Original subtitles

We should be doing more pro-active pitching.

Targeting the brands we want to represent -

like Pure Willow.

[Paul] Oh, Willow Russell - she's a saint.

- Where'd you get those? - They were a gift.

This office space isn't.

What's the matter, Dom?

Well you were on your

Me Machine the whole time.

- And I botched a line. - No one noticed.

[Guy] Some explicit photos of Opal

- went live on the site last night. - That pig!

[Opal] I'm making my point that it's not the photos

I had a problem with, it's about control.

Are you at least journaling?

I'm writing - to myself.

I see your love.

[Daniel] I'm not happy, and I don't know what to do.

- Stop it! - Stop it?

I'm fucking stuck in this.

I had an affair when we were still married.

Because we were already broken. Sorry.

What are you doing? You fucking idiot.

[tense music]

Stop it...

Oh, what are you doing, you idiot.

Sorry, there was such a long queue.

It's okay, I was just getting my 'Eve Life' fix.

Oh, should I feel nervous or flattered?

Flattered.

I think it's really fascinating, what you're doing.

I don't know how you do it.

Gin helps. Where are the drinks?

Are you nervous?

Oh, a little...

Well, don't be.

I think you're pretty fascinating, too.

Oh, God, I've never been called that.

Oh, God, I've never been called that.

Back in a minute.

You're Evelyn Jones, right?

Yeah, I am.

[sarcastically] Hmm, big fan.

Maybe stick to what you know.

Privileged women without a sense of humour or a clitoris.

Look, sorry if I've offended you in any way.

I'm trying to get better, with context.

And nothing you said before isn't something

I don't say to myself every day.

[bartender] Mm. Fair enough.

And just to be clear, I do have a sense of humour,

and a clitoris.

[man] By the left!

Quick march!

[military percussion]

[Jon] Why can't she follow orders like this at home?

[Evelyn] Maybe we need to don a uniform and do the voice.

[thunder rumbling] [Jon yawning]

You look terrible.

You look terrible.

Thanks.

I'm not sleeping.

I lay awake at night thinking, am I really that guy?

I mean, am I?

Yep.

I didn't even want the beer.

I just wanted to go back to the hotel room,

watch some bad local news and pass out.

But it was a big mistake.

Wasn't it?

[military drumming continues]

Philosophy is a history of mistakes.

If Aristotle was right, Plato was wrong.

Well, all I know is we're both seeing other people.

Ginny and I are very close now.

How do you feel about me seeing someone new?

I'm okay with it.

Although I'm not sure he's any match for you.

Uh, unlike you and Erika.

I mean, what do you even talk about?

Dewey Decimal System?

[Evelyn] This is so weird.

[Evelyn] This is so weird.

Has she expressed any interest in joining the army to you?

[Jon] No, honestly I forget we even have an army.

I think I've got it.

This whole thing is about structure.

We've let her go rogue. She needs routine.

Direction!

We have to kill the bird nesting.

It's clearly too disruptive.

Go, Addy!

[Jon] You're not supposed to cheer.

Ooh...

- Whose are these? - They're Dad's.

I thought Ginny was doing his washing.

So, what do we think?

I think we tried, we failed,

we all just need to spread our wings

and fly away from this messed-up nest.

[Alex] Anyway, things are changing.

I'm going to uni next year,

Addy wants to go to that rich farm school,

and Dad's got Erika.

Well, I wanted to tell you that...

I've started seeing someone.

It's early, but he's really nice.

- I think you'll like him. - [zip whirs]

So you and Dad are never getting back together?

So you and Dad are never getting back together?

It's good to know. [tense music]

Come on, Addy, I can't be late.

Well, h-hang on a minute, I'll take you.

No, it's alright, Dad lent me his car, I'm driving.

Well, well, what about some breakfast, toast?

We can just get smoothies on the way.

- We can have pizza tonight. - I'm going to Gracie's.

Yeah, I'll be at the library, so...

Do you want anything?

Money? -Come on, Addy -Yeah.

Tampons, parking tickets.

You should probably pay those.

- Bye. - See ya.

