Original subtitles

"Will Martin Richardson end the Dupree political dynasty?"

[scoffs] Like hell.

[deep voice]: Guess who.

Oh, who else but my best girl?

Mm, always the politician.

Always the father.

You were hedging. Your best girl could be me, Nicole, or Mother.

[chuckles]

That a story about Martin?

It's more like a hatchet job.

Mm. Reporter thinks he's sly,

insulting you and Martin at the same time.

He's talking about Martin being primaried in June.

How's my girl?

She doesn't want you to drop this,

even though politics isn't her first language.

Is Martin's campaign manager counter-messaging?

No doubt. Yeah.

And you just missed Martin.

Uh, the second he left, this news piece went live.

You think it has legs?

Eh.

24-hour news cycle cuts both ways.

You can stomp down one crisis and...

only to have another one pop up.

When faced with digital Whac-a-Mole,

you don't fight it, you outlast it.

Bill taught me that.

CHELSEA: Is it conceited to look at my own work

and be all, "Damn, girl"?

BILL: Chelsea,

you know how I feel about that word.

Oh, please,

you and Mom filled the swear jar

on a regular back in the day.

The objectionable word here is "conceited."

Use, um, use "confident" or "crazy-cool," whatever.

Just be proud.

I am.

Well, thanks-- not just for the compliment

but for the crazy-cool hookup/best present ever.

Lauren Fenmore is like the First Lady of department stores.

It would have taken Kat and me forever to get a meeting.

Nah, no, you would have gotten there eventually,

but since Michael Baldwin owed me a favor,

I figured, why not support your enterprise?

All you have to worry about is meeting the moment.

I know.

Kat's on her way, and I'm working

on a presentation for the Fenmore buyer.

Having our bags in her stores all across the country?

It's going to be purse game-changing.

Yeah, yeah, I know, and not to mention

the e-commerce and the social media shops--

man, the verticals on those. [chuckles]

You'll have more eyes on your bags than ever.

You added The Business of Fashion

to your morning news rotation?

Well, you know, I keep up with my baby girl's passions.

Aw.

[chuckles] Well,

your mother gets credit for my fashion vocab.

I mean, I was married

to one of the most beautiful supermodels on the planet.

♪ ♪

Sorry, sorry, we're having issues

with the install on the new lipo machine.

Far be it from me to stand in the way

of Fairmont Crest's nips and sucks.

Well, what did you order for me?

I was waiting.

What?

Usually when I'm this late, you order for the both of us.

I mean, how many times have you ordered zucchini fries

when you know I hate zucchini?

Everyone should love them.

They're delicious.

You're letting me choose and you have that look.

What look?

Why do I feel like you're being this sweet

because you've done something dreadful?

GRAYSON: The only time I've ended up in the ER...

-ASHLEY: Mm-hmm. -...I thought I had

enough balloons to float a chair up into the sky.

-[Ashley chuckles] -Yeah,

but I only had enough to tip it and me

onto the driveway, and I broke my arm

-on the pavement. -Aw.

Mm-hmm.

Well, you were a kid trying to impress a girl.

Is it working?

Ash, you got a minute?

Um... I'm up to here with work, so I...

Working or working it?

Excuse me?

-You mind just coming back another time? -Derek.

I'm so sorry, Grayson.

Uh, if you could just move it along, Gray, uh...

GRAYSON: It's Grayson.

And you should know that by now

because somehow you're always here where I am.

Step off, bro, I-I could bench-press three of you.

Look, I don't have the bandwidth

for your rebound boy right now, okay?

Hey, listen, I'm not your bro.

Ashley's not your girlfriend anymore,

and if there's anyone who needs to step off, I think it's you.

Or what?

How are we back to you accusing me

of every past, present and future crime under the sun?

I mean, what'd I do this time? Oh.

There's this big ole volcanic eruption somewhere this week.

Was that me, too?

If it happened to affect a certain Articulette

and her whole entire family, I wouldn't put it past you.

I wish I could give you a real assist.

I was tearing the pages out of Mother's Voguemagazine,

plastering them on my walls,

and dreaming of walking the runway in New York and Paris

instead of learning at your knee.

All of that political knowledge, and I didn't drink my fill.

