The Girls on the Bus (2024) s01e05 Episode Script
Everything Is Copy
1
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE]
Well, why were you out there so late?
- Was she your lover?
- Mr. Mayor, were you drunk?
Who is the woman?
- Come on.
- Mr. Mayor
I'm sorry, but I just won't dignify
some of those questions.
I did two tours in Iraq
on the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.
We were trained to run towards bombs.
I saw a car on fire
and I ran towards it.
Most of you would have done the same.
Believe it or not,
we all want to do good.
And when given the opportunity,
we usually do.
Does that mean you have PTSD?
Did you have a previous
relationship with her?
Are you a neocon warmonger?
Was there a reason you were there?
Why were you out there?
I don't know who bullied you
as children, guys,
but these questions are
just not constructive.
Now, I appreciate your interest,
but the woman involved in the accident
isn't running for president,
so I ask that
you all respect her privacy.
She's been through quite an ordeal,
and the last thing she needs
is all of you
showing up on her front door.
All right, guys, the mayor
has a packed schedule.
Thank you all so much for
your time and for what you do.
I'll see you at the fish fry, okay?
I can't with this
damsel in distress shit.
He's just another white savior,
just what the world needs.
I mean, we can all agree
that white men are the worst,
- but that one is
- Hot.
I was gonna say convincing,
but I'd lick his neck.
Excuse me. [PHONE BUZZING]
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES]
Hey, Daddy.
Yeah, I'm just wrapping up here.
Yes, it is good to be home.
Yeah, I can't wait for the party.
Love you. Bye.
You do know that there are no plus ones
at this event, right?
Dude, I don't do plus ones.
Josie's hot, but we're just hanging out.
When's the actual wedding?
Well, it kind of depends
on when we have a nominee,
but we've narrowed it down
to three possible dates.
Oh, and last week I found out
that the venue we like
might have a cancellation, so maybe
that's a fourth date in the mix.
I don't know, maybe it's a third date.
- I don't know.
- Wow.
Anyway, the good news is,
we've settled on a color story.
I'm sorry I asked.
The wedding industrial complex
is so messed up.
You know, monogamy is unnatural.
Monogamy is unnatural?
♪
[PHONE BEEPS]
Hi, Annie.
It's your mom.
Remember me?
I'm glad you're enjoying Postmates,
but how does one even spend
$118 at Chipotle?
Just call me back.
[PHONE BEEPS]
Nope.
Um, hi, I'm Dale.
I know who you are.
That's Sadie's seat.
This seat is reserved
for "The Sentinel," not Sadie.
You have 10 seconds
to tell me what you did to her.
I didn't do anything.
She's in New York.
To cover the Walker fundraiser.
She's supposed to be back today.
Why isn't she?
8, 7
I spent three months
embedded with Boko Haram.
You don't scare me.
3, 2
Okay, I'll I'll find another seat,
but only because
your perfume is aggressive.
[SIGHS]
[LINE RINGING]
Grace.
Why is Dale in your seat?
Why are you still in New York?
Why don't I have these answers already?
Um, hi. I miss you too.
Don't change the subject.
I was I was chasing something,
something potentially big.
But now I don't know.
And I can't really talk right now, so
Sadie, what the hell is going on?
It's personal.
Okay.
You still care?
Slightly less, but I'm invested.
I mean, just tell me.
Okay.
Uh, okay, fine.
Um
in the cone, I, uh
I broke one of your rules.
No, I I broke your number one rule.
And it was dumb, and I regret
it, but it happened.
And I didn't want to tell you,
because even though
we're friends, I I
I sort of worship you.
- And
- Fuck.
Please don't tell me you and Loafers
Bruce pulled me off the trail.
You do realize this can never get out.
Why did you even tell me?
You made me tell you.
I don't make people do anything.
But what am I supposed to tell
Kimberlyn?
It's her engagement party tomorrow.
Oh, shit.
I totally forgot.
Um, you're gonna have to cover for me.
And I have to go, but I will be
back in time for the primary.
Don't worry.
Okay.
Bye.
[PHONE BEEPS]
You're not covering the primary,
- so don't even ask.
- But
I've asked Special Projects to pick up
from where you left off
on the Walker donor list.
Bruce, they don't have
If the source is correct
and they have fired an aide
for nefarious reasons,
they will find out.
No, they you can't do that.
The source was just
starting to trust me.
The source isn't calling you.
The source is calling the most
influential paper on the planet.
Don't conflate the two.
So you're just gonna
let them bigfoot me?
You'll have a chance to make your case
at your disciplinary hearing.
Phil in HR, he'll send you the details.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
So so that's it?
My future is in Phil's hands?
♪
Okay.
♪
[UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Thank you so much.
Hey, I recognize you. Come up here.
From Comic-Con, right?
♪
There's hardly any signs
out here for my girl.
How is she supposed to get
her message out?
Have you met a Black person over 40?
Your girl's message isn't
gonna resonate here.
And fish boy's message will?
He's a celebrity.
Um, if you'll excuse me,
I have an exclusive to get.
Kimmie Kendrick.
My goodness.
I was hoping to see you here.
It is lovely to see you,
Reverend Vaughn.
I've known this young lady
since she was this tall.
Don't always agree on politics.
But her family and my family,
we go way back.
Allow me to introduce you to
Kimberlyn Kendrick, Liberty Direct News.
Your coverage is excellent.
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Double hushpuppies, please.
You got it.
You're having a bit
of a moment, Mr. Mayor.
[CHUCKLES] Well, I wish it had anything
to do with my policies.
But I'll take what I can get, I suppose.
Well, we don't know enough
about your policies
or what you stand for.
- Mr. Mayor.
- It's all right. I got it.
Especially the good folks
of South Carolina.
- They don't know who you are.
- Hmm.
Felicity Walker spent half of her cycle
last campaign in Black churches.
With all due respect, sir,
where have you been?
If you want voters here
to know you, you need me.
Whoo-whee.
You get that from your daddy
the art of the hard sell.
[CHUCKLES]
What do you say, Mr. Mayor?
What do you say?
Wow.
Yup.
It really looks like her.
Charcuterie?
Can you give one to Felicity?
I mean, you must talk all the time.
We are dying to know.
Do you like Walker?
Oh, well, she's
I I used to love her, but now
Isn't the South Carolina
primary in a couple of days?
I'm surprised they
let you off the trail.
Yeah. Your mom said you'd
be on the road till election day.
Are you writing obituaries again?
Why aren't you on the road?
[SCREAMS]
Okay, let's eat.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
It's actually temporary.
♪
I'm gonna be back soon.
♪
Oh, Sadie.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- Hey, let's go.
We're gonna be late.
- Sorry.
- Do you know where Sadie is?
Oh, she's stuck in New York.
She sends her regrets.
More vodka for me.
You're kind of an alcoholic.
You know that?
Hmm.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
♪
Whoa.
Are you like a Kardashian?
♪
My baby girl is home!
Daddy!
Ah! Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme.
Ah!
[CHUCKLES] Emmanuel Kendrick.
- Welcome.
- Grace Gordon-Green.
- Pleasure.
- Hi.
- Lola.
- Welcome.
I wish I could say Kimberlyn
has told us all about you,
but she hardly has time to call home.
I have been working hard
like you taught me, Daddy.
It's paying off.
I watched your segment the other night.
How many times did you watch?
Only six. Five.
- Seven.
- [CHUCKLES]
Hey, Eric. I'm Lola.
Oh.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Congrats.
- Yeah.
- Grace.
- Eric.
- Congratulations.
- Good to meet you.
Hi.
Hi.
Can I talk to you?
Yeah.