[gentle music]

[Opal] Dom liked 14 of my 43 most recent posts.

And yesterday, he liked my selfie,

but then he unliked it eight minutes later.

I should never have encouraged you

to write about your relationship, Opal.

You know what my first thought was,

when I heard about the photos?

"Will I go viral?"

"Will I go viral?"

It'd be good for you to talk to someone.

It can't be good, looking at a screen all day.

You literally pay me to do that.

I know, but you need to find real connection again.

Sylvie will help you.

You might have to bounce on a balance ball.

Okay.

- What do I talk about? - Anything.

Just don't say what you think she wants you to say.

She'll be all over that. She's the smartest person I know.

[door opens]

- Pearl. - Opal?

Oh, okay, sorry, um, follow me.

I just need a quick five. Do you mind?

Sure.

[door squeaks and thuds]

Jon had an affair.

He cheated on the librarian.

My, God, he doesn't muck around.

No, on me, during our marriage.

- He told you that? - Yeah.

And what did you do?

- I slept with him. - Obviously.

And it was...

And it was...

We were really good. I was good.

Yeah, may I remind you that you two are getting divorced?

It must, it must mean something.

You want to know why it was good?

Because you're not washing his underwear

or disinfecting the toilet bowl

after his two-hour shitting sessions.

That's why.

No, I, I think it's more than that.

More than what? You're trying to get your power back.

You're trying to reclaim your territory

by putting your flag back in, I get it.

[gentle music]

I might still love him.

What if I was wrong?

And what if you leave before I charge you for two sessions?

I'm going, I'm going.

["How to Tame Lions" by Meg Washington playing]

♪ How do you tame a lion? It was a savvy answer ♪

♪ The repartee and argument You look like a dancer ♪

♪ You can take the East side and I will take the West ♪

♪ You know I liked you better... ♪

Where are my sweet-smelling, entitled tech-boys?

Gone. Vanished into thin air.

- What? - Thin air.

Oh, I for one am going to miss their casual misogyny.

Oh, I for one am going to miss their casual misogyny.

Business-casual misogyny.

[laughs] Where's Opal?

- Oh, she's with Sylvie. - Who's Sylvie?

Who's Sylvie? [chuckles]

She's my life coach, mentor, counsel, guru.

- Your therapist. - Yeah.

Mm. [tense music]

Never share your 'airdresser or your therapist.

- Your words. - Well, Pen,

maybe it's not just my core that's softening.

'Hair' dresser.

- Oh, what are you... - Willow!

Paul Bowen Clark, 'Eve Life'. How are you?

Finally. [laughs] 17 missed calls.

I sound like a stalker, I'm not.

But we are absolutely obsessed with you

and we would love the opportunity

to pitch for the business.

And I think we deserve to pitch.

We're trailblazers too.

Anytime. We'd make midnight work.

Thursday at 4pm? Absolutely.

Lock it in, Willow.

Lock it in, Willow.

I love you.

Bye...

Oops...

Well, a squeaky wheel gets the oil.

[high-fives] Yes!

[laughs] 'I love you' was a bit much.

So, when were you going to tell me about Jon pulling out?

Oh, pulling out as an investor.

What do you think I meant?

No-nothing. I, I just thought, yeah.

I thought it would be best not to be in bed with my ex.

Well, yeah, I agree with Evelyn.

The relationship's already damaged.

- They're getting divorced. - Now, I agree with Helen.

Guys, I'm feeling really positive.

We finally got a meeting with Willow Russell.

Let's just enjoy the moment.

[Helen] Even still, Sweet Jane's is still stirring her toxic pot.

My clothes are itchy today.

Norma's book comes out this week.

Actually tonight, Helen. Yeah, you going to go, Ev?

You know what?

Yes, I will.

[gasps] Oh, God, ugh!

[Evelyn] She's hanging herself?! [tense music]

- [Paul] Mm. - [Evelyn sighs]

Alright, back to the circus, Bozo.

Alright, back to the circus, Bozo.

[indistinct background chatter]

[woman] Oh, my God. That's her! That's the toxic boss. [laughs]

[footsteps clomping]

Ev?

