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You're watching The Grinder. For justice?

For justice!

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Scream Queens, Empire, and Grandfather. This is Edie, your granddaughter.

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Now I know that all of you are expecting a patented Mitch Grinder closing

argument. Well today, I don't have one.

Because I don't need one.

Instead, I'd like to take this time to thank the little people that helped me

shock the world and vigorously get this man off.

I want to thank my clerks and paralegals who work so tirelessly behind the

scenes.

But one in particular.

Matt?

The fuss.

Busfeld, a blind and deaf paralegal who sees and hears

more with his heart than he ever could with his useless eyes and ears. This is

for you, sir.

Everyone knows how hard I grind.

But what they don't know is that you grind even harder

behind me.

Dad, are you okay? This one always gets me.

Stu, put your arm around Dad.

Comfort him. He's hurting. He's going to be fine. He needs you.

That feels great.

Thanks, Dean.

How did you make yourself cry like that?

I don't know. Dad, how did you make yourself cry?

It just happened. Exactly.

Genuine emotion.

You think it's genuine? What you saw was Mitch crying, but what you felt was

Mitch trying not to cry. Suddenly I feel like I'm going to cry.

Oh, come here. Oh, no, I didn't mean like that. Shh, shh, shh. Don't fight

it. Just let it happen.

Hey,

there he is. Look at him. Little guy all set for his first day of stage crew. You

look great.

You excited?

Yeah. You should see how he holds a flashlight in his mouth.

I mean, you didn't get a part in the school play? No, auditions haven't

happened yet. He decided to follow in the footsteps of his old man.

Stu, you did crew. I did. I did. And I am not offended that you don't remember,

because when you're a crewman, doing your job right means, Ethan... No one

notices. No one notices.

Cool, right? So cool. Wow. We got so good at moving around the stage without

being seen or heard, we became known as the Shadow Boys.

Ooh, the Shadow Boys. Tell me more.

Come here. All joking aside, and I know you're joking, people talk about actors

like they're the heroes.

The crew is the real hero. That's exactly right. I mean, Ethan, would you

rather be a guy who takes all the credit or a guy who does all the work? So

you're the real heroes, but they're the ones that get treated like one.

It doesn't seem right, does it?

I mean...

We win all the awards and they hand us all the awards because they're on the

crew of the award show. I mean, I do like getting awards.

Oh, I think someone's been bitten by the acting bug. Well, I think maybe it was

bitten by the crew bug just a little sooner than that, a little before,

right? See, I sense some hesitation.

You know, being an actor has a lot of rejection, a lot of heartbreak. But you

can't make decisions out of fear. It's like Dad used to say, swing for the

fences. You want something bad enough?

Anything's possible. Wait, who said that? Dad said that? Our dad?

Oh, yeah, all the time. I'd be like, Dad, back off. I get it. I can do

anything. Huh. But, you know, we might find that Ethan has a true talent.

Well, I think we've already found that.

It's the flashlight in the mouth thing. And nobody would argue that.

But it begs the question, if he's that talented with a flashlight in his mouth,

what would happen if we tossed a little Shakespeare in there?

Okay, I have an idea. How about we let Ethan decide what Ethan wants to do?

Sweetie?

So he just turns his back on the crew. Just like that. What if he doesn't get a

part? I guess he doesn't get a part. A little dose of failure is not the worst

thing in the world. You know, you get scuffed up a little bit, it's life. Oh,

where'd you learn that? On the wrong side of the tracks?

Okay, you know what? North Boise has some very rough patches.

I mean, you're really okay setting him up for failure?

Honey, I really don't think the stakes are that high. It's a middle school

play. And who knows? He might not fail. How could he fail?

You heard what Dad said. You swing for the fence as anything's possible.

Oh, yeah, that bothered you, huh? I saw that.

You know, my dad didn't say things like that to me. My dad said very different

things to me. My dad said, know your limits. In fact, he pointed them out to

me. He said, here are your limits. Don't go past them.

Sweetie, I know that you're feeling very upset that Ethan doesn't want to follow

in your footsteps and be a shadow boy, but, I mean, maybe it's good, you know?

Maybe it's not the coolest thing.

I didn't... Oh, wow, Deb.

Hon, you know I'm vulnerable right now.

Well... I'm not feeling... No, you're cool.

You can't take that back. You put that out there.

