The Beauty (2026) s01e05 Episode Script

1
[pounding on door]
[door lock clicks]
Can I help you?
Cooper.
I'm sorry, do I know you?
Cooper, it's me.
It's Jordan.
Your partner.
Fuck buddy.
I thought we were best friends.
[groans] Fuck!
- Where is she?
- I'm right here, I swear.
- Bullshit! Where is she?
- Cooper, stop.
Something happened to me over there, okay?
A weapon, an infection or something that
changed me right after we left the bar.
How did you get this?
What did you do to her?
In bed, what'd she call me?
Not you.
Your dick.
A Provigil that brings me back to life.
I do love those eyes
but they are lying to you right now.
Japan, right?
You have to hear me, not just see me.
Are you ready to listen?
[theme music playing]
[sirens wailing in distance]
[door buzzing]
["Cherry" plays]
Cherry ♪
Tells me some things
I don't want to know ♪
And I can't see ♪
A light at the end for us anymore ♪
But I can't keep crying ♪
All of the time ♪
No, I can't keep crying ♪
All of the time ♪
[shower stops, water dripping]
[upbeat music playing]
["Ride Like the Wind" playing]
It is the night ♪
My body's weak ♪
- [Antonio] Boo.
- [gasps]
[cocks gun]
No time to sleep
I've got to ride ♪
Tightly wound for a guy
who spent all night emptying his nuts.
Who the fuck are you?
Well, you know, we heard you're
a party boy, so we're here to party, boy.
- I love this song.
- [Jeremy] Hmm.
[Antonio] Right, I said it before.
I'll say it again.
Christopher Cross is the man.
Ain't nobody touching
Christopher Cross sounding like that!
Silky smooth voice,
it just soothes the soul.
Soothes.
And hides the sound of screams.
Hides.
with a gun in my hand ♪
Lived nine lives ♪
Gunned down ten ♪
Gonna ride like the wind ♪
- And I've got such a long way to go ♪
- Such a long way to go ♪
- To make it to the border of Mexico ♪
- [Antonio] Mexico ♪
- So, I'll ride like the wind ♪
- So, I'll ride like the wind ♪
- Ride like the wind ♪
- Ride like the wind ♪
I was born the son ♪
Where, Nate? Where'd you get it?
Get what?
You were not this pretty two months ago.
Come on now.
I saw the before and after pictures.
You looked like a schlubby bubby
with bitch tits and a micro dick.
You like playing with both teams.
Is that
Is that the problem here?
No, look, hey, it's no stress.
We I mean, we celebrate the rainbow,
ain't that right, Jay?
- Love is love, brother.
- It sure is, you see?
[groaning]
Okay. I fucked a
I fucked a hooker. That's it.
All right.
Well, what made you pick her, Nate?
Where'd you find her?
- Does she come with any bonus features?
- I bet she was pricey.
She's just some fucking slut
off the dark web. I don't know.
Jay, help him understand, please.
Look, look, look, look, look. Harder, Jay.
You wanna be here all night?
[Nate groans, whimpers]
You're sick, Nate.
You teem with viral load, okay?
You might think that you're healthy
but you're not.
All we wanna do is help you out.
All right, I didn't fuck anyone else.
I swear to God.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Nate, look, we're way past that.
I was there
at your little fuck show last night.
See, the second you walked in the door,
you signed the death warrant
for everyone inside.
We already picked off two
but we still have another two to go.
That's a lot of overtime for us.
I don't like that.
I had to cancel my mani-pedi.
You understand?
My time is money.
Maybe you fucked her, maybe you didn't.
I don't have time to care.
A sex club where the gift is being spread
is my worst-case scenario.
Don't kill me, please. I I didn't know.
Nuts or nails, Nate?
Please.
Help!
Please.
[phone buzzing]
[Nate] Stop. No.
[Antonio] Yeah. Another problem?
This Condé Nast situation has
become a scorching fucking hemorrhoid.
We have a live infected specimen at NIH.
And we can't have that, can we?
No, we cannot.
You need to make it a dead one.
The FBI is all over this.
But there's one agent specifically.
[Antonio] Anything else?
Maybe I should do it blindfolded while,
uh, juggling knives on a unicycle.
With speed comes mess.
His name is Madsen.
Cooper Madsen.
He's currently in New York City.
- [Nate gasping, groaning]
- [Antonio] Well
You're off the hook now, baby boy.
No, no. Please, please, please.
[panting]
No. Please. Please, please, don't.
Stop, stop. Please.
[screams]
[sighs] Fuck.
I still don't understand
why you didn't call me.
Do you have any idea how worried I was?
I'm sorry. I just
- I just panicked.
- Jordan.
- It's me.
- That's what made it so complicated.
What? 'Cause you got
all this from fucking?
Well, I
I mean, I think I got it that way.
