Original subtitles

- Previously on "Twenties"... - Quintrell actually

gives a shit--that's why I don't wanna mess this up.

- I been taking a lot of these meetings.

This is the first one I really like.

- I don't wanna date someone I can't get in contact with.

- I like you.

Why ain't that enough? - It is.

- Do I make you feel happy and content?

- You make me feel alive.

- It sounds like y'all were on a date.

- Don't fall under her spell. - Too late.

- Well, the only person I want exploring this body is Chuck.

- No wonder you look so bored all the time.

- Don't get in your head about it.

- Too late.

[bright, cheerful music]

[tinny hip-hop playing]

♪ ♪

- ♪ Every little step I take ♪

♪ You will be there ♪

♪ Every little step I make ♪

♪ We'll be together ♪

♪ Every little step I take ♪

♪ You will be there ♪

♪ Every little step I make ♪

♪ We'll be together ♪

- Ah, ah, ah, ah.

- She's so happy.

- For now.

- ♪ Can't believe you called my home ♪

♪ And as a matter of fact, it blows my mind ♪

♪ You would even talk to ♪

[music stops]

- Good morning! - Why are you so chipper?

- Uh, just happy to be here.

You good? - No, I'm annoyed.

- What's wrong? - Our writer's assistant

picked a fine time to get hit by a semitruck.

- Damn, is she a'ight? - It's so hard

to find someone who is actually committed.

- I could be in a coma and still come to work.

- Well, that's good, because I'm gonna need you

and Lauren to step up while she's out.

- Whatever you need.

- Right now, I need you to back up.

- All right. - Come on, Courtney.

[dramatic musical sting]

- Congrats, Queen!

- I want you to sit right next to me.

- Ida develops really close relationships with people,

particularly women.

She takes them on trips,

calls them all hours of the night,

tells them her deep, dark secrets.

Things get really intense, and then out of nowhere,

she gets bored and never talks to them again.

- [muffled] Hattie.

Hattie! - Yeah.

- ♪ And I'ma make your head nod back ♪

♪ This the type of beat that make you red ♪

[thunder booms]

♪ I'ma make your head nod back ♪

[garbled voice]

- Whoop! This is all the stuff

for Ida's Easter baskets.

- Why is she sending out Easter baskets?

She don't know Jesus. - It's a thing she does.

Every year, she sends out gift baskets

to all the people in the industry she cares about.

- She don't care about nobody.

- I know. This is a chess move.

She only cares about the people

who have the ability to green light her projects.

- I thought the whole point of being successful

was that you didn't have to kiss people's asses anymore.

- Oh, no--she kisses people's asses all the time.

That's why she's so successful.

- I'm so confused.

[dramatic chords]

- Now you have to replace that.

[dramatic, sweeping orchestration]

♪ ♪

Excuse me, guys--'scuse-- thank you.

Gosh! 'Scuse me!

Everyone just stay calm!

I know things didn't go as well

as we had hoped with Quintrell,

but he hasn't signed an overall deal with anyone else yet,

so there's still hope.

Now, give me your bright ideas

so I can pass them off to my boss as my own.

- Let me take him to Miami for the weekend.

Just because he's a film snob doesn't mean

he doesn't like fast cars and loose women.

- Actually, he doesn't. - I think I know

what black men are into. - I think you know

what basic black men are into. - I'm a lotta things,

but basic isn't one of them. - I just read a piece in "GQ,"

and apparently, his mom died while he was in college

so he got super religious,

and he's saving himself until marriage.

And, he was born and raised in New York City,

so while he might like fast cars,

he sure as hell don't know how to drive one.

- Who doesn't love the beach? - He doesn't know how to swim.

- Are you a detective now?

- I'm just doing my job.

- Okay, what would you suggest, Marie?

- Well, if you really wanna impress him,

you should go with him to church.

[angelic choir harmonizes]

- That's brilliant. You set it up.

This Sunday we'll all go together.

- Whoa, no, I thought it would just be the two of you.

- It was your idea. We'll make it a field trip.

- Wait, but I don't wanna go to church.

I hate church.

- Really? I didn't know you were an atheist.

- I'm not. - You pitched it.

- Where we going? - He worships

at Star of the Redeemer. All the black celebs go there.

- Great, maybe we'll run into someone else we can

do business with. - It's Easter, so if we wanna

get a seat, we're gonna have to be there super early.

