The Beast in Me
Season 1 – Episode 3
Created by: Gabe Rotter
Stars: Claire Danes (Aggie Wiggs), Matthew Rhys (Nile Jarvis), Brittany Snow (Nina Jarvis, Nile’s wife), Natalie Morales (Shelley, Aggie’s ex-wife)
Premise: Since the tragic death of her young son, acclaimed author Aggie Wiggs has receded from public life, unable to write, a ghost of her former self. But she finds an unlikely subject for a new book when the house next door is bought by Nile Jarvis, a famed and formidable real estate mogul who was once the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance. At once horrified and fascinated by this man, Aggie finds herself compulsively hunting for the truth – chasing his demons while fleeing her own – in a game of cat and mouse that might turn deadly.
Episode title: Elephant in the Room
Original air date: November 13, 2025 (Netflix)
* * *
The Beast in Me – S01E03 – Elephant in the Room | Transcript
[mysterious, ethereal music playing]
[boy 1] Get off me! No! It’s my iPad!
[boy 2] Give me it! Now!
[boy 1] Get off!
[boy 2] Gimme!
[boy 1] Dad!
[boy 2 grunts] [boy 1] Dad!
[boy 2] Give it!
[woman] Martin!
What the hell is wrong with you?
I’m letting them work it out.
By killing each other?
[Martin] Oh, come on.
[woman] Preston! Wyatt! Stop it.
[Wyatt] Stop!
[woman] Preston!
[Wyatt crying] [woman] Apologize to your brother!
He took my iPad.
Preston!
[Wyatt continues crying]
Wyatt took my iPad. He started it.
And you finished it.
Here.
You go put this on your eye and get yourself cleaned up.
Yes, sir.
[Martin groaning]
[Preston] Hey, Uncle Rick.
What happened? Run into a wall?
[Preston] Nah, I just kicked Wyatt’s ass.
Preston said he just kicked Wyatt’s ass.
Reminds me of you when you were young.
You never met a kid you didn’t wanna hit.
Yeah. Only ’cause I knew my big brother had my back.
Except for that one time.
You let those Korean punks give me a beatdown.
Yeah, I was trying to teach you a lesson.
[woman] Let me look.
Not that you ever listened to a word I said.
So I gotta talk to you about something.
About your other son.
What’d he do now?
[whispers] There’s a woman…
[Nile] Survival of the fittest.
That is my father’s dogma.
He’s a nominal Catholic.
His real religion is Darwinism.
[Aggie] Hmm.
The self-made man.
Yeah, he was… He was an orphan who supported himself and his half brother by working on a dairy farm.
Shoveled cow shit every day before school.
Never let us forget it.
And for all his kicking and screaming, I pulled my father into the future.
Got him to take a couple of big swings, and I grew the business tenfold.
A year from now, I will have redrawn the skyline with the largest multiuse project this city’s seen in a generation.
That’s my legacy.
But not your father’s.
Progeny. That’s what drives him.
Generations of little Jarvises just carrying his genes into the future.
You never wanted kids?
More people to hate you when you’re dead?
No, thanks.
Making something worth leaving behind, that’s as close as any of us get to immortality.
Isn’t that why you write?
I don’t know about that.
I think I write to, uh… to make sense of what I don’t understand.
How’s that going?
[sighs]
We were talking about you.
And your father.
Right.
[mysterious music playing]
[Aggie] When do you think I’ll meet him?
Well, he’s… he’s a big character in your story.
I’ve got some questions.
He won’t talk to you.
He said that?
I know my father.
You haven’t told him, have you?
About the book.
Why not?
Do you know how my mother died?
Ovarian cancer. When you were two.
She had cervical stenosis.
A dozen miscarriages before she had Marty.
I mean, the pregnancy nearly killed her.
Um, and the doctor said never again, but my father wanted more, and he wasn’t about to adopt, so five miscarriages later, she had me.
Hemorrhaged so badly, she almost bled out on the table.
Emergency hysterectomy.
That’s how they found the cancer.
So Dad was left with the two of us.
Until Marty OD’d at 31.
When my father finally got it through his head that I wasn’t gonna have children, he went out and got himself another Mrs. Jarvis.
Spent half a mil for IVF until he got two more sons.
And they turn eight on Sunday.
My father’s legacy is his own business, but he doesn’t get to control mine.
