Original subtitles

[birds chirping softly]

‐ [sighs]

[phone buzzes]

[grunts]

[phone buzzing]

What?

[Aminé's "Burden"]

No!

AMINE: ♪ Look ♪

SINGER: ♪ Oh, oh ♪

AMINE: ♪ Uh uh oh, Yeah, I like that ♪

SINGER: ♪ Oh, oh ♪ AMINE: ♪ Uh uh oh, yep ♪

♪ Bury me before I'm a burden ♪

♪ Don't bury me 'til niggas is certain ♪

‐ Amadi, what happened?

‐ I mean, I titled the piece

"The Pickets' Revisionist History."

Why did it get changed?

‐ Gabe must've changed it when we left.

‐ Oh, my God.

You know he's going crazy

with the whole click‐bait headline thing.

‐ Yeah, but I wasn't trying to, like, glamorize them.

Like, I was‐‐I don't know.

I called them out on their shit, right?

‐ Well, when the article got pitched,

I did ask whether or not it was worth doing.

Carl's Autobody and the Portland Library

have both pulled their ads.

‐ The library hates me?

That sucks.

Uh, hi. Can I get a small coffee?

‐ Annie Easton?

‐ Yes?

‐ Sorry, we don't serve racists here.

‐ Oh. ‐ Hey, I'm sorry.

It's okay. She's actually with me‐‐

‐ Okay. You don't have to‐‐

‐ Whatever you want is on the house.

‐ Really? Okay.

Uh, could we have two small coffees?

‐ Yep.

‐ Thank you.

‐ You must be feeling a lot of white guilt right now.

‐ Yes. Yes.

Heavy, heavy on my mind.

‐ What's that like?

‐ It's‐‐it's nothing compared to...

And I‐‐yeah.

‐ I feel like I would be so good on reality TV,

just wearing big necklaces

and calling other women narcissists.

‐ Yeah, 'cause you do that now.

‐ Yeah, but then I'd be getting paid.

[giggles]

‐ Hey. What are these?

‐ From my cousin's wedding.

She just sent them.

EMILY: Okay.

I'm seeing a lot of beautiful people,

a lot of cool hats.

‐ They're called geles.

And you know what they say‐‐

the cooler the hat,

the more foreign you are.

‐ Mm.

You know, I knew you were Nigerian,

but I don't think I knew you were, like, Nigerian.

‐ My parents are Nigerian.

They moved to London.

I was born.

It's really not that exciting.

‐ Except literally every part of that is exciting.

Like, why did they move?

‐ Because they wanted to.

I mean, what do you have to say about your parents?

‐ Well, Papa's Irish‐German

and mama is a covered wagon.

‐ Wow. ‐ Mm‐hmm.

Okay.

You're being weird about this.

But if you want me to drop it, I will drop it.

‐ Good.

‐ No.

No, no. Come on.

Come on, just‐‐if I kiss you‐‐

you've been hogging it.

‐ You're an addict. You're an addict

‐ You've been hogging it. ‐ [laughs]

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

‐ Hey. Annie?

I printed out all the hate emails

The Thorn got about you. Do you want them?

‐ No.

‐ Annie, I said be friendly with the Pickets.

I didn't mean be friends.

‐ I didn't become friends with them.

‐ You ate their pie

and said that their pie tasted good.

‐ Okay, but I also said

that they're trying to start a white utopia.

‐ Don't get mad at us.

You're the one who got yourself canceled.

‐ What? I am not canceled.

‐ She's canceled. ‐ So canceled.

‐ Why did you change my headline?

‐ You know, everyone is reading what you wrote, Annie.

You're welcome. ‐ [laughs]

Well, no one is reading

my actually thoughtful article.

They're just reading your shitty headline.

‐ You know what? I'm not gonna apologize

for being a good writer, okay, Annie?

I don't have time for this, uh, eruption.

I've got a huge press day today for my book.

I'm late for a podcast,

which I didn't even know was possible.

Talk to you later.

‐ Fine. Then I'll call Sheila.

‐ Oh, little miss teacher's pet

going straight to "I'm telling!"

Hey. You know what?

You can tattle face to face

'cause she's coming here tomorrow.

How's that?

[OHMME's "Mine"]

‐ [grunts]

Shit.

♪ ♪

SINGER: ♪ Mine mine mine mine mine mine ♪

♪ It's all mine mine mine mine mine mine ♪

♪ Mine mine mine mine mine mine ♪

[lo‐fi hip‐hop music]

♪ ♪

[camera shutter snaps]

‐ Okay. This seems important,

but I need to know what you're doing.

‐ It is very important.

I'm sending a revenge selfie to a married ex.

But what's up? ‐ Okay, Ricochet.

