Original subtitles

[gunshots]

- All right. It's November 4th

and we're here at Capitol High.

It's ten o'clock.

- Smiley, you stay right here. Do not go back in that dance.

[alarm bell ringing]

- Okay, we're at the homecoming dance, there were gunshots.

I think there were two of them.

[panicked chatter, screaming]

Okay. Okay.

All right, I'm gonna go back into the dance.

Okay, right there. I think this is where

the shots originated.

They were...

Okay, yeah, there's definitely been a shooting.

[indistinct chatter]

Oh, my God, there's so much blood.

Oh, my God. - Let me go. Lenny.

- The necklace--what?

Okay.

Oh, my God.

Yeah, okay. Maybe they went this way.

[dark music]

Okay.

[heavy breathing]

Whoa, whoa. Don't shoot, don't shoot.

- It's just my phone. - Show me your hands.

- Don't shoot. It's just my phone.

Please don't shoot.

[moody pop music]

WOMAN: ♪ My own world ♪

♪ Living inside myself ♪

♪ Myself ♪

♪ Living for no one else ♪

♪ And I see your face ♪

♪ I don't wanna face it, no ♪

♪ Whoa-oh ♪

♪ So I look away ♪

♪ I don't wanna face it, no ♪

♪ Whoa-oh ♪

♪ What I'm thinking ♪

♪ What I'm saying ♪

♪ I don't ever know ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ So come in ♪

SMILEY: Smiley here, and this is your PSA,

Public Smiley Announcement.

It's Senior Symposium,

and you know what that means:

predictions.

- ♪ What I'm thinking ♪

♪ What I'm saying ♪

- Prediction one, TylAnna for HKQ,

Homecoming King and Queen,

because look at them.

You know when you cry yourself to sleep wondering,

"Why can't I be them?"

But that is nature,

not nurture, unless you can crawl back

into your mama's womb and magically

be reborn fantastic,

it's over.

Homecoming King and Queen goes to Tyler James

and Brianna Wheeler. - You all right?

- Hi, guys.

Prediction two, Hilary Lehane gets VD,

vale-dick-torian

because even if that girl was dead in the ground,

come graduation day, she'd walk and get her ass

right up to that podium.

- We have a deal.

No shooting me.

- Jeez.

Prediction three, sexy skater

and resident bad boy Ozo

will go full on shoe whore

and be found crushed under the weight

of his remarkable fashion sense.

So mysterious, so yummy.

And now, for PSA Junior Class Edition,

don't let that manufactured misery fool you.

We all know that Liddy and Layla

are inseparable, and have been,

since they traded in their tutus for guitars

and started shaving their Barbie dolls' heads

when they were three.

Underneath the Hot Topic tragedies are

two total romantic bleeding hearts.

- ♪ So loud ♪

- I predict a lesbian love fest by prom,

and the question is,

who's gonna buy the ring?

- Whoo!

[all cheering]

- All right!

Thank you, Laydy.

Okay, keep it going. Let's hear it.

We're going out.

All right. All right.

Class of 2017.

[cheers and applause]

Welcome to your senior year.

[cheers and applause]

Hey, hey,

are you ready

to launch into your future?

ALL: Yeah!

[cheers and applause]

PRINCIPAL DECOST: Okay. I want to inspire you.

- Smiley.

Why aren't you in class?

This is Senior Symposium.

You'll get to do this next year.

- I'm reporting.

- You mean gossiping.

Go back to class before I write you up for skipping.

PRINCIPAL DECOST: The greatest resources we have...

Alana Maynor, our guidance counselor.

[cheers and applause]

Ms. Maynor?

[cheers and applause]

[feedback squeals]

- Senioritis.

Senior slump.

You hear these words and you think

this is acceptable behavior,

but slacking off now

can have dire consequences.

There are deadlines to meet,

college tours to arrange.

This is the time when you must behave

as the adult that you wish to become.

[alarm ringing]

[indistinct chatter]

You're minors.

You can't be questioned without your parents' presence,

so not a word.

- Yes.

But you look like an adult,

so can I ask you a few questions?

- It's gonna take more than a few.

- I'm all ears.

- No.

I need to speak with somebody in charge.

Is there a chief?

- He's tied up. We got a room full of kids

swearing they didn't see a thing, so you're stuck with me.

Any chance you saw the shooting?

- No.

But I know why it happened.

LISA: Look at this. Do you see this?

This is a B plus.

I've never had a B plus in my life.

A minus, once.

- A B plus is a good grade.

- No, it's not.

I need you to get me out of Mr. Ridley's class today.

- Slow down. Can you explain what happened?

- Mr. Ridley gave us our AP Psych syllabus in June.

I did all the summer reading.

I did everything I needed to do,

even when I was on vacation with my parents.

- We all know you're a dedicated student.

- And then I get back, and class starts,

and it's like I can't do anything right.

B plus? I turned in this article analysis

the day before it was due.

- Were there bonus points for turning in the paper early?

