Original subtitles

[alarm beeping, groaning]

[piano music]

♪ ♪

[phone beeps]

♪ ♪

[phone rings]

Hey, Jeff.

(Jeff) Alex, you're not gonna believe this.

Yeah, no, I'm kind of in the middle

of something right now--ow!

Uh, I'll call you back.

(Jeff) Hal Harrington's gonna meet with us.

Time to go, Oliver.

All right, let's go.

We're gonna be late.

(Alex) Hey.

Don't ever do this at home,

or anywhere else for that matter.

- Hey, guys. - Hey.

So the disposal's still not working?

Dad, school.

Right.

Go, go, go.

Let's go, go, go.

All right, let's go.

So what do you have today?

I think it's science.

Science?

I love science. That's great.

We're learning about nature.

Oh, wow, that sounds interesting.

(child) Wait up!

What else do you have?

Math?

Nah, I do have history.

Oh.

All right, honey.

Straight to class, okay?

Okay, bye.

(woman) All right, thank you.

HPG Bake Sale.

Everything's a dollar.

Help fund school activities!

Clara, I thought you were gonna bake your oatmeal scotchies.

I know, I'm sorry.

I was up late last night planning a client's IRA,

and then Oliver ate the oatmeal,

and after I spoke to my ex, I ate all the scotchies.

You can't let Chad get to you.

He cancelled on Oliver again this weekend.

Oh.

I don't know how I'm gonna tell him.

I know you're stressed,

but try not to eat our profits.

Sorry.

Okay, got everything?

Homework, writing utensils, lunch?

Yup, got your wallet, briefcase, office keys?

I forgot my office keys.

You better drop this poor kid off before she gets in trouble.

Are you gonna check out my soccer practice today, Dad?

I'll come to the next one, sweetie, I promise.

[phone ringing]

It's Jeff. I got to take this.

Hey, kisses.

Thank you.

- I love you. - All right, love you.

Grandma will pick you up after school, okay?

- Okay, bye. - Hey, Jeff.

$1.

- Good morning, ladies. - Morning.

- Mm. - How's it going?

Mm, thanks, Dot.

Those look amazing.

Oh, I hope so.

How are we doing?

Only $25.

Should we take it up with Margaret?

The only thing Margaret lets us do is bake sales.

Tomorrow's election can't come fast enough.

Out with the old president, in with the you.

(Clara) Good morning, Mr. Canton.

Morning, ladies, wow.

Oh, Mr. Canton, are you faculty advisor

for the drama club again this year?

Mm-hmm.

Bobby's decided he wants to be an actor when he grows up.

Oh, I'm really excited

about this semester's Shakespeare play.

Shakespeare?

(Mike) Yeah, we're doing a kids' version.

- I can help with auditions. - Great.

Can I offer you a doughnut?

I'll give it to you half off

since it's not homemade and partially melted.

I'm good.

[whistle blows, marching band music]

If you're going the whole nine yards...

or you're just fishing for compliments--

Whoa, whoa!

Or just covering all your bases,

Hal Harrington Sporting Goods has it all,

from archery to Zumba dancing.

Get off the couch, and come see Hal!

[horn blares] - Oh, yeah!

(male announcer) Who's your pal?

Hal Harrington's your pal...

[laughs]

(announcer) Come to Hal Harrington this week...

Mr. Harrington.

[chuckling]

[TV turns off] - Mr. Harrington.

Uh, yeah, call me Hal.

Hal.

You're losing market share to the big chains.

You need to rebrand yourself as the neighborhood store

who cares about the community.

With the social media campaign,

you can target every niche market.

The hobbyists, the fitness fanatics.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Listen, guys, let me save you some of your energy.

The creative juices are flowing, and I love it.

However, I like the community aspect in this, I do,

but I cannot be something that I'm not.

I can't pretend.

That's just not me. I won't do it.

And this right here, you see this?

Huh? This?

This is what people want to see in the ads.

Margaret, what are you doing?

Putting up my flyers.

You should probably take yours down.

I don't understand.

The drama club is an HPG program.

Yeah,

but the HPG Sports Day is coming up.

I don't want to mix the messages.

Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Sports Day.

I was thinking maybe we could expand it

to include all the after-school activities.

Clara, just because your son isn't good at sports,

there's no need to punish the rest of the kids.

So, if you could put these flyers up,

I would really appreciate it.

[scoffs]

I've only been selling sporting goods for 30 years.

Yes, we're going through a little bit

of a sales downturn.

However--

If you look at the competitive landscape--

Here's the thing, Hal.

30 years ago, sporting equipment

was for guys like me:

weekend warriors, college students,

you know, softball teams.

But now, who's coming into your store?

Well, I got, uh, soccer teams coming in.

I got Little League baseball teams coming in.

I got families going camping.

Exactly.

And who's doing the buying on those products?

Moms.

Moms?

We've never targeted moms before.

Which is my point exactly.

Let me think about it. [exhales]

Pleasure.

[sighs]

Hi, guys.

I just stopped by to give you

Emma's permission slip for Sports Day.

Thanks, Mom.

So how'd the Harrington meeting go?

- Great. - Disaster.

He's thinking about it.

He's not convinced.

I think we lost him.

Well, something else will come your way.

Hal Harrington owns the largest

sporting goods chain in the state.

We need Harrington to keep our doors open.

We have to give him what he wants.

We're not gonna do some low-budget commercial.

When it doesn't increase his sales,

he'll just fire us anyway.

You know, I'm gonna let you guys keep brainstorming, okay?

If I can just get your signature.

Oh, right.

Sports Day.

Thank you, Mom.

Hal?

- Ladies. - Hi.

Hal Harrington.

Yeah?

Everybody knows that name.

Everyone knows what you do, what you sell.

- Yeah. - You're a local legend.

Ah, regional, son, regional.

I just opened a store across the state line.

- There you go. - Okay.

We know you have the personality

to sell these commercials.

Yeah.

But what we need is to take that energy

and connect it with moms with kids who play sports.

Great, I'll wear a Little League uniform.

Not exactly.

What about you at a school Sports Day?

Suddenly you are the sporting goods guy

that every mom can trust.

[laughs]

This is what I want.

This is our deal or nothing.

But that's only two weeks away.

That's our deal.

Okay, yeah. Um...

- I'll get you the school. - Okay.

But I'm gonna have to bring something

to the parents group.

I can't show up empty-handed.

Oh, of course.

Here comes the bribe.

Well done, son, well done.

Great, I will donate

$1,000 worth of sports gear.

How's that?

I'd make it five.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what is this, huh?

What is this?

Handcuffs, take me away.

$5,000?

You want real? This is a real event.

Oh, I don't know, come on, $5,000, that's--

It is a great tax write-off,

donating to a school.

All right, let's do it.

- Yes? - Let's do it.

You got it, $5,000,

but you better get me that Sports Day.

Oh, I will.

Hal's a hugger. What are you doing?

- Oh. - Come here, come here, huh?

On three-- one, two, three, hey!

- [laughs] - Oh!

[laughter]

Oh, no, no.

- Where'd that taco truck go? - [groans]

(Oliver) And then Jerome put a chess pawn up his nose.

It was pretty funny.

(Clara) Sounds like you guys had fun.

Mm-hmm.

I got you extra cheese and pepperoni, your favorite.

Mom, you always get the veggie pizza.

What's going on?

Well, can't we just treat ourselves once in a while?

You can tell me.

Honey, your father isn't gonna be able

to take you for the weekend.

But he said we were going to the zoo,

to make up for all the other times he couldn't come.

I know, but we'll do something fun,

just you and me,

and your friends, too, if you want.

It's okay.

What happened here?

Chess club ended early,

so...we played a little dodge ball.

Are you mad?

No, sweetie.

Just go wash it out,

and I'll put a bandage on it before dinner, okay?

[sighs]

- Grandma Dot? - Yeah?

Are you any good at math?

Oh, not since they started

putting calculators inside cell phones.

