A Man in Full
Season 1 – Episode 3
Episode title: The Takedown
Original release date: May 2, 2024
Based on: A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
Plot: A shocking spectacle breeds tensions at Turpmtine. Roger’s aspirations to help Conrad take a hit. At a charity gala, old acquaintances reconnect.
* * *
Hey.
You okay?
Never better.
All right. Breakfast is on the table.
Good. Be right down.
Oh, Charlie? Charlie?
Easy does it. All right?
I’ll be right down, Serena.
We got ourselves a tradition here at Turpmtime.
Before the grits, before the buttermilk pancakes, we have ourselves an ointment.
He means anointment.
Yeah, I say ointment ’cause this is healing is what it is.
There’s a saying in Texas, which they stole from Georgia.
“He’s all hat and no cattle.”
Means deep down, he’s not a cowboy.
But you, Herb…
…you got some kick-ass John Wayne in your bones.
So, I hereby present to you your very own Turpmtime Stetson.
Whoo! Well, look at you!
He does look handsome.
Yeah. Giddy up!
Say it. Say it.
Giddy up.
Not bad. Let’s eat!
All right.
I got nothing against inclusion, okay?
But making space for everybody sometimes means somebody gets squoze out,
and who do you think gets squeezed the most? Hmm?
Not the Black man, not the Asian, not the woman.
Certainly not the trans GBTQ, no.
The white male is today’s squoze-ee.
Whether it’s affirmative action or diversity hiring,
it’s times up… …on the white American male,
and that’s a bigotry.
What makes him so dangerous is he sounds reasonable, the cocksucker.
I’m still not clear on what my role is in all this.
What? I… I told you your role.
To get dirt on him through Croker, and get the name of that fuckin’ woman.
Oh, here we go.
You chose to go into politics.
There’s a reason I chose not to.
What’s that supposed to mean?
I’m not…
You think you’re better?
No, I don’t.
Yeah, you do.
You’ve always thought it. Tell me, Roger. What did you go into?
You went into the business with Croker. What does that make you?
Do you remember what you told me when you took that fuck-shit job?
You came in here banging on and on all about these plans
to build projects for affordable and low-income housing.
How is that working out for you?
Because the only thing that Charlie Croker has built
is Taj Mahal apartments and that eyesore Croker Concourse.
That’s your legacy, Roger.
Don’t you dare look down on me.
I’m looking down on what you’re asking.
Oh yeah? Well, go fuck your proud self.
That’s a lot of anger. All for me?
Yeah.
These are your clothes for the rally later.
Thanks.
We both studied John Rawls in school. I mean, we… bonded on that, Roger.
Only difference between you and me is you talk pretty and I do ugly.
And ugly doing beats pretty talking, in my opinion.
What happened… if I may ask?
I mean, I know you like your job. And It’s a good job.
You get to travel in exciting circles with all kinds of interesting people, but what…
what do you think happened?
How you doing, Herb?
Oh, Charlie.
It’s beautiful. Beautiful.
Yes, it is. Good for hunting.
Oh, we don’t hunt. I mean, not quail, not anything.
Remember, I made that point.
Ever tried?
‘Cause I just gotta tell you, you just might be surprised.
Marsha is a member of PETA.
Oh, this lodge, we’re all about your PETA.
See, we breed them birds.
To be hunted.
Ah, even so, they would not be alive but for this hunting ground.
So I believe PETA would very much approve.
Uh-huh.
How’s things at work?
Fine, fine.
I realize I’m on this outing, so that you might convince me
to rent out the Concourse, and that’s okay.
You know, people make business deals all the time
on the golf course, you know.
Why not while shooting birds that are bred to be shot?
Let’s just be transparent.
Sounds good.
Uh, and it may be that I might choose to do business with you,
and then it’s all about the number.
Turpmtime is lovely,
and, yeah, you have a handsome son, a beautiful wife,
but this will still come down to a number.
He’s not going for this.
He sat a full inch taller as soon as I put it on his head.
They were horrified by the rattlesnake. You cannot make them shoot quail.
I’m not gonna make ’em kill anything. I’m gonna start out in the breeding barn.
Let ’em see First Draw’s big day.
Oh dear God.
Charlie’s at Turpmtime.
He’s there now?
With Herb Richman, a potential white knight.
