American Classic (2026) s01e06 Episode Script

[Nadia] Previously
on "American Classic"
Real rain,
I see a horse,
I see a working soda fountain.
Who's paying for this?
How much would it cost
to get her into the show?
You know, remember,
you're a real person.
I'm a happy American woman,
lady, girl.
I decided to put my own money
into the production.
- What?
- You have no money.
Big problems require
big solutions.
[Nadia] To build a casino.
No, no! Casi-no!
No, no! Casi-no!
- Mom wants me to go to Penn.
- What do you want?
- I'm going to New York.
- No, you are not.
And you betrayed
the Circle of Truth.
[Randall] You're betraying me
with Mr. Actor Man.
[Miranda] Nothing
is going on with Heath.
So we're gonna drive down
to Atlantic City tomorrow.
- [Jon] I'm in.
- You hit a hot streak.
Then you lost and you lost.
[Jon] Lost? Like what?
[Mel] I couldn't keep track.
You can't act.
You can't act.
- So fire me, then.
- I can't fire you.
Because then you lose rain
and the fountain of soda.
Nad-- Nadia!
[mischievous music]
Suddenly,
I just blurted it out.
No, you-- you didn't
tell her the truth.
- Oh, Richard.
- I believe I did.
Did you specifically
impugn her talent?
I think I might have.
Yeah. So, I, uh--
I told her she couldn't act.
[Miranda] Uncle!
Hi, Miranda!
Mr. Bean, how are you?
Now, of course,
Nadia will tell Boyle.
Boyle will pull the plug.
All this will disappear.
And I will have broken
Miranda's heart.
[Mr. Pat] This is--
No. What are you--?
No, no, no, no, no.
What I'm saying is playing
Mr. and Mrs. Webb
has made me realize
what marriage is all about.
- Sameness.
- Oh, come on.
[Mr. Pat] No, no, wait, wait.
No, no, no.
That's-- that's too negative.
Predictability?
How was that any different
than sameness?
[Mr. Pat] No--
I miss having someone
to watch TV with
at the end of the night.
Yes, like having
somebody there
to call 911
if I have a heart attack
or to iron my pants.
That's romantic.
Oh, my God! This is why
I live with a woman.
And then I don't have
to use an app to, you know,
hook up like
the young kids do.
Or, pardon my French,
to have sex.
We haven't had sex
in three years.
- Whoo!
- [laughing]
I'm so sorry.
Is that even possible?
[Mr. Pat]
What about last Easter?
This is the Circle
of Truth, Pat.
I don't know
what that was last Easter,
but it wasn't sex.
- Oh!
- [laughing]
I have something
I want to share,
but, oh--
boy, this is tougher
than I thought it would be.
You are gay. We are
knowing this from before.
We are not to care.
Pardon me, being senior
but I got to say something.
You are wanting truth,
Richard Bean?
You are wanting real person?
Okay
I'm giving you real person.
What is real?
Is that we are all made
of the sadness
and that is what life is.
So what if I live alone
in basement
and Novosibirsk for three years?
So what if there is no mother?
So what if my only choice
is to be watching Richard Bean
in "Hoist" on 13-inch
television set?
Look, we all have the problems.
Being a person
is a hard thing.
So we stopped crying about it.
We make some arts.
This is a play about
these happy Americans.
I am not this happy American.
I'm only me.
I'm only
me.
[applause]
I have an idea.
[applause continues]
No, Edna, I cannot create
a curfew for cats.
They're nocturnal, so--
Your daughter has turned me
into a frigging cartoon!
Look at that shite!
Can you hold--? I've got
to call you back, Edna.
I'm so sorry.
Okay, bye-bye.
[fart noises]
- What? What is that?
- [door closes]
[Boyle] My arse!
[Kristen] Oh!
Oh, I thought it was
some sort of weird potato
but I see it now. Uh-huh.
- [fart noises continue]
[Boyle] I-- I'm trying
to save this town.
Holy mother of God,
I thought you were with me.
No, I am with you.
I am so--
Connor, I am so with you.
I mean, these are--
but these are just kids.