We better wait for your dad.

He's good at that.

Oh, here he is.

- Hi. - Hey.

Thanks for picking up Emma from practice.

I didn't expect to be at work so late.

You had to start that Harrington campaign today, huh?

Yeah, or else I'm out of a job.

Fine.

I'll check on pasta.

Hey, how was practice?

It was okay.

I have a game Thursday.

Can you come?

I can't.

I got to work on the campaign for my new client.

Trust me, I wish I didn't.

But when I'm done, I promise you,

I'm gonna be front row every one of your games.

Could I eat in the den?

My favorite show is on.

Well, I was kind of hoping we could eat together.

I really want to watch my show.

Is that one with the cartoon gorilla?

I don't watch cartoons anymore, Dad.

It's a show about a boy band.

Drummer's dreamy.

Hmm, dreamy, huh?

All right, you can go eat in the den,

just this once.

Hey, Mom, you go to these parent group meetings, right?

Yeah.

Do you think they would let us shoot a commercial

if we donated a bunch of free sports equipment?

Huh, yeah, it depends on who's in charge.

The sports moms would love it,

but that all could change

with who they elect tomorrow night.

Hello, drama club.

I tried to recruit some more kids from my class,

but they all had scheduling conflicts.

Is this the whole club this year?

Most of the sport teams have practice

during this time,

and none of the coaches will accommodate us.

We can't even do a play.

We don't have enough people.

We'll do individual scenes.

Why don't we all just join sports teams?

No, we are not gonna give in.

After tonight's election,

things will be much different around here.

[gavel pounding]

Hello, everyone, Margaret Dowd, current HPG president.

[sighs]

As you know, my term is up,

and the bylaws say I can't run for reelection again.

Hmm, sad face.

So we're here to pick a new commander-in-chief,

but before that,

one of our Heartridge parents would like to talk to us

about an exciting proposal.

Mr. Kramer?

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Alex Kramer.

You might know my daughter Emma.

She's a student and soccer player here.

I also run an ad agency,

which is why I haven't been to too many of these meetings.

But my client, Hal Harrington, is--

Of Harrington Sporting Goods?

The one and only.

Yeah.

And I'm very excited to announce

that Hal would like to shoot a commercial here

during Sports Day,

and in return, he's gonna donate $5,000

worth of equipment to the HPG sports programs.

I know, right?

It's like--yeah.

Mr. Canton, as the faculty rep, do you have any thoughts?

Well, Mr. Kramer has already spoken

to Principal Davis about the proposal,

and the school has no objection,

so I can't see any downside.

Nice.

Well, I can.

Sports doesn't need $5,000 worth of equipment.

Excuse me.

We have spent the last three years

buying new equipment and uniforms with HPG funds.

What about the other programs?

I'm sorry.

What other programs?

Activities like science camp

and drama club and the chess team.

Why can't Harrington donate to these other programs as well?

Because it's not called Harrington's Drama Equipment.

He doesn't sell that stuff.

I want to change Sports Day and include all the activities.

[Alex stammers]

And if Harrington wants to shoot a commercial,

he can donate to all the groups.

Yeah, Hal is not gonna go for that.

He needs it to be a Sports Day.

Then maybe we don't need this commercial.

Okay, let me just clarify one thing here.

So you're willing to just give up

$5,000 worth of equipment

because Hal won't donate a chessboard?

Sports teams have all the equipment they need.

It is the kids in the other groups that need the attention,

but since you are not really a member of the parents group,

how would you know, right?

How would he know?

Well, I'm in favor of this idea,

but unfortunately I'm stepping down.

The next president will have to decide on this one.

Do we have any nominees?

I nominate Clara Goodwin.

(Margaret) Okay.

Anyone else?

Ladies, anyone?

Okay, so if you're president,

you're gonna kill the commercial.

I'm sorry, it's an HPG thing.

Nothing personal.

Actually, it's very personal.

It's my job.

I guess I'm gonna have to make the HPG my thing.

I nominate myself.

(Clara) What? No!

No, he can't nominate himself, can he?

There's no rule against it that I know.

He's not even a member of the parents group.

Can I join?

Of course you can.

You're a parent here.

I'd be more than happy to welcome a sports-loving dad.

[laughs]

Let's start the voting.

[indistinct chatter]

What are you doing?

You don't know anything about the parents group.

Well, I know you're about to throw away

an amazing opportunity for the school.

Seems you're doing more harm than good.

Me?

You're the one who wants to turn our Sports Day

into a cheesy Hal Harrington commercial.

Oh, no, we're taking Hal in a whole new direction.

I'm gonna tastefully show off his family side.

By exploiting our families?

Who's exploiting?

The kids get free stuff.

A local businessman gets some publicity.

It's a win-win.

What you don't understand is that winning

isn't the most important thing.

[gavel banging]

Sounds like they're ready.

I hope after you lose,

you stay involved with the HPG.

We could use a marketing volunteer.

Oh, don't worry.

I'll be sticking around.

Okay.

Okay, we have the results.

Okay, with a total of 11 votes, Vice President Clara Goodwin

has tied with parent Alex Kramer.

Congratulations, you've both won.

What does that mean?

According to the bylaws, you're co-presidents.

- With her? - With him?

[applause]

Okay.

(Clara) A tie?

Co-presidents?

How did this even happen?

I counted twice.

Both times, 11-11.

I don't understand.

How did 11 people vote for him?

You know how.

[sighs]

Yeah.

Margaret.

She pushed those sports parents to vote for him.

She can't let go.

I'm not gonna let her get away with this.

I've been pushed around for way too long

by sports, by Margaret, and now this guy.

I'm not gonna take it anymore.

Good for you.

What's next?

Well, it's right here in the bylaws.

You both run HPG until the runoff election

at the next full meeting of the parents group.

So I have to spend the next two weeks

with a guy who knows nothing about the parents group

and wants to do the opposite of what I want?

And the next full meeting is a day before Sports Day.

That means he's gonna have to plan

like the commercial's already going

if he wants to be ready.

He can plan all he wants.

I'm gonna win the election and stop him.

[sighs]

Okay.

(Dorothy) I can't believe this.

You don't have the time to run the parents group.

You have no idea what you're doing.

Don't hold back, Mom.

Tell me what you really think.

What do you even know about the HPG?

Well, I run my own company.

I think I can figure out

how to organize a bake sale or field trip

or whatever else they do.

It's a lot harder than it looks.

You know, Clara Goodwin,

she's been vice president for two years.

She's done a really great job,

and it was her turn to take over.

I'm not taking her job.

We're gonna be working together.

She is not going to like this, and she is no pushover.

Well, neither am I.

Hey, Dad.

Look what I've been working on.

(Alex) Oh, sweetheart, that's great.

You're getting good at that.

Hey, be careful in the house.

Your dad, he used to throw the football

all around inside when he was your age.

Yeah, I broke three vases and a window,

plus a picture frame Grandma Dot doesn't know about.

Oh, yes, she does.

What?

You can't get anything by her.

And then Henry let us eat popcorn

while we sat on the couch

and watched a documentary on ninjas.

Ninjas are awesome.

More awesome than pirates?

Maybe it's a tie.

Hey, Mom, now that you're HPG president,

do you get Secret Service people

to be your bodyguards?

I wish.

Would you want that job?

You bet.

I'd take out a bunch of bad dudes

with my ninja kicks.

Woo-tah! Ya!

[laughs]

Well, that's very impressive,

but this little ninja

needs to brush his teeth before bed.

Oh, and if you're using my laptop,

please bring it back when you're done.

Okay.

Now that you're in charge, are you gonna cancel sports?

No, honey.

I don't hate sports.

I just want the kids to have other options.

Mom...

Yes, honey?

Never mind.

I love you. Good night.

I love you too. Mu-ah..

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

President?

This is the best possible outcome.

Best?

Are you kidding me?

Now we don't have to deal with the HPG.