I have a question. ‐ Uh‐huh.

‐ Say you're in a new

but very intense relationship...

‐ As I am most always am, yes.

‐ So my partner, Em, is great. RICOCHET: Uh‐huh.

‐ And we're really in love. RICOCHET: Mm.

But...

‐ Just sometimes

I feel like living here

and not being from here,

I feel like I'm already kind of on display.

And my partner is white,

started asking me all these questions about being Nigerian.

‐ Yes, yes, yes. See, to Americans,

we're like exotic birds.

It doesn't matter that my father is a dentist

and my mother, also a dentist.

‐ Yeah, it's like, I get that that stuff is exciting to them.

But, like, I just always kept my relationship

and my heritage separate.

‐ Yes, but see?

These people are from places like Idaho

and, um‐‐oh, what's the other one?

‐ I‐‐I feel like it's Wishigan.

‐ Wishigan. Wishigan, yes, yes, yes.

Their lives are football...

FRAN: Mm. ‐ And, uh, ham,

and everything they can put ham in.

And‐‐you know,

sometimes, my partners,

they ask about Chile, right? ‐ Mm.

RICOCHET: It's because they need Chile.

Their lives are such

that when they hear a little bit about Chile,

they go nuts. ‐ Yeah.

‐ So you gotta give them a little something,

you know what I mean?

‐ Yeah, that makes sense.

And I do wanna share myself with them.

‐ Then share yourself with them!

There must be something small

and inconsequential

you can just throw them, like...

FRAN: Yeah. ‐ I don't know.

Like a little wooden doll

or a‐‐or a‐‐or a rich tapestry,

something that says, "Here is a piece of me to you."

‐ I guess I could cook them something.

RICOCHET: Yes, yes, yes.

Enter the heart through the mouth, yes.

‐ Isn't this your best friend?

♪ ♪

ANNIE: [exhales]

[line trilling]

BILL: Hey, sweetheart.

‐ Hi, Dad.

BILL: Honey, Yellowstone is amazing.

We're at the most beautiful waterfall.

‐ That's cool.

Um, Dad, I'm, like,

kind of freaking out because everyone hates me.

BILL: Hold on, sweetie. I can barely hear you.

Say it again?

‐ Um, I‐‐I said that everyone's mad at me

because of the article that I wrote, and‐‐

BILL: Oh! We read that!

Really different and cool for you.

Do you wanna talk to your mom?

‐ No, I don't‐‐I‐‐ BILL: Vera!

Hey, Vera!

[laughs] No, she can't talk.

She spilled her water in her bag.

‐ Okay. Okay.

Dad, I'm gonna go, okay?

BILL: Yeah, one second, one second, Annie.

‐ Okay, bye.

[soft pop music]

[huffs]

[sighs] Today was hell.

Like, I, like, actually know what hell is now.

‐ Mm.

‐ I mean, like, my article‐‐

‐ Yeah, I saw the article.

‐ Yeah, so, I mean, Gabe changed the headline,

and it just made everything seem like

it was, like, so bad.

‐ Annie, stop. You're not the victim here.

‐ What? No.

Gabe skewed it with his headline,

but if you read the actual article‐‐

‐ Yeah, I read the whole thing.

You gave these people a platform.

You literally spent the whole day

with these racist pieces of shit,

and you shot guns with one of them.

I mean, why do these people

need to be written about at all?

‐ I was just trying

to investigate, like,

their shittiness, you know,

their, like, horrific values.

It wasn't my intention to give them a platform.

‐ How was it not your intention,

yet you wrote a feature article about them?

And intention or not, it still sucks.

‐ But‐‐it actually wasn't even my pitch.

Like, it was supposed to be Andy who wrote it.

‐ So you wrote it in protest?

‐ No.

No, I‐‐I just‐‐

I don't know‐‐ I just didn't want

to be pigeonholed into writing about body stuff.

So I was trying to, like‐‐

I don't know.

When it came up, I just kind of jumped at it.

‐ Annie, you wrote the article.

What do you think would've happened to me

if I went to that ranch?

‐ Yeah, I‐‐

I don't‐‐I‐‐I know

what you're saying.

‐ I can't help you through this.

This is your problem.

‐ "Dear Diary,

"Am I the only one

"who thinks Maureen is hot?

Probably not." [laughs]

‐ Maureen, it's not a diary, okay?

I'm‐‐I'm nervous, so I'm writing down

what I'm gonna say to Sheila and Gabe.

‐ Oh, no. Are you quitting again?

‐ No. No.

But everything is such a mess,

and so I asked for a formal meeting

with Gabe and Sheila and Amadi.

And I'm gonna fix things.

‐ Okay.

Well, I believe in you.

I believe in you,

and I believe in fairies,

and that's it.