You coming in?

Uh, no, I, I, I missed therapy today,

so it's probably not a good idea I go in.

I wish I could write a novel, and be on tour,

stay in fancy hotel rooms by myself.

Sure, that's why writers write.

[Evelyn chuckles]

Ev, I never apologised to you, and that shames me.

What I did was business, but it was also immoral.

I did go to therapy today.

[Evelyn chuckles]

And I regret naming it 'Whoman'.

Seemed like a good idea until I had to say it 40 times a day.

Seemed like a good idea until I had to say it 40 times a day.

Anyway, enough shop talk.

Peter.

[Dan] Happy birthday, darling!

[group] Cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers.

[Rebecca] She keeps sending me selfies,

- it's really... - Woo!

Hey, hey, Rebecca,

careful what you say at the table,

it might end up online.

No scruples, this one.

[laughs] Oh, that's rich, coming from a lawyer.

Your lawyer! When it suits.

- [Lucy] Where were we? - We were talking about

the proliferation of the selfie.

The rise of narcissism.

There's nothing particularly new in the concept

of the selfie though, is there?

I mean, Van Gogh was doing it a couple of centuries ago.

That's an excellent point, Simon.

Yeah, but at least Van Gogh had talent.

I mean, these kids, all they have is an iPhone

and a hipster-matic filter.

I think the selfie's a healthy form of expression.

Ev, didn't you get one of your writers

to post explicit images of herself online?

Didn't you just represent a guy

accused of running a sweatshop?

Yeah, I did, he got off. [laughs]

Yeah, I did, he got off. [laughs]

Social media is nothing more than a fast-track

to a mental health crisis, that's my opinion.

- Oh, God, chill out. - Oh, okay.

[Simon] Dan, I, I'm intrigued.

Did you read the piece that accompanied those images?

No, I didn't, sorry, I, I mean, I don't read 'Eve Life'.

Yeah, he just looks at the pretty pictures.

Can you stop, you two? [chuckles]

Well, what, you don't read it either, come on.

[Simon] No, I do, I love the way they tackle

gender and politics without apology,

and Opal's essay on, on shame and trust was superb.

- Mm. I do too.

Yeah, I, I loved the piece

on the un-needing phase of parenthood -

really spoke to me on a profound level.

Ah, thanks, Erika.

- Would you like some more wine? - Oh, no thanks.

How many kids do you have, Erika?

Uh, none, but I have two cats

and they were also quite independent past a certain age.

- Who needs a top-up? - Ah, definitely not you.

Um, I'm going to get some champagne for everyone.

[Daniel] Sorry, sorry, sorry,

I got a bit carried away, sorry.

None on your clothes.

- No. - Beautiful.

So you don't read 'Eve Life'?

Oh, I do when I can.

Honestly, I barely have time to read your text messages.

Well, that's why I curate the news into bite-sized pieces.

For time-poor working women.

What about time-poor housewives?

Happy birthday.

- [glasses clinging] - [laughs] Thank you.

[Lucy] I like Simon, handsome with a quiet intelligence.

Mm. Jon thinks he's no match for me.

Mm, sounds like someone's jealous. [giggles]

Baby - champagne?

Oh, darling, I think you've had enough.

He's a train wreck tonight.

I know, he's been off since the workshop.

He didn't say anything to you, did he?

When?

[scoffs] When you were physically entwined

and emotionally vulnerable.

Oh, right, no.

Right, well, I might go and hit up rich Rachel

for some 'Eve Life' support.

Oh, of course, everything's a networking opportunity with you.

- Daniel. - Well, you know,

- Daniel. - Well, you know,

it'd be nice if just once she wasn't talking

about herself and her work, that's all I'm saying.

As opposed to porn and cartoons.

[footsteps clomping]

You told her about 'Jessica Rabbit'.

[Daniel and Lucy indistinctly arguing]

I think they're just a bit stressed

because Lucy quit work.

[Daniel] I'm sick and tired of Evelyn

always making everything about her.

And, and I think Daniel thinks that,

that I supported her leaving work, which I didn't.

