The Michael J. Fox Show s01e03 Episode Script

Art

1 Great meal, Annie.
I know I said that last night, but tonight, I really mean it.
That's what you said last night.
I've gotta stop talking so much.
Last time I ate this well, I was dating that sous chef at cookshop.
Michelle.
No, wait.
Chelsea.
Yeah.
No, she lived in Chelsea.
Sounds like that was built to last.
Oh, she's still in the rotation.
That's what every girl wants, to be a nameless cog in your sex machine.
Oh, well, when you say it like that, it's more like, "Will you be a cog in my sex machine?" Sign me up.
The dishwasher's throwing up.
Leigh, you used the wrong soap.
Is there more than one? Oh, god.
It's everywhere.
If that was Parkinson's, we're cool.
If not, what the hell, dad? You've been texting the whole meal.
It's Reese, it seems like all we do is argue now.
About what movie to see, how to use hashtags on twitter.
You know, "Who hangs up first" used to be a game.
Now, it's a serious discussion.
Ian, when it comes to women, there's six words you gotta remember, "You're right, I'm wrong, I'm sorry.
" Ah.
That's one way to go.
But why would you say you're sorry if you're not sorry? It's just easier.
Sometimes, you win the fight by losing it.
So it's okay to lie? Sounds like someone wants to be a news reporter.
Why don't you go in my room and get my tape recorder? And that's how you dodge a question.
Hey, sweetie.
Where you been? I thought your photo class was over at six.
It was, but I walked home, and I couldn't stop taking pictures.
I saw this plastic bag just dancing on the breeze.
So I moved it out of the way and took a picture of the building, which reminds me, do you want to go to MoMA this weekend? You wanna go to a museum with me? Just the two of us? At the same time? Well, yeah, I'm not gonna make you stand in another room and pretend you don't know me.
This isn't my 14th birthday party.
Eve's been a whole new person since she started taking photography at the community center.
She smiles.
She laughs.
At first, we thought it was drugs.
But it turns out she can feel.
I still have to choose photos for my class project, but I'm having the hardest time narrowing it down.
Maybe we can help.
I'm not really sure this is gonna be your thing.
Eve, it's art.
We're arty.
No judgment.
We're arty.
Come on.
Come on.
Great.
I'm really looking forward to seeing your nudes? Oh, whoa.
Hmm.
Interesting.
Wow.
Ooh.
Holy cow.
Male nudes.
Totally naked, nude men naked, nude men.
Oh, well, he's wearing a hat.
Yeah, there's a healthy fella.
What's his name? I don't know.
They're just models that came into our class.
It's nice of them to provide naked men to come and expose themselves to you.
I knew you were gonna be weird about this.
We're not weird.
I mean, come on, Eve.
Look who you're talking to.
We are progressive people.
We're full-frontal progressive.
We were just taken aback by your talent.
There's a lot of talent here.
Really? Mm-hmm.
Oh, great.
Thanks for being so cool, guys.
You know, I'm impressed.
That guy's not normal, right? She's using a special lens for that? Okay, should I just chuck the rest of this bratwurst? Definitely.
All right, we need to talk about this.
We can't have our daughter hanging out in a room full of nude men, at least not until college.
Or, and this is just a thought, never.
But she's been such a delight since she started taking that class.
Yeah, the other day, she complimented me on my briefcase.
I went into the bathroom and cried.
It's like after all these years, she's finally treating us like we're the cool parents.
All right, we have to shut this down delicately, or she'll go right back to being old Eve.
Old Eve is the worst.
I'll tell you what.
I'll talk to her.
She wants to be an artist? I'll treat her like an artist.
Besides, you know how you get.
What do you mean, Mike? What, you think I can't sit her down calmly and look her in the You know what? Okay, I am hearing that now.
Harris, wait.
There's something I wanna ask you.
It's kinda personal.
Look, man.
None of those ads work.
You've got what you got.
No, it's Seriously? So "Guaranteed results" means nothing? Mm-mm.
But no.
I saw you disagree with my dad.
What do you think I should do about Reese? I don't wanna get involved, man.
But, you know, dating shouldn't be that hard.
It's like buying a car.
Choose something dependable and keep it forever.
So I should propose.
No.
Uh-uh.
Test drive as many as you can.