[Aggie] By denying him grandchildren, was that a power move?
A big middle finger?
[Nile] It’s got nothing to do with him.
I’d love them too much.
Is that even possible?
You tell me.
[pensive music playing]
[recorder clicks]
[Nile] I’d love them too much.
[Aggie] Is that even possible?
[Nile] You tell me.
[tense music playing]
[dramatic string music playing]
[mysterious music playing]
[music fades]
[footsteps approaching]
[door opens]
You’re late.
Where’s Gold?
Rick’s showing him around the house.
I told him I needed a few more minutes alone with you.
Something wrong?
Oh, you tell me because I am curious.
When were you gonna tell me about this book, Nile?
Before or after it was published?
I… I wasn’t aware I needed a permission slip.
The whole point of moving out of Manhattan was to keep you off of Page Six, at least until Jarvis Yards is finished.
And you have gone out of your way to invite more scrutiny.
Your plan for me to go into exile… isn’t working.
If anything, it’s backfiring because I need to control the narrative.
Oh? And what makes you so sure that you can control Agatha Wiggs?
The same thing that makes you so sure I can’t.
It’s a mistake!
Then let’s just agree to disagree.
[knocking at door]
Yeah?
[door opens]
Hello, Nile.
[Nile] Councilman.
You know, I thought I was gonna need breadcrumbs to find my way back here.
Well, once again, thank you for coming out to see us on such short notice.
I hope I’m not rushing you, but I’ve got a Parks Commission hearing in about an hour.
It’s okay, Phineas.
We’re done talking. Right, Dad?
Yeah.
Why don’t we sit over here?
[Phineas] You know, Benitez just…
She… she came out of nowhere.
Community organizing, grassroots, all that crap.
By the time Patel started taking her campaign seriously, it was too late.
How did this even happen? Phase two was supposed to be an automatic approval.
Look, no one on the committee has been a greater advocate for Jarvis Yards than me.
No one has supported your political career more than us.
That’s not what I asked you.
Benitez is leaning on some of the more vulnerable committee members.
Apparently, she’s getting some traction by exploiting Nile’s… situation.
And from what I’m hearing, she’s already managed to flip Tiernan and Olshansky.
Shit.
[Phineas] No, hey.
We’ve still got the votes to shut her down. All right?
Margin’ll be tighter than I’d like it to be, but we’ll be fine.
Good.
We’re counting on you to hold the line, Phineas.
[pensive music playing]
[indistinct chattering]
[smooth pop music playing]
[sighs]
Welcome.
These paintings are wonderful.
The… the scale and the color work.
Thanks.
Was Alice Neel an influence, or Lucian Freud?
Um…
Mostly, my son.
He… he used to spend hours coloring with his crayons, and, um, burnt sienna was his favorite.
Nina Jarvis.
Shelley Morris.
Pleasure.
So are you a, um, collector?
Yes. Well, mostly an occupational hazard.
I’m a gallerist.
I own the J. Kahn Gallery in Chelsea.
Oh.
You’re that Nina Jarvis.
Yeah, married to that Nile Jarvis.
[both chuckle]
Don’t worry. I’m… I’m used to the look.
Well, I… I…
I love the J. Kahn. I, um…
[chuckles]
I saw the Winograd show there last year.
I was blown away.
Oh yeah. Her career took off after that.
And of course, once it did, Gagosian swooped in and grabbed her.
Well, it’s, uh…
It’s heartening that you’re still scouting around open studios.
I have to confess, um, I actually came here because of you.
Me?
I saw one of your earlier paintings.
I wanted to see what you were working on.
[chuckles] You did? Where?
I… I just… There’s not a lot of my work out there.
I saw it at Aggie’s house.
We’re neighbors. My husband and I just moved in a couple of weeks ago.
[splutters]
Wait, so you… you and Aggie are friends?
Um, friendly. We just met.
But I was over there briefly, and I saw one of your paintings.
The one in the living room.
Which is stunning, by the way.
Um, did Aggie ask you to come here?
What? No, nothing like that.
No, I noticed it hanging, and… and I was really taken by it.
And I just asked Aggie if you had representation, that’s all.
And I was curious to see how your work has evolved.
Okay.
Well, um, would you care for some boxed wine?
Mmm. What vintage?
