Original subtitles

-["If God Is A Woman" by Phoebe Kreutz playing] -♪ They say God is a woman ♪

♪ All patient and wise ♪

♪ And all of creation ♪

♪ Spews forth from her thighs ♪

♪ That doesn't sound likely ♪

♪ But girls if it's true ♪

♪ If God is a woman ♪

♪ She's got Some explaining to do ♪

♪ Yes I'd like to ask her ♪

♪ Just to hear what she'd say ♪

♪ What's the story With childbirth? ♪

♪ And Louis CK ♪

♪ Why'd men get a rocket ♪

♪ We got a leaky canoe ♪

♪ If God is a woman ♪

♪ She's got Some explaining to do ♪

[music fades]

[muffled background conversation]

-Hi. -Hi!

-So, you must be Grace. -Yeah! Hi. It's so great to meet you.

-Hi. -Hi. Yeah. Thank you.

-Can we get you anything? -Um...

Actually, I'd love a-- love a water.

-Sure. -Like-- I need a water.

[laughing nervously] Thanks.

First of all, how's your mom?

Oh, she's, uh-- She's great.

She still doing her taekwondo tournaments and all that stuff?

Yeah. Well, I think it's more like yoga these days.

She always was quite the athlete.

Anyway.

-About your manuscript. -Yeah.

Ooh, I just-- I wanted to say before I forget.

Um, thank you so much for this opportunity.

Um, it's so amazing to be here in your offices

and, um, I can't wait for people

to hear about Cecilia's story--

I'm sorry, I'm going to stop you right there.

What you've given us is an academic thesis.

Is that right?

[thunder crashing]

Yeah.

No. I mean, I'm about to graduate.

What exactly were you hoping to...

I-- Well, I guess, um-- I was thinking--

You might consider publishing it?

-Have you ever read our magazine? -Heather.

I'm sorry, I think we need to be blunt right now.

Grace, you're kidding yourself.

I mean, it's possible that someone

at some science journal somewhere would--

-[Irv] It's not that simple. -Well--

There has to be some place.

There's no story.

The greatest forgotten woman in the history of science

is not a story?

[Heather] Not the way you've told it.

[tense ringing]

Please give my love to your mom.

[subway whirring]

[doors dinging]

[upbeat country melody plays]

This is one of the most important stories of the 20th century.

This is, like, the original forgotten woman.

I'm not with anyone yet, yeah. But I'm planning--

These men were supposed to be mentors and they stole her results.

They stole it from under her nose.

These men were supposed to be her mentors and then they--

Not to presume, Sarah, but, you know,

you might've faced this kind of thing too.

We all do, right?

♪ I heard Someone made a guidebook ♪

I'm not-- I'm not affiliated--

[stammers] I'm independent right now.

No, it's not-- it's not a #MeToo thing.

♪ And there's no one Who'd appreciate ♪

♪ My little haunts and dives ♪

♪ Least of all A bunch of tourists ♪

♪ With their Small provincial lives ♪

♪ Then I read that book today ♪

♪ And found to my dismay ♪

Can I help you?

I am here to see Lily Frishman.

I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

♪ Everybody likes the things That everybody likes ♪

♪ The simple joys Of watchin' boys ♪

♪ Play polo on their bikes ♪

I got your number from Alma Rodriguez. Do you know her?

Okay, Alma gave me your phone number

because she said you're the best writer that she knows.

You know, I hope to partner with someone like you,

someone who's such a gifted writer--

Okay, pitch. Yes.

Basically, it's a 25-year-old woman

who discovered what stars are made of

and her thesis advisors and mentors

stole it and published her results as their own.

Um, a 25-year-old woman gets screwed by, uh, men?

[phone ringing]

-Hello? -Hey, Grace, it's Spike Randall with BuzzLine.

Uh, hi.

Yeah, so, I saw what you wrote,

and I think that we can work with it.

Really?

Yeah. We just need a pitch, you know?

Uh, what kind of pitch?

We need to dumb it down, just make it more clear.

Yeah, okay. Um, I-- I can do that, yeah.

Good. When do you think you can have it?

-Um, like-- -You want to meet?

Yeah, that'd be great.

[swirling white noise]

["Oh, Elizabeth" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

♪ If you're feeling lonely ♪

♪ And if you're feeling blue ♪

♪ And things are At their worst ♪

♪ If you know your history ♪

♪ Then just do what I do ♪

♪ Sing a song about ♪

♪ The first ♪

[Grace] A star burns in a dark...

corner...

No.

[sighs] A star burns

in a distant-- distant galaxy.

No.[sighs]

Okay, a star burns in a dark...

corner of the universe.

[phone ringing]

Hey, what's up?

I got us a booking. It's a good one.

It's like a dream, Grace.

-Well, what is it? -I want to tell you in person.

Just pick a place and bring everything you've got.

-Well, we can't. I'm at work. -Yeah.

I'll find you at the library. See you in ten.

But I-- I can't exactly, like, leave-- Oh. [sighs]

[man over intercom] Dr. Bendel, Dr. Bendel.

Could you come to Chem Lab 151-A please?

[upbeat brass melody plays]

-Why, Grace? Why? -Because I have to meet with this guy-- this friend.

He's not even really a friend, he's a colleague-- He's not even a colleague.

-Okay, his name's Spike Randall, like the Spike Randall. -I don't know who that is.

He's a journalist, he's, like, a big deal, and he got us a booking.

-What does that mean? Like, you're- -I don't really know.

But it's important, so, can you just cover for me, please?

-I guess. -Please, oh, thank you, thank you so, so much.

What do I have to do?

You're just titrating an acid-based solution

at an arterial oxygenated rate of 90%.

-Okay, super easy. -Exactly! Thank you.

Okay, I'm going to send you a pizza, that's how much I love you.

-And it is black olives and sausage, right? -You're going to get fired.

No, I'm actually not going to get fired because of you.

-I hate you so much. -I love you the most!

♪ Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, Elizabeth ♪

♪ Get some sleep ♪

♪ Take that crazy crown On off your head ♪

[bag bangs on table]

Shh!

[♪]

[ethereal electronic music plays]

[woman vocalizing]

-You changed your hair. -A booