The Morning Show (2019) s03e01 Episode Script

1
["NEMESIS" PLAYING]
[MUSIC ENDS]
[OBITUARY NARRATOR] Journalist,
author and a vital force for change,
Alex Levy will forever
be remembered as an icon.
From her many years on The Morning Show
to her Emmy-winning hit Alex Unfiltered,
Alex brought us closer to
the world and to each other.
You've all meant a lot
to me over the years,
and I want to thank you for
that from the bottom of my heart.
- [NEWSROOM CREW CHATTERING]
- [ALEX] I look too perky.
Don't you think I look too perky?
Like, "Oh, my God. She's dead."
- Yeah. I'll find some alts.
- You agree, right?
- Yeah.
- You guys
- [INHALES DEEPLY, SIGHS]
- this obituary shit is morbid
- I know.
- and it is unnecessary.
You're going up in a suborbital
rocket for, like, 13 minutes.
You're not gonna have time
to finish your peanuts.
[SCOFFS] I would not put it past Cory
to blow me up on live TV just
for the ratings. Son of a bitch.
[CHIP] But then what would
he do for Sweeps Week?
Hmm. [GROANING]
Guys, honestly, how
maiden is this voyage?
I mean, they do test
these rockets, right?
No, they don't test them.
They just kinda staple them
together and blow 'em up into space.
Of course, they test them, okay?
You're going up with the
guy who built the thing.
You don't think he wants
to come back in one piece?
I hope so. I don't know.
Oh, my God. Okay.
The guy has multiple NASA contracts.
It is going to be fine, Alex.
That's what they said to
the crew of the Challenger.
- [CHIP] Oh, boy, here we go. Really?
- And Apollo 1.
- [CHIP] Okay.
- Oh, and 13.
Thirteen came back. I mean,
they had Tom Hanks, but still.
Cory, it's Alex. Why are you
avoiding me? Question mark.
- Fucker.
- [KNOCKS]
- [ASSISTANT] Alex.
- Yes?
- We're ready for you.
- Oh, God. Good.
- Esther. Let's do Esther.
- Let's do it.
I am joined today by acclaimed
psychotherapist Esther Perel,
best-selling author, speaker
and host of the podcast
Where Should We Begin?
- So happy to have you here.
- Thank you. Pleasure to be here.
[INHALES DEEPLY]
So [SIGHS]
- two years after the world shut down
- Hmm.
and we are all just barely
getting back on our feet.
- Esther, you speak to a lot of couples.
- Mm-hmm.
What is everybody feeling right now?
[CELL PHONE BUZZING]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
[PERSON] Are you sneaking
out of your own bed?
[CHUCKLES]
I must be off my game.
Sorry, I'm late. [CHUCKLES]
So, no lunch?
I gotta go to work.
You got anything to eat?
Advil?
You were more fun last night. [SIGHS]
[STAMMERS] I gotta be there soon.
Okay. Okay.
- We haven't just had a physical lockdown.
- Hmm.
We are in an emotional lockdown,
and we have been surviving and
now we are wanting to be thriving.
But for that, we need
to fully experience
the difference between not being dead
- and being actually alive.
- Hmm.
"Not being dead." And how
do we How do we do that?
How do we get back to feeling alive?
I don't even know what that looks like.
It's different for every person.
- So let me ask you, Alex
- Hmm.
how would you complete the
sentence "I feel most alive when "?
What would you say?
Um, when I'm working.
- Mm-hmm. Right.
- When I'm working on something
that I feel very passionate
about, I feel very alive.
- Right. And you feel immersed and engaged
- Yes.
- Yes. Hmm.
- and curious and present
- and able to take risks.
- Right.
So, my question to you
is, why only at work?
I mean, when is the last
time that you allowed yourself
that kind of immersion and intensity
but with another human being?
Whoa. [INHALES SHARPLY]
Oh. Okay. [CHUCKLES]
[PERSON] Are you sure this is safe?
What if someone sees your
story and knows it's me?
No, no. Please understand, we will
completely conceal your identity.
I promise you no one will recognize you.
But people have to know
what's going on in Texas, Luna.
It's just, I-I can't express
how important it is right now.
I have to go next week. It's
the only time I can get off work.
No problem. I'll see
you in a few days, okay?
- Okay.
- [CHIMES]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
[CHATTERING]
- Bradley.
- Cory.
[CORY] How are you?
I'm good. Yeah. Busy.
Hmm. You You got the
speech ready for tomorrow?
Oh. Well, shitty first draft, but yes.
Well, we will all be
there to cheer you on.
- Great. Uh, I'm on in an hour.
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Kill the people.
Okay.
Did you see the revised copy
on the flood in Australia?
Yeah. Did we get a
confirmation on the death toll?
Government says 21 dead at least,
but they finally declared
a national emergency.
[BRADLEY] That's confirmed?
- [GAYLE] Yeah.
- [BRADLEY] Okay. Got it. Thank you.
- Good evening, everyone.
- Hey, Bradley.
- Let's have a great show.
- Good evening.
- Sound check?
- [CREW] Ten seconds, guys.
