Original subtitles

- Oh, look, Daddy.

[mellow soul music]

- Okay, how'd you do?

- I did it all, Mama.

- All right. - It's all clean.

- [chuckles] Okay.

- Enjoy it! - Yeah!

[soul music playing]

- Ooh, the line, yeah, that's like my favorite thing.

[Earth, Wind, & Fire's "Shining Star" playing]

- ♪ Your dreams will take you very far, yeah ♪

♪ But when you wish upon a dream ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Life ain't always what it seems, oh, yeah ♪

♪ What'd you see on a night so clear ♪

[people shouting, cheering] ♪ Hey ♪

♪ In the sky so very dear, yeah ♪

♪ ♪

♪ You're a shining star ♪

♪ No matter who you are ♪

♪ Shining bright to see ♪

♪ What you can truly be, what you can truly be ♪

♪ ♪

[elevator dings]

- Too much coffee?

- No. - It's okay to be nervous.

I'm a little nervous myself. I hate pitching.

Hate the song and dance, jazz hands,

please pick me, needy-ass vibe.

- Well, that explains a lot.

Look, pitching's a sales tool, Brooks.

Tell 'em what they wanna hear.

- This's network television, Don.

Not some local station looking to fill its air time

with low-budget, second-rate content.

- You're saying that "Soul Train"'s

a bargain basement show?

- No.

- Well, it is. Costs me nothing to produce.

Most of the licensing fee is gravy.

I'm only talking production value, not content.

- Mr. Cornelius? They're ready for you.

[alluring music]

- I have to confess,

I'm at your Soul Train Club all the time.

- Really? - Yes.

And I've seen you there. I wanted to say hello,

but you always slipped into the VIP section so quick.

- Mmm. Next time, just for you,

I'll try to be slow.

- Hm. I like slow.

♪ ♪

- [exhales]

[tones echoing]

[heart thumping]

♪ ♪

[sighs]

[coughs]

- Have a seat, and they'll be right with you.

- Uh, restroom?

- Just down the hall to your right.

- You okay?

- Yes, Mom.

- [chuckles]

- [breathing heavily]

[pills rattle]

♪ ♪

[lights buzzing]

[ringing grows]

[breathing uneasily]

Shit.

[Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes'

"If You Don't Know Me By Now"]

♪ ♪

[horn honking]

[tires screeching]

- ♪ If you don't know me by now ♪

♪ You will never never never know me ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

- [sniffs]

You know I have a doorbell, right?

- I do.

Just didn't know if you'd be in a state to hear.

Guess I was right.

- Well, what else is new?

You're always right. Right, Brooks?

Nostradamus in a suit. [scoffs]

- What happened to you today?

How does taking a piss before the pitch turn into you here?

Doing this? - It just did.

I wasn't feeling the meeting, so--

- Leaving me to hold the baby. Again.

Predictable, Don.

- ♪ When I come home a little late at night ♪

- I get migraines, Brooks.

- ♪ When we argue fuss and fight ♪

- The kind that put me on my ass.

- ♪ If you don't know me by now ♪

- I forgot my pills today,

and I had an episode at the meeting, so...

I left and came home.

♪ ♪

I'm sorry.

Please.

[sighs]

- ♪ You will never never never know me ♪

- [sighs]

- You want one?

- No, I'm good.

- You are good.

That's why I need you to hang in there.

Stick with me.

Let me--

♪ ♪

Let me recalibrate.

All right? Figure this thing out.

I'll figure it out.

- ♪ Just trust in me ♪

- I promise.

- ♪ Like I trust in you ♪

♪ ♪

- I'll get the meeting back on the books.

- Here.

- What's this?

- ♪ Might as well say good-bye ♪

- That network assistant's number.

I wasn't the only one who missed shit at the meeting.

- [laughs]

I'll see you tomorrow.

- Get some sleep, Don.

- ♪ You will never never never know me ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, ooh ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ If you don't know me by now ♪

- Youngblood. What it is?