[Lucy] ...about yourself, including me.

[Daniel] All we do is argue.

I think we should just eat. Erika's nearly finished hers.

I, I'm so sorry, I just have low blood sugar, so...

That's okay.

[Evelyn] Luce?

[sighs] [footsteps clomping]

We, we waited. [chuckles]

Except for Erika, who dug right in.

But it was getting cold, so...

But it was getting cold, so...

[Daniel exhales] Will you just leave us alone, please?

When were you going to tell me?

Tell you what?

That you'd been having conversations

with Daniel about our marriage.

I asked you if he said anything to you at the workshop

and you said, no.

You lied to me. You lied to my face.

Mm-hmm.

Uh...

It, it's, it's not, it's not a big deal.

Oh, it's not a big deal, my husband isn't happy

in our marriage.

Yeah, he's, he's not.

You met her. You talked to that woman.

And you call yourself a friend.

You bet I do.

And what kind of friend is that?

What? [tense music]

He made me lie to you

because he, he wanted me to protect you and, and I agreed.

I didn't think you could handle it.

You, you're feeling very vulnerable at the moment.

You, you've been through a big trauma at work.

How dare you make assumptions

How dare you make assumptions

about what I can and can't handle.

I'm smarter than you.

- I'm smarter than both of you. - Okay.

Guys, would you like us to leave?

I can save lives.

I've operated on children.

I've delivered babies, how many babies have you delivered?

- Well, none. - Yeah.

And it wasn't my fault.

That ectopic wasn't my fault.

I care deeply about my patients. [whimpers]

Every decision I make weighs heavily on me,

and I don't need you meddling in my business,

adding to that weight,

thinking that you know what's [quivers] best for me.

[gentle music] [Lucy sighs]

You are smart, Luce.

But thinking you can fix this is stupid.

It's not a broken ankle.

This is a marriage with two very different people,

and you need to talk - not pole dance.

Anyway, I'm going to go and finish my lasagna

before Erika eats it all.

[footsteps approaching]

We think you should leave.

[Evelyn scoffs]

Jesus, Daniel.

I'm not the one slowly breaking her heart.

I didn't have an affair. I've never done that.

["Beast Of Love" by Cloud Control playing]

♪ Yes, it's always been your smile ♪

[cars whooshing]

How humiliating.

I guess I fucked up again.

[scoffs] What a surprise.

♪ Fills the void between the light ♪

♪ Fills the void between the light ♪

♪ Feel the voices in the wild ♪

♪ Waiting for the beast of love to kill ♪

[Paul] Evelyn!

[Evelyn deeply inhales]

Ugh, what are you doing in here?

- It's you. - I had a feeling it was you.

Sweet Jane.

[scoffs] No, it's not.

Guy traced it.

- [Penny] Is this true, Evelyn? - [Opal] No, of course not.

That's like something I would do, not Ev.

[Lily] Why on earth would anyone troll themselves?

[Opal] I know, right?

This is insane, Evelyn.

[tense music]

[Lily] Wait, what?

[discordant voices] What the hell were you thinking?

You realise how fucked up this is?

-[Opal] What are people going to say?

-[Paul] We work our arses off...

[Lily] I can't believe I left Vogue for this.

[Opal] I've got issues? That's nuts, Ev.

[Penny] I mean if 'Whoman', let alone 'Tart'

hear about this we're fucked!

[Paul] Meanwhile you're undermining

everything we're doing here.

What, was it just for traffic?

[gasps] It runs deeper than that.

[tense music]

[Penny] Ev?

Evelyn.

[lift beeps]

[tense music]

[Evelyn loudly breathing]

Oh. [whimpers]

[tense music] [shoes thudding]

[Evelyn loudly breathing]

[tense music]

[distorted cry] Help! Paul!

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Evelyn loudly breathes and sobs]

Oh. [panting]

It's okay.

[Evelyn panting]

[tense music]

[birds chirping]

You told me to journal, to, to create a dialogue with myself.

Well, you told me to write my darkest thoughts,

interrogate my weaknesses for anxiety,

and so that's what I fucking did.