[BRADLEY] Three, two, one.
[GAYLE] Can you hear me?
Yes. I can hear you, Gayle.
- [MANAGER] Okay, clear. Four, three, two.
- Have a good show.
Welcome to the UBA Evening
News. I'm Bradley Jackson.
President Biden spoke with
Chinese President Xi Jinping today
as the US navigates
China's ties to Russia
amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
- [STEAM HISSING]
- [EXHALES DEEPLY]
- Too hot?
- [CORY SUCKS TEETH]
- Nope. What doesn't kill you [CHUCKLES]
- Almost kills you.
I was solo climbing on
Annapurna a few years back.
Oxygen tank failed.
[INHALES DEEPLY] Weather
rolled in, should've buried me.
- [CORY] Wait, don't tell me. You survived?
- [CHUCKLES]
Came across these other
climbers, they had a spare tank.
They gave me their spare tank.
I put their kids through college.
Well, fuck yes. That's a good story.
That's people who need people, and
that could be us, Paul. You and me.
You got to admit,
- it would make a great press release.
- [SIGHS]
While everyone was doomscrolling
under the covers during COVID,
two guys, they cross paths
at high tide in the Hamptons
to forge the biggest media
deal in a decade. [CHUCKLES]
So now you're thirsty?
Well, I literally am thirsty. Yeah.
But, hey, my kimono is open. So
are my pores. Where are we on this?
What do you mean? I'm ready to close.
You're the one that's
holding this thing up.
It's time to either dance or fuck off.
Well, meet my price. I'm
ready to go to the prom.
- I wanna wear my crown.
- Your number's inflated.
Says the fucking rich guy.
UBA's on the bubble.
COVID saved your ass,
and I-I am offering a 20%
premium on top of market value,
and you're lucky to get that.
You are lucky to get me
'cause I built a goddamn
pyramid during a pandemic.
That's undeniable, and so am I.
You started a streaming platform at
the beginning of a global lockdown.
Care to speculate what might happen
when the world decides it's
time to get back to business?
Well, I'm starting with launching
the first female journalist into space.
- Haven't you heard?
- I'm launching her. It's my rocket.
She's my journalist.
- [CHUCKLES]
- Come on. Think about it.
You got America's sweetheart on
the maiden voyage of Hyperion One.
She's gonna make space
as safe and appealing
as a warm Cinnabon and a cup of Folgers.
Wh-What What is it
What is this Alex Levy magic?
Can you explain this to me?
She's a survivor.
That's it. And that's what
people want to see right now.
I mean, she got the broken marriage,
she got the predation
of the creepy coanchor,
and then she suffers
through a biblical plague
on live TV to become the one human
that people can actually relate to
in this shit show of
a so-called democracy.
I did not discover Alex, but I
did bring her back from the dead.
So, to your question,
Alex Levy is Lazarus,
and that makes me Jesus.
Except I'm in more houses
seven days a week. [CHUCKLES]
Well, I hate to break it to you,
Jesus, but here's your problem.
You're overleveraged. No more
loaves and fishes for you.
You need a miracle, and, buddy, I'm it.
[SIGHS]
And tomorrow morning, we will watch
Alex Levy as she continues training
for next week's historic journey on
the maiden voyage of Hyperion One.
Alex and Hyperion founder, Paul
Marks, will reach the edge of space
on Wednesday, March 16th
live on The Morning Show.
It's all a part of celebrating
Alex's two incredible
decades here at UBA.
[WHIMPERING]
[ALEX] I know. I know.
We've got to stop waking up this early.
- It's the absolute worst. It's awful.
- [GRUNTS]
- [ALARM BLARING]
- [KISSES, SIGHS]
- Hey, Mel.
- Hey. Morning, Alex.
[ANCHOR] Yeah. Well,
th-the race is the fun part.
- It's the training that sucks.
- [YANKO] Ah. Yeah.
You're living at the gym.
- Uh-huh.
- There's no social life, no vacay
- Right, yeah.
- no bacon. [SIGHS]
- Wait, wait. Did you say, "No bacon"?
- No.
- Like what Like ever? No
- No.
I lost a race after a grand
slam breakfast at Denny's.
- Never again.
- [YANKO LAUGHING]
Well [CHUCKLES] I don't
know if that's the bacon's fault.
- [CREW] Camera two, stay with Chris.
- Alex, oh!
[CREW] Take camera two.
- [CHRIS] The worst part about training
- [ALEX] Hmm.
- is that you're never in the mood.
- Oh, well.
- Okay. All right.
- Yeah. You're too tired.
- Sore.
- Mm-hmm.
- Dehydrated.
- [YANKO] Okay.
- Okay. Very clear.
- Yeah, all right. Cringe. We g Got it.
- We get it. Thank you.
- [CHRIS] You know what I mean.
- Okay. Well, that's a perfect segue, uh
- [YANKO] We're moving on. Moving on.
- No, it's a horrible segue.
- but we're gonna roll with it.
- Yes. Ooh. Oh, my God.
- And speaking of rolling, the space chair.
- [ALEX] There she is.
- [CREW] Center up Alex.