- No. But there should be.

Look, read it yourself, it's an A paper.

- It doesn't matter if I think you're Sigmund Freud.

Mr. Ridley teaches AP Psych, not me.

You should talk to him.

- I can't.

- Why not? - I just can't.

- Hilary, why not?

- Because I may have insinuated

that the essay question itself

was patriarchal in nature.

Oh, I'm glad I amuse you.

- No, it's just that it reminds me

that my mother would always say,

"You catch more flies with honey,

not vinegar, Alana."

And I was never a honey girl.

- Why would you wanna catch flies anyways?

Flies are gross. - Exactly.

- It's just...

I've had a perfect 4.0 for three years,

and I worked really hard on that.

I'm not gonna give up valedictorian

because his grading system is rigged.

- What do you mean rigged?

- Nothing. Never mind.

- Hilary, I can only be helpful

if I have information.

- Everybody loves Mr. Ridley.

- He's a popular teacher.

- But Mr. Ridley

doesn't necessarily love everyone back.

- You're saying he plays favorites?

- I mean, I get it, I'm vinegar,

and even flies don't like vinegar.

- Hilary, you're not... - Don't.

Please don't.

Because I like that you're tactless,

and if you say something stupid like,

"You have friends," or, "People like you,"

I will lose every ounce of respect I have for you

like this.

- Okay. - Because I don't.

I don't have friends. I have competition.

And that's okay. That's the reality of this world.

Everyone is competition.

And that's what I want: to get out of this hellhole

and into the real world.

I just have to spend one more year

surrounded by these idiots

and then I'm never coming back.

- I know you're anxious to move on.

- And I'm not gonna let that teacher

who likes to feel all cool

and surrounds himself with sycophantic minions

all day ruin my GPA.

- You actually think this is personal?

- I think a class like AP Psych

leaves me open to failure.

There's just too much subjectivity possible,

and if he grades my first essay

in the first week like that,

I'm screwed.

You have to get me out of there.

- Leave the essay with me.

I will read it tonight,

and we'll come up with a plan.

- I don't want a plan.

I want out.

- All right, so all of this

is over a grade?

- Yes...

and no.

- I'm not a maybe kind of guy, Ms. Maynor.

I like my answers in black and white.

- Me too,

and I wish I could give you those kinds

of definitive answers,

but everything about this is grey.

[indistinct chatter]

OFFICER: So you're the guidance counselor?

- And college adviser.

I used to work in Admissions at Emory Law,

evaluating student applications.

- Emory Law to Capitol High.

How's that happen?

- My dad got sick.

John knew that I was gonna be in town

for a while, so... - John?

- Principal Decost.

- You knew him before this job?

- I grew up here with his kids.

Our parents were friends,

neighbors.

He's family.

- So he can just hire you to be the therapist?

- I'm not a-- - Did you have to be qualified,

or certified, or something?

- Goal setting,

time management-- those are my skills.

I'm very good at helping my kids get accepted

into college.

- But not so much the therapy part?

- I--

I thought I was prepared.

Everything was organized.

TYLER: We're late.

- Tardiness isn't an accomplishment.

- Oh, that was an apology.

- No, it was a proclamation.

Sit down. Let's get started.

Brianna, can you wait outside?

- Oh, she's staying. Bri, sit.

- This is your appointment.

I've already met with Brianna. - Wait, what?

- My God, baby, it's not a big deal.

- We were supposed to do this together,

as in one-two together.

- This isn't couples counseling.

- Then what's that?

- Right.

Okay.

Do you two need to talk?

- No.

We have already talked.

We're both going to Duke.

After graduation, we're getting married,

two kids.

I'll be governor by the time I'm 30,

president by the age 42,

and that's making history right there.

- Well, that sounds like your plan.

Brianna, how do you fit in?

- First lady.

- That's a job, not just a title.

- Well, Bri's part is legendary.

I can't do this without her.

- That said, Duke is a reach school

for both of you.

Brianna and I have already discussed her weaknesses,

but Tyler, my initial evaluation of your application strength

suggests we need to consider safer options.

- My parents graduated from Duke, so--

- Legacy won't override mediocre grades

and low test scores.

- Harsh.

- I'm Student Council President

for the past three years.

I was elected as a sophomore--

first one in the history of the school,

and that impresses.

- Not enough to open this door.

- Well, that's what parents are for.

They'll call their friends,

somebody writes a check or builds a wing.

- You could also push yourself.

Vary your extracurriculars.

Politicians need to be well-rounded thinkers.

- Ms. Maynor, politicians need to be popular.

[school bell ringing]

ALANA: Brianna, did you talk to your parents

about getting a tutor?

- Yeah, my first session's next week.

- Great, let me know

if you want me to read those essays.

- Don't make this into a thing, Ty.

- We've been talking about this for the past few years

and now you're sneaking around behind my back?

- Nobody's sneaking around.

We all have to do these stupid sit-downs.

