Unstable (2023) s02e01 Episode Script

1
- [electronic lock buzzes]
- [cell door closes]
Ninety-eight.
Ninety-nine.
[grunts] One hundred.
[exhales] They can't break you.
They can't break you.
Nobody can break you.
- [exhales]
- [metal clanging]
What the hell's that?
- [breathing shakily]
- [metal clanging]
Guard?
Guard!
[metal clanging]
Guard! Guard!
The walls are closing in! Guard!
- [stopwatch beeps]
- [Ellis exhales]
- How long was I in there?
- You creamed your old record.
Nineteen minutes!
Oh! That's sick.
Did you guys turn off the hot water again?
We're preparing your father for prison,
not the comfortable shower championships.
Oh, you're both idiots.
Okay, fish.
Ready to practice
going to the bathroom in front of me?
[theme music playing]
Yes, I understand. And thank you, Henry.
I really appreciate this.
And if there's ever anything
I can do for you
[smacks lips] Wait, what's that?
Georgia?
Oh.
Okay. Well, uh, that sounds lovely.
I look forward to reconnecting with her.
Thanks again.
Where's Ellis?
In his office, trying to get hard.
- Excuse me?
- For prison.
There'll be no need for that.
One of the benefits
of having an ex-husband
with friends in the DA's office.
Can he help me with some parking tickets?
Or I can pay them myself.
Can I borrow $5,000?
Can you believe
Ellis is actually a free man?
Shocker.
[chuckles] Guess what, justice?
You got served.
Did it? Or was it subverted
by power and influence?
Whoa.
- I'm just happy to still have a job.
- Ellis is gonna get us all fired one day.
Ellis is the reason
why we still have jobs.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
[whimsical music playing]
[exhales]
So, no jail time?
We're talking, like, nada?
Once again, there will be
no ramifications for your behavior,
and no lessons will be learned.
Oh, well, I think that's very unfair.
I've learned plenty of lessons
with Leslie's prison simulation therapy.
- Did you now?
- I'm just glad it's over.
Over for you, maybe.
But, uh I, on the other hand,
have been forced to take on
my former stepdaughter as a summer intern.
- That's part of the deal.
- Well, then it's a win for everyone.
You haven't met her.
[inhales]
So, have you had a chance to make any
decisions about the BioTexpo conference?
What kind of decisions?
We discussed this.
When I came to your house?
And you forced me to talk to you
from behind a glass partition.
Yes! Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a little hazy.
That was the morning
Leslie jumped me in the yard.
Um, refresh me.
Well, the board is asking
who'll be presenting this year.
There's been talk
about introducing a fresh face.
I'm sorry. Are you saying
that I need to up my skincare regimen,
or that my pores are too tight?
There's just an appetite
to change the conversation
from your latest indiscretion
and its impact on our stock price.
Anna, how many times have I brought
this company back from the abyss?
How many times
have you brought it to the abyss?
Then it all evens out.
- No, I'm afraid not.
- [sighs]
Look, Ellis,
BioTexpo is our industry's biggest event,
and at this particular moment,
it just makes sense
for Dragon to put forward a new messenger.
- Someone who didn't set a car on fire.
- [sighs]
Someone who we can all trust.
Oh, oh. The first thing you learn
in the joint. Trust no one.
But we're not in the joint.
Doesn't mean I can't get shanked.
Congrats, brother.
Just heard the good news.
Yeah, it's great. For my dad, it's great.
- Everything okay, man?
- Why wouldn't it be? [chuckles]
Ellis was this close
to being locked up for real,
and you don't seem all that jazzed.
The last few months have been hard
for the big guy.
Hasn't been so easy for me either.
I've had to put everything on hold.
Really? Like what?
Look, right before
my dad torched Jean's car,
Luna and I kissed.
That kiss
was electric.
Yeah, but that never went anywhere,
Jackson.
That's the point.
I got so lost in Ellis Land
that I had no choice
but to act super awkward around Luna
and pretend like it never happened.
I've seen you do that
with every girl you've ever liked.
It's your go-to move.
Whatever. The point is
that ever since I came home,
it's been crisis after crisis
and all about Ellis.
Now that this legal stuff is resolved,
I feel like I can finally come up for air
and focus on me.
There's my man.
Well, you ready? A little haircut time?
- Got Mauricio waiting for us in my office.
- No.