I did that. You told me to do that.

Yeah, but not in the public domain, Evelyn.

In a journal that you keep by your bed,

preferably with a lock and key, like when you're 13.

Well, I only know the public domain.

[sighs] And it became... addictive.

Evelyn.

You know the ancient Greeks - of course, who else?

They used public debate as a way to get to the truth.

They used public debate as a way to get to the truth.

But arguing with yourself as somebody else,

in front of everybody else,

at the risk of everything else,

is next-level, Evelyn.

Plato and Socrates would be proud.

- [Evelyn scoffs] - Well done.

What were you arguing with yourself about?

The hypocritical divide between my low self-esteem

and, and my judgement of others.

Who exactly are you judging?

Myself, of course. [whimpers]

[Evelyn deeply exhales]

[birds chirping]

And women.

[tense music]

I actually like all of this.

I think it shows growth and development.

It's self-preservation, protection.

[tense music]

Not pathological self-loathing?

Actually, it's the opposite.

I see it as an act of self-love.

I mean, just think about what you've been through.

New business, divorce, financial pressures,

New business, divorce, financial pressures,

betrayal, competition -

it's the perfect storm for an identity crisis.

And it's really important

that you remember that, at the end of the day,

we're just a bunch of atoms.

[scoffs] Atoms, okay.

[gentle music]

Just as a matter of interest, do my atoms need...

medicating?

[sighs]

Do I need medicating?

[Sylvie] I think you know the answer to that.

[birds chirping]

Are you okay?

I think so.

Uh, should I cancel Willow? I could say you're sick.

Uh, should I cancel Willow? I could say you're sick.

No, no.

When is it again?

Now. She's actually already in the boardroom.

I can't cancel, I don't know why I said that.

Great.

We're looking to partner up with one media organisation.

It's a substantial investment

and it's crucial I know who your readers are.

Your competitors seem to have a clear idea who theirs are.

[gentle music]

Wait.

Sorry, she's had a very difficult week.

- What's happened?

[gentle music]

Her dog died.

- And she killed it. - Oh, God.

With her car. To be fair, it's a small dog

and she drives a very big car.

Look, we, we can reschedule.

- We can reschedule. - What? No. Why?

You're here now. [laughs]

This is Cate with a C.

This is Cate with a C.

She's a typical 'Eve Life' reader.

And I'm ashamed to say that I fought against her

because she was average.

She wasn't smart enough.

She's not pretty enough.

And she was... boring.

[tense music]

I, I abandoned her.

But she's still here, more loyal than I'll ever be.

And, she likes herself.

'Whoman' sell themselves as the modern perfect woman,

'Tart' sell themselves as, as the most worthy,

but neither exist.

So their audience doesn't exist.

We want women to feel something,

and sometimes that's not pretty.

I mean, real women make mistakes.

I know that better than anyone, don't I, Paul?

Yes. Big time.

Absolutely.

But what if we were to commit

to keep on making them?

What, what if we never learned from our mistakes?

What, what if we never learned from our mistakes?

- ['Cate' board thuds] - [Paul] Jesus.

Have you ever made a mistake?

Sure, but I, I, I try hard not to.

I don't.

I make them all the time. I've made so many.

I mean, this week alone, I, I've slept with my ex-husband.

Only once, well, actually, a few times

in the only-once night.

I've, I've betrayed my best friend,

by not telling her the truth about her marriage.

One of my writers is seeing my psychiatrist

because I failed to protect her.

Your dog died as well...

Remember?

Mm...

[Paul] Thanks for the call, Willow.

[computer keyboard clacking]

Pass?

[sighs] Willow said you made her feel something.

They're in?

She felt bad about your dead dog.

[both chuckle]

Uh, yeah, they want us to start working

on the campaign next week.

That, that's all you, Paul.

Paul.

I'm really sorry.

I'm going to give you a big pay rise,

and your office back.

Thanks, Ev. Good night.

[phone trills]

Hi, Mum.

[Ginny] Darling, you home for dinner?

Uh, no, I'm, I'm, I'm good tonight, I'm at work.