- [LAUGHS] Oh, look at that.
- [CREW] Take it, two.
- Root canal flashbacks.
- [CREW] Widen out. Wider.
- [ALEX] My little baby.
- [CHRIS] Wow.
- [CREW] Go, Jim.
- [ALEX] I've been training all week.
I didn't know, but when you're in space,
- you have to really use your core
- [CREW] Standby, camera three.
- and just, kind of, like, tuck it
- [YANKO] Whoa. Oh.
- [LAUGHING]
- Oh.
Miss Olympian, there we go.
Hello, gold medal. [LAUGHING]
- [HUMS] I like it.
- [YANKO LAUGHS]
That's good. Just go with it.
- Do you like it?
- I like it a lot.
- [ALEX] Okay.
- Yeah. Houston, we're ready for liftoff.
- [LAUGHS]
- [ALEX] Listen, if you wanna trade places,
I will gladly keep your
anchor chair nice and warm
while you go orbit into space.
- Oh. [MUMBLES]
- Oh, no.
- That one's starting to feel broken in.
- That's what I thought.
- All right. Okay. While they do, uh
- Oh, God. I almost had her.
- they musical chairs, Leigh
- I almost had her.
can you tell us what the
the weather's like for the launch?
Yeah. Musical chairs is right
[LAUGHS] Yanko. All right.
-So, West Texas is gonna see clear skies
-[CREW] Stay with her on one.
- and warm weather for the next few days.
- [SIGHS]
- So, Alex
- [ALEX] Yes?
you'll have a great
view from that capsule.
- [ALEX] Oh.
- [LEIGH] Yeah. Enjoy that.
All right. Let's take a look here at
[MIA] Can't possibly
like each other that much.
- [LEIGH CONTINUING WEATHER REPORT]
- [WHISPERS] Don't be jealous.
I'm not.
I just wanna crush 'em.
Hey, Lizzy. Mom. Remember me?
I gave birth to you. [CHUCKLES]
Um, uh, just checking
in about Texas again.
And I can still get you a ticket.
I know you're very busy,
but if you wanna come
I love you.
[BELL DINGS]
- There she is.
- [ALEX] Hey, stranger.
- Hi.
- How's the new apartment?
[SIGHS] It's so good.
Ah, did you get that rug?
Yes, I did, and you were right.
- It looks fabulous. [SUCKS TEETH]
- I can't wait to see it.
- Yeah. Well, come over sometime.
- I know.
I mean that you're the one
with the crazy schedule.
Uh, hello. Kettle. [SCOFFS]
Okay. We're gonna make a plan.
- Yep. Uh-huh.
- I have this machine.
You push a button, and
a cappuccino comes out.
- No.
- Hmm.
- I have one of those.
- You do?
Yes. I call it Chip.
- Oh. [LAUGHS]
- [LAUGHS]
How is the training
going? Is that crazy?
- Oh.
- Are you ready to defy gravity?
My God. I've been trying to
defy gravity for 15 years.
[INHALES SHARPLY] I'm I'm
nervous. Y-Yeah, I'm nervous.
You're gonna be great.
[STAMMERING] Do you
know I had to actually
cut together my own obit package?
- Ugh.
- Literally, your whole life cut down
to 90 seconds to a Beach Boys cover.
They won't pay for an
original Beach Boys song?
- No, there's budget cuts.
- [ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Okay. Anyway, I'm coming over.
- See you later.
- [CHUCKLES] You better.
- [KYLE] Whoa. Alex! Uh
- [ALEX] Hey. How you doin', Kyle?
Ah, look at that. The
doctor is in. How nice.
Ah, hey. Rest and relaxation.
Check back in in two weeks.
Huh. Hey, Cory, does
your phone not work?
Alex, I'm a little busy right now.
Oh, come on. You know what?
You said we would finish
our conversation last week,
and here I am chasing you down.
Come on. Where's the love, Cory?
[LAUGHS] Come on.
- I got you a ride on a spaceship.
- Hmm.
A-a chance to commune
with fragile planet Earth.
David Attenborough would strangle
a snow leopard to have your seat.
And good news, by the way,
I'm coming along with you.
[CHUCKLES] Paul just, uh,
extended an invitation.
Mmm. Do I sense a little
bromance with Mr. Billionaire?
Well, he likes me. What can
I tell you? Some people do.
Hmm.
All right. I'm serious about this, Cory.
I saved your precious UBA+ ass
with my blood, my sweat and my
tears and everything else that came
- out of my body when I had COVID.
- Alex, I'm profoundly grateful for all
- of your bodily fluids, but
- Okay.
Well, let me then just speak Cory
- [CHUCKLES]
- for a second.
How many ad dollars do you think
I have brought into this company
in the 20 years that I've been here?
Little tricky to estimate.
Yeah. Well, I thought so. So that's why
I had Doug give it
a whirl. It's about
about two billion.
- Ah. Doug. [CHUCKLES]
- [CHUCKLES]
Well, agents do love a
round number, don't they?
I I need to be a real partner.
I need to have a say in the
future of this place, okay?
[STAMMERS] I've been out
there in the real world
for the last two years,
and I know what people want.
