Unstable (2023) s01e02 Episode Script

1
[whimsical music plays]
My dad is holding a hostage.
It's one guy trapped in one basement.
We can figure it out.
There's nothing to figure out.
We have to go release him.
You're totally right. We should definitely
consider that as an option.
I feel like you're tricking me
into brainstorming.
Look, if that therapist tells anyone
that he's been, let's say,
"guested against his will,"
your father will go to prison
and the company will be destroyed.
So we keep him locked down there
until he dies and bury him in a wall?
Of course not. Although I'm glad
you're pitching new ideas.
I'm gonna go let him out.
Oh my God.
You're obsessed with letting him out.
[upbeat instrumental music playing]
[Ellis] I thought he was leaving,
so I go back into the bar,
and guess who's on stage right behind me
- No.
- Holding his flute.
- Oh my God, your son! Goosebumps.
- Mm. Right?
- [sighs]
- And then, the karaoke kicks in
What's going on?
Well, nothing now.
I was building to a dramatic finish
on an awesome story.
- We should keep that door locked.
- Mm.
Look at that. Everything's fine.
And you were so quick to be negative.
No. No, no, no.
I'm sorry. Didn't my dad kidnap you?
Oh, you're Jackson.
Welcome.
Well, yes, the relationship
started off as a challenge,
but I've been enjoying my time here.
We have dinner together. We play pool.
Tomorrow's movie night.
This guy's never seen Fargo.
Don't tell him anything.
Which is a good rule of thumb
for all of us. Never tell anyone anything.
You know, before I met your dad,
I was going down an unhealthy path.
I threatened this man. Blackmailed him.
But he got me back on track. He made me
realize that's not how I wanted to be.
I think I just gave you time
so you could reflect.
No! You saved me. I want you to hear that.
Jesus Christ. How is it possible
that even when you kidnap someone
You mean give somebody a helpful timeout.
Their reaction is still
praise and gratitude?
Well, I think most people
are just really good at being grateful.
They're not.
There's a bunch of books on it.
Jackson, you seem very focused
on what's been happening out here.
But tell me, what's happening in here?
Ooh! Let's unpack that.
[spluttering] Let me ask you this.
Your father and I have discussed
the loss of his wife,
but how do you feel
about the loss of your mother?
I think I'm the last person here whose
mental health should be put into question.
Second-to-last.
- He's avoiding your question.
- Textbook avoidance.
- Sad.
- Do you hear his pain?
Deafening. What I'm not hearing
is how you're dealing with your grief.
- Oh! Let's unpack that.
- [Jackson] Let's not.
Let's not unpack anything.
Why is you kidnapping someone
suddenly about me?
Okay, here's what's gonna happen.
Leslie, you blackmailed Ellis.
Very illegal.
Ellis, you imprisoned him.
Also not great. So let's call it a wash.
Also, you can go.
Maybe she's right.
- Maybe it is time for me to leave.
- This is all happening so fast.
Thank you for fixing me.
Promise me you'll watch Fargo.
- [Leslie] Oh God.
- [sniffles]
And August: Osage County.
[Jackson sighs]
- You.
- You.
Let's go.
It'd be really great
if in your report to the board,
you described Ellis as engaged,
focused, and ridiculously sane.
- Really work the word "sane."
- I love that man.
[scoffs] This is ridiculous.
No matter what you do,
everything goes your way.
[chuckles] That's not true.
And I missed my flight.
[giggles] That's what I wanted.
[whimsical music plays]
[whimsical music ends]
Why aren't you putting peanut butter
on your jelly sandwich?
I decided it was too early
for a nut spread.
Ah, see, this is exactly
what Leslie and I were worried about.
You're not using peanut butter because
that's the last batch your mom made,
and it reminds you of her.
Or I was just craving
a plain jelly sandwich.
- Only a monster would eat that.
- Paddington does it.
Paddington is a talking bear,
so technically, he's a monster.
Eat the peanut butter. Feel your grief.
Okay. It is about Mom,
but I don't want to go there right now.
Have you even cried
since your mother's funeral?
Don't tell me how to grieve.
Well if you were better at it,
I wouldn't have to.
Don't bottle up your grief.
If you stay,
I will show you how to properly feel.
Kidnap one therapist,
and suddenly you know everything.
But actually I couldn't get a flight out,
so I will be here one more day.
- I wanna go to the lab.
- You're gonna come to work with me?
We'll get you a proper shirt,
fix whatever's going on with your hair,
then we are gonna get at it.
It's impressive how fast you shift
from excitement to criticism.
I can't even hear you over that shirt.
[scoffs]
[whimsical music plays]
Malcolm.
- You're drinking too much coffee.
- Oh God. I'm sorry. I'll pay for it.
I'm kidding. I don't care.
Why does no one get my sense of humor?
