Promised Land (2022) s01e09 Episode Script

1 Previously on Promised Land You're in America now.
You should go by Joe.
I know you're in love with Joe.
I'm in love with Billy.
You love both of them.
Get to work! This is a war now.
We like our chances.
Why didn't you tell me? I will regret that for the rest of my life.
I think you should leave.
I gave them my word! I'm reopening negotiations.
Joe Sandoval is no longer capable of running Heritage House.
Let's talk.
You would be CEO.
I'm CEO now.
Veronica.
If you were fully empowered, would you have agreed to come here tonight? You're just amassing shares, and you want my 5%.
Yes, I've acquired a large stake in Heritage House, and, yes, I plan to propose an alternate slate of directors at next week's shareholders meeting.
So, yes, if I had your 5%, I'd be that much closer to being able to ram that slate through.
And in exchange for my shares, I'd get what, exactly? Stock options for 20% of the company, with time-based vesting starting on day one.
At the end of each year, additional shares at a pre-negotiated strike price.
At the end of five years, you would be guaranteed a 50% ownership stake.
Let me repeat that.
50% of the company would be yours if you help me take over Heritage House.
Excuse me, sir? Hi.
Um, sorry.
My My truck, it won't start.
I'm already late, kid.
I know, but my sister She's having a baby, and I'm I'm missing it.
Her Her husband is a Is a truck driver, so he's on the road like you.
I Please.
Fine.
I'll I'll take a look.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
All right, let's see.
Everything seems okay to me.
Huh? Hey! Hey! Stop! My truck! Eso! Hey! Gracias, señor! I've been trying to tell her we're done all day, but she won't listen.
Still got another hour in me.
No, no.
The mid-day sun is gonna ferment the grapes too fast.
And I can't afford to pay you overtime.
Fine, but I'll be back tonight.
No, you're done for the day, Ma.
I enjoy this, Mateo.
It's harvest, and everybody pitches in.
Well, almost everybody.
Hey, 30 years ago, I swore I'd never touch another grape.
Don't make a liar out of me.
So, have you made a list? About what? The pros and cons of leaving Joe.
Oh, Rosa, come on.
It helps me with my patients, deciding which treatment to go with.
Yeah, so now I'm a patient.
If you were, I'd refer you to another doctor.
Oh, really, Dr.
Rosa? Why? 'Cause I'm family.
No.
Because you're way too difficult.
No, I understand why Joe would be angry.
I should have told him what happened with his dad.
Maybe.
Then again, why stay with a man you can't tell the truth to? So you think I'd be better off with Billy? You mean Billy, who's now a priest? Leave it to that charming bastard to do the last thing you'd expect.
Did you violate any vows? - His or yours? - Rosa! Come on.
No.
Came close, but no.
Ah.
I think I know where he went.
Then why haven't you gone to him? Because every time I'm about to, I ask myself, "Am I truly in love with him or with who I was when I was with him?" At the end of the day, as long as you're happy, does it matter? Gracias.
It's your favorite two weeks of the year.
Yeah, we're running a day shift today.
That's how full this harvest is.
- So where should we go? - What do you mean? Well, when the harvest is over, I'm taking you somewhere.
I'm thinking Mexican wine country.
Valle de Guadalupe.
Nowhere near a grape, please.
Okay.
Then where? Disneyland.
Oh, I forgot about your Goofy thing.
Hey.
Maybe the workers will strike and we can fly down tonight.
No.
Don't Don't even joke.
I already pay 50% of health coverage.
Veronica agreed to 70%.
We shook on it.
No, you and Veronica shook on it.
So everything we agreed to is out the window? Not everything.
I'm okay with a 3% wage increase.
- We asked for 6%.
- And I'm giving you 3%.
Better than nothing.
Well, this is obviously getting us nowhere.
We've been talking for hours, and you haven't yielded one single deal point.
One of us is willing to negotiate in good faith.
The other one isn't.
You know where to reach me.
Do you really wanna piss him off in the middle of a harvest? I'm not worried.
You will be if the workers walk out.
Trust me.
No one is walking out.
I'm sorry, Margaret.
I've heard worse.
I'm curious.
What do you think you accomplished? Pues, ahora it's harder for the scabs to get on the vineyard.
If people want to work, a truck's not going to stop them.
Just has to stop them long enough to read one of these.
Mira.
When they see why we fight, they won't go through that gate.
My father is very upset.
Tell him to come down.
We can talk about it.
He's done talking, Joe.
Yeah, tonight at 7:00.
No, everyone needs to be there.
And let them know I'm recommending a "yes" vote.
You're calling a strike? Your father left us no choice.
He'd never risk it.
Not in the middle of harvest.
Are you sure about that? No.
No.
Truth is, when it comes to my father, I'm not sure about anything anymore.
Look, just delay the vote.
There may be a change in leadership happening.
Margaret's making a play for Heritage House.
She's offering me the moon to stay on as CEO.
So what are you thinking? Well, she's saying all the right things.
But then again, so did my father.
Get it in writing.
Contracts are like origami to them.
You bend them any way you want.
They're cut from the same cloth.
As long as one of them owns the company, I'll never be able to run it the way I want.
I need someone else to buy Heritage House.
Got someone in mind? Yeah.
Me.
Just can't do it alone.
This is Tomás.
I'll be right there.
Looks like your father beat us to the punch.
Javi.
Javi, what's going on? Joe ordered me to lock the workers out.
So who are these guys? Replacements.
This way.
Come on.
My father hired scabs? Somebody's gotta pick the grapes.
Excuse me.
So, how many of the half-tons did we fill? We only filled 12 of the half-tons? What? You wanted us to do everything by hand.
I can rent us a harvester.
It's not too late.
By hand it is.
Oh, God.
Who drives a Porsche to a vineyard? Mateo.
- I got your text.
- Yeah? I thought your guys could pick our rows.
You mean your rows.
I'm out of the sangria business, remember? Fine.
My rows.
So what's the problem? I think I got a bunch of no-shows.
I got a small crew.
I need them all on my tract.
Hell, I got Lettie picking grapes.
Oh, my God.
Is there a video? Carmen, if your grapes don't get picked the next day or so, your sugar levels will be too high.
Your whole crop will be ruined.
So I've had the business all of a week, and I could go under? That's what you're saying? It's not your first harvest, Carmen.
You've got to anticipate these things.
And a life lesson in the bargain.
Thanks, 'Teo.
What, are you scared of getting your hands dirty? Hey.
You brought the business this far by thinking outside the box.
You're gonna stop doing that now? Even a late rally on Wall Street isn't helping the stock price of Sonoma Valley's Heritage House.
The esteemed winemaker's shares continue to take a hit on - What the hell is he doing? - I don't know.
Stock's down 4%.
Can I trust you with something? Yeah.
Margaret offered me a deal.
If I help her take over Heritage House, she gives me expanded CEO powers and a 50% stake in the company within five years.
V, that's amazing.
Are you gonna take it? Apá's win-at-all-costs mentality is gonna destroy this company.
But? But our mother's no better.
Yeah, I can't disagree with you there.
So what if we took over Heritage House? Think about it.
You and I each own 5%.
Carmen, Mateo, and Junior That's 25%.
No, that's 15%.
Mateo doesn't have any shares, and Junior's are held in a trust.
We can't count on those.
- Lettie owns 5%.
- Oh, please.
You think Lettie's gonna turn her back on Joe? Did you ever think I would? Let's just say we control 20%.
With the chaos at the top of the company and the stock tanking, shareholders meet next week, I bet we can get enough of them to come our way.
Yeah, maybe.
But we'll be fighting a two-front war.
Joe and Margaret are no joke in a street fight.
Oh, and we are? And I thought family dinners were awkward before.
Antonio, we can do this.
I need a few hours to think about it.
I'll talk to the others and let you know what they say.
Owner and CEO of Heritage House, Joseph Sandoval offered a terse "No" Antonio, what's up? Margaret's been talking to Veronica about taking over the company.
They asked me to join forces with them.
I said no.
I expect them to reach out to the others.
Take none of the shares for granted, Apá.
None of them.
I won't forget this, Antonio.
Don't worry.
I won't let you.
Oh, yeah.
How's Denise? Nearly done with her PhD.
Oh, my God.
And Juanito's in Berkeley, teaching.
Oh, you did such an amazing job with those kids.
- Aww.
- I mean, come on.
A single mother, putting herself through medical school.
How could you do it? How do you think I could do it? Eso! Ooh, it's time for a refill.
Please, please, please.
I got it, I got it.
Rosa.
I heard you were in town.
Can I come in? No law against it, I suppose.
Kids okay? They're great.
Thanks.