- Your palms are sweaty.
- Yeah.
- What's going on?
- I know. I'm nervous.
You don't have to be nervous.
It's just me.
- I already said yes.
- Yeah, okay.
- So I have an idea.
- Okay.
If you hate it, we do not have to do it.
There is absolutely no pressure here.
Okay.
I was wondering.
What if, instead of today
being our engagement party,
it was our wedding?
I'm sorry.
What?
Okay, But remember
remember when you wanted us
to elope in Vegas and I said that
I wanted it to feel special?
Yeah.
This feels special
us at your father's house
with our family
and our close friends.
You can cross all that stuff
off your to-do list,
and no more fighting
with my mom about flowers.
I wasn't fighting with your mother.
The Pierre was a non-starter.
My point is,
if you hate it, we won't do it.
I just want to make you happy.
But if this doesn't, then
It does.
You do, and I love you.
Hmm. I love you too.
Um, one question
It's not a Vera Wang,
but I think you're gonna love it.
- [LAUGHS]
- Check your closet.
Go ahead.
Wait. So we are doing this, right?
Oh, you bet your ass we're doing this.
Let's get married.
[LAUGHS]
Zelda!
Hi, girl. Hello! Hi.
Just licked a Rottweiler's ass.
Oh.
I'm throwing you a bone here.
Get it?
I look, I know you're
mad at me, but I think
if you let me tell you
what I found in the documents,
- I can prove my value.
- You know, I thought
I told you to drop the investigation.
- We got this.
- Yeah, I know.
But I I'm so close.
- I am this close, Bruce.
- All right.
Well, let's let's say you
broke the story. All right?
You broke it wide open.
It's the biggest thing
since the Steele dossier.
Who's gonna believe it?
You know the right,
they're gonna say you're
in bed with the campaign.
And the left,
well, they're gonna say that
you were the scorned ex-girlfriend.
So we're screwed either way.
But if it's factual, if it's truth
There is no truth anymore.
[CHUCKLES] I mean,
you know how many people
trust what they read in the newspaper
the ones that still exist?
Seven percent.
Seven.
You know, if they don't trust us,
what happens to our democracy?
I agree with you.
I agree.
But don't
don't you think
this is a little dramatic?
I hooked up with a bag man.
I didn't I didn't get us into
a war under false pretense.
You lied to me.
You lied to me, Sadie.
You know I was a crackhead.
- Right?
- Yeah.
Not coke, not booze. Crack.
That is, like, the lowest rung
on the addicts caste system.
I should have died.
But I got to a meeting,
and now I have a family
and a career I don't deserve.
But do you know the first thing
they tell an addict,
the one fucking thing every junkie needs
if they want to stay alive?
Honesty.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
After everything I did
to support you, I just
- I I'm not gonna do this.
- Bruce, come on.
- Fuck it.
- No, wait.
- Fuck it.
- Stop. Please, come on.
Hey, listen. Let me ask you something.
If Dale didn't see you,
would you have told me?
Hmm?
Probably not. No.
Yeah, exactly.
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Eric?
It's Daddy.
Come in.
[SOFT MUSIC]
How do I look?
♪
You look perfect.
I can't believe we're doing this.
You think it's crazy?
No, and neither would she.
I get weak whenever you're around ♪
♪
I let my walls down ♪
Lay my weapons on the floor ♪
♪
Loving you's a sweet, sweet symphony ♪
That all of heaven
and Earth join to sing ♪
And my heart trembles at the sound ♪
♪
Even if the world that we've
built falls at our feet ♪
We are still right
where we're supposed to be ♪
Together through ups and the downs ♪
Dungeons and ivory towers ♪
Wrong ♪
We'll get things wrong ♪
But as long as we keep
every promise we make ♪
We'll stay whole ♪
BOTH: Even if the world
that we've built ♪
Falls at our feet ♪
We are still right
where we're supposed to be ♪
Together through ups and the downs ♪
Dungeons and ivory towers ♪
[PHONE RINGING]
[PHONE BEEPS]
Hello?
Sadie?
Grace?
How how did you get this number?
You left your hoodie on the bus.
Why are you going through my shit?
Okay. I was doing your laundry.
You're welcome.
And you're the one who left a random
untraceable number on a cocktail napkin
begging to be called.
So I confide in you,
and you decide to scoop me?
What the fuck, Grace?
Scoop you on what?
I just called a number.
Well, call your own fucking numbers.
Okay. It's in my hand.
It's mine now.
Thank you.
You want to tell me what's going on?
Uh, well, Bruce called HR about Loafers,
and there's gonna be
a disciplinary hearing tomorrow
to decide whether or not
I get to keep my job.
Shit, Sadie.
Yeah.
It's it's bad.
I'm an idiot.
No, you're not.
I mean, you are, but fuck.
I'm sorry.
Fuck it. You know what?
I would rather give you my story
than let the assholes
at Special Projects bigfoot me.
Get a pen.
I'll tell you everything.
[TISA WEATHERSBEE'S "I LOVE DANCIN'"]
I love dancin' with you ♪
I love dancin', dancin' ♪
Dancin', dancin' ♪
I love dancin' with you ♪
With you, with you ♪
♪
[LAUGHTER, CHEERS]
Hi.
The photographer needs you.
Do I know you?
I'm Grace.
Your whole family's waiting for you.
Oh, don't go anywhere.
[SIGHS]
♪
Cock block much?
I need to get back to the hotel.
No, you can't go.
We haven't even cut the cake.
Since when do you care
about wedding traditions?
I don't. I care about cake.
Come on.
I saw you tearing up at the vows.
You're dancing, waiting for cake,
about to hook up
with Kimberlyn's brother.
Yeah.
Admit it, you're moved.
Okay, fine. Yeah, whatever, I'm moved.
Congratulations. You're human.
Guys, I'm married.
Ah!
I'm totally married.
And drunk.
And kind of adorable.
[LAUGHS]
I'm really happy you're here.
I am too.
I feel bad for Sadie.
We should take a picture.
Sadie!
[CAMERA SHUTTER SNAPS]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Please go away.
Hey.
You want to talk about it?
Nope.
I think, uh
I think I really screwed up, Mom.
I might lose my job.
Sweetie, they say that
life doesn't really start
until you've had a professional meltdown
and been very publicly
humiliated and fired.
Who says that? I don't
I don't think that's a thing
that people say.
No, I think it was Maya Angelou.
[SCOFFS]
Bruce says that I threatened
our entire democracy.
Oh, slow down.
He said what?
You're the most ethical person I know.
Mom, please.
I'm not a fucking Girl Scout.
Do you remember
what you did after your dad
squandered your college savings
at a poker game?
Ugh.
[SCOFFS] Uh
binge-watched
a "Real Housewives" reunion
and contemplated a future
in the food services industry.
After that.
Uh, I I wrote an essay.
You wrote an award-winning
essay and won a scholarship.
You wrote your way out of that.
Write your way out of this.
[SOFT MUSIC]
You didn't need your dad,
and you don't need Bruce.
♪
I don't even know what I would write.
You'll think of something.
You always do.
♪
My man. Thank you for coming.
I appreciate it.
- Goodnight.
- Thank you.
[CHUCKLES]
I can't believe my baby
is finally married.
Believe it. [LAUGHTER]
Love you.
Love you too.
I never thought this day would come.
[LAUGHTER]
And you you did
your mama proud tonight.
Thank you, Barbara.
You can call me Mom now.
Okay
Oh.
Mom.
Well, we'll get there.
[LAUGHTER]
Now, you two try and get some rest.
Tomorrow is another big day.
You're right.
We should probably get some sleep.
Okay. Come here, you two.
