Family Law (2021) s02e07 Episode Script
Arrested Development
1
Previously on Family Law
"Top 40 under 40" edition.
Check out the cover boy.
"It's easy to get stuck
in old-school thinking.
My first goal is to bring
us into the 21st century,
take the firm in a different direction."
[THWACK]
[♪]
- Is this your place?
- I'm her lawyer. Abigail.
Aidan.
I was wondering
if you'd like to go out tonight.
Jesus Christ. What'd
you do to my daughter?
She showed up drunk.
[HARRY] Call off the
hounds. I've got Nico.
What are you talking about? Nico's here.
Nico walked through the
night from Deep Cove.
[♪]
They didn't even notice I was gone?
You're a bitch. You're
both garbage parents.
I'm not letting my children
spend another minute here.
He wants a child custody
and access evaluation.
For the next few months,
a psychologist will be monitoring you.
If I had just stayed in that night,
none of this would be happening.
"Oh, poor Frank "
the cause of all of his
problems is my drinking.
Well, what about him?
How he's keeping my
own children from me?
I think that's enough for today.
[♪]
[ONLINE YOGA INSTRUCTOR]
Start with your hands in prayer
at your heart-center.
Take a deep breath in
and circle your arms to the sky.
Come into a forward fold,
come into a half-lift
with a flat back
then plant your hands
and step back into downward-facing dog.
Take a breath in and
[INSTRUCTOR EXHALES]
[TEXT ALERT CHIRPS]
Feel your
[SIGHS]
Oh, I just got another
email from that psychologist.
She wants to schedule my interview.
- That passive-aggressive toad!
- [LUCY] Abby.
Ugh. I'm done.
- Is my daughter gonna lose her kids?
- No.
I just don't know how I'm
gonna get through this interview
without making things worse.
If Abby couldn't hold it together,
what chance do I have with The Toad?
Mm, to start with,
you might want to stop
calling her "The Toad".
She's just doing her job.
Okay.
Tell me exactly what to say.
You'll just sound like
you've been coached.
Stay cool, be honest, and be yourself.
Mm. Because that
worked so well for Abby.
No.
I think I'm going with
a different strategy.
Avoidance.
[♪]
It's like, "Buddy, did you even read
the parenting-capacity assessment?"
Sorry, guys. I hate to break this up,
but would you mind giving
me a moment alone with Frank?
I haven't seen my kids in over a week.
Why are you being such a colossal dick?
I am genuinely concerned
about the safety of our children
when they're in your care.
That was a truly awful
night, but it wasn't my fault.
It is never your fault.
We're done here, okay?
From now on, we communicate
through our lawyers.
[ABBY STAMMERS]
[♪]
Marguerite.
Harry.
I, uh, I heard that you and Roderick
have decided to go your separate ways.
I'm I'm sorry.
- Morning, Harry!
- Oh. Phil. Morning.
Sorry I'm a few minutes late.
Can I get you a treat
to go with that coffee?
- No, thanks.
- Be right back.
I thought that you were
happy with the work I did
on your previous divorces?
I was.
Thrilled, actually.
But I read that interview your son gave
in Business in Vancouver.
It seems like Svensson
& Svensson is going
in a different direction these days.
[♪]
Eleanor.
- Hi. Nice to see you.
- You too!
Someone forgot her lunch today.
Meh.
How are you holding
up? Jerri filled me in.
Oh, Frank's being a complete asshole.
- Oh.
- But on the bright side
she's got a date tonight
with a hot fireman.
Ooh, a fireman.
Every woman's fantasy.
Not mine.
- Actually, I-I think I'm gonna cancel.
- Why?
- I'm just not in the right headspace.
- But he's a fireman!
Yeah! Get in the right headspace.
[WINSTON] Daniel's asking
for you in the boardroom.
Your 10:00 is here.
[♪]
[IN UNISON] Fireman!
[ABBY CHUCKLES]
How can we help you, Drew?
I need to contest an unlawful eviction.
I've been living in this place forever,
and now, suddenly, without warning,
I'm getting kicked out.
I'm sorry, we don't do
residential tenancy cases.
We're a family law firm.
- We only deal with family matters.
- This is a family matter.
My parents are trying to
evict me from their basement.
[♪]
You can't prove it ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got nothing legit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The glove don't fit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got to acquit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The charges won't stick 'cause ♪
I ain't no sucker ♪
Ain't your lollipop ♪
But ♪
You can kiss my sweet ♪
Uh-huh ♪
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
You can't prove it ♪
[DANIEL] How is this an eviction?
Aren't your parents just
asking you to move out?
[SCOFFS] At the worst possible time!
I'm trying to finish my documentary.
I-I can't stop now and
go find some "Joe Job"
just so I can afford rent.
Look.
I know how that sounds,
but the rental market here is insane.
How's anyone supposed to afford
first and last month's rent,
plus a security deposit?
Vancouver is an expensive city.
Maybe your parents can give
you a break on your rent
for a couple of months,
so you can save up.
I don't currently
pay rent.
[♪]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Oh. Good morning.
Hey.
New client?
Just a guy who's
unhappy with his parents.
His case is a non-starter.
Did he have the funds to pay us?
Yeah, the money his parents
gave him to move out.
Didn't feel ethical.
Your ethics are going
to bankrupt us, Daniel.
We need all the business we can get
to replace the clients
who are jumping ship.
- Who are you talking about?
- All this "soft law" B.S.
you've been spouting to the press
is giving people the wrong impression.
I'll see if I can get Drew
and his parents in here.
Daniel, I've been updating
the HR system, like you asked.
[DANIEL] Thanks, Jerri.
There's something that's
come to my attention.
[SIGHS] You're not going to like it.
[DANIEL] You don't have
your paralegal certificate?
It wasn't in your file, so I
called the paralegal organization.
I've done all of the
course work, I swear.
I just haven't passed
the final exam yet.
[SNAPS] Seriously?
I'm your supervising lawyer.
I've sent you to court.
I've had you in family mediations,
I have asked you to provide clients
with preliminary legal advice!
And I've enjoyed all of that.
[ROARS] You're not allowed
to be doing any of it!
Not without the proper designation.
You know what kind
of trouble I could get in?
I'm so sorry. I'll just
come clean to Harry.
- [OVERLAPPING] No!
- No.
Don't do that.
Probably best we keep
this among the three of us.
So what do we do now?
You pass the exam.
- As soon as possible.
- [CRAIG CONCURS]
Yes, sir.
Cecile.
I need you to pull
every reported
high-net-worth divorce case
Phil Sterling has handled
in the past ten years.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'm allowed to do that.
[♪]
[KNOCKING]
Drew Sinclair is here with his parents.
No need to waste your time, Abby.
I got this one.
Why?
Clive and Celeste need
their son to move out
so they can retire, downsize to a condo,
and sell their small business.
- Not that they need a reason.
- That's not gonna work for us.
[DANIEL] Drew's in a tough spot.
He simply can't afford
to live on his own.
They gave him five grand to move out.
In this rental market? That's peanuts.
He's lucky he got that.
They don't owe him anything.
- He's their son!
- He is 40.
I'm so close to
finishing my documentary.
You said I could stay until I was done.
I know we said that, sweetheart
Celeste and I have always
supported Drew's dream
of being a filmmaker.
You know, we sent him to film school,
we bought him a camera
package and editing system.
But he's been working on this
project for over seven years now.
That's how long it took Ken Burns
to finish his film on The Vietnam War.
Wasn't that a 10-part mini-series?
[DREW] This is my one shot.
It has to be perfect.
Genius takes time, Mom. You said that.
- We all know there's no case here.
- We'll see about that.
My clients have the right to
decide who lives on their property.
The only outcome
they're willing to accept
is that Drew vacates the
family home immediately.
Then we'll see you in court.
[DREW] You heard her.
See you in court Dad.
[♪]
Are you coming?
Drew only has his learner's permit.
He can't drive without us in the car.
[♪]
Sorry about Abby's behavior in there.
- We're all good though, right?
- Yeah. Of course.
[♪]
"See you in court"?
You know Frank's right
We don't have a case.