- [sighs] - You are the HPG.

Yeah, I'm only half of it.

More than enough.

You can turn Sports Day into whatever we want.

Maybe we could rename it Hal Harrington Sports Day.

Trust me, my co-president doesn't want

anything to do with sports or me.

[phone chimes]

Oh.

And I guess I have an HPG status meeting

at the school tonight.

Great.

Hope this meeting with Hal doesn't take too long.

Just get through these next two weeks,

and then you can quit, easy peasy.

Guys, let's get to work!

Oh, my gosh.

Guys, hey!

Hi, Hal. Hi.

[laughing] Guys.

Ha-ha!

I have an idea for the campaign,

a couple of them.

I wrote them down. I've never done that.

Ready? Are you ready?

Cheerleading monkeys.

- Uh... - Eh?

Right?

With the--and-- because they got the thing.

Imagine them like that with the hairy legs,

- and they dance around. - This is gonna take a while.

It's just like, I'm thinking--[laughs]

Okay, well, we don't have enough people

for A Midsummer Night's Dream,

so I thought maybe we'd start

with some of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Who wants to try reading one?

Oh, great.

Sarah, why don't you go first?

Here.

Oh, sorry.

My soccer practice got out early,

and this is usually where I wait until my ride picks me up.

This is the drama club.

You can join us if you want.

It's Emma, right?

Yeah, but I don't want to disturb you.

We're reading poetry-- from a dead guy.

Isn't that cool?

That's one way of putting it, and true.

Okay, Sarah, you want to give that a try?

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

"Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

and summer's lease hath all too short a date."

[applause]

That was great, but I didn't get it.

That's okay, Morris.

Shakespeare's poems can be pretty challenging.

Emma?

What I think he's saying

is that he's in love,

but he doesn't have the words to tell her how he feels.

That's an excellent analysis.

Who else would like to read a sonnet?

(Dorothy) All right, Emma, let's get the show on the road.

- Hmm. - Can I stay?

We're doing Shakespeare.

I love Shakespeare.

Sure, yeah.

We have time. Go ahead.

(Hal) All right, all right, all right.

Monkeys are out.

What if--gosh. [chuckles]

Oh, a tiger.

At a school?

Let's not be hasty, Alex.

Hear the man out.

Come on, tigers, right?

All right, come on, let's think.

Right, tigers.

- [sighs] - What does a tiger want, huh?

I really didn't mean to barge in on your class.

This is where Emma usually waits for me alone.

No apology necessary.

So I didn't know you were a Shakespeare fan.

Well, I love his comedies.

I find his tragedies just too depressing.

You know, the town theater company's putting on

Much Ado about Nothing starting tomorrow.

I have an extra ticket if you have any interest.

I haven't been to play in so long.

[laughter]

Oh, looks like our time is up.

Great work, everyone.

So keeping with our work on sonnets,

let's all write a poem for next time.

Can it be about love?

Of course.

Can it be about a werewolf?

I guess.

Just make it from the heart.

All right, that's it for today.

I'll see you guys tomorrow.

Okay.

Oh, and, Oliver, you're staying with Bobby's family

until the parents group meeting is over, okay?

Yes!

Okay, love you, Mom.

See you later.

See you later.

Hey, thank you so much for letting me stay.

That was really cool.

Sure, you're welcome to stop by anytime.

Can I ask you something?

Of course.

I've never written a poem before.

How do you do it?

The good news is that there is no wrong way.

In fact, one of the reasons I love poetry

is because it's a great way

to express what you're feeling inside.

It's a way of letting your heart talk.

I never thought of it that way.

Maybe I can come back next time?

You're always welcome here.

Thanks.

(Dorothy) I better stay away from you theater people.

Ah, here's my little--

Emma keeps me pretty busy these days.

Can I let you know about the play?

- Sure, of course. - Okay.

- Bye, Mr. Canton. - Bye, Emma.

Okay, the sauce is done.

So what's on the homework schedule for tonight?

Math, science, little history?

I kind of want to work on this poem.

Oh, a poem.

What's it about?

Um, I want to write about Mom.

But I'm having trouble remembering her.

I know, sweetie.

[door closes] - I'm home!

Oh, hey, guys.

Hi, Emma. Hi, Mom.

Dad, are you gonna help me with my homework?

Oh, I can't tonight.

I just wanted to come by for a sec

and see you before I go to the HPG meeting.

You're gonna be asleep by the time I'm home.

I got to go. I love you.

Oh, Mom, do you know

where that gray sweater of mine is?

[indistinct chatter]

Hey, guys, sorry I'm late.

Just juggling family and work

and trying to have it all.

Alex Kramer, half HPG president.

Yeah, we met.

I'm Mike Canton. I'm representing the faculty.

Oh, right. Yes, it's good to see you again.

You too.

And you already know your co-president, Clara.

Oh, yeah, we're getting to know each other real well.

Yep.

So, well, should we get this party started, huh?

The first item of business

is that the HPG volunteers

have set the student drop-off too close to the bus zone.

It's becoming a safety issue.

I say we just get rid of the buses, right?

Kind of road hogs anyway?

Yeah, so the children whose parents

can't drop them off just won't get an education.

I was joking. It was--it was a joke.

I'll have the volunteers move the drop-off

further down the street.

Um, next?

- Does anyone have an extra pen? - Yeah. Oh.

The teachers have been asking the school district

for a new digital projector for over a year,

and the administration says

the money is in the budget for next year,

but until then, the old projector's broken.

We can't use it to teach or show educational videos.

Projector? What is this, like, 1982?

Shouldn't the kids be getting multimedia presentations or--

Schools had more money in 1982.

How much is a new projector?

We had an estimate for about $600.

Well, the HPG could move $400 from the emergency fund

if the school can kick in the rest.

That's a great idea.

Yeah, I'll talk to the principal.

They should be able to work with that.

- Yeah. - Yeah, that's good stuff.

Good--guys, teamwork, right?

[laughter]

Oh, nice.

Okay, so what's next?

Our bake sale fatigue has knocked down profits

25% over last year.

Well, I am in marketing,

so I could probably come up with--

Let's go from four days a month to three

and see if that will help the bake sale fatigue.

(Nancy) Yeah.

All right, I think we are done.

- Meeting adjourned. - Thank you all.

- Great. - What?

- Nice to have you on board. - Perfect.

Yeah.

- Pleasure. My pen? - Oh, right.

- Thanks. - Yeah, thanks for--

Good to see you.

W--

You guys have a good night.

- Night, Clara. - Bye.

Hey. [chuckles]

You just rushed through that meeting

and didn't even listen to my ideas.

That's because they were completely unhelpful.

Okay, I get it.

I've stepped into your world,

and now you want to show me who's boss, am I right?

No.

Okay, can I at least

get an explanation?

Fine, that was a regular HPG status meeting.

We move through it fast because we all have lives and jobs.

Yeah.

As co-presidents, we're gonna have to be

in every meeting together,

but if you think I'm gonna show you the ropes

or slow things down for you, forget it.

Oh, okay, okay, look, look, look.

You can't just steamroll me like that.

I didn't join the parents group

just to be a thorn in your side.

I mean, I want to help.

Hmm, seriously?

Just tell me what you want me to do.

Well, we need these HPG fund-raising flyers

stuffed into these envelopes.

Are you--are you serious?

Hail to the chief.

Okay, fine.

How many flyers do you want?

Only about 800.

800?

You can say no.

Of course, if you don't do it,

that will invalidate your HPG status

and you wouldn't be president, so...

These will be ready by tomorrow morning.

Have fun.

Oh, I will.

I will.

I can't feel my hands.

(Dorothy) That Clara sure is a firecracker.

[laughs]

Let me help you.

No, I said I would do this,

and I'm gonna finish.

Oh, I get it now.

What's that supposed to mean?

She embarrassed you.

Now you're competitive about it.

You're acting like a child.

- I am not. - Come on.

You've been doing this since you were a toddler.

