like
fast cars,
he sure as hell
don't know how to drive one.
- Who doesn't love the beach?
- He doesn't know how to swim.
- Are you a detective
now?
- I'm just doing my job.
- Okay, what would you
suggest, Marie?
- Well, if you really
wanna impress him,
you should go with him
to church.
[angelic choir harmonizes]
- That's brilliant.
You set it up.
This Sunday
we'll all go together.
- Whoa, no, I thought it would
just be the two of you.
- It was your idea.
We'll make it a field trip.
- Wait, but I don't
wanna go to church.
I hate church.
- Really? I didn't know
you were an atheist.
- I'm not.
- You pitched it.
- Where we going?
- He worships
at Star of the Redeemer.
All the black celebs go there.
- Great, maybe we'll run into
someone else we can
do business with.
- It's Easter, so if we wanna
get a seat, we're gonna
have to be there super early.
And they have a bouncer.
I don't even know if
we're famous enough to get in.
- If you can't handle it,
I'm happy to take the lead.
- I can handle it.
I am just making sure
our boss has
all of the information.
- I'm well-informed.
Thank you.
What time should I be there?
- 6:00 a.m., sharp.
- Hi!
I'll be therelet's do this.
I may even rock these
for a little pop of
Easter color, huh?
Ying, you got all that?
- Mm-hmm.
- She is so good. Let's go.
Come on, baby.
In, in, in,
In-in-in-in-in!
Here we go!
[phone chiming]
- Oh, shit, I didn't mean
to call your ass.
- Love you too, Ma.
- Oh, well,
since I got you,
don't forget to get me
some edibles for the concert!
- Nah, the last time
you did edibles,
you woke up in the trunk
of your own car.
- Okay, you know what?
Just get the edibles, okay?
And throw in one of them
little vape pen things.
I could sneak it in.
I can sneak that.
- Ma. [chuckles]
I don't think
you wanna get too turnt
at the Anita Baker concert.
- [laughs] Oh, yes, I do!
The more turnt I am,
the harder them lyrics
hit my soul
and my hips and my joints.
And then your mama
can dance in the concert.
- That's what I'm afraid of.
Ain't nobody
trying to watch you
catch the holy ghost
to "Body and Soul" again.
- Oh, look, don't be mad
'cause my shit went viral.
Remember that little young dude
hollered he'd be slid
in my DM.
Ain't that what they say
they slid in?
- [laughs]
Bye, Ma.
She crazy.
- Shit, this ain't even
real MAC.
This gonna break me out.
Mm.
- Here, Courtney.
- Thanks.
Is there mango in this?
- Probably.
- I'm allergic.
- Hattie, what the hell?
- What?
I didn't want her to die.
- Go get her another one.
- I wish I could,
but I gotta head out.
- It's 4:00.
- I know.
My mom and I have
a trip planned, remember?
- I don't.
- Yeah.
We got tickets
to see Anita Baker.
I emailed you about it
two weeks ago.
- I can't be expected
to remember that.
- Okay, well,
I'm gonna go.
- Bye.
- I'm sure I'll be missed.
- Okay, where were we?
- Yeah, we thought maybe
- Thinking about bringing in
a new characterwhat do you
think about the new girl?
- Hey, Nia, whatever happened
to that religious dude
you used to date?
- That could be
one of seven guys.
You gotta be
more specific.
- What up, Marie?
- Hey, Hattie.
- Don't be dismissive.
- Hattie, I really don't have
time for your shit right now
because I'm currently
trying to get me and my boss
into Star of the Redeemer
this Sunday,
and all of my contacts
are dried up.
- You hate church.
- I know, but this is for work.
- You can't sneak your way
into that church last-minute.
- Yeah, I heard they turned
Cuba Gooding Jr. away.
- I heard he was at the door
screaming, "Ricky!"
at the top of his lungs
for like 15 minutes
and the usher still
didn't let his ass in.
- Yeah, they're cold-blooded
over there.
- I know,
which is why I'm calling you!
- My only connect was Bible
Boo, and he's dead to me, so
- Well, he might have to
have a resurrection,
because if I don't get
into that church on Sunday,
then I'm going to lose my job.
And y'all really don't wanna
see what
unemployed Marie looks like.
- Yeah, I've seen it.
And it ain't cute.
At all.
It's ugly.
[beep]
Bitch hung up!
[mellow hip-hop
playing on radio]
- I can't believe
she's trying to make me
text Bible Boo's old dusty ass.
He was nuts!
He just stopped texting me
Bible verses in my DMs.
- Sometimes you gotta take
one for the team, though.