And they have a bouncer.

I don't even know if we're famous enough to get in.

- If you can't handle it, I'm happy to take the lead.

- I can handle it.

I am just making sure

our boss has all of the information.

- I'm well-informed. Thank you.

What time should I be there? - 6:00 a.m., sharp.

- Hi! I'll be there--let's do this.

I may even rock these

for a little pop of Easter color, huh?

Ying, you got all that? - Mm-hmm.

- She is so good. Let's go. Come on, baby.

In, in, in, In-in-in-in-in!

Here we go!

[phone chiming]

- Oh, shit, I didn't mean to call your ass.

- Love you too, Ma. - Oh, well,

since I got you, don't forget to get me

some edibles for the concert!

- Nah, the last time you did edibles,

you woke up in the trunk of your own car.

- Okay, you know what? Just get the edibles, okay?

And throw in one of them little vape pen things.

I could sneak it in. I can sneak that.

- Ma. [chuckles] I don't think

you wanna get too turnt at the Anita Baker concert.

- [laughs] Oh, yes, I do!

The more turnt I am,

the harder them lyrics hit my soul

and my hips and my joints.

And then your mama can dance in the concert.

- That's what I'm afraid of.

Ain't nobody trying to watch you

catch the holy ghost to "Body and Soul" again.

- Oh, look, don't be mad 'cause my shit went viral.

Remember that little young dude

hollered he'd be slid in my DM.

Ain't that what they say-- they slid in?

- [laughs] Bye, Ma.

She crazy.

- Shit, this ain't even real MAC.

This gonna break me out. Mm.

- Here, Courtney.

- Thanks.

Is there mango in this?

- Probably. - I'm allergic.

- Hattie, what the hell?

- What? I didn't want her to die.

- Go get her another one.

- I wish I could, but I gotta head out.

- It's 4:00.

- I know.

My mom and I have a trip planned, remember?

- I don't. - Yeah.

We got tickets to see Anita Baker.

I emailed you about it two weeks ago.

- I can't be expected to remember that.

- Okay, well,

I'm gonna go.

- Bye.

- I'm sure I'll be missed.

- Okay, where were we?

- Yeah, we thought maybe-- - Thinking about bringing in

a new character--what do you think about the new girl?

- Hey, Nia, whatever happened

to that religious dude you used to date?

- That could be one of seven guys.

You gotta be more specific.

- What up, Marie?

- Hey, Hattie. - Don't be dismissive.

- Hattie, I really don't have time for your shit right now

because I'm currently trying to get me and my boss

into Star of the Redeemer this Sunday,

and all of my contacts are dried up.

- You hate church. - I know, but this is for work.

- You can't sneak your way into that church last-minute.

- Yeah, I heard they turned Cuba Gooding Jr. away.

- I heard he was at the door screaming, "Ricky!"

at the top of his lungs for like 15 minutes

and the usher still didn't let his ass in.

- Yeah, they're cold-blooded over there.

- I know, which is why I'm calling you!

- My only connect was Bible Boo, and he's dead to me, so...

- Well, he might have to have a resurrection,

because if I don't get into that church on Sunday,

then I'm going to lose my job.

And y'all really don't wanna see what

unemployed Marie looks like. - Yeah, I've seen it.

And it ain't cute.

At all. It's ugly.

[beep] Bitch hung up!

[mellow hip-hop playing on radio]

- I can't believe she's trying to make me

text Bible Boo's old dusty ass. He was nuts!

He just stopped texting me Bible verses in my DMs.

- Sometimes you gotta take one for the team, though.

- Why is no one ever on my side?

- What are you talking about?

Y'all double-team me all the time.

- I always have your back. You never have mine.

I'm constantly telling Marie to be nice.

- True story. - I know it is.

- Work stuff is different, though.

If I can do something to help you live your dream,

then I would do that.

- Well, next time she needs to at least say "please."

- I'll give you that.

[phone chiming] Oh, shit, it's Ida.

Hold on. [turns radio off]

This is Hattie.

- Courtney cracked under pressure.

You need to come in. - Wait, what?

- I'm not repeating myself.

- Oh--oh, okay. Let me flip a bitch.

I'll be right there.

- Thank you. Bye.

- Are you seriously about to ditch your own mother?

- Hell yeah!

