The Good Fight (2017) s04e06 Episode Script

1
♪♪
(LOUD SIPPING)
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Okay, runway model, you look fantastic.
- What's different?
- Gee, thanks.
You know what I mean.
Something's going on.
Maybe I'm just having a good day.
(GASPS) Oh, my God.
- You got a Birkin.
- It's no big deal.
It is absolutely a big deal.
Is this a Bianca hand-me-down?
No.
Why? Does it look does it look used?
No, it looks gorgeous.
Are your hands clean?
So, wait did you buy this?
Yeah, I-I I wanted one.
Everybody wants one,
like a yacht or a pony.
Ooh, it's the swivel latch.
I love the swivel latch.
How do you know so much about Birkins?
I was raised around rich people.
Ooh, saddle stitching.
So, wait, where did you buy this?
At a a sample sale.
Really? Well, you're lucky
you didn't get scammed.
- What do you mean?
- Well, if it were counterfeit,
the feet would screw
off, but these don't.
See? They're hammered in.
- Huh.
- (LAUGHS SOFTLY)
(SING-SONGY): Lucca has a Birkin.
I Shh.
Thank you, Frank, for
giving us another chance.
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
- Uh, please.
We're not here about your firm, Adrian.
We are here about you.
- Me?
- Yes.
- Did you watch the Democratic debates this year?
- Yeah.
- Which one? (LAUGHS)
- Any of 'em.
(LAUGHS) We started out with the most
diverse slate in our history,
but come the end of January,
no candidate of color went the distance.
And that's something we need to correct.
Four years from now, we need
an African-American candidate
that can go the distance.
I agree. So how can I help?
You can be that candidate.
Are you kidding me right now, Frank?
No. Look, we don't expect you to win,
but we want to groom you to
stay on the stage until Iowa.
Black voters need to
see themselves up there.
But you want me to run for president?
Yes.
Wow.
WOMAN: You're a fighter,
but with gravitas.
LANDAU: We saw your punditry
from last year. It was very good.
You spoke eloquently
on issues that matter.
You seem very comfortable
in your own skin.
You've made a name for
yourself on police brutality,
and that takes you away from
the Kamala Harris problem.
- And you're tall.
- (CHUCKLES) People like that.
But I've said some very
controversial things, Frank.
You're not afraid to break the rules,
which is a good thing, because
there's no rulebook anymore.
Donald Trump took it, burned
it and took a shit on the ashes.
And if he wins in November, God help us,
we need to come back in 2024
with everything we've got.
Can I, um, think about this?
- Mm, of course.
- WOMAN: But in the meantime,
- it's confidential.
- Oh, absolutely.
Not a word to anybody.
Okay.
It's beyond confidential.
Not your mother, not
your shrink, no one.
Okay.
They said what?
In 2024.
Oh, they don't expect
me to win the nomination.
It's more about defining
the future of the party
You're the future of the party?
- You're jealous.
- No, I am not.
- (LAUGHS)
- I j just
What are your positions?
Medicare for all? Section 1325
of the U.S. immigration code?
Troops in Northeast Syria?
Maybe you want to be
my policy advisor, huh?
I'm the reason the DNC came
into this office in the first place.
And, unlike you, I have
actually worked in government.
Mm, like "Kamela" Harris.
It's Kamala. Learn how
to say her damn name.
And what, are you-are you saying
that former prosecutors are unelectable?
Or just black, female
former prosecutors?
Congratulations.
Why, thank you.
I have to head to court.
Better work on your platform.
Huh.
Would it kill them to recruit a woman
every once in while?
(WHISTLE BLOWS)
ADRIAN: Melanie! Melanie!
Looking good.
My leg was starting to cramp.
I need to stretch it out more.
- You ready for court?
- Not really.
Talk about butterflies.
You'll be fine, Melanie.
But look, I wanted to catch
you before we go to court.
We're changing strategies.
We're what? Why?
Well, we think that, given
the politics of the situation,
we have a better chance
of success going with race.
Um if that's what you think.
But look, nothing else has changed.
You are still the injured party here.
So what do I wear in court?
I was six when I learned to swim,
uh, which is late compared
to the other girls.
Uh, there was no pool near me.
My mom would get me
up quarter after 3:00,
get me to the pool by 5:00.
I'd work out till 7:00.
Then she'd have me at school by 8:00.
Uh, it was about an
hour-and-a-half drive
each way, depending on traffic.
Did you have a private coach, Melanie?
No. Just my mom.
So even though you didn't have
the advantages of your teammates,
you still made finalist
on the Olympic team?
Objection. Relevance?
Overruled.
Try "counselor is testifying".
Counselor is testifying.
- Sustained.
- ADRIAN: Melanie, in 2019,
was there a scheduled qualifying
meet for the Olympic trials?
- Yes.
- And was that rescheduled for this year?
Yes.
- ADRIAN: Why was that?
- Objection.
The witness was not the one
doing the rescheduling, Your Honor.
She's hardly in a position to know why.
I'm guessing she has an opinion.
