Original release date: April 26, 2024
Plot: Melanie gets a surprise visit that unleashes Sugar’s dark side. Ruby receives chilling guidance from a colleague. Davy makes a tragic decision.
* * *
[director] Check him for picture.
[crew] Camera, mark.
[clapboard snaps]
[director] Action.
It happens all the time now. I was at a baseball game this weekend,
and I’m sitting there among thousands of people.
And I didn’t feel connected to any of them.
Hmm.
It feels like I’m not really…
You’re in my eyeline. It’s just distracting.
Can you not look at…
[crew] Mark.
…me?
[director] Action.
It happens all the time now.
[cell phone ringing]
I was at a…
Are you fucking kidding?
[director] All right. Quiet, guys. Here we go.
Guys, I’m try… This is…
[director] Cameras are set. Roll them.
[David] I need…
[crew] Wait…
Will you just say
when you’re gonna approach me?
[director] Action.
And he’s gonna find me.
[psychologist] What does that feel like?
That was good, yeah?
[director] Action.
And he’s gonna find me.
Is it too much to do this? The tear stuff?
[director] Action.
Is the light okay?
He’s gonna find me.
Oh, man, this is… Uh, is my dad here?
Fuck me. [stammers] Getting beat today.
What is this? What are you wearing?
Uh. It’s tweed. Yeah.
[David] Oh, that’s cool.
And you look great. You’re a knockout.
You should send me your info before we wrap just to… to talk biz.
Afterwards. You know what I mean?
Oh.
I think it could… It’d… It could be cool.
Lately I can’t escape the feeling he’s coming back…
and he’s gonna find me.
I can’t believe this is happening.
No one’s ever gonna see it. [sniffles]
That is not true, David.
Your father is gonna take care of that.
[cries] Even if he does,
I’m never gonna work in this town again.
[cries]
You need to remember something.
[clicks tongue] Okay. [breathes deeply]
Look at me. Look at me.
You are the last living male in a long line of great men,
and one day you’ll inherit a fortune.
And you know what you can do then?
[sniffles]
[TV continues, indistinct]
What?
You can tell this town to go fuck itself.
[sighs] Okay. Right.
I mean it, baby.
Right. [sniffles]
Fuck this town.
[TV continues]
You say it.
[TV continues]
Fuck this town.
Mom.
Say it, Davy. [breathes shakily] Fuck this town.
[paparazzi clamors]
[John] I’m not in a good mood,
and it’s not just the traffic and people not using their turn signals.
I need to find Davy Siegel and figure out what he knows about Olivia.
Mr. Sugar.
Hey, Carlos.
[John] What he really knows.
How are you?
[John] What’s this, a shrine?
That’s exactly what it looks like.
He’s kept the room like this since she died.
I don’t think a man ever loved a woman more than Mr. Siegel loved his Lorraine.
[camera shutter clicks]
[John] Yeah.
[Carlos] What is it?
[John] I definitely got these questions
for Jonathan, but…
[stammers] Nothing.
[beeping]
[John] Of course,
they’re gonna have to wait.
All right. In the meantime, I have other questions
for other people.
[doorbell rings]
Oh. Hey, Kenny.
What do you want?
I was gonna ask is Davy here, but I see that you’re here.
Now I know that he is.
[Margit] Kenny.
Did you ever see Being There?
Peter Sellers? Of course.
[Margit] Who is it?
[John] I apologize.
[Kenny speaks indistinctly]
[stammers] I’m always turning up.
Melvyn Douglas. Remember his character?
Mm-hmm.
[Margit] Like a naughty penny.
Powerful guy, always sick. Now he’s dying.
But Melvyn Douglas says…
So…
…”I’m not going to the hospital. I’m Melvyn fucking Douglas.
Bring the hospital to me.”
[chuckles]
[Margit] Mr. Sugar.
How can I help you?
I’m looking for Davy.
David.
Speaking of money, now that my father’s not well,
I’m happy to pay the rest of your fee.
And get you on your way, if you like.
Mmm. I appreciate the offer, but you can keep your money.
Jonathan hired me. I’m staying on the case.
[scoffs] You’re “staying on the case”? Well, that’s very dramatic.
Yes. David. Sorry, I’m here for David.
Any word from David?
You know what, why don’t you go into the dining room and take a seat?
Make yourself comfortable.
What business is that of yours?
I wanna talk to him.
[Margit stammers] I assume you saw the news.
I did.
David’s had such a horrendous shock.
None of those absolutely vile lies are true, and we can prove it.
Davy is so utterly miserable. He told me,
“Mom, this poor woman must be in so much pain
to tell a lie like this.”
After trying to destroy him,
he still found empathy for her. [chuckles]
[breathes heavily] Ah.