Get some rest. Love you.
- Love you both.
- Love you.
Thanks for everything.
See you in the morning.
Yes.
Shall we?
Have you seen Grace or Lola?
'Cause when I'm with you ♪
[MOANING]
I lose my cool ♪
I know it's late,
but I'm wondering if you know anyone
recently let go from Walker's campaign.
Oh, do you have a contact for them?
Right.
Uh-huh.
And that happened when?
Okay.
And what was her relationship
to the campaign's finance arm?
♪
Right.
[MUFFLED MUSIC PLAYING]
♪
You can kiss this scoop
goodbye, "Sentinel."
♪
[PHONE BUZZING]
Hello?
Look, I know you don't want to be
my beat reporter, but skipping
my press conference, that's harsh.
You couldn't pull that hero stunt
before we went to press?
I tried you earlier,
but your voicemail was full.
Ah, shit.
I should have known to answer.
You are the only
Topeka, Kansas, area code in my phone.
I'm flattered.
I always had this strange fascination
with Kansas.
[CHUCKLES] That's a new one.
No, it's where New Journalism was born.
Truman Capote "In Cold Blood,"
and Dwight Eisenhower.
I visited his childhood home
in Abilene once.
Wow. Dork.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, thanks to a windfall
of small dollar donations
sent to your profile, I can now afford
an actual press secretary.
Congratulations.
Do they know you're calling me?
I'm calling to let you know
that I'm gonna be
doing an interview with your friend
at Liberty about the crash.
I didn't want you to think that
You're dead to me.
I kid. I kid.
Uh-huh.
You you're a contender now.
You should talk to Kimberlyn.
- She's a straight shooter.
- Yep.
You just always have
to give me the news first,
or I'll write a nasty takedown piece.
I'm not joking.
Uh-huh.
Can I ask you a question, though?
About the crash, off the record?
Ugh, fine.
Why did you do it?
Well, my stock answer
is that that's what
I was trained to do as a Marine.
But, I don't know, maybe I
maybe I needed it too, to
feel something. You know?
I get that.
I mean, I'm not running into
a burning car any time soon,
but I get it.
[SOFT MUSIC]
After my wife died,
I felt so numb,
like a shadow of who I used to be,
just moving through this world
running out the clock.
♪
I don't feel like that anymore.
Thank you for that.
God, an honest fucking answer for once.
And I'm gonna make you put
that on the record one day.
Yeah. Well, we'll see about that.
Well, um, I'm gonna go.
But good luck with your
interview and the primary.
And you can never tell
anyone I said that.
Yeah. We'll see you.
[PHONE BEEPING]
Flirty late night call with a candidate.
Hmm, hmm, hmm.
You're pushing it.
Aw, give me a fucking break.
You you were in McGovern's lap
during the entire '72 campaign.
Richard Ben Cramer fell in love
with every candidate
in '88, even Gephardt somehow.
You taking the dem hack seriously?
[SCOFFS] You don't think
that Theodore White
actively wanted Bobby Kennedy to win?
Bobby's voice had a psychic connection
to The Rolling Stones.
We all wanted that trip.
You boys, you broke every rule,
fucked anything that moved,
and then got to be hailed as heroes.
But my my fling with a bag man,
no, it's gonna take down our democracy.
I'm fucking sick of it.
Atta girl.
You're getting angry.
Now, channel that righteous anger.
Legendary "New York Times" editor
Abe Rosenthal famously said,
"It's okay to fuck the elephants.
Just don't cover the circus."
That was right before
he fired a female reporter
for sleeping with a source.
But what did he tell the boys?
Could they fuck the elephants?
He didn't tell them anything.
Because whether it was spoken or not,
the boys could fuck whoever they wanted.
And I hate when Hollywood
portrays female journalists
using sex to get the facts,
while male journalists
always use their brilliant minds
and unimpeachable morality
to nail the story.
Because the truth is, it's the opposite.
We have to report backwards
and in heels.
We give up our lives to the job
and are expected to be celibate,
scouring FOIA requests
in our hotel rooms.
♪
I'm not saying I didn't make a mistake.
I did. And I need to own that.
I understand why I'm here.
And I'm happy to answer
any further questions
you may have.
I just thought it was worth pointing out
the history and the hypocrisy.
Did you reveal the personal nature
of your prior relationship
to the press secretary
when you were assigned
to Caroline Bennett's bus?
No.
Then when you switched to Walker?
I should have told Bruce sooner
about the potential conflict.
But maybe I didn't
because I knew deep down
that there is zero margin
of error for women journalists,
especially one like myself, who's
who's already been branded
with the Scarlet E.
An emotional liability.
Sadie, we take any
allegation of a conflict,
particularly sexual in nature,
extremely seriously.
I never once let this
relationship impact my work.
Never.
In fact, I worked twice as hard
to avoid any semblance
of special treatment,
to make sure my facts were sound,
to ask the hard questions,
even if it meant
inciting a Twitter mob
or hurting a decent candidate.
Because
because I love this job.
And I believe in journalism
and our mission.
And no matter what you decide
today, I always will.
Thank you.
That'll be all.
Thank you.
Good morning, husband.
Mm. I love the way that sounds.
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES] [PHONE BUZZING]
- Mm, mm, mm, mm wait.
- Mm.
Shoot.
I should get dressed.
This early?
Brunch isn't till 11:00.
Brunch? What brunch?
The brunch you and my mom
talked about last night.
I have no idea what
you're talking about, babe.
I'm sorry.
I thought when my mother said,
"Tomorrow's another big day,"
and you said, "You're right,"
I assumed you knew
what she was talking about.
I assumed that she was talking about
my interview with the Kansas mayor.
Why would my mom know
about your interview?
I don't know.
I thought maybe you told her.
Why would I know about the brunch?
Okay. Okay. Let's start again.
Hmm?
[CLEARS THROAT] Good morning, wife.
- Eric, what is
- We have a brunch today.
Now, my Uncle Bill
and Aunt Margie couldn't
get in last night, so their
flight lands in an hour.
So I will see them after my interview.
It won't take that long.
But Gary has the flu,
so I have to do my own prep.
I cannot believe you are
doing this to me right now.
I can't believe you're
doing this to me right now.
When you were working 24/7
trying to make partner,
I had your back every step of the way.
And so what, now my work
just doesn't matter?
I'm just saying you should have told me.
You should've told me about the brunch.
For the record,
I forgot about the damn brunch.
It's fine.
Go do what you got to do.
Just please come back to me
as soon as you can.
- Okay?
- I will.
I promise.
- Oh.
- Excuse me.
Oh, good morning.
Oh, I didn't think
you'd be up this early.
But since you are,
I wouldn't say no to your help.
I have so much food to get on the table.
Um, Barb
Mm-hmm?
Mom, I actually
I have to run out real quick.
What do you mean you have to run out?
I have an interview.
You set up an interview for
the day after your own wedding?
Well, technically, I set up an interview
for the day after my engagement party.
Because I didn't know it was gonna
- [PHONE BUZZING]
- Damn. Sweet spread.
Hey, Gary, you sure you're up for calls?
Yeah.
Morning, gorgeous.
Okay.
Ooh. Read the room, dude.
No. Please just tell them that
I need a full lighting setup
and that I'll be there in 30.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
It's primary day,
I have an exclusive,
and my embed has the damn flu.
I told you.
Didn't I tell you?
What?
You told him what?
She can't live like this
after you have children.
This just isn't gonna work
for my grandbabies.
Mom, what are you doing?
- Stop.
- Okay.
Well, if you two just want
to have a conversation like I'm
- not even standing here, then
- No. Baby, no.