As I am also guessing that your client,
the Olympic Committee, has an opinion,
- so, overruled.
- (QUIETLY): Go ahead.
Uh, the meet was rescheduled to 2020
to give Sadie Lipton more time to train.
And Sadie Lipton is the
swimmer who replaced you
- on the Olympic team?
- Yes.
And Sadie Lipton is
obviously white, right?
- MELANIE: Yes.
- Okay, I got it.
Uh, is there any reason to believe
that race played a
part in this decision?
I'm not someone who sees
racism in everything,
but our team doctor, Dr. Ludovic
he thought I couldn't
hear him when he said:
black people's bones
are denser than whites,
that elite swimmers
need a low bone density,
so blacks were at a disadvantage.
All right, I'm getting it.
Uh, thank you very much, dear.
Next?
NIA: As president
of U.S. Olympic Swimming,
what is your principle function?
Of course I'd like to think
it was to inspire others,
but the truth is, my principle
function is to lead by example.
And what was your reaction
when Dr. Ludovic's remarks about
African-American bone
density got back to you?
I fired him that same day.
Is there racism on the
U.S. Olympic Committee?
No. And if there were,
I would weed it out.
Thank you. Nothing further.
- Mr. Pezner, what's Rule Number 50?
- Oh, objection, Your Honor.
- I haven't even asked my question, sir!
- Because Rule Number
- It's got nothing to do with anything.
- Wai Uh, uh, uh, uh,
Hey, eh, eh, eh, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait.
Somebody want to clue the judge in here?
I mean, what is Rule 50?
PEZNER: It is the new rule
that prohibits political protests
by athletes at the Olympic Games.
Okay.
Counselor, connect the dots.
You knew, sir, did you not,
that Melanie Evers had,
in the past, participated
in political protests?
Listen, I am sympathetic
to Black Lives Matter.
I am not interested in
your sympathies, sir.
- I'm asking you if you knew.
- Objection,
Your Honor. Badgering the witness.
Eh, but not much of a badger. Overruled.
Yes. I knew.
And isn't that the reason that
you kicked her off the team?
She was not kicked off the team.
Her time was slower
than the other swimmers.
Slower than Sadie Lipton
by one-tenth of a second.
PEZNER: Which is slower.
You changed the rules, sir,
to let Sadie Lipton compete in 2020,
and thereby replace our client,
Melanie Evers.
NIA: Okay, when did this
become a debating society?
Uh, you know, I kind of like debates.
They-they often illuminate the truth.
Counselor, what remedy are you seeking?
For the Olympic Committee
to abide by its own rules
and draw its competitors
from the swimmers who
competed in the 2019 meet.
Give me the afternoon.
Thank you, Your Honor.
That's it?
Yes.
I mean, who delivered it?
No one saw.
(SIGHS) Why didn't you ignore it?
Do you remember Judge Itzelitz?
Yeah, a few years ago.
There was, um, a bribery scandal?
Yeah. He was set up
on a Big Pharma case.
He ignored Memo 618.
Now he drives an Uber.
Cases disappearing,
subpoenas discarded, judges expelled.
Who has this power?
Guess who got a Birkin bag.
Marissa.
Oh. Sorry. I'm sorry.
Hey, Julius.
(SIGHS)
Okay. That's what I know.
How about you?
Well, there was a man waiting
in my husband's office.
He warned him that I better back off.
- What man?
- No name.
Kurt doesn't know how he got in.
- He was wearing this.
- I
I had a man waiting in my chambers.
No name. Also, a visitor's pass.
He left this if I wanted to talk.
What are you doing?
- Calling him.
- Julius, are you serious?
In Proverbs, it's written:
"When justice is done, it
brings joy to the righteous,
but terror to evildoers".
It's what I always believed.
Now I just have to enact it.
Hi.
Hello.
Where'd you put it, Lucca?
It's nothing special.
Gah!
Oh, did you-did you get it
at a sample sale?
- Where?
- Were there any left?
- Were they-were-were they just Birkins?
- Okay, I'm sorry.
There is no sample sale.
I bought it at Hermès.
I'm just I'm embarrassed.
MARISSA: Really?
Yeah, I treated myself. I
I know. It's extravagant.
No. It's-it's a good investment.
They do go up in value.
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Good for you.
Okay.
It's just me now.
Did Bianca buy you that bag?
- No.
- Then why are you being so cagey?
I'm not being cagey.
You are totally being cagey.
And I looked it up.
That Birkin costs, what, like
$20,000?
Jesus, you are a one-woman
surveillance state.
- Thank you.
- I bought it with what I won playing poker.
Holy fuck. So it really
was a lot more than $1,500.
- A little more.
- If this bag costs
$20,000, you'd only buy it
if you knew you had a lot left over.
So
$200,000?
Did you win $200,000?
More?
Let's not play this game.
- $500,000?
- Marissa.
Fuck. A million?
(CLEARS THROAT) Okay.
I have to get back to work.
And you don't tell anyone about this.
Okay, but you need to
do something for me.