Someone would show you up,

and you would dig your heels in until you won.

And I always won, didn't I?

Well, not with Trish.

[solemn music]

When you first met Trish, you got into an argument

about some theory in marketing class.

Yeah.

She schooled me with so many statistics,

and my jaw just dropped open after she was finished.

You were a good match.

She had the business sense, so you could be creative.

How she was able to run a business

and still be such a great mom is beyond me.

Because her life wasn't only about the work.

Why don't you take a break for a bit?

Spend some time with Emma.

I would really love to do that, Mom, I really would,

but I don't think the bank's gonna be okay

with me not paying the mortgage.

This isn't about money.

Yeah, well, maybe it's not, but this is Trisha's business.

This was her dream, and I owe it to her to keep it afloat.

♪ ♪

[exhales]

I'm never gonna get these envelopes done.

You know, I should've just outsourced it

to the highest bidder.

Bidder...auction.

I think I have a great idea for the bake sale.

Race you to class, Oliver.

Oliver, don't run in the hallways.

I swear, he's gonna wipe out.

Speaking of wiping out,

making Alex stuff all those envelopes

was a bit overkill, don't you think?

No, if he wants to be part of the HPG,

he should prove himself.

But we usually get five volunteers for that job.

That poor guy probably had to pull an all-nighter.

It's not like he's gonna stick around

after he gets his commercial done.

And if I can make him quit before that, I win.

For somebody who hates sports, you're awfully competitive.

(Alex) And now, ladies and gentlemen,

item number 23 in our list,

this delicious deep-fried jelly doughnut.

This sugar-kissed treasure

was imported all the way from the 4th Street Bakery.

Now, no one knows what the flavor of the jelly is inside,

except for the highest bidder,

and we're starting with $3.

- I got $3. - $3.

Margaret, what's going on here?

Bake auction.

The food goes to the highest bidder.

$4, cash money.

Yes, yes?

I hear 4. Can I get 5?

- $5. - 5.

To the smart mother in the smart blouse.

Well, Clara, it's nice

to see someone in the parents group still has good ideas.

- Got 6. - Sold.

[gavel pounds]

$6 to the father with three kids.

Sir, you need this more than any of us.

[bell rings]

Oh, I guess that concludes the bake auction for today.

Thank you.

Guys, come back next week,

because we're gonna be auctioning off grades.

Kidding, it's always pastries.

Hey, guys.

I saved you a few.

We didn't have a bake sale scheduled.

Oh, I know. It's a bake auction.

You can't just schedule things on your own.

Everything has to be approved.

Oh, I thought co-presidents weren't supposed to slow down

and explain things when they had an idea.

This is not an idea. This is a circus.

Not to mention you're blocking the hallway to administration.

Well, so far, we've made $211.

$211 in one bake sale?

Bake auction.

Oh, and plus...

800 stuffed envelopes ready to go.

Hey, do you guys want me to do anything else

to make the parent group more awesome?

Because I could really get used to this position.

[whistling]

He is awesome.

How do you think you did on the math test?

- How was school? - It was so good.

(Mike) Great poems you all wrote.

See, you can all be like Shakespeare.

We'll work on them some more next time.

Mom, I think I left my backpack in homeroom.

Okay, just come right back, okay?

Okay, I will.

Emma, thanks for joining us again today.

Oh, sure.

So I wrote a poem,

and I was wondering maybe if you want to read it.

I would love to.

You should also show it to Mr. Canton.

Oh, well, it's kind of personal.

Okay.

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

Wow.

Emma, this is beautiful.

Come on.

I'm serious. You should read it to the class.

What? No way.

Has your dad seen this?

Oh, um, no.

He's so busy, I just don't want to bother him.

I think he would really love to see it.

I can't.

I have to go.

[sighs]

The actors who played Beatrice and Benedick,

they had so much chemistry.

Yeah, Beatrice is one of my favorite characters

because she's such a wisecracker.

- I know! - What else did you think?

Well, the music, it was a little annoying,

but I thought that the sets were beautiful.

It's so great talking theater with someone who gets it.

Do you go to plays when they come to town?

Whenever I can.

It's really nice to go with someone

who appreciates a good performance.

Huh.

You know, I haven't told anyone this,

but the local theater company's putting on Pygmalion.

Oh.

I'm going to audition.

I can totally see you as Henry Higgins.

Actually, I was hoping that maybe you'd help me run lines.

Me?

Yeah, it's nice to find another theater aficionado.

Thanks.

[laughs]

Jeff, I'm gonna send you

some of these location photos from Heartridge.

I think Hal's gonna love it here.

Can you come in and work on the script?

I'll be by in a little bit.

I just need to make sure I have

all the support I need for the commercial.

Getting the HPG on board shouldn't be a problem.

[camera beeps]

Call you back.

Kick it.

[grunts]

Whoa!

Whoa-ho-ho.

That was a nice kick.

Really?

I've been practicing a lot on my own.

I'd love to be on the soccer team.

Hey, why don't you try out?

My mom's not into sports.

I can show you a few things.

Now?

Yeah, it'll just take a second.

Let's do it.

All right.

Well, for a basic kick,

basically, you want to lock your ankle and hit it

with the inside part of your foot.

Give that a shot.

[grunts]

Hey, you did it.

All right, that was awesome.

So just try and make sure

you're always square to the ball,

and practice hitting it with that part of your foot.

You'll get better real quick.

Nice.

[bell rings]

Oh, better get to class.

Heads up.

- Oh, I'll hang on to this. - Okay.

You need to go to class, young lady.

Mm.

Margaret, did you raid your daughter's closet again?

Hal Harrington always has cheerleaders in his commercials.

I need to show him that my squad

deserves to be front and center.

Wait a minute, Hal's coming here today?

I didn't hear about that.

I ran into Alex earlier. He told me.

But we haven't officially approved the commercial yet.

Alex needs Clara to sign off on it.

I'm so over HPG politics.

[line trilling]

(Clara) Hey, Nancy.

Clara, did you know that Hal Harrington

was stopping by today?

(Clara) What?

What'd I say, Hal?

Isn't this a great location?

This school has got some amazing places to shoot.

[grunts]

(Jeff) Um, Hal, what are you doing?

[groans]

When I get to a new location,

I like to kick off my boots, son, you know, feel the grass.

Connect to what's important.

- Okay. - Yeah.

All right, well, take a look around,

because in less than two weeks,

we're gonna have kids and parents

all playing sports with your equipment.

And who's in the middle?

Alex, tell him who's in the middle.

That'd be you, Hal.

Man of the hour.

When the camera pushes in...

Yeah.

You give your trademark smile,

and you say...

[gassy noise]

Oh, boy.

Should we be worried?

That sounded bad.

What was that?

[marching band playing]

♪ ♪

Come on, guys.

You have got to be kidding me.

Well, hello there.

Clara, what is this?

Oh, just a little marching band practice.

Well, mostly the drama club

with a couple members of the marching band,

just one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Hi, I'm Clara Goodwin.

Oh, hi.

Hal...Harrington?

Hal Harrington, huh?

Huh?

Hal Harrington. [laughs]

No?

Well, I got a coupon for each one of you kids.

This is a-- this is quite a, um--

What would you call this?

We're a band.

A band, okay.

Yup, and it's all thanks to the HPG.

I'm the co-president of the HPG, with Alex.

Oh, is that right?

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

But you were just leaving.

No.

We signed out the space for our practice.

You didn't happen to go to the front office

and reserve it in the HPG request book, did you?

[chuckles] I guess I didn't.

(Clara) Yeah, yeah.

Well, you have to know the ins and outs of the HPG

to know where to find that.

I guess we officially have the field for today.

Band, please continue.

[band playing]

Sorry, Hal.

Anyway, as I was saying...

- Hal? - Yeah.

Where are you going?

Well, you riled up a woman.

Fix this, and then we'll talk.

Alex, fix this.

Okay.