Oh, come on. People don't know
what they want until we puree it,
spoon it up and make airplane sounds.
Okay. Well, here's what I want.
Double my development slate,
profit participation
and a seat on the board.
- Alex.
- You know that it's time.
I have earned this, Cory. Come on.
Yeah. What you are asking
is, uh, unprecedented.
I am unprecedented.
I'm all over this network, and I
want to stay all over this network.
But I will be very
clear with you right now.
I'll go elsewhere, if
things don't change.
Alex, I hear you,
and I'm going to make
you very, very happy.
Don't fuck me on this, Cory.
Ooh. God, I'll kick your ass
out of that shuttle so fast,
you'll be like Clooney in
Gravity. Just poof. Gone.
- See ya, Cory.
- [CHUCKLES]
[SIGHS]
[GROANS]
- [LIQUID POURING]
- Morning.
Nice of you to join us.
[CHUCKLES] Space question.
Massive star runs out of fuel,
can't support itself. What happens?
Becomes a black hole.
[CHUCKLES] Hey. Nerd. Correct.
Sorry I am late. I was waylaid
by our resident astronaut.
So why am I getting angry calls from
all of our network division heads
complaining about your
cost cutting measures?
Have you ever had a happy call
from a network division head?
You are cannibalizing the company
to feed UBA+ and drowning us in debt.
No. [STAMMERS] It's really
more of a a misting,
a gentle sprinkling to keep
us cool on a warm summer day.
We can make it work in
the news division for now.
But I want to sit down and look
at next quarter's projections
because they're worse than we thought.
And at some point
there's gonna be a mutiny.
You know, we can sit
around counting beans or
But you know, wouldn't it
be more fun to plant them,
grow a beanstalk and
turn UBA+ into a giant?
The giant dies in the end.
We hold the line.
This is a rough patch.
We'll get through it,
but we can't burn through
any more of our reserves.
Stella, actually, I wanna
look over those numbers
sometime this week.
I need to manage the
expectations of the board.
[CORY CLEARS THROAT]
So, what did Alex want?
Too much, as usual.
I like to imagine Cybil on an ice floe
drifting away toward the horizon,
getting smaller and smaller.
She's right about one thing.
Our financials are shit.
Do we need to talk about layoffs?
Well, don't fire up
your LinkedIn just yet.
- Where are you off to?
- Bradley.
- And what does she want?
- Too much, as usual.
- [ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
- [GRUNTS]
[SIGHS]
With the jacket or without the jacket?
- Definitely jacket.
- [KNOCKS]
- Come in.
- [STELLA] Hey.
Hey.
Oh. Nice dress.
[STAMMERS] I don't know. Too much boob?
[STELLA] Hmm. No, not with the jacket.
- Yeah. That's what I was thinking.
- Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
Um, could we just have just a minute?
- Yeah. Sure.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
- [STELLA] Thanks.
[INHALES DEEPLY, SIGHS]
- So, I'm guessing this is bad news.
- Mm-hmm.
[BRADLEY] What is it?
You're gonna have to
punt the abortion piece.
- What?
- I'm sorry.
Medical abortions skyrocketed
during the pandemic.
The pills are the next front, Stella.
We have to be leading this conversation.
Yeah. We covered SB4 and SB8.
And everybody knows you're
not neutral on this issue.
Why? Because I have a
personal experience with it?
That means I can't report on
it? That doesn't make any sense.
Like [STAMMERS]
Yanko is a gun owner.
[STAMMERS] Does that mean he
can't report on school shootings?
You know it's not the same thing.
If you cross the line
and break local laws,
you leave UBA open to a
lawsuit, to advertiser boycotts.
- We can't afford it. I'm sorry.
- [SCOFFS]
I really am.
[BRADLEY] Wow.
You know, we were supposed
to change things, weren't we?
You and me. That's
why they brought us in.
When I came in, they
called me an upstart.
And then you started, and they said,
"You're gonna love her.
She's such a disrupter."
We were supposed to shake things
up at UBA, and now look at us.
Three years later,
we're just status quo.
"Kill this story. Tweak that copy.
You can't say that on
network television."
Honestly, what the fuck, Stella?
It's like death by a thousand cuts.
Bradley, because of who you
are, where you come from,
you can speak to both
sides of the country.
There isn't another news anchor in
America who can do that right now.
And if this next election is contested,
we need our viewers to trust you.
All of them. That's what
I'm trying to protect here.
Got it.
[SCOFFS]
[SIGHING]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[PEOPLE CHATTERING]
- [PHOTOGRAPHER 1] You look amazing.
- [PHOTOGRAPHER 2] Bradley.
- [YANKO] All right. Thank you.
- [PHOTOGRAPHER 3] Can I get one more?
- [PHOTOGRAPHER 4] One more before you go.
- [PHOTOGRAPHER 5] Thank you, Yanko.
[YANKO SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[PHOTOGRAPHER 5] You look amazing.
[PHOTOGRAPHER 1] This way, Bradley.
[PHOTOGRAPHER 2] Thank you, Yanko.