Well, do you want me
to say it to your face?
- That's no problem.
- Mom.
You need to get your
priorities straight and fast.
This is not what my son
signed up for in a wife.
Is that right?
What are you saying?
Stop.
No, that's great. I want to make sure
it doesn't come across as divisive.
All right? Yeah.
I always forget that part,
but that's great.
Okay.
Hey, how was the engagement party?
Oh, it kind of turned
into a surprise wedding.
You're kidding. You're married?
That's wonderful. Congratulations.
Yup, we did it.
We could have rescheduled
this interview.
Oh, no. It's okay.
Eric had some family that flew in.
But I know you had to rearrange
so many things in your
schedule to make this work,
and it is primary day.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Um, should we do this?
You're the boss.
[CLEARS THROAT]
♪
Welcome to Liberty Direct News's
live coverage of primary day
here in South Carolina.
I'm Kimberlyn Kendrick Jordan
with an exclusive interview
with one of the Democratic candidates
swept up in the story du jour.
Hey.
I'm heading out.
Just wanted to say thanks for the party,
and sorry about your impending divorce.
Excuse me?
Here's the thing, my guy.
You lied to my friend last night.
Those vows that you wrote,
how you would always be there
for her and love her
and defend her and protect her
like she was a fucking country
and you were the only soldier
in her army oh, my God.
You had me shook.
Like, I fully believed you.
I meant every word of that.
Right.
But then just now,
after your epic fail
my God
I remembered
the one thing I know about you
that's actually true.
You don't know anything about me.
I know you proposed to Kimberlyn
the day she was leaving for Iowa.
Yeah, because I wanted to marry her.
Okay, I get that.
But it was the biggest day of her
career, and you had to upstage her.
You peed all over her
like a needy little puppy.
You make her birthdays about you too?
No. I always put her first.
And she always put work first.
Oh, true.
Yeah, you idiot.
You knew that going into this.
If you wanted to change her,
why did you propose?
I love her. I don't want to change her.
Then honor your vows
in sickness and in health,
for richer or for poorer.
And when your mom is being
a righteous fucking bitch
Watch it.
Sorry.
But, I mean no, you're right.
Sorry.
And if she doesn't forgive me?
At least you tried.
- There you are.
- Hey.
Let me put my digits in your phone.
Next time when you're around here,
you can hit me up.
[SIGHS]
That's okay.
I'm good.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[DOOR OPENS]
I'll pack up my cubicle.
You're on a flight to Charleston today.
Get me a South Carolina curtain raiser
by the time you land.
I'm back on the trail.
Bruce, thank you so much.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate
you fighting for me.
I didn't.
I voted against you.
But Ellen overruled me.
And Phil reviewed your stories
and agreed
it didn't impact your work.
So you're back on the bus.
Walker just brought Benji Newman on
as communications director,
so you only deal with him.
Understood?
Benji usually only comes on
when a campaign is in crisis.
Understood?
Understood.
You're the one that said
if every reporter
that ever talked trash
or fucked up was fired,
entire newsrooms would
have to be shut down.
Did I say that?
[SCOFFS]
That's why we're so good together.
You said it.
We're shit stirrers broken toys
who don't feel like we belong here.
The only difference is,
every time I walk through those doors,
I feel the great privilege
of what we get to do.
A lot of people gave you
a lot of chances
you didn't deserve.
And thank God they did, because you
you are fucking brilliant.
And the world is a better place
with your voice in it.
[SOFT MUSIC]
♪
It's too bad you don't think
I deserve the same grace.
♪
And Bruce, I'm done apologizing.
♪
Benji?
[CHUCKLES]
You wouldn't be trying
to ignore me, would you?
Because that might make
a journalist suspicious.
Grace.
Yeah.
I get 15 minutes to myself every day.
And in those 15 minutes, I get a break
from answering inane questions
- from shit-for-brains reporters.
- Hmm.
Present company excluded, of course.
Well, I won't take up
too much of your time.
- This is quick.
- [SIGHS]
The Walker campaign has
shown an unusual amount
of staff turnover in the last two weeks.
Is that a question?
What's going on?
Campaigns evolve.
You've been around
long enough to know that.
Oh, don't condescend to me.
Losing campaigns evolve.
Your candidate is pulling ahead
in South Carolina.
And by all accounts,
everything is going well.
And yet in the last week alone,
the following staffers have been fired.
A videographer, two field organizers,
oh, and that cute scheduler
who always wore a bucket hat.
Is this off the record?
If it must be.
No comment.
♪
Hmm.
♪
So what, you get married
and they just give your husband
a room key
without your permission?
Your friend Lola vouched for me.
I made a mistake
proposing to you.
- Oh, shit.
- No.
No, no, no, no, no.
I don't mean no, I meant the timing.
I shouldn't have waited till
the day that you were leaving.
I had a thousand days
to ask you, and I wanted to,
but I was just waiting
for the perfect moment,
and then I never did it.
And then all of a sudden
you were leaving,
and I got scared.
I was scared I was gonna lose you.
I don't want to lose you either.
That's good.
I'm glad we have that going for us.
All day long
I've just been thinking about,
like, what did we do wrong?
And I thought maybe
it was that we weren't
checking in with each other enough.
But then I started thinking
maybe it's just me.
No, it's not.
No, not my fault.
I'm not gonna let you
off the hook that easy.
But maybe I haven't been
checking in with myself.
I thought that getting married
would buy me some time.
But then this morning,
with your mom, when
I'll talk to her.
No.
I will talk to her.
She's not totally wrong.
I don't know how this is gonna work.
Getting married didn't solve
the problem.
It just made it more obvious
that we have a problem to solve.
So
where does that leave us?
Married.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Sun rays on the window ♪
It's cold ♪
But you're here with me ♪
Never let me go ♪
Your love ♪
♪
You've got your sunflower eyes ♪
[LINE RINGING]
Hey, this is Josie.
I can't answer,
so please leave a message.
Thanks.
[LINE BEEPS]
Josie, hey.
Uh, it's me, Lola.
Um, I I don't know
what your schedule is
or what you're up to.
But um, I was just thinking
maybe, if you wanted,
we could go on, like, a proper
I don't know, date.
Is that really lame?
Whatever. Fuck it.
I think being lame is the new cool.
Um, okay, yeah, just call me back or
yeah, call me back.
[SIGHS]
[BEEP]
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES]
Holy shit.
Sadie.
[CHUCKLES]
Walker could win South Carolina.
And Benji blew me off, which means
you are definitely on to something.
How'd it go today?
Do you still have a job?
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Just a sec.
Hey!
- Yes!
- I'm back!
- Get in here.
- [LAUGHS]
Oh.
Oh, God. Okay.
So "The Sentinel's"
Special Projects team
has the gestation of a llama.
I don't know what that means.
That means we have to fucking beat them.
What do you mean we?
Let's divide the reporting.
I will take donor lists and FEC filing.
And you you can try to get
staffers to break their NDAs.
My favorite pastime.
If you still have a job,
then we're still
Competitors, yeah.
This wouldn't be
the first time our newspapers
have shared intel that
was in the public interest.
- Pentagon Papers?
- Snowden.
- Panama Papers.
- ProPublica investigations.
[STRFKR'S "GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN"]
Pentagon Papers pinky swear?
We share everything,
coordinate to publish at the same time.
Sadie, this is serious shit.
You don't think Ben Bradlee
and Punch Sulzberger pinky swore?
My dad was there.
I can guarantee you they did not.
Well, thank God
we're not the boys on the bus,
'cause they sound boring as fuck.
- Want a coffee?
- What time is it?