Oh, but hey, as long as
you and the guy who's
keeping me away from my kids
- are "all good," who cares?
- Abby, he's a colleague.
At least one of us
needs to be professional.
How does a 40-year-old
still live with his parents?
It's pathetic.
That is not the same
thing and you know it.
[LUCY] Anyway, lots of adults
live with their parents.
Or with their half-sister's parents.
For cultural reasons,
for crazy student debt.
[DANIEL] His parents
have bankrolled his dream
to be a filmmaker.
[LUCY] There's nothing wrong with that.
Says the woman whose daddy
paid for her to go to Stanford.
And is still paying her office lease.
You sure you want to go
there, when that same daddy
is the only person
you've ever worked for?
At least I have my own practice.
You might be okay handing
this win to your best bud Frank,
- but I'm not.
- You just want to fight Frank in court.
Uh, busted.
If you want to feel better
about taking the guy's money,
how about, let's win?
Lucy, I want us to take a
field trip to Drew's house.
Dr. Valerie Powell is here to see you.
Who's that?
[♪]
The Toad.
[♪]
What is Abigail like to work with?
Uh, she's really made her
presence felt around here.
In what way?
Abby has a gift for
thinking outside the box.
Can you give me an example?
She turned a paternity case
into a high-profile
class-action suit.
She will be missed when she
goes back to personal injury.
Hmm.
During the course of
her employment here,
have you ever suspected she
was using drugs or alcohol?
I do not have any
concrete evidence of that.
You said what?
- I covered for you.
- What do you mean you "covered for me"?
I don't like being put in a position
where I have to fudge the truth.
Tell me what's it that
you had to fudge, Daniel?
I just lost an hour
of my day defending you
instead of making this firm money,
so instead of attacking me,
you might want to try
- a little thank
- [SLAM]
[EXHALES DEEPLY] you.
And furthermore, your client's
egregious behavior in this matter
You used "egregious"
in the last paragraph.
- Maybe "deplorable"?
- Yes. Excellent.
Uh, "your client's
deplorable behavior "
Um, sir?
I usually take your dictation.
Winston has much better spelling,
and a paralegal has more
important things to attend to,
like bringing me those
case reports I asked f
All of Phil Sterling's
high-net-worth divorce cases
from the last ten years.
Good work, Cecile!
[♪]
[♪]
Beautiful images.
What's it about?
The environment, life,
the human condition!
It's just a rough cut.
I do everything
lighting, sound, editing.
- No crew?
- I like to work alone.
Other humans aren't really my jam.
That's probably why
editing's my favourite part
of the creative process.
Did your parents have these made?
[LAUGHS] Yeah.
Uh, they're kind of hokey,
but I-I don't want to
hurt their feelings.
Oh, that's footage for a corporate video
I was doing for my parents' company.
We had some creative differences
and I never finished it.
And these are all home movies?
[CHUCKLES] Yeah.
I got the film bug from my dad.
He always had his video
camera out when I was a kid.
- Could I borrow these?
- Go nuts.
Oh! Hello. Now, I don't
care how mad you are at us,
you cannot survive on coffee alone.
- Sorry about the mess.
- [CRASHING]
- Mother-fudger!
- Clive.
Language.
[CLIVE CHUCKLES MEEKLY]
You got a small refund
from those taxes I filed for you.
Just sign this check.
I'll deposit it in your account.
Your mother's making her
famous chicken pot pie
for dinner tonight, so
be upstairs at six, sharp.
[♪]
- Booking your paralegal exam?
- [SLAM]
- I'm in the loop.
- Please don't tell Harry.
I'm not a rat! I don't get it.
You're clearly not incompetent.
- Thanks.
- So why haven't you taken it?
I have. And failed.
Twice.
Tests really freak
me out. I just freeze.
By the time my head stops spinning
and I can remember how to breathe,
it's time up.
[HEELS CLACKING]
- [ABBY GRUNTS]
- What's this?
Our client's childhood. Start
scanning them into digital files
- and screen them right away.
- What am I looking for?
Anything out of the ordinary.
I can take half, if you want. I'm bored.
[♪]
Shake a paw.
Come on, Craig.
That's not really how
positive-reinforcement training works.
But he's such a good boy!
Drew's parents had custom
trophies made for him.
Imagine his disappointment
when he debuts his documentary
and it doesn't win an Oscar.
Well, he can't fail if
he doesn't finish it.
[ABBY] The way they wait
on him hand and foot
Mollycoddling is the worst thing
you can do to a child.
Mm, what a convenient point of view.
You weren't that interesting
until you were 19 anyway.
- [CHUCKLES DRYLY]
- You and Mom basically
chucked a pack of diapers
at me and called it a day.
And you turned out just fine.
Highly debatable.
[HARRY] I taught you
to be self-sufficient.
- You neglected us.
- This coffee wasn't worth it.
Get that dog out of the kitchen.
[ABBY] Harry's telling himself
his neglect made us self-reliant.
Using that logic, we could argue
that Clive and Celeste's
extreme helicopter parenting
stunted Drew's growth.
- That'll never fly.
- Well, think about it!
They didn't teach him
the skills to survive.
- It's called "learned helplessness".
- Now he's dependent on them.
There is a clause in
the Family Law Act
Pertains to children over the age of 19
who can't provide for themselves
or withdraw from their parents' charge.
- Child support for adults.
- Exactly.
Look at you two putting
your heads together.
A foosball table and some trophies
aren't enough. We're gonna lose.
- [CRAIG WHIMPERS]
- [SPITS]
I'm not handing this win to
Frank on a platter, Daniel.
- Lucy, will you do a session with Drew?
- Sure.
[♪]
Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Where are you going?
A wine bar in Coal Harbor.
What?
Have you told Aidan
you're an alcoholic yet?
- It hasn't come up.
- Uh
[♪]
- Another beer?
- Uh, yeah, that'd be great.
You sure you don't
want anything to drink?
Oh, n-no. I'm fine with this.
So
what's it like,
saving people from
burning buildings all day?
[CHUCKLES]
I really want to impress
you, but, honestly
most of the job is sitting
around the firehouse,
playing cards and practical jokes.
It's not that exciting.
What's it like being a family lawyer?
[CHUCKLES SADLY]
Dealing with, uh, people in pain,
who feel like the legal
system can take it away.
Does it?
- Rarely.
- Mm.
And you're new to this firm you're at?
Uh
Uh, when I searched for the address,
I noticed your name
wasn't on the website.
Uh, y I've been there nine months.
Why did you change firms?
- It's a long story.
- Oh. Okay.
So, uh where do you live, Aidan?
Uh, downtown.
- You?
- I live with my
Uh, I live on the North Shore.
Do your kids go to school over there?
They go to school by their
by where their dad lives.
[CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY]
How long have you been divorced?
[SOBERLINK ALERT BEEPS]
Sorry. Be back in a minute.
[BEEPING]
[BLOWING DEEPLY]
[♪]
Can I walk you to your car?
You don't have to do that.
It's nice to meet you, Aidan.
I know
this was just one date
and you don't owe me anything,
but you seem different today.
- Did I do something?
- No! No.
It's not you.
It's
- It's me.
- Which means it's definitely me.
[CHUCKLES] So okay, then.
Have a good day.
No, Aidan. Wait.
I didn't order a drink because
I'm a recovering alcoholic.
[ABBY SCOFFS]
I got fired from my old firm
for vomiting in a
courtroom after a bender.
I'm basically a pariah
in the legal community,
so now I work for my estranged father
and a half-brother, who hates me.
I live on the North Shore
because I had to move
back in with my mother
after getting kicked out of my house.
I've temporarily lost custody of my kids
and I'm in the middle
of an awful divorce,
but technically, still married,
so when I say it's
not you, it's me, I
[♪]
[THUD]
["YOUNGBLOOD" BY LITTLE INDIA PLAYS]
You know I'm yours tonight ♪
I'll be all well In all this ♪
Oh, baby what's the height? ♪
I'll be the light
That's pulling you in ♪
You know I'm yours tonight ♪
You know you look so good ♪
[THUDDING]
[♪]
So?
I didn't get home until
two in the morning.
Attagirl!