Oh, it’s a very rare 2024 Hoboken varietal.
[both chuckle]
[wine pouring]
[distant siren wailing]
[pensive music playing]
[Aggie] Hi.
Hey.
It’s just a… a temporary place.
How long have you been here?
Six years.
I… I was living with my, um… my ex before that in Murray Hill, and things kind of unraveled epically.
Was that before or after the Jarvis case?
[chuckles]
Yeah, you can, uh… you can add my marriage to the list of casualties.
Do you want a beer?
No.
Well, um, thank you for meeting me.
Well, like I said, there’s not much I can do.
Did you have any luck at all?
A buddy who works for Nassau County PD owed me a favor.
Slipped me a copy of Fenig’s case file.
Don’t get too excited. Not much there.
Knock yourself out.
[intriguing music playing]
[dog panting]
Come on, let’s get you dry.
[making playful sounds]
[barking]
[Rick] Hey! Hey, shut up!
[barking continues] Hey, hey, hey!
[uneasy music playing]
Come on, come.
[music fades]
You told my father about the book.
Why are you stirring up trouble?
[Rick] I knew you wouldn’t tell him yourself.
I was planning to.
Then what’s the problem?
The problem is this arrangement isn’t working for me.
Well, talk to your father.
He’s the one who put me here.
And I indulged him because I felt sorry for you.
You’re a charity case, honestly.
I mean, who else would hire you?
I guess he didn’t convince you to drop the book.
It’s not his call.
It’s my decision, and I know what I’m doing.
Mm.
And I’m sure you know Agatha Wiggs is talking to the FBI.
[uneasy music playing] [Rick] Hmm?
Yeah. Your old pal Brian Abbott.
Don’t worry. I didn’t tell your dad.
That part I left out.
Not to protect you. To protect him.
My brother’s heart attack, that was all you, Nile.
Hmm?
I’m here to make sure you don’t give him another one.
I will do whatever I have to do to protect him.
If you didn’t know that already, you do now.
Come on. Here. [claps hands]
[dogs retreating]
[Brian] Fenig was last seen at Roberto’s around 9:50 p.m.
He left his coworker, Julian Barrow, to close up the restaurant so he could see his girlfriend, but he never showed.
[sighs] They’ve been dredging the water for almost a week.
Wouldn’t they have found him by now if he really did drown himself?
With the storm, it could’ve pulled him pretty far out.
You’re dealing with a larger search area.
Between predation from fish and sharks and what salt water does to the body…
[Aggie sighs]
But Teddy’s coworker said he was acting totally normal.
So… so did his mother and girlfriend.
Suicidal people tend not to announce their intentions.
Is there surveillance footage?
There used to be a camera at Roberto’s.
Broken. Or not hooked up, apparently.
No one saw him leave.
And then, of course, there’s the, uh, the note.
“I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused.”
[scoffs]
That’s it? Awfully short.
Well, we’re not all writers.
[sighs]
So they’re not even considering foul play?
Well, there’s no reason to.
I mean, your name pops up a few times.
Me?
Yeah.
Yeah, you threatened him in the past.
Jesus.
It doesn’t matter, because nothing here suggests this is anything but a suicide, and that is how police are treating it.
Except they still haven’t found him.
Just like Madison Jarvis.
She left a note too, right?
I mean, it’s… it’s just a few words.
Nile could have copied Teddy’s writing, right?
Or… or forced him to write it. Uh…
I mean, look at that.
Look at that handwriting.
Doesn’t it look a little wobbly to you?
Like… like his hand was shaking?
There’s no mention of Nile anywhere?
There’s no connection between them?
The only connection between them is you.
His wife was out of town that night.
He was on his own.
What, you think that’s a coincidence?
[sighs] He could have been outside of Roberto’s, waiting for Teddy.
He’s recognizable.
Yeah, he could have been a lot of places, right? But we have no way of knowing.
Or maybe we do.
[pensive music playing]
Um… Okay, he has… he has, like, this ring. Um…
It’s like a Fitbit on steroids.
It, um… It tracks everything.
His metrics, his bodily functions.
So he can optimize whatever the fuck he’s trying to optimize.
I… I don’t understand.
Okay, here.
[Aggie] In your 2012 GQ profile, you called yourself a biohacker.
We all get the same 24 hours.
How much of it we waste is up to each of us. You see this?