- Why is no one
ever on my side?
- What are you talking about?
Y'all double-team me
all the time.
- I always have your back.
You never have mine.
I'm constantly telling
Marie to be nice.
- True story.
- I know it is.
- Work stuff
is different, though.
If I can do something
to help you live your dream,
then I would do that.
- Well, next time she needs
to at least say "please."
- I'll give you that.
[phone chiming]
Oh, shit, it's Ida.
Hold on.
[turns radio off]
This is Hattie.
- Courtney cracked
under pressure.
You need to come in.
- Wait, what?
- I'm not repeating myself.
- Ohoh, okay.
Let me flip a bitch.
I'll be right there.
- Thank you. Bye.
- Are you seriously
about to ditch your own mother?
- Hell yeah!
- Your mother has been
planning this trip for months!
- I been waiting for
this opportunity my whole life.
Nee, please!
[tires screeching]
- This is for my gangters ♪
And this is for my thugs ♪
[car horn honking,
tires screeching]
And this is for my sisters ♪
I know you need some love ♪
♪
I laughed in the faces
of all these people♪
- Bitch, I am precious cargo,
okay?
I am on my way to my destiny.
Can I make it to my destiny?
- Please stop complaining.
I'm getting you there.
I'm getting you there.
- Can I get there safely
alive?
- Okay, I get it.
- Well, damn it.
- I'm
- I'm scared.
Let me call my mama.
- I got faith in
my scatting because I ♪
- Hey, Ma.
- Do you have my edibles?
- Uh, no, but I got
some good news.
- You gonna take me backstage
to meet Anita.
- No.
Ida wants me to come
and fill in
for the writer's assistant.
- That's it?
- What do you mean, that's it?
This is a big deal.
If I do a good job,
she might consider
staffing me one day.
- I swear, you get excited
'bout the silliest shit.
- Look, Nia is gonna take you
to see Anita, okay?
- No, no,
I didn't plan this trip
for me and crazy-ass Nia.
She got on those chakras
and she do the little yoga
and stuff.
Iwe ain't even got nothing
in common.
- I know,
and I already feel bad.
- No, you don't.
- Yes, I do.
- Ooh, you love worshiping
at the altar of Ida B.
- That's not true.
- It's cool.
You ain't shit.
- Come on!
- [grunting]
You know what?
I'm gonna enjoy Anita
without you,
and don't be mad
if I get backstage.
- Okay. Okay, Ma.
Bye.
Love you.
- [muttering]
Nia's ass.
- She's been planning this
with you for months.
Why am I the one to go
with her?
I don't understand.
- ThisNia, Nia.
Nia, Nia, Nia, Nia.
- No, Hattie, Hattie, Hattie.
[percussive music]
♪
- No,
I didn't come to play ♪
He's full of tea
and pass the ♪
- I'm so sorry
about my outfit,
but you said it was urgent,
so I just came
straight from my daughter's
Easter egg hunt.
- I didn't know you had a kid.
- I have two, actually.
I named my youngest
after you.
- Oh.
Anyway, I hope no one has
any other pressing issues,
because we are going to have
to re-break our latest episode.
- Why?
- The plot's too similar
to a "227" episode, ain't it?
- Yeah.
How did you know?
- I happen to be
a "227" aficionado,
and I peeped it at
at the last table read.
- Why didn't you say anything?
- I didn't want to be a pest.
- You can pester me
whenever you want,
especially when you're right.
- Okay.
I'll remember that.
- Okay.
[hip-hop music]
Ideas.
- Well, what about
- What about changing
the character?
- So move it away from
- [clears throat]
- [yawns]
I am so ready to go home.
- Excuse me?
- I ain't say nothing.
- Please start
the proofing process,
and have it in my inbox
before I wake up.
If I see one typo,
you're fired.
- Are you being sarcastic
or nah?
- Nah.
- Then it'll be typo-free.
- I'll see you in the morning.
- Why is her life so amazing
and mine so shitty?
- Hattie, she has no friends.
Her husband left her
for an Instagram model
and her dad just wrote
a tell-all book about her
that's coming out
later this month.
- I know.
"Jesus Loves a Daughter
Who Makes
Her Daddy's House Payments."
I preordered it online.
- All I'm saying is that
if you look closely,
your life looks better
than hers.
["Blessed Up"
by Wande playing]
- Yeah, it's me ♪
I've been blessed up ♪
I've been broke down ♪
Gotta catch up ♪
I can't slow down ♪
Gotta catch up ♪
Gotta shine now ♪
[Hattie laughs,
talks indistinctly]
- What the hell?
