The Diplomat (2023) s02e05 Episode Script

[tense music playing]
[Kate] My chief of station
is about to turn you over to the police.
It is in both our interests
that I stay here with you.
Then I need information.
- Tell my husband?
- Trowbridge wasn't involved.
- She's playing you.
- I don't think she is.
I told you that Grove hired Roman Lenkov.
Grove didn't hire him. I did.
Nicol knows none of this.
She should tell him.
If the dude is innocent and he hears
that fucking grandma bombed his ship,
there will come a reaction.
I told you she wasn't your VP.
And that's wrong.
So she's VP now?
I want to make plain that I'm here
as a favor to you, not Nicol.
[Eidra] The room is wired.
We are gonna see and hear everything.
Can I borrow you?
[Margaret] I hired the Lenkov group
to place an explosive device on our ship.
It did not go to plan.
Fucking monster! You're a monster!
- Let go of her, sir.
- She killed them!
Ma'am, look at me.
I need you to tell me you're okay.
Can you hear my voice?
[music fades out]
[raindrops pattering]
[Margaret panting]
- [Theo] She's bleeding.
- [Eidra] We need you to stop moving.
All the king's horses
and all the king's men.
- I need you to keep still.
- That's a lot of blood, Theo.
Now do you believe me?
[classical music playing]
[guests chattering]
They landed just before you.
Dennison's at nine.
Trowbridge is at twelve. How'd it go?
What was the reaction?
Did he make any calls?
- He slammed her head into the ground.
- He what?
- [Randall] Ambassador Wyler.
- [Kate] Hi.
- Welcome.
- Thank you.
We have a bit of a situation.
The bridge light got stuck on red
and jammed the road halfway to Dunderave.
I'm afraid the entire schedule's
blown to bits.
Unless, perhaps, we might consider
foregoing your toast?
- No problem.
- Oh. [chuckles]
Generous of you.
Best laid plans and all that.
- [Kate] Mm.
- Try the trout. It's from the loch.
We will.
- Is Roylin
- She's fine. Well, she's not fine.
They're supergluing her head together,
but she's not gonna die.
- [waiter] May I tempt you?
- You may.
He came this close to manslaughter.
You don't fake a reaction like that.
He didn't do it. Trowbridge didn't do it.
So Roylin was telling the truth.
You were right. She was telling the truth.
[Randall] We can move to the dining room
when we're ready.
We're not. And I'd appreciate
the courtesy of an answer.
If we want to stick
to the updated schedule
Prime Minister? Is he quite all right?
Give me that.
[Doud] Croatia and Hungary
have already capped supermarket staples
without stock market backlash.
Perhaps the prime minister doesn't wish
to follow Croatia and Hungary.
Jemma, I do miss our rows in the Commons.
I heard you were hung up on price caps.
Let's have it. Randall, back me up.
Price caps are a utopian fantasy,
unless we want artificial
Prime Minister,
I thought we'd raise a glass. Just us.
You're in shock. Take a sip. It'll help.
Looks like she's back
on the prime minister's good list.
What? Yes, good, yeah.
I don't know
if she mentioned anything to you
about me going through a rough patch,
but I'm through it.
I'm back.
I'm all in.
That's good.
We just have to make it
through the dinner.
You're buying a night
to get ahead of this.
You don't want anyone to know there's
a crisis until you have it under control.
To everything I don't want.
[man] To the health
of the friends of Caledonia!
[guest] Hear, hear!
- Sir, put your arm down. Prime Minister.
- Stop telling me what to do.
There is blood on your cuff.
[guests continue chatting]
[Howard] The room's clear.
- Surveillance?
- Stripped. The van's out back.
The team's en route to London
to prep a hand-off.
She's lost a lot of blood. I'd feel more
comfortable if we took her to a hospital.
- No! You can't take me there.
- Ma'am!
They'll need to know what happened.
It'll all come out.
I played my part here, didn't I?
I did it for my country.
To keep the prime minister unscathed.
To keep Great Britain whole.
We won't survive if the story gets out.
We've got a duty of care.
The wound still won't clot.
Let me bleed dry.
But take me back to the safe house.
Ma'am, you are not
our responsibility anymore.
You attacked your own country.
What happens next
is up to your prime minister.
[shuddering breaths]
How much does he know?
I don't know. Not everything.
I mean, he interrupted her
with a chokehold halfway through.
- He got the basics?
- He was screaming, "You're a murderer"
so loud it fucked up the comms.