Owner of Definition America.
I assume he took his schmancy jet?
The Challenger 600.
It’s returning later today.
According to my sources, he’s due to be at the gala.
Arrogant prick, still living his high-flying life.
Well, the party is officially over. Today begins Operation Takedown.
I cannot wait.
Get Mark Thorgen from legal involved.
Time to take a Clydesdale piss on that man’s head.
He’s not scared enough to my liking.
I really appreciate you for doing this.
Of course.
And you are the right lawyer to be doing it, right?
It’s just you’re not a criminal attorney.
Well, we’ll only be entering a plea.
And it’ll be a joint recommendation with the DA.
So over and done within three minutes?
You’re tough.
I don’t mean to doubt you.
Yes, you do.
It’s okay.
♪ Big John, big John ♪
♪ Every mornin’ at the mine You could see him arrive ♪
♪ He stood six-foot-six And weighed two-forty-five ♪
♪ Kinda broad at the shoulder And narrow at the hip ♪
♪ And everybody knew Ya didn’t give no lip to big John… ♪
I have a bad feeling about this.
You made that point.
She is PETA.
That one, too.
♪ Big bad John ♪
♪ Big John… ♪
Oh, Charlie, what are they doing to her tail?
Oh, they kinda bob it up some, make sure it’s out of the way.
She’s a champion in her own right. God’s creatures, they all are.
Come on.
All right, well, if you’d follow her this way.
These are sensitive, liberal Democrats.
Please.
We’re really just gonna let this happen?
If you can change his mind, be my guest.
Good luck.
Okay, easy, come on.
Get down.
Good girl. Here you go.
Oh, whoa. There you go.
There he goes. Come on.
Hold her steady.
Hold her. Go.
A little left over there.
All right.
Close. Lower.
Lower? All right. We’re in, all right. We’re in, all right.
Good job.
Man, this is life.
Pull, pull.
Whoa!
This is not right.
Whoa!
Yeah.
Hey.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
It didn’t go well.
It did not.
You look like you’re in some pain.
It’s the knee.
Twisted it with the rattler last night. Gonna need the operation.
Dad, what the fuck?
Did you really think that was gonna carry the day with Herb Richman?
First of all, it was an awesome spectacle.
Which you were hoping he’d conflate with you?
I really don’t need your ridicule.
You usually have good instincts.
Hey, they wanna go home,
like now.
The defendant will please rise.
Mr. District Attorney, am I to understand you have agreed to a sentence of 30 days?
Yes, Your Honor.
The defendant struck and rendered unconscious a police officer.
The People are satisfied that 30 days is a just disposition.
Uh-huh. Well, I’m not satisfied.
Thirty days is an insult.
And I might ask whose side are you on?
Your Honor.
Your client committed an aggravated assault.
Mr. Hensley was physically and violently manhandled.
I’ll accept 60.
Sixty days is not acceptable.
If he’s convicted at trial, he’s looking at 8 to 16 months.
Conrad Hensley, in addition to being a citizen with no prior records…
Oh, please stop waving that “no prior record” flag in my face.
This isn’t about what he did last year or last month, but Tuesday.
My client is a husband, an expecting father.
His wife Jill is with us today. He’s gainfully employed.
The underlying incident…
Wh… hold on.
Uh, young lady, you are the suspect’s wife?
Yes, Your Honor.
Did your husband’s counsel instruct you to stand
when he pointed to you?
No, sir.
Uh-huh. You may sit.
Mr. White, do you mean to show contempt for this court?
I’m trying to conceal it.
The police officer who was knocked out,
he, too, has a family and children, I believe.
The district attorney did not see fit
to have that family present at this proceeding.
But if they were here, what do you think their reaction would be
to a sentence of 30 days?
I cannot speak for the family.
As for who could, or would, that would most likely fall to the DA,
who has maintained that 30 days constitutes a just disposition.
Sixty days, or we set a trial date.
I don’t see us winning a trial.
If we do go to trial, he’s likely to be our judge.
This is not right.
I understand that…
It’s unfair.
It’s wrong.
The plea offer is rejected.
You cannot mean that. Let’s do the math, shall we?
Your client will be held pending trial date,
a trial date, which will be at least 60 days hence,
which means that you’re turning down 60 days
to get 60 days plus some
to then further risk eight to 16 months.