Maybe-- maybe some adults.
But, you know, like I said,
they're just--
they're expressing
their opinion.
And, you know, good for them.
It's their right.
Yeah, well, you're gonna
have to make them stop.
You know, I do not have
to remind you
that the casino vote
is about four days away.
No, I am very aware.
These-- these fancy videos,
they-- they can sway people.
I mean, how would you feel
it was your own daughter
that was the cause of this
whole project going arseways?
Well, I'm-- I'm not quite sure
what that means.
But listen,
my daughter is her own person.
She is strong-willed--
Do I have
to remind you, right,
of all the shite that
I've tried to help you with?
- No, you don't.
- You know, the-- the library,
the rec center and,
and the frigging organic
frigging community garden!
I know, I know and I will--
I will see what--
what I can do.
Yes, that's right.
You do that.
And I wish I had money
coming out of me arse!
[door slams]
Me too.
[footsteps approaching]
- Nadia!
- Richard Bean.
I'm glad you came back.
I-- I-- I want
to apologize to you.
I-- I failed you.
I failed to help you,
I failed because I--
I didn't see you clearly.
You are saying this only now
because you want to save
the Richard Bean show.
You are a weasel and a coward.
Good day.
A weasel?
Uh, yes, yes.
And a coward, definitely.
And yes,
I do wanna do this show.
And I'd like you to play
Simon Stimson.
[Nadia] Hmm
You want me to play the man
who does his suicide?
Exactly.
I am thinking
in the basement,
sometimes of ending all things.
That's great.
That you wanted
to kill yourself.
That's fantastic.
I-- no, I mean,
not in the obviously
in the general
mental health sense.
I'm talking about
for-- for the role
you-- you understand him,
you understand those feelings,
You have him inside you.
The Gibbs has many more lines.
Yes, but
Stimson has darkness.
I will do it.
Thank you.
Vegetarian Thai Curry
with lemongrass
and fresh ginger for you.
Shrimp dumplings with
saffron shallot sauce for you.
Wow, Dad, what's the occasion?
No occasion, I just
love you both very much.
Everything I do is for you,
You know,
even when I make mistakes,
it's probably because I'm trying
to make things better.
Just speaking hypothetically.
Okay.
I've been thinking about our
discussion yesterday about Penn.
- You mean our fight?
- Just listen.
How would you feel
about a year in New York
to do whatever you wanted?
School, no school,
acting, waiting tables.
All of the above.
You choose.
Wait. What--?
What's happening?
She loves New York.
I mean, maybe she should
take a gap year after all.
That's a fantastic idea.
I-- I love that.
Mom
[Miranda] That would
be amazing. Thank you.
- Hm.
- Really, thank you.
And I was hoping
you would be open to toning
down the casino protests.
I'm sorry. What?
The vote's four days away.
I think everyone's
gotten the message.
Are you bribing me right now?
- Bribing you?
- Yes.
- Bribing?
- You're bribing me.
My own mother is bribing me.
Miranda,
Connor Boyle is actually--
He's trying to help this town.
You don't even see it.
You're so underwater
with it all
because you took
a fucking loan with the guy.
- Honey, honey.
- What?
Dad, please tell me you're not
voting pro casino on Friday.
- What? Well, you know--
- I can't believe you.
It's a complicated issue, honey.
- No, it's not.
- It's not black and white.
You know what you both are?
- Sellouts.
- Honey, honey, eh--
[door closes]
Is there wine?
You know how it is.
You're 21, 22,
you start making
decisions and
phssht!
You're 70.
No, that's not right.
I'm almost 90,
for Christ's sake.
You've been an actor
for 50 years.
You've been a lawyer
for 50 years.
I'm not a lawyer, I'm an actor.
What is he saying?
I know the line.
Uh--
And the white-haired lady--
[stammering]
I am off-book.
I knew everything
this morning.
Ah, blast it.
Dad, you wanna take a break?
No, no, I know the line.
I know the line.
She keeps beating it
out of my head.
Who?
Look, I know
that she's your mother.
I know that she's only
trying to help.
But I have to insist
on a closed rehearsal.