[PEOPLE AT EVENT SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[PHOTOGRAPHER 4] Bradley,
one more shot, please.
[PHOTOGRAPHER 5] Hey,
can I get a big smile.
You came.
It's the woman of the hour.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
I thought you hated these things.
Well, I hate manufactured awards.
But this one is actually
about the integrity of our job.
- Hmm.
- And I thought it would be good
to see each other, since
we run in the same circles.
You know, it doesn't have to be weird.
Between us, I mean.
I-I'm not mad or anything.
Why would you be?
If you had stayed in Montana, none
of this would be happening tonight.
I don't know. I feel partially
responsible for your meteoric success.
Right.
What?
You didn't want me to stay.
You made that very clear.
So that's the story you're going with?
Story? No, excuse me,
Laura. This is not a
You pushed me away. You
didn't wanna be there with me.
You wanted to be here with all of this.
- If that's what you think that's what
- Uh, Bradley, Laura. Can you two
Do you mind?
[LAURA CLEARS THROAT]
Smile. People are watching.
[PHOTOGRAPHER] That's
great. Thank you so much.
Well, I always knew you were
bigger than morning television.
You're on morning television.
YDA has nothing to do with
what happened between us.
You know that, right?
Can you excuse me? I'm empty.
[PARTYGOERS CHATTERING]
[SIGHS]
[CORY] I believe acceptance speeches
are typically delivered
while standing upright.
I'm not in the mood for this right now.
Okay. This is just your boss
wanting you to have your moment.
Is that what it is?
Maybe just slow your
roll until after the
- I don't need you up my ass right now.
- Okay. No more bubbles.
- Don't manage me. Do not.
- Bradley.
I know Stella told you
about the Texas story.
I spent months developing
contacts down there.
News is Stella's department.
But she told you.
She tells me a lot of things.
That doesn't mean I interfere.
Would you interfere if we were together?
Is that what it would take?
Huh.
[ALEX] Bradley Jackson
is a straight shooter,
and in these divisive times,
her commitment to the truth
matters more than ever.
On January 6th, 2021, our
democracy hung in the balance.
We watched on television screens
as violence broke out at
our most revered institution.
But Bradley Jackson didn't watch.
Bradley was there inside the Capitol.
Separated from her crew in the chaos,
armed with nothing more
than her cell phone,
Bradley captured some of the most
indelible images we have of that day.
And that's the thing about Bradley.
For her, it's always personal.
And that passion for chasing a story
makes her one of the most trusted voices
in television and the highest-rated
network evening news anchor.
She is my inspiration.
She is my good friend.
And it is my absolute honor
to present Bradley Jackson
with the American Alliance of
Journalists First Amendment Award.
[APPLAUSE]
Okay.
Okay. [CLEARS THROAT, BREATHING DEEPLY]
Thank you, Alex.
It's [CHUCKLES] It's
been a whirlwind three years.
- Oof.
- [CHUCKLES]
And, you know, one thing I've learned
as a journalist, and this is important,
there will always
always be someone who
tries to silence you.
[CAMERAS SHUTTERING]
Don't let them.
[APPLAUSE]
- Hi.
- Hi.
That was a very nice speech. Thank you.
Yours was, um, short.
Yeah.
- There's this woman in Texas.
- Mm-hmm.
And she crosses over the border
every single month into Mexico
to get abortion pills for women
who cannot drive hours
to the nearest clinic.
- She's doing work that really matters
- Mm-hmm.
and I can't report on it.
[CLICKS TONGUE] You can't report on it,
or you can't go down there
and drive her yourself?
You're evening news now, honey.
You know, you're Dan Rather.
You're Diane Sawyer.
You've wanted this chair
since you landed at UBA.
I don't know why you don't try just
sitting in it for a little while.
I get it. I'm impatient, ungrateful.
Well, yeah, you are.
But you're [STAMMERS]
also fucking great at what you do.
[CHUCKLES] I just want
my work to mean something.
[CLICKS TONGUE] The Supreme
Court ruling in June?
2024 election?
I mean, you are reporting on some
of the biggest stories out there.
Huge. I mean, I don't know.
Maybe you just let this one go.
I mean [GROANS] we can't just
We can't fight every battle.
We just can't.
[SIGHS]
Hey, Luna, it's Bradley.
Um, listen, I don't
think that [SIGHS]
I'm gonna be able
to make it to Texas.
Just 'cause work has It's just
gotten a little bit complicated.
Um, and I'm sorry. I'm
really, really sorry.
Uh But I want you to know something.
Um, I really admire you.
Uh, I admire what you do.
And when I was pregnant as a teenager,
I, uh I knew that I
could never tell my mother.
And there was a woman like
you, and she saved my life.
I just wanted other women to know
that there are people like you out there
and that they don't have to feel alone.
Um, again, I'm just I'm sorry.
- This is what Bradley was talking about.
- Yep.
I don't How is this 2022?
It's, like, Twilight Zone crazy.
- Uh, you should try to get some sleep.
- [SIGHS]
Out of 120 abortion clinics in
Texas, how many do you think are fake?
Uh [STAMMERS]
I don't know, like, 30?