Meanwhile, Nicole was there, eyes wide,

singing along to Schoolhouse Rock!

as they taught us how to change a bill into a law.

[chuckles] That song was catchy.

For a minute I thought Nicole was going

to follow you into Congress.

Nah, Nicole was destined to help people in a whole other way.

You came into the world, I knew you couldn't be

more gloriously different from one another.

I came in howling, and Nicole came in so quiet,

Mother was worried something was wrong.

Yeah, but still you became the best of friends,

each other's sissies.

I'm the chocolate to her peanut butter.

Your closeness gives us comfort.

But don't you underestimate your strategic acumen.

Your business has as much intrigue and jockeying as mine.

And a whole lot more stilettos.

Yeah, my baby girl.

Yeah, you did a lot more than dream.

No, you hustled your way onto that Voguecover.

You broke ground with your beauty and your brains.

I did for one brief, luminous moment.

And you're ascending again, making a big comeback.

Wow.

We've never been prouder.

Watching you step into your power.

Finally you're free of that deadwood Bill Hamilton.

Baby, you know that context is

the mother of all misunderstandings.

Shh.

I know exactly what kind of father you are.

It's okay.

Hmm.

Is that the kind of "it's okay"

that gets me benched from the bedroom?

You were just using Dani

to make up for lost ground with your kid.

Or am I missing some of that context?

Man, you know how to read me.

It was just a dad-daughter pep talk.

You know, Chelsea and Kat finally have

a date and time for the Fenmore's meeting.

Mm, so why apologize for being a good daddy?

Come on. Are we going to pretend

that you didn't hear me call Dani beautiful?

Why downgrade the compliment?

The words you used were

"one of the most beautiful supermodels on the planet."

I hate this.

I'm just going to pay an Etsy witch

to increase my techie skills, and poof.

Okay, why aren't you all about our make-or-break Zoom?

Are you okay?

I was with Gran earlier,

and she didn't even blink at the Mom situation.

Oh, you mean how Aunt Nicole is getting her groove back?

You mean taking somebody else's groove?

I didn't even recognize her.

I should've sent you a picture.

Okay, our brand is about empowering women

to be and wear whatever they want.

How can you not want her to flex?

She's a newly single smokeshow.

Why aren't you backing her up?

Because she's not acting like herself.

She's got two guys on the hook at the same time.

Gasp.

Throw a woman in there, and I would call that paradise.

Well, I would BFM.

BFM, like the crime show with those fine Mafia brothers?

Okay, that's BMF: Black Mafia Family.

I mean BFM-- before finding Madison.

Oh, right.

Y'all good again?

You know how I can sometimes overshoot?

Girl, what did you do?

I proposed to Madison in the least romantic way.

Oh, my God, why did you let me go on like that

when you were sitting on our very first proposal?

-Okay, where's the ring? -No ring.

You can't propose without a ring.

You've got to set the tone for, like, your whole life.

No wonder it wasn't romantic.

You didn't have my help.

What did you say?

What did she say? Did you get a video?

Oh, we need champagne.

Okay, hey, no champagne.

No ring, no yes.

And I didn't tell you right away

because I spent all night trying to figure out

how to take it back.

Okay, all right, all right, down, boy.

-What, me? -Yes, you.

If you came here looking for a fight,

you're going to get one with security.

Sorry, Grayson, this, this isn't about you.

Something happened today, and I...

Ash and I may not be together anymore,

but she's still the person I need to tell things to.

If she'll let me after the way I just showed out.

Well, I think that's up to Ashley.

I'd like to hear him out.

Yeah, all right.

-You text me if you need me. -Yeah.

WOMAN [over P.A.]: Nurse Tina to Bed 632.

I thought we were getting to a good place, a, a friend place.

Look, this isn't me backsliding.

Well, then you better tell it to me quick

'cause the guy who just hulked out-- he's gonna be hauled out.

He can't be here. -I had my fit-for-duty eval today.

Oh, Derek.

Okay, so, um, when can you fight fires again?

Another few months?

Never.

They're forcing me to retire.

You're lighting up the room.

At the risk of being old-fashioned,

I'm going to give Andre a little bit of credit.

He's earned it, but today is all Giles--

best massage of my life.

Deep tissue with a seaweed wrap chaser.

Hmm, your mother might like a, a massage, hmm,

but it has to be gentle.