I'd say he got the gist.
- Dennison knows that he's innocent?
- I don't know. Maybe.
What's he gonna do?
Trowbridge?
Dennison. Either. Anything!
Here is every single thing I know.
Trowbridge is a hitter.
Roylin is a bleeder.
At dinner, the trout was dry,
and Trowbridge was catatonic.
He didn't do it. His advisor did.
We have been toting her around
the British Isles like hand luggage.
Meanwhile, I wrongly accused
the prime minister of mass murder.
- Does he know that?
- Hal
- You don't know.
- [knock on door]
- Have you gone to State?
- Uh, not yet.
Good. I just talked to Trowbridge.
He won't take Roylin into British custody
until he knows who he can trust
in his government.
Which might take a while.
So until then, what? She walks free?
- I'm taking her to the safe house.
- Absolutely not.
I don't like it either.
What's the alternative?
Let her go, see if she survives?
She named names.
We need her somewhere secure.
Fine.
I have to report to the director
before Roylin gets to London.
If it's okay with you,
I'd like to handle the messaging
to Washington by myself.
You solved the fucking thing.
You should both be milking this.
We'll both report.
Ma'am, I've got concerns
about my position.
I shouldn't have held Roylin so long.
I shouldn't be holding her now.
- I need to keep the messaging clean.
- [knock on door]
The prime minister
would like to speak with you.
[Randall] The motorcade is at the front
when you're ready to depart.
- I've informed the Scots
- [Trowbridge] Leave us.
[door closes]
[Trowbridge] Sit.
It was a rough night.
Anything I can
Do? Let's see.
"AMB" that's ambassador,
"led me to dining room
with excuse of Scottish policy demands."
"Found R" R stands for traitor,
"already seated."
"AMB did not express surprise, left room."
That all sound right?
- Sir, if I can give some context
- It's not for my memoirs.
It's a factual record
for the eventual inquiry.
Is it accurate so far?
You asked me to find her.
So you trapped me
in a private audience with a terrorist.
What a way to deliver information.
Most news arrives in the red box.
Sir, I think we all could have
handled things differently tonight.
[writing stops]
- What did she tell you?
- She said she wanted to talk to you.
She told you what she did.
That's why you brought it to me. Yes?
- Yes.
- Did she name anyone?
Merritt Grove. Leonard Stendig.
Grove was the bridge to the Russians.
Stendig's a toad in a Brioni.
He'd be the muscle.
Our Lady of Immaculate Deception
was the gray matter behind it all.
Who else did she press into service?
She wouldn't give us other names.
That means anyone in your government
could be involved.
We had to bring her straight to you.
Austin.
"A ran in screaming,
protected R, threw me to the wall."
Dennison wasn't part of it.
There's nothing
a loser wouldn't do to win.
Why do you think
he questioned Lenkov's death?
- Because he's desperate to end me.
- Because he didn't want to lose a witness.
You can trust him.
He wasn't supposed to be in Scotland.
- That can't be a coincidence.
- He's here because I asked him to come.
I had him wait with me outside the room
to support you when you heard.
- You and Austin waited in the hall?
- Yes.
Why?
Sorry?
What did you think you'd hear?
"Anyone in your government could
be involved." That's what you just said.
That's right.
That's why you didn't warn me
before bringing Roylin to me
like a dead mouse on the pillow.
You were listening for my response.
You thought it was me.
You brought Roylin here to entrap me.
Yes? Say it.
That's not what we were doing.
You learned of a conspiracy
in my government,
and you tried to destroy me with it.
- Say it.
- Sir
You thought I'd killed the very sailors
whose families I comforted this morning.
When you called me the quickest thinker
you'd met since your husband,
you thought I was a murderer.
Yes or no?!
I hate a liar.
Mrs. Wyler, tell me. Yes or no?
Yes.
[tense music playing]
[door slams shut]
He didn't do it.
- I'm well aware.
- We have Roylin.
He knows about Stendig and Grove,
knows you weren't involved.
- He knows I
- Ambassador, thank you.
You've helped quite enough.
[Trowbridge] Austin!
- Riding with the prime minister.
- [guard] Yes, sir.
[music fades out]
[Hal] Come on.
[buzzing]
Yeah?
Yeah.
Uh-huh.
Yeah. I'm on my way. Shoot!
No, I got it. Uh-huh.
[grunts] I'm on top of it.
Ma'am?