You're young.
Why fix a beater when there are other cars on the lot? Look, say you need some space.
Then walk away.
It looks like this.
Bye.
Luke, I am your father.
Graham, what the hell? It's not my fault.
If this is broken, you're dead.
You know you're not supposed to play in the hallway.
You're right, I'm wrong, I'm sorry.
Well I guess it was just an accident.
Can the empire strike back in your room? Dad was right.
It's like I learned a Jedi mind trick.
Now, you're gonna delete this.
Looking at pictures, huh? You know what I like about art? The way it leaves certain things to the imagination.
Exactly.
It's all about subtext.
Some people look at this, and all they see is a naked man.
Idiots.
But what they're really seeing is a subversion of the artistic paradigm that objectifies women.
Well, hat's off to you, except on that guy.
Although, you know, sometimes, and hear me out on this, wouldn't it be more subversive to do something less edgy? In what way? Well, when I was a kid, I played lead guitar in a garage band, and all we played was heavy metal.
You used to play guitar? Why did you quit? My parents made me.
They wanted me to play piccolo.
But the point is Piccolo? Ugh, piccolo sucks.
Guitar is way cooler.
That's what I said.
I mean, piccolo is basically like a tiny flute.
I wanted to play real-sized things.
Of course you did, and you should've.
That's why it's so great that you get it.
What do I get? My art.
Me.
You know what? I'm gonna dedicate my project to you.
I'll call it "Dad's Piccolo.
" Oh, don't call it that.
I just graded 74 papers on The Scarlet Letter, and all but two of them refer to a scene that is only in the movie.
So let me guess, two As and 72 Bs.
Well, I gave a C to the girl who called the main character "Demi.
" How'd your talk with Eve go? Well, it was, uh, it, um What did you do? I did nothing.
I literally did nothing.
One minute, I'm talking to her about being less edgy.
And the next minute, she's dedicating the project to me.
I knew I should've done this.
You love them too much.
I do.
It's a real problem.
You know, my parents would've just said, "You have to stop because we said so.
" I hated it when my parents used "Because I said so.
" That is exactly what I'm gonna say when I put them in a home.
Well, that's clearly not an option.
Okay, I got it.
She is going to stop on her own because I am going to scare her straight.
She needs to hear the story of Carley Steiner.
Who's Carley Steiner? She's a girl I went to high school with, and she cut off all of her hair in a performance piece.
And then when it grew back, it was all stumpy and weird.
I'm gonna jazz it up a little and throw some heroin in there.
Oh, that'll work.
That will work.
Thanks for joining me on such short notice.
Um, are you hungry? I could scare up some soup.
I had to be a man and just tell Reese in simple terms that it was over.
A relationship is like a car.
And even with regular maintenance and routine oil changes, a tire can still fly off, and you crash into a tree.
Okay.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you don't want to drive the same car forever.
Unless it's a foreign model, which you're not.
You're from Dallas.
And no one's saying you don't have a good grill Are you breaking up with me? I'm sorry.
I just I need my own space.
Now technically, I would get up and walk away, but you're in my room, so And to think I lent you my skinny jeans.
Hashtag.
What a jerk.
Hashtags are for topics, not opinions.
Now that I knew the six magic words, I could do anything.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the world's longest crazy straw.
Okay, third time's a charm.
Graham, have you lost your mind? Your parents are gonna give me this rug one day.
This isn't Double Dare.
You're right.
I'm wrong.
I'm sorry.
God, you're such a cutie.
All right, one more time, and then you have to clean it up.
I'm gonna pour.
Hey, Reese.
Oh, hey, Aunt Leigh, except you're not my aunt anymore.
Never was.
Is everything all right? Ian just broke up with me.
What? Why? Are we gonna do this or what? I don't know.
It was like I was talking to someone else.
He compared me to a used car.
Honey, that's awful.
Foreign or domestic? Domestic.
Honey, that's awful.
I can't believe my own nephew would be so heartless.
You know what you have to do.
Learn from this and grow stronger? No.
You have to teach him a lesson.
Ian has to learn that he can't treat women like this.
Who is his hottest friend? Albino Tim.
Oh, jeez.
This is gonna be hard.
So there was this entire patch in the back that was just gone, and that is where Carley would inject the heroin.