[band playing]

♪ ♪

[upbeat music]

Okay, so the field is definitely signed out

for the commercial.

- Mm-hmm, yes. - Great.

- Thanks for your help. - Mm-hmm.

- Hey, Oliver. - Hey, Alex.

What you doing?

Returning the chess club attendance sheet.

That sounds like a load of fun.

Yeah.

Hey, can we practice soccer again?

You know what, I got a little bit of time.

Let's do it.

Yes.

[laughs]

What are we gonna work on today?

You kick, or do you want to go on goal?

Goal.

♪ ♪

You ready?

- Yup. - All right.

Oh, good try, good try.

That was good.

Good job, all right.

Now, we need to make sure that the cleanup crew

for the science fair is set by this weekend.

I don't want the janitors freaking out like last year.

I can handle that.

Thanks, Nancy.

Also, I had an idea.

What if we did a fund-raising gala?

We could do a silent auction

and raise money for the arts.

Yeah, that's a great idea.

By the way, has anyone seen Oliver?

He was supposed to be working on his science fair project.

He's on the soccer field.

What?

Uh, he's playing soccer with Alex.

I thought you knew that.

No, but now I do.

This one is coming at you with a little more heat.

Bring it on.

(Alex) Whoa, nice save, bud!

Oliver!

Are you okay, bud?

Yeah, that was--

Uh-oh.

Uh-oh.

What are you doing?

Are you hurt?

Is anything broken?

I'm fine.

I caught the ball.

Did you see?

I saw, honey.

Wait for me in Mr. Canton's room, okay?

Okay.

I'll be there in a minute.

Thanks, Alex.

You're welcome. Good job, bud.

Got a little superstar on your hands.

Who said you can play ball with my son?

We--we were just kicking around.

He could've been hurt.

He's not made of glass, Clara.

Kids fall all the time.

That's why they make those cute little bandages

with the cartoon characters on them.

Band-Aids?

You're not the one who has to spend all afternoon with him

in the emergency room.

I think you're overreacting.

Me?

Is this how you're getting back at me

for blocking your dumb commercial?

Dragging my kid into sports?

I didn't drag him. He wanted to play.

You're the adult. You could've said no.

This is a new low for you.

Okay, you were the one who humiliated me

in front of my client with that marching band stunt.

That's different than going after your family.

You know what?

I work for my family.

Maybe you work a little too much.

What is that supposed to mean?

Just that Emma might need more from you

than just a paycheck.

I'm very involved in my daughter's life.

Hmm.

Can you name any of the kids in her class?

[scoffs] Of course I can.

What, like, right now?

Sure, sure, yeah.

There's, you know, the one with the, uh, uh, glasses

and then the one with the kind of weird hair.

You know what?

Look, at least I'm not overprotective.

You're so afraid that Oliver is gonna get hurt,

you won't even let him be a kid.

You have done nothing but ruin the parents group,

and now you're telling me how to raise my son?

I'm done.

[scoffs] Oh, great.

[sighs]

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

Mom, are you mad because I played soccer?

Of course not.

It's just some grown-up stuff.

I had fun with Alex.

It was like when Dad used to play catch with me.

I know you're upset,

and you're taking it all out on Alex,

but I was the one who asked him for help.

Oliver, I know you really like Alex,

but you don't need to cover for him.

I'm not. I asked him.

I want to play soccer,

and he's willing to help me out,

plus he's a great coach.

But what about the chess team and the drama club?

Don't you like those?

I do, but I also like soccer--a lot.

[sighs] I know.

I just--

I just wouldn't forgive myself

if anything happened to you.

It's just soccer.

It's not like I want to jump out of a plane,

though that would be cool.

No, it would not.

Aren't you busy enough with drama and chess?

I am, but you're always saying

we should have balance in our lives.

Well played, sir.

Well played.

(Alex) I feel horrible.

I mean, this whole rivalry with Clara

is just getting way too personal.

Maybe this was bad idea.

You're over-thinking this.

The whole point of you getting involved with the HPG

was to get our commercial shot, right?

I know.

I just hadn't anticipated going up

against someone as formidable as Clara.

I've seen you persuade clients to drop 20 grand on a website.

Getting a soccer mom to back off shouldn't be so hard.

No, she's no soccer mom.

Right, she hates soccer.

Once the election is over,

Clara and the parents group will be behind you.

I know.

Well, I'm picking up Emma tonight.

And Clara volunteers at the drama club,

so I'll go early and try to sell her on this idea.

Our business depends on this commercial.

I know.

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.

Thou art thyself, thou not a Mont--

Montague?

Montague, Sarah.

Very well done, both of you.

Remember, we just want to show people

how accessible Shakespeare is,

how he writes about things

that can be applied to life today.

Thank you.

Who wants to go next?

Um, I think I'd like to try reading my poem,

if that's okay.

I think that would be great.

[exhales]

"They say I'm so young, as if I can't know

"just how hard it is for one to grow.

"Did they feel her touch?

"Did they hear her sing?

"Did they know the answers to most everything?

"She was so soft and so sweet all in one.

"We cooked, and we played, and we danced a ton.

"Okay, so she's gone.

"And although it is tough,

"I still feel her warmth,

"and I still feel her touch.

"She's my mom forever and more.

I love you till the end, forever adore."

[applause]

(Mike) Emma, that was beautiful.

So very well said,

and you conveyed your love for your mom in a magnificent way.

Thank you for sharing that with us.

- I'll be right back. - Okay.

(Mike) Well done, Emma.

[sighs]

You okay?

Yeah.

Just, um, Emma's never--

I didn't realize she was feeling that way.

We've never really talked about it.

Well, you know, sometimes it's easier

to express yourself through writing or art

than to talk about your feelings,

especially to a parent.

I guess I never really thought of it that way.

It's one of the reasons

I push so hard for the arts programs.

Everyone needs an opportunity to express themselves,

even the jocks.

Well, Emma sure did.

I think she just wanted to know it was okay to talk about it.

And she found her way through poetry.

It really was pretty good, wasn't it?

It was beautiful.

Listen, Clara.

I'm sorry.

I should not have called you overprotective.

And I shouldn't have embarrassed you

in front of Harrington

or said those things about you and Emma.

We should just put our differences aside

and let the parents group vote on what's best.

I really do care about this school.

Just give me a chance to prove it.

There's no reason we can't work together.

Look, um, I've got a sitter for Oliver tonight,

and I'm going to check out locations

for the fund-raising gala.

You can come with me, if you want.

Sounds like more fun than stuffing envelopes.

[chuckles]

All right, well, I'll--

I'll text you the address.

Cool.

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

[sighs]

♪ ♪

Thanks for helping.

Mom, I realized something.

I've been neglecting you and Emma.

And yourself.

Yeah, I guess.

Well, just recognizing that

is such a step in the right direction.

I should talk to Emma about her mother.

It's just so hard, Mom.

I know, sweetie.

Well, she's asleep now, and I'm heading out

to check out those restaurants with Clara tonight.

Okay.

Just be back by 10:00.

Why?

Because I'm going out.

You're going out after 10:00?

Yeah.

Oh.

No big deal.

No.

No big deal at all.

(Clara) Well, the food price seems okay.

Does that include beverages?

It sure does.

It's an excellent location.

And we can clear an area for a dance floor.

It's included in the rental fee.

Oh, I don't think we can afford a rental fee

on top of the food.

We'll end up with nothing leftover.

Let me talk to my partner, see what we can do.

- Okay. - I'll be right back.

- Great. - Thanks.

Should we sit down?

Oh.

Here.

Oh, wouldn't have pegged you for a gentleman.

- Eh, I have my moments. - [chuckles]

So I had an idea.

The commercial shoot, we're gonna need

all kinds of banners, props, and music.

Right.

Well, instead of paying some company to create all that,

why don't I just pay the art groups to do it?

That would fund us for the year.

And, in fact, instead of Sports Day,

we can open it up to all the clubs?

We could call it Activities Day.