Talk to David Lee.
Why?
Your winnings. The taxes on them.
Did you win them from gambling?
And was it down in Saint Lucia?
That makes it all more complicated.
David is an asshole,
but he lives for this stuff.
Just talk to him.
- BAILIFF: All rise.
- BRICKNER: Okay.
No, no. No, you don't have to get up.
Uh, this shouldn't take very long.
I've already made my decision.
Your Honor, may we approach?
Uh, I was about to rule.
We have information that
may impact your ruling.
BRICKNER: All right.
Come on. The more the merrier.
Your Honor, I feel the need to point out
the counterfeit nature of
Mr. Boseman's pleadings.
What the hell are you Counterfeit?
The real issue with Sadie Lipton
being on the Olympic team
isn't that she's white
it's that she's transgender.
What are you talking about?
But to identify her as such would entail
taking a political position
Mr. Boseman would rather not take.
- Your Honor
- Wait, wait, wait. She's a
What is she?
She was biologically born male
but two years ago began
transitioning to female.
And you were aware that
this swimmer was trans?
I was.
But I felt then, as now,
that our strongest case rests
- with racial discrimination.
- Oh.
That's not what they were
saying when we were negotiating.
- They never mentioned race.
- All right. Wait. (SHUSHING)
So you're-you're saying
that you're using race
because the politics
works better for you?
That is unfair.
- But true.
- Th
All right, look,
here's what we're gonna do.
You're gonna have to make
a decision, Counselor.
Race is not working for you so far.
- (CHUCKLES) Okay.
- But, you know,
if you want to amend your suit,
I'm all ears.
Counselor?
Okay.
We would like to amend our pleadings.
See?
Was that so hard?
- No, Your Honor.
- No.
Okay. From race to trans, let's go.
("HEY JULIE" BY FOUNTAINS
OF WAYNE PLAYING)
Working all day
for a mean little man ♪
With a clip-on tie and a rub-on tan ♪
He's got me runnin' round the office ♪
Like a dog around a track ♪
But when I get back home ♪
You're always there to rub my back ♪
Hey, Julie, look
what they're doing to me ♪
Trying to trip me up,
trying to wear me down ♪
Julie, I swear,
it's so hard to bear it ♪
And I'd never make it
through without you around ♪
No, I'd never make it
through without you around ♪
Hours on the phone
making pointless calls ♪
I got a desk full of paper
that means nothing at all ♪
Sometimes I catch myself
staring into space ♪
Counting down the hours
till I get to see your face ♪
Hey, Julie, look
what they're doing to me ♪
Trying to trip me up ♪
Trying to wear me down ♪
Julie, I swear,
it's so hard to bear it ♪
And I'd never make it
through without you around ♪
No, I'd never make it
through without you around ♪
Hey, Julie, look
what they're doing to me ♪
Trying to trip me up,
trying to wear me down ♪
Julie, I swear,
it's so hard to bear it ♪
And I'd never make it
through without you around ♪
No, I'd never make it
through without you around. ♪
Liz. Liz, I need you to come down here.
They called you out on the
trans issue, didn't they?
Yeah. I need you in court today.
- Can you get someone else?
- No.
You'll be more sensitive.
Plus, the optics are better.
It's a political minefield.
And you're a political person.
No, you're a political woman.
And I need a woman.
- Is this about your DNC stuff?
- What?
- No.
- Adrian.
Hey, you-you have that
sound in your voice
- when you're lying.
- Okay,
better for Melanie if she has a man
and a woman representing her.
Look, I got to go, Liz.
Thanks.
Hey. Morning.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I was just coming to see you.
Yeah, we had a-a recess in court.
Ah. Mm.
- Mmm.
- Mmm.
So
I've thought about it,
and
the answer is yes.
I'll move in.
(CHUCKLES)
- That is great.
- Yeah.
No, it isn't. What?
- No.
- What happened?
No, this is great.
I
Adrian.
What the fuck?
I'm sorry.
My mind is on something else right now.
(SCOFFS)
All right.
DNC came to my office this morning.
And they asked me I
mean, this is bizarre
they want me to run for president.
- (LAUGHING)
- I know.
- (LAUGHS): Wait.
- (CHUCKLES)
- I know, I know.
- When?
Are they crazy?
Now, they don't think
I'll become president.
They just want a black
person up onstage and
Ah. Okay, so they
asking a lot of people.
You are really cutting into
my self-esteem, Charlotte.
(LAUGHS)
Oh.
(CHUCKLES)
Now I get it. (CHUCKLES)
What?
You don't want to move
in together anymore.
You're worried about me.
You're worried about my "issues".
What issues?
The issues we don't discuss, Adrian.
The issues that'll be a
problem for your campaign.
Look, I don't even know if I'll do it.
You'll do it.
I can see it in your eyes.
If I do,
whatever your issues are
won't impact it.
I swear.
Charlotte,
I swear.
Hey.
When can you move in?
How much of a windfall
are we talking about?
This is just between us, right?
Oh, come on, Lucca.