It was awful.
I mean, one day, she was this sweet girl with a bright future.
And then, she was What are you doing? Oh, sorry.
This story is just making you come alive.
I've gotta capture it.
Keep going.
Uh, okay, so things got really bad in the 90s because heroin was coming back in style just as hats were going out Lean back a little.
The light is going crazy on your face right now.
Good crazy? And put your arm up like this.
Eve, I'm not gonna put my Like that? Yeah.
Oh, I love it.
Mom, you look great.
Don't mind me.
Just pretend I'm not here.
You're beautiful.
You're a natural.
Now, lose the top.
And you're meeting with the parking authority later, so you probably wanna move your Tesla from the lobby.
Kay, it's the perfect crime.
I don't have to pay for parking, and it's a car that people think they can win.
Harris.
Harris.
Oh.
I need your advice about Reese.
Oh, you gotta be kidding me, man.
This is my place of business.
I did what you told me to do, and I broke up with her.
And now, I can't stop thinking about her.
I can't eat.
I can't sleep.
It's been one day.
Well, I know a thing or two about unrequited love.
You see, there's this correspondent here who's like a mentor to me.
Kay.
He just inspires me so much.
He's overcome so many obstacles.
Are you talking about my dad? Kay, let me introduce you to Mike Henry's son.
Mike Henry? I'm sorry, that does not ring a bell.
What's that, Gail? Oh, it's in the cabinet.
All right.
Make it quick.
She sent me this text message.
"Thanks for the picnic, Tim.
" "Sorry we laid out in the sun so long.
" This is the third girl Albino Tim has snaked from me.
You know, damn him and his mysterious red eyes.
I just wanna Oh, come on.
You seriously fell for this? Has Reese ever sent you a accidental text before today? No.
All right, the fake text.
It's a classic jilted woman move.
She wasn't with Tim.
So just stop worrying and get out there.
Wow, you're so right.
God.
Oh, hey, do you know where I can buy a raffle ticket for that car downstairs? You can buy them from me.
Harris was right.
I had to put Reese in my rearview God, dating really lends itself to car metaphors.
Anyway, it was time to set sail to a new island alone.
How'd it go with Eve? Well, she's not taking pictures of naked men anymore.
I knew it.
You should've gone in first.
You're the closer.
You're the closer.
I don't know why they don't send in closers first.
Well, what can I say, Mike, you know? I just went in there.
I rolled up my sleeves.
I took off my shirt, and oh, my god, Mike.
I messed up.
I messed up real bad.
You posed for her? She said I would be in shadow.
But I don't know, man, it seemed really light in there.
Mom, I just hung up your photo.
I went with the ones that were a little more in focus because I think it's important for people to see what women really look like.
Wait, wait.
People? More than one people? Oh, yeah.
This is my best work.
I've gotta put her in the show.
Uh, eh, show? Yeah.
The art show at the Community Center tomorrow.
Dad's Piccolo is going to be huge.
New name, Eve.
New name.
Okay, you know what? This is what we get for being progressive parents.
Ian is a dropout, and Eve is a pornographer now.
What the hell happened in there, Annie? I don't know.
I just, I get caught up in the moment.
I understand how women end up in Playboy.
I get it.
It's a rush.
All right, we tried being cool.
We gotta just tell her flat-out that picture's gotta come down.
But Mike, it was like for an instant, I had a daughter and not some judgmental, skinny enemy.
I don't wanna go back to garbage Eve.
Garbage eve, it sounds like the night before some horrible holiday.
Okay, we've exhausted every avenue.
There's only one option left to us, art heist.
Art heist? Art heist.
Okay, the only thing crazier than that is Getting naked in front of your teenage daughter? Yeah, you're right.
Okay, let's do this.
Where do you keep the wrong soap for the dishwasher? I don't know.
By the sink, I think.
Thanks.
Reese wants her skinny jeans back.
I don't know where they are.
You're using them as a blanket.
These are mom's jeans.
If that were true, it'd be even creepier.
Give me those.
Ugh.
Ian, I know you're hurting right now, but maybe this will teach you to be nicer to girls.
I should've never taken Harris' advice.
What? Harris' advice? You play your cards right, I'll take you up to my rooftop.
But you're gonna have to hold onto me tight.