You know, hon, I mean... I'm not talking about you. I'm just talking about... No,

you're talking about one shadow boy. You talk about us all. You know, we're a

group. Wow. You can't just put him down and say, oh, I'm not talking about you.

You know, we're a team.

All right, so if there aren't any other questions, let's move on. I have a

question. Does anyone want to trade lunches? I kind of panicked and ordered

outside my comfort zone.

No, Todd. Learn from this. Okay, so the next case is Bradford v.

McKenna. That's the parking lot fender bender.

Now, since our client did back up into their car, I think we should probably

settle. That does seem like what most lawyers would do.

Dad, do you think that's what I should do?

Yeah, sure.

Because the other way to go is we chase the win.

You know, I bet on myself.

Take the big swing.

Okay. Do you have any advice for me on whether I should even swing and if I do,

what I should swing for? I don't even know what the hell you're talking about.

Well, Dad, let's say I swing.

Should I have a goal, you know, or a target in mind? Some sort of, like a

chain link barrier or like a white picket thing? For what it's worth, I

took a really big swing with this lunch order and I am really regretting it.

Seems like we should settle. And we all agree.

Of course. What was I, uh... What was I thinking?

My grandson's name was Luther.

Something like that.

Something very much like that. One small note. The crying.

Yeah. You were acting sad instead of being sad.

Great actors don't act.

They be.

Does that make sense? I get it up here, but it just hasn't made its way down

here yet.

Does that make sense?

Let me answer your question with a story.

You may be surprised to know that before I ever acted a word, I was a star

quarterback on the school team.

And the week before the state championship, I broke my ankle. In

practice? No.

Without going into too much detail, I was having sex with the hottest girl in

the school in her parents' shower, and I slept.

And I knew then that my playing days were over, and that I would have to

learn to make a living with my two hands.

Through acting. You must have been scared.

I was.

And sad.

So when the school play rolled around, I was able to tap into that and crush my

audition as Ichabod Crane, the scaredest, saddest man in Sleepy Hollow.

My heart's going like a jackhammer right now. That's good. That's what it should

be doing, man. You need to find something that rocks your world and use

it. Well, I'm only 12. I don't think I have anything like that.

Well, the only place you can find it is on the stage. But...

Didn't you say that I need to have it so I could use it to get on that stage?

Ah, the actor's riddle.

Hey, what's, uh, what's going on in here? Uncle Dean's helping me with my

monologue for tomorrow. Yeah? Kids are natural.

Huge loss for the crew, but a big win for the theater. Crew's still part of

the theater.

Yeah.

Let's try it again.

Okay, I'll, uh, I'll just leave you guys to it. Probably just be getting in the

way, so... Oh, Stu, you wouldn't be getting in our way. We could use the

help. Yeah? Yeah, yeah. Do you want to dim the lights?

I'd love to.

All those years on crew, and he still doesn't understand dimming.

I'm confused.

What do you mean you didn't get the part?

This is what I was worried about. Okay, calm down. It's not the end of the

world. It's one part.

This part?

Twelve years old, looks like he's nine, skinny, precocious, articulate redhead,

wise beyond his years?

Somebody beat him out for this?

It's so in my wheelhouse, I don't get it. It is...

Very much. In your wheelhouse.

But there will be other plays, honey. Don't get discouraged.

No. Get outraged.

Because something stinks.

What are you talking about? Stu, we are going to get to the bottom of this.

Dean, we're not going to get to the bottom of anything.

Okay? Ethan's been through enough.

Now it's time to welcome him back with open arms into a group that never turns

anyone away. You still get to be on stage for all the most important parts?

Before and after the play and in between the scenes?

No. That is not good enough. Not anymore.

Not here.

From where I stand, this school play has taken an... Ugly plot twist.

And it's up to me.

To rewrite the third act.

The backyard is fenced in.

There's a fence around the yard.

And that man's name was?

Line. Luther.

Luther is the line, Blaine.

You're supposed to be off book. Sorry, Sandy.

No, I'm sorry.

I jumped on you pretty hard there, and you didn't deserve that.

Or did he?

Cuz, that is one of the most pathetic examples of acting I've ever seen.

Although, Blaine, it's not your fault. You just terribly miscast.

Yeah, I get it. Dean Sanderson.

It's been a long time. Do we know each other? That depends.

Does the name Sandy Malmuth ring a bell?

Malmuth.

Sandy Malmuth.

I need more.