- Oh, my God.
Is this it?
Is this the end of the world?
Of course this happened today.
I knew I should've finished
the documentary
about the majestic honeybee
last night.
I knew it.
Now it's all over.
I knew it.
- Bitch!
It's not the end of the world.
It's just my mom.
- Oh.
Wow. Excuse me.
I have a weird fear
about the apocalypse.
[laughs]
- I see.
- What would be
more comforting right now
than a warm black bosom?
- You better stay away
from my mama's bosom.
This ain't no plantation.
- Well, if it was,
I would definitely be the one
sneaking into the slave
quarters late at night
teaching everybody
how to read.
- You are a true ally.
Thank you.
[door opens]
Hattie.
- Oh, look-it.
This where the magic
be happening.
Oh, y'all got the stuff
on the board and
- How'd you get past security?
- Oh, hello, first,
but you know,
my girl Cliché
she works security
over here.
- She's not supposed
to let people on the lot
unless they have
an appointment.
- Uh, please,
as much money as she owes me,
I should have
a lifetime pass.
[laughs]
- Ma,
it's great seeing you,
but I have a lot of work to do.
My colleagues have
a lot of work to do.
And more importantly,
Ida B.
Ida B., you got a lot of work
to do, right?
- It's fine.
- WhatwhatIda B.?
Oh, me and her,
we cool now.
We friends.
Oh, I was just telling her
about how my friend Martha
said that "Cocoa's Butter"
changed her life.
She said that season finale
gave her the strength
she needed
to divorce her husband.
- Wow.
- Oh, he had been cheating
on her ass for years
with a whole bunch of bitches,
but it wasn't until
she saw that episode
where they confronted
their boyfriends
and burnt their clothes up,
just like
in "Waiting to Exhale."
- It was nothing like
what happened
in "Waiting to Exhale."
- I'll be honest with you.
I don't really watch the show,
'cause it's boring as hell.
- [laughs]
You serious?
- But all I know is,
it helped my miserable friend,
and there you have it.
- I am just glad that we made
a positive impact
on your friend's life.
- But you know,
her timing wasn't good.
She caught that leukemia,
and let me tell you something.
This heifershe sure enough
gonna die by her damn self.
- Oh, my God, that's awful!
- You gotta be responsible
with the power of television.
- Ma!
- Keep talking back.
- Can I talk to you
real quick?
- You wanna
- Yes.
- Okay, all right.
- I'll be back.
- Bye, Hattie's mom!
- Bye, little colonizer.
- So sorry about that.
- Look at her!
- Are you crazy?
- We all crazy.
- True, but I'm starting
to think
you need some real help.
- What are you talking about?
- It's not cool for you
to just come up to my job
whenever you want
and embarrass me
in front of my boss.
This ain't a joke.
This is my life.
- Well, I didn't appreciate
you canceling our trip
like I don't mean shit.
- Of course you do,
but this is my dream.
It's all I have.
- What about me?
- What about you?
You lived your life.
Let me live mine.
- I didn't have no life!
I was too busy
raising your ass!
- Well, whose fault is that?
- Your punk-ass daddy.
It's not my fault
he failed sex ed.
[somber music]
- Ma, I don't have time
for this.
- See, that's your problem.
You never make time for me.
- Because I'm grown now.
I'm not a kid anymore.
- Just 'cause you're grown
don't mean
you don't need your mother.
- Well, when I do,
I'll call you.
♪
Ma
♪
- It was so nice meeting you.
- The pleasure was all mine.
[elevator dings]
♪
- I'll talk to you later.
♪
[bright piano music]
♪
- You owe me.
- I know.
- Got me,
got me feeling good ♪
♪
Kept the faith and praised
right through it ♪
♪
Happiness is here at last ♪
- Hey, Zach.
- Oh, Jenifer!
- Oh, my goodness.
Look how you've grown up!
Oh, your ass tasty.
- I
- Listen, hey.
You tell your daddy
to call me, all right?
- All right.
- Yeah, he got the digits.
- [laughs] I know he does.
- Praise His name! He's risen!
- Yes, He is risen, darling.
Yeah.
- Ah, friend of the family.
- If you know the black mama
of Hollywood,
why did I have to make
a deal with the devil
to get us in here today?
- I'm sorry.
Was it tough?
- Yes!
- Hey, guys.
Long time, no see.
- Good to see you
in the house of the Lord.
- Yes!
This place is like
a home away from home for me.
- Funny, I've never seen you
here before.
- Is that right?
- He usually sits in the back.
- Oh, yeah, no.
I like to keep it low-key.