Do we have ourselves a deal, Madam President?

Yes, we do, Mr. President.

[laughter]

I'm so sorry.

(Carlos) I can't waive the rental fee.

We just lose so much business by closing for the night.

- Oh. - [sighs]

Well, um, Carlos, here's the thing.

On the way over, I checked out the website,

and I noticed that it was a little out of date.

The menu's not posted.

Users should be able to make online reservations.

I've been wanting to update that website for years.

Well, what if my ad agency threw in a free re-design

in exchange for waiving the rental fee?

I think you have yourself a venue for your gala.

Sounds good.

I'll draw up the contract.

You really do have some talents.

A little bit.

[laughs]

This is great.

Yeah, it's actually a really nice spot.

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

(Alex) All right, Heartridge students.

Let's keep up the good work.

We're on the home stretch.

Is this okay?

Perfect.

And if you need any help with painting,

just talk to the art club.

Oh, and if you have any spelling questions,

just ask Mr. Canton, okay?

Okay.

Hello, Margaret.

Making a banner for the cheer squad?

Yes, I think having the squad work on a banner

is great for team-building.

Hey, it's--it's very...

sparkly.

The cheerleaders are really the stars of the school.

We should have the most sparkle.

Of course.

Good job, guys.

- Thanks. - Thank you.

All right, so far, so good.

I know, right?

Everyone seems to be having a good time.

Oh, and, uh,

I got a little surprise for the kids.

I ordered pizza.

You didn't have to do that.

Well, I know, but look at them.

They're working so hard,

and that's why we're here, right?

Dad, I want to show Oliver a couple of moves

on the soccer field.

Is that okay?

It's really up to Oliver's mom.

Please, please, please?

Okay.

Okay? Seriously, I can play?

How about tomorrow after school we meet at the field,

and Emma and I will show you a few moves?

You're coming too, Dad?

Yeah, I think I owe you about 50 playdates, honey.

Thanks, Dad.

Wow.

I'm impressed.

[laughs]

I've never been to a play rehearsal before.

Thank you for letting me sit in.

Well, I have ulterior motives.

You really have a passion for theater.

Would you ever think about

getting involved in a production?

Me?

That would be fun, but I have no experience.

Well, there are a lot of ways to get involved.

It doesn't matter what your background is.

No, no, no, no, no.

I don't--I don't-- I don't have the time, you know?

That's a shame.

You were really good.

Thanks.

I'm parked over here.

(Jeff) Hal's on his way up.

I can't believe you left.

(Alex) Well, he's two hours late for our meeting,

and I told you, I'm playing soccer with Emma after school,

and then I'm meeting Clara.

[knocking]

Hello.

What's up?

Hey, where's, uh, where's your friend?

He had an emergency at school,

but I've got him on the phone.

On the phone?

I-I left Pilates.

Okay, well...

Hello, Alex. What's your big idea?

Oh, hey, Hal. All right, so here's the thing.

If we switch from a Sports Day to an Activities Day,

we reach a much broader audience.

Activities Day?

What--I don't-- what does that mean?

(Alex) All right, if you think about it,

if we have only a Sports Day spot,

we're only limited to a sports audience.

But with an Activities Day, we get sports and arts.

(Hal) No, no, no, no, no.

Son, my business is not called

Harrington's Arting Goods, all right?

Oh, Hal, trust me on this.

Once you see that your sales

have just skyrocketed after this spot,

you're gonna be thanking me.

No, no, no, no, he's not listening.

He's not listening.

Listen, I don't like what I'm hearing right now.

Alex? Alex?

[laughs] Whoo!

- Alex. [line beeps]

I guess we lost him.

Yeah, well, I think you are actually losing me.

I--look, I'm a businessman, right.

My time is very, very valuable,

and I hope that I did not make a mistake

in trusting you.

You guys need to focus.

I need teamwork, synergy.

What is he-- he's not even here!

Get it together, all right?

Yeah, just don't worry, Hal.

W-we--we're gonna focus.

[sighs]

[phone rings]

Yeah. Hello?

(Jeff) Yeah, Alex, Hal left. It's just me now.

Oh, okay, great.

Oh, and before I forget,

we need a quick web re-design.

We need to talk.

(Alex) Oh, don't worry, it's not gonna cost us anything.

I know a web designer that owes me a favor, so...

(Jeff) Not about that.

Hal isn't on board with this whole Activities Day thing.

Jeff, just relax.

This is gonna work out.

And look, I got to go.

I'll talk to you tomorrow. All right? See ya.

(Oliver) Mom!

Hey, guys.

So Nancy is gonna take you guys to get burgers

while we have a meeting.

- Burgers! - Burgers?

Save me some.

Hey.

What's with the sports gear?

I mean, I can't believe

you have time to work out with your schedule.

I mean, you must.

You look great.

Thanks.

And--and I mean that

in a very professional, you know, co-presidential way.

Oh, of course.

But I'm not coming from the gym.

I thought if you could show me some moves,

then I can kick around the ball with Oliver sometime.

I think I can show you some basics.

The object of the game is to get it in the net.

That doesn't seem so hard.

Ah, the trick is, you got to get it by me.

[laughs] Oh.

Let's see what you got, Goodwin.

All right, easy.

What you got?

- Oh! - [laughs]

(Alex) Oh, goal!

Now you got to--

You got to do your game goal dance.

No fair, you let me get that shot.

Yeah, I kind of did.

But I just wanted to get you comfortable,

you know, build up the confidence.

Next time, I'm not gonna be so easy on you.

[laughs]

Well, watch out.

- Oh! - Whoa, oh.

[laughs]

(Alex) Well, first order is, I got to eat something,

or else I'm not gonna be any good to you.

[laughs]

Oh, I'm starving too.

Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, and next we can-- - Oh.

Wow, you're really good.

Oh, please, no.

Yeah, and I've got the music

for the dance club performance,

so I think we're ready.

Did you see all the banners?

Didn't they come out great?

I even like Margaret's cheer squad one.

Yeah, they're gonna look really good on camera.

Whoa, when I sound more excited

about the commercial than you do,

something's wrong.

It's just, Hal is having second thoughts about the spot,

and I feel like a new tagline would help.

What's the one you have now?

Hal Harrington Sporting Goods:

family great.

Oh.

You know, moms tend to like grammar.

Well, you got any brilliant ideas?

Well, how about...

Hal Harrington:

making sports a family business.

Kind of sounds like his stores are run by the mob.

It does not.

Come on over to the house,

and I'll give you a really good deal.

Well, let's do this.

Where are you going?

You have helped me and the HPG.

Maybe I can help you.

Let's brainstorm.

Alex Kramer: writing taglines since forever.

Well, it can't get any worse than that.

Really?

All right.

Well, it's a start.

That it is. It's a start.

Hmm.

[sighs]

Okay, now I give up.

No.

We can't quit.

I know what it's like.

I have crazy deadlines and impossible clients too.

But maybe this commercial doesn't need a tag.

Oh, no, you've come up with so many good ones.

We're close.

You said that a while ago.

Now, we're even closer.

Well, we should have the word "family" in it.

Now we just need the rest to make it a winner.

[Clara sighs]

That's it.

Winner.

Clara, you're brilliant.

I am? What did I say?

Listen to this.

Hal Harrington:

where family is always the winner.

I like it.

Just like?

Okay, I love it.

Ha-ha! We did it!

Sorry.

Oh, that was just excitement.

About the line.

About the line, of course.

Yeah, it's a good line.

Well, I think the good news is, we're ready for the shoot.

Shh, don't tell anyone.

If we're not fighting, they'll get confused.

Yeah, wouldn't want that.

[phone chimes]

Oh, sorry.

Oh, it's Nancy.

(Clara) What?

How did that happen?

There's been a small flood in the storage room.

We lost some of the banners.

Oh, man, well, we need those banners.

I guess we're gonna have to make more?

And the kids worked so hard on them.

Okay, how are we gonna fix this?