Can you believe my sweet, sweet boy?
[sighs]
Hmm.
[sniffles]
No.
Hmm.
Well. [clears throat]
I’ve been very patient with you. But if you go anywhere near my son…
Mr. Sugar…
If you so much as picture him in your mind’s eye…
…I’m so sorry, but…
…I’ll have my attorneys so far and deep up your ass,
even your colon needs a lawyer.
[chuckling]
Oh, it’s funny?
No, but…
You’re his mother, so I understand you…
[Bernie] Uh-huh.
…looking out for him. But if he has…
[Margit clears throat]
…information that can help me find his sister…
Half-sister.
I think I made it clear that I believe
that searching for Olivia is a fool’s errand.
So whatever’s happened to Olivia, she had it coming, right?
[Margit] No, no. I did not say that.
[grunts]
But I respect my father’s wishes. Haven’t interfered.
The most likely thing that “happened” to her is
that she met a coke dealer with some really nice abs.
You don’t even believe what you just said.
Kenny.
Carlos.
Make him leave.
Would you show Mr. Sugar out?
Hey, Carlos.
You’re not gonna be able to make me leave, Kenny.
[chuckles]
I promise.
[David sniffs] It’s okay. It’s okay.
Davy. Davy, I told you… I told you, sweetheart, that I would handle this.
This is on me.
[Margit] Davy.
You guys can go. I’ll talk to you.
Davy, please.
Mom, stop, stop. Mom, enough.
[Margit] Davy, I can…
[David] Enough! Stop! Get out.
Come on.
Okay.
Okay.
[David] He’s not gonna hurt… It’s all right, Kenny.
Shit.
She just loves me. So…
Women were always weird around me.
Not weird, but I don’t know. Shit.
I was a famous kid. I had this famous family, and they were around.
So I… I just never knew how to… [stammers]
…to figure out how to be normal with them.
You know?
By normal… [stammers] …what do you mean?
You mean… You mean not using violent threats
to force women to have sex with you?
Is that what you mean?
Yeah. I… Okay, I’ve…
I’ve done my fair share of things I’m not proud of.
But now the world knows. So…
Who took Olivia?
[sighs]
“Where is she? Where is she?”
You’re fucking relentless. No, no. It’s good. It’s good.
You should be.
Now, who took Olivia?
Okay. Okay.
It’s not the easiest conversation I’ve had.
I was a famous kid. I had this famous family.
Figure out how to be normal. And so, they were around, but I…
I never knew how to…
[John] Hey!
Who took Olivia?
Okay.
A while back… [sighs] …I heard about a guy who can get you girls.
Not necessarily pros or, uh, prostitutes, but… [stammers]
Trafficked girls, women who…
who wouldn’t be missed.
Look, I…
I never saw any overt mistreatment
or… or… or… or any kind of mistreatment.
All the girls… at least the ones that I saw… they… they seemed pretty,
you know… [stammers]
What? Happy?
[scoffs] I know this looks really bad.
So you went to Byron Stallings for women.
No, no. I never said that name. Never.
You went to Byron Stallings, David.
Jesus.
I went a few times.
More than a few times, okay?
And after a while,
I just sort of started not, like, hanging out with him at the tennis club.
This guy Stallings is a legit psychopath.
But, you know, as a… as… as… as conversational acquaintances.
And so… [scoffs] I was telling Stallings about what was going on
about all these chicks coming out of the woodwork and attacking me…
[stammers] …threatening to sue, go to the police.
All that. And I guess, around there… I…
I guess I mentioned something about my half-sister, about Olivia.
What did you mention?
What did I mention? What she was doing to me.
Talking to that…
Telling the one woman not to settle.
Go tell the press everything about me.
I mean, right before my movie is supposed to come out?
I on… Look, listen. Please… Please believe me. Please listen to me.
I just thought he would scare her.
You know, tell her that… Tell her to chill.
I… I… I never wanted him to… [sniffles] Oh, God, it’s so bad.
[John] Does Margit…
[sniffs] No.
Does your mom…
No, no. She knows about the women.
[breathes shakily] Not Olivia.
Stallings’s address.
Where exactly does he live?
[stammers] Off of La Cienega.
Creepy place, like, right by the oil fields.
But he’s not there right now. He’s… He’s down in TJ.
He won’t be back until tomorrow.
I always felt like… like she didn’t like me.
And so I decided not to like her.
[mouthing words] I don’t know.
She’s your sister.
You were supposed to take care of her.
Yeah.
[David sniffles, sighs]
[doorbell buzzes]
[instruments tuning]
We’re gonna do two sets.
[band member] Yeah, yeah, that sounds great.
[chuckles]
[band chattering]
[Melanie chuckles]
[producer chuckles] I know.