So this records all my vitals.
Sleep quality, hormones, adrenals.
My run this morning.
So the… [groans] So this tracks where I peaked, where I flagged.
Um, glucose levels, cardiac metrics.
It’s a constant stream of data for radical optimization.
It… it tracks everything, including your geolocation.
I doubt he’s gonna turn that on if he was gonna commit a crime.
No, he wouldn’t have had to.
It activates when your heart rate’s above 90.
It’s automatic.
Anytime it thinks you’re exercising.
Grabbing Teddy off the street, something tells me he might have broken a sweat.
All of this data is on his laptop.
There must be some way to hack it.
Don’t… you have people who do that?
Not without a warrant.
Well, how long would that take?
[sighs] There’s never gonna be a warrant, Aggie.
I don’t know… I don’t know how much clearer I need to be.
[sighs]
Then maybe I can do it.
[scoffs] While I’m there interviewing him.
When he goes to… take a pee or a call or something.
Nothing you found would be admissible in court.
But it would tell us if he was there.
It would be something.
I can get into his laptop.
I know his password.
What?
I’ve been paying attention when he opens his phone, his computer.
I… I know it.
[laughs]
I think you might be crazier than me.
Look, there is some part of you that thinks I’m right, or you wouldn’t still be talking to me.
There’s a digital forensics analyst I can ask.
Do you trust him?
[phone buzzing]
[Aggie] Holy shit.
No, I need to answer.
Hey, put it on… Put it on speaker.
[Aggie] Hello?
[Nile] Hey, neighbor. Where are you?
Uh, I’m writing. Why?
Are you? I was just knocking on your door.
Uh, no, I’m… I’m in the city.
I, uh…
I’m at the public library. I just left.
I can meet you at Jarvis Yards in 30 minutes.
Something I wanna show you.
Uh, now? It’s nine o’clock. [scoffs] You said you just left.
Well, what is it?
It’s a surprise.
Can it wait until tomorrow?
Actually, it can’t.
Meet me at the south entrance.
At least give me some idea what this is about. [scoffs] Nile?
[disconnect tone]
[sighs]
You are not seriously gonna meet him?
I have to, right?
[uneasy music playing]
You don’t have a gun I can borrow, do you?
I’m joking. It’s a joke.
No, I’ll be fine.
[Aggie sighs]
I’ll call you afterward, okay?
Wait, wait.
I’ll come with you.
What?
You’re not going alone.
I’ve been alone with him before.
What do you think he’s gonna do?
You’re gonna take your own car.
I will follow you.
I’ll wait nearby, so if something’s off, or even if you get a bad feeling, you…
Don’t call my phone.
I’ve got a burner phone around here somewhere.
I’ll give you the number.
[Brian sighs]
[mysterious music playing]
[indistinct chattering]
You’re late. I thought maybe you’d stood me up.
So what is it you want me to see?
[uneasy music playing]
Scared of heights?
This will be worth it, I promise.
[metallic clatter]
Jesus.
So I’ve been thinking about our conversation.
Legacy, monuments, what we… what we leave behind.
I can talk all I want, but words only do so much.
Some things you really need to see for yourself.
[metallic clatter]
Let’s go.
[wind whistling]
Come closer.
I’m good, thanks.
You can’t see anything from there.
[mysterious ethereal music playing]
[sirens wailing]
[car horns honking]
Sometimes, when I’m standing up here, I get this irrational urge just to step off the edge.
The French coined a term for it.
[speaks French]
[in English] “The call of the void.”
It’s not a suicidal compulsion, exactly.
Just that uncanny impulse.
It’s common.
It’s a widespread phenomenon.
You wanna know my theory?
What’s that?
We’d rather jump than fall.
Or be pushed.
Are you talking to the FBI, Aggie?
[tense music playing]
Sorry. Excuse me?
Are you talking to someone in the FBI about me?
[uncomfortable chuckle]
Yes.
Brian Abbott.
He investigated you for… for financial crimes for nearly two years before Madison went missing.
And when she did, he made it his mission to pin it on me with no evidence.
No… no support from the Bureau.
Exactly. I mean, anyone that obsessed with Nile Jarvis is someone I should talk to, don’t you think?
You should have asked me first.
Oh, so every time I interview a source, I’m supposed to clear it with you?
That’s not how I work.