Okay. Well, then what if I told you that this isn't the first time we've shared

this stage together? Wait, that might be helpful.

Nope. Lost it. That's funny.

Because I also lost something once upon a time.

The role that I was born to play was cast to play. Until I broke my ankle.

And took it from you. So you do remember.

Ichabod Crane.

The saddest, scaredest man in Sleepy Hollow.

What? That's the accent I was going to use.

Thank God you never had that opportunity.

It's regional and historically accurate. Is that what this is about, Mammoth?

You're taking revenge on me by denying my nephew the role he was born to play.

That's quite an accusation.

And one that I do not care for.

Shame on you, sir, for implying that I would compromise the integrity of the

theater. I'm not implying anything.

I'm flat-out saying it.

Uh, Sandy?

What's going on?

Everything's okay, Blaine.

Doesn't seem like it.

Will be done in a bit.

This is grown-up stuff.

All right.

Dean, the drama teacher isn't depriving a 12-year-old of a part because of some

high school vendetta against you. No, he's depriving the entire school of a

performance for the ages.

What's the move?

I don't know.

Counselor? Maybe I should just help Ethan do the thing he's wanted to do in

the first place, which is stage crew. Well, I'm not ready to roll over and die

just yet. Stage crew is not rolling over and dying. Pop, what should I do? You

swing away, Dino. Really?

All right, so who do we sue first?

The mammoth, the school board, or the fat kid in the wig? I want to say none

of them. I'm going the other direction.

All of them.

Attaboy, Todd. I like that spirit. Do you? Because if Ethan went in there and

did half of what I taught him, he earned that part.

We just need proof.

There's got to be a video.

On Malmuth's computer.

What? Claire, how quickly can we set up a meeting with our hacker?

Uh, never, because we don't have one. We don't. We had a whole team of them at

Stutz and Grinder. They saved our ass all the time. I took an Excel course in

college. Maybe I could do it. I have no objection to that. Claire? You're asking

me if I'm okay with Todd using his dated spreadsheet knowledge to hack into a

drama teacher's computer?

I am.

Okay. So what do you say, boss?

I say we get our hands on some flame-retardant suits, because we are

about to bust through a firewall.

Whose? What is this plan?

Maybe, Todd, we'll find something in Malma's computer.

I mean, how secure could it be? Honey, that's what you're asking about, his

Malma's computer?

What? He wants to sue the school, babe. Oh.

Okay, well, maybe that is taking it a little far. Right? Yeah. I mean, this

was going so well. You know, Ethan was on the crew. Keep folding. And he was

enjoying it. And then Dean comes in and fills his head with pipe dreams of

awards. And that's not real life. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, you're

saying Ethan has his limits and he should know them. No.

No, this is not that. Isn't it? That is something totally different.

Is it?

I think it is.

I think it is.

Okay, uh, great.

Great. Ethan, terrific. I mean, the headline says, boy, great at moving

stuff in the dark.

Page two, the audience could hear almost all of it. Damn it, Ethan. No, no, don't

beat yourself up, buddy. Don't beat yourself up. You're doing great. You're

getting better at this. And we're doing it together.

You know, this is fun, right?

Yeah. Hey, I got something for you.

I was going to wait until opening night, but, you know, I'm terrible at keeping

secrets.

So... Yeah?

See? Got your name embroidered on it and everything.

You did?

I did. The, uh...

The lettering's in black, otherwise you run the risk of... Being seen. Being

seen. You got it. Yeah.

You want to try it on, see how it fits?

Maybe later.

Okay, yeah. We'll do it later.

It's my understanding that the two sides have reached a settlement.

That's correct, Your Honor. A new gavel? We're good on all terms, Your Honor. No,

we're not, Your Honor. We're not good on any terms. What the hell are you talking

about, Stu?

May I have a moment to confer with co-counsel? You mean you need to talk to

your dad? We got nothing. That's where you're wrong, Dad. We got something.

Could we proceed?

You think there's a shot to take? Only one way to find out. Boy, I'm still

young. Your Honor, I have here a record of six previous occasions where their

client intentionally drove into someone's blind spot.

It's a scam.

How'd you find that? I took the other advice, Dad. The advice he gave to Dean?

That if you swing to the fences, anything is possible.

Hey. What are you guys doing?

Stu, good news.

Todd's just hacked into Malmuth's computer.

Yep. Here it is. You guys know the difference between hacking and stealing,

right? I know one of them's way more complicated than I thought it would be.