[Kate] Come in.
[Hal] What time is it?
I am so sorry.
We need to get going right away.
What happened?
Ma'am, the vice president
is on her way to London.
Now?
- We ready?
- Um, do you have a paperclip?
- How about a binder clip?
- Uh, no. It's fine.
No, it's not fine. The zipper broke off.
We need a paperclip to close her pants.
I'll hold my jacket over it.
Why the fuck
is the vice president coming here?
To support the Brits.
Eidra sent a report to Langley last night.
I don't know what was in it,
but it upset the White House enough
to send the VP.
- Does she know about me?
- That she's auditioning for her job?
Does she know
I'm on the short list for VP?
I don't know. For the pants.
Perfect.
And for the ride home.
Briefing material
on Vice President Grace Penn.
It hasn't been fully updated
since her last visit to the UK,
but it is a little more
Can you, uh
It is a little more granular
than her Wikipedia entry.
- Yep.
- I'll quiz you in the car.
We're not driving.
We need to get her back quickly,
and it is an eight-hour drive.
The vice president asked them
to pick you up.
Who's "them"?
[helicopter approaching]
[dramatic music playing]
Yeah, she definitely knows.
[music ends]
You know what was on the VP's schedule?
A school visit to Bethesda.
Not an unannounced overseas trip.
The press is gonna have some questions.
She's supporting the Brits.
Raises the question
why they need support.
The CIA report was colorful. I don't think
we should share it with the press.
You need a reason for the visit.
The chief of staff will work with you.
I told her you're read in.
- I'm not read in.
- What does that mean?
I'm working back into the inner circle.
Your girlfriend kept the report from you?
You told her to check me out,
and she's not my girlfriend anymore, so
- Stuart
- We don't need to do a whole
Should Danny send you a gift basket?
Federal gift limit's up to $20. It's like
two apples and a piece of cheese.
No. I don't need to know
anything classified.
But does the vice president know
that Kate's in the running for her job?
- Yes.
- They're about to have a one-on-one.
Is there anything I need to know
to make sure this goes okay for Kate?
Uh, make sure the chief of station's
not still up on the PM.
- Up on the PM? As in?
- Ask your ex.
This isn't something
I can discuss on an open line.
- [intriguing music playing]
- [phone disconnects]
Lock off the staff hallway,
hard pins on the house staff,
essentials only, and no lookie-loos.
- Pardon me. The blood.
- Yes, right here.
- If you could refrigerate it.
- Of course.
[knock on door]
She was at the table
for the Vienna talks in '92.
That's like
We talked about it in my A-100.
That's the example we're trying to beat.
How did the director take it?
The director would like Roylin
out of the safe house.
Shit. What do you need?
Talk to Trowbridge.
Get him to take Roylin off our hands.
- He's not crazy about me right now.
- It's him or nothing.
We can't go to other contacts until
Trowbridge decides to widen the circle.
- [knock on door]
- Fuck! Uh, I wanted to change.
Talk to Dennison. He's in the circle.
- Without you?
- [knock on door]
He's not crazy about me either.
Do these look okay?
Uh, they look normal.
Normal's great. I had a helicopter ride
and a pee break to prep.
There's a paperclip stuck to your pants.
It's holding them up.
- [knocking continues]
- [woman] Ambassador?
The vice president's ready for you.
- Hi. Can I just sneak by?
- I'm sorry, sir. This entrance is closed.
- Ambassador's husband.
- It is an honor to meet you.
I left my laptop in that library.
I'm gonna grab it and get out.
I'm so sorry, sir.
I know it's an inconvenience.
There's people in there.
He works for my wife.
Sir, would you do me a favor
and take one step back?
There wasn't time to prep a one-pager,
so I thought I'd start
with a tour of the horizon.
Okay.
I'll start by, uh, looking east.
We got a verbal confession
that the hit on HMS Courageous
was a British false flag attack
to gin up a gray-zone conflict
With Iran. I read the report.
We can skip ahead.
Great. Let me just, um
I'm talking with your station chief
after this.
- She can fill in the nitty-gritty if we
- Sorry. I finally got reading glasses.
But I don't know if I left them
in Scotland or in the car.
Or in my helicopter.
Right.
Try mine.
Oh.
Thanks.
Oh. Okay. Great.
Um, so looking southeast on the horizon,
we supported the British attempt
to detain Roman Lenkov on French soil,
but the French minister of the interior
Fournier back-channeled
to a US interlocutor
with suspicions
that the arrest would be a hit.