I'm a little scared of heights.
There he is.
You.
Oh, Ian.
What are you doing to me, man? He dumped his girlfriend because of you.
He compared her to a used car.
Do you know how hurtful that is? Why'd you have to tell her that? I didn't.
Aunt Leigh, how'd you know about that? The poor girl was devastated.
When did you talk to Reese? Oh, I know.
Right before she told her to send you that fake text.
I should've known.
Classic jilted woman move.
Maybe women wouldn't feel so jilted if guys like you would quit playing games.
Am I right? Don't listen to her, Chelsea.
I live in Chelsea.
Oh.
Thanks a lot.
I pretended to like quinoa for that woman.
Harris, you think you're so smooth, but women can see right through your act.
It's not an act.
I have the utmost respect for what's her name.
Oh, it's Michelle.
That's it.
I'll fix this right now.
Damn, six Michelles on my phone.
Would you say she was an eight or a seven? She was a ten.
So seven, thanks.
Give me that phone.
Hey.
Give me that Don't touch it like that.
You guys are less mature than I am.
And to think I let you be my mentor.
Oh, you didn't let me do anything.
- And you followed me to work.
- Contacts? God, no.
All Michelles are done.
Oh.
Delete.
Oh, you just Oh! Hey, Brenda? I cannot believe we are doing this.
Honey, it's just a community center.
It's not the Louvre.
Where's your sense of adventure? Apparently, it's in Multipurpose Room B.
Okay, no dead bolt.
This is gonna be cake.
How do you know how to do this? Remember that expose I did on a gropey dentist? Who did you think broke in and hid in his supply closet for eight hours? I had to hydrate with mouthwash.
You're a badass.
No, honey.
I'm just a man.
There's my photo.
Wow, you look 20 years younger.
That's me.
Oh, that's more like it.
Hey, I mean that's more like it.
Okay, just grab it, and let's go.
Well, honey, we can't just take that one.
She'll know it was us.
We gotta steal a few others.
Uh, seriously? Okay, if you get her, then I'm gonna take this guy.
Oh, come on.
Oof.
Hey, look, he's just creepy.
He's following me around the room.
What's going on here? Hey, I know you.
Yeah, I'm Mike Henry, Channel 4 News.
Look, I can explain No, I meant her.
From the picture.
Oh, my god.
Can I get the other guards in here to come say "hi?" They'd love to meet you.
Can I ask you a question? Is he following us around the room? No, I don't thinks so Just walk that way a little bit.
Walk that way a little bit.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I see it.
Run! I can't believe you guys.
You said you were cool with it.
And then, you sneak behind my back? This is so embarrassing.
Eve, we know you love your class, but the truth is, we don't want you taking nude photos anymore.
Why not? It was a good question.
And we finally had a good answer.
Because we said so.
What? That's not fair.
Yeah, well, life's not fair.
This went on for 20 minutes.
We hit every parenting cliché in the book.
And that's the way it's gonna be as long as you're living under our roof.
You guys are so lame.
I can live with that.
Yeah, me too.
Are these bubbles? Whoa, Graham.
What the hell's going on? Oh, hey, dad.
I made a bubble room.
Pretty cool, huh? Honey, you can't do that.
The dishwasher is not a toy.
You're right, I'm wrong, I'm sorry.
Whoa, whoa.
Did you just "I'm wrong" me? Did your dad teach you that? You know I do that? I let you do that.
Graham, that doesn't work with me.
You're grounded.
Bubble party's over.
Oh, man.
Come on, guys.
Growing up, you always think you'll do things differently than your parents, that you'll be friends with your kids Yes, please.
treat them as equals.
Hi, sweetie.
Mwah.
Turns out that's easier said than done.
Where's lan? He's in his bedroom.
Said he wasn't hungry.
This is all our fault.
We have to help him get Reese back.
Seriously? When does it end? Come on.
Oh, Harris? What are you doing to me, man? I knew they were meant to be together.
I give it a week.
But the truth is we all need boundaries.
They make us feel safer, connected, cared for.
And without 'em, we'd have nothing to rebel against.
Not bad, huh? No, not bad.
And you know, rock stars always do date models.
Would you mind if I hung my photo up in our closet? Would you mind if I use it for my album cover?
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