According to this article, a hundred.
A hundred clinics routinely
lie to pregnant women
about how far along they are,
so that they think [STAMMERS]
they're-they're too
too late to terminate the pregnancy.
I mean, they'll be three weeks along,
and they'll tell them
that they're eight weeks,
- because the cutoff is six weeks.
- Wow. It's sick.
- [ALEX] Fucked up.
- [CHIP] That's
I mean, it's really horrifying, yeah.
But where is this coming from right
now? You're Are you spinning?
You read numbers like this, it's
insane. I It just pisses me off.
You go to your doctor,
you don't wanna be lied to.
I agree. We all agree.
Things in Texas suck, lots of things.
But maybe we just, like, I don't
know, look forward to the barbecue.
Mmm. Yeah, it's delicious.
Brisket roasted over the
ashes of women's autonomy.
- [INHALES DEEPLY] Mmm.
- [CHIP] Okay.
Wow.
- Oh, my God. Could it be any hotter?
- Yeah.
And it's only March.
Yeah, well, welcome to the
future, Mia. Look at this thing.
Oh, my God.
[CHIP] Whoa.
- Whoa. [SIGHS]
- Oh, there he is.
[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
He's tall.
[PAUL] Welcome to Hyperion.
Tomorrow's short flight will
be the beginning of a new era.
These suborbital tests will
help develop the vital technology
to carry humans far,
far beyond the moon.
There's that word again. "Test."
And UBA is an essential
part of that project.
By showing the world what we
do live on The Morning Show,
we hope to generate
the kind of excitement
that will bring in new
support for the next space age.
- Thank you.
- [APPLAUSE]
We have Chris on standby, in
case you wanna shoot anything.
Okay.
[PAUL] Why the fuck
did we agree to this?
The last thing I need right now
is a TV crew up my ass.
- Want me to send them home? No.
- Yes. Could you?
These nice people are
gonna help us keep that big,
fat NASA contract that you want so much.
What do you think of her?
I don't know. She walks
on water in Milwaukee.
- How do you think she is in zero gravity?
- [CHUCKLES]
- [PAUL] Alex.
- Yes.
- Paul Marks.
- Hi.
- How do you do? Pleasure to meet you.
- Pleasure to meet you.
Uh, this is all very, um, impressive.
Ah [CHUCKLES] thanks.
Listen, we really haven't
had a chance to talk.
- Um, can I show you around the facility?
- Yeah.
- Give me a second. Okay.
- Yeah.
["RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM" PLAYING]
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa.
My God. Whoa! Quite the
tour, that I wasn't expecting.
- Oh, my God.
- We're almost there.
- Oh, great. [STAMMERS] Whoa! Jesus!
- Whoa!
[ALEX] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Don't you love it?
Whoa! Amazing.
Oh. Whoa.
[SIGHING] What is it with
you rich boys and your toys?
- [CHUCKLING]
- Good God.
Do you have a death wish
or something? [SIGHS]
- You're fine.
- [PANTING] Oh, God.
[SIGHS] Why did any
of that have to happen?
You know, the rocket goes a lot faster.
Yeah, but [SIGHS] you
won't be driving that, right?
Didn't you get out of Bosnia
on a motorcycle or something?
[SIGHS] Yeah, like a hundred years ago.
[GRUNTING, SIGHS] You read
my book. [BREATHING HEAVILY]
I did.
Everybody thought they knew you,
but you showed them something else.
- Huh. Oh.
- I could use a rebrand like that.
Yeah, I'm sure you're
very misunderstood.
Yeah. [SIGHS]
All those other billionaires
really fucked it up for me.
[ALEX] Ah, those billionaires.
Oh, wow. Whoa. This is all yours.
Yes, it is. 200,000 unspoiled acres,
and I plan to keep it that way.
[SIGHS] Big on personal space, huh?
- Yes, I am. [CHUCKLES]
- Mm-hmm.
Well, it's it's really beautiful.
I think so.
[INHALES SHARPLY] So you read my book?
Well, my assistant did.
Oh. Okay.
Of course I read your book.
Maybe someday you'll tell me
what isn't in it. [CHUCKLES]
[ALEX] Hmm.
I have to ask you,
what is going on here?
- What? Aren't we just talking?
- No, I don't I mean, all of this.
What are you getting out of a
13-minute joyride on The Morning Show?
I don't Well, I thought we
maybe should get to know each other
a little bit before this
deal goes through. Hmm?
What deal?
[CHUCKLES]
- Hey. Hi.
- Hi.
So you're selling UBA to Paul Marks?
When were you gonna tell me about this?
Or was I supposed to read
about it in the fucking trades?
Just, uh It's just
a conversation, Alex,
and, um, you're out of your lane.
- I'm out of my lane? Fuck my lane.
- Yep.
Oh, my gosh. This is all so clear now.
Why you're pimping me
out on that rocket ship.
So you could close a deal.
This is why I have
to be a partner, Cory.
I need to be brought in on this shit.
- You want to be brought in?
- Yes.
You want to be brought in. Okay. Fine.
The world as we know it is over, Alex.