They just wanna ♪
They just wanna, they just wanna ♪
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE]
Well, why were you out there so late?
- Was she your lover?
- Mr. Mayor, were you drunk?
Who is the woman?
- Come on.
- Mr. Mayor
I'm sorry, but I just won't dignify
some of those questions.
I did two tours in Iraq
on the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.
We were trained to run towards bombs.
I saw a car on fire
and I ran towards it.
Most of you would have done the same.
Believe it or not,
we all want to do good.
And when given the opportunity,
we usually do.
Does that mean you have PTSD?
Did you have a previous
relationship with her?
Are you a neocon warmonger?
Was there a reason you were there?
Why were you out there?
I don't know who bullied you
as children, guys,
but these questions are
just not constructive.
Now, I appreciate your interest,
but the woman involved in the accident
isn't running for president,
so I ask that
you all respect her privacy.
She's been through quite an ordeal,
and the last thing she needs
is all of you
showing up on her front door.
All right, guys, the mayor
has a packed schedule.
Thank you all so much for
your time and for what you do.
I'll see you at the fish fry, okay?
I can't with this
damsel in distress shit.
He's just another white savior,
just what the world needs.
I mean, we can all agree
that white men are the worst,
- but that one is
- Hot.
I was gonna say convincing,
but I'd lick his neck.
Excuse me. [PHONE BUZZING]
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES]
Hey, Daddy.
Yeah, I'm just wrapping up here.
Yes, it is good to be home.
Yeah, I can't wait for the party.
Love you. Bye.
You do know that there are no plus ones
at this event, right?
Dude, I don't do plus ones.
Josie's hot, but we're just hanging out.
When's the actual wedding?
Well, it kind of depends
on when we have a nominee,
but we've narrowed it down
to three possible dates.
Oh, and last week I found out
that the venue we like
might have a cancellation, so maybe
that's a fourth date in the mix.
I don't know, maybe it's a third date.
- I don't know.
- Wow.
Anyway, the good news is,
we've settled on a color story.
I'm sorry I asked.
The wedding industrial complex
is so messed up.
You know, monogamy is unnatural.
Monogamy is unnatural?
♪
[PHONE BEEPS]
Hi, Annie.
It's your mom.
Remember me?
I'm glad you're enjoying Postmates,
but how does one even spend
$118 at Chipotle?
Just call me back.
[PHONE BEEPS]
Nope.
Um, hi, I'm Dale.
I know who you are.
That's Sadie's seat.
This seat is reserved
for "The Sentinel," not Sadie.
You have 10 seconds
to tell me what you did to her.
I didn't do anything.
She's in New York.
To cover the Walker fundraiser.
She's supposed to be back today.
Why isn't she?
8, 7
I spent three months
embedded with Boko Haram.
You don't scare me.
3, 2
Okay, I'll I'll find another seat,
but only because
your perfume is aggressive.
[SIGHS]
[LINE RINGING]
Grace.
Why is Dale in your seat?
Why are you still in New York?
Why don't I have these answers already?
Um, hi. I miss you too.
Don't change the subject.
I was I was chasing something,
something potentially big.
But now I don't know.
And I can't really talk right now, so
Sadie, what the hell is going on?
It's personal.
Okay.
You still care?
Slightly less, but I'm invested.
I mean, just tell me.
Okay.
Uh, okay, fine.
Um
in the cone, I, uh
I broke one of your rules.
No, I I broke your number one rule.
And it was dumb, and I regret
it, but it happened.
And I didn't want to tell you,
because even though
we're friends, I I
I sort of worship you.
- And
- Fuck.
Please don't tell me you and Loafers
Bruce pulled me off the trail.
You do realize this can never get out.
Why did you even tell me?
You made me tell you.
I don't make people do anything.
But what am I supposed to tell
Kimberlyn?
It's her engagement party tomorrow.
Oh, shit.
I totally forgot.
Um, you're gonna have to cover for me.
And I have to go, but I will be
back in time for the primary.
Don't worry.
Okay.
Bye.
[PHONE BEEPS]
You're not covering the primary,
- so don't even ask.
- But
I've asked Special Projects to pick up
from where you left off
on the Walker donor list.
Bruce, they don't have
If the source is correct
and they have fired an aide
for nefarious reasons,
they will find out.
No, they you can't do that.
The source was just
starting to trust me.
The source isn't calling you.
The source is calling the most
influential paper on the planet.
Don't conflate the two.
So you're just gonna
let them bigfoot me?
You'll have a chance to make your case
at your disciplinary hearing.
Phil in HR, he'll send you the details.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
So so that's it?
My future is in Phil's hands?
♪
Okay.
♪
[UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Thank you so much.
Hey, I recognize you. Come up here.
From Comic-Con, right?
♪
There's hardly any signs
out here for my girl.
How is she supposed to get
her message out?
Have you met a Black person over 40?
Your girl's message isn't
gonna resonate here.
And fish boy's message will?
He's a celebrity.
Um, if you'll excuse me,
I have an exclusive to get.
Kimmie Kendrick.
My goodness.
I was hoping to see you here.
It is lovely to see you,
Reverend Vaughn.
I've known this young lady
since she was this tall.
Don't always agree on politics.
But her family and my family,
we go way back.
Allow me to introduce you to
Kimberlyn Kendrick, Liberty Direct News.
Your coverage is excellent.
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Double hushpuppies, please.
You got it.
You're having a bit
of a moment, Mr. Mayor.
[CHUCKLES] Well, I wish it had anything
to do with my policies.
But I'll take what I can get, I suppose.
Well, we don't know enough
about your policies
or what you stand for.
- Mr. Mayor.
- It's all right. I got it.
Especially the good folks
of South Carolina.
- They don't know who you are.
- Hmm.
Felicity Walker spent half of her cycle
last campaign in Black churches.
With all due respect, sir,
where have you been?
If you want voters here
to know you, you need me.
Whoo-whee.
You get that from your daddy
the art of the hard sell.
[CHUCKLES]
What do you say, Mr. Mayor?
What do you say?
Wow.
Yup.
It really looks like her.
Charcuterie?
Can you give one to Felicity?
I mean, you must talk all the time.
We are dying to know.
Do you like Walker?
Oh, well, she's
I I used to love her, but now
Isn't the South Carolina
primary in a couple of days?
I'm surprised they
let you off the trail.
Yeah. Your mom said you'd
be on the road till election day.
Are you writing obituaries again?
Why aren't you on the road?
[SCREAMS]
Okay, let's eat.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
It's actually temporary.
♪
I'm gonna be back soon.
♪
Oh, Sadie.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- Hey, let's go.
We're gonna be late.
- Sorry.
- Do you know where Sadie is?
Oh, she's stuck in New York.
She sends her regrets.
More vodka for me.
You're kind of an alcoholic.
You know that?
Hmm.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
♪
Whoa.
Are you like a Kardashian?
♪
My baby girl is home!
Daddy!
Ah! Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme.
Ah!
[CHUCKLES] Emmanuel Kendrick.
- Welcome.
- Grace Gordon-Green.
- Pleasure.
- Hi.
- Lola.
- Welcome.
I wish I could say Kimberlyn
has told us all about you,
but she hardly has time to call home.
I have been working hard
like you taught me, Daddy.
It's paying off.
I watched your segment the other night.
How many times did you watch?
Only six. Five.
- Seven.
- [CHUCKLES]
Hey, Eric. I'm Lola.
Oh.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Congrats.
- Yeah.
- Grace.
- Eric.
- Congratulations.
- Good to meet you.
Hi.
Hi.
Can I talk to you?
Yeah.
- Your palms are sweaty.
- Yeah.
- What's going on?