But the vet says we have to.
[stammers] Our dog… on top of fleas, an ear infection, an eye infection,
tendinitis of the shoulder… was born with an inverted vulva.
[laughing] I don’t even know what that is.
It’s $1,500 is what it is.
Stop it. So business is good?
[chuckles] It’s fine.
Good. [chuckles]
How’s the sobriety?
Four days.
Hey, that’s great. Mel, good for you.
Yeah, thanks.
And still no word about Olivia?
We’ve been looking for her together.
What do you mean?
S… Sugar. His… His fucking name is John Sugar.
Isn’t that… That’s amazing, right?
He’s been… been great. I… Not that I know much about him.
He’s very mysterious. Won’t talk about himself.
You know, all that bullshit.
Mm-hmm.
Blah, blah, blah.
But, um, I don’t know. I s… I trust him.
No, look, he… he wants to find Olivia almost as much as I do.
That’s what matters.
Is this the guy that you brought home a few days ago?
Y-Yeah, yeah. But… But no, nothing happened.
Is he cute? [chuckles]
Yes and no.
It’s not romantic. It’s not sexual.
[stammers] I… I can’t explain it.
I hate to say it, but your life sounds
a hell of a lot more interesting than mine does right now.
I don’t know. Your dog’s vagina sounds pretty interesting.
[chuckling]
Just… Just be careful, Mel.
Always. Always.
[mouthing word] Yeah.
[leaves rustling]
[cell phone ringing]
[breathes deeply]
[agent] Ruby.
Hello, Miller.
[Miller] You wanted to talk.
[Ruby] I’m sorry. I know how busy you are.
So, something’s going on with Sugar?
It’s just that…
There’s a worry that his current job… this case…
might lead him to come across things.
[sighs] It’s only a matter of time before he sees something he won’t be happy about.
These things that frankly I’m not happy about.
These new methods.
We’re just observing like always.
No, Miller. This is new.
These people… [stammers]
No, I know. It’s true.
But in the end, it’s necessary.
Sugar won’t see it that way.
So don’t let him find out.
I don’t really see how I can stop him. I mean, I’ve tried.
Whatever it takes.
I think that’s a cottonwood tree, isn’t it?
Uh, yeah, I believe so.
Beautiful smell.
[Ruby] Yeah, it’s stunning out here.
[Miller] Fertile and dead at the same time.
[Ruby chuckles]
[Miller] The, uh… W-What’s the granddaughter’s name again?
[Ruby] Olivia. Olivia Siegel.
[keys jingle]
[alarm beeps]
Hey. We got interrupted the other day.
So, following up, as they say. You wanna come sit?
This place is nice. Right here.
Oh, I’ll take the phone.
It’s like, uh, a bass, right?
[stammers] Stand-up bass.
Hmm. I used to play electric guitar back in high school.
Look, you probably wanna hurry up and go
because my boyfriend’s on his way over here.
And if he sees a guy pointing a gun at me being a real dick…
[chuckles] “Boyfriend’s on his way,” right?
Why is it that every time some broad wants to try and scare you,
there’s always this… [stammers] …mythical boyfriend…
[chuckles] …that’s supposedly on his way?
[Charlie] Yeah?
It’s me.
Here he is now.
[inhales sharply, grunts]
[breathing heavily]
[grunts]
[shouts]
Hey.
[grunts, shouts]
[panting]
[grunting, chuckles] Nice job.
Food. Ramen.
Oh, thanks.
[gangster] Bitch.
How’s it going?
Well, um… [sighs] …she went out, saw a friend.
Just came back. That’s about it.
[pants]
[gangster] Now what?
Did you talk to David Siegel?
Yeah.
And?
Yeah, we covered a lot of ground, but the headline is that we need
to have a word with Byron Stallings.
[panting]
He’s in Mexico. He’s not gonna be back till tomorrow.
First thing in the morning, I want you to go to his place.
I’ll text you the address.
[whirs]
Sounds like you got the night off then?
Maybe I’ll go see a movie.
[whirs]
As soon as you see Stallings tomorrow, call me, okay?
Yeah. You got it.
[drill whirs]
Your boyfriend’s coming!
[Charlie] Thanks for the food.
You got it.
[panting]
[gangster] Bitch.
[drill whirring]
[drilling loudly]
Where is he?
[tires screech]
[panting]
[grunts]
[panting]
[grunts] Goddamn it!
[thudding]
[grunting]
[grunting]
[panting]
Stop it.
[Charlie, muffled] Sugar!
[panting]
Sugar!
[grunting]
[Charlie, clearer] Sugar!
[high-pitched ringing]
[breathes heavily]
[ringing fades]
[breathing heavily] You okay?