And your practice? Why do you ask? You got a job for me? We heard about the scabs.
Those scabs are trying to feed their families, - just like we used to be.
- Mm.
Though now that you mention it, I do remember you saying I'd never be anything more than a fruit picker.
What do you think of that fruit picker now? How long do you have? Joe.
I see your sister still hates me.
Only mildly.
What are you doing here, Joe? I want you back in the house.
That's not what you said yesterday.
I was in shock, hearing how my father died.
He begged me not to tell you, Joe.
Those were his last words.
Oh, sorry, Lettie.
That must have been awful.
But I know why you did what you did.
You were only trying to protect Margaret.
Still, I should have told you.
You let me spend the last 30 years thinking he was a better man than he actually was.
It was a It was a mercy, Lettie.
I should be thanking you.
We've always been a team.
Right? And we built this family and the company.
I could have never built Heritage House without you.
And you know I have never given you the credit you deserve for that.
The company is half yours, Lettie, and only 5% of the stock is in your name? Well, I want to fix that.
What do you say we increase your percentage? You son of a bitch.
What? You're scared.
You think I'm gonna sell my shares to Margaret? - That's ridiculous.
- You do.
That's the only reason you're here.
I want you to leave.
- Lettie, you got it all wrong.
- Now! Now.
Joe! Joe! ¿Estás bien? ¿Estás bien? Lettie! No.
Ay, Joe.
Oh, Joe.
What kind of person spends their entire day laying by the pool? For real? I need help on the vineyard.
Not a lot.
Just you and a dozen of your high-school buddies.
You're high.
- I can pay them.
- They don't need the money.
1520 that's what you got on your SAT score, huh? That's like 96th percentile.
- I'm pretty smart.
- Yeah.
Not as smart as the guy you paid to take the test for you.
How did you know that? Junior, you and I were in Tahoe skiing that weekend.
Oh, yeah.
I can't believe Papi would be too happy to hear about it.
Well, maybe he'll congratulate me on my initiative.
He's a brown-faced killer, if you haven't noticed.
Junior, please.
If my harvest is a bust, I could lose my company.
I want equity.
- Okay? - And a title.
Oh, I got a title for you.
Okay, fine! You can have a title.
What, you want a company car, too? I got that covered.
Stop! Come on! Whoo! I love a good game of hardball, but the former grape picker locking out his own workers? The optics are terrible.
No one's going to lose sleep over this, and if they do, they're not our customers.
What is this about, Apá? Hmm? Is it Lettie? I know this must have come as a shock, but your father's death It was an accident.
This is business.
That's all it is.
Then treat it as the businessman you are.
It starts with a lockout, and then before you know it, half the country is boycotting Heritage House wines.
You don't think I know the history of boycotts? I know it better than anyone.
You're making a big mistake.
Trust me.
This will be over before you know it.
Joe? I can't believe my father did this.
Really, Margaret? That surprises you? - But he's a good man.
- Mm-hmm.
I'm sorry, Margaret, but he's not.
Hey.
Joe.
Vamos.
Margaret, this is Hector.
He's worked on the vineyard for 20 years.
22 in May.
Sí, estoy practicando.
You see, Margaret? That's what this strike is about.
A better life for ourselves.
Hey.
This is getting bad.
You gotta tell your guys to go home.
Why don't you tell them? Or better yet, get your boss down here.
Maybe they'll listen to him.
Too busy hiding in his mansion? Hey! Hey! You gotta let him through! Let him pass! You okay, man? Give him room.
Call 911! Oh, Antonio, sweetie.
How is he? They don't know.
Gonzo, Clara.
I'm so sorry.
Señora.
It's good of you to come.
Lettie? Oh, my God.
Rosa.
How are you? Surprised to see you here.
Gonzo has served my family faithfully for over 30 years.
Javi is my godson.
Can we not do this now, please? I have an update on Mr.
Soto's condition.
He sustained a serious head trauma, which led to a brain bleed.
Right now, we've got him on steroids and anti-seizure medication.
Dexamethasone? Hopefully he'll respond.
If not, he'll need surgery, and the outcomes get more serious.
Can we see him? Family can, yes.
You, too.
My son, Gustavo He needs medicine.
We no can afford.
That's why we fight, Margaret.
You see? If it takes two weeks or two years we're going to win.
I don't think so, Joe.
We strike for three weeks now.
People are tired, hungry.
But mostly, they are scared.
- Vamos, Hector.