- It was in the report. Let's
- Right.
I brought their suspicions
to the British foreign secretary.
You did?
Yes. The foreign secretary's
internal inquiries
Why you?
I was the back-channel interlocutor.
That wasn't in the report.
Dennison confirmed the suspicion,
but kicked up enough dust
that Margaret Roylin
reached out to us for help.
- Us? You?
- She called me.
We brought her into the embassy
and ultimately got a confession.
Why does everybody call you?
I called her first in France.
I wanted advice,
and she used me for intel,
but it established a bond.
Which brings us to the north.
- Scotland.
- Scotland.
There's a district the size of a postage
stamp that swung for independence.
It sparked Margaret Roylin's
scorched-earth run
to give the UK a common enemy.
She's right to worry.
If the UK eats itself alive,
second wave impact,
it's a huge blow to NATO and Five Eyes.
Third wave, Northern Ireland, Catalonia.
Democracies carving themselves
into splinters,
while autocracy's
having its best year since '37.
That's Yeah.
The danger is not on the horizon.
It's here.
Exactly.
Nora?
Ready for the chief of station?
See if we can get the prime minister
to come by.
Oh, there you are.
I know we're
in the rebuilding trust phase.
I don't want to rush that, but
The prime minister's on his way.
I've got to brief the vice president.
What does it mean to be "up on the PM"?
Does that mean tapping his phone?
- Eidra?
- I've got to go.
No, I didn't see the report,
which is fine. I get why I'm not read in.
I don't need to know anything,
but with the prime minister coming
and with Grace Penn here,
and the vice presidency,
is there anything that could damage Kate?
Like, I don't know
tapping the PM's phone?
I guess you should know
Trowbridge is mad at Kate.
Because of the
Because of the You know, the sting.
No. I don't know about the sting.
[tense music playing]
Agent Griffin will not allow
the vice president
to join the greeting party.
I'm so sorry, ma'am.
I can't have her outside.
- What? It's the PM. She greets him here.
- It's protocol.
Unfortunately,
we don't control the sight lines.
She'll be inside.
- Welcome back to Winfield, Prime Minister.
- Sir, it's nice to see you again.
- Where is she?
- She's inside.
Your president had the horse sense
to meet me at the front door.
I suppose
that's your golden touch at work.
[Kate] She's glad you were
both able to come.
[Austin] Mm-hm.
- Does she know?
- Mm-hmm.
- Ma'am, do you need me to pull you?
- From this?
I don't need to know anything classified,
but he's a killer and he hates you.
- You don't need to drink tea with the guy.
- Stuart, Trowbridge is innocent.
[Grace] I know me and my circus train
are the last thing
you need at a time like this,
so I hope you'll forgive the intrusion.
Come, sit.
[Trowbridge clears throat]
I, um I suppose you'd like me
to explain it all.
I wish I could.
The VP has been briefed on the basics.
It would be helpful to hear
what you plan to do next.
I'm sorry to drag you through it.
No, no. It's good practice.
I'll have to do it
from the podium eventually.
Perhaps we could talk through
the plan of action.
[scoffs] The plan is an hour old.
It'll be chuffed
to hear itself called a plan.
The prime minister
has a two-pronged approach in mind.
Austin
My own advisor attacked my country,
and I am the fool who trusted her.
That's not why I'm here.
No, you're here to help.
And, surely, to steer my response.
There is no fiercer drive than shame.
I will crush the conspirators.
I will out the truth.
You're right. You are a resource drain.
And we're already limping.
So, with gratitude and respect,
the best help
that you can give me is distance.
So that I can give my all to this fight.
I know you'll do what's best
for your country.
I'm grateful for your visit.
And I wish you a safe journey.
You accused Russia of a crime
that you committed.
We're trying to get them back
to a negotiating table,
and you handed them
a new excuse to walk away.
You may not want my help,
but you need it.
The vice president announces agreement
to expand tax credits
for electric vehicles
You said that one already.
Auto unions would oppose.
Next one's not gonna work.
Executive action
on fish oil capsule trade.
There's a pro-democracy thing tomorrow.
She could keynote.
- At the IOD? Not great.
- Crankfest?
They're legit. But it'll be empty chairs.
Everyone senior will skip the talk
for the Australia dinner.
- The Australia dinner
- Which is?
Australian navy chief's here
for the Dreadnought deal.
Which one's that?