Well, we're gonna have to use

the world's oldest form of labor.

Family.

So you just need to keep the ball balanced on your foot.

You try.

I got this.

Oh.

See, I'm a pro.

[laughter]

(Alex) Nice job.

You know, I could teach you how to do that one day, Clara.

All right.

Break time is over.

Help Nancy out with those balloons, will you?

I'm starting to hate balloons.

Well, you loved them when you were a baby.

So did your mom.

Really?

Yeah.

Your mom loved red balloons.

She went crazy for them.

You know, if we had an argument, your mom and I,

I wouldn't buy her flowers afterwards.

I would get her a dozen red balloons.

That's so cool.

And you loved them too.

I remember the night before your fourth birthday.

Your mom and I stayed up all night

and we filled your entire room with red balloons.

Then when you woke up in the morning,

you were so excited, you didn't want to leave.

And we tried everything, but you were pretty stubborn.

So we had the party right there.

We ate cake and opened presents

in a room full of red balloons.

Well, I think I remember that.

We all stayed in your room that night,

and your mom and I watched you sleep.

It's one of my favorite memories of our family.

I didn't remember any of that until you told me the story.

Thank you, Dad.

You're welcome, sweetheart.

Last of the banners are being put away,

and the kids are devouring cookies.

I would've grabbed you some, but I would've lost an arm.

[chuckles]

That story about the balloons was beautiful.

Trisha sounds like an amazing woman.

Yeah, she was.

When she passed away, it was...

it was hard on both of us.

I wish I had been there more for Emma,

but I didn't realize how hard it hit me.

I just buried myself in work.

Trisha and I, we built that business together,

so it's my way of staying connected to her.

How did Emma stay connected?

I guess I didn't really give her a way.

And then when my mom moved in,

it was just easier for me to keep working.

So you wouldn't feel the loss as much.

When I heard Emma reading that poem about her mom,

it just--it hit me.

I'm better at communicating with my clients than my own daughter.

Emma is really talented.

She has a knack for expressing emotions.

Yeah.

And I didn't even know it.

Now you do.

She didn't want to show you that poem

until it was ready.

It's not too late to get more involved in her life.

Thanks.

And thanks for bringing her into the drama club.

She's a natural.

And Oliver, he's got some serious soccer skills.

- [laughs] - I hate to tell you.

How do you feel about him being on the team?

Ugh, I don't know.

All right, what is it with you and sports?

I've always been a worrier.

The one good thing about my ex, Chad,

is, he kept me more balanced.

But Oliver is all I have now.

So I'm more over-protective than ever.

I grew up with a single mom.

It was hard for her to let go.

I think it still is.

Deep down, I'm worried that he misses the bond

he had with his dad.

I try to be both parents, but when I see him with you,

I--I'm not sure I'm doing so well in the dad side.

Oliver thinks the world of you.

- No. - I can see it.

You work so hard, but you still make him priority.

You're a good mom, Clara.

I'm learning a lot from you.

Thank you.

I should get going.

Tomorrow is a--is a big day.

We have the runoff election,

and then the next day, the Activities Day

and the commercial.

Yeah, I'm gonna have the crew in there

first thing in the morning putting up the banners.

I never thought I'd see the jocks

and the artists work together so well.

I know.

Thanks, Alex.

For what?

For reminding me that partnership can work.

Yeah, I'm gonna get going, and take Emma home.

Yeah, yeah.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Yeah, I'll see you.

First thing in the morning.

[poignant music]

♪ ♪

So...good day?

Good day.

It was nice to hear you talk about Mom.

I owe you a lot more stories about her.

It's okay, Dad.

I think we're both ready to start talking about her again.

Well, I can tell you she was an amazing woman.

And people talk about finding the one.

And I was lucky to find my true love so early in life.

So does that mean you only had one true love

in your whole life?

Um...

I don't really know.

I mean...

I think that...

♪ ♪

(Jeff) Looking good, yeah.

A little higher, this side, yeah.

Sorry.

Yeah.

[indistinct chatter]

- Jeff. - Alex.

What's going on?

I'm glad you're here.

Should the banner be in front of Hal or in back?

Where are the banners the kids made?

Hal didn't like the direction you were taking the campaign.

He tried to tell you a bunch of times,

and you didn't listen.

And it was your job to make sure

that he stayed on board and understood our vision.

Clara's never gonna go for this.

She won't have a choice when you win the election tonight.

What are you talking about?

(Jeff) If she wins tonight,

she can still stop the shoot tomorrow.

So I've recruited Margaret and all the sports parents.

They'll all be there tonight voting for you.

You're a shoe-in.

Then Activities Day is out the window?

I know you don't want to be stuck

with this silly parents group,

but once the shoot's over, you can quit

and give it all back to what's-her-name.

Wow, Alex.

I give you credit.

You really know how to--

how to take advantage of people to get what you want.

Listen, Clara, this is not what it looks like.

No, I think this is exactly what it looks like.

You know what? You win.

You get the HPG and the commercial.

Congratulations.

Clara, wait.

Let her go.

Jeff, this is really bad.

And going behind my back?

What terrible thing have I done?

Save the commercial?

Got your kid's school free sports equipment?

Stopped you from becoming parent of the year

at the expense of our company?

Well, maybe there are more important things

than our company.

This was our dream, remember?

Trisha's dream.

Don't, Jeff.

(Jeff) TAJ Marketing.

That's Trisha, Alex, and Jeff.

We started this together.

(Jeff) Trisha sacrificed so much for our company.

And if she were here, she'd do whatever it took

to keep us from going under.

If we lose Hal,

everything the three of us built will be over.

Is that what she would have wanted?

[sighs]

Hi, Mike, I got your text. Is this a bad time?

Great time.

Thank you, Dot, come in, come in.

(Mike) I got a couple of minutes before class starts.

Have a seat, please.

I have a surprise for you.

- Really? - Yeah.

Four-wheel drive, automatic transmission?

Now that Hal Harrington's money

is going to all the clubs

and it looks like the athletic schedule

is gonna ease up a bit,

we can actually put on Midsummer Night's Dream.

(Dorothy) That's great, Mike.

So I get free tickets?

I can do you one better.

I want you to volunteer for the play

and be part of the production.

- What? - Yeah.

I spoke to the principal and everyone involved,

and they would all love for you to do it.

There's just no way.

There's no way.

Alex and Emma, they really just--

they really need me, so...

Dorothy, it may not be my business,

but when I look at Alex and Emma,

I see a father and a daughter trying to find each other.

Maybe it's time to step back and let them.

Well, they need me.

They do.

So, if you'll excuse me, Mike, I...

(Nancy) Hey.

What happened?

Seems my sensitive and thoughtful co-president

is actually a lying, opportunistic worm,

and we're back to Sports Day tomorrow.

What?

You're kidding.

Nope, the student banners are gone.

It was all just a ploy to get his commercial shoot,

and we were merely pawns in his elaborate scheme.

I can believe this.

This doesn't sound like Alex.

Believe it.

He's getting Margaret to bring her sports moms

to the vote tonight.

He'll win by a landslide.

I should have known better than to trust him.

Don't beat yourself up.

Listen, you have more fans out there than you realize.

What about the band parents and the drama parents

and the geology parents?

We have a couple of hours to mobilize our posse.

It's not enough, Nancy.

It's the only shot we have.

Come on, Clara, you have to fight this.

[exhales]

Ugh, I've had a terrible day,

and I sure could-- well, hello to you.

Where's she going?

With me.

It seems our friend Clara needs some help tonight.

So we're gonna go there.

So you're not on my side?

Alex, you crushed those kids

who worked on the banners,

and you went back on your word to Clara.

What's gotten into you?

Mom, listen, you have to understand.

This is about saving my company.

I am not buying that.

Your business has always had ups and downs.

You are scared.

Maybe I am scared of losing

the company that I built with Trisha.

You're not remembering Trisha very well.