-Is Giles oncology-trained? -I'll ask.

You know, I'd like to be at Mother's next chemo treatment.

I can be quiet or not quiet.

[chuckling]: I'd pay to see you quiet.

You know, there may be a little something we can do for Mother,

even if it's a bit woo-woo.

-I'm listening. -What about Reiki?

It's not actually a body massage--

more like an energy shift.

So, the practitioner lays their hands

above you or barely touches, and the idea is that

they're balancing the energy and maybe relieving some discomfort,

helping you to tap into something bigger than you.

Hmm.

Well, the practice of laying on of hands

has been around for centuries.

There's no guarantee it'll help, but...

There are no guarantees, period, except our family's love.

Mm, I'll run it by your mother, thanks.

Anytime.

Oh, I hate to have to go,

but I have to see a man about a runway.

Okay. [chuckles]

You crashed last night

and slipped out without waking me this morning.

Don't tell me we're already so married

that you're no longer going to surprise me with a big ole...

You were lying there, looking so damn gorgeous,

I didn't want to disturb you.

I had an early client meeting, but tonight I'm all yours.

That's not good enough.

You're still mad about the Dani thing.

Why put off for tonight...

...what we can do right now?

[Bill moans, chuckles]

No harm has been done to a Dupree by me.

Not Anita or your precious ex-fairy godmother Nicky

or even your demon half sister Kitty Kat.

I'm not buying that you woke up all happy like that.

The medicine that's been in your bloodstream for years.

Is there no universe where your mama is just putting out joy?

No.

Look at me, baby.

I am rich, I'm gorgeous,

and I'm on the verge of having everything I want.

Then what is missing?

Locking down the man of my dreams.

You cannot be catching feelings

for Old Spice Hottie Shaft.

I am tapping Marcel short-term, okay?

Now, he is here to protect and serve an itch.

Okay, your father will always be goals.

Okay, but to use Marcel, ew.

Lesser of two evils.

You know, most kids--

they actually want their parents to get back together.

-What's wrong with you? -Well, you and Dad wrecked each other.

We made you.

That has to come from someplace good.

Well, pearls come from oyster innards,

and diamonds come from two regular old rocks

pressed together.

I know the hell you didn't just call your mama an old rock.

The point is, Dad is with Shanice, okay?

-And it seems like they're sticking. -[sighs]

All right, look.

I knew there'd always be a Shanice, all right?

Not specifically this ratchet candy striper

but a-a palate cleanser between good girl and bad girl,

between past and future, and here she is.

And, yes, she's light and she's tart

and she's, she's, uh, destined to pave the way

for forever the main course, which is moi.

And if Dad takes too long with his meal?

Then I guess she'll just, uh,

have to enjoy my Teddy Bear while it lasts.

Because I am sure he is drafting up her eviction notice.

Unless she's going to run first.

-Hmm. [chuckles] -Why would she?

Oh, honey, please. Romances around this time--

the holidays-- they don't last long.

I mean, maybe up until Valentine's Day.

You know, cuffing season and all.

You were telling the truth about not messing with the Duprees.

You've done something to Shanice instead.

Just tell me if I should be worried

about cuffing season or handcuffing season.

He-he. [chuckles]

I panicked.

She was a breath away from saying bye forever.

-I had to pivot. -But she's crazy about you.

Was until she started thinking that I would choose

party favors over her, which I wouldn't.

How do I fix this?

Oh, well, you and Madison had just gotten started

when you went through some heavy trauma.

Maybe she's just afraid you'll return

to your original factory settings?

When you were a lot more, um,

multiple choice in your love life?

She did mention that,

like she thinks my party girl self is my authentic self.

No shade, but is it so ridiculous

to think that maybe a part of you misses

those multiple choice days and nights?

-Ladies. -KAT: Hey.

What the hell's your mom doing with Jacob's brother?

[chuckles]

Are you trying to kill me?

You're the boss.

Take the rest of the day off.

You just might be the boss right now.

Well, then come home and let me take care of you.

-Baby? -Hmm?

Baby, hey, hey.

Okay, wait, wait, okay.

You can be the boss later.

-[groans] -Baby, I need a minute.

[sighs]

Okay.

[sighs]: Oh, God.

I'm always the boss.