The one the French called,
"A knife in the back." You know?
I don't.
Australia was gonna buy submarines
from France.
They backed out
and got them from the UK instead.
- Ah.
- Can you live with pissing off the French?
I think I can. I'll run it by Billie.
I need a pull-aside with Dennison,
if you can help stage manage the exit.
We need him to take Roylin off our hands.
It's fine. The ambassador okayed it.
I don't wanna know why you need him.
I don't wanna know we still have Roylin.
Why the fuck do we still have Roylin?
Don't worry.
The director said the same thing.
The ambassador told me
that Trowbridge is innocent.
Which means this was all Roylin.
- And we're protecting her?
- What happened to you not needing to know?
I'm fine being out of the loop.
I'm fine earning my way back in.
But it's starting to look
like I'm not the problem anymore.
What the fuck are you doing?
The prime minister is well aware
that retracting a Russia accusation
Fuels the conspiracists
and the isolationists to start.
And means we'll face disbelief
when next we accuse Russia of
Jailing a journalist
and calling them a spy.
Or abducting children
and calling them refugees.
You attacked your own ship
and called it Russia.
We understand it's fraught.
But nothing about this
will unfold recklessly.
Nothing about it can unfold unilaterally.
Gentlemen, our interest
can't come as a surprise.
Sketch out the mud map.
To minimize risk, the prime minister can
either tell the truth, but tell it slowly
Or he can keep it quiet.
What did you pick?
I'm sorry?
I'm sorry. I'm finishing your sentences.
My press team calls it
cooperative overlapping.
But if they weren't my press team,
they'd call it rude.
It means I agree with you. I'll
Not at all.
But that's not what I was saying.
What were you saying?
I was saying it can come out slowly,
or the prime minister can bring it out
in full to the Commons.
Call for an inquiry.
That would be the correct option.
But given the possibility
of unknown collaborators,
even within our own ranks, we
He likes the slow approach. It suits him.
It delays your resignation
until the story's out in full.
Less churn is better for all of us.
I'm not resigning.
I don't intend to resign.
Oh. I thought
[chuckles] Blame it on the jet lag.
I'm seeing everything in absolutes.
Tell the story and resign.
Bury it and stay in office.
And you've found a third way?
If we titrate the information
Perhaps we should consider
the vice president's suggestion.
Goodness, I misunderstood
the foreign secretary
We're discussing options.
It's one we should discuss.
You're saying keep the whole thing quiet.
The carrier, the car bomb, the conspiracy.
Austin would like to keep it quiet
for a year.
That's what the slow approach amounts to.
But what's the difference between one year
and two? Two years and ten?
If the goal is global stability,
then I don't see the line.
So the world goes on
believing it was Russia.
Russia's done worse.
They might not mind the blame.
They gave up Roman Lenkov.
They were willing to take the hit.
It makes them look stronger
when we fight back.
Is it even Would it even be possible?
Who else knows?
It went up high-side in Washington.
We told Langley.
Langley brought it to the White House,
so a few senior officials know.
And they can keep it quiet.
We can manage our end.
The conspirators know. Roylin. Stendig.
They did it to unite the nation.
They won't talk.
I mean, if they did, it would blow up
their cause and land them in jail.
What about the families?
- What about the families?
- They deserve the truth.
They don't want the truth.
They want the dead back.
But it's too late for that.
Isn't it better they didn't die in vain?
[ominous music playing]
Take some time to think about it.
We'll do the same.
There's a great deal to consider,
but I think we've made some progress.
- For now, let's keep this
- Of course.
- [music fades out]
- Well, madam, thank you.
Most missions of mercy
prove far less helpful.
[Eidra] Margaret Roylin
is a British citizen.
You don't want us holding her
outside the eye of the law.
- What would you have me do?
- Talk to the prime minister.
We can find a discreet way
to hand over custody.
You'll want her arrest quiet
until you've smoked out her collaborators.
We won't. There's no fire.
Therefore, there must not be smoke.
- What do you mean?
- We're burying the story.
So the police can't take Roylin,
and they can't hear about any of this.
That's one option.
Trowbridge is still deliberating.
I feel I know which one he'll pick.
So we just let Roylin go?
She came to us
because she was afraid for her life.
If she gets killed, we lose our evidence.
Send her home.
And if she's afraid,
tell her to lock her door.
[low, unsettling music playing]
You okay?
You know you can talk to me, right?
Even with the VP here.