I'm a lawyer. I say
anything and I'm disbarred.
Do you want me to work for you or not?
- How much of a windfall?
- A million.
And a half.
Is this windfall a gift?
No.
Well yes.
$50,000 of it was.
But the rest are winnings.
A poker game.
So you want to know if it's taxable?
- Yeah.
- It is.
However, there are
strategies around that.
Are they legal?
They're rarely prosecuted.
I want to do what's legal.
And I need to invest
what's left after taxes.
Where's the money now?
- Where is it?
- Yes.
Bank account? Cashier's check?
- It's not in your freezer.
- (CHUCKLES)
No, I-I don't exactly have it yet.
You don't have it yet?
No. Not yet.
The other people in this game
- They're deadbeats.
- No.
They're rich.
- What?
- Lucca, I work with the rich.
They promise everything.
They give you nothing.
That's not who these women are.
Why, because they're rich and powerful?
The rich and powerful
think they're God's gift
because everyone treats
them like God's gift.
They get their hotel rooms comped.
They get gift rooms where
they can take anything.
Their meals are bought
by everybody else.
You already got your million and a half
in their smiles, in their charms.
- That's your winnings.
- N Uh, no.
That-that can't be.
You have an I.O.U. or a promissory note?
Okay, call 'em up and
ask 'em for your money.
I can't do that.
Exactly, and they know that.
Look, just don't buy anything
until you get the money.
- Okay?
- (DOOR CLOSES)
Thanks for doing this.
Mr. Pezner,
could you explain how
a trans woman qualifies
to swim on the women's Olympic team?
Well, first, she must make a declaration
- that she is a female.
- Oh.
- So, as-as long as you have standards.
- Objection.
Uh, my guess is that
counselor was being sarcastic.
But, just in case, sustained.
The athlete has to maintain
a testosterone level
below ten nanomoles
per liter for 12 months.
And that's what the trans swimmer,
- Sadie Lipton, had?
- Yes.
Now isn't it true that most
women have testosterone levels
way below that,
at around, uh,
1.7 nanomoles per liter?
That's less than
one-fifth of that cutoff.
I don't know.
LIZ: So why exactly would
the U.S. Olympic team
set the ceilings for testosterone levels
so much higher than the
level of biological women
and-and closer to
testosterone levels of men?
We are simply complying with
international guidelines.
And-and not because you want men
to be able to compete on the team?
NIA: Objection, Your Honor.
Offensive.
I'm not the sensitivity police,
and this is a pertinent question,
so I'll allow it.
Uh, it has been established
here that you delayed
the qualifying meet for, uh, two months.
The swimmers needed more time to train.
Uh, isn't it true that
without that delay,
Sadie Lipton wouldn't have
qualified for the Olympics?
Her times were consistently excellent.
Yes, but her testosterone levels
wouldn't have otherwise been
low enough long enough.
Without that delay,
she couldn't have met
the 12-month requirement.
I believe that's true.
So the delay helped Sadie a lot
more than it helped anyone else.
Right?
PEZNER: That was not the intent.
LIZ: That's good to know.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
JOSIAH: Hello, Julius.
- Hello.
- (GRUNTS)
You always wear the visitor badge?
JOSIAH: Oh.
(CHUCKLES): I'm always a visitor.
Sorry I'm late. I was
glad to get your call.
We have a lot to discuss.
- You start.
- Sure.
A rocket docket?
That's not quite what
we were discussing.
What were we discussing?
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Let's see your cell phone.
- I'm not recording.
- Yeah.
The rocket docket is not only unjust.
It works for the angry. I
don't represent the angry.
Who do you represent?
People who like order and control.
- People in the government.
- Maybe.
Now, here's a question for you.
Do you want to go further?
Do you want a seat on the circuit court?
That depends on what I have to do.
Stop with the adolescent rebellion.
No rocket docket.
When I say someone needs help, help him.
And if I don't?
Ah.
The two thorns in my side.
My husband says hello.
Here's the thing about
melodramatic moves like this.
They never work.
Whenever I copy something
I see in the movies,
I just get hurt.
Is that a threat?
I'll be seeing you two.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
You need to move.
That's him?
- (CAR LOCK BEEPS)
- Yep.
Uh, get his license plate.
It's a new car. He doesn't have one.
- There he goes. There he goes.
- Yeah. I see, I see.
(HORN HONKS)
Jesus, he drives like a maniac.
More like someone who's
never gotten a ticket.
(HORNS HONKING)
Jesus.
He's speeding up.
It's not helping to
narrate this, Marissa.
Someone's following us.
What?
- MARISSA: Who is that?
- JAY: I don't know.
- Are they together?
- I don't know.
Maybe they're gonna squeeze us.
- What is that?
- He'll skid to a stop,
they'll close us in, and
then they'll strafe us.
Stop talking.
(HORN HONKS)
- Watch out!
- Whoa!
(TIRES SCREECH)
WOMAN: Fuck, fuck, fuck!
- Fuck you in the face, fuck!
- Back up! Come on!
- Back up!