- I know. I'm nervous.
You don't have to be nervous.
It's just me.
- I already said yes.
- Yeah, okay.
- So I have an idea.
- Okay.
If you hate it, we do not have to do it.
There is absolutely no pressure here.
Okay.
I was wondering.
What if, instead of today
being our engagement party,
it was our wedding?
I'm sorry.
What?
Okay, But remember
remember when you wanted us
to elope in Vegas and I said that
I wanted it to feel special?
Yeah.
This feels special
us at your father's house
with our family
and our close friends.
You can cross all that stuff
off your to-do list,
and no more fighting
with my mom about flowers.
I wasn't fighting with your mother.
The Pierre was a non-starter.
My point is,
if you hate it, we won't do it.
I just want to make you happy.
But if this doesn't, then
It does.
You do, and I love you.
Hmm. I love you too.
Um, one question
It's not a Vera Wang,
but I think you're gonna love it.
- [LAUGHS]
- Check your closet.
Go ahead.
Wait. So we are doing this, right?
Oh, you bet your ass we're doing this.
Let's get married.
[LAUGHS]
Zelda!
Hi, girl. Hello! Hi.
Just licked a Rottweiler's ass.
Oh.
I'm throwing you a bone here.
Get it?
I look, I know you're
mad at me, but I think
if you let me tell you
what I found in the documents,
- I can prove my value.
- You know, I thought
I told you to drop the investigation.
- We got this.
- Yeah, I know.
But I I'm so close.
- I am this close, Bruce.
- All right.
Well, let's let's say you
broke the story. All right?
You broke it wide open.
It's the biggest thing
since the Steele dossier.
Who's gonna believe it?
You know the right,
they're gonna say you're
in bed with the campaign.
And the left,
well, they're gonna say that
you were the scorned ex-girlfriend.
So we're screwed either way.
But if it's factual, if it's truth
There is no truth anymore.
[CHUCKLES] I mean,
you know how many people
trust what they read in the newspaper
the ones that still exist?
Seven percent.
Seven.
You know, if they don't trust us,
what happens to our democracy?
I agree with you.
I agree.
But don't
don't you think
this is a little dramatic?
I hooked up with a bag man.
I didn't I didn't get us into
a war under false pretense.
You lied to me.
You lied to me, Sadie.
You know I was a crackhead.
- Right?
- Yeah.
Not coke, not booze. Crack.
That is, like, the lowest rung
on the addicts caste system.
I should have died.
But I got to a meeting,
and now I have a family
and a career I don't deserve.
But do you know the first thing
they tell an addict,
the one fucking thing every junkie needs
if they want to stay alive?
Honesty.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
After everything I did
to support you, I just
- I I'm not gonna do this.
- Bruce, come on.
- Fuck it.
- No, wait.
- Fuck it.
- Stop. Please, come on.
Hey, listen. Let me ask you something.
If Dale didn't see you,
would you have told me?
Hmm?
Probably not. No.
Yeah, exactly.
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Eric?
It's Daddy.
Come in.
[SOFT MUSIC]
How do I look?
♪
You look perfect.
I can't believe we're doing this.
You think it's crazy?
No, and neither would she.
I get weak whenever you're around ♪
♪
I let my walls down ♪
Lay my weapons on the floor ♪
♪
Loving you's a sweet, sweet symphony ♪
That all of heaven
and Earth join to sing ♪
And my heart trembles at the sound ♪
♪
Even if the world that we've
built falls at our feet ♪
We are still right
where we're supposed to be ♪
Together through ups and the downs ♪
Dungeons and ivory towers ♪
Wrong ♪
We'll get things wrong ♪
But as long as we keep
every promise we make ♪
We'll stay whole ♪
BOTH: Even if the world
that we've built ♪
Falls at our feet ♪
We are still right
where we're supposed to be ♪
Together through ups and the downs ♪
Dungeons and ivory towers ♪
[PHONE RINGING]
[PHONE BEEPS]
Hello?
Sadie?
Grace?
How how did you get this number?
You left your hoodie on the bus.
Why are you going through my shit?
Okay. I was doing your laundry.
You're welcome.
And you're the one who left a random
untraceable number on a cocktail napkin
begging to be called.
So I confide in you,
and you decide to scoop me?
What the fuck, Grace?
Scoop you on what?
I just called a number.
Well, call your own fucking numbers.
Okay. It's in my hand.
It's mine now.
Thank you.
You want to tell me what's going on?
Uh, well, Bruce called HR about Loafers,
and there's gonna be
a disciplinary hearing tomorrow
to decide whether or not
I get to keep my job.
Shit, Sadie.
Yeah.
It's it's bad.
I'm an idiot.
No, you're not.
I mean, you are, but fuck.
I'm sorry.
Fuck it. You know what?
I would rather give you my story
than let the assholes
at Special Projects bigfoot me.
Get a pen.
I'll tell you everything.
[TISA WEATHERSBEE'S "I LOVE DANCIN'"]
I love dancin' with you ♪
I love dancin', dancin' ♪
Dancin', dancin' ♪
I love dancin' with you ♪
With you, with you ♪
♪
[LAUGHTER, CHEERS]
Hi.
The photographer needs you.
Do I know you?
I'm Grace.
Your whole family's waiting for you.
Oh, don't go anywhere.
[SIGHS]
♪
Cock block much?
I need to get back to the hotel.
No, you can't go.
We haven't even cut the cake.
Since when do you care
about wedding traditions?
I don't. I care about cake.
Come on.
I saw you tearing up at the vows.
You're dancing, waiting for cake,
about to hook up
with Kimberlyn's brother.
Yeah.
Admit it, you're moved.
Okay, fine. Yeah, whatever, I'm moved.
Congratulations. You're human.
Guys, I'm married.
Ah!
I'm totally married.
And drunk.
And kind of adorable.
[LAUGHS]
I'm really happy you're here.
I am too.
I feel bad for Sadie.
We should take a picture.
Sadie!
[CAMERA SHUTTER SNAPS]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Please go away.
Hey.
You want to talk about it?
Nope.
I think, uh
I think I really screwed up, Mom.
I might lose my job.
Sweetie, they say that
life doesn't really start
until you've had a professional meltdown
and been very publicly
humiliated and fired.
Who says that? I don't
I don't think that's a thing
that people say.
No, I think it was Maya Angelou.
[SCOFFS]
Bruce says that I threatened
our entire democracy.
Oh, slow down.
He said what?
You're the most ethical person I know.
Mom, please.
I'm not a fucking Girl Scout.
Do you remember
what you did after your dad
squandered your college savings
at a poker game?
Ugh.
[SCOFFS] Uh
binge-watched
a "Real Housewives" reunion
and contemplated a future
in the food services industry.
After that.
Uh, I I wrote an essay.
You wrote an award-winning
essay and won a scholarship.
You wrote your way out of that.
Write your way out of this.
[SOFT MUSIC]
You didn't need your dad,
and you don't need Bruce.
♪
I don't even know what I would write.
You'll think of something.
You always do.
♪
My man. Thank you for coming.
I appreciate it.
- Goodnight.
- Thank you.
[CHUCKLES]
I can't believe my baby
is finally married.
Believe it. [LAUGHTER]
Love you.
Love you too.
I never thought this day would come.
[LAUGHTER]
And you you did
your mama proud tonight.
Thank you, Barbara.
You can call me Mom now.
Okay
Oh.
Mom.
Well, we'll get there.
[LAUGHTER]
Now, you two try and get some rest.
Tomorrow is another big day.
You're right.
We should probably get some sleep.
Okay. Come here, you two.
Get some rest. Love you.
- Love you both.