(Dorothy) I was at Emma's party too.

What did you do with the balloons at the end of it?

We went outside and let them go.

And what did Trisha say?

She said that letting the balloons go

and watching them fly was the most beautiful part.

I've got to get to school.

[door shuts]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

I'm driving.

Look at all of Margaret's soccer moms.

They're with Team Alex for sure.

Mm.

(Margaret) My ears are burning.

[laughing]

Clara Goodwin, look at you.

Why so serious?

Maybe HPG president is a little much for you.

Margaret, I know you're gonna vote for Alex,

but you should know that he's doing this

for all the wrong reasons.

Sweetie, I know you tried the whole balance thing,

but this is a sports school,

so let's just make this painless tonight

and get back to business as usual, okay?

[chuckles]

I can't believe this is gonna happen.

You're not giving up.

That's not the Clara I know.

[solemn music]

♪ ♪

How about this turnout, Alex?

We have got this in the bag.

I wouldn't be so sure.

Oh-ho-ho-ho.

Hal?

Look at this. Hey.

What are you doing here?

Well, I heard there's gonna be a vote.

I'm pretty excited about it, huh, huh?

Yeah, there's gonna be some fireworks.

[gavel pounding]

Attention, everyone.

[gavel pounding]

(Margaret) Attention.

Attention!

[gavel pounding]

Hello, I'm past president Margaret Dell.

[applause]

Thank you. Oh.

Thank you so much.

So tonight I'll be officiating the meeting

with Nancy Gander counting the votes.

Well, we all know why we're here.

Should we just get it over with?

Actually, Margaret,

I would like to say a few things if--if I could.

Well, I don't see why not.

[Margaret chuckles]

[applause]

[microphone whining]

Oh, sorry.

Hi.

Well, as you know,

two weeks ago, I was elected as HPG co-president.

But the truth is...

I ran for all the wrong reasons.

I didn't really care about bake sales or drama clubs,

or even soccer teams.

All I really cared about was selling an ad campaign

to that man sitting over there.

[laughs]

Okay.

What in the world is he doing?

And I would like to apologize to everyone

for being elected under false pretenses.

But school is about learning,

and over the last few weeks I've learned a lot,

like that the HPG is a lot more than fund-raising.

It's about family.

It's about community.

It's about, most importantly, balance.

Balance between parents and the teachers,

sports and arts,

business and family.

And I realized that my life's been out of balance.

And if it wasn't for a few very special women,

I might have missed out on that lesson.

So, effective immediately,

I am resigning as HPG co-president,

and Clara Goodwin is officially your president.

[cheers and applause]

You can't. We have to have a vote.

You have to be president.

Actually, no, we don't have to vote.

According to the bylaw,

if there's two people running and one resigns,

the other one is automatically president.

Am I right, Madam President?

[applause]

Come on.

You didn't have to do this.

Yes, I did.

This is your job.

And I have to let go of a few things

to make room for some new ones.

- [mumbles] - Wait.

What about Sports Day?

Well, as I recall...

it's called Activities Day, am I right?

[applause]

That's what kids wrote on the banners,

so that's what it's gonna be.

If you do this--

if you do this,

you're all throwing away a fortune in sporting goods.

No.

No. [chuckles]

No, no, no, they're not.

You're crazy, you're crazy.

Because--and let me tell you why.

I look at--come here, Madam President, huh?

[applause]

Look, I look out and I see

a bunch of people who really care about Activities Day,

am I right?

(Hal) Okay, and I see a lot of parents

who want to see the arts side-by-side with sports.

- Yes! - That's right.

And--and so, Hal Harrington Sporting Goods,

effective immediately,

will have an arts section in our stores,

[cheers and applause]

Oh, and more importantly,

we're shooting a commercial tomorrow!

All right.

And I have coupons.

[cheers and applause]

(Alex) See, I told you it would work out.

You always say it will,

and one day, maybe I'll actually believe you.

- Hey! - This is amazing!

It's great.

Hey.

So, good day?

The best.

I love you, Dad.

I love you too, sweetheart.

Oh.

I am so proud of you.

Trish would be so proud of you.

Thanks, Mom.

Mike?

Oh, sorry.

Oh, Dorothy... look, I'm--I'm so sorry.

I over-stepped boundaries, and I want to apologize.

Stop, please.

It's me who needs to apologize.

Are you still looking for someone

to help out with the play?

The job is yours.

Can we go shopping?

Sure.

For props?

No, to find some clothes

that bring out the color of your eyes.

You noticed my eyes?

I've noticed a lot of things,

but, anyway, we could maybe talk about that over--

over that dinner you've threatened to take me on?

Sure.

[poignant music]

[poignant music]

♪ ♪

We've got to stop meeting like this.

Why?

That would just be normal.

[laughs]

Um...

Alex...

Listen, Clara.

I've been a bit of a coward.

What are you talking about?

What you did up there took so much courage.

I'm not talking about the HPG.

I'm talking about you.

Oh.

It's true that we can let our past define us

if we're not careful.

You're quite the wordsmith, aren't you?

I've been working on that for a really long time.

[laughs]

But...

I think that I'm ready

to seek out that balance.

I mean, I know I am ready,

if you are.

[laughs]

[laughs]

I like your pitch.

You really know your target audience.

[swelling string music]

♪ ♪

(Clara) I need the two of you to work concessions.

Christy, you're in charge of recycling.

All right.

Hey. How are you holding up?

Oh, frazzled, overwhelmed, exhausted.

I got you a present.

Oh, thank you.

So now I'm officially a sports mom?

Look on the back.

Aw, sports and arts.

I got it.

I'll wear it today.

What are you doing hanging around the parents group?

Don't you have a commercial to shoot?

Yes, I do.

Wish me luck.

(Alex) Let's gather the troops.

It's show time.

All right, everybody.

Ready?

(kids) Yeah!

(Hal) Hey, what about this?

I don't know about what I'm wearing.

It's not very flashy.

(Hal) It's kind of pedestrian.

Then we're all on the right track.

- Yeah? - Oh, yeah.

All right.

- Jeff? - Camera's ready.

Kids?

(kids) Yeah!

All right, let's do it.

(Jeff) Hal Harrington commercial, scene one, take one.

Ready, places, and...action.

Hey, folks, it's Hal Harrington

of Hal Harrington Sporting Goods,

where we're not just about sports anymore, no.

Now we are a full-service activities super center.

Ho-ho!

[practicing music] - If your kids are into music...

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

[laughing] Bravo.

The arts, or whatever they do,

they're gonna need stuff.

Huh?

Huh?

Hey, so come on in to one of my many super stores.

We'll get 'em moving and having fun,

because at Hal Harrington Sporting Goods,

fun is our G-O-A-L.

(Hal) This is gonna be good.

(Emma) Go, Oliver, you can do it!

(Hal) This is gonna be good. Oh, yeah!

[crowd cheering]

(Hal) Come on, buddy!

[cheering]

Hal Harrington Sporting Goods: where family is always a winner!

And cut!

Guys, that was fantastic.

[laughter and cheering]

Mom, Mom, they want me on the soccer team.

Can I join?

Of course you can.

(Oliver) Yay!

[chuckles]

So, this is what you're good at?

At least we finally found out.

Ouch.

First full day as president, you already have an attitude?

What, are you gonna put me on clean-up duty?

Lucky for you, that position's already been filled.

[upbeat music]

[laughter]

You know, we could talk to that used cars salesman,

does all those TV commercials,

maybe give the HPG a new bus for field trips.

I could call him if you want.

You are just full of great ideas.

[Hal and kids cheering]

I think this is the best one.

[romantic music]

(Hal) Right? Oh, yeah!

[cheering]

(Hal) That was great. Come here.

(Hal) Come on!

Oh! Whoo!

(Hal) We did it, I'm telling you.

That's great, that's great.

[cheering]

(Hal) I don't know what you did, huh?

You, you, get over here.

[poignant music]

♪ ♪

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