I'm just here to service Him
and that is all, you know?
- For real?
♪
- Yeah.
[clears throat]
- Excuse me.
- Oh, well, we'll just
- I don't
- Let it just
take over you ♪
Here's what you gotta know ♪
- Good seats, Quintrell.
- Oh, hey, Quintrell.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry,
but you're in my seat.
- Oh, this is your seat?
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I didn't realize
it was assigned seating.
- Yeah, we just wanted
to sit together.
- Do you mind?
- Look.
I don't know y'all two
very well,
but I know you're not
gonna come up in here
and gentrify the Lord's house.
- I'm black.
- Well, I can't tell.
- So good ♪
G-g-g-good ♪
So good ♪
Never been happier ♪
How good? ♪
So good ♪
[jazzy piano music]
- Praise the Lord!
- Whoo!
- Come on!
- Ooh!
♪
- He's alive ♪
- He's alive ♪
- And I know it ♪
- And I know it ♪
- Jesus died ♪
- Jesus died ♪
- And rose again ♪
- And He rose again ♪
- He's alive ♪
- He's alive ♪
- And I know it ♪
- And I know it ♪
- Jesus died ♪
- Jesus died ♪
- And rose again ♪
- And He rose again ♪
- Who's your favorite disciple?
- What?
- Just curious.
- Uh, Saint John, I guess.
- Interesting choice.
Why?
- Because he's the only one
of Jesus' disciples
that lived a long life.
He knew that just because
he was faithful,
it ain't mean he had
to be a martyr.
- Hmm.
- What?
- Just reminds me
of a book I'm reading.
♪
- What's it called?
- It's called
"The Black Count."
I'll get you a copy,
but if you're not floored
after the first few pages,
I don't think
we should work together.
- Please.
Only reason you're here
is to be in business with me.
- No, my boss wants
to be in business with you
because you're
low-hanging fruit.
I wanna be in business
with people
that have good taste.
- My taste is impeccable.
- We shall see.
- Praise the Lord.
Can I get an "amen"?
- Shh.
- Amen.
- It's truly a blessing to be
in the house of the Lord
one more time.
Let's give God some praise.
- I'll text you
when I get the book.
- Text me
once you've read it.
- Oh, you have
a blessed day, Pearl.
- You know, you guys
are lucky to have her.
- Ah, you are preaching
to the choir,
and by that, I mean,
the white Methodist choir
that can't sing.
Ba-dum-tish!
[laughing]
You know what I'm saying?
They're trying, but
Ah.
[clears throat]
- I'll be in touch.
- Yeah.
God!
Slam dunk-aroo, baby!
- Don't do that again.
- Oh, my
Yo, what'd you say to him?
- I basically told him
that if he wants
to work with me,
he needs to earn it.
- What do you mean you?
- I'm sure if he signs with us,
I'll be his day-to-day.
- That's correct.
- And the truth is,
he's not talking
to anyone else,
which means we have
the upper hand.
- Huh. I didn't really think
of it that way.
- Of course you didn't.
- Okay, relax.
I'm still your boss.
- For now.
- [chuckles]
Okay, so now what?
- Well, I'll send him
some material.
Hopefully he reads it quickly
and circles back.
- Okay, and why are you so sure
about all this?
- I have a feeling he left here
a little excited.
- Yeah, I'm sure he did.
- [clears throat]
Marie, Chuck's waiting for us.
- Mm-hmm.
- I hope you ladies enjoy
the rest of your Sunday.
- Oh, we will.
- See you tomorrow.
- See you tomorrow.
- Throw me the rock.
Alley-oop!
Bam!
[grunts]
- You know it's a sin
to flirt in church.
- Ain't nobody flirting.
- Mm-hmm.
[Anita Baker's
"Caught Up in the Rapture"]
♪
When we met ♪
- Hey, can you hear?
- Hell, yeah.
She sounds
just like the record.
- [harshly]
Da-da-da-da ♪
Caught up in the rapture
of love ♪
Nothing else can compare ♪
Girl, you want a gummy?
Oh, I said one.
I said one.
- Ma, stop being stingy
with the gummies.
I got you the big pack!
Let the lady have some.
- See that?
Uh-huh.
Mama's daughter.
You're missing it.
- They cute.
Whatever, but, you know
- [harshly]
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da ♪
- Uh-uh, uh-uh.
Please don't make it a duet.
Let Anita sing it.
Let Auntie Anita sing it.
I don't know if that's Anita
or Gladys Knight.
[shouts indistinctly]
- Caught up
in the rapture of love ♪
Nothing else can compare ♪