Probably a one-and-done, though.
- I did some serious over-sharing.
- [TEXT CHIMES]
I doubt I'll hear from him again.
Oh.
Wants to go for a walk with
me on the beach tomorrow.
Sounds like this guy doesn't scare easy.
[♪]
Why don't you want to move out
of your parents' basement, Drew?
It's not that I don't want
to, I just can't afford to.
W-What kind of place would you get,
if money was no object?
I'd get a state-of-the-art mansion
with a massive movie-screening room,
which I'm gonna do anyway,
once I sell my doc.
My parents will have their own wing.
- That's nice. You'd let them move in?
- They deserve it.
My mom could finally
have her own sewing room.
It sounds like you and
your parents are close.
In spite of what they're
doing to me right now?
They're my best friends.
[LAUGHS] I know, that sounds lame,
but they're just really
interesting people.
Well, until you can afford your mansion,
how would you feel about getting
a place with some roommates?
I'm not gonna live with
a bunch of strangers.
Okay have you thought
about getting a day job?
I won't participate in the
corporate rat race anymore.
- "Anymore"?
- I had a McJob for a while,
but it sucked the creative
life force out of me.
I was taking millions of orders a day,
and this customer
complained, said I was rude,
but I didn't mean to be,
I just don't know what to say
to all these people all day.
Small talk can be tough.
Anyway, that doesn't matter.
I'm gonna sell my documentary
for six figures, for sure.
Docs sell for that much?
The feedback has been insanely good.
I showed my parents a rough cut
and my dad said it was the
best documentary he's ever seen,
of all time!
- Wow.
- Yeah!
And that's why I don't understand
why they're doing this to me now.
I'm this close.
They said they'd support
me until I was finished,
and now they're just
pulling the plug on me?
That shit is cold.
[♪]
Did you find anything on those tapes?
Seems like a pretty normal family to me.
Define "normal".
[♪]
Can I ride to the beach with them?
[CLIVE] Yeah, that's probably
not a good idea, buddy.
It's not far, and we'll stay together.
[CLIVE] No, you know the rules
You can't leave our street
without adult supervision.
[YOUNG DREW SIGHS]
[BIKE THUDS]
Anyway, it's close to
your naptime, honey-bunny.
Mom's made your warm milk.
[KIDS LAUGHING]
[CLIVE] Jiminy Christmas!
[CELESTE] Stop!
Everybody, stop right now!
Drew, you need to wear your goggles.
Mom, I'm fine!
You have to protect your eyes.
Can you believe this?
They might as well have
kept him on a child leash.
My parents had one of those.
They only used it till I was five.
Like, this all lines up.
Drew suffers from
intense social anxiety.
His parents were so overprotective,
they kept him from
learning basic life skills.
- Can't he just learn them now?
- It's not that simple, Daniel.
He's got Peter Pan syndrome.
Syndromes are good.
It's not recognized by the DSM yet,
but Drew is completely
dependent on his parents
Not just practically and financially,
but also emotionally and socially.
He can't function without them.
- That's great news for us.
- Mm. Get me the time codes for these.
I'm gonna get Drew to put
a little highlight reel together.
[♪]
- Hello, Abigail.
- Hi.
How would you describe
Abigail's mental state?
She's in peak mental form.
Sharp as a tack.
- A consummate professional.
- Mm. And outside of work?
Mm?
What are your observations
of Abigail as a parent?
Uh, that she is
loving, patient,
kind, consistent, and it's paid off
She's raised two incredible kids.
I can say, without reservation,
that Abigail is an excellent mother.
Oh.
Now, you were estranged from
Abigail for 35 years. Correct?
No, that is not correct.
- 33.
- Huh!
And you reconnected
with her six months ago?
- Nine.
- My mistake.
How often would you
say you've seen Abigail
interact with her
children over that period?
Oh
a number of times.
What number?
I haven't been counting.
Mm.
[♪]
No, it's okay, Sofia.
I don't have anything to say,
I just wanted to hear your voice, Sof.
I'll release you now.
Love you, too.
Uh, Can you tell Nico
I'm still waiting for him
to play his move on Words-I-View.
I pulled an all-nighter
working on this.
It takes forever to
finesse all the transitions
and get the pacing just right.
I barely had time to
add in a musical score!
That probably wasn't necessary,
but we appreciate the effort.
Final question, Mr. Sinclair
How would you describe your
relationship with your son?
[CHUCKLES] Other than the fact
that he's taken us to court,
it's very good.
Neither Celeste nor I
had much of a relationship
with our parents.
"Children should be seen,
and not heard," and all that.
But we knew we wanted to do it right,
you know, be involved in his life.
He's been the light
of our lives, really.
It's just time for Celeste
and me to start a new chapter,
one that doesn't center around Drew.
Thank you. I have no further questions.
Counsel?
Your Honor, I'd like to present
some video evidence to the court.
[♪]
Mom, I'm fine!
You have to protect your eyes.
[♪]
[STRAINS OF KIDS PLAYING]
[CELESTE] Drew! Danger!
Your shoelace!
[♪]
[VIDEO CONTINUES, INDISTINCT]
[WOMAN] And first place
goes to Sharon Harvey!
[CLIVE] Are you frickin' blind, woman?
Okay, thank you. I
think we get the picture.
[STOPS VIDEO]
Mr. Sinclair,
what you say is clearly true
You and Mrs. Sinclair
were involved parents,
who gave their son
the best childhood they could imagine.
But
is it possible
in your attempt to avoid
making the same mistakes
your parents made,
you made new ones?
Are you saying we're guilty
of loving our son too much?
I'm saying that,
in trying to shield your
son from any pain or failure,
you've robbed him
of the learning opportunities necessary
to be a functioning adult in society.
Drew now suffers from crippling anxiety.
It's affected his ability
to form relationships,
work
care for himself.
Despite your best intentions,
you have handicapped your son,
and for that reason,
he now requires your support
to survive in this world.
Objection.
- This is ludicrous.
- Sustained.
I'm ready to rule.
While I sympathize
with Drew's challenges,
there's a limit to what you
can blame on your upbringing.
I strongly recommend you
seek professional counseling,
but I can't force you to do that
any more than I can force them
to let their 40-year-old
son stay in their home
against their wishes.
And as for child support please.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Can we appeal?
Technically, yes, but
you can't afford it.
- Pro bono?
- Uh, no.
Good luck with everything, Drew.
There has to be
something more we can do.
Why don't you find a job
that doesn't stress you out?
Like, uh an animal shelter?
Oh, I'm scared of dogs.
- Stock shelves at a grocery store.
- I'm a documentary filmmaker!
[SIGHS]
Look, you did a great job
editing those clips together
and you did it on a tight deadline.
Why don't you do that?
You've got real talent.
I could email some production companies.
Think smaller.
[CHUCKLES]
Finish that hot tub video
and use it as a calling
card to get more work.
- And abandon my documentary?
- Drew.
It's time.
Grow the eff up.
[♪]
Harry.
[NONCHALANTLY] Oh hello, Marguerite.
Listen
about Phil Sterling
I hope there are no hard feelings.
Quite the opposite.
I think you're very wise to
be doing your due diligence.
I imagine you found
Fazal versus Van Emst
interesting, given the parallels
with the financial broker in that case.
Well! I'm off to meet a client,
but lovely seeing you, as always.
[♪]
I booked your exam for you.
Why would you do that?
You know all the stuff!
I'm not mentally prepared.
I reached out to the
paralegal organization
and requested extra time
for you to complete the exam.
They're more than happy to
accommodate your special learning needs.
I don't have special needs!
Then don't use the extra time.
[WINSTON CHUCKLES CHEERILY]
[♪]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Oh! Hello again.
Hello.
Oh, Abigail?
I've reached out to
your mother a few times.
I'm not sure she's getting my messages.
Could you ask her to contact me?
- Sure.
- Thank you.
So I've seen quite a bit
of Abby's interactions
with her children,
since we've been living
under the same roof.
Mm. Do you feel that
Abigail's alcoholism
has affected Sofia and Nico?
I mean, I'm sure it has in the past,
but it would be irresponsible
of me to speculate how.