[melancholic music]
Jesus Christ.
I'm sorry. Uh--
[Richard] It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay, Dad.
I-- I feel her, too.
Could I have five minutes?
I need to talk to my director.
I don't see how I can do
this play without you.
I can't remember the lines.
Yeah. You know
the whole play.
You know everybody's lines.
All right, then.
But I don't know who I am,
where I am, who I'm talking to.
I can't even remember
that my beloved wife is dead.
Dad, you can't give up now.
I could probably
do something smaller.
Like Howie Newsome,
the milk man.
I get along really well
with the horse.
- Yeah.
- I can't carry the piece.
So I need you to replace me
as the Stage Manager.
Dad, I--
I have trouble remembering
my lines these days.
I've--
The truth is, I'm--
feeling a bit old myself.
You're not old, son.
You're scared.
There's a difference.
[snoring]
[whispering] Hey, he's asleep.
Let's go outside.
Oh, would you
run lines with me?
It appears that I'm taking over
the part of the Stage Manager.
I'm not surprised.
I didn't think he'd be up to it.
Yeah, I'm not sure
I'm up to it.
[Miranda] You stop.
You'll be incredible.
And we'll be on stage together.
You know that scene in Act 3
when Emily goes back
to the past?
Of course.
That's the heart of the play.
Let's start there.
First, I wanted to ask you, um,
it would mean a lot
if Richard being a famous actor
made a statement
at the vote this week.
Uh, a statement of protest,
I'm assuming?
Do you want a casino
in Millersburg?
[sighs]
When you are young,
it's easy to see things
as black or white,
but in fact, there's--
there's a lot of gray.
Like my hair.
I mean, you can't see it,
but anyway--
Well, look at me,
I'm a famous actor,
highly regarded, highly
acclaimed, highly awarded.
I'm a force
in the American theatre.
On the other hand,
I'm insecure,
I don't have many
real friends,
I drink too much,
and I'm unpartnered.
What does this have to do
with the casino?
Well, I'm just trying
to point out
that I'm a very complex person.
And that you're complex,
life is complex.
The casino complex
is complex.
Okay.
Remind me never to get old.
Why?
Just feel like
when people get old,
they start forgetting
everything they care about.
They get selfish
and careful and boring and
If that's what being
an adult is,
I don't want any part of it.
[chuckles]
- What?
- No, nothing.
I'm just thinking what a perfect
Emily you're going to be.
[soft music]
[woman] I think he just want
to do the aisle.
We can start there.
[man] Right. You, uh,
check the water pressure?
- Morning, everyone.
- Ah, morning.
Looks very good.
Very good indeed.
Yes, keep up the good work.
One week until we open.
- [woman] Morning, Mr. Bean.
- Good morning.
Well, this is very nice,
very nice.
Can I just say
I loved you in "Hoist"?
Oh, I-- I love your very tight
brush strokes.
- Good morning, Richard.
- Yeah.
I know you want to start
with Pat and Pat,
but they're not here yet.
We've been doing
warm-up with the cast
for the last 40 minutes.
Doctor Derek is treating
Kenny for cramps.
[Richard] Oh, dear God.
Good morning, everyone.
- Mr. Bean!
- Oh, good morning.
I want to officially welcome
our new Mrs. Gibbs.
Thank you for joining us, Tina.
Thank you for having me.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
All right, um, well, um,
I'd like to start
with the Emily and George scene
in the soda shop.
I'm afraid that Heath
is also missing.
- What?
- Yeah.
- [Miranda] Uh, always late.
- But--
Miranda, have you seen Heath?
I haven't seen him
since yesterday.
[door opens]
[Mr. Pat]
Richard, she's gone,
My Pat.
[breathing heavily]
She's gone.
Gone?
Ooh, that kind of gone.
As in she left you a note?
No.
She left you a note.
"Dear Richard,
"acting in your 'Our Town'
has changed my life"
I-- I can't.
"I was sleepwalking
through my marriage.
"The players made me see
how little time we have
"and what a sin it is
to waste it.
"It is up to us
to find our happiness.