- Get him to move! Get him to move!
He won't move. You need to back up.
- Fuck you. B-Bump his ass.
- No. That's not gonna do it.
WOMAN: Fucking hellfire!
What the fuck are you
- You're in the fucking way!
- MARISSA: Why are you swearing so much?
WOMAN: What? Because
you fucked everything up.
I had him, and now
you're in the fucking way!
- Wait, you're not following us?
- What?
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(ENGINE STARTS)
(TIRES SQUEALING)
(CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING)
- Did you get it?
- Uh, yeah.
We lost him.
He lost us. He was
driving like a psychopath.
JAY: But there was something
else. A woman was following us.
Following you? Why?
JAY: She said she was following the guy,
too, and we got in the way.
We ran her plates.
Her name is Linda Shuck.
Do you have her address?
So
are you in?
I have a question.
A question's good. Shoot.
I'm seeing someone.
- He or she?
- She.
- Married?
- No.
We're both single, consenting adults.
But
She might have some
issues.
- What kind of issues?
- Who is she?
I'd rather not say.
Fine. What issues?
A certain level of possible
corruption.
Get rid of her. Do it now.
Why?
LANDAU: You said there
was corruption there.
There might be.
So find out for certain
and show you want it.
Adrian, we want you,
but you have to want this.
And wanting it requires sacrifice.
Hello.
BIANCA: What do you
think about this one?
I have no idea where I'm gonna put it,
- but I think I need it.
- Yeah.
I've always heard you should walk away
from the thing you want, and
if it's still on your mind
the next day, then
that means it's yours.
One day, I'm gonna disavow
you of your sensibleness.
So, what's up?
Nothing. I
Just a question about last week.
St. Lucia? It was fun, wasn't it?
I'm fairly sure I conjured this call.
You've been on my mind. We
need a celebration dinner ASAP.
(CHUCKLES) What are we celebrating?
Your poker skills.
And your newfound wealth.
Ha! Dinner's on you.
Okay.
(PHONE BEEPS)
(EXHALES)
Dr. Lola Pell. Chief endocrinologist
at University of Chicago.
I study hormones.
Thank you for testifying, Doctor.
Now, the U.S. Olympic
Committee is using testosterone
to decide who is a man and
who is a woman in sports.
- What's your opinion of that?
- We're talking sex, not gender, yes?
BRICKNER: Well, how are we
describing the difference?
Sex is about the biological
differences between men and women.
Gender is about personal identity.
Okay, I got it. Uh, you can answer.
Testosterone is a flawed way
to determine sex in sports.
Trans women are born male.
They've gone through male puberty.
As a result, they have longer limbs,
bigger heart and lungs,
maybe even better muscle memory.
In elite sports,
just a one percent advantage
can make a huge difference.
So, even after lowering
someone's testosterone level,
they still aren't exactly playing
on a level playing field
with women born as women?
- Exactly.
- Thank you. Thank you.
Dr. Pell, you've stated here
that testosterone levels are
an imperfect gauge of sex.
But can you identify a better one?
Given where we are
in medicine right now,
no.
NIA: Thank you.
BRICKNER: Okay,
counselors, anything else?
- Okay, Liz
- BRICKNER: Redirect?
No. You do it.
- Liz.
- You do it.
Dr. Pell, you said that
testosterone is the most accurate
and objective test of sex.
What about genitalia?
Wouldn't deciding based on that
be just as accurate and objective?
Yes, it's an objective factor.
And if the criteria were genitalia,
where would this new
swimmer, Sadie Lipton, land?
- On the men's team.
- Objection. Hypothetical.
The question has already been answered.
I'm just trying to understand
what everybody is saying.
ADRIAN: Your Honor,
the transgender swimmer, Sadie Lipton,
has male genitalia.
- Seriously?
- ADRIAN: Yeah.
A penis?
And he's swimming as a woman?
With all due respect, Your Honor,
Sadie Lipton is a woman
and should be referred to as "she".
But she was a he?
And now he
uh, she is swimming as a woman?
The judge is on our side.
Don't you think?
Uh, it was effective.
We're gonna win this.
What's going on?
LEAH: It's a petition
signed by the associates.
And the assistants.
People are pissed off,
so we decided to respectfully
express our displeasure
with your smear of a
transgender swimmer.
No more transphobia.
- No more transphobia.
- (OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
No more. It's not okay. No more.
LEAH: You're attacking
an oppressed minority.
And we think Reddick/Boseman,
of all firms, should know better.
- I understand.
- Then why are you doing it?
Because it's a strategy.
- Hate isn't a strategy.
- This is not hate.
OPAL: You can't pit women's
rights against trans rights.
There is an epidemic
of transgender violence.
Especially women of color
getting attacked and murdered.
Right. But Melanie Evers is
the victim in this instance.
And we are fighting for her rights
because Melanie Evers is our client.
Now, here's a young
African American athlete
who has worked her whole life for this,
and now someone just-just
takes it away from her?
But I don't think that
means that we should
- (OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
- No, no, no, no, no.