Have you ever witnessed
Abigail neglect her children
- due to her substance abuse?
- No. Never.
And like I said, we've been
living together for months.
Look, I understand why
you need to pursue this
line of questioning,
but I know you would never
stigmatize Abby's illness.
No, of course not.
Especially since she has
worked so hard to recover.
There's a framework for these questions.
Yes. And you and I both know
that that's just a formality.
Abby more than passes
the parenting threshold
of "good enough".
[♪]
Okay, pull your arm back Like this.
- Mm-hmm.
- Then
right before you release the rock,
you just give your wrist a
quick flick to create spin,
and it should make it skip.
- [PLOP]
- [AIDAN CHUCKLES]
Wow!
That was a very
impressive demonstration.
It's supposed to skip!
That rock couldn't find the
bottom of the ocean fast enough.
The stone wasn't flat enough.
Mm. A craftswoman
never blames her tools.
I need a better rock!
[PHONE RINGS]
Ah. It's my son.
- [BEEP]
- Hi, Nico.
Hello?
- [BEEP]
- [LINE DIALS AND RINGS]
[NICO'S VOICE] One thing
I bet you didn't know
is that you can leave a
message after the beep.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
No, you're not.
I'm tired of
[SIGHS] I'm just tired.
[♪]
I can help with that.
Well, I don't think you can h
What are you doing? [LAUGHING] Stop.
[ABBY SHRIEKS AND LAUGHS]
[AIDAN LAUGHS]
[♪]
Ms. Bianchi, wait!
- Drew, we're not appealing the case.
- No, it's not about that.
My parents are filing a
cease-and-desist order against me.
What? Why?
I posted a video last night, and it's
it's already gone viral.
[♪]
Now that you've purchased
your new hot tub,
- welcome to the family.
- [DREW] Cut!
What?
"Welcome to the
Belcarra Hot Tub Family."
[CLIVE, CRIES OUT]
Mother-fudger! For God's sake!
[BLEEPING]
All right, all right,
all right, keep rolling!
Welcome to the family.
[DREW] Cut! Your mouse
has left the house.
[BLEEP]
Welcome to the family.
No. [CURSING] Son of
a mother [BLEEP]
[DREW, GROANS] Ugh. Dad!
What?
I'm on my frigging mark.
The pride of ownership you'll feel
with your new Belcarra hot tub
Son of a beach! [BLEEPING]
Okay. I think we all get the gist.
It got close to 100,000 views overnight.
We're gonna be the laughingstock
of the hot-tub industry.
- That's gotta come down!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!
You wanted Drew to stand
on his own two feet,
and now that he has,
you want to cut his
legs out from under him?
- This video is gonna sink us.
- How can you be sure?
We did sell a couple
of tubs this morning.
The phones have been
ringing off the hook!
I'm not surprised.
You're actually quite
endearing in the video,
in an offbeat kind of way.
See?
You just need a new slogan.
"Belcarra
the best mother-fudgin' hot
tubs in the Lower Mainland."
That's actually pretty good.
You're such a creative bug!
Yeah, it kind of has a ring to it.
It's a win-win.
You sell more tubs,
and Drew is trending.
And it proves what you
both knew all along
Your son has some real talent.
- You started without me?
- Whoops.
We're not backing down on
our cease-and-desist order, so
Uh, Clive and I are gonna sleep on it.
Let's regroup tomorrow.
[♪]
[CLIVE] Now that you've
purchased a new hot tub
[WATER BUBBLING]
- welcome to the family.
- Cut!
What?
- [KNOCKING]
- Mr. Svensson?
A Mrs. Bogen is here to see you.
[♪]
I see what you did there
Directing me to that case.
- Phil Sterling really botched it.
- He certainly did.
That broker's ex didn't get
a sniff of his commissions.
Is that what's going to happen to me?
Not if I've got
anything to say about it.
Can we start talking strategy?
[♪]
They've been in there almost an hour.
- That's bad, right?
- Not necessarily.
So it's good?
I didn't say that either.
I'm just happy Joanne
stopped dodging her.
She should just be herself.
She'd need three martinis for that.
Just try and relax.
I signed a lease on an apartment today.
You did?
I was starting to feel like
I was pulling a bit of a Drew.
Well, I can see that.
- I thought you'd be more excited.
- I am.
But I have to admit, it's been great.
Getting to know each other as sisters?
Having a buffer between me and my mom.
Also, Abby is a great mother.
Could you write that down, too, please?
Remind me,
how old was Abigail when
you and her father divorced?
Uh, seven.
Right. That's right.
And I understand
she was immediately
estranged from her father,
- from that point on?
- Mm-hmm.
How did Abigail react
to her father's sudden
departure from her life?
Oh, she was more than fine with it.
Trust me.
She never wanted to see him again.
And why is that?
Because he was a
lying, cheating asshole,
- and Abby knew that.
- Ah.
I raised her in a "no secrets" house.
Honesty was always my policy.
Is that, uh, Abigail's
policy with Sofia and Nico?
No.
But I don't mean that in a bad way.
What way do you mean?
Like one time, Nico FaceTimed
because he wanted to
come over after school,
and Abby said that he couldn't,
because she had to work,
and I told her she had
to tell him the truth
That Nico couldn't come over
because his father wouldn't
allow it Just the facts.
I don't why she's constantly
covering for that jerk,
but I guess
Well, I suppose that
she didn't want him
to feel like
you know, he had to pick sides.
[♪]
[PHONE RINGS]
- [BEEP]
- Hey, Cordelia.
Frank and Luisa want to meet. Today.
You think I'm getting
my parenting time back?
I hope so.
My boardroom. 5:00.
[♪]
Hey, Drew.
- Are your parents here?
- Nope.
I'm here by myself
and I'm getting settled up.
They've withdrawn their application
for the cease-and-desist order.
And get this
They're going to let me
stay in the basement
- for six more months.
- Sounds fair.
Yeah, but they're
sticking me with rent.
Also fair.
[SMUGLY] 200 bucks a month.
I also have to do my driver's test
and take adulting classes.
A-And I've offered
to cook dinner once a week.
Won't be pretty but it's something.
Good for you, Drew.
It's because of you
that I posted that video.
I-I'm actually getting
some leads off it
All corporate videos.
Hey, it's all filmmaking.
- [TEXT CHIMES]
-
Good luck to you.
[♪]
[DANIEL] Drew just
paid his bill in full.
Who?
- The client we brought back in?
- Oh.
We billed some nice hours.
Great.
Anything else?
No, just wanted to tell you.
Daniel, I'm not giving you
a trophy for doing your job.
- Uh-oh. Here comes trouble.
- Hey, Daniel.
Oh, I'm looking forward
to getting some revenge
- on the course this afternoon.
- Yeah, we'll see about that.
Then I want you to tell me
exactly you managed to steal my
client away from me, you bastard.
- You mean after you stole her from me?
- Finders, keepers.
- Can't cheat a cheater.
- Yips. I'm giving you the yips.
No. You think you're gonna
beat me, but you never beat me.
- I took the test!
- And?
- I killed it.
- Yeah, you did!
[SMACK]
I might've used a couple
minutes of the extra time,
so, thanks, Winston.
Any time.
- Jerri! I passed the test.
- Of course, you did.
[♪]
Mr. Bianchi believes
that it is important
for the children to see their mother.
For that reason, he's willing to resume
their informal parenting schedule.
But we do have some conditions.
Any alcohol in the
house must be locked away
where the children cannot access it.
Fine. Next.
And the children can no
longer have any contact
with their maternal grandmother.
What?
- Why?
- You know why, Abby.
- That wasn't her fault.
- I don't trust her with them.
I live in her house!
My client's living arrangement
makes this next to impossible,
but that's the point isn't it?
We understand that there may
be some logistical challenges
but that isn't my client's problem.
If you wish to resume
your parenting time,
these are our conditions.
I wanna get into trouble ♪
I wanna tear all my bridges down ♪
And pour gas on the rubble ♪
I wanna burn them to the ground ♪
I wanna scorn my lover ♪
I wanna tear all our bridges down ♪
And pour gas on the rubble ♪
I wanna burn her to the ♪
until it doesn't hurt ♪
Previously on Family Law
"Top 40 under 40" edition.