We're in this together.
Do you realize what we almost did?
You and I. Together.
We should talk.
[unsettling music fades out]
Dennison is pretty sure
the PM will choose to bury it.
Trowbridge is unpredictable and impulsive,
but he reliably acts in his self-interest.
- One of the smart things about the plan
- I don't need a postmort.
I'm sorry.
What did you want to talk about?
I hear you want to be vice president.
Oh.
I know a thing or two about the job,
if you have questions.
Um
That's not the situation, exactly.
And you really don't have to.
This is awkward for me too, if that helps.
I wouldn't say
I want to be vice president.
You wouldn't?
I think we'd all be happier
if you stayed where you are.
But I understand there is a problem,
and I'm willing to step in.
So you would be vice president
of the United States as a favor?
I'm no one's first pick is my point.
I know I have a lot to learn.
If you have any advice,
I'd love to hear it.
[breathes deeply]
Billie says your DCM's
got a lot of experience.
He's been giving you a crash course?
- Yes.
- What have you covered?
He's fantastic.
Uh, we haven't had a lot of time.
So far, he's sort of hung up
on the packaging.
I'd rather focus on policy
and, I don't know, um, the Senate.
Packaging?
My clothing, uh, my hair,
which he finds particularly upsetting.
He's right.
It's a visual world.
No one will read your policy papers.
Best case, a sound bite will go viral
once a year.
Your face'll appear in the media
an average of 12,000 times a day.
Every classroom in America,
every embassy in the world,
will hang your picture on the wall.
It's soft power.
So you've got a couple of choices.
Wear a suit
like the military wears a uniform.
Disappear. Hide the individual
behind the duty to serve.
Or get a gimmick.
Blonde bob, red lipstick,
pins like Albright, collars like RBG.
Glasses, a shorthand
so people see what you stand for.
And little girls dress like you
for Halloween.
I think I'm opting for the suit
that makes you disappear.
- Are you?
- Black suit.
Every now and then a navy suit.
- What do you think it broadcasts?
- As little as possible.
No?
Looking to the north,
you probably think your hair says
you're too busy serving your country
to get a blowout.
But it reads as bedhead,
which sends a signal I think,
in this case, that's better unsent.
East and west,
try a bra with a little padding.
I know there's not much to hide.
But when your jacket opens,
I'm getting headlights.
Which takes us to the south.
Is that a paperclip?
Oh, yes. I had a, um, a zipper issue.
When you're a second-tier diplomat
in a third-world war zone,
that may read as scrappy.
If you're representing the interests
of 300 million Americans
whose healthcare is failing,
whose planet is burning,
whose future might get a little better
or a little worse
based on what you do
in the course of a day,
it's best to look like
the care of your trousers
wasn't more than you could manage.
So, let's talk about the Senate.
[somber music playing]
Come on. It's supper time.
The vice president
called me a sloppy hussy.
One time, chief of protocol
called me a shit in a suit.
- Hal
- She's a sore loser.
She's not.
She's incredible.
[Grace] No, before that, in '06.
- [Hal] In Brussels?
- In Beirut.
- No. Are you sure?
- We had a long conversation.
I was a freshman in the House.
It was a bigger deal for me than you.
- [Hal] You remember that?
- She came on a codel.
Why are you quitting?
I think you know why.
I know what your husband did.
That's not the question. You were right.
I'm not suited for the job.
You know who is?
- Kate. It's not up to her.
- Why? She was elected.
That makes her one of two people
in the White House who can't be fired.
What are you doing?
We just hatched a plan
to keep Nicol Trowbridge in office.
Maybe we should be stabilizing
our own leadership.
It's not up to us.
- It's like Hassan.
- [Hal] Is it?
Brilliant leader burned
by palace intrigue. We helped him.
- Kate
- I'm serious. Don't you think?
- You're asking me?
- Yes.
If you're asking me, then no.
If we could somehow
magically help you stay,
what happens the day after
your husband's story breaks?
The White House would keep me quiet
while someone did the morning shows.
Late night would put a man in drag
to play me trying to kill my spouse.
Every congressional hearing
from formula shortages to redlining
would become a face-off over my hypocrisy.
The president's numbers would plummet.
His agenda grinds to a halt.
- Thank you.
- Or maybe people would react and move on.
[sarcastically] Maybe?
Well, that's compelling.
What do you think my husband would do
if it was him instead of you?
Would he quit?
- I could tell you
- I asked the vice president.