Oh, Stu.

I know how you feel about potential illegal activity, so perhaps you do not

want to be present.

You know what? Screw it.

Let's see what the bastard's hiding.

Wow. Really? If Ethan wants to be in the play instead of the crew, I'm all for

it. Todd, what do we got? Hang on. I'm looking.

Well, look faster, Todd!

Dean! No, he's right, and I need to hear it in that tone, too.

Wait. I think I may have found something.

A folder.

Marked auditions. All right, Todd, listen to me and listen very carefully.

I want you to highlight that folder, double-click it, and tell me what you

see. It looks like a bunch of auditions. Look for Ethan's.

It's missing.

Melmoth, he deleted it. Is it possible to get chills all over your body at

once? But why would anyone delete just one audition?

It's too powerful.

We need to take this to Principal Davis.

And get justice for Ethan. Todd, your question about full-bodied chills?

They are possible.

I still don't understand how you two stealing Mr. Melma's laptop proves

anything. Well, it proves you need to beef up your school security system.

Hey, if you knew the budget I was working with, you would not be making

cracks about school security.

Noted. All we're asking is that you let Ethan audition again for you. You're an

impartial observer.

This is ridiculous.

Just because I forget to press record on one audition, suddenly he's questioning

my integrity?

Hey, Malmuth, you want to come after me?

I welcome it.

But what I don't welcome is you bringing my nephew into this.

Because the only thing he's guilty of is following his little baby heart.

Fine.

I've got nothing to hide.

And I'm quite confident that Principal Davis will see things the same as me.

Well, we'll just see.

Mm-hmm.

Won't we?

We will.

So let's... I'm ready.

Bring it.

In that man's name.

Was Luther.

Now, Principal Davis, you want to help Mammoth get his face off the floor?

Look, it was fine, but I'm afraid it wasn't good enough to overrule my

teacher. Are you kidding me?

That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

We see what we want to see, Mr. Sanderson. And what I saw was an

audition that, no offense, Ethan, was nothing special.

And the impartial observer that you yourself asked for agrees.

I think we're done here.

Hey. Don't listen to anybody.

You are special.

Let me walk you back to class.

I'll meet up with you.

What happened here was an embarrassment.

Not just to the theater. Not just to the public school system.

Not just to... Is it quicker if you just say the main thing that it is an

embarrassment to?

Quicker, yes.

But not as dramatic.

Then you've never understood drama.

I did not think I was going to be able to keep it together there.

The kid was something else, huh?

Sublime.

I haven't seen anything like it since, well, his uncle.

That is the last lie that I tell for you, Malmuth. I don't care if you

release the pictures.

I never want to feel this dirty again.

Oh, you say that now.

But how will you feel when my department is short on funds?

In fact, we're already running low on glow tape. What are you doing with that

stuff anyway? What were you doing on the pole vault, Matt, with Mrs. Dunbar?

I'll put in the order. Aha!

Dear God.

I don't want to know what happened on that pole vault, man. I don't even want

to know what happened to all that glow tape. What I do want to know is how you

liveryed yourselves after what you just did to my son.

Where did you come from? The wings, Melmoth.

You know what they say about telling secrets in the theater?

Always check for the shadow boys.

Shadow boys?

Ma'am, you're supposed to be the name for his, like, backstage group or

whatever.

Guys, it was amazing. You should have seen it. I mean, I've walked quietly

before, but I've never walked like this. I mean, they had no idea I was even

there. No, he just exploded from the wings like a true shadow guy. Shadow

boy. Whatever.

It was almost as if you were training your whole life for that one moment.

Right? Congratulations, honey.

And how about you, Ethan? Did you get the part?

Oh, Deb, if he hadn't have gotten the part, we'd still be at the school.

Grinding. Together. For justice.

Good job. Thank you. And thanks, Dad. You almost made stage crew look cool.

Yeah, almost.

I'm proud of you.

I'm proud of you, too, Stu.

Thanks, guys.

Whatever I said to you when you were a kid, I'm sorry.

I appreciate that, Dad.

Sometimes you don't think about how those things can affect your kids in the

long run.

Put your arm around him.

Again with the arm thing? He's hurting.

That's all we do now. He needs you.

Thanks, Dean.

Dean, it's my arm, Dad.

I'm doing it.

This isn't about recognition.

Not for a true shadow boy.