- Your mother has been planning this trip for months!

- I been waiting for this opportunity my whole life.

Nee, please!

[tires screeching]

- ♪ This is for my gangters ♪

♪ And this is for my thugs ♪

[car horn honking, tires screeching]

♪ And this is for my sisters ♪

♪ I know you need some love ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I laughed in the faces of all these people...♪

- Bitch, I am precious cargo, okay?

I am on my way to my destiny.

Can I make it to my destiny? - Please stop complaining.

I'm getting you there. I'm getting you there.

- Can I get there safely-- alive?

- Okay, I get it.

- Well, damn it. - I'm--

- I'm scared.

Let me call my mama.

- ♪ I got faith in my scatting because I... ♪

- Hey, Ma.

- Do you have my edibles?

- Uh, no, but I got some good news.

- You gonna take me backstage to meet Anita.

- No. Ida wants me to come

and fill in for the writer's assistant.

- That's it? - What do you mean, that's it?

This is a big deal. If I do a good job,

she might consider staffing me one day.

- I swear, you get excited 'bout the silliest shit.

- Look, Nia is gonna take you to see Anita, okay?

- No, no, I didn't plan this trip

for me and crazy-ass Nia.

She got on those chakras

and she do the little yoga and stuff.

I--we ain't even got nothing in common.

- I know, and I already feel bad.

- No, you don't.

- Yes, I do.

- Ooh, you love worshiping at the altar of Ida B.

- That's not true. - It's cool.

You ain't shit.

- Come on! - [grunting]

You know what?

I'm gonna enjoy Anita without you,

and don't be mad if I get backstage.

- Okay. Okay, Ma. Bye.

Love you.

- [muttering] Nia's ass.

- She's been planning this with you for months.

Why am I the one to go with her?

I don't understand. - This--Nia, Nia.

Nia, Nia, Nia, Nia. - No, Hattie, Hattie, Hattie.

[percussive music]

♪ ♪

- ♪ No, I didn't come to play ♪

♪ He's full of tea and pass the-- ♪

- I'm so sorry about my outfit,

but you said it was urgent, so I just came

straight from my daughter's Easter egg hunt.

- I didn't know you had a kid.

- I have two, actually.

I named my youngest after you.

- Oh.

Anyway, I hope no one has any other pressing issues,

because we are going to have to re-break our latest episode.

- Why? - The plot's too similar

to a "227" episode, ain't it?

- Yeah. How did you know?

- I happen to be a "227" aficionado,

and I peeped it at at the last table read.

- Why didn't you say anything?

- I didn't want to be a pest.

- You can pester me whenever you want,

especially when you're right.

- Okay. I'll remember that.

- Okay.

[hip-hop music]

Ideas. - Well, what about--

- What about changing the character?

- So move it away from--

- [clears throat]

- [yawns] I am so ready to go home.

- Excuse me? - I ain't say nothing.

- Please start the proofing process,

and have it in my inbox before I wake up.

If I see one typo, you're fired.

- Are you being sarcastic or nah?

- Nah.

- Then it'll be typo-free.

- I'll see you in the morning.

- Why is her life so amazing and mine so shitty?

- Hattie, she has no friends.

Her husband left her for an Instagram model

and her dad just wrote a tell-all book about her

that's coming out later this month.

- I know. "Jesus Loves a Daughter

Who Makes Her Daddy's House Payments."

I preordered it online.

- All I'm saying is that if you look closely,

your life looks better than hers.

["Blessed Up" by Wande playing]

- ♪ Yeah, it's me ♪

♪ I've been blessed up ♪

♪ I've been broke down ♪

♪ Gotta catch up ♪

♪ I can't slow down ♪

♪ Gotta catch up ♪

♪ Gotta shine now ♪

[Hattie laughs, talks indistinctly]

- What the hell?

- Oh, my God.

Is this it?

Is this the end of the world?

Of course this happened today.

I knew I should've finished the documentary

about the majestic honeybee last night.

I knew it. Now it's all over.

I knew it. - Bitch!

It's not the end of the world.

It's just my mom.

- Oh.

Wow. Excuse me.

I have a weird fear about the apocalypse.

[laughs] - I see.

- What would be more comforting right now

than a warm black bosom?

- You better stay away from my mama's bosom.

This ain't no plantation.