Wait a second, now, look, now, look.
We-we-we appreciate your input,
and we will take your
opinions into consideration.
What we will not do is
abandon Melanie Evers
or this case.
We need to rethink.
Why? Because of this?
No.
(SCOFFS)
Because they're right.
This is generational, Adrian.
They get this better than we do.
Liz, I've won awards from organizations
covering every one of the letters
LGBTQ.
And that is the transgender
equivalent of "I got a black friend".
What are our options?
You reframe Melanie's case as a
a feminist issue.
And we leave out the anti-trans tone.
That's, that's the right approach.
Not if it means we lose, Liz.
Now, this is not about politics.
This is about rules.
Are the Olympic rules fair or not?
That's all.
In life, that's never all.
So I heard you ended
up buying the Birkin.
How did you hear that?
I know the shopkeeper.
I may have asked them
to give you a discount.
I'm still wrapping my mind
around how much I spent on it.
(LAUGHS)
Buyer's remorse.
More like a delayed sticker shock.
You know what's great?
It's not just a purse.
It's an announcement.
- An obnoxious announcement.
- Oh, come on.
How many black women do
you know that own a Birkin?
Let's be obnoxious for once.
Ooh!
We did some damage.
Glad this one's on you.
Did you get your winnings
from the game?
(LAUGHS) I didn't win.
Not like you did.
(CHUCKLES)
(EXHALES)
CHARLOTTE: Tickets to the Bulls.
I didn't know you were a fan.
Judge O'Hare thought I was
after endorsing him for the bench.
(POURING)
- What else?
- Uh
friends and family discount
at Neiman Marcus.
There was a, a zoning issue.
That's where I got this.
Looks very pretty on you.
(LAUGHS)
Um
Oh, I got Judge Woodbent
a speaking engagement on
a murder mystery cruise
after a favorable ruling.
"A murder mystery cruise"?
His wife loved it.
That's it, right?
Presided over a heroin arrest.
Substitute teacher, sent her to rehab.
Her father was a Mercedes dealer.
- Uh-huh.
- I got a lease.
- No money down.
- Ah.
And I bought shares in a tech stock
before the IPO was announced.
The CEO was going
through an ugly divorce.
I knew the judge.
He told me when to sell.
Right before it tanked.
(SIGHS) So
do I pass muster?
(LAUGHS, GRUNTS)
Mmm.
♪♪
Charlotte?
- Hey, Charlotte.
- Mm.
What about the memo?
Hmm?
The one that Julius asked you about.
How come you didn't
mention it tonight?
Because it won't be a problem.
Why not?
(SIGHS QUIETLY)
Because it's the solution.
Sadie Lipton. I'm a swimmer.
NIA: Could you tell us what
swimming means to you, Sadie?
I was four years old when
I first got in a pool,
and it was magic.
Outside of the pool, on land,
I felt like everything was wrong.
I felt so stuck.
In a-a body that didn't feel like mine.
I didn't feel right in
the rest of the world,
but in the water I
had grace and strength.
I belonged.
How has the swimming community
handled your transition?
Most swimmers have seen
how hard I've worked
at my swimming, at owning who I am, and,
of course, at following all the rules.
And you have, indeed,
followed all the rules
to qualify for competition?
Absolutely. And it wasn't easy.
When I compete in Tokyo,
it looks like I'll be the first
trans athlete in the Olympics.
Do you feel you have a physical
advantage because you're trans?
Every great athlete
has unusual features.
No one says it's unfair that
Simone Biles is only four-foot-eight,
even though that's part of what
makes her an incredible gymnast.
It's only when someone is
trans that people start calling
certain characteristics unfair.
Thank you. Nothing further.
(LIZ CLEARS THROAT)
Ms. Lipton, I first
want to congratulate you
on all of your success,
and for making it onto the Olympic team.
Thanks.
Now, three years ago,
wouldn't you agree that
it didn't seem very likely
that you would be heading to Tokyo?
I think it's hard to judge three
years out from a competition.
Well, at the, uh, World Aquatic
Championships in 2017, uh,
you, uh, actually didn't
even place in the top 20.
Isn't that true?
Yes.
Uh, in fact, um
Strike that.
Nothing further, Your Honor.
One second, Your Honor.
Sure. Take your time.
- Why not?
- What are you doing? What are you doing?
You want this, you do it.
Uh, Ms. Lipton, just a
couple more questions.
The following year,
at the championships in 2018,
you again finished outside
the top 20, correct?
Yes.
In fact, it's only by swimming
against women
that you get to go to the Olympics.
Is the plaintiff really
arguing that Ms. Lipton
identifies as a female just
to swim in the Olympics?
I think he is.
And, uh, I'm gonna
continue the questioning
if, if you don't.
Ms. Lipton, isn't it only because
you compete as a woman
that you could qualify for the top five?
I can train so much harder
now that I'm happy.
Uh, excuse me.
Uh, could you repeat
that? I didn't hear.
I can train harder now that I'm happy.
(DOG BARKING)
♪♪
Okay.