- Joe, no.
- Thank you, amigo.
- Joe.
Margaret, help me up, please.
- ¿Quieres hacer? - Now.
Okay.
Billy.
I'm not in the least bit surprised.
I just heard.
How is he? - Oh, now you care.
- Rosa.
It's not good.
It's serious, Joe.
He's bleeding in the brain.
Oh, my God.
This war with your workers has to stop.
What are you doing? What is best for Heritage House.
Nicely done, bro.
Not my first rodeo.
No, it kind of is.
How'd you get them to come help out? I just told them whoever picks the most grapes gets a date with you, so Oh, yeah, no.
That's not gonna happen.
I'll let you think about that one.
- No, I already have.
- Okay.
All right, guys.
- Everybody has a pair of these.
- Yep.
So we're looking for clusters of grapes.
You cut as close as you can to the stem without damaging the vine.
You damage the vine, my sister will kill you.
Those are next year's grapes, so Ready? These are your workers? Children of the corn? The, like, cuter version.
I was up against it.
What about the guys that Apá fired? Did you think about hiring them? I did, but the man recently made his will, and I'm not ready to be cut out of it.
Bueno.
You got a minute? Sure.
What's up? I have an idea.
For the business.
- Okay.
- You own 5% of Heritage House.
No, not anymore.
I sold half my shares to buy the sangria business.
From him.
- Hey, Carmen.
- Stick 'em up! Hey, hey.
No.
These are for the grapes, okay? Use them on anything else, I'm gonna use them to cut off Okay, Mateo.
Relax.
It's all good.
She was always your favorite.
I need her 5%.
That's the only reason I offered to make Veronica CEO.
- Once she is on board - I don't care anymore.
You want to blow up Joe so bad? Carlos Rincón.
Did you find out who he is? An undocumented worker who came here 30 years ago and took the name Joe Sandoval.
My father's an invention.
A fraud.
That's impossible.
It's the truth.
Because of him, Javi may not make it.
You wanted a loaded gun? I just gave you one.
But you're not gonna use it.
You still love him.
To hell with both of you.
Gonna be a long night.
There's a bar across the street.
Buy you a drink? Joe and Margaret have already shown us where they'll take this company.
I think there's a better way.
You want us, the kids, to take over Heritage House? I got my own label now.
Carmen's got the sangria.
I mean, Joe's been a thorn in my side, but there's no denying what he's built.
Plus, I already borrowed against my shares to run this place.
So it must be killing you to see the what the stocks are doing - with this labor fight.
- What's in it for us? I mean, if we throw in with you, what do we get? Well, right now, you have a sangria business that's killing it in California but nowhere else.
You know the life-span of speciality drinks if you don't break into international markets, or national ones at least, and neither of those options are on the table for you right now.
Let's face it at the moment, you have a roadside stand.
A little harsh, V.
You have high-school students picking your grapes, Carmen.
- I don't.
- No.
What you have here is special.
But it's gonna take a couple of years, at least.
Mateo, you're a winemaker.
Joe's the only one who didn't see that.
So while you get this place up and running, how would you like to create your own label under the Heritage House banner? You can call it Mateo's Reserve.
You'll have better grapes, much better marketing, and within a year, you'll be on the cover of Wine Life Magazine.
You think I care about being on the cover of Wine Life Magazine? - Yes.
- Yes.
Fair enough.
Okay, even if we did do this, there's one little problem.
Papi never loses.
Papi's also never been up against all his kids at once.
I'm putting together a siblings-only meeting tomorrow at noon.
If you're in I need you there.
Where is everybody? - They left.
- All of them? You know, manual labor's not really their thing.
It's not your thing, and you're still here.
You're my sister.
It's a little bit different.
You can go if you want.
No, I'm not going home.
There's no way we're gonna harvest all of this.
There's at least 3,000 vines.
Then I'll take 2,000 and you take 1,000.
Come on.
Okay.
Funny how a thing like a corporate takeover seems so life-and-death until real life and death intrudes.
Does that mean you're giving up on the takeover? You know, it's your fault we're in this position.
Oh, really? How's that? A rich girl someone like you could fall in love with someone like me.
It made me feel like I could conquer the word.
When you're 20, that's everything.
What if I hadn't fallen in love with you? I wouldn't own the company you're trying to take from me.
So, like I said, your fault.
And yet, I don't feel bad.
You shouldn't.
You inspired me.