Do you think you were targeted?
I don't know.
I woke up, and he was gone.
Without a trace.
- [Cooper] Was he wearing protection?
- [scoffs]
I'm your partner.
- Not your child.
- I'm not trying to shame you.
I'm trying to understand.
Well, it feels like shaming.
Okay.
So, let's say you didn't get it
'cause you came into contact
with foreign bodily fluids,
and he dosed your drink
or sprayed some kind of aerosol, fine.
But that doesn't really vibe
with how we've seen this thing work.
God, I'm so fucking stupid.
I-I just
I saw that guy and he was hot, you know?
So, I wanted him. I just
We all make mistakes.
I was being selfish.
It gets worse.
After I felt like I was
literally burning alive,
I left the hotel and
that first wave of panic passed.
For a moment, I liked the new me.
- No, no, no.
- A lot.
I mean, you finally feel seen, admired.
Even a little invincible.
I mean, here I was
with some life-altering crisis,
a fucking infection,
and being out in the world, no one knew.
Because of how I looked.
In fact, they treated me
like I'd won some kind of lottery.
But then,
they stopped seeing me.
And they started seeing this
object.
[speaking Italian]
Okay.
[Jordan] Something they could buy,
or win, or just take.
Another, please.
And then I started to hate it.
I hated myself for ever enjoying it
in the first place.
I mean, how weak could I be?
How fucked up am I?
[Cooper] It's not just you.
Everyone wants beauty.
It's the oldest, purest form
of currency there is.
I don't want any of this.
I mean, was I so bad before?
You were always beautiful.
Yeah. Well
reading social media, about to turn 40,
didn't really feel that way.
To me.
You were always beautiful to me.
Look, I know I got
a stupid boob job and stuff
but it was only after I turned
and I realized I couldn't go back
that I realized I
I liked the old me.
The old you was perfect.
And this one is too.
This one's just
different.
How do you feel?
Actually,
fucking incredible.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm.
It's the best I've ever felt.
- Fuck.
- [chuckles]
- My knees are jealous.
- [laughs]
We're gonna make sure it stays that way.
You think I'll end up like the others?
Those models who literally exploded?
I think it's best
we don't waste a lot of time.
- How long?
- I don't know.
Doing the math on the others,
I figure a year and a half.
Maybe two.
[breathing heavily]
Have you talked to anyone else
since you've been back?
Family, friends?
- Uh, no. You're the first place I went.
- [Cooper] Good. Don't contact anyone.
I-I think I need to go to the authorities
or someone on our team.
No. No. No, they'll quarantine you,
treat you like a fucking lab rat.
Until we can get a handle on this thing,
you're not talking to anyone.
And you're staying with me.
Okay. So, no ID, no passport,
new face and everything else.
How'd you get back here?
Uh, I just blew a couple of TSA folks
and they walked me right on.
Oh. Looks like
she had a jokes upgrade too.
I've been an agent for 15 years, Coop.
You seriously don't think
I know a couple shady guys
with planes that like having
a fed owe them a favor?
Can't wait for that
to bite us in the ass later.
Coop.
Hey, hey.
We should maybe hold off.
Till we know it's safe.
Right?
Right.
Yeah, I wasn't thinking, sorry.
[elevator bell dings]
Where'd you get that?
My face and my body changed,
not my instincts.
I'm left, you're right.
Why is this happening?
Okay. So, everything is confirmed
for the weekend at the colony, right?
[doctor] Yes, sir. All guests should
be arriving within the next 24 hours.
Perfect. And there's no cold feet
or any other bullshit?
[doctor] All systems are go, sir,
but due to the intensity of the procedure,
three days of cutout time
from your schedule have been recommended.
That's fine.
Look, this shit is gonna work, right?
Like, it better, okay?
'Cause you've been on an exclusive payroll
since COVID so
[doctor] A full presentation
of what to expect will be made
upon arrival, but yes
- Good.
- we expect a very successful experience.
Good. Good, good.
[doctor] Are there any additions
to your medical file?
No allergies or new medications, correct?
Look, my assistant, Tina,
will send all that over to you.
[doctor] We've had trouble getting
a hold of her this evening.
Oh, yeah.
Well
[gasps] Yes.
Yes. Yes.
[grunts]
[doctor] Sir? Sir, are you there?
Yes, uh, I will deal with Tina.
And you double-checked with him
that they are aware
about my bee allergy, right?
You're not allergic. You're just afraid.
No, that's what everybody says
but that's
Hang on, Raul. Stop.
- Wait, stop.
- Really?
Like-Like-Like I'm just some chick
who works the corner?
What, Franny, she watches
the front camera like a hawk.
She does it just to give me shit.
Un-fucking-believable. [sighs]
Fuck.
[houseworker] Good evening, Mr. Forst.
[Franny] I can't tell if you're lazy
or you just don't care.