Linda Shuck? I'm Diane Lockhart
Yeah, I know who you are.
I think we have a common interest.
You don't know who the fuck I am?
I No.
You've seen me about a dozen times.
- Where?
- In court.
I'm a court stenographer.
Oh, my gosh. No, I do know you.
- Yeah.
- (DOG BARKING NEARBY)
(DOOR UNLOCKING)
Come on in.
Oh, uh, wow.
You're a bit of a collector.
(SIGHS): Yeah, well, I
don't trust the Internet,
only paper, so
This is every court case I've
ever worked on. (CHUCKLES)
And this is every court case
from the rest of the courthouse.
And the bedroom is
1998 through last year.
(EXHALES SHARPLY) Why?
Because someone is burying cases.
Memo 618?
Do you know who?
No. Do you?
I might.
Okay.
I don't see any reason
why we can't work together.
How do I know I can trust you?
You can't, but
I'm trusting you.
Okay, what do you want to know?
Who is doing this?
Memo 618. Who's using it?
The Office of Legal Counsel.
The Department of Justice?
Yes.
How do you figure it?
(BELL CHIMES)
♪♪
We're sorry that we've
been away so long ♪
And now we know that
what we did was wrong ♪
If it'll ease your apprehension ♪
We promise not to mention ♪
Censorship in China in this song ♪
- Starting now ♪
- (CLEARS THROAT)
What is the Office of Legal Counsel? ♪
We love the Constitution,
but it's just a basic map ♪
Sometimes at the edges
you can find a little gap ♪
And when they want to sign an order ♪
To ensure legality ♪
The president picks up the phone ♪
And calls the OLC ♪
Then some lawyers get together ♪
And decide what they should say ♪
And they write it in a memo
and they lock it away ♪
And then it's law, secret law ♪
You don't know, they won't tell you ♪
Secret law ♪
Free-thinking independent
members of the bar ♪
Are not supposed to be political ♪
But, whoops, sometimes they are ♪
It'd be nice if the judicial branch ♪
Would get the chance to say ♪
If all the rules they
make are kosher ♪
We just don't know either way ♪
It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma ♪
Made of fog ♪
It's the hidden hand
that holds the tail ♪
That's wagging the dog ♪
And it's law, secret law ♪
You don't know, they won't tell you ♪
Secret law. ♪
I went through every
photo, every newsreel,
every bit of B-roll I could find
about the Office of Legal Counsel.
So, 1942,
the OLC justified FDR
signing Executive Order 9066.
Uh, the Japanese internment camps?
Yeah. Look at the bill he signed.
I don't see anything.
I had to blow it up, like, 50 times.
This is Memo 618.
In 2002, John Yoo of the OLC
drafted the "Torture Memos".
But before those memos came out,
this was Donald Rumsfeld
at a press conference.
- What am I looking at?
- I got a lip reader.
Look. Right there. He's saying it.
"We got it. Memo 618".
Now, in 2019, Robert
Mueller insists a president
can't be indicted.
But there is never a law
anywhere that said that.
Just an old memo written
by the OLC in 1973.
It's never been reviewed, never
vetted in any court of law.
And before Mueller reached
that decision, there was this.
So, the same lip reader,
I got to do this, too.
"Well, sir, are you worried?"
"No, I have Memo 618 in my back pocket.
I'm gonna be great. I'm gonna be fine".
So, what is it?
What is Memo 618?
Well, it's when the presidency
or Department of Justice
knows they need a law,
but it just hasn't been drafted yet.
So they know they
need an immediate order
to get what they want.
FDR knows
he wants to imprison Japanese-Americans,
Bush knows he needs to torture, uh,
Trump knew he wanted to not be indicted.
And they all knew that eventually
they were gonna
need a law to support it,
but in the meantime, there's Memo 618.
MAN: All rise.
(SIGHS)
To be honest, I'm torn.
Ms. Evers, Ms. Lipton, clearly
you're both extraordinary
young athletes,
both disciplined, talented.
Nobody could ask you to
work any harder than you do.
But the law is clear,
and rules are rules.
Ms. Lipton is eligible to compete,
- and the plaintiff's motion is denied.
- (CRYING)
(BANGS GAVEL)
(CRYING)
So you agree,
I should move some of my
supply chain to the Caymans?
100%.
- Good. You'll make it happen?
- Today.
And, of course, there are
significant tax benefits.
- I'll leave that to you.
- (CHUCKLES)
Mm-hmm. So I heard you were showing
my colleague some of
the finer things in life.
Lucca. Yes. She told you?
Yes, your little card game.
Mm-hmm. She cleaned up.
Isn't that fantastic? (LAUGHS)
Well, it would be
if she ever got the money.
- I'm sorry. What?
- Uh, nothing.
I'm probably speaking out of turn.
She hasn't been paid yet?
Zara, what are you saying?
Why didn't the check go out?
Get her the cash now.
Geraldine.
Oh, don't you worry,
I am calling Tee next.
Okay, here's the deal.
Either you pay Lucca today,
or I start adding a ten
grand late fee every day.