[hums tune]

[both sigh]

I need you in top form, okay?

You're not going to sleep on me tonight.

Yes, ma'am.

God, I'm still that kid who was just standing

outside the firehouse, searching for a purpose.

I just...

I never thought I'd find myself back on the outside looking in.

-Well, you can appeal, right? -No.

There's no room for anyone who can't pull their own weight.

Okay, well, with a little more PT,

you're going to get back out there and...

Look, that's not gonna fix my spine, Ash.

I'm out of place.

We're going to think of something.

We?

Even if we're not together anymore,

it doesn't mean I don't still care

about what happens to you.

Fighting fires.

No job's ever going to replace that.

And I sure as hell can't replace you.

A year ago, if you'd asked me who I was, I'd say,

"I'm a firefighter who's in love

-with Ashley Morgan." -Derek.

No, I'm, I'm sorry... this is so not your problem.

I just... I've never been this lost.

ASHLEY: I got you.

Why even bother changing if my own daughter doesn't believe me?

No one goes cold turkey,

and there isn't exactly an AA for attempted murderers.

Eva.

Well, consider me your AA,

and if you ever feel yourself backsliding,

I am where you come.

Will you give out those little coins?

I'll have 'em made up.

I keep thinking that,

now that you've got all this money,

I can keep the bogey-mama away,

but you've had to hustle for so long,

maybe you don't know how to stop.

Will you quit fretting?

The good Lord has come through for me at last,

and he's going to deliver to me what's due me,

even if I have to give him an occasional nudge.

Come on, God, come on.

Okay, well, as much as I want to keep shouting to the void...

Uh, so, hey, you going

on a date with that tall baby Lenny Kravitz?

Oh, listen, we are barreling toward destiny, baby.

So how do you feel about a, uh, double wedding?

Later, Mama.

[hums Wagner's "Bridal Chorus"]

Bye-bye, baby.

I was surprised when you popped in my phone.

I'm not exactly sure where our Venn diagram overlaps

besides my brother.

My proposal doesn't involve Jacob,

but it could involve you not getting out of bed

for less than what you made all last semester.

I took an offer that sounds a lot like this one once,

and I could've ended up in a cage

if my old man and a friend hadn't run interference.

How do you feel about nudity?

Modesty could be a deal-breaker.

[laughs] What now?

I want you to sign with my modeling agency.

Cologne brands do love bare buns in their ads.

[laughing]

Okay, my big bro got me good.

This is not your brother razzing you.

This is all about your rizz.

Izaiah Hawthorne, you could be a top model.

Your mom just felt up Jacob's brother.

My mom's not the only one letting her freak flag fly.

Uh, okay, I can't take back my proposal,

but you can take that back.

My mom has worked too hard for her happily-ever-after

to get her freak on with anybody else but her little hubby.

-[laughs] -Aw, look... you're blushing.

-I-- I've never... -You're so cute when you blush.

You're right, okay, but not too long ago

our moms were married to our dads,

and they were boring and reliable, and I loved it.

But now their marriages have blown up,

I have a half sister who I hate, and Gran has cancer.

When did our family drama go

from zero to Shakespeare overnight?

Hello, Bill. Goodbye, Bill.

Hey, don't run off so fast.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, you know, I've just been...

[clears throat] just been reminiscing, you know.

I remember the first time you brought me in here,

showed me all the pictures on the wall,

all the Dupree history.

Thought you'd honor what came before.

And then you invited me to play squash.

My ignorant butt didn't know the difference

between squash and racquetball,

but I thought, hey, with my height and my youth,

I'd have an edge.

Gave it my all and I still didn't measure up.

Squash is no joke.

You also pointed out how more deals are made

between ball bounces than in all the storied rooms in this town.

I lived for our weekly game.

I did.

It took me forever to master it

because I wanted so much to impress you.

You didn't think you deserved my respect.

That was always your biggest problem.

Son,

I can't tell if you let me win or if your head was

just somewhere else for the whole game.

Son.

Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get tired

of you calling me that.

Well, you must be used to it by now.

What's all this melancholy?

[sighs] Well, you know, hurting from that loss, for one.

[chuckles] But I just, you know, sometimes I just wonder,

you know, like, who would I be if I had the luxury

of being raised by you instead of that sorry...