Check out the cover boy.
"It's easy to get stuck
in old-school thinking.
My first goal is to bring
us into the 21st century,
take the firm in a different direction."
[THWACK]
[♪]
- Is this your place?
- I'm her lawyer. Abigail.
Aidan.
I was wondering
if you'd like to go out tonight.
Jesus Christ. What'd
you do to my daughter?
She showed up drunk.
[HARRY] Call off the
hounds. I've got Nico.
What are you talking about? Nico's here.
Nico walked through the
night from Deep Cove.
[♪]
They didn't even notice I was gone?
You're a bitch. You're
both garbage parents.
I'm not letting my children
spend another minute here.
He wants a child custody
and access evaluation.
For the next few months,
a psychologist will be monitoring you.
If I had just stayed in that night,
none of this would be happening.
"Oh, poor Frank "
the cause of all of his
problems is my drinking.
Well, what about him?
How he's keeping my
own children from me?
I think that's enough for today.
[♪]
[ONLINE YOGA INSTRUCTOR]
Start with your hands in prayer
at your heart-center.
Take a deep breath in
and circle your arms to the sky.
Come into a forward fold,
come into a half-lift
with a flat back
then plant your hands
and step back into downward-facing dog.
Take a breath in and
[INSTRUCTOR EXHALES]
[TEXT ALERT CHIRPS]
Feel your
[SIGHS]
Oh, I just got another
email from that psychologist.
She wants to schedule my interview.
- That passive-aggressive toad!
- [LUCY] Abby.
Ugh. I'm done.
- Is my daughter gonna lose her kids?
- No.
I just don't know how I'm
gonna get through this interview
without making things worse.
If Abby couldn't hold it together,
what chance do I have with The Toad?
Mm, to start with,
you might want to stop
calling her "The Toad".
She's just doing her job.
Okay.
Tell me exactly what to say.
You'll just sound like
you've been coached.
Stay cool, be honest, and be yourself.
Mm. Because that
worked so well for Abby.
No.
I think I'm going with
a different strategy.
Avoidance.
[♪]
It's like, "Buddy, did you even read
the parenting-capacity assessment?"
Sorry, guys. I hate to break this up,
but would you mind giving
me a moment alone with Frank?
I haven't seen my kids in over a week.
Why are you being such a colossal dick?
I am genuinely concerned
about the safety of our children
when they're in your care.
That was a truly awful
night, but it wasn't my fault.
It is never your fault.
We're done here, okay?
From now on, we communicate
through our lawyers.
[ABBY STAMMERS]
[♪]
Marguerite.
Harry.
I, uh, I heard that you and Roderick
have decided to go your separate ways.
I'm I'm sorry.
- Morning, Harry!
- Oh. Phil. Morning.
Sorry I'm a few minutes late.
Can I get you a treat
to go with that coffee?
- No, thanks.
- Be right back.
I thought that you were
happy with the work I did
on your previous divorces?
I was.
Thrilled, actually.
But I read that interview your son gave
in Business in Vancouver.
It seems like Svensson
& Svensson is going
in a different direction these days.
[♪]
Eleanor.
- Hi. Nice to see you.
- You too!
Someone forgot her lunch today.
Meh.
How are you holding
up? Jerri filled me in.
Oh, Frank's being a complete asshole.
- Oh.
- But on the bright side
she's got a date tonight
with a hot fireman.
Ooh, a fireman.
Every woman's fantasy.
Not mine.
- Actually, I-I think I'm gonna cancel.
- Why?
- I'm just not in the right headspace.
- But he's a fireman!
Yeah! Get in the right headspace.
[WINSTON] Daniel's asking
for you in the boardroom.
Your 10:00 is here.
[♪]
[IN UNISON] Fireman!
[ABBY CHUCKLES]
How can we help you, Drew?
I need to contest an unlawful eviction.
I've been living in this place forever,
and now, suddenly, without warning,
I'm getting kicked out.
I'm sorry, we don't do
residential tenancy cases.
We're a family law firm.
- We only deal with family matters.
- This is a family matter.
My parents are trying to
evict me from their basement.
[♪]
You can't prove it ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got nothing legit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The glove don't fit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got to acquit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The charges won't stick 'cause ♪
I ain't no sucker ♪
Ain't your lollipop ♪
But ♪
You can kiss my sweet ♪
Uh-huh ♪
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
You can't prove it ♪
[DANIEL] How is this an eviction?
Aren't your parents just
asking you to move out?
[SCOFFS] At the worst possible time!
I'm trying to finish my documentary.
I-I can't stop now and
go find some "Joe Job"
just so I can afford rent.
Look.
I know how that sounds,
but the rental market here is insane.
How's anyone supposed to afford
first and last month's rent,
plus a security deposit?
Vancouver is an expensive city.
Maybe your parents can give
you a break on your rent
for a couple of months,
so you can save up.
I don't currently
pay rent.
[♪]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Oh. Good morning.
Hey.
New client?
Just a guy who's
unhappy with his parents.
His case is a non-starter.
Did he have the funds to pay us?
Yeah, the money his parents
gave him to move out.
Didn't feel ethical.
Your ethics are going
to bankrupt us, Daniel.
We need all the business we can get
to replace the clients
who are jumping ship.
- Who are you talking about?
- All this "soft law" B.S.
you've been spouting to the press
is giving people the wrong impression.
I'll see if I can get Drew
and his parents in here.
Daniel, I've been updating
the HR system, like you asked.
[DANIEL] Thanks, Jerri.
There's something that's
come to my attention.
[SIGHS] You're not going to like it.
[DANIEL] You don't have
your paralegal certificate?
It wasn't in your file, so I
called the paralegal organization.
I've done all of the
course work, I swear.
I just haven't passed
the final exam yet.
[SNAPS] Seriously?
I'm your supervising lawyer.
I've sent you to court.
I've had you in family mediations,
I have asked you to provide clients
with preliminary legal advice!
And I've enjoyed all of that.
[ROARS] You're not allowed
to be doing any of it!
Not without the proper designation.
You know what kind
of trouble I could get in?
I'm so sorry. I'll just
come clean to Harry.
- [OVERLAPPING] No!
- No.
Don't do that.
Probably best we keep
this among the three of us.
So what do we do now?
You pass the exam.
- As soon as possible.
- [CRAIG CONCURS]
Yes, sir.
Cecile.
I need you to pull
every reported
high-net-worth divorce case
Phil Sterling has handled
in the past ten years.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'm allowed to do that.
[♪]
[KNOCKING]
Drew Sinclair is here with his parents.
No need to waste your time, Abby.
I got this one.
Why?
Clive and Celeste need
their son to move out
so they can retire, downsize to a condo,
and sell their small business.
- Not that they need a reason.
- That's not gonna work for us.
[DANIEL] Drew's in a tough spot.
He simply can't afford
to live on his own.
They gave him five grand to move out.
In this rental market? That's peanuts.
He's lucky he got that.
They don't owe him anything.
- He's their son!
- He is 40.
I'm so close to
finishing my documentary.
You said I could stay until I was done.
I know we said that, sweetheart
Celeste and I have always
supported Drew's dream
of being a filmmaker.
You know, we sent him to film school,
we bought him a camera
package and editing system.
But he's been working on this
project for over seven years now.
That's how long it took Ken Burns
to finish his film on The Vietnam War.
Wasn't that a 10-part mini-series?
[DREW] This is my one shot.
It has to be perfect.
Genius takes time, Mom. You said that.
- We all know there's no case here.
- We'll see about that.
My clients have the right to
decide who lives on their property.
The only outcome
they're willing to accept
is that Drew vacates the
family home immediately.
Then we'll see you in court.
[DREW] You heard her.
See you in court Dad.
[♪]
Are you coming?
Drew only has his learner's permit.
He can't drive without us in the car.
[♪]
Sorry about Abby's behavior in there.
- We're all good though, right?
- Yeah. Of course.
[♪]
"See you in court"?
You know Frank's right
We don't have a case.
Oh, but hey, as long as
you and the guy who's
keeping me away from my kids
- are "all good," who cares?