I don't need a haircut. I'm at work.
Do you want to tell him, or should I?
[uptempo instrumental music playing]
Malcolm, stay out of it.
[Ellis] This is
a very important haircut, Jackson.
Anna's recently brought to my attention
that Dragon is looking for a fresh face.
Anyway, I know you don't wanna think
about it, but [inhales]
I'm not gonna be around forever.
And I've gotta think
about Dragon's future leadership.
Dad, no
No, no, no. Look, I I'm only gonna be
at the helm another
half century or so.
If you're gonna follow in my footsteps,
we're gonna need
every single minute of those 50 years
to get you ready.
You said 50 years?
Sixty, maybe.
I'll be dead before the Super Bowl.
[soft rock music playing]
I I just don't know
how I keep doing this to myself.
I was supposed to be here for one day,
and now it's 60 years.
What what am I doing?
We all have issues.
Thank you.
We don't all let them cripple us.
Oh, this Is this about when we
- 'Cause
- Yeah.
- I can
- [Ruby] Hey, guys.
Hey, Ruby. Hey. Hi.
- So this is Luna.
- Hi.
[Ruby] And this is Jackson.
- And this
- And this is fricking Peter Martin.
Oh my God. You didn't tell me
you were bringing a celebrity!
What? You're the celebrity.
Ruby told me
all about your concrete project.
Yeah, impressive, man.
Captain Planet much?
You're the one generating
electrical currents using marine bacteria.
- Captain Bacteria much?
- [Peter laughs]
[spluttering] That's a bad name,
but you know what I mean.
- Hey, I don't mind it.
- [Jackson] Great.
Uh, let me ask you, what's it, uh
What's it like having such a famous dad?
[Jackson] Um
It's complicated. [chuckles]
[hesitates] Look, sorry.
[spluttering]
I I don't love talking about it,
especially when I'm sitting
across from you,
because I'm so curious
to hear about your work.
Yeah, you know, well,
the, uh, the renewable energy space
is dog-eat-dog,
and I just hope
we're one of the last ones standing.
Of course you will be.
Or you won't.
Now, why would you say that?
Just wanted to make sure
I actually still existed.
[laughs] I'm sorry.
Are we talking too much?
- Yeah.
- Don't mind her. [chuckles]
I knew you two clowns would vibe.
I mean, that was the idea, right?
The idea, um, behind what?
Well, Peter wanted the introduction.
I I Ruby was just
She spoke so highly of you.
Well, I hope I'm not disappointing.
- So far, so good.
- [exhales] Yes!
Do you guys want us
to, like, leave you two alone?
- We could get you a room?
- [Ruby] Mmm.
[laughing]
Well, if that room's a lab, sign me up.
This works out great because I own a lab.
- What?
- [Peter] Yeah.
[Jackson] P-dawg.
["Here For You" by Bangbang playing]
I wanna tell ya that ♪
[song ends]
So that concludes the tour of our
state-of-the-art facilities, Georgia.
Any thoughts or impressions?
[smacks lips] I mean, it's cool, I guess.
It just seems like a weird place
to waste your life.
Very funny.
Still still got that wit, I see. Love it.
Um not wasting my life.
Saving the planet.
- [clicks teeth] Important job.
- [door opens]
Who's that little snack?
Uh, that little snack is my boss's son.
Make it happen.
- Uh, excuse me?
- Introduce me.
Oh I [spluttering]
Hey, dude. I'm the new intern.
Cool.
Georgia's learning the ropes.
- This bitch. Am I right? [laughs]
- Excuse me?
Oh, it's all good.
- Anna used to be my mama.
- [sputtering] Oh, step-mama. Step.
Stepmother. I used to be
married to Georgia's father.
We all cohabited.
Quite the adventure.
It was not her thing.
Her thing was
this?
[phone ringing]
Okay, then.
I will be in the selfie garden
taking pictures.
Oh, I I
[inhales sharply] Have you got a second?
Yeah.
[uptempo instrumental music playing]
Oh boy.
Right this way.
So I'm assuming you've heard.
Heard what?
I was going to see how you felt
about representing Dragon
at the BioTexpo conference.
Thank you for thinking of me,
but I have to respectfully decline.
[inhales sharply]
I'm leaving Dragon.
Oh.
Is it back to New York then?
A triumphant return to flute life?
No. No, I'm not leaving town.