- Well, if it was, I would definitely be the one

sneaking into the slave quarters late at night

teaching everybody how to read.

- You are a true ally.

Thank you.

[door opens]

Hattie. - Oh, look-it.

This where the magic be happening.

Oh, y'all got the stuff on the board and--

- How'd you get past security?

- Oh, hello, first,

but you know, my girl Cliché--

she works security over here.

- She's not supposed to let people on the lot

unless they have an appointment.

- Uh, please, as much money as she owes me,

I should have a lifetime pass.

[laughs] - Ma,

it's great seeing you,

but I have a lot of work to do.

My colleagues have a lot of work to do.

And more importantly, Ida B.

Ida B., you got a lot of work to do, right?

- It's fine.

- What--what--Ida B.?

Oh, me and her, we cool now.

We friends.

Oh, I was just telling her about how my friend Martha

said that "Cocoa's Butter" changed her life.

She said that season finale

gave her the strength she needed

to divorce her husband. - Wow.

- Oh, he had been cheating on her ass for years

with a whole bunch of bitches,

but it wasn't until she saw that episode

where they confronted their boyfriends

and burnt their clothes up,

just like in "Waiting to Exhale."

- It was nothing like what happened

in "Waiting to Exhale."

- I'll be honest with you.

I don't really watch the show, 'cause it's boring as hell.

- [laughs] You serious?

- But all I know is, it helped my miserable friend,

and there you have it.

- I am just glad that we made

a positive impact on your friend's life.

- But you know, her timing wasn't good.

She caught that leukemia, and let me tell you something.

This heifer--she sure enough gonna die by her damn self.

- Oh, my God, that's awful!

- You gotta be responsible with the power of television.

- Ma! - Keep talking back.

- Can I talk to you real quick?

- You wanna... - Yes.

- Okay, all right.

- I'll be back.

- Bye, Hattie's mom!

- Bye, little colonizer.

- So sorry about that.

- Look at her!

- Are you crazy?

- We all crazy.

- True, but I'm starting to think

you need some real help.

- What are you talking about?

- It's not cool for you

to just come up to my job whenever you want

and embarrass me in front of my boss.

This ain't a joke. This is my life.

- Well, I didn't appreciate you canceling our trip

like I don't mean shit.

- Of course you do,

but this is my dream.

It's all I have.

- What about me? - What about you?

You lived your life. Let me live mine.

- I didn't have no life!

I was too busy raising your ass!

- Well, whose fault is that?

- Your punk-ass daddy.

It's not my fault he failed sex ed.

[somber music]

- Ma, I don't have time for this.

- See, that's your problem.

You never make time for me.

- Because I'm grown now.

I'm not a kid anymore.

- Just 'cause you're grown don't mean

you don't need your mother.

- Well, when I do, I'll call you.

♪ ♪

Ma...

♪ ♪

- It was so nice meeting you.

- The pleasure was all mine.

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

- I'll talk to you later.

♪ ♪

[bright piano music]

♪ ♪

- You owe me.

- I know.

- ♪ Got me, got me feeling good ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Kept the faith and praised right through it ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Happiness is here at last ♪

- Hey, Zach.

- Oh, Jenifer!

- Oh, my goodness.

Look how you've grown up!

Oh, your ass tasty.

- I-- - Listen, hey.

You tell your daddy to call me, all right?

- All right. - Yeah, he got the digits.

- [laughs] I know he does. - Praise His name! He's risen!

- Yes, He is risen, darling. Yeah.

- Ah, friend of the family.

- If you know the black mama of Hollywood,

why did I have to make a deal with the devil

to get us in here today?

- I'm sorry. Was it tough?

- Yes! - Hey, guys.

Long time, no see.

- Good to see you in the house of the Lord.

- Yes! This place is like

a home away from home for me.

- Funny, I've never seen you here before.

- Is that right? - He usually sits in the back.

- Oh, yeah, no. I like to keep it low-key.

I'm just here to service Him and that is all, you know?

- For real?

♪ ♪

- Yeah. [clears throat]

- Excuse me. - Oh, well, we'll just...

- I don't--

- ♪ Let it just take over you ♪

♪ Here's what you gotta know ♪

- Good seats, Quintrell.

- Oh, hey, Quintrell.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry, but you're in my seat.

- Oh, this is your seat? Oh, I'm so sorry.