We are officially in the Thunderdome.
In five years, half of
the streaming services,
they'll be gone or bought out.
In ten years, the Internet will be 3D.
You will literally be
in people's living rooms.
We need to build a time machine
to take us to the future,
and that is gonna take
[STAMMERS] real deep pockets.
Someone with more money than God.
And, uh, Bill Gates,
he won't return my calls
since I crushed him [CHUCKLES]
in doubles at Sun Valley.
So, Paul Marks,
that's the hand that we have been dealt
in this game of three-card capitalism.
And honestly, I'm happy
to be at the table.
I wanna play. I wanna win.
In fact, I wanna build
something that matters
even when nothing else does.
With that guy? That's who
you see for the future of UBA?
Some need-for-speed
hard-ass from Silicon Valley?
Well, we don't like
his offer, we walk away.
Alex, I mean, come on.
You could just trust that
I'm doing what's best for you.
Right. I do. I forget that.
I forget that you always have my
best interest at heart. Mm-hmm.
You know, Paul and I, we just
had some conversations. That's it.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
You haven't told Cybil yet.
Oh, you haven't told anybody yet.
I promise, if this happens,
you will be taken care of.
Mm-hmm.
[PHONE BUZZES]
[ALEX SIGHS] God, I'm so sick of men.
Thank you?
- No, not you. Men with power. [SIGHS]
- Hmm. Again, thank you very much.
That's nice.
Paul fucking Marks. Paul
fucking Marks? Jesus.
I mean, look, he's not exactly
known for sharing his toys, you know?
What the fuck was Cory thinking?
That he would massively
upgrade his profile
by getting into bed with
a fucking billionaire.
[SCOFFS] He's using me
as as his honey trap.
This fucker who couldn't wait to get
rid of me three years ago. [SIGHS]
Put in all this time, you know?
Twenty years and it it
just doesn't mean anything.
- Doesn't mean a fucking thing.
- I know.
We are only here to keep the
stockholders happy, and that is it.
I'm so tired of being managed.
You ask for things
politely like a grown-up,
- and you just get nothing.
- Mm-hmm. Yep.
Why do I have to set something on
fire to get someone to listen to me?
'Cause Cory's a fucking pyromaniac,
and that's the only language
he understands, and
I just didn't do all this to
become a corporate Stepford wife.
God.
Just fuck 'em. You know
what I mean? Fuck them.
- Fuck their rocket. Stupid f
- [CHUCKLES]
- Fuck 'em.
- [GROANS] Seriously.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Okay. Oh.
Shit.
What? Shit, what?
It's Bradley.
What? What is it?
"Luna got arrested. Headed to Del Rio.
Can you spare a camera operator?"
Shit.
Wait, what?
[PHONE BUZZES]
Earl, what is it?
[EARL] Bradley Jackson
is on her way to JFK.
Told her team she won't be back
for tomorrow evening's broadcast.
She's going to Texas.
[SIGHS] Of course she is.
[SIGHS]
[MIA MUMBLING]
[PHONE BUZZES]
- Oh, God.
- [KNOCKING]
Alex? It's Mia.
Oh.
Where is she?
It's not personal.
- She wants you to know that. Fuck me.
- Oh, my God.
[PANTING]
Alex is gone.
How gone?
[PANTS] Uh, the kind where
I wake you up four hours
before a rocket launch gone. [PANTS]
- Can I blame you?
- What?
No! She bailed on purpose.
- Why?
- Does it matter? She's not here.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
So we need somebody who can
deliver the news in space.
Yeah. I think it's gotta be Yanko.
He's a scientist. He would kill to go.
Mmm. No, no, no, no, no.
It's Women's History Month.
Um, our advertisers will freak.
There really only is one option.
[MIA] It's an incredible opportunity.
[STELLA] An Olympic champion in space.
[MIA] We're gonna turn
it into a regular segment.
Educate our viewers on the science
- of going into space.
- [GASPS] You said
You said you wanted to
get more girls into STEM.
- For sure. Yeah.
- [STELLA] You said that.
Paul Marks wants Alex. So does
everybody else. I haven't trained.
- Oh, well [CHUCKLES]
- [MUTTERS] Ooh.
- the training is bullshit.
- You don't need to train.
[MIA] You can do it.
You're an Olympic champion.
- I'm on three hours of sleep.
- [MIA CHUCKLES] So?
You want me to get into a metal tube
full of thousands of
gallons of rocket fuel
on its first manned flight?
- [MIA] Well
- [STELLA] Yeah.
- Yes, but i it's not
- It's It's not that hard.
I'm gonna pass on being your guinea pig.
- [MIA] Are you sure?
- See you at the launch.
Huh. That went well.
Now what?
Hey, we have a problem.
[ANNOUNCER, OVER PA] Welcome to
San Antonio International Airport.
- [ANNOUNCEMENT CONTINUES, INDISTINCT]
- [CHATTERING]
Cory. What are you doing here?
- Uh, well, we need to talk.
- No, I can't. I gotta go.
- I got a source who's in trouble.
- Luna?
- I know she's been arrested.
- What?
Wait, are you trying to stop me?