"It breaks both our hearts
to leave the show
but to say no to life
has become impossible."
There it is,
the power of art
to change our lives.
How--?
And it can be very painful.
I'm sorry, Pat.
Why does it say "both"?
She left with Heath.
[groaning]
She ran off to have sex in
his alcove studio in Brooklyn.
It's all this theater stuff.
It's put all these airy,
fairy thoughts in her head.
Art, freedom
sex.
You see what it's done?
I quit.
[exclaiming]
I quit this whole
fucking lifestyle.
I quit this whole
motherfucking MFT.
[Richard] Pat, Pat!
It'll never last.
It's a--
it's an alcove studio.
[murmuring]
Well, great.
We open in a week.
We don't have a George.
We don't have
a Mr. or Mrs. Webb.
- Uh
- I have to think.
Would you-- would you
tell them all to just go?
Yeah. Um, hey, guys,
rehearsal is cancelled today.
Does this mean we don't get
to do the play anymore?
Nothing definitive.
I'll let you know about tomorrow
morning, okay? I promise.
[actors murmuring]
[groans]
[chattering]
[Tina] Come on, let's go.
I overreacted.
You wanna hang out?
[Miranda] Yeah, sure.
Uh, Mirandall.
Could you stay
for a few minutes?
I-- I need to speak
with both of you.
Sorry about
what's-this-douche.
It's okay.
He was kind of awful.
He'd like, mouthed my lines
at me while I said them.
- I saw that.
- Yeah. [chuckles]
You're gonna be
a great George, Randall.
Does anyone need me
for anything?
No, Dad, we're good.
We're good, in fact
Hugo, can you take dad home?
Yeah, happy to.
[Randall]
Hey, you wanna try again?
[Miranda] Okay.
Emily, why are you mad at me?
I'm not mad at you.
You've been treating me so
funny lately.
[Miranda]
Well, since you asked me,
I might as well
say it right out.
- George--
- Wait. What--?
What happens before this?
[Miranda] They are gonna have
this whole interaction
because I'm unhappy with
the change that's come over you,
and then we're gonna
talk about it.
[Randall] It's going well, huh?
[Miranda] Mm-hm.
Everything okay?
Oh, yeah, fine.
Fine. I-- I just--
Remembering when I did
this scene with your mom.
[chopping food]
Oh, hey, what's up?
[Richard] I was watching
Miranda and Randall rehearsing
and I just started
thinking about this place.
You know what we had,
what we were, who we were.
What we made here.
Listen, I need you
to step into the role
of Mr. Webb.
Oh
I'm dealing with a bunch
of stuff right now and I--
It's not a good time.
You were born to play that part.
It will fit you like a glove.
He's-- he's--
he's a good man like you.
He's fine, upstanding, steady
and reliable and dependable.
I lost Miranda's college fund
at a casino.
You what?
I was winning.
I mean, I was up.
I was way up.
And then I wasn't.
I just--
I feel so ashamed.
Since when do you have
a gambling problem?
I don't.
It's a freak thing.
When I went to the casino
with Boyle.
And once, once in Vegas,
I lost $12,000.
But I made it back
before Kristen woke up,
so that doesn't count.
And, you know, if you're gonna
be picky about it,
in college, I--
remember when I said I--
I wrecked the Acura?
I lost it in a poker game.
But every college kid loses cars
in poker games, right?
Uh, not to my knowledge. No.
Shit. Maybe I do.
Shit.
This time I was trying to win
money for Miranda, you know?
I was trying to make
things better for everybody.
Have you told Kristen yet?
No, no, no.
It's killing me.
But Kristen, she's so--
She's so stressed right now.
This is the last thing
she needs to hear.
Hm.
There's only one solution.
You have to play Mr. Webb.
No, you do.
He's a good man.
So are you.
It'll be therapeutic.
I couldn't do that--
that Circle of Truth thing.
You-- you-- you don't--
I couldn't do that.
I can't do it either.
- [chuckles]
- Forget about it. Yeah.
And I'm thinking of offering
Mrs. Webb to Kristen.
Oh, yeah?
That's not gonna happen.