- Abby, he's a colleague.
At least one of us
needs to be professional.
How does a 40-year-old
still live with his parents?
It's pathetic.
That is not the same
thing and you know it.
[LUCY] Anyway, lots of adults
live with their parents.
Or with their half-sister's parents.
For cultural reasons,
for crazy student debt.
[DANIEL] His parents
have bankrolled his dream
to be a filmmaker.
[LUCY] There's nothing wrong with that.
Says the woman whose daddy
paid for her to go to Stanford.
And is still paying her office lease.
You sure you want to go
there, when that same daddy
is the only person
you've ever worked for?
At least I have my own practice.
You might be okay handing
this win to your best bud Frank,
- but I'm not.
- You just want to fight Frank in court.
Uh, busted.
If you want to feel better
about taking the guy's money,
how about, let's win?
Lucy, I want us to take a
field trip to Drew's house.
Dr. Valerie Powell is here to see you.
Who's that?
[♪]
The Toad.
[♪]
What is Abigail like to work with?
Uh, she's really made her
presence felt around here.
In what way?
Abby has a gift for
thinking outside the box.
Can you give me an example?
She turned a paternity case
into a high-profile
class-action suit.
She will be missed when she
goes back to personal injury.
Hmm.
During the course of
her employment here,
have you ever suspected she
was using drugs or alcohol?
I do not have any
concrete evidence of that.
You said what?
- I covered for you.
- What do you mean you "covered for me"?
I don't like being put in a position
where I have to fudge the truth.
Tell me what's it that
you had to fudge, Daniel?
I just lost an hour
of my day defending you
instead of making this firm money,
so instead of attacking me,
you might want to try
- a little thank
- [SLAM]
[EXHALES DEEPLY] you.
And furthermore, your client's
egregious behavior in this matter
You used "egregious"
in the last paragraph.
- Maybe "deplorable"?
- Yes. Excellent.
Uh, "your client's
deplorable behavior "
Um, sir?
I usually take your dictation.
Winston has much better spelling,
and a paralegal has more
important things to attend to,
like bringing me those
case reports I asked f
All of Phil Sterling's
high-net-worth divorce cases
from the last ten years.
Good work, Cecile!
[♪]
[♪]
Beautiful images.
What's it about?
The environment, life,
the human condition!
It's just a rough cut.
I do everything
lighting, sound, editing.
- No crew?
- I like to work alone.
Other humans aren't really my jam.
That's probably why
editing's my favourite part
of the creative process.
Did your parents have these made?
[LAUGHS] Yeah.
Uh, they're kind of hokey,
but I-I don't want to
hurt their feelings.
Oh, that's footage for a corporate video
I was doing for my parents' company.
We had some creative differences
and I never finished it.
And these are all home movies?
[CHUCKLES] Yeah.
I got the film bug from my dad.
He always had his video
camera out when I was a kid.
- Could I borrow these?
- Go nuts.
Oh! Hello. Now, I don't
care how mad you are at us,
you cannot survive on coffee alone.
- Sorry about the mess.
- [CRASHING]
- Mother-fudger!
- Clive.
Language.
[CLIVE CHUCKLES MEEKLY]
You got a small refund
from those taxes I filed for you.
Just sign this check.
I'll deposit it in your account.
Your mother's making her
famous chicken pot pie
for dinner tonight, so
be upstairs at six, sharp.
[♪]
- Booking your paralegal exam?
- [SLAM]
- I'm in the loop.
- Please don't tell Harry.
I'm not a rat! I don't get it.
You're clearly not incompetent.
- Thanks.
- So why haven't you taken it?
I have. And failed.
Twice.
Tests really freak
me out. I just freeze.
By the time my head stops spinning
and I can remember how to breathe,
it's time up.
[HEELS CLACKING]
- [ABBY GRUNTS]
- What's this?
Our client's childhood. Start
scanning them into digital files
- and screen them right away.
- What am I looking for?
Anything out of the ordinary.
I can take half, if you want. I'm bored.
[♪]
Shake a paw.
Come on, Craig.
That's not really how
positive-reinforcement training works.
But he's such a good boy!
Drew's parents had custom
trophies made for him.
Imagine his disappointment
when he debuts his documentary
and it doesn't win an Oscar.
Well, he can't fail if
he doesn't finish it.
[ABBY] The way they wait
on him hand and foot
Mollycoddling is the worst thing
you can do to a child.
Mm, what a convenient point of view.
You weren't that interesting
until you were 19 anyway.
- [CHUCKLES DRYLY]
- You and Mom basically
chucked a pack of diapers
at me and called it a day.
And you turned out just fine.
Highly debatable.
[HARRY] I taught you
to be self-sufficient.
- You neglected us.
- This coffee wasn't worth it.
Get that dog out of the kitchen.
[ABBY] Harry's telling himself
his neglect made us self-reliant.
Using that logic, we could argue
that Clive and Celeste's
extreme helicopter parenting
stunted Drew's growth.
- That'll never fly.
- Well, think about it!
They didn't teach him
the skills to survive.
- It's called "learned helplessness".
- Now he's dependent on them.
There is a clause in
the Family Law Act
Pertains to children over the age of 19
who can't provide for themselves
or withdraw from their parents' charge.
- Child support for adults.
- Exactly.
Look at you two putting
your heads together.
A foosball table and some trophies
aren't enough. We're gonna lose.
- [CRAIG WHIMPERS]
- [SPITS]
I'm not handing this win to
Frank on a platter, Daniel.
- Lucy, will you do a session with Drew?
- Sure.
[♪]
Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Where are you going?
A wine bar in Coal Harbor.
What?
Have you told Aidan
you're an alcoholic yet?
- It hasn't come up.
- Uh
[♪]
- Another beer?
- Uh, yeah, that'd be great.
You sure you don't
want anything to drink?
Oh, n-no. I'm fine with this.
So
what's it like,
saving people from
burning buildings all day?
[CHUCKLES]
I really want to impress
you, but, honestly
most of the job is sitting
around the firehouse,
playing cards and practical jokes.
It's not that exciting.
What's it like being a family lawyer?
[CHUCKLES SADLY]
Dealing with, uh, people in pain,
who feel like the legal
system can take it away.
Does it?
- Rarely.
- Mm.
And you're new to this firm you're at?
Uh
Uh, when I searched for the address,
I noticed your name
wasn't on the website.
Uh, y I've been there nine months.
Why did you change firms?
- It's a long story.
- Oh. Okay.
So, uh where do you live, Aidan?
Uh, downtown.
- You?
- I live with my
Uh, I live on the North Shore.
Do your kids go to school over there?
They go to school by their
by where their dad lives.
[CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY]
How long have you been divorced?
[SOBERLINK ALERT BEEPS]
Sorry. Be back in a minute.
[BEEPING]
[BLOWING DEEPLY]
[♪]
Can I walk you to your car?
You don't have to do that.
It's nice to meet you, Aidan.
I know
this was just one date
and you don't owe me anything,
but you seem different today.
- Did I do something?
- No! No.
It's not you.
It's
- It's me.
- Which means it's definitely me.
[CHUCKLES] So okay, then.
Have a good day.
No, Aidan. Wait.
I didn't order a drink because
I'm a recovering alcoholic.
[ABBY SCOFFS]
I got fired from my old firm
for vomiting in a
courtroom after a bender.
I'm basically a pariah
in the legal community,
so now I work for my estranged father
and a half-brother, who hates me.
I live on the North Shore
because I had to move
back in with my mother
after getting kicked out of my house.
I've temporarily lost custody of my kids
and I'm in the middle
of an awful divorce,
but technically, still married,
so when I say it's
not you, it's me, I
[♪]
[THUD]
["YOUNGBLOOD" BY LITTLE INDIA PLAYS]
You know I'm yours tonight ♪
I'll be all well In all this ♪
Oh, baby what's the height? ♪
I'll be the light
That's pulling you in ♪
You know I'm yours tonight ♪
You know you look so good ♪
[THUDDING]
[♪]
So?
I didn't get home until
two in the morning.
Attagirl!
Probably a one-and-done, though.