[chuckles]
- I'm waiting for an answer.
- Oh. Um
- I'm kidding.
- Good one.
- Why does no one get my sense of humor?
- [chuckles] You're kidding again.
- No, this time I'm serious.
- Oh, um
I'm kidding again.
Why does no one get my sense of humor?
- This is hurting me.
- Fun.
Ellis's recent eccentricities
have the board watching us pretty closely,
so we need to cut a few costs.
Since Ellis has recklessly promoted you
from his assistant to project manager,
go to Red Lab and tighten things up.
I can do that. 100%.
Good. Start with their food budget.
- Oh, boy. They love their food.
- Now they're gonna love even less of it.
It's just I'm new to supervising them,
so I don't want them to feel
Like you're good at the job?
Maybe you're not project manager material.
It's okay. Moving up isn't for everyone.
No. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.
Keep going.
I'm sure if you find the right cadence,
it'll magically come true.
- Hey, everybody. How's it going?
- I'm doing it.
- Good for you. What's he doing?
- Probably nothing.
I'm worried about Jackson.
He is not crying enough.
Oh, I hate crying. That's why I only do it
once a year for 12 hours.
I think the reason
he wants to rush back to New York
is 'cause everything here
reminds him of his mother.
And if he can just grieve,
then he could heal.
- And then maybe he'd stay.
- I'd love to have him here too.
But I'd also love for there to be
a company to have him here at too.
- Yeah, that works.
- So we're in agreement.
- We all want Jackson to cry and stay.
- Yes, and for there to be a here.
In order for that to happen, the board
needs to see some tangible progress.
They are thinking of replacing you.
It's those stupid Wiffleball twins,
isn't it?
Wallerson twins.
But the whole board is nervous.
They've called a meeting today at two.
It was supposed to be yesterday,
but you were too busy bounding about your
office, dick out, balls in the breeze.
Yes.
Because I know how to grieve properly.
I'm gonna lock myself in my office,
with my clothes on.
[inhales sharply] I'm not gonna come out
until I have a breakthrough.
- I believe in you.
- Me too.
- That's great.
- Still worried about Jackson.
- You're not gonna let that slow you down.
- We'll see.
[whimsical music plays]
[distant phone ringing]
Hmm.
- Jackson? What are you doing here?
- Oh, hi, Luna.
I just had some crazy ideas
for the carbon capture project.
- Hope you don't mind. I got the biomass.
- Not at all.
I mean, your dad created it.
So basically, it's your little brother.
That's true. So I guess I can tease it,
as long as there's no adults around.
Hey, fatty.
So you went with body-shaming, huh?
Sorry.
[whispers] You're always
getting me in trouble.
[Luna chuckles]
So it's pretty cool
you guys raised the carbon absorption rate
of the biomass by a factor of 9,942.
I'm impressed.
Most people round that up to 10,000.
- I hate being inexact.
- I think imprecision is the new smoking.
Right? If I want an approximation,
I'll ask for it.
And I will never ask for it.
[chuckles]
[chuckles]
So, uh, you want to see my crazy idea?
I was reading a research article
on the plane.
- You read research articles for fun?
- No.
- I do.
- I do too.
On the G1 cyclin family of proteins
and their role in pre-mitosis cell growth.
I'm listening.
Okay, so I started to think
since you can essentially measure
cell size by the number of ribosomes,
if you reduce the cyclin synthesis rate
- It could limit cell growth.
- And with smaller cells, you'd have
- Greater surface area
- And increased carbon absorption.
The overall mass coefficient
[both] Would be amazing.
I have a boyfriend.
That's great. And boyfriends are great.
And this is great. Everything is great.
It feels great and I gotta fake this call.
Take this call.
Hey, Jackson.
I'm thinking of asking him out.
Really?
He's cute.
I like that he's a little afraid of me.
Plus I think we connected.
You connect with a lot of people.
That barista, his manager, my parents.
They love you. Not to date.
Please don't date my parents.
Wait, you're not into Jackson, are you?
Me? No, I have a boyfriend.
- Yeah, but you don't like him.
- I like him.
- Not that much.
- I like him enough.
I mean, a lot.
Go out with Jackson. I don't care.
[door opens]
Hey, how's everybody in the Red Lab?
The most important lab,
saving the world by capturing carbon.
- We feel like you want something.
- [chuckles] Nonsense.
But you know how we're friends,
and we'll always be friends,
even though technically, I'm now in charge
of everything that goes on down here.
- That still feels like a paperwork error.
- [chuckles] You guys.
It's just that you're spending
too much money on food,
which is fine with me, but it's a problem
with the fat cats upstairs. Those people.
Always coming after the working man.
Woman.
We're not cutting back on food.
Anything else?
- I just thought
- No. Anything else?
Asserting myself.
You buy outrageously expensive pistachios.