I'm not even leaving the world of biotech.
[inhales] I can't say much more right now
'cause we're ironing out details.
- But things are moving fast.
- I see.
Uh, have you mentioned
any of this to Ellis yet?
[Jackson] No.
Good. Good, good, good. [clicks tongue]
Well, we had a good run
here at Dragon, didn't we?
It was nice while it lasted.
Time to dust off that old résumé,
I suppose.
Come on. Don't don't do that.
Your sudden departure is bound to send
Ellis into one of his signature tailspins,
thus jeopardizing the survival
of our entire workforce.
And what about my survival?
Oh, you'll be fine.
You're literally set for life.
[clicks tongue]
[chuckles]
[Jackson] Hey, Dad.
Sorry to interrupt whatever this is,
but I have to talk to you about something.
Sorry, I can't hear you
with the anti-aging mask on.
How can I help you?
Yeah, and make it quick. We're hitting
our cryo-chamber in 20 minutes.
Right. Um
I'm leaving Dragon
to work at a different biotech company.
- That's great, man. Congrats.
- Yeah, okay, good. Great.
That's it?
What else is there to say?
I don't think there's anything
Let's hit the road.
Let's get our anti-age on. These bodies
aren't gonna anti-age themselves.
Yeah. Let's get cracking.
- There's one question I have.
- [groans] Here we go.
Come on, man.
So, what company is this that's better
than mine that you're going to work for?
- [Leslie sighs]
- Never said it was better.
But it's called Magma.
Magma? The dinky little battery company?
It's not dinky.
- And we think bio-batteries
- We?
Ooh!
Peter and I.
Oh, so now there's a "we." Okay.
He's my new boss,
and he's very smart and very cool,
and reminds me a lot
of a younger version of you.
[squawks]
Okay, that's impossible.
I'm the younger version of me.
No, see, that's impossible.
Oh, I know what this is. [inhales deeply]
You're angling for a raise.
Okay, pick a number.
- Now double it.
- It's not about the money.
So it's about the title.
Pick a title. Now double it.
Dad, I love you.
I just think working together is too much.
So it's time for me
to start working on my independence.
Shouldn't we be working
on your independence together?
Nope.
All right, Mr. Independent.
How about you start paying rent?
[Jackson] Okay.
It's $85,000 a month.
- Holy shit.
- Mm-hmm.
It is what it is.
You are serious?
- That's reality.
- Okay.
I'll make other arrangements.
[Leslie] Oh, and hold on.
Wait, wait, come on.
[chuckles] At the end of the day,
we're all family, right?
Families don't use the R-word.
Rent is so tacky.
[exhales sharply] Dumb.
["Advice" by Alex G playing]
String the sinner by his wings ♪
[sighs]
- Hey, man, can I crash here for a while?
- Is everything okay?
No. [chuckles]
I'll put on some tea.
[Latin music playing]
- No. I think you wanna do the big ones.
- Okay, okay, okay.
So, tell me. How's the boy?
- Jackson? He's fine.
- Mm.
But he misses me, right?
Did you ask me out here
just to talk about Jackson?
No.
Of course not.
Think I should drop by later?
Just surprise him?
I I don't think that's a good idea.
Well, what if I said
I was just coming to see you?
I don't think he'd buy it.
Okay, now I'm just
I'm just spitballing here.
If you were to kick Jackson to the curb,
just say, "Bitch, get out."
Right? And then a new set of golf clubs
were to show up at your house,
what would you think?
[hesitates] I wouldn't feel great about
taking a bribe to displace my friend.
- And I don't play golf.
- 'Cause you don't have clubs.
- How's everything going over here?
- Terrible.
My baby bird has flown the coop,
and I just miss him so much.
I see.
Mi abuela used to have a saying.
If you love something, set it free.
If it comes back, it's yours.
- If not, it was never meant to be.
- [exhales sharply]
Yeah. It's actually a very common saying.
[chuckles] Thank you.
I wish she was alive
to see how popular it's become.
Oh, there you are.
Drop everything. I have an urgent request.
- That's rarely good news.
- Okay, I want you to get a file.
And in that file,
I want you to put everything you can find
on Magma and this Peter Martin character.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
With emphasis on the bad and ugly.
I don't know how healthy it is
obsessing over your son's employer.
Stop worrying about my kid
and worry about your own.
She's holding court in the kitchen.