- I did some serious over-sharing.
- [TEXT CHIMES]
I doubt I'll hear from him again.
Oh.
Wants to go for a walk with
me on the beach tomorrow.
Sounds like this guy doesn't scare easy.
[♪]
Why don't you want to move out
of your parents' basement, Drew?
It's not that I don't want
to, I just can't afford to.
W-What kind of place would you get,
if money was no object?
I'd get a state-of-the-art mansion
with a massive movie-screening room,
which I'm gonna do anyway,
once I sell my doc.
My parents will have their own wing.
- That's nice. You'd let them move in?
- They deserve it.
My mom could finally
have her own sewing room.
It sounds like you and
your parents are close.
In spite of what they're
doing to me right now?
They're my best friends.
[LAUGHS] I know, that sounds lame,
but they're just really
interesting people.
Well, until you can afford your mansion,
how would you feel about getting
a place with some roommates?
I'm not gonna live with
a bunch of strangers.
Okay have you thought
about getting a day job?
I won't participate in the
corporate rat race anymore.
- "Anymore"?
- I had a McJob for a while,
but it sucked the creative
life force out of me.
I was taking millions of orders a day,
and this customer
complained, said I was rude,
but I didn't mean to be,
I just don't know what to say
to all these people all day.
Small talk can be tough.
Anyway, that doesn't matter.
I'm gonna sell my documentary
for six figures, for sure.
Docs sell for that much?
The feedback has been insanely good.
I showed my parents a rough cut
and my dad said it was the
best documentary he's ever seen,
of all time!
- Wow.
- Yeah!
And that's why I don't understand
why they're doing this to me now.
I'm this close.
They said they'd support
me until I was finished,
and now they're just
pulling the plug on me?
That shit is cold.
[♪]
Did you find anything on those tapes?
Seems like a pretty normal family to me.
Define "normal".
[♪]
Can I ride to the beach with them?
[CLIVE] Yeah, that's probably
not a good idea, buddy.
It's not far, and we'll stay together.
[CLIVE] No, you know the rules
You can't leave our street
without adult supervision.
[YOUNG DREW SIGHS]
[BIKE THUDS]
Anyway, it's close to
your naptime, honey-bunny.
Mom's made your warm milk.
[KIDS LAUGHING]
[CLIVE] Jiminy Christmas!
[CELESTE] Stop!
Everybody, stop right now!
Drew, you need to wear your goggles.
Mom, I'm fine!
You have to protect your eyes.
Can you believe this?
They might as well have
kept him on a child leash.
My parents had one of those.
They only used it till I was five.
Like, this all lines up.
Drew suffers from
intense social anxiety.
His parents were so overprotective,
they kept him from
learning basic life skills.
- Can't he just learn them now?
- It's not that simple, Daniel.
He's got Peter Pan syndrome.
Syndromes are good.
It's not recognized by the DSM yet,
but Drew is completely
dependent on his parents
Not just practically and financially,
but also emotionally and socially.
He can't function without them.
- That's great news for us.
- Mm. Get me the time codes for these.
I'm gonna get Drew to put
a little highlight reel together.
[♪]
- Hello, Abigail.
- Hi.
How would you describe
Abigail's mental state?
She's in peak mental form.
Sharp as a tack.
- A consummate professional.
- Mm. And outside of work?
Mm?
What are your observations
of Abigail as a parent?
Uh, that she is
loving, patient,
kind, consistent, and it's paid off
She's raised two incredible kids.
I can say, without reservation,
that Abigail is an excellent mother.
Oh.
Now, you were estranged from
Abigail for 35 years. Correct?
No, that is not correct.
- 33.
- Huh!
And you reconnected
with her six months ago?
- Nine.
- My mistake.
How often would you
say you've seen Abigail
interact with her
children over that period?
Oh
a number of times.
What number?
I haven't been counting.
Mm.
[♪]
No, it's okay, Sofia.
I don't have anything to say,
I just wanted to hear your voice, Sof.
I'll release you now.
Love you, too.
Uh, Can you tell Nico
I'm still waiting for him
to play his move on Words-I-View.
I pulled an all-nighter
working on this.
It takes forever to
finesse all the transitions
and get the pacing just right.
I barely had time to
add in a musical score!
That probably wasn't necessary,
but we appreciate the effort.
Final question, Mr. Sinclair
How would you describe your
relationship with your son?
[CHUCKLES] Other than the fact
that he's taken us to court,
it's very good.
Neither Celeste nor I
had much of a relationship
with our parents.
"Children should be seen,
and not heard," and all that.
But we knew we wanted to do it right,
you know, be involved in his life.
He's been the light
of our lives, really.
It's just time for Celeste
and me to start a new chapter,
one that doesn't center around Drew.
Thank you. I have no further questions.
Counsel?
Your Honor, I'd like to present
some video evidence to the court.
[♪]
Mom, I'm fine!
You have to protect your eyes.
[♪]
[STRAINS OF KIDS PLAYING]
[CELESTE] Drew! Danger!
Your shoelace!
[♪]
[VIDEO CONTINUES, INDISTINCT]
[WOMAN] And first place
goes to Sharon Harvey!
[CLIVE] Are you frickin' blind, woman?
Okay, thank you. I
think we get the picture.
[STOPS VIDEO]
Mr. Sinclair,
what you say is clearly true
You and Mrs. Sinclair
were involved parents,
who gave their son
the best childhood they could imagine.
But
is it possible
in your attempt to avoid
making the same mistakes
your parents made,
you made new ones?
Are you saying we're guilty
of loving our son too much?
I'm saying that,
in trying to shield your
son from any pain or failure,
you've robbed him
of the learning opportunities necessary
to be a functioning adult in society.
Drew now suffers from crippling anxiety.
It's affected his ability
to form relationships,
work
care for himself.
Despite your best intentions,
you have handicapped your son,
and for that reason,
he now requires your support
to survive in this world.
Objection.
- This is ludicrous.
- Sustained.
I'm ready to rule.
While I sympathize
with Drew's challenges,
there's a limit to what you
can blame on your upbringing.
I strongly recommend you
seek professional counseling,
but I can't force you to do that
any more than I can force them
to let their 40-year-old
son stay in their home
against their wishes.
And as for child support please.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Can we appeal?
Technically, yes, but
you can't afford it.
- Pro bono?
- Uh, no.
Good luck with everything, Drew.
There has to be
something more we can do.
Why don't you find a job
that doesn't stress you out?
Like, uh an animal shelter?
Oh, I'm scared of dogs.
- Stock shelves at a grocery store.
- I'm a documentary filmmaker!
[SIGHS]
Look, you did a great job
editing those clips together
and you did it on a tight deadline.
Why don't you do that?
You've got real talent.
I could email some production companies.
Think smaller.
[CHUCKLES]
Finish that hot tub video
and use it as a calling
card to get more work.
- And abandon my documentary?
- Drew.
It's time.
Grow the eff up.
[♪]
Harry.
[NONCHALANTLY] Oh hello, Marguerite.
Listen
about Phil Sterling
I hope there are no hard feelings.
Quite the opposite.
I think you're very wise to
be doing your due diligence.
I imagine you found
Fazal versus Van Emst
interesting, given the parallels
with the financial broker in that case.
Well! I'm off to meet a client,
but lovely seeing you, as always.
[♪]
I booked your exam for you.
Why would you do that?
You know all the stuff!
I'm not mentally prepared.
I reached out to the
paralegal organization
and requested extra time
for you to complete the exam.
They're more than happy to
accommodate your special learning needs.
I don't have special needs!
Then don't use the extra time.
[WINSTON CHUCKLES CHEERILY]
[♪]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Oh! Hello again.
Hello.
Oh, Abigail?
I've reached out to
your mother a few times.
I'm not sure she's getting my messages.
Could you ask her to contact me?
- Sure.
- Thank you.
So I've seen quite a bit
of Abby's interactions
with her children,
since we've been living
under the same roof.
Mm. Do you feel that
Abigail's alcoholism
has affected Sofia and Nico?
I mean, I'm sure it has in the past,
but it would be irresponsible
of me to speculate how.
Have you ever witnessed
Abigail neglect her children
- due to her substance abuse?