Hmm.
At least I've got that on Lettie.
- What? - Nothing.
Come on.
Out with it.
Okay.
Joe, have you ever thought of us teaming up? That's the alcohol talking.
No, think about it.
With my hotels and your vineyards, we make a pretty strong combo, and we've always seen the world the same way.
Together, we'd be unstoppable.
Okay, time to cut you off.
No, I'm serious.
Take this thing with the replacement workers.
How many people think you're doing the right thing? - You'd be the first.
- Yeah.
Because everybody blames the owners.
They don't understand that giving people a job That's not nothing.
Instead of being appreciated, - we're reviled.
- Mm.
No, what you're doing It's exactly what my father would have done.
Your father and I are nothing alike.
You know that's not what I meant.
I started in the fields.
He had everything handed to him.
He was a racist.
I try my damnedest not to judge a man based on the color of his skin.
I hired replacement workers.
He hired goons to beat the hell out of anyone who opposed him.
We're nothing alike.
And you never inspired me.
It's always been Lettie, and it always will be.
I own 29% of Heritage House, with another 10 pledged.
That means I only need 12% to come my way during the shareholders meeting.
And you best believe I will not pull punches.
I will blow you sky high.
Like you ever could.
You don't understand.
I can destroy you.
Bring it on.
Joe.
He wants to make a deal.
He'll give the workers another 10-minute break a day, he'll guarantee all the trailers will have water and electricity, and he's willing to go up an extra 15 cents an hour.
It's a start.
A start? This is the best deal you're going to get.
Hey, no, Margaret's right.
I don't think so.
Why are you so stubborn? Because I know what is right.
And soon, so will your father.
He'll listen to you.
Please, say something.
No deal.
- Leticia.
- No, Billy.
Joe, can you please just listen? Margaret you live in a big house with a nice view.
You have no right to tell us what is best.
Hey, Margaret! Sí.
Juana.
- It's for a good cause.
- Pbht! Sangria? No.
You.
No one thought you could do it.
You owe me, though.
It's supposed to be 90 today.
There's no way we pick all these grapes by the hot part of the day.
I'm gonna lose half my crop.
If you stand there talking, you will.
We finished one of our blocks ahead of schedule.
Carmen, Junior, you both know Nando.
This is Joaquin and Lupita.
See? I told you I can get down in the dirt if I have to.
Whatever you say, princess.
Gracias.
De nada.
- Gracias.
- De nada.
5% increase.
It's not the 6% you wanted, but it's more than the cost of living.
That's doable.
As for health care, I'll cover the 70% you asked for.
In addition, we will provide free ESL instruction to any worker who wants it.
I'll take "yes" for an answer.
Uh yes.
Now, about that rule that says that organizers can't meet with union workers on your property Eh, I like that rule.
- It hurts workers.
- It hurts you.
I can't give you everything, Tomás.
I do have some self-respect.
Javi? There you are.
- Mm.
- How'd it go? Kicked my ass.
But I loved every minute of it.
Ugh.
You're your father's son.
Where do you think he went? I was talking about Joe, the man who raised you.
I have no idea where he went.
You sure you can't stay one more day? I have to get back to Fresno.
If I'm not at the hospital when rounds start God knows what the residents will get up to.
I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Daniela.
- Sorry.
- She sounds amazing.
Yeah.
She comes back from El Salvador next week.
You really gotta meet her.
And not let another six years go by - before your next visit.
- Oh, I won't.
Okay.
Is she where I think she is? - Hola, Marta.
- Buenos días.
- The lockout's over.
- Qué bien.
Congratulations.
Call the kids.
Let's have a big lunch.
We'll open the Reserva.
Absolutamente.
Hello, Joe.
It's over, Lettie.
I made a deal with the workers.
Yeah, I heard.
I'm glad.
You heard about the ESL classes? I knew that would make you happy.
I'm giving you my shares, Joe.
Lettie, I didn't mean No, it's okay.
I don't need them.
I'm leaving you, Joe.
Lettie.
I love you.
You love me.
You're talking nonsense.
Goodbye, Joe.
Lettie.
Come back here, Lettie! Fine.
Go if you want, but don't bother coming back! You hear me?! Juana?! I don't want you! Big turnout.
You're late.
Mexican time.
No snacks? Well, in V's defense, she threw this together last minute.
Buenas.
First off, thank you for coming.
Second let's talk about how to take back Heritage House.