Your assistant wears a very cheap perfume.
Some kind of talcum powder-based
nightmare aroma from the local Sephora.
I can smell it on you, dear.
And from the scent wafting off you,
that's what?
Your third drink?
I guzzle martinis
to try to forget you exist.
Sadly, it numbs the pain,
but it doesn't block you out of existence.
Look,
I'm flying to New York in the morning.
Oh, no. Absolutely not. Not tomorrow.
You have obligations.
No. No, no, I've spent too much money
and wasted too much time.
We have a family therapy session
because our son has been in the hospital
for the past three weeks.
[cutlery clanks]
The hospital?
A ten-grand-a-week opioid resort.
He tried to kill himself.
Fuck. The cretin can't even tie
a decent knot.
Why can't he be like his brother
and drive a sports franchise
into the ground, you know,
just to feel better? [sighs]
Look, I hate your fucking guts,
and you hate mine.
And we can't get divorced
because we have too much fucking money
and to lose any of it would be such
sweet sorrow.
But I'm bringing you something
you're gonna like, mama.
Is it self-driving software
that can't tell the difference
between a mailbox and a person?
Or an algorithm that drives teen girls
to eating disorders? Hmm?
No.
Generational biotech so powerful
it will make medicine obsolete.
Come on, Franny.
When have you seen me this excited
about something? You should try it.
Imagine if I can see
just a glimmer of your glory years again.
Maybe I wouldn't have to hire
any more slutty assistants.
The idea of the slightest physical contact
with you makes me swallow my own vomit.
Okay, well, what about me?
I have to watch you waddling around
in your breezy kaftans.
Barely disguising
a body that's built like
a sack of holiday hams.
Mr. Horrifying Monster of a Human Being.
I spent all my life chasing beauty,
perfection, diet, trainer, needles,
scalpel, elixirs, cleansers.
I thought it would make me feel good,
healthy and happy and content.
It would help me find
a kind of mate that would help me
build a life I wanted,
the life that I deserved.
And then one day you wake up,
and you realize that you are
the dog that caught the car.
And your dream life [chuckles]
is actually my golden prison.
Maybe it's time to burn it all down.
You're fucking psychotic.
Yeah, burn it, go ahead.
Yeah, go ahead, burn it, burn it,
burn the whole fucking thing down,
burn the whole fucking house down!
I might do just that.
Once I learned
that beauty is the answer to nothing,
I became the happiest I've ever been.
[alarm blaring]
[Waylen] Yo!
Oh. Ooh.
Do your fucking job.
I don't want to have to tell you again.
Well, you can't open the fucking door
for me? Get my fucking bags.
Keep it warm, Josiah.
[laughs] Be careful.
You know, everybody in this place is
still waiting for you to kick it.
Uh. There's still time for me
- to kill you vultures first.
- [both chuckle]
I guess after tomorrow, we're gonna have
to find a new carcass to circle.
Yeah, I'll have new problems.
- Like what?
- Look at me.
If this shit works
half as good as they say,
how the hell are we supposed
to explain how different we suddenly look?
Since when do you explain
anything to anyone?
Well, this is different.
I've got shareholders, the board.
Then fuck all that.
So what's your big plan?
Me?
I guess I'll go with the tried
and true celebrity plastic surgery routine
and that diet and exercise baloney.
I don't think I'm gonna do that.
I think I'm just gonna throw it all
in the rearview
and buy a mountain or an island.
Oh.
Never speak to anybody
for the rest of my life.
Except for the newest piece of ass
that I fly in,
but you do you, baby kins, you do you.
[guests laughing, chattering]
[Ray] Come. Come join us.
- Please, make yourselves comfortable.
- [Kitty sighs]
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Now, bear witness.
Four million years ago,
a landmark moment
in human evolution occurred.
We developed bipedalism,
the ability to walk on two legs.
From there, our brains enlarged,
cognitive abilities expanded,
we could use tools and started
agricultural and industrial revolutions.
Over the last century and a half,
we advanced technology and medicine
far enough that life expectancy
has improved by nearly 50 years.
Some of you in this room have
already beaten the average.
- [guests chuckle]
- [Ray] But age has taken its toll.
Time, as they say, is undefeated,
the last great stumbling block of mankind.
In response, you tasked me with a mission.
The Manhattan Project
of Longevity and Aesthetics.
Ladies and gentlemen, say goodbye
to your old broken-down bodies.
I introduce to you The Beauty.
[chimes]
[guests] Ooh.
Just before winning my second Nobel Prize,
I discovered the power
of highly specialized gene therapies,
but I couldn't help but wonder what
what if we created
a broad spectrum group of specialized
reprogrammable proteins and RNA.
Exciting, sure, but the real breakthrough,
the one that will get me
Nobel number three,
was packaging those powerful proteins
with the most ruthlessly efficient
viral gain of functionality ever designed.