So,
let’s try this again, shall we?
Sixty days or go to trial?
We proceed to trial.
The defendant is to be remanded to Fulton County pending trial.
Wait, what… what? Fulton?
Your client is charged with a violent crime.
What’s going on? What’s wrong with you?
Ma’am.
It is not my habit to put a pregnant woman into a jail cell.
But nor is it beyond me.
The defendant is remanded. This court is adjourned.
I’m on this. I’ll get you out.
I’m goin’ to Fulton?
I will get you out.
No. No, no, you can’t do that.
I’ll be okay.
Jill!
Yo… you can’t.
Look at me now. I’ll be okay.
Herb, look.
It’d be best if you don’t talk.
It was best breeding practices.
It was a rape.
Does that really speak to who and what you are?
Perhaps it does.
Maybe we should speak to what you are, Herb.
What?
A successful businessman, no doubt. Piles of money, but have you lived, Herb?
I beg your pardon?
You’ll remember this day for the rest of your life.
You felt stirred, angered even, I get that.
But I say any day you feel emotion,
even if it’s rage, that’s a day worth living.
It’s them days that blur into each other you gotta watch out for.
Now…
I don’t mean this as a criticism.
Maybe, I do.
But when you die, will people notice?
You can say and think what you want about me,
but when I go, there are gonna be a lot of memories of me
by a lot of people, many who hate me.
Even so, a person needs to live with vigor, Herb.
Otherwise, what’s the point?
End of the day,
a man’s gotta shake his balls.
Herb?
We’re ready to leave. Now.
Uh, can you tell me again why we’re here?
Because I promised Wes we’d come. Is that so hard to grasp?
I’m sorry. It’s been a day.
Are you okay?
It’s my fault he got sent to Fulton. The judge did it as much to punish me.
I let my ego get the better of me.
Baby.
Let’s just go inside.
♪ Come on, clap those hands in the middle Let’s give him praise ♪
♪ Say God is my everything
God is my everything ♪
♪ Come on, say it ♪
♪ God is my everything
God is my everything ♪
♪ He is my joy
He is my joy ♪
♪ In sorrow
In sorrow ♪
♪ Yeah, he’s my hope
He’s my hope ♪
♪ For tomorrow
For tomorrow ♪
♪ Yeah, he’s my rock
He’s my rock ♪
♪ In a weary land
In a weary land ♪
♪ Shelter ♪
♪ Yeah, oh, God is ♪
♪ God is ♪
♪ God is
God is ♪
♪ He’s your everything
My everything ♪
♪ Come on and wave your hands If he’s your everything ♪
♪ My everything ♪
♪ Hey, can I get a witness?
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a mayor? There he is ♪
♪ Can I get a mayor? ♪
Come on, y’all. Give it up for my brother, Wes Jordan.
Come on, make him feel welcome.
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ God is my everything
My everything ♪
♪ He’s my everything Everything I need ♪
♪ My everything
Can I get a witness in the building? ♪
Thank you. Thank you, God.
Thank you, Atlanta. The time is now.
It’s not about just tomorrow.
We are right now. Can I get a witness?
Amen!
Now, nobody is alone in this room.
Nobody.
Yeah!
We are all sewed together.
But I don’t gotta tell you.
There are some of us who are still alone.
Some of us can’t vote.
Some of us can’t get medical care when we’re sick.
Some of our children are still dying in these violent streets,
so this forward progress isn’t forward for everybody,
but I got a hope in me.
Yeah! Yes, God.
I’ve got a hope in me.
I feel it deep in my bones, deep in my bones,
because I feel it in this room.
Amen!
Now, y’all know about my opponent.
He’s out here just feeding on people’s hate.
But I’ll tell you what, hate don’t stand a chance in this room.
I’d take my chances with anybody in this room.
So we gotta take who we are to them.
We have to take what we are to them.
We gotta show them that good is good
and that good can win.
Can I get a witness?
♪ Yeah, my everything
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Yes, he is
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Yes, he is
My everything ♪
♪ Yes he is
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah
My everything ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah
My everything ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah
My everything ♪
Jesus Balls Almighty.
Get out of the way!
What’s this happening?
Mr. Charles E. Croker, my name is Mark Thorgen,
counsel representing PlannersBanc.