Some men aren't meant to be fathers.

But at a certain point a man makes himself.

You made yourself, Bill.

I'm damn proud to call you "son."

Don't you forget that.

I'm the person I am because of you.

You actually think that's a compliment?

Vernon, would you just... just wait, please?

You remember the first time I brought you here.

I remember the last.

Right.

Yeah, the night before I left Dani.

All the time you knew.

Yeah, I knew, I...

[sighs] I just knew you wouldn't...

you would never look at me the same way again.

You know, I mean, Vernon, I needed that last memory.

So we laughed, made plans... hugged.

And all the while you knew that, come morning, I'd play the fool.

Maybe everything would have been different

if I explained it all to you that day.

I-I guess.

You put Dani on a pedestal to keep her from shining...

and then crashed her back down to Earth...

when you were done with her.

That's not what I set out to do.

But that's what you did.

You broke all our hearts.

You're not the son I never had.

You're a liar and a disappointment.

I tried to make the marriage work, Vernon.

You came this close to swallowing our family whole.

But you have no power over us anymore.

If it's absolution you're looking for...

...you won't find it here.

Not from me.

Okay.

Yeah, I understand. I don't blame you.

Look...

I know forgiveness is too big an ask,

and I don't have the right to say this to you,

but I need to tell you that...

you know, I think that, um...

...I think I made a mistake leaving Dani.

Damn straight you did,

and you'll have to spend the rest of your life knowing

that everything that was happiness,

everything that was love was yours...

and you let her slip away.

[phone chimes]

So what do you say?

I'm very flattered. [laughs]

But for real, though, I'm, I'm no model.

Let the OG be the judge.

I'm modeling since I'm 17.

And you're what now, 28, 29?

And there he is.

How's that?

A model has to sell a bill of goods.

You can do that, Izaiah.

Not only have the gods blessed you.

Your face tells a story.

And what's it say?

That Banneker was an easy place to fall

with a little penance thrown in.

Something tells me that, as fine as you are,

you haven't received nearly the celebration

that you should have...

or could still get.

So call me.

When you're ready for your close-up.

[R & B playing]

My mom is beautiful and happy and laughing with a cute guy

despite having a gene mutation that could kill her.

I am in love with a woman who loves me back.

I just said the wrong thing at the wrong time.

If my mom can rise up from what's bringing her down,

so can I.

We're Duprees.

If anyone can find a way to rebrand your proposal

so that you don't break your heart

-and Madison's... -You're proposing?

Where, when, and what does heartbreak have to do with it?

Okay, short story-- I threw a hail-marry-me proposal.

-Baby! -Okay,

and before you give me those mother-of-the-bride eyes,

I blew it.

Madison turned you down?

It's more like... she didn't believe I was serious.

Oh, Chelsea, I'm so sorry.

No, I don't need your pity. I need a plan.

Then, no spin-- honesty and kindness are the way.

Speaking of, can you tell us what was going on

with our not-relative hottie over there?

Just, you know, ease my mind.

You don't owe us any explanation.

Since when does your mind take a shortcut to the bedroom?

CHELSEA: Ooh.

The only interest I have

in easy-on-the-eyes Izaiah over there

is his modeling potential.

Told you.

If we get a yes,

he's our Tyson Beckford meets Alpha Dia.

I can see it.

Okay, we need a confab.

I'll cancel with Pamela, and we can rehearse

what you're going to say to Madison.

Mom, don't.

I think I just need a little me time to clear my head.

But you could give me a pep talk on my way to the car.

-Deal. -Kat, coming?

You go. I'm going to untangle that slide presentation

you were working on, and I'll meet you at the house.

-Okay, thanks. -Bye, sweetie.

KAT: Bye.

Lynette?

Damn, look at that, us crossing paths again.

It might be the stars lining things up.

Here are my walking papers.

You may not know who you are right now... but I do.

You are so much more than the job.

You're so much more than the man I loved.

Derek, you are a good man...

with so much heart to offer.

You're just going to have to find a new way

to put it out into this world.

How? I mean, how do I even start to do that?

Well... [sighs]

if I couldn't be a nurse anymore,

I would think about all the reasons that I love this job

and I would try to find another one

that offered as many of those perks as possible.

Physically, I can't fight fires anymore.

So, what...