- Is that another delivery?

- Another delivery is a benign question

about tasks for the day.

Yet somehow, I'm feeling judged.

You condemning me, Mr. Tucker?

- You set me up and didn't tell me, man.

Cops pulled me over with thousands in cash

in the trunk of your car.

And you let me think that I-- that I--

- Not for long.

- I spent a bad night thinking you was gonna--

that I robbed you. That--that I lost the money.

So what am I, Gerald?

Hm?

A fall guy? A stooge?

- You sure think a lot of yourself.

- I better, because nobody else seems to.

I'm trying to get my sister back, man.

You gotta respect that.

- You don't know the first thing about respect.

You asked for help, I dummied records.

You asked for more work, I gave it to you.

And all I get in exchange is a whole lotta flak.

Now, you tell me, Youngblood,

just where do you get the nerve?

Let's go.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- Well...

I'm waiting.

- You armed? - That scares you?

- It does.

I'm sorry. - What you apologizing for?

Just a minute ago, you had balls of resentment.

Giving me agitation-- - I was upset.

You could've at least told me what was going on.

I thought I earned that much. - You have.

- Then why-- why would you--

- 'Cause you got no poker face, kid.

I couldn't risk giving you a heads up

and have you telegraph it.

♪ ♪

- You were setting someone else up.

- Willie's killer, as a matter of fact.

Ruby had to go, and this was the only way to do it.

Cops arrested her last night.

- So this means we can stop being shady?

- Like we bathed in the River Jordan.

[laughs]

- [sighs]

- Mmm. - All right, well,

what do we do now?

- Well, I'm gonna start a recording studio.

Sign a few acts, get some hits going.

That means a lot of late nights, finding raw talent,

songwriters, you know, management.

- How you gonna run the club?

- I'm not.

You are.

Comes with a company car. - Huh?

- Well, on second thought, it might be too much

for you to handle, so I--[laughs]

Don't get pulled over by the cops.

- Hilarious.

- [laughs]

- ♪ Every time I think I'm finally getting over you ♪

♪ Get you around my heart ♪

♪ You and I on to something ♪

What?

- Nothing. Just like watching you pretend to cook.

- ♪ We belong together, you and I forever ♪

- Is that? - Sounds good, right?

- ♪ 'Cause I just can't see myself living without you ♪

- And what else?

- I sold it! - Okay!

- The producer heard it at the studio today.

He's worked with Natalie Cole--

- ♪ Be there without you ♪

♪ 'Cause I just can't keep living the lie ♪

♪ That I don't need you here in my life ♪

♪ Here without you ♪

♪ Not without you ♪

♪ Not without you ♪ [knock at door]

- Couldn't wait to get home to do that?

- Actually, I'm doing this so I can go home.

I have what you call "led foot" when I drive angry.

- Looks like someone's got a case of "the Dons."

I'm sorry.

I don't know where your mouth's been.

[chuckles]

- Got nothing left to give, Tessa.

I'm empty.

Giving everything to Don, to this show.

I don't know what I'm doing anymore.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

- You're doing your job, Brooks.

- Yeah, one step forward, five back.

You know, just when we turn the corner

he goes and craters all the goodwill I have around town.

He's unprofessional.

And he's ruining my reputation.

- And what happened at the network pitch?

- Nothing happened. He left before it even started.

Went to the bathroom and poof. Never came back.

- What'd he say?

- Migraines.

He even showed me his pills.

- And you don't believe him?

- And the man's burning the candle at both ends.

Drinks too much, parties too hard,

does way too many drugs.

- You just described everybody in Hollywood.

[laughs]

- I told him I'd reschedule the pitch, but to be honest,

I'm afraid to even try.

If he doesn't show, that's on me again.

- Then don't do it. Quit.

Jump ship before it sinks.

- I highly doubt "Soul Train"

is gonna be sinking any time soon.

- [chuckles]

- With or without me, Don is one buoyant son of a bitch.

- You've got that right.