I have here an order executed in the Superior Court of Dekalb County,
Judge Oma Lee Listless presiding,
calling for the arrest and removal of this aircraft,
N-number 7-0-X, Challenger 600,
a chattel against which a lien exists, in partial satisfaction of defalcatory…
Are you serious?
That’s what this order amounts to.
…owed said bank…
This your doing, Raymond?
We told you you’d need to sell the airplane.
You rejected the idea, so now, the plane is ours. It’s unfortunate.
What’s going on?
Whole lot of nothing.
That there order, ripped up as it is, is in full force and effect.
These officers are here to carry out the dictates of the court.
You sure they’re not here for your personal protection?
It would be insensitive of me to fight you given your diagnosis.
Excuse me?
We got hold of your medical records.
Turns out you’re a pussy.
We apologize if this isn’t your scheduled final stop.
Mr. Croker is no longer the owner of this aircraft,
so we’ll need to be taking possession.
It is a chattel, encumbered by a chattel mortgage,
and therefore subject to foreclosure in situ…
I don’t know what that means!
It means you’re fucked.
My apologies.
It’s important he understands, so I’m speaking in his native tongue.
You’re fucked!
For all time.
I will remember this.
See that you do.
♪ All of me ♪
♪ Wanna take all of me ♪
♪ Can’t you see ♪
♪ I’m no good without you ♪
♪ Take my lips ♪
♪ I want to lose them ♪
♪ Take my arms ♪
♪ I’ll never use them… ♪
♪ Your goodbye ♪
♪ Left me with eyes that cry… ♪
Mom?
What are you doing here? Why are you back?
Everything went to shit at Turpmtime, so we left early.
I… I… I won’t ask what’s going on here.
Is your team winning?
I was just trying on dresses for the gala,
and I… I discovered your father’s old helmet a…
Thought you might wear it to the fundraiser?
It’s not even noon.
What happened?
Dad happened.
In all his glory, Dad happened.
Bad.
Why now?
We’ve been talking about it for a long time.
Right, well, my question goes to “why now?” It can wait.
No, it cannot.
Because?
Because I can’t.
I just… I feel infirm, less than. I don’t do well feeling that.
I need to be full strength.
Okay. We’ll schedule it.
I want your best knee. Not just a new one, I want your best one.
Titanium would be our highest grade. It’s state of the art.
Might be overkill for a man in his sixties, but…
I don’t wanna be a man in his sixties.
There is a new product.
It’s still in clinical trials, but it’s motorized and hydraulic.
Wait, did you just say hydraulic?
I… It has autothrust capability. I couldn’t ethi…
I want that knee.
Charlie.
Doc.
I want that knee.
Swing your leg.
Here. Let’s go.
Step aside.
Anderson. Berra.
So, let’s put up his bond.
It’s a million dollars.
I don’t care. We can’t let him rot in that hellhole.
Call the bank, get them to wire the funds.
Will they? I heard they took your plane.
Not for long.
Listen.
There may be a way, an out, an opportunity
to curry favor with Wes Jordan.
What are you talking about?
Wes has gotten word, but only word, no hard details,
that Norman Bagovitch committed sexual assault years ago,
back when you were friends.
Now, if he was having any information on that…
Charlie. Sorry.
But you going to this gala, under the circumstances…
I’m already dressed.
We owe a billion dollars.
And this gala. 20,000 a table.
PlannersBanc will make this Exhibit A.
It’s a charity thing.
One where if you don’t get seen at, people think you’re done.
Everybody who’s important will be there.
Including the officers and fiduciaries of PlannersBanc.
This could antagonize them.
You said I need money.
Even so.
The people at this gala will be the ones who got it.
You need to stop!
I need to stop what, Wiz?
There are not many people who live fully and truly according to themselves,
and I deeply admire that about you, Charlie, I do.
But under the circumstances,
maybe you could be…
a little less you.
How we doing?
The place he’s at…
We are posting the bond. We will get him out.
Go on home, honey.
I’m not sure I can handle home right now.
If you don’t mind, I’m going to work late, catch up on some stuff.
I think the distraction will help.
You wanna come to this gala thing with us?
No, no. I don’t think that would be good.
I missed a lot of the day, so I need to catch up.
Are you sure?
Sure. Thank you.