- Love you.
Thanks for everything.
See you in the morning.
Yes.
Shall we?
Have you seen Grace or Lola?
'Cause when I'm with you ♪
[MOANING]
I lose my cool ♪
I know it's late,
but I'm wondering if you know anyone
recently let go from Walker's campaign.
Oh, do you have a contact for them?
Right.
Uh-huh.
And that happened when?
Okay.
And what was her relationship
to the campaign's finance arm?
♪
Right.
[MUFFLED MUSIC PLAYING]
♪
You can kiss this scoop
goodbye, "Sentinel."
♪
[PHONE BUZZING]
Hello?
Look, I know you don't want to be
my beat reporter, but skipping
my press conference, that's harsh.
You couldn't pull that hero stunt
before we went to press?
I tried you earlier,
but your voicemail was full.
Ah, shit.
I should have known to answer.
You are the only
Topeka, Kansas, area code in my phone.
I'm flattered.
I always had this strange fascination
with Kansas.
[CHUCKLES] That's a new one.
No, it's where New Journalism was born.
Truman Capote "In Cold Blood,"
and Dwight Eisenhower.
I visited his childhood home
in Abilene once.
Wow. Dork.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, thanks to a windfall
of small dollar donations
sent to your profile, I can now afford
an actual press secretary.
Congratulations.
Do they know you're calling me?
I'm calling to let you know
that I'm gonna be
doing an interview with your friend
at Liberty about the crash.
I didn't want you to think that
You're dead to me.
I kid. I kid.
Uh-huh.
You you're a contender now.
You should talk to Kimberlyn.
- She's a straight shooter.
- Yep.
You just always have
to give me the news first,
or I'll write a nasty takedown piece.
I'm not joking.
Uh-huh.
Can I ask you a question, though?
About the crash, off the record?
Ugh, fine.
Why did you do it?
Well, my stock answer
is that that's what
I was trained to do as a Marine.
But, I don't know, maybe I
maybe I needed it too, to
feel something. You know?
I get that.
I mean, I'm not running into
a burning car any time soon,
but I get it.
[SOFT MUSIC]
After my wife died,
I felt so numb,
like a shadow of who I used to be,
just moving through this world
running out the clock.
♪
I don't feel like that anymore.
Thank you for that.
God, an honest fucking answer for once.
And I'm gonna make you put
that on the record one day.
Yeah. Well, we'll see about that.
Well, um, I'm gonna go.
But good luck with your
interview and the primary.
And you can never tell
anyone I said that.
Yeah. We'll see you.
[PHONE BEEPING]
Flirty late night call with a candidate.
Hmm, hmm, hmm.
You're pushing it.
Aw, give me a fucking break.
You you were in McGovern's lap
during the entire '72 campaign.
Richard Ben Cramer fell in love
with every candidate
in '88, even Gephardt somehow.
You taking the dem hack seriously?
[SCOFFS] You don't think
that Theodore White
actively wanted Bobby Kennedy to win?
Bobby's voice had a psychic connection
to The Rolling Stones.
We all wanted that trip.
You boys, you broke every rule,
fucked anything that moved,
and then got to be hailed as heroes.
But my my fling with a bag man,
no, it's gonna take down our democracy.
I'm fucking sick of it.
Atta girl.
You're getting angry.
Now, channel that righteous anger.
Legendary "New York Times" editor
Abe Rosenthal famously said,
"It's okay to fuck the elephants.
Just don't cover the circus."
That was right before
he fired a female reporter
for sleeping with a source.
But what did he tell the boys?
Could they fuck the elephants?
He didn't tell them anything.
Because whether it was spoken or not,
the boys could fuck whoever they wanted.
And I hate when Hollywood
portrays female journalists
using sex to get the facts,
while male journalists
always use their brilliant minds
and unimpeachable morality
to nail the story.
Because the truth is, it's the opposite.
We have to report backwards
and in heels.
We give up our lives to the job
and are expected to be celibate,
scouring FOIA requests
in our hotel rooms.
♪
I'm not saying I didn't make a mistake.
I did. And I need to own that.
I understand why I'm here.
And I'm happy to answer
any further questions
you may have.
I just thought it was worth pointing out
the history and the hypocrisy.
Did you reveal the personal nature
of your prior relationship
to the press secretary
when you were assigned
to Caroline Bennett's bus?
No.
Then when you switched to Walker?
I should have told Bruce sooner
about the potential conflict.
But maybe I didn't
because I knew deep down
that there is zero margin
of error for women journalists,
especially one like myself, who's
who's already been branded
with the Scarlet E.
An emotional liability.
Sadie, we take any
allegation of a conflict,
particularly sexual in nature,
extremely seriously.
I never once let this
relationship impact my work.
Never.
In fact, I worked twice as hard
to avoid any semblance
of special treatment,
to make sure my facts were sound,
to ask the hard questions,
even if it meant
inciting a Twitter mob
or hurting a decent candidate.
Because
because I love this job.
And I believe in journalism
and our mission.
And no matter what you decide
today, I always will.
Thank you.
That'll be all.
Thank you.
Good morning, husband.
Mm. I love the way that sounds.
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES] [PHONE BUZZING]
- Mm, mm, mm, mm wait.
- Mm.
Shoot.
I should get dressed.
This early?
Brunch isn't till 11:00.
Brunch? What brunch?
The brunch you and my mom
talked about last night.
I have no idea what
you're talking about, babe.
I'm sorry.
I thought when my mother said,
"Tomorrow's another big day,"
and you said, "You're right,"
I assumed you knew
what she was talking about.
I assumed that she was talking about
my interview with the Kansas mayor.
Why would my mom know
about your interview?
I don't know.
I thought maybe you told her.
Why would I know about the brunch?
Okay. Okay. Let's start again.
Hmm?
[CLEARS THROAT] Good morning, wife.
- Eric, what is
- We have a brunch today.
Now, my Uncle Bill
and Aunt Margie couldn't
get in last night, so their
flight lands in an hour.
So I will see them after my interview.
It won't take that long.
But Gary has the flu,
so I have to do my own prep.
I cannot believe you are
doing this to me right now.
I can't believe you're
doing this to me right now.
When you were working 24/7
trying to make partner,
I had your back every step of the way.
And so what, now my work
just doesn't matter?
I'm just saying you should have told me.
You should've told me about the brunch.
For the record,
I forgot about the damn brunch.
It's fine.
Go do what you got to do.
Just please come back to me
as soon as you can.
- Okay?
- I will.
I promise.
- Oh.
- Excuse me.
Oh, good morning.
Oh, I didn't think
you'd be up this early.
But since you are,
I wouldn't say no to your help.
I have so much food to get on the table.
Um, Barb
Mm-hmm?
Mom, I actually
I have to run out real quick.
What do you mean you have to run out?
I have an interview.
You set up an interview for
the day after your own wedding?
Well, technically, I set up an interview
for the day after my engagement party.
Because I didn't know it was gonna
- [PHONE BUZZING]
- Damn. Sweet spread.
Hey, Gary, you sure you're up for calls?
Yeah.
Morning, gorgeous.
Okay.
Ooh. Read the room, dude.
No. Please just tell them that
I need a full lighting setup
and that I'll be there in 30.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
It's primary day,
I have an exclusive,
and my embed has the damn flu.
I told you.
Didn't I tell you?
What?
You told him what?
She can't live like this
after you have children.
This just isn't gonna work
for my grandbabies.
Mom, what are you doing?
- Stop.
- Okay.
Well, if you two just want
to have a conversation like I'm
- not even standing here, then
- No. Baby, no.
Well, do you want me
to say it to your face?
- That's no problem.