This will allow us to completely rebuild
your DNA from scratch, cell by cell.
A lot of blah-blah here.
Yeah, sounds like you're trying
to sell me drain cleaner.
Let's just get to the brass tacks.
A rebuild of that scale unleashes the most
perfect version of your physical self.
Take a look.
Seventy-one-year-old male,
stage four prostate cancer,
heart trouble, declining brain activity,
obese, you get the picture
Once The Beauty has gone to work
[Kitty] Ooh.
- Uh-huh.
- I like him.
His cancer is vaporized, never to return.
Increased cardiac capacity,
lean muscle with 6% body fat,
bone density increased,
faster brain synapses.
Maybe your dad chain-smoked
during family road trips. Who cares?
Mom chased pills and vodka
while pregnant with you?
- Irrelevant.
- Serious question.
Am I gonna have, like, a huge cock?
- Not that I need it.
- [chuckles]
[Kitty scoffs]
Aesthetically perfect in every way.
It took four operations,
and a few gallons of saline,
but I already have
the tits of a 25-year-old.
What happens to them?
Any non-biological items will dissolve
during the rebuilds.
You think they are great now
just wait until tomorrow.
And there's not a stitch or a scar
involved in all this?
One intravenous injection.
Oh, come on.
No, no, no, no, I don't like it.
This is bullshit.
This is way fucking nuttier
than I realized.
Talk side effects.
Wait [stammers]
Are we the guinea pigs?
Some acute initial discomfort, sure.
But that will subside
as your body adjusts.
All of our work is available
for your perusal.
However, I wouldn't recommend
running to the FDA with this.
Well, that's reassuring.
Well, if it works, who gives a shit?
[chuckles]
How many people know about this?
No one outside of this room.
All the data and the final formulation
resides here.
And only here.
Lab techs are compartmentalized.
They don't know
what the main objective is.
Like a fine watchmaker,
I task them with building parts,
then I construct the final product.
So what you're suggesting is
that immortality is possible
if we just take
this special miracle juice.
Those concepts are
for storybooks and movies.
Our science is an antidote.
To what?
To the limitations of being human.
Great.
Let's get poked!
- [Kitty gasps]
- This?
Oh.
- [Byron] What?
- [Kitty] What in the fuck are you wearing?
It's my Burning Man outfit.
- I'm a burner.
- Oh.
I mean, it's cool, right?
[Waylen] Okay.
Welcome
to the first day,
the best day
of the rest of your lives. [chuckles]
If you'll notice, uh,
you've got care packages
that will help you through this process.
Let's save that for post injection.
[scoffs] There are gallons
of spring water here. [laughs]
And if you need more, just ask.
Why would we need to drink
more than a gallon of water each?
Privacy, Mr. Forst.
Remember what we are doing here
is built on deep trust.
Yeah, I just had some unfinished business.
That stays here. It's personal stuff.
[Ray] Take your cleansing wipes.
They're found in the white containers
to your left.
Pick an arm, any arm,
and swab the injection site.
- Nice. Get it good.
- Goddamn it.
[Ray] Now
your dose.
Okay.
Nice.
Thank you.
Hello.
Oh, fuck.
[sighs, chuckles]
My last Botox stung
more than that. [chuckles]
I don't I-I don't feel shit.
[door closes]
[breathing heavily]
- [bones cracking]
- [all groaning, screaming]
[screaming stops]
[flesh squelching]
[gasps]
[screams]
[screams]
[breathing heavily]
I'm a boy.
I'm
perfect.
[Kitty screaming]
Ray.
Ray.
What are you doing?
[giggles] You're afraid.
You're afraid your monster
is gonna kill its creator.
No. [stammers] No, please.
Just because there's been a disaster,
doesn't mean we cancel
our insurance policies.
Walk.
Walk!
- Walk. Let's take a walk, Ray.
- [Ray] Okay, okay.
- Oh, Jesus.
- Let's take a walk.
- [person 1] Please! Please!
- [gunshots]
- [person 2] No! [screaming]
- [gunshots continue]
- [person 3] Whoa! Whoa!
- [thudding]
- [gunshots]
- [person 4 exclaims]
- [gunshot]
- [person 5 grunts]
- [person 6 screams]
- [gunshots]
- [gunshots continue]
- [people groaning, screaming]
["The 4 Seasons (Winter)" playing]
[screaming continues]
- Sir, is that really you?
- Yes, dumbass.
I told you
it'd be a shocking transformation.
Is everything packed and ready?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
[grunts]
I'm sorry, fellas.
It's just trust issues are a bitch.
["The 4 Seasons (Winter)" continues]
Okay. Let's go.
[helicopter whirring]
["The 4 Seasons (Winter)" continues]
["The 4 Seasons (Winter)" ends]