...become a smoke jumper or something?

You fought fires because you're brave

and you love working as part of a team.

And you really enjoy saving people.

See, that's the irony.

I didn't even get to go out a hero.

I got to tell people in interviews that I lost my job

because I crashed my bike.

[laughs]

Yeah.

Just tell me, what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?

Live it and enjoy the hell out of it.

Come here.

-Hey, sweetheart. -I booked a quick spa treatment,

and then it's back to work

prepping for the Fenmore's meeting.

Okay, all right, that's good, that's good.

You look like you lost your bestie.

[chuckles]

More like the father I always wanted but never had.

Granddad?

Yeah, yeah, it turns out he was humoring me from the jump,

like every other Dupree.

-I'm a Dupree, too. -No, you're half.

And it's your other half that allows you to still forgive me.

What's with all the sappy energy today?

I've got it, you've got it.

Yeah, well, mine's a long time coming, baby.

What's so different about today?

Yeah, I don't know, I'm just, I'm just really bothered

by how much I screwed up with your mother.

You know, I'm trying to make up for it,

although your grandfather is not having it,

and I don't blame him.

I see you're trying.

And I don't think it has anything to do

with me being a Dupree or a Hamilton.

It's... me realizing just

how very messy life and I can be.

No, come on, now.

My Chelsea Bear has never hurt anybody,

not intentionally.

See, and that's the thing.

No one intends to hurt someone,

but if they feel unloved or disrespected

by something you said or did, that hurt is still on you,

and if I can't find a way to make things right with Madison,

my relationship is going to end up

exactly where yours did with Mom--

dead and buried.

Well, let me help you.

I don't want to miss my appointment.

I need to relax my body

so I can clear my mind and find a way to fix this.

Okay, well, hey, my money's on you, sweetheart.

Thanks, Dad.

-You know what? -What?

I love you.

-I love you, too. -Mwah.

Dang, girl, did you have to get the beans from Colombia?

You're snapping a little bit.

Marriage problems?

No, I'm good, I was just asking a question.

Don't mind me, just passing through.

My friend and I already claimed this table.

Friend? What'd you do, pick her up on eBay?

I have plenty of friends.

And she looks so realistic.

Excuse me?

Well, you have to be one of those AI-generated bots.

Now, I thought those were only used for naughty reasons,

but I have read that there are some pathetic rich people

who need to buy friends.

I think she might be broken.

No, just fangirling.

When I was younger,

I saw you in a magazine and I wanted to be you.

I mean, you were the--

you are the prettiest woman I've ever seen.

Aren't you sweet?

Far too sweet to be mixed up with this one.

What's your name, honey?

Oh, I'm Lynette.

I'm one of the firm's new clients.

It's bad enough you force-friended Caroline.

Now Bill's pimping out his actual clients?

Or does Bill know?

It's not just his firm.

I'm the firm's paralegal,

and you no longer need

to concern yourself with how we run our business.

That firm is my daughter's inheritance.

Like it or not, we are entangled forever.

Lynette, a little warning.

I'm sure right now it's all gossip and pedicures,

but pretty soon

she'll have her hands all over something you care about.

Lovely to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

You weren't kidding.

The claws are out around here.

Buy you a third espresso if you take a break with me.

Happy to stop staring at admission essays.

[chuckles]

-Long time, Kat. -Izaiah.

You know...

you wouldn't be going through this torture

if you were on the runways of Milan.

Dani filled you in on her indecent proposal.

What's indecent about it?

Turning my back on years of work just to...

auction off my body in designer lighting?

A runway isn't a plank.

It's a diving board toward a bigger life.

Make a lot of money to help a ton of kids,

if that's your thing, or just help yourself.

Nah, you really know how to sell just about anything

when you're not playing detective with my big bro.

[chuckles] So, you going to take Aunt Dani up on her offer?

I didn't say all that...

but you and your aunt gave me a lot to think about.

Hmm, so my power of persuasion is still intact?

Was there any doubt?

Well... I was just telling Chelsea about how

the world's upside-down...

but talking to you, I realized that some things are eternal.

IZAIAH: Like bending people to your will?

Exactly.

[Izaiah and Kat laugh]

I'm telling you, you would be a really good model.

IZAIAH: Oh, I don't know.

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Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org