You know what, Aggie?
I don’t think this book is such a good idea anymore.
Yeah, maybe you’re right. [scoffs] Uh, you don’t want me talking to your father.
You don’t want me talking to Abbott.
So what’s the point?
What about Madison’s parents?
Am I not supposed to talk to them either?
You say you’re misunderstood. Who’s gonna believe anything if I only talk to you?
Although… [scoffs] …considering how high my editor is on this project, she… she might tell me to write it anyway.
The unauthorized version.
Talk to everyone but you.
You’re pretty ballsy for someone negotiating a hundred stories up in the air.
It’s not like you’d hurt me.
Would you, Nile?
[tense music continues]
I want editorial control.
That’ll never happen. [scoffs] Even if my publisher agreed, which he won’t, it would destroy any credibility I have.
Then how do I know it’s not a hit job?
Because a hit job is boring.
I’m better than that.
Are you?
I’ll let you read the first hundred pages, okay?
Off the record. No one can know that.
What if I have notes?
I’ll take them under advisement.
How’s that?
Okay.
Okay?
I’m still in.
For now.
Oh, what are you doing tomorrow?
You said you wanted a full picture.
Come to my brothers’ birthday party.
You’ll meet the whole gang in their natural habitat.
Take a shot at my father yourself.
[door opens]
[thud] Fuck!
[Brian exhales sharply]
You okay?
[breathing shakily]
[Brian] What happened?
He knows I’m talking to you.
What?
[inhales sharply] He took me up 24 floors.
And for a second, I… I…
I… I really thought he might push me off.
And then he asked me pointblank if I was talking to you. He… he knows.
How?
[exhales] Fuck, I have no idea.
[breathing shakily]
So what did you tell him?
[scoffs] I said it was, you know, research for the book.
Okay, okay. Did he buy that?
Yeah, he seemed to.
But he’s suspicious, clearly.
He threatened to back out.
I mean, he still might.
[Aggie sighs] So how’d you leave it?
He invited me to a kids’ birthday party.
His, um, twin half brothers.
At Martin Jarvis’s estate.
They’re renting an elephant, apparently.
[laughs]
[Aggie laughs]
Yeah. [chuckles] Is Nile going to this party?
Yeah.
And Nina?
Yeah. Why?
[mysterious ethereal music playing]
Maybe that’s an opening.
An opening for what?
For us.
[car engine starting]
[music fades]
No, listen to me. Felicity cannot go to the park without her EpiPen.
[man] She’s gonna be fine.
No, Frank, she will not be fine.
I don’t know what to tell you because it’s not here.
Look in the back of the drawer again.
I did. Twice.
Just… Can you check it again, please?
I am telling you…
Yep.
I found it.
Thank you. I’ll pick up the kids after dinner, okay?
[disconnect tone]
Christina, isn’t the Mendelsohn briefing supposed to be happening now?
It was canceled. Brian called in sick.
Yeah, I gotta go.
[pensive music playing]
[sniffles] [phone buzzing]
[music fades]
Hey.
I heard you were sick.
I was gonna bring over some bone broth.
Oh, you know what, I don’t want you to catch this thing. Some kind of virus.
I’ll keep my distance.
No, I appreciate the thought. I just, uh…
It’s best not to risk it.
You don’t sound very sick.
Oh, you wanna…
You wanna take my temperature?
Erika?
The other day, you said you got a call about the Mendelsohn case, but you were talking to Agatha Wiggs.
[pensive music playing]
Are you spying on me?
You’ve been coming in late, leaving early, and now you call in sick.
So, yeah, I had your phone log pulled.
It was nothing. I swear.
Then why lie about it?
She’s writing a book on Nile Jarvis.
She had some questions.
Jesus, Brian.
Hey, I spoke to her on background once.
She’s talking to everyone.
Once?
Once.
That’s it, I swear.
Brian, listen.
You can’t do this again.
I know. I know. I’m okay.
I’ll call you later.
No. Brian…
[disconnect tone]
[mysterious plucked string music playing]
[dog barking]
I don’t get why this is so hard for you.
It would have been a nice gesture.
Lila wanted it for the boys.
[car engine starting] I’m not wearing safari gear to an eight-year-old’s birthday party.
They’re your brothers.
They’re my half brothers.
[softly] My God.
[sighs] They’re still family.