Maybe if you just stop
- Are you out of your mind?
- You're not taking our pistachios.
You try and take away the one snack that
gives us the energy to save the world?
Listen, we're all very scared right now.
Let's circle back after we figure out
what the hell just happened.
New relationship.
Gotta lay ground rules.
Totally. Like punching a guy
your first day of prison.
[whimsical music plays]
Think. Think.
Yes!
[sighs] No.
[glasses clinking]
[glasses clinking]
Mr. Sandman ♪
Bring me a dream ♪
Make him the cutest
That I've ever seen ♪
[footsteps approaching]
So, are you crushing it in here?
[distant phone ringing]
You are not. What's up?
That song reminds me of my wife.
You're hearing a song?
- [glasses clinking]
- Mr. Sandman ♪
When Jackson was ten,
we were vacationing in Bali
and he was having a hard time
sleeping in a strange mansion,
and Katie would sing him that song
to help him sleep.
It's so healthy that you're doing this.
But you want me to do it later?
- Okay.
- All right. It's time to focus.
[exhales]
That did not help.
Maybe if Jackson hears that song,
it will open him up
so he can cry like a regular human being.
Oh Christ.
- Back in a minute.
- Where are you going?
Oh, bring me a surprise!
Make it a croissant!
[Jackson] The cells are getting smaller.
[Ruby] The filaments
still have structural integrity.
Let me see!
We can share.
You have a wonderfully small head.
Thank you?
What if we increase
the Cdc2 kinase activity?
That's brilliant.
[chuckles] My God, I'm having
the best time right now.
Me too.
This calls
for some insanely expensive pistachios.
Okay, I guess. If that's what we're doing.
So I'm thinking about asking you out.
- What? Me?
- [footsteps approaching]
- Jackson, I need you right now.
- But something interesting is happening.
Can't wait to hear. Come on.
Oh.
- Wow, look at you going for it.
- Do you think I'm moving too fast?
No. I respect it. It took me two years
to tell Brian he has a small head.
Oh.
Ellis?
[metallic humming]
Ellis?
Ellis?
[shouts, pants]
Malcolm. I told you
to never sneak up on me. I'm trained.
- I'm so sorry. Are your hands okay?
- Yes. Luckily, they're trained as well.
What's that?
It's my new serenity jar from Tibet.
Or Senegal.
It's Boston. It calms the mind.
I'm hoping it will allow me to focus more.
I don't want to distract you.
You have a lot on your plate.
Unless you're curious what's going on
with me. It's pretty interesting.
- I wouldn't wanna pry.
- That's okay. I'll tell you.
I have to get the food budget down
in the Red Lab,
but they won't even let me
take away their fancy pistachios.
They're testing you.
They're scientists. It's what they do.
What do I do? You might ask. Then answer.
Think of it as a war. You need
to take the beach one inch at a time.
Maybe start by switching out
the fancy pistachios with a cheaper brand.
But why would they agree to that?
Your mind is clearly in turmoil.
I can help.
So what's going on? Is my dad okay?
He has a board meeting later,
but he's stuck.
He won't be unstuck until you're unstuck.
Please don't tell me
you want me to go in there and cry.
Oh my God, you are so smart.
- Now get in there and cry.
- [groans]
[metallic humming]
Malcolm, I swear to God.
He can't hear you.
[grunts] Anna. What's happening?
I've been in this jar.
- Let me bring you up to speed. Get out.
- Right away.
Wait. Take the jar.
The jar will solve all your problems.
Trust the jar. And of course, the mallet.
Thank you.
- Seems like everything worked out.
- Wait. I'm actually glad you're here.
No, I'm not gonna cry for you.
[Anna] What if I cried?
I'm not due for another ten months.
Would a scream help?
I don't need you to cry.
I just want to tell you a story.
[glasses clinking]
The year is 2005, the place Bali. A happy
family with a totally alive mother is
Dad? Please stop. Just drop this.
Because I don't grieve the way you want
doesn't mean I'm doing something wrong.
I miss Mom every single day,
but I grieve the way that's right for me
because I am who I am.
If you don't like that, that's on you.
Well, I saw him cry.
It was difficult to spot because
of how annoyed he was, but it was there.
Mission accomplished.
So back to saving your job.
Am I a bad father? Is that why
he doesn't want to spend time with me?
No, Ellis. It just means you care.
Some children never have their fathers
trying to retraumatize them into crying.
Thank you. That's very kind.
Listen, if this meeting this afternoon
is just too much right now, it's okay.
- I will figure something out.
- No, no, no. We got this. We have
Fifty-seven minutes?
What have I been doing all day?
[whimsical music plays]
Wait. Do that again.
[whimsical music ends]
Trust the jar.
So you're not gonna say anything
about me asking you out?
You said you were only thinking
of asking me out.
So I do all the work, and you do nothing?