[breathes shakily]
I’m sorry.
Now, it’s Stallings we gotta talk to.
Tomorrow morning?
Yeah.
What do we do with him now?
Well, let him go.
Then he can start a new life in Barstow or Boise.
Or stay around and apologize to his boss for being such a disappointment.
I don’t care. Let him go.
What about her?
I’ll talk to her.
Yeah.
[John clears throat]
Hey.
I don’t think it’s a good idea that you stay here tonight.
So maybe the best idea is you come to the hotel?
I’ll get my things.
Okay.
[door closes]
Uh, room service is still open if you’re hungry.
All right. Just give me a moment.
I hear the sea bass is really good.
I don’t want anything.
I mean, after what just happened, why would I…
why would anybody want sea bass?
Of course.
He wanted to hurt you.
And so… [stammers] …I just… I don’t know.
You wanted to hurt him.
I’m sorry if I scared you.
What are you doing?
Uh. [chuckles] I was just gonna take a shower.
Sor… [stammers] I’ll obviously sleep on the couch.
You and Wiley can take the bed.
Uh, no, no, no, no.
No. I’m an ex-junkie rock and roller.
I think I can handle a night on a fancy hotel couch. I’m okay.
Okay.
[door opens]
Some stuff.
Thanks.
You’re welcome.
Good night.
Good night.
[sniffs]
[air brakes hissing]
[speaking indistinctly]
[person in Spanish] Good evening. Come down.
Come down, please.
[people speaking Spanish]
Keep going. We’ll be there soon.
It’s okay, look.
A little faster, please keep coming down.
It’s okay.
We just want to make some changes.
We want men over here and women over here.
Yes, please split up. It’s okay.
We’re gonna cross soon.
Let’s see, you…
You come with me.
You.
You, miss. You.
You and you.
You’re going to get in the van.
It’s okay.
Your moms and dads are going to be behind you in the truck.
She doesn’t want to leave.
What is the problem, sir? It’s okay.
Because they’re separating the girls, she’s coming with me.
It’s okay.
[speaks indistinctly]
That doesn’t sound very good.
[person speaking Spanish]
Come with me, brother. I’ll explain.
Understand me. Tell him to understand me.
[in English] Get in the van.
Get in the van.
[in Spanish] You guys are not understanding me.
[person speaking Spanish]
Get in. Get in.
[person speaks indistinctly]
[Margit] Mmm.
[in English] Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
When we were talking earlier, the…
[sighs]
It was such a difficult scene. You remember?
Oh, God. Yeah, I remember.
And technically difficult. Not, you know… Not just the acting.
I had to walk into the lawyer’s office with all the papers.
[Margit] And there must’ve been, what, like 30 extras?
Oh… [stammers] …at least. Bunch of extras.
And I had… I had to time it so I finish my last line of dialogue
and hand over the final papers of the will to Wilford Brimley
just at the very second we arrive right in front of his office.
[Margit] Tough scene.
I just couldn’t get it.
Take after take. Couldn’t do it.
“Cut, reset, cut, reset, cut, reset. Back to one.”
I s… I kept screwing it up.
It was either the timing
or the papers or just forgetting my lines.
You were just a kid. And you nailed it eventually.
No, I know.
And that courtroom scene. Oh, my gosh.
I mean, there was not a dry eye in the house.
Yeah, that was great.
Yeah, you’re damn right it was.
[chuckles]
[Margit] You were great. You are great.
All right. More pinot?
[David] No, I’m good.
Okay.
[Margit chuckles]
[sighs]
Fuck this town.
[gunshot]
Hello?
[Margit] Here!
Where are you?
[Margit] Here! Here!
[crying]
[pants] Oh, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No.
No, no, no, no, no, no. Come on.
[sirens blaring]
[pants, sobs] Do something.
Do something. Do something!
[indistinct radio chatter]
[breathes heavily]
[breathes heavily] Be careful… [stammers] …with him.
[breathes heavily]
[speaks indistinctly, crying]
[paramedics chattering]
[John] Someone once said,
“Tip the world on its side
and everything loose lands in Los Angeles.”
Is that what’s happening?
After all this time,
is this place starting to turn me upside down?
[whimpering]
[John] I mean, tonight, that guy at Melanie’s.
What I did to him, I could say that’s not me.
That’s not who I am.
But lately, um, I’m not so sure.
Girl.
Oh, hi. I missed you too. Come here.
[John] Maybe I’ve been here too long.
[meowing]
Yeah.
[John] Anyway, that’s it for tonight.
Tomorrow, I get Stallings. I’ll do better tomorrow.
[grunting]
What is it?
I have a secret.
Tell me.
Tell me.
Tell me.
[John] I can’t.
[“The Idea” playing]