They wanted one thing.
You couldn’t just show up wearing a…
Hey.
You coming?
As soon as I finish walking him.
I’ll see you there.
Great.
[mysterious plucked string music playing]
[message sent tone]
[phone buzzes]
[dog barking]
[Brian shushing] Hey, hey. [shushing]
[dog continues barking]
Fuck.
Sh! Come on, come on, come on.
Hey! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Come on.
Come on. Good. Good doggies.
Good doggies. Come on.
Good doggies.
[“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” playing]
♪ Weeheeheehee, dee heeheeheehee ♪
♪ Weeoh aweem away ♪
♪ Aweemaweh, aweemaweh
Aweemaweh, aweemaweh… ♪
[children playfully shouting]
[children laughing]
[girl 2] Cool lizard!
♪ In the jungle, the mighty jungle ♪
♪ The lion sleeps tonight ♪
♪ In the jungle, the quiet jungle ♪
♪ The lion sleeps tonight… ♪
[indistinct chattering]
Thanks.
I’ll take that.
[indistinct chattering]
♪ Near the village, the peaceful village ♪
♪ The lion sleeps tonight ♪
♪ Near the village, the quiet village ♪
♪ The lion sleeps tonight ♪
[music fades into children chattering]
[Aggie] Cooper, put on your shoes, and let’s go.
[Shelley] Aggie, don’t raise your voice.
I’m not.
I don’t wanna go! No!
Hey, Cooper! We are not doing this now.
So pick up your shoes and put them on.
[Shelley] Aggie.
[breathing heavily] Ah fuck.
[tense ethereal music playing] Fuck.
[breathing heavily]
[lighter clicks]
[exhales]
Excuse me. You can’t smoke here, ma’am.
She can smoke anywhere she wants.
[soft tropical music playing]
Sorry. I… I really shouldn’t… [splutters] My brother used to shoot up out here.
I’d cover for him too. Are you okay?
Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.
I just… [sniffles] Guess I haven’t been around kids very much since…
I hadn’t thought of that.
Me neither. [chuckles] Come on. I’ll show you around.
Uh, what should I, uh…
Oh, just there.
Let’s go on safari.
See the wild animals. Oh.
The, um, unsuspecting victim grazes happily on caviar, unaware to the dangers all around.
That is our family’s latest accountant.
He’ll be lucky if he lasts a year.
Are these mostly friends of your father?
[scoffs] Friends. Colleagues. Leeches.
Oh wow.
[elephant trumpets] I hope they drugged that poor bastard.
[roaring]
Shouldn’t have to do this sober.
[man in distance] Quiet!
Come on. I wanna show you something over here.
So that is my childhood bedroom.
When I was ten, I jumped out, and I landed in those hedges.
I broke three ribs.
You jumped on purpose?
Yeah.
Why?
Wanted to see what it would feel like.
Of course, you know Uncle Rick.
Multiple felonies.
Unemployable to anyone other than my father.
He’s, um… He’s a loser, but he’s loyal.
So what exactly does he do for you?
[tongue clicks]
He takes care of the dogs.
[stirring music playing]
[children laughing]
Oh! And here’s the dark overlord himself.
[woman] Last round, for sure.
You ready?
[Aggie chuckles]
So any kind of complaints that you’re gonna have about it, you know what[Nile] Dad!
All right, get out.
[woman] Sorry.
Thank you for coming.
This is Agatha Wiggs, the writer I was telling you about.
Yeah, I know who she is.
And this is Lila.
So glad you could be here.
You have a beautiful home.
Gold just showed up.
Ah.
Excuse me.
[chuckles]
Did you pet the elephant yet?
No. [chuckles] It’s not very soft, actually.
Its skin feels kind of like the bottom of a foot.
[Martin] All right.
Gentlemen, what a party.
The boys must be over the moon.
You said you’d have an update.
How exactly does one procure an elephant?
You have to get some kind of permit or something?
You call Callahan?
Uh, yes. Well, I did. And…
Truth is, it’s complicated, I’m afraid.
Complicated how?
See, you gotta understand, if this was ten years ago, wouldn’t even be a question.
But this generation has changed.
[mysterious ethereal music playing] They’re all swept up in this populist wave without the first clue about basic economics.
Yeah, which is why they need to be educated.