We will get him out.
Don’t touch me. Get the fuck out of here.
Hensley!
Hensley!
Shit.
Fuck!
Hey.
Are you Conrad Hensley?
Yeah.
Are you affiliated with any gangs?
No.
Have you ingested any drugs or alcohol?
No.
Have you ever been arrested?
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
No.
Deputy Simonins, you can take him to cell block 3.
Come on.
Miller!
Right this way.
Okay.
Wow.
Come on now.
You look absolutely incredible.
Stop it.
You do. It’s almost like you’re ready to have some fun.
I would never go that far.
Yeah.
Look at that.
What do you mean, you almost didn’t come?
Because under the present circumstances, this seems a bit obscene.
Roger, brother, this shit is always obscene.
I just got my palm read, and it turns out I have more than one lifeline.
Meaning?
I’m full of life. You know?
Oh.
Wes, you were on fire this morning.
Oh, I’m always on fire. I just added a little brimstone.
And some hope.
Hmm.
Wes!
Excuse me. Hey.
I can’t stand him.
We don’t need to stay long. Just enough for people to see I’m not dead.
Which I’m not.
All right. But after the contortionist.
She can shoot a bow and arrow with her feet.
People are talking.
About what?
Me.
The gilded elephant in the room.
Front.
Next.
Arms.
Next.
Arms.
I’ll take some more.
Raymond.
Having a good time?
I waited till the last minute.
They were out of my size.
Here’s a tip. Never go smaller.
I’ll keep that in mind.
Oh.
Oh.
I am terribly sorry.
My fault. My fault
Martha? Raymond Peepgrass. PlannersBanc.
Oh, Raymond. Yes, I… I remember you.
It’s so good to see you again.
Likewise.
I’m glad to see you’re doing well.
Uh, are you a patron of the arts now?
Me? No, uh, well, I wish.
Uh, Planners has a table. They kind of assign us to fill the seats.
Oh.
You look great.
We…
Flattery will get you everywhere.
What? No. I promise.
Well, I was teasing. Um, I… I… I mean you look great too, Raymond.
It’s too small.
I know.
Oh! Uh, but… It’s a look. It’s… it’s a look.
It’s nice to see you again.
You too, Raymond.
All right.
Welcome.
Let your hair down. Take your shoes off. Yep, rub shit all over me.
Shit, look at this. Five-O, this motherfucker got popped!
Shit!
Well, isn’t this fun?
Charlie.
Joyce. Martha.
Both looking fantastic, I must say.
How’d things go at Turpmtime?
Fantastic.
Mind if I steal a sec with Joyce?
Of course.
You know, Joyce, I was thinking.
We should get a lunch or a dinner one of these days.
Right, I’ll have someone in my office call someone in yours.
Actually, it’s a little more urgent than that.
We need to catch up some on old times.
Oh, honey. If only we had any.
But you had some with Norm Bagovitch.
Maybe you and I could catch up on that.
Let’s make it a lunch.
Martha… um…
Nice party, sir?
No.
I think a tailgate done dropped.
♪ Say God is my everything
My everything ♪
♪ Come on, say it ♪
♪ God is
God is ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ He is my joy in sorrow ♪
♪ Yeah, his my hope for tomorrow ♪
♪ Yeah, his my rock In a weary land ♪
♪ Shelter ♪
♪ Yeah, oh, God is
God is ♪
♪ God is
God is ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
God is ♪
♪ Everybody look, God is
God is ♪
♪ God is
God is ♪
♪ God is
God is ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Come on, clap those hands If that’s true ♪
♪ Say, my everything
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness in the building ♪
♪ God is your everything
My everything ♪
♪ My joy in sorrow
My everything ♪
♪ Hope for tomorrow
My everything ♪
♪ He is my peace
My everything ♪
♪ In confusion
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Come on, We got to search a little bit here ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Do you really know God is
My everything ♪
♪ He’s my everything
My everything ♪
♪ My joy in sorrow
My everything ♪
♪ Hope for tomorrow
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Can I get a witness
My everything ♪
♪ Oh, yeah
My everything ♪
♪ Oh, yeah
My everything ♪
♪ Oh, yeah
My everything ♪
♪ Whoo
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ My everything
My everything ♪
♪ Whoo, yes, he is ♪