If you need me, I'll be at my desk, making wishes,

wishes for my bitches.

You want this?

‐ No, thank you.

[sighs]

EMILY: Okay, all the ingredients are in there?

‐ Yes. I think so.

EMILY: Then we just need to puree them.

FRAN: Okay. ‐ And also if you wanted

to ask me some questions about my culture,

I'd be more than happy to answer.

‐ Wow, and what is your culture again?

‐ Like, kinda preppy.

‐ Okay, yeah, no.

I do have a lot of questions about that.

EMILY: [laughs]

[blender whirring]

‐ Is Nigerian food like Ethiopian food?

‐ They're, like, 5000 kilometers apart.

‐ Which is so many.

Was that a stupid question?

‐ Yeah. It was.

‐ And do you love me even though I'm stupid?

‐ I actually love you because you're stupid.

‐ Wow. God bless me.

[pop music playing in the background]

‐ Okay. That doesn't taste right.

My mum makes this all the time, and that's not it.

‐ Well, this is a random recipe

from recipesafrica.biz.

So maybe just call your mom.

‐ But if I call her, then we have to talk to her, so...

‐ Yep, Muy bien.

That is how calling people works.

‐ And this is a good thing

that we want to do?

‐ Just call your mom, Fran.

♪ ♪

‐ Okay, Annie, through your signature emotional acrobatics,

you've got what you wanted, our undivided attention.

‐ Okay.

Well, I've been thinking a lot about the article

that I wrote about the Pickets...

‐ Yes! It's exactly the kind

of fiery piece I want from you, Annie.

‐ Well, I‐‐ I don't agree with that.

Um... I mean,

these people are practically terrorists,

and we've given them a platform for their ideals.

And I'm not okay with that.

And I think that

we should take the article down.

‐ [laughs] I knew it.

[both chuckle]

‐ Sweetie, that's not how journalism works.

‐ Well, but people are‐‐

they're really upset, and they're hurt.

So doesn't that mean that we should listen to them?

GABE: No.

I can't believe that I'm saying this,

but Sheila and I completely agree.

Our policy is, we don't take stories down.

We bash people over the heads with them.

‐ Your article broke our quarterly traffic records.

Because of you, The Thorn lives to fight another day.

‐ But we're losing advertisers.

‐ Eh, we lost a few small‐time accounts,

but we gained national attention.

‐ Amadi, you get what I'm trying to say here, right?

‐ Uh, I don't love having these people in our paper,

but we published it.

So that means it stands.

I would appreciate, however,

if you would run headlines past me

before you call white supremacists charming.

‐ Of course. ‐ Good point.

‐ Okay, um, well, then could I‐‐

could I write an apology

and we could post it online or something?

I just feel like I should be given the chance

to explain what actually happened here.

GABE: And say what?

How it was everyone else's fault except your own?

‐ No, I'm trying to take accountability right now.

‐ If this is too much for you,

then stay in your own lane.

But if you want to evolve and go bigger,

the job comes with a few occupational hazards.

Bare minimum,

think about the ethics of what you are writing

before the story comes out.

It's great to see you.

‐ Okay.

‐ Should we get started?

‐ You forgot your notes.

‐ Oh.

‐ Next month's slates.

‐ All right.

[phone vibrates, chimes]

‐ [scoffs]

[breathing shakily]

[whimpers]

‐ Okay.

What are you waiting for?

‐ I am setting an intention

that this call will not be horribly bad.

‐ Hey. You can do this.

[line trilling]

BISI: Hello.

Frances, is that you?

‐ Hi, Mum. Sorry it's late.

BISI: I'm up. I'm always up.

FRAN: Mum, can you point the phone at your face?

I can see up your nose.

BISI: My baby, what's going on?

‐ I'm trying to make jollof rice,

and the tomato doesn't taste right.

It tastes really bland.

BISI: You are making jollof rice?

[laughs]

This brings me great joy.

Someone's in your house!

Hang up and call the police.

‐ Mum, this is‐‐

this is Em, my partner.

‐ Hi, it's really nice to meet you.

BISI: It is so nice

to meet you, too.

You know, in 29 years,

our Frances has never cooked

Nigerian food,

so you must be very special.

‐ Well, I'm nowhere near

as special as our Frances.

BISI: Tell me, what do you do for work?

‐ Mum, the jollof rice. Remember?

BISI: Yes, of course.

It will never taste as good as my jollof rice,

but we can try to get it close.

BISI: That is why Ghanaian jollof rice

is garbage rice, okay?

‐ Okay. I believe you.

‐ Okay. You need to try this.

‐ Okay. Wow.

That's the best thing I've ever had in my life.

‐ Thank you so much, Mum. It tastes just like yours.