[Ginny] Oh, okay, I'll see you tomorrow then.

Mm. Bye, Mum.

[Ginny] It's nice to hear your voice, Ev.

[slow uplifting music rising]

Hello, world.

This is Evelyn Jones.

It's an existential fact that we cannot see ourselves.

Instead, we, we rely on some kind of internal distortion,

our critical inner voice.

[gentle music]

Over the last few months,

my inner critic has gone rogue,

and public.

I created a self-hating alter ego.

And I called her Sweet Jane.

If I'm being completely honest,

it was the fear of competition that fed my anxiety.

I was so full of fear.

I was so full of fear.

I, I couldn't accept that competition's a good thing.

That it can be better for women...

Because, quite simply, there's more seats at the table.

I'm still trying to understand what led me to this point,

and maybe this will help.

I grew up in a world

that is, is too quick to find women's faults.

And I know that attacking myself

is a response to a system

that demands too much of women.

We're not allowed to be emotional -

jealous, mad, incompetent...

angry.

But I'm all those things, and I'm glad I am.

I think I was punishing myself for being imperfect.

But, when everyone keeps telling you

that you're failing,

as a boss, as a mother...

[inhales sharply]

as a woman - eventually, you believe it.

as a woman - eventually, you believe it.

So I'm not going to judge myself for what I did.

I've been through a lot.

My marriage has ended, and divorce is hard.

And it's daunting, thinking of a new relationship.

But I don't want to be alone.

[gentle music]

A very wise woman once said to me,

"At the end of the day, we're just a bunch of atoms".

[gentle music]

So, a true crime investigation?

Yeah, well, sort of.

It started off as a hazing ritual,

but three girls were raped.

Allegedly?

No, they were definitely raped.

No, they were definitely raped.

[phone ringing] Oh, good.

I mean, not good, but...

Sounds like a cracking podcast series.

- Don't look at my history. - Why? - It's private.

You know, I moved up the corporate ladder very quickly here.

- Here you go. - Oh! Thanks.

Hello, you sexual little deviants.

Welcome to 'Eavesdropping with Opal Taylor'.

Today we're going to be talking about favourite sex positions

to do when you've got the runs.

Runaway!

[door knocking]

Liam! You're back.

Ev, yeah, just back for my Aeron.

Your chair?

- Yeah. - It's been six months.

I know, uh, we've been busy, but...

Look, it has sentimental value.

I came up with SpecPoints sitting on that thing.

Sat on it for months.

Barely moved, never showered, slept on it one night.

God, did all sorts of things on that chair.

- Sure it was this chair? - That's her.

- Ugh, please, take it. - Oh, thank you.

Hey, listen, you guys still owe me a bit of rent. [laughs]

Hey, listen, you guys still owe me a bit of rent. [laughs]

I, I know business is tough, but...

Wait, you didn't hear?

We sold SpecPoints.

Oh, Liam, I'm sorry.

It was a really good idea.

You should, you should be proud.

You don't have to be sorry.

Well, I hope you broke even, don't worry about the rent,

or my points.

Are you sure, I mean, I can write you a check now

for the rent. 12 grand, right?

Well, only if you can afford it.

Yeah, it's no sweat, we sold for 40 million.

You should have invested.

You could have been rich as fuck. [laughs]

Wait, what did we ask you for again?

60,000 for 10 percent.

Wow. That was a good deal.

Shit, I'd be writing you a check for 4 million.

You know, that's like a real sliding-doors moment.

And you chose the dumb door.

[chuckles] Mm.

[Liam] Yeah.

Could I still have my two points?

[chuckles] Of course, you can, Evelyn.

Lawyers are finalising things at the moment,

but your check will be in the mail any day.

[gasps]

See you around, Ev.

Paul! Helen!

What's up?

How much is 2 percent of 40 million?

- You're so bad at math. - Shut up, Helen.

800,000.

Oh, my God. [laughs] We're rich, I did it.

Why?

[Evelyn] Our luck's changing, I can smell it.

You're not still looking for an investor, are you?

Oh. [chuckles]

["Welcome To My Island" by Caroline Polachek playing]