- No. Never.
And like I said, we've been
living together for months.
Look, I understand why
you need to pursue this
line of questioning,
but I know you would never
stigmatize Abby's illness.
No, of course not.
Especially since she has
worked so hard to recover.
There's a framework for these questions.
Yes. And you and I both know
that that's just a formality.
Abby more than passes
the parenting threshold
of "good enough".
[♪]
Okay, pull your arm back Like this.
- Mm-hmm.
- Then
right before you release the rock,
you just give your wrist a
quick flick to create spin,
and it should make it skip.
- [PLOP]
- [AIDAN CHUCKLES]
Wow!
That was a very
impressive demonstration.
It's supposed to skip!
That rock couldn't find the
bottom of the ocean fast enough.
The stone wasn't flat enough.
Mm. A craftswoman
never blames her tools.
I need a better rock!
[PHONE RINGS]
Ah. It's my son.
- [BEEP]
- Hi, Nico.
Hello?
- [BEEP]
- [LINE DIALS AND RINGS]
[NICO'S VOICE] One thing
I bet you didn't know
is that you can leave a
message after the beep.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
No, you're not.
I'm tired of
[SIGHS] I'm just tired.
[♪]
I can help with that.
Well, I don't think you can h
What are you doing? [LAUGHING] Stop.
[ABBY SHRIEKS AND LAUGHS]
[AIDAN LAUGHS]
[♪]
Ms. Bianchi, wait!
- Drew, we're not appealing the case.
- No, it's not about that.
My parents are filing a
cease-and-desist order against me.
What? Why?
I posted a video last night, and it's
it's already gone viral.
[♪]
Now that you've purchased
your new hot tub,
- welcome to the family.
- [DREW] Cut!
What?
"Welcome to the
Belcarra Hot Tub Family."
[CLIVE, CRIES OUT]
Mother-fudger! For God's sake!
[BLEEPING]
All right, all right,
all right, keep rolling!
Welcome to the family.
[DREW] Cut! Your mouse
has left the house.
[BLEEP]
Welcome to the family.
No. [CURSING] Son of
a mother [BLEEP]
[DREW, GROANS] Ugh. Dad!
What?
I'm on my frigging mark.
The pride of ownership you'll feel
with your new Belcarra hot tub
Son of a beach! [BLEEPING]
Okay. I think we all get the gist.
It got close to 100,000 views overnight.
We're gonna be the laughingstock
of the hot-tub industry.
- That's gotta come down!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!
You wanted Drew to stand
on his own two feet,
and now that he has,
you want to cut his
legs out from under him?
- This video is gonna sink us.
- How can you be sure?
We did sell a couple
of tubs this morning.
The phones have been
ringing off the hook!
I'm not surprised.
You're actually quite
endearing in the video,
in an offbeat kind of way.
See?
You just need a new slogan.
"Belcarra
the best mother-fudgin' hot
tubs in the Lower Mainland."
That's actually pretty good.
You're such a creative bug!
Yeah, it kind of has a ring to it.
It's a win-win.
You sell more tubs,
and Drew is trending.
And it proves what you
both knew all along
Your son has some real talent.
- You started without me?
- Whoops.
We're not backing down on
our cease-and-desist order, so
Uh, Clive and I are gonna sleep on it.
Let's regroup tomorrow.
[♪]
[CLIVE] Now that you've
purchased a new hot tub
[WATER BUBBLING]
- welcome to the family.
- Cut!
What?
- [KNOCKING]
- Mr. Svensson?
A Mrs. Bogen is here to see you.
[♪]
I see what you did there
Directing me to that case.
- Phil Sterling really botched it.
- He certainly did.
That broker's ex didn't get
a sniff of his commissions.
Is that what's going to happen to me?
Not if I've got
anything to say about it.
Can we start talking strategy?
[♪]
They've been in there almost an hour.
- That's bad, right?
- Not necessarily.
So it's good?
I didn't say that either.
I'm just happy Joanne
stopped dodging her.
She should just be herself.
She'd need three martinis for that.
Just try and relax.
I signed a lease on an apartment today.
You did?
I was starting to feel like
I was pulling a bit of a Drew.
Well, I can see that.
- I thought you'd be more excited.
- I am.
But I have to admit, it's been great.
Getting to know each other as sisters?
Having a buffer between me and my mom.
Also, Abby is a great mother.
Could you write that down, too, please?
Remind me,
how old was Abigail when
you and her father divorced?
Uh, seven.
Right. That's right.
And I understand
she was immediately
estranged from her father,
- from that point on?
- Mm-hmm.
How did Abigail react
to her father's sudden
departure from her life?
Oh, she was more than fine with it.
Trust me.
She never wanted to see him again.
And why is that?
Because he was a
lying, cheating asshole,
- and Abby knew that.
- Ah.
I raised her in a "no secrets" house.
Honesty was always my policy.
Is that, uh, Abigail's
policy with Sofia and Nico?
No.
But I don't mean that in a bad way.
What way do you mean?
Like one time, Nico FaceTimed
because he wanted to
come over after school,
and Abby said that he couldn't,
because she had to work,
and I told her she had
to tell him the truth
That Nico couldn't come over
because his father wouldn't
allow it Just the facts.
I don't why she's constantly
covering for that jerk,
but I guess
Well, I suppose that
she didn't want him
to feel like
you know, he had to pick sides.
[♪]
[PHONE RINGS]
- [BEEP]
- Hey, Cordelia.
Frank and Luisa want to meet. Today.
You think I'm getting
my parenting time back?
I hope so.
My boardroom. 5:00.
[♪]
Hey, Drew.
- Are your parents here?
- Nope.
I'm here by myself
and I'm getting settled up.
They've withdrawn their application
for the cease-and-desist order.
And get this
They're going to let me
stay in the basement
- for six more months.
- Sounds fair.
Yeah, but they're
sticking me with rent.
Also fair.
[SMUGLY] 200 bucks a month.
I also have to do my driver's test
and take adulting classes.
A-And I've offered
to cook dinner once a week.
Won't be pretty but it's something.
Good for you, Drew.
It's because of you
that I posted that video.
I-I'm actually getting
some leads off it
All corporate videos.
Hey, it's all filmmaking.
- [TEXT CHIMES]
-
Good luck to you.
[♪]
[DANIEL] Drew just
paid his bill in full.
Who?
- The client we brought back in?
- Oh.
We billed some nice hours.
Great.
Anything else?
No, just wanted to tell you.
Daniel, I'm not giving you
a trophy for doing your job.
- Uh-oh. Here comes trouble.
- Hey, Daniel.
Oh, I'm looking forward
to getting some revenge
- on the course this afternoon.
- Yeah, we'll see about that.
Then I want you to tell me
exactly you managed to steal my
client away from me, you bastard.
- You mean after you stole her from me?
- Finders, keepers.
- Can't cheat a cheater.
- Yips. I'm giving you the yips.
No. You think you're gonna
beat me, but you never beat me.
- I took the test!
- And?
- I killed it.
- Yeah, you did!
[SMACK]
I might've used a couple
minutes of the extra time,
so, thanks, Winston.
Any time.
- Jerri! I passed the test.
- Of course, you did.
[♪]
Mr. Bianchi believes
that it is important
for the children to see their mother.
For that reason, he's willing to resume
their informal parenting schedule.
But we do have some conditions.
Any alcohol in the
house must be locked away
where the children cannot access it.
Fine. Next.
And the children can no
longer have any contact
with their maternal grandmother.
What?
- Why?
- You know why, Abby.
- That wasn't her fault.
- I don't trust her with them.
I live in her house!
My client's living arrangement
makes this next to impossible,
but that's the point isn't it?
We understand that there may
be some logistical challenges
but that isn't my client's problem.
If you wish to resume
your parenting time,
these are our conditions.
I wanna get into trouble ♪
I wanna tear all my bridges down ♪
And pour gas on the rubble ♪
I wanna burn them to the ground ♪
I wanna scorn my lover ♪
I wanna tear all our bridges down ♪
And pour gas on the rubble ♪
I wanna burn her to the ♪
until it doesn't hurt ♪