BISI: It is my pleasure, Frances.

Okay. You two eat up.

It was so pleasant to speak to you, Em.

‐ Oh, thank you, Bisi.

It was so lovely to get to meet you.

BISI: Good night.

‐ Have a good night.

BISI: I love you, Frances.

Thank you for letting me meet Em.

‐ I love you too, Mum. Thank you.

‐ Okay, well, she's wonderful.

Can I have her number?

‐ Absolutely not. No. ‐ [laughs]

‐ But it genuinely was really nice

to see how well you two got on.

‐ Parents love me.

I have a "good at chores" energy.

‐ But no, I've just never introduced a partner

to my parents before.

‐ Why?

‐ I think I kept my dating life separate

because if one rejected the other,

it would just be too painful.

‐ Well, I love you.

And I want to be part

of everything about you.

‐ I love you too.

ANGEL OLSEN: ♪ What is it you think I need? ♪

[Angel Olsen's "Chance"]

‐ I guess it's time for you to meet my family now?

‐ I get to go to the factory where you were made.

‐ It's actually the world's largest lacrosse field.

‐ Okay. [chuckles]

ANGEL OLSEN: ♪ I don't want it all ♪

♪ ♪

‐ [sobbing]

ANGEL OLSEN: ♪ I've had enough ♪

‐ [sobbing continues]

ANGEL OLSEN: ♪ I don't want it all ♪

‐ Hey, hey. ‐ [laughs]

‐ You okay?

‐ [sobs]

‐ No.

I don't know.

Everything is just so bad.

And‐‐I don't know.

Like, everyone thinks I'm racist,

and I am so selfish.

I can't...

RYAN: Come here. Come here.

Hey.

It's okay.

ANNIE: [sobbing]

Oh, God.

I just‐‐I don't know.

I think I thought

that when we broke up,

that things would just be easier.

But it's not,

and I really feel like a worthless piece of shit.

RYAN: Hey.

Don't say that about yourself.

Like, ever.

I'm so lucky to have ever dated you.

‐ Oh, God. This is so fucked.

I should not be venting to you like this.

‐ It's okay.

I'll always be here for you, Annie.

‐ Thank you.

I'm...I'm fine.

I'm‐‐I'm okay. I...

‐ You're sure? ‐ Yeah.

You should‐‐you can go. ‐ You good?

‐ I'm sorry.

RYAN: Okay.

‐ Ryan?

[dramatic hip‐hop music]

SINGER: ♪ I'm a freak ♪

ANNIE: [sighing] RYAN: [grunting]

‐ Oh, my God. That feels so fucking good.

RYAN: Oh, God. That feels so good.

Your pussy feels so good.

‐ Oh, my God, I'm gonna come.

I'm gonna come.

RYAN: [grunts] I'm gonna come, too.

[both yelp]

RYAN: That was amazing.

Like, when you talk about my cock,

it just makes me go harder.

‐ I know.

I kinda think we should just

start fucking at work again.

You know, like, fuck The Thorn.

‐ That would be so awesome.

ANNIE: Wow, what's‐‐ what's this?

‐ Oh, shit.

Fuck, I forgot.

‐ What?

‐ I kinda have a girlfriend.

I mean, I do have a girlfriend.

‐ Oh, you forgot you have a girlfriend?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

‐ Shit. This is bad.

We just got a dog together.

‐ Oh, my God, so I just helped you cheat

on your girlfriend and your dog?

You are exactly the fucking same.

‐ I'm sorry. You were just so sad,

and I wanted to make you happy.

But we can never do this again.

‐ Yes. No shit, motherfucker.

We are never doing this again. Okay.

I should have never come here,

and I should have never done this.

Listen to me.

Listen to me right now,

and I really fucking mean it.

Do not ever talk to me again.

Don't call me,

don't find me at work.

Do not ever talk to me again!

[huffs]

Oh, my God.

Fuck you.

Truly, fuck you!

[Molly Burch's "needy"]

♪ ♪

[breathes deeply]

SINGER: ♪ If you take too long to hit me back ♪

♪ I can't promise you how I'll react ♪

♪ But all I can say ♪

♪ Is at least I'll wait for you ♪

♪ Lately I've been on a roller coaster ♪

♪ Tryna get ahold of my emotions ♪

♪ But all that I know ♪

♪ Is I need you close ♪

♪ I'ma scream and shout for what I love ♪

♪ Passionate, but I don't give no fuck ♪

♪ I'll admit that I'm a lil' messed up ♪

♪ But I can hide it when I'm all dressed up ♪

♪ I'm obsessive, and I love too hard ♪

♪ Good at overthinkin' with my heart ♪

♪ How you even think I got this far? ♪

♪ ♪