- Well,

why didn't you ask me to come with you?

Bri, are you mad at me?

- You know, sometimes it's like you want me

to be this picture

and you're looking at me,

but it's like you can't even see who I really am.

- Bri, hey,

you're my beautiful girl, okay?

I love you.

- I love you, too.

- See you in class, okay?

[slow music]

♪ ♪

[girl crying]

- Hey, hey,

you're gonna be okay, all right?

Your parents are on their way.

- Your homecoming queen seems to be taking this

very personally.

- Of course she is.

She lost everything tonight.

[crying]

- Is this Mr. Barth's office?

- Mr. Barth retired.

I'm his replacement,

Alana Maynor.

- I need a copy of my transcript.

- Your name?

- Right. Pauline.

Yeah, Polly, Pauline Campbell.

Actually, it might be under Margaret.

- Let me get the form.

Have a seat.

- Can I close-- do you mind?

- What year did you graduate?

- I didn't. I had some personal stuff.

Sophomore year. Dropped out.

- Have you considered a GED?

- No, not really.

My mom's friend said she could get me

a receptionist job, so...

just need to prove I took Computers.

- I'd be willing to look into the process

and testing for you.

- I can't.

I work full-time.

- What do you do?

- Waitress at the eatery.

- Statistically speaking,

a GED is worth a temporary financial loss

of scaling back your hours now.

- I can't scale back.

- A better education means more money.

- This new job will mean more money.

- I mean, beyond this job.

- There's not a beyond for me.

- Of course there's a beyond.

- No, there's the rent,

the gas, and the garbage.

Nobody foretells you that you have to pay for garbage,

but you do and I'm the one who has to do it.

- I didn't mean to-- - I know.

Nobody ever means to be...

insulting.

Yeah, they just are.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- If you're depressed, Polly,

there are ways to combat that head-on.

- Do you have any idea how hard it was

for me to come back here?

Just to be reminded that I failed?

- Coming back isn't going backwards.

[slow music]

♪ ♪

- Just mail me the transcript.

ALANA: If I had stood up,

followed her out--

if I hadn't been so...

me,

maybe you wouldn't be here tonight.

- The grade was just the spark.

I had no idea I was standing on a funeral pyre.

[tense music]

[indistinct chatter]

- Outside, lunch?

- Can't wait till after school to get a piece of me?

- Mr. Ozonaka.

- Just be there, okay?

- For you always.

- You missed your session with me.

- Yeah, I'm not a really college kind of guy.

- You should at least explore your options.

- I'm good, thanks.

- Off the board in the halls.

[men laughing]

KEVIN: I know.

- Oh, I can come back.

PRINCIPAL DECOST: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.

You know what? Kevin and I,

we were just discussing your Hilary problem.

- So she thinks I gave her a B plus

because I don't like her?

- She's concerned about her GPA.

- Oh, is Hilary not concerned about anything?

I've spent the last three years talking her

and her tiger mom down off the ledge.

Grade-grabbing has got to be passed genetically.

- Look, I get it. I should not use anything

less than perfection but you can't just drop my class.

- Hilary has her eyes on Harvard

and she's scared her application is going to suffer.

- Yeah, but what happens when she gets into Harvard

and everyone is a valedictorian,

you know, and then she gets second-best?

God forbid she gets third? - Feel for that dean.

- We have an obligation to teach these students

something more than just chasing grades.

Now, this is an opportunity for Hilary

to face failure

in safe environment where we can catch her.

- Maybe a conversation about your grading rubrics

would help her.

- Well, I'm not holding Hilary to a higher standard.

- Still, she feels singled out.

- She really thinks that this is personal?

I never want any of my students to feel that way.

I need a chance to fix this.

That seem fair?

- It does.

- All right, then we're decided, Hilary stays.

- Great.

Thank you again for the heads-up.

I really appreciate it.

You've been such a great part of the team here.

You actually might be John's best hire. After me.

- Hey! All right. We'll see you, buddy.

[clears throat] Hey,

listen, don't hate me,

but I got a little more bad news.

I had to move homecoming to the first week of November.

- But that overlaps with a bunch of early admission deadlines.

- No, no, I know, but it's a big year.

It's my 10th Anniversary.

I want a huge turnout of alumni.

Oh, and so I'm still gonna need those stats

on our increase in college enrollment.

- That's too early to determine.

- No, we'll just guesstimate.

Hey, you know what?

This Sunday, you tell your mom

I'm bringing dinner over, okay?

My treat. She needs a break.

Well, you both do.

How is she doing?

- She's exhausted.

- Yeah.

And Buck?

Are you holding up?

[sentimental music]

♪ ♪

[dark music]

♪ ♪

[phone chimes]

[school bell ringing]

- Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. There's so much blood.

- Wait. - Oh, my God.

The necklace--what?

Okay.

POLICE OFFICER: [shouting] Show me your hands!

Show me your hands. Come with me.

- Hey.

[moody pop music]

♪ ♪