[laughs]

Look, all I can say is do what's best for you, Brooks.

'Cause at the end of the day,

Don is always gonna take care of Don.

Ah.

[sighs]

What?

- Can I touch your hair?

- Do you wanna die?

At least you asked first.

[both laugh]

[tense, jazzy music]

♪ ♪

- [choked breathing]

♪ ♪

- Hey, sir, are you okay?

- Hey, someone get some help.

- Guess my night's blown.

- That's next week, hon.

This is in case anyone gets shot.

I can plug a bullet wound with a tampon.

Isn't that great?

- I'm late. [sighs]

- You know, you should really learn my cycle, Mr. Man.

You know the closer a woman gets to her date

the more she wants it.

[sultry music]

They're so pretty.

I didn't want you to rip 'em. - Tonight.

I'm late.

♪ ♪

[door slams]

♪ ♪

I can barely walk.

- [sighs] I changed my mind.

- Mm-hmm. Me too.

- Mm.

- Stop squeezing me, woman.

- I can't help it.

You see me. All of me.

And you still love me.

- I do.

- ♪ Ooh, baby, baby ♪

♪ I'm just a pilot ♪

♪ At the end of my rope ♪

[monitor beeping]

- [grunting]

- I'm pulling the air from the pleural space

so your lung can re-inflate.

- [grunts]

Just hurry up.

- I'm guessing this isn't your first pneumothorax.

- He got injured in the navy.

Broken rib punctured his lung. - He doesn't need to know that.

- Of course I do.

Lung collapses once, it can happen again and again.

How many have you had? - This makes two.

[breathing heavily]

- Stay off your feet for a few days.

If your lung collapses again, you'll probably need surgery.

We'll release you as soon as your lung's stable.

Don't move.

[door clicks open, shut]

- How'd this happen?

- Ruby.

She attacked me on the street with a hat pin.

- How do you know each other?

- We got a long history.

- So she knew about the previous injury.

Knew the kind of damage she'd do.

- How the hell she get outta jail?

- Little thing called the 14th amendment.

Everyone's innocent until proven guilty,

and everyone's entitled to bail.

- How much was it? - 100 grand.

Cash or bond. She paid cash.

- That's chicken feed, Buckner.

- I can pick her up again if you file assault charges.

- She'll just pay that nut, too.

What's it gonna take to hold her?

- Murder with flight risk.

If you think she's coming after you,

file the charges or get a restraining order.

- Yeah, this is why I can't talk to you.

You think the law works for everybody.

It doesn't.

- I'm warning you, Aims.

You break the law, you go too.

[smooth music]

- Soul Train had Barry White with a 40-piece orchestra

a few weeks back.

40.

Can you believe that?

Now, Barry's a real draw.

He's hot so I had to do whatever the man says.

Cost me a mint too.

Paid more for that than what I made in a year as a cop.

Looking back on it,

it's one of my most favorite experiences.

Not just as a show but my entire life.

♪ ♪

Did you see it?

- No, baby, I didn't. Mm.

- It was something else.

- I didn't even know you were a cop.

- Back in Chicago. - Hm.

- Seems like a lifetime ago.

- Any chance you still own a pair of those cuffs?

- Nice. - Mm.

I like restraints.

I'm not at all vanilla.

- I noticed.

I definitely noticed.

Come get it.

[phone ringing]

[phone ringing]

[phone beeps]

- Daddy!

Dad! Dad! Are you there? Please pick up.

- Raymond? - I need help, Dad.

- Raymond, slow down, son. What's the problem?

- Please help me! - Slow down.

Talk to me. What is it? - I'm in so much trouble.

- He hurt me.

- Here you go. - My man, thanks.

[banging on door]

- What's going on?

[grunting]

- [grunts]

- Look, go back inside and stay in your room.

- But, Mom, Dad's beating Mr.-- - Do what I said.

Anthony!

- [grunts]

- Ow!

- Now, listen to me, you touch my son again,

and I'll kill you.