Do you think,
for the good of the administration,
he would quietly step down?
Or do you think he would assume his
presence was so valuable to the president
and the nation
that the hit would be worth taking.
- He would stay.
- He would.
He would have no problem
hijacking the agenda,
destroying the president's numbers.
He'd say keeping an experienced leader
in power is worth a little turmoil.
This is flattering, and you're very kind.
- It sounds like I'm kissing your ass.
- It does.
So you'll say nice things
when you go back.
And I will.
That's not why.
It's not.
Ma'am, I think you're good
for the country.
Aren't you?
Yeah, I am.
You know what?
You make an interesting point.
Maybe the VP could survive this
if the White House fought for her.
- So why aren't they?
- Exactly.
- Because they don't want her.
- Hal!
Constitutionally, she's got two jobs.
Break ties. Keep breathing.
It's hard to screw that up.
They don't like her enough
to stick her in the back of group photos.
Okay.
What are the vice president's
signature achievements?
That's a real question.
I'm coming up blank.
Uh, she wore all white once.
It symbolized something.
If it works,
it's the president's achievement.
It only gets my name if it goes to shit.
If you were the future of the party,
they'd throw you a bone.
You know how much they don't want her?
They want you.
You needed six months in London
to learn to hold a teacup.
You're not electable,
and still the better choice.
- I'm not.
- You are.
The VP isn't electable either,
and she's trying.
They try different labels,
different bowls.
The dogs don't like the dog food.
I have to apologize for my husband.
Nothing I haven't heard before.
He used to be an ambassador.
He still gets the title.
But at this point,
his best shot at real power
is by getting me to take your job.
Anyway,
I'm really sorry.
- Want?
- Sure.
- No, let me
- I got it. Sit.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
I was too rough on you earlier.
- You were right.
- No, it bothered me. [chuckles]
You not wanting it.
I got torn apart for the sin of ambition,
and then you show up.
The super trooper good sport dream girl.
So I don't need a new bra?
You do.
[laughs]
When I started out, I said
I would never change myself for them.
Now I get my hair dipped in carcinogens
once a month.
The eyeliner's a tattoo.
I can't think of a non-cheesy way
to say this, so
You were inspiring today.
With Trowbridge.
What?
You planted his big idea.
You told him to bury it.
That wasn't a misunderstanding.
You were leading him to the plan.
Well, I'd love to take credit, but no.
It was a happy accident.
Hal does these things,
and it just rolls off of him.
He's one of those? Fails up?
Can't lose for trying.
You're killing yourself,
and you're still on your way out.
Sounds right.
That's why I won't fight this.
I know I can't win.
If you're exhausted from 30 years
in the ring, I respect that.
You've done more
than anyone has the right to ask of you.
But if any part of you still wants it,
if you won't fight this,
I don't know who will.
I know you're up.
She's thinking about it.
That's a fucking victory
after what you did.
So tomorrow, you are going to help.
You're gonna call Billie,
and you're gonna tell her
that Grace Penn should be
vice president of the United States.
Not me. Not you.
The president doesn't want her.
He wants you.
He speaks.
Katie,
when someone hands you
the opportunity of a lifetime,
you have to take it.
It's still day in Washington. Billie's up.
How about you call her right now?
I'm not calling Billie.
Okay.
- What are you doing?
- Calling her myself.
I'm gonna tell her if it's not Grace,
it sure as fuck isn't me.
Katie. Kate. Give me the phone.
Listen to me.
You have to trust me. You can't do
Get off!
Hang up the fucking phone.
What the fuck?!
Indulge me in a fantasy. Kate.
- No!
- Okay.
You're vice president.
You get to add one item to the agenda.
- What do you pick?
- Give it back!
Nuclear talks for a cyber world?
Visas for Afghans?
[both grunting]
What the fuck are you doing?!
Katie. Ow! Fuck.
- You are gonna pop a fucking stitch!
- Shit! Stop moving!
Then get off of me!
Katie,
you can't rescue Grace.
She shouldn't be rescued.
She shouldn't go down
because of her stupid husband.
That's not why she's going down.
Why? Because she's not electable?
They don't like her?
She is brilliant and tough and human
and for some god-awful reason,
she still wants to serve
the American people.
Stop!
Katie.
Roylin hired Lenkov
to shoot a British ship.
But Roylin didn't come up with the idea.
Grace Penn did.
[dramatic music playing]
[somber music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
[music fades out]