And, uh, I’ve tried, believe me, but, um, Benitez has more sway than I’d anticipated.
And what the fuck does that mean?
It’s not just Tiernan and Olshansky.
She also managed to flip Haas.
It’s your district.
They’re willing to vote against you?
Oh, they’re not voting against him.
He’s voting with them.
You’re flipping, aren’t you?
Okay–
Aren’t you?
Martin, listen.
Fuck. [chuckles] Okay.
[Phineas] Trust me when I tell you I don’t make this decision lightly.
Well, you realize what this means.
This is not what I want.
But we’ve lost the PR war, and it’s an election year.
We’ve funded your campaign for a decade.
Guys, if I vote yes, no amount of cash is gonna get me reelected.
We’ll find out.
Now fuck off.
I’m… I’m sorry. I…
I… I wanted to come here in person, out of respect.
I said get the fuck off my father’s property.
[party pop music playing]
[Nile exhales]
I’ll call Derek.
Whitford too.
We’re gonna need oppo research on every fucking committee member.
Get it done.
[suspenseful music playing]
[exhales]
[sniffs]
[Madison] You had to do this, tonight?
[Brian] You have the right to an attorney.
Anything you say…
What is this obsession with my husband?
Stop it!
I’m just…
No, are you in love with him?
Madison!
[party pop music playing]
[Nina] Aggie.
Aggie.
Oh, hi.
Hi.
[chuckles]
You poor thing.
Did Nile leave you stranded?
I think he had some work stuff to discuss with his father.
Oh. Well, listen, I’m so glad you’re here because I actually wanted to thank you for introducing me to Shelley’s work.
Um, you saved me.
Even if it was accidental.
Oh?
That painting that, um, I saw in your living room, I… I loved it so much that I got curious, and I went to her open studio yesterday.
In Bushwick?
Her new work is… is remarkable.
Have you seen it?
Uh, not the new stuff. Mmmm.
Well, I was blown away, and it turned out to be kismet because I just had an artist fall out of our November show.
He’s a total head case.
He needs professional help.
But the point is, I offered the show to Shelley.
Her first solo show in the city.
I mean, that’s…
That’s incredible. Um, uh…
Oh, what?
[chuckles] Well, I…
I worry about the optics.
I mean, I’m writing a book about your husband.
It could look like a conflict of interest.
You’re divorced.
Well, still, some people might see it as a conflict.
I thought you’d be happy for her.
I mean, she’s never had anywhere close to that level of exposure.
You want me to take that away from her?
[Aggie splutters]
Nina, if this book is gonna be taken seriously, it can’t look like you and Nile are trying to influence what I write.
Frankly, I’m surprised Nile didn’t think it was a problem.
I assume you told him.
Um… [chuckles] Because my guess is… is he’ll have a definite opinion.
[Nile] We’re leaving.
[Nina] We just got here.
Stay as long as you want.
We have to go now.
It’s good to see you.
[mysterious ethereal music playing]
[sighs]
Fuck. [sighs]
[breathing anxiously]
[breathless] Okay.
[phone ringing]
Aggie.
Nile’s going home. He left with Nina.
There was… There was some work crisis.
I’m not sure what exactly.
Files are still downloading.
You need to get out of there now.
They’ll be there in ten minutes, if that.
Did you hear me?
Yeah.
Okay. Call me when you’re out.
And that bitch Benitez is dragging them all over to her side, one by one.
Maybe Gold’s just fishing for more money.
It’s… it’s not about the money.
Then what is it?
It’s a fucking revolution.
Come on.
[suspenseful music playing]
[sighs]
[exhales sharply]
[suspenseful music continues]
[breathing heavily]
What?
[dog barking]
[tense music playing]
[grunting]
[dog snarling]
[grunting]
[thud]
[dog snarling]
[dog whimpers]
Nile, once your head’s clear enough to listen, we need to talk about Aggie.
[barking continues in distance]
What about her?
Well, for starters…
[barking continues]
Nile?
Are you even listening?
Nile?
[Nile] What is it?
I got you. I got you.
What is it? What is it?
[tense music continues]
[Brian breathing heavily]
[music subsides]
It must have been a squirrel.
Yeah, it must have been.
You wanted to tell me something about Aggie?
[dramatic tense music playing]
[music fades]
[stirring instrumental music playing]
[music fades]