- [groaning]

- Oh, look, Daddy.

- Four bedrooms in this house

and you guys still sleep in the same room?

- Raymond's scared of the dark. - I'm not scared of the dark.

My room's got bugs in it. - Oh, really?

Well, how about I kill the bugs?

- Uh... - It's fine.

He can sleep here.

- Dad.

Are you gonna get in trouble

for beating up Mr. Simmons?

- No, son.

Mr. Simmons shouldn't have put his hands on you.

What he did was criminal.

- I wish you could see me play. I'm pitching.

- Well, I wish I could too. Hey.

How about next time you guys come with me?

And not just to visit, but to live in LA.

Really? - Yeah.

To make up for the summer. - Can we even do that?

Like, decide for ourselves? - Of course you can.

You're big enough to make your own decisions.

- Can we come to Soul Train? - If you want to.

It's your legacy if you want that.

- Raymond, how are we gonna go to LA?

I mean if we're there, who'll take care of Mom?

- Oh.

[somber music]

- You're brother's right, son.

Your mother needs you more than I do.

♪ ♪

[horn honks]

- That's my cab. Goodnight boys.

Take care of your mother.

- You knew she was out.

- Found out the hard way like you.

- But you didn't tell me. Again, you kept it from me.

- You okay? Is your girl hurt?

- I nearly got her killed. How do you think she's doing?

I make decisions, bad things happen.

I guess this is what I get for wanting things--

- Listen to me, JT. This is about me.

It's not about you. It's all me.

You were driving my car.

Ruby thought she was taking me out, not you.

- She looked right at me, man.

Ruby knew exactly what she was doing.

- Why would she? - Because she's crazy.

Because it's Tuesday.

Because in your world violence is a given.

You wanna be someone else. Clean.

You can't scrub your past, Gerald.

No matter how hard you try, you are a thug.

Shit, I ain't no better.

I got "loser" written all over my forehead.

The only difference is, I ain't taking anyone else with me.

- Let my boys give you a ride. - I'm good.

Better off alone.

- Make sure he gets where he's going in one piece.

- Yes, sir. - If JT's right

about being a target, he ain't gonna be the only one.

- Yeah, I'm on it.

- [yawns]

[sighs]

[chilling music]

[muffled speaking] [glass shattering]

[thudding]

[The Chi-Lites' "Oh Girl" playing, muffled]

♪ ♪

[grunts]

- ♪ Oh, girl ♪

♪ I'd be in trouble if you left me now ♪

♪ 'Cause I don't know where to look for love ♪

♪ I just don't know how ♪

- What have you been up to here?

♪ ♪

Looks like the fall of Rome.

You've been gone during a very exciting time.

I didn't think you'd be this vulnerable,

but, well, here we are.

- Ruby, you didn't scare me then,

and you don't scare me now.

- Typed you up a little note while you were out.

"To my fans, my friends, my family--

"I can't go on.

Peace, Love, and Soul..."

All that's left is your signature.

- What is this?

- It's a very thoughtful suicide note.

Everyone's gonna love it.

[suspenseful music]

[gun cocks] - You gonna shoot me?

- No. You're gonna shoot yourself actually.

Well, that's what everyone's gonna think.

♪ ♪

I'm doing you a favor.

The music industry is evolving and you are such a dinosaur.

And if I'm going to do business,

suicide is the way it's gotta go, Don.

You're a name but not a big one, so--

[sighs]-- they should buy it.

I was gonna clean up before the coroner gets here,

but I think it helps tell the story

of a desperately lonely man

trying to drown his pain in drugs, booze, and ass.

Don't get me wrong,

this is also personal for you throwing me to the cops.

- Believe it or not... [groans]

this isn't the first time that I've been held at gunpoint.

[groaning]

I'ma tell you...

now what I told them.

Don't mess-- [grunts]

[branches snapping]

[gunshots]

[grunts]

[engine revving, tires squealing]

- You okay?

- Yeah.

- Look, uh, the cops are gonna be coming soon.