Oh, I wouldn't bet on it.
- Really? Really?
- Sorry.
- Sorry. Hm.
- Really?
Cue one. Go.
[Miranda whispering]
Okay, here we go.
[uplifting soft music]
- Wow!
- [Richard] Yes, good, good.
Where's--
There's the morning light.
Excellent.
- Whoo!
- [cheering]
Whoo!
[Richard] Yes, yes, Daddy.
Look at what you have
done, darling.
- Darling, it's magnificent.
- What we've done.
Just you-- you and me.
And Schicklgruber.
Good old Shicklgruber.
- Yeah, look at that!
- Yeah.
Quite a spectacle
you got going on here.
How much does something
like this cost?
Wait, don't tell me.
You can't put a price
on genius, right?
- Hey, Jon.
- Hello.
Mop up the floor
and we'll do it again.
- Okay.
- Come over here.
Much better from this angle.
[Boyle] Real frigging rain.
[chuckles]
Yeah, I'm surprised
to see Mr. Pat here.
[Boyle] Oh, I gave him
some accounting work.
A bright man, you know?
A good fella.
Not your biggest fan.
I mean, what the hell?
You dream big.
You're gonna make enemies,
right?
[laughing]
You've done a really
bang up job here, mate.
It is exactly what you said
it was gonna be, you know?
We're a good team,
you and me, you know?
And I've been thinking about
the new theater at the casino
and I'm seeing
a naming opportunity.
The Richard Bean
Memorial Theater.
What do you think?
Well, it's very generous of you,
but it-- it does [clears throat]
sort of imply that I'm dead.
Well, you know, call it
whatever you want, you know?
You do what you need to do.
The main thing is
it's yours.
Now, listen,
I've got to go.
Oh, and, uh
you'll be at the City Council
voting tomorrow.
You know, you'll say
a few words, won't you?
You know, warm them up
a little bit.
It's always good to get
the celebrity blessing.
- Yeah.
- You think?
Oh, here.
Have that. On me.
Enjoy.
Oh! You're too kind.
[mischievous music]
Hm.
Wow. I've never played a mayor.
Well, don't worry,
you're still young.
Very funny.
You're here because
I just want to take a break
from rehearsal and
And I wanted to give you
an update on the production.
Yeah, I'm not playing
Mrs. Webb,
Jon told me
you'd be asking.
I was hoping
you'd consider it
for the sake of saving
the theater and for the town.
I'm the mayor.
Everything I do is for the town.
Well, then, for art's sake.
[whispering] I mean, the
production's gonna be fantastic.
It's gonna have real rain
and a horse
and a turn-of-the-century
working soda fountain.
And Jon is gonna be Mr. Webb.
And Miranda
is gonna be Emily.
And Linus is gonna--
He's not playing
the Stage Manager.
He wants to play
Howie Newsome.
And so I've assumed the role
of the Stage Manager myself.
It'll be the whole family
together on the stage.
Except for you.
Well, in case you haven't heard,
I have a casino complex
to get approved tomorrow
and I have the Irish
Tony Soprano
calling me every time anyone
has the slightest objection,
which half the time happens
to be my daughter, so--
Please, don't ask me to be
a part of your
happy band of players,
because
I can't.
All right, the real reason
I want you to do this
is because the best work
I have ever done in my life
has been with you.
When we were on stage together,
you always brought out
the best in me
and I in you.
And, well
I miss that.
Well, thank you.
[pensive music]
Hm.
Must be quite a burden
carrying the fate of an entire
town on your shoulders.
I'm trying.
You're obviously good at it.
Richard.
Yes?
Close the door.
[sniffles]
[crowd yelling]
[chanting]
No, no, casi-no!
[crowd chanting]
No, no, casi-no.
[gavel banging]
[chanting stops]
Thank you.
Hi, everybody,
and thank you for taking
the time to be here today.
Today, your elected
City Council members will
vote on a building permit
for Connor Boyle's proposed
Luck of the Irish casino
and entertainment complex
on the site
of the Morrison Hotel.
[booing and cheering]
We are not Las Vegas!