I hope that's not how you approach sex.
Look, I'm sorry.
I do want to go out with you.
So let's go out. How about tonight?
- I can't tonight. How about Friday?
- I leave tomorrow.
So you put me through
this exhausting mating dance for nothing?
I didn't know it was only Friday
you were thinking about
when you were only thinking
about asking me out.
Well, maybe next time you're in town,
we can almost go out again.
I would like that.
[clears throat] Ruby,
if you'll make your way to the kitchen,
I have a little surprise
I think you'll be nuts about.
I bet it's nuts.
If it's not, I'll spend my life wondering
why he leaned so hard on that word.
[whimsical music plays]
I got you guys a large size
of the fancy pistachios you like
and put them in this beautiful jar
because you're my friends,
and we respect each other,
and I don't care
what those fat cats do to me.
Thank you, Malcolm.
Your hazy commitment to the company
is gonna make you a great boss.
Mm. Nutting like these nuts.
You mirroring my pun makes me feel
really good about where we are now.
They're pistachio-licous.
Excellent. Nice work, everyone.
Let's keep it up, all of us.
It was nice of us to pretend we're idiots
who can't tell the difference between
a fine pistachio and this literal garbage.
But why?
If he gets demoted, who knows
what a real boss would look like?
True. And after today, he's not
gonna come back at us anytime soon.
No. Imagine what we'd do if it was
something we actually cared about?
- I don't even like pistachios.
- Definitely not worth the money.
Where's your genius, Anna?
Yeah, where's your genius?
Is the great Ellis Dragon scared
because he knows this might be the end?
Yeah. Is the great Ellis Dragon
scared because
You know what, twins?
It's not fair
that because of your inheritance,
people say
that you've been handed everything,
when neither of you has inherited
a single appealing quality.
What is science?
Wrong. It's innovation and synergy.
Synovation. Innergy.
- We don't know what that means.
- Which we're usually okay with.
This time we're not. We need to know
what you've actually been doing.
I'll tell you what we've been doing,
Chaz or TJ.
We've been kicking life
in the goddamn balls.
- What about the benchmarks?
- Yeah. What about
- Don't.
- [Ellis] Let me talk about benchmarks.
Not only are we going to meet them,
we're going to become their friends.
Such good friends
that if we ask for a ride to the airport,
they'd say yes without hesitation.
Right, Anna?
Right. And they'll be all,
"What time is your returning flight?"
And we'll say, "It's okay. We'll Uber."
They'll say, "No, don't be silly. We're
picking you up. What are benchmarks for?"
- Now you toss it back to me.
- Back to you, Ellis.
[all] Oh!
[all] Ah!
- [sighs] You know what? This is bullshit.
- And bullshit is innovation.
No. No, it's not.
The truth is
we're not going to meet your benchmarks.
[board members groan]
I was gonna come in here and try
to razzle-dazzle you, but I don't want to.
Because I learned something
from a young man today that
Just because something doesn't happen
when you think it should
doesn't mean the person's doing it wrong.
I'm working on a timeline
that's right for me.
I am who I am.
And if you have a problem with that,
then that's on you.
[board whispering indistinctly]
He's rejecting us?
I am so drawn to his confidence.
I'm the man who created
the bruise-less avocado.
I also developed a bionic pancreas
so inexpensively, you could sell
as a three-pack at Costco.
So believe me when I say that
we will figure out this carbon project.
It's too important not to.
But it's going to be on my timeline.
[whimsical music plays]
Not yours.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you the magnificent Ellis Dragon.
- Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
- Always. This is just a temporary setback.
We're gonna bury him.
- Why do we even have to speak?
- We don't.
- How'd it go?
- He did great.
[exhales] Good.
You know, Jackson,
he may not always show it,
but he does care what you think.
I just saw it.
Thanks.
- You get the lab under control?
- I own them.
[distant phone ringing]
This is for you.
It's a jelly sandwich.
Just jelly.
I don't really feel like jelly right now.
It's a symbol. I realized something
based on what you said
that I repeated later
with more authority and better posture.
That you are the one who should decide
when you're ready for peanut butter.
Not anybody else.
Okay. [chuckles]
Then thanks.
- How was your day?
- It was good. The lab was exciting.
I feel like I have some unfinished
business there, so I may stay a while.
Oh my God, you're gonna stay?
- Because you want to be with me.
- Are you about to sing? Please don't sing.
My son, my son is going to stay ♪
And we will have fun
Every night and every day ♪
- Take it.
- No.
He doesn't want to sing ♪
He doesn't want to dance ♪
But now that he is staying
This won't be my last chance ♪
Good night, good night ♪
Good night, good night, good night
Good night, good night, good night ♪
Good night, good night ♪
[dramatic music playing]
[sobbing]
[dramatic music ends]
[closing theme playing]
[closing theme ends]