Th-There's nothing that
you can do for her now.
I've called Legal. They're on it, okay?
Oh, because y'all have
been so supportive.
- Hey, I am not punishing you.
- [SCOFFS]
I would never do that. But I
need you to do something for me.
Okay.
Hey. Hey. I was there for you, remember?
I need you to return the favor.
Yeah. Okay. What What is it?
[SMACKS LIPS] Well, since
you're in the neighborhood,
wanna go to space? [CHUCKLES]
[ALEX] Oh, my God. I can't
believe he got you to do this.
I really I can't believe it.
How are you not coming?
This is your story.
You have been chasing
this story, Bradley.
Well, it's your story now, so
shoot the shit out of it, okay?
And tell Luna I'm sorry.
And if it all goes south,
you can have my dressing room.
Well, what about your apartment?
[CHUCKLES] You mean the
one you haven't even seen?
[SIGHS] Oh, God. Please, you know
you don't have to do this, right?
[SIGHS] I know. Uh, it's
But it's like you said.
[STAMMERS] Maybe I don't
have to fight every battle.
Please just be safe.
God, please be safe.
Okay. Bye.
So, folks, we have a
last-minute change of plans.
We've just learned that Alex, uh,
unfortunately suffered a minor injury
while she was training
earlier this morning.
So out of an abundance
of caution, our, uh
our Evening News anchor Bradley Jackson,
she's gonna be going in her place.
And Alex is fine. She just
felt it best to step aside.
That's right. Despite the
quick change of plans
Go quickly to camera three.
Bradley was actually able to
complete that training pretty quickly,
so she's good to go.
And I'm thrilled to be here
with you in beautiful West Texas.
- Look at this big, blue, Lone Star sky.
- Yeah.
And I can only imagine how incredibly,
uh, excited Bradley must be.
Oh, I know she is insanely
excited. [CHUCKLES]
[SIGHS]
[PROTESTERS CHANTING] My body,
my choice. My body, my choice.
I'm here in Del Rio, Texas, a
small city on the US-Mexico border,
where a 19-year-old woman is
being held in this building
since she was arrested late yesterday.
- She is part
- Back it up. You need to clear the area.
She is part of an underground
network of volunteers
who have been bringing abortion
pills from Mexico into the US.
Medication abortion is
safe, and it is effective,
and here in the remote Rio Grande
Valley often the only option.
Ah, well, congratulations,
Paul. This is Bradley Jackson.
You just got yourself a
whole new set of viewers
south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Well, thanks for the ride.
I'm gonna try not to throw up.
Well, there's a bag
underneath your seat.
Just make sure you seal it.
Cory Ellison, boy wonder. Looks
like you can't deliver after all.
[LAUNCH COMMENTATOR]
SNA arm rotation enabled.
[MISSION COMMAND] Stage one
tanks pressing for flight.
[DONNY] Take camera five.
[MISSION CONTROL] GLS
mainline has been initiated.
All personnel, we are
going to resume the clock.
All right. [SIGHS]
The, uh, G's can be a
little intense, but, uh,
it's only for the
first couple of minutes.
Ah, this is nothing. I
used to fly Spirit Airlines.
[MISSION COMMAND] T-minus 15 seconds.
Standby to launch.
- [MISSION COMMAND] Ten, nine
- Ten, nine
eight, seven, six,
five, four, three
- two, one.
- [BOTH] Two, one!
[MISSION CONTROL] Hyperion
One has cleared the tower.
[CHEERING, WHOOPING]
- You can feel the ground shaking.
- Keep it. Keep it.
Whoo-hoo!
That is absolutely incredible.
The power of this thing
[STAMMERS] It takes a lot of, uh,
juice to punch a hole in that sky.
[CHRISTINA] We'll be seeing footage
- of Earth from the rocket itself.
- Stay with it, five. Stay with it.
Hyperion One will reach a top
speed of 2,250 miles an hour.
- Whoa. Whoa.
- [YANKO] It's impressive, Chris.
That's right. And reach an
apogee of about 350,000 feet,
which is about 62 miles
above the Earth's surface.
So Hyperion One is is now
closing in on the Kármán Line.
That's the delineation between
Earth's atmosphere and space.
- And everything looks A-okay.
- It does indeed.
"The all-knowing mind,
empty and radiant."
[SIGHS]
Any regrets?
- [CHIP] Mmm.
- [ALEX] Hmm.
Everybody ready? Time to fly.
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
["THE FLOWER DUET" PLAYING]
[GASPS]
[YANKO] B-Bradley, this
is this is incredible.
Can you tell us what you're seeing?
How do things look from up there?
Hi. [SIGHS]
After two years of a pandemic
and now a war in Ukraine,
it's incredible to look down
and see how connected we all are.
That's so true. I
Hello, sorry [STAMMERS]
I think we lost you,
Bradley. Are you there? Hello?
- What just happened?
- [YANKO] Bradley, are you
- Can you hear me? Are you able to hear me?
- I don't know.
[YANKO] Do you copy? Can you hear me?
Bradley?
["FLY ME TO THE MOON" PLAYING]