We, uh,

we need to come up with a story.

- I just got back from Chicago...

and I interrupted a burglary.

- Yeah, that should do it.

- This is getting old, Gerald.

- Here.

I know how to make eggs too.

In theory.

- I took you home, Simone.

Why didn't you stay there?

- Look.

I'm okay.

You're okay. What else matters?

- You're not listening.

- 'Cause I don't wanna hear it.

- You gotta get away from me and stay away from me.

- No.

We have plans.

If you wanna talk about moving and starting somewhere new

once we get your sister, fine, I'll listen.

Anything else is just noise. - Look.

I'm sorry about yesterday.

I'm sorry I snapped at you.

But this is just the way it's gotta be.

- Did you quit your job at the Soul Train Club?

- Yes. - Then it's over.

- It's not over unti-- - Until what?

- Nothing.

You and me are done.

- What about what I want, JT?

- You were an inch away from a bullet, Simone.

- You love being the martyr.

You did it with your mother, your sister,

and now you doing it with me.

- Whatever moves you out that door.

- You don't get to make that decision for me.

I have a say.

- Then say it to somebody else.

You and me are done.

[melancholy bass music]

♪ ♪

- I know that's not true.

[indistinct chatter]

[soul music playing]

- Man, no regulars.

No regulars--just get 'em, just get 'em out.

Hey. I need you to man my office.

♪ ♪

- This can't go on forever. - Adapt or die, Don.

- This is the part where I say thank you.

- And this is where I say sorry.

Ruby's my fault.

You can't outrun your past,

but you can keep it from screwing your friends.

- Did you invite Ruby to visit?

- Uh, I knew she'd turn up eventually.

She was with me in the beginning.

- Beginning of what?

♪ ♪

- Just out of the navy, Memphis bound,

broke and desperate, looking for work.

It turns out, you fight for your country,

you get nothing for your troubles.

- [chuckles]

- Started boosting houses.

Turns out I was good at it.

I could get into a house and scrape it to the bone

before the sorry folks got back from Sunday service.

But Ruby was better.

- Seems to me that Ruby's better at a lot of things.

- Yeah, I'd--I'd open up a window only to see

she had gotten ahead of me.

This one time she waited for me just to rub it in.

You don't often get a chance to meet your reflection, you know?

- No. Now you are nothing like Ruby, Gerald.

- Just saying, appetite's one of the same things.

Thought we were on the same page.

We started hitting houses together

while people were asleep. We were that good together.

- Seems like a lot of risk. Why do it?

- The rush.

This kid...

boy about five

woke up, saw us.

He was more confused than scared,

so I put him back to sleep, tucked him in.

Ruby wanted to kill him.

I said no.

Never leave witnesses. That was her thing.

She went back the next night and killed them all.

There is no line Ruby won't cross, you understand?

- This is too big.

We go to the cops. We tell 'em everything.

- And what's gonna happen next, Don?

You got a whole lot to lose.

You willing to walk away from your life?

♪ ♪

- No. - Didn't think so.

- So what are we gonna do?

What are you gonna do? 'Cause she's not gonna stop.

You know that, right?

- I just know it doesn't end well for me.

[explosions] [people screaming]

[overlapping shouting]

[fire blazing] - Everybody get outside!

- Oh, my God! My car! - Get down, get down!

[all shrieking]

- Damn! - Everybody all right?

[indistinct shouting]

- Next time on the season finale of "American Soul"...

- The Grease Man.

- I'm also half owner of Soul Train.

- Your stuff is great for more than just hair.

I use it for my Johnson.

- We're syndicated, not network,

but there are still some rules. - Don't say it!

- They're talking about giving you a network talk show

with a built-in sponsor.

- Did you really think it'd be that easy to get rid of me?

- Aiya's adoptive parents want to meet you.

- Where is she now? - No idea.

- Where would she be?

- Let's see your hands. - Put your hands up!

- On the ground now!

♪

- Oh, look, Daddy.