[uptempo instrumental music playing]
[music ends]
You gotta make sure they're touching.
[microwave beeps]
What's going on here?
[microwave beeps]
Science.
Malcolm, the room.
I know. The painters did such a great job.
[chuckles]
Oh, you want the room? To talk.
I'll go.
What's up?
Um, traditionally, in the workplace
Oh, I know this character.
It's the warden.
Not the warden.
I just wanted to check
that you were settling in okay.
Everyone treating you all right?
Hmm, microwave's on the fritz.
[smacks lips] Oh no. I will make sure
that gets fixed right away.
[uptempo rhythmic music playing]
Thanks, Mama.
[music ends]
In his first week,
literally the first week,
this guy figures out how to double
the reduction-oxidation output.
- Whoa!
- [Peter] Yeah.
No, it was nothing.
Own it, bro.
Yeah, own it, bro.
Well, you know, it was maybe something.
It was something. There it is.
Every every single thing you told me
about this guy, absolutely true.
Aw, it's a love story.
I'm just just lucky to have you, man.
Are you kidding? I'm the lucky one.
I don't feel like I'm just somebody's son
at work anymore.
Um, you were never
just somebody's son to me.
Oh.
Um, actually, to me,
that was a big part of the appeal. Yeah.
Luna! [laughs]
- Hey, everyone. Jackson, my son.
- [chuckles] Dad, what are you doing here?
Wow. Ellis Dragon,
it is a it's a pleasure to meet you.
- Could I have a word?
- [Jackson] Mm-hmm.
- [car horn honking]
- [Jackson clears throat]
I think it's sweet
you're still hanging out with those guys.
Yeah. Ruby and Luna just wanted
to give me an official send-off.
Well, uh, I have some information
on the man that you're being sent off to.
I think you're gonna want to see it.
Okay.
What am I looking at?
This is
- You gotta explain this.
- Jackson, look at it!
The man is a fraud.
- What I'm confused
- Say what you want about me.
But at least I am who I say I am.
Unlike Peter, who was on the fencing team
for five years at Stanford
in spite of never
redshirting as a freshman.
And?
What more do you need to see?
The man's a con artist. A flimflam man.
Do you want to be hitching your wagon
to a man like that?
Dad, I think I get what's going on here.
And you should go home
before you embarrass yourself
more than you already have.
- [mellow music playing]
- [Ellis grunts]
Hey, is everything okay?
Yeah.
- You've barely touched your plate.
- Oh, I had a late lunch.
Well, I hope you saved room for dessert
because I made your favorite.
Banana flambé.
[exhales]
Jackson's all about flaming bananas.
- Jackson.
- He'll be here any minute.
You'd better save him a big one.
A big what? Oh.
- They're all the same size.
- Oh.
[Leslie] Doesn't matter. I'll
[groans] Okay.
[mellow music playing]
Be honest. Did I under-cream it?
No. No, no. It's perfect.
You know what? You'd better
put on a big pot of coffee for Jackson.
He's gonna want to hear everything
we talked about from dessert, dinner
It's gonna be a late one tonight.
You know,
maybe there's a chance
that Jackson's not gonna
Not gonna what?
Nothing.
Hey.
I made a little extra popcorn
in case Jackson shows up.
Get it together, man!
He's gone, and he's not coming back.
Yeah, you're right.
I've been living in a fantasy world.
Thank you.
Sorry.
[Malcolm chuckling]
Hey, Malcolm, I was wondering
if you could do me a favor.
I left my mouth guard at my dad's.
Maybe you could pick it up for me?
Uh, I could,
but maybe you should go get it.
I know he'd love to see you.
No, I can't do that. Not right now.
I'm protecting myself.
If I go there,
I get sucked back into his bullshit.
I know Ellis can be a lot,
but at the end of the day,
he's your father, and he misses you.
[sighs]
Fine. I'll go.
Don't read my book.
I got your back, brother.
[whimsical music playing]
Hey, Dad.
There's my guy.
- Jackson, my man.
- Peter, what are you doing here?
Oh.
- Do you want to tell him, or should I?
- I'll let you do the honors.
- Tell me what?
- Appreciate that.
[both laughing]
I bought Peter's company.
You're back at Dragon!
- [Jackson laughs nervously]
- Hear, hear! Whoo!
[whimsical music playing]
[closing theme playing]
[closing theme ends]