I didn't realize it was assigned seating.

- Yeah, we just wanted to sit together.

- Do you mind? - Look.

I don't know y'all two very well,

but I know you're not gonna come up in here

and gentrify the Lord's house.

- I'm black.

- Well, I can't tell.

- ♪ So good ♪

♪ G-g-g-good ♪

♪ So good ♪

♪ Never been happier ♪

♪ How good? ♪

♪ So good ♪

[jazzy piano music]

- Praise the Lord! - Whoo!

- Come on! - Ooh!

♪ ♪

- ♪ He's alive ♪ - ♪ He's alive ♪

- ♪ And I know it ♪ - ♪ And I know it ♪

- ♪ Jesus died ♪ - ♪ Jesus died ♪

- ♪ And rose again ♪ - ♪ And He rose again ♪

- ♪ He's alive ♪ - ♪ He's alive ♪

- ♪ And I know it ♪ - ♪ And I know it ♪

- ♪ Jesus died ♪ - ♪ Jesus died ♪

- ♪ And rose again ♪ - ♪ And He rose again ♪

- Who's your favorite disciple?

- What?

- Just curious.

- Uh, Saint John, I guess.

- Interesting choice.

Why?

- Because he's the only one of Jesus' disciples

that lived a long life.

He knew that just because he was faithful,

it ain't mean he had to be a martyr.

- Hmm. - What?

- Just reminds me of a book I'm reading.

♪ ♪

- What's it called?

- It's called "The Black Count."

I'll get you a copy, but if you're not floored

after the first few pages,

I don't think we should work together.

- Please.

Only reason you're here is to be in business with me.

- No, my boss wants to be in business with you

because you're low-hanging fruit.

I wanna be in business

with people that have good taste.

- My taste is impeccable.

- We shall see.

- Praise the Lord. Can I get an "amen"?

- Shh. - Amen.

- It's truly a blessing to be in the house of the Lord

one more time. Let's give God some praise.

- I'll text you when I get the book.

- Text me once you've read it.

- Oh, you have a blessed day, Pearl.

- You know, you guys are lucky to have her.

- Ah, you are preaching to the choir,

and by that, I mean,

the white Methodist choir that can't sing.

Ba-dum-tish!

[laughing] You know what I'm saying?

They're trying, but...

Ah. [clears throat]

- I'll be in touch.

- Yeah.

God! Slam dunk-aroo, baby!

- Don't do that again. - Oh, my--

Yo, what'd you say to him?

- I basically told him

that if he wants to work with me,

he needs to earn it. - What do you mean you?

- I'm sure if he signs with us, I'll be his day-to-day.

- That's correct. - And the truth is,

he's not talking to anyone else,

which means we have the upper hand.

- Huh. I didn't really think of it that way.

- Of course you didn't.

- Okay, relax. I'm still your boss.

- For now. - [chuckles]

Okay, so now what?

- Well, I'll send him some material.

Hopefully he reads it quickly and circles back.

- Okay, and why are you so sure about all this?

- I have a feeling he left here a little excited.

- Yeah, I'm sure he did.

- [clears throat]

Marie, Chuck's waiting for us. - Mm-hmm.

- I hope you ladies enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

- Oh, we will. - See you tomorrow.

- See you tomorrow.

- Throw me the rock. Alley-oop!

Bam! [grunts]

- You know it's a sin to flirt in church.

- Ain't nobody flirting.

- Mm-hmm.

[Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture"]

♪ ♪

♪ When we met... ♪

- Hey, can you hear? - Hell, yeah.

She sounds just like the record.

- [harshly] ♪ Da-da-da-da ♪

♪ Caught up in the rapture of love ♪

♪ Nothing else can compare ♪

Girl, you want a gummy?

Oh, I said one. I said one.

- Ma, stop being stingy with the gummies.

I got you the big pack!

Let the lady have some.

- See that? Uh-huh.

Mama's daughter. You're missing it.

- They cute. Whatever, but, you know...

- [harshly] ♪ Da-da-da-da-da-da-da ♪

- Uh-uh, uh-uh. Please don't make it a duet.

Let Anita sing it. Let Auntie Anita sing it.

I don't know if that's Anita or Gladys Knight.

[shouts indistinctly]

- ♪ Caught up in the rapture of love ♪

♪ Nothing else can compare ♪