(SIGHS)
I'm taking care of it.
(LAUGHS)
(BOTH LAUGH)
There's something I want to show you.
Adrian. Adrian.
- You should look at this.
- What is it?
Some of Sadie's teammates
went to a private doctor
to test their testosterone
to help her in her case.
I got this from the doctor.
How'd you get this?
I'd rather not say.
There.
We just learned that
there's another swimmer
on the Olympic team with
testosterone levels above the limit.
Which one?
Piper Vega?
No way. Piper's not trans.
I-I would know, I'm like a mentor.
We-we train together.
ADRIAN: It's not about being trans.
We have the test results, Melanie.
Are you willing to go back to court?
Even if it means that Piper
gets kicked off the team?
Why didn't you tell me
you hadn't been paid?
(LAUGHS): I feel like an idiot.
- It's-it's okay.
- It's not okay.
David filled me in.
Thank you, David.
Actually, I'm glad he said something
because you were never going to.
I meant to bring it up at dinner.
But you didn't for some reason?
I don't understand what's going on.
Suddenly you're tongue-tied,
you're hesitant.
I mean, I know our friendship
is, like, ten minutes old,
but I don't think this is you.
It's not. Usually.
I have no trouble talking about
my clients' money, obviously.
But my own? It just,
it-it feels wrong.
(CHUCKLES): Well get over it.
I don't think I can.
We're friends, and you have this
wealth, and it's
uncomfortable to talk about
or ask about or anything about.
- It's just money.
- Not to people who don't have it.
Money defines people.
I can't do what you do
or go where you go or buy what you buy.
That's the great divide.
And it's hard to get over.
- I'm on your side.
- I know.
And I want to be on yours.
Dr. Pell, have you had a chance
to go over the medical
records of Piper Vega?
PELL: I have.
ADRIAN: What were her
testosterone numbers, please?
She was tested twice. One
was 11.6, one was 12.3.
And the allowable limit for
Olympic eligibility is 10, correct?
Yes. No more than 10.
ADRIAN: Doctor, what's the basis
of putting a cap on testosterone?
Higher numbers provide advantages
in athletic performance
related to speed and strength.
Thank you.
Dr. Pell, these advantages
that you speak of,
do they apply to Piper Vega?
No. Piper has a condition
known as complete androgen
insensitivity syndrome.
While the testosterone
levels are that of a cis male,
the testosterone itself isn't absorbed,
thus provide none of
the relevant benefits.
Uh, counselors, can you
approach the bench, please?
Um, am I understanding that
Piper Vega is biologically male?
No. All her external
secondary traits are female,
she presents as female,
but her chromosomes are male.
Then what is she?
Clinically, she'd be
classified as intersex.
And does she know that
she'd be classified as that?
As far as we know, Your
Honor, she does not know.
Then I'm assuming she
has female genitalia?
She does.
Any more questions, Counselor?
- I do, Your Honor.
- Okay.
Well, proceed.
Dr. Pell, you testified previously
that, imperfect though they may be,
testosterone levels
provide the most accurate
and objective determination
of sex identity
for purposes of athletic competition.
Is that still the case?
- Yes.
- LIZ: Your Honor,
the International Olympic
Committee, uh, has established
these regulations by
which they now must abide.
It gives me no satisfaction
to argue that this young woman
should be disqualified
from the Olympic team.
(EXHALES)
(GRUNTS)
Ain't science great?
I'm sitting up here listening
to doctors give expert testimony
about things I barely understand,
and just because I'm
wearing this black nightgown,
I get to decide which
girl's heart gets broken.
I mean, d-does anybody
else want this job?
Because I sure as hell don't.
Piper Vega, I'm sorry.
You are a lovely young woman
and I hope you find
happiness in your life,
but unfortunately you're
you're not gonna find it here.
Melanie Evers, I'm guessing that during
all those cold, early-morning
workouts with your mother,
this is not how you imagined
you'd be going to the Olympics,
but based on standards
that were set by some entity
in some far-off place, you'll be going.
We stand adjourned.
LUCCA: David.
Thank you.
For?
Telling Bianca. I never thought
Lucca.
When you have money, I get
ten percent for managing it.
That's the only reason I did that.
- I'm in.
- FRANK: You are?
1,000%.
What about that issue you had?
Ah, I took care of it.
Are you sure?
Frank (LAUGHS)
the issue's gone.
We should celebrate.
Anybody feel like a Scotch?
(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)
♪♪
(LAUGHING)
Liz, I need you to review this.
Did he kill himself,
or was Jeffrey Epstein murdered?
LIZ: We need evidence.
- No conspiracy theories.
- (DOGS BARK)
LUCCA: What is this?
It's Space Relations.
It's about the sex slaves.
It's famous.
DIANE: Wh what?
MARISSA: That's how all mysteries end.
Empty, pointless, stupid.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- DIANE: What is Memo 618?
Why do you ask?
Jeffrey Epstein's life was built on it.
Then, you have your answer.
(MUSIC ENDS)