Just build the goddamn thing!
[cheering]
[gavel banging]
There are a lot
of strong feelings
on both sides of this issue,
which is good.
Because it means you care.
- We care about jobs. We do.
- Yes.
- [Kristen] Yes.
- [cheering]
Yes, we do.
And we all care
about the future of Millersburg.
Look, we all know
each other here
and I never,
in a million years,
thought that I would propose
a casino for our town.
I think some of my family
were a little
surprised as well.
But, after studying the numbers,
I realized that this might be
exactly what our town needs.
- [contradicting exclamations]
- Yes.
For starters, the--
the added tax revenue
would allow us
to keep the library open
for more than three days a week,
and it would we could offer
our librarians a working wage.
I mean, we can buy working
computers for the high school.
Our town is hurting,
And I believe
Connor Boyle's casino
is the solution
we've been looking for.
So
Having said that,
I'm gonna pass it over
to Mr. Pat Patterson.
Pat?
Yes.
[cheering]
[clears throat]
Ladies and gentlemen,
some of you here may remember
when Millersburg was a town
where you could get married
and start a family
and join a bowling league
if you were so inclined.
It was safe, comfortable,
predictable, and it's gone.
There are things going on
at the MF
that-- that-- that some people
say are artistic,
but they are destroying
the very fabric of our town.
I need to ask you
to stick to the issue, Pat.
I'm saying it's time
for something new.
Conor Boyle's casino complex
isn't just an opportunity,
it's a lifeline.
- [cheering]
- No.
Put it here, Pat.
Nicely put.
Thank you.
I have something to say.
[Old Man] You're just a kid!
Hey, I'm 18 and I have a point
of view, so get over it.
- [cheering]
- Hi.
Mr. Patterson and the mayor
seem to think
that this casino
will be a lifeline
for this town.
Well, I think a death line
is more accurate.
- [man] Yes!
- [cheering]
Yes!
We have been
handing out pamphlets
with lots of facts
and statistics
about crime rates
and falling property values.
The bottom line is this,
casinos kill communities.
[applause]
Wait. No amount of tax revenue
is going to bring back the soul
of this town once it's gone.
And that's exactly
what's going to happen
if we move forward
with this project.
So, please, do the right thing
and vote no on casino.
[chanting]
No, no, casi-no!
No, no, casi-no!
No, no, casi-no!
No, no, casi-no!
- No, no, casi-no!
- [gavel banging]
[crowd goes quiet]
I'd like to tell you
the story of a man,
a good man,
who was lured by the devil
to that particular den
of iniquity
known as
the out-of-state casino.
The devil plied this man
with complimentary cocktails
and all-you-can eat hot wings.
And then he led him over
to the roulette table.
The devil whispered in his ear
with his hot breath,
"Bet it all
on the red."
The man gave in to temptation.
Why?
Because he was
struggling financially
and he needed a quick fix.
Devil told him all
of his problems would be solved
with one spin of the wheel.
So he bet the farm on red
and it came up black.
He lost everything.
Now, we've all been
tempted by the Devil
at one time or another,
And some of us have given in.
But I urge you all,
as citizens of Millersburg,
don't go for the quick fix.
Don't risk
the soul of this town,
our town,
on one spin of the wheel.
Don't let the devil win.
Not this time.
Thank you.
[applause]
[Kristen] If there are
no further speakers,
I would like to proceed.
- Councilman Pinnock?
- No.
[cheering]
Yeah, Pinnock.
Friends, I ask that we please
remain respectful and quiet
until the vote is complete.
Thank you.
Councilman Davies?
No.
- Councilman Mendel?
- Yes.
[cheering]
[Kristen] Councilman Delgado.
Yes.
[Kristen] Councilman Peters.
No.
[Kristen] Councilman Bruce?
[Councilman Bruce] Yes.
[Kristen] The vote stands
at three in favor
and three opposed.
Councilman Bean
will cast the deciding vote.
No.
[cheering]
[screaming and cheering]
[emotional music]
Say goodbye
to your rain, genius.
[cheering]
[mischievous music]
[mischievous music]
[mischievous music]