- Mom.
You need to get your
priorities straight and fast.
This is not what my son
signed up for in a wife.
Is that right?
What are you saying?
Stop.
No, that's great. I want to make sure
it doesn't come across as divisive.
All right? Yeah.
I always forget that part,
but that's great.
Okay.
Hey, how was the engagement party?
Oh, it kind of turned
into a surprise wedding.
You're kidding. You're married?
That's wonderful. Congratulations.
Yup, we did it.
We could have rescheduled
this interview.
Oh, no. It's okay.
Eric had some family that flew in.
But I know you had to rearrange
so many things in your
schedule to make this work,
and it is primary day.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Um, should we do this?
You're the boss.
[CLEARS THROAT]
♪
Welcome to Liberty Direct News's
live coverage of primary day
here in South Carolina.
I'm Kimberlyn Kendrick Jordan
with an exclusive interview
with one of the Democratic candidates
swept up in the story du jour.
Hey.
I'm heading out.
Just wanted to say thanks for the party,
and sorry about your impending divorce.
Excuse me?
Here's the thing, my guy.
You lied to my friend last night.
Those vows that you wrote,
how you would always be there
for her and love her
and defend her and protect her
like she was a fucking country
and you were the only soldier
in her army oh, my God.
You had me shook.
Like, I fully believed you.
I meant every word of that.
Right.
But then just now,
after your epic fail
my God
I remembered
the one thing I know about you
that's actually true.
You don't know anything about me.
I know you proposed to Kimberlyn
the day she was leaving for Iowa.
Yeah, because I wanted to marry her.
Okay, I get that.
But it was the biggest day of her
career, and you had to upstage her.
You peed all over her
like a needy little puppy.
You make her birthdays about you too?
No. I always put her first.
And she always put work first.
Oh, true.
Yeah, you idiot.
You knew that going into this.
If you wanted to change her,
why did you propose?
I love her. I don't want to change her.
Then honor your vows
in sickness and in health,
for richer or for poorer.
And when your mom is being
a righteous fucking bitch
Watch it.
Sorry.
But, I mean no, you're right.
Sorry.
And if she doesn't forgive me?
At least you tried.
- There you are.
- Hey.
Let me put my digits in your phone.
Next time when you're around here,
you can hit me up.
[SIGHS]
That's okay.
I'm good.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[DOOR OPENS]
I'll pack up my cubicle.
You're on a flight to Charleston today.
Get me a South Carolina curtain raiser
by the time you land.
I'm back on the trail.
Bruce, thank you so much.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate
you fighting for me.
I didn't.
I voted against you.
But Ellen overruled me.
And Phil reviewed your stories
and agreed
it didn't impact your work.
So you're back on the bus.
Walker just brought Benji Newman on
as communications director,
so you only deal with him.
Understood?
Benji usually only comes on
when a campaign is in crisis.
Understood?
Understood.
You're the one that said
if every reporter
that ever talked trash
or fucked up was fired,
entire newsrooms would
have to be shut down.
Did I say that?
[SCOFFS]
That's why we're so good together.
You said it.
We're shit stirrers broken toys
who don't feel like we belong here.
The only difference is,
every time I walk through those doors,
I feel the great privilege
of what we get to do.
A lot of people gave you
a lot of chances
you didn't deserve.
And thank God they did, because you
you are fucking brilliant.
And the world is a better place
with your voice in it.
[SOFT MUSIC]
♪
It's too bad you don't think
I deserve the same grace.
♪
And Bruce, I'm done apologizing.
♪
Benji?
[CHUCKLES]
You wouldn't be trying
to ignore me, would you?
Because that might make
a journalist suspicious.
Grace.
Yeah.
I get 15 minutes to myself every day.
And in those 15 minutes, I get a break
from answering inane questions
- from shit-for-brains reporters.
- Hmm.
Present company excluded, of course.
Well, I won't take up
too much of your time.
- This is quick.
- [SIGHS]
The Walker campaign has
shown an unusual amount
of staff turnover in the last two weeks.
Is that a question?
What's going on?
Campaigns evolve.
You've been around
long enough to know that.
Oh, don't condescend to me.
Losing campaigns evolve.
Your candidate is pulling ahead
in South Carolina.
And by all accounts,
everything is going well.
And yet in the last week alone,
the following staffers have been fired.
A videographer, two field organizers,
oh, and that cute scheduler
who always wore a bucket hat.
Is this off the record?
If it must be.
No comment.
♪
Hmm.
♪
So what, you get married
and they just give your husband
a room key
without your permission?
Your friend Lola vouched for me.
I made a mistake
proposing to you.
- Oh, shit.
- No.
No, no, no, no, no.
I don't mean no, I meant the timing.
I shouldn't have waited till
the day that you were leaving.
I had a thousand days
to ask you, and I wanted to,
but I was just waiting
for the perfect moment,
and then I never did it.
And then all of a sudden
you were leaving,
and I got scared.
I was scared I was gonna lose you.
I don't want to lose you either.
That's good.
I'm glad we have that going for us.
All day long
I've just been thinking about,
like, what did we do wrong?
And I thought maybe
it was that we weren't
checking in with each other enough.
But then I started thinking
maybe it's just me.
No, it's not.
No, not my fault.
I'm not gonna let you
off the hook that easy.
But maybe I haven't been
checking in with myself.
I thought that getting married
would buy me some time.
But then this morning,
with your mom, when
I'll talk to her.
No.
I will talk to her.
She's not totally wrong.
I don't know how this is gonna work.
Getting married didn't solve
the problem.
It just made it more obvious
that we have a problem to solve.
So
where does that leave us?
Married.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Sun rays on the window ♪
It's cold ♪
But you're here with me ♪
Never let me go ♪
Your love ♪
♪
You've got your sunflower eyes ♪
[LINE RINGING]
Hey, this is Josie.
I can't answer,
so please leave a message.
Thanks.
[LINE BEEPS]
Josie, hey.
Uh, it's me, Lola.
Um, I I don't know
what your schedule is
or what you're up to.
But um, I was just thinking
maybe, if you wanted,
we could go on, like, a proper
I don't know, date.
Is that really lame?
Whatever. Fuck it.
I think being lame is the new cool.
Um, okay, yeah, just call me back or
yeah, call me back.
[SIGHS]
[BEEP]
[NOTIFICATION CHIMES]
Holy shit.
Sadie.
[CHUCKLES]
Walker could win South Carolina.
And Benji blew me off, which means
you are definitely on to something.
How'd it go today?
Do you still have a job?
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Just a sec.
Hey!
- Yes!
- I'm back!
- Get in here.
- [LAUGHS]
Oh.
Oh, God. Okay.
So "The Sentinel's"
Special Projects team
has the gestation of a llama.
I don't know what that means.
That means we have to fucking beat them.
What do you mean we?
Let's divide the reporting.
I will take donor lists and FEC filing.
And you you can try to get
staffers to break their NDAs.
My favorite pastime.
If you still have a job,
then we're still
Competitors, yeah.
This wouldn't be
the first time our newspapers
have shared intel that
was in the public interest.
- Pentagon Papers?
- Snowden.
- Panama Papers.
- ProPublica investigations.
[STRFKR'S "GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN"]
Pentagon Papers pinky swear?
We share everything,
coordinate to publish at the same time.
Sadie, this is serious shit.
You don't think Ben Bradlee
and Punch Sulzberger pinky swore?
My dad was there.
I can guarantee you they did not.
Well, thank God
we're not the boys on the bus,
'cause they sound boring as fuck.
- Want a coffee?
- What time is it?
They just wanna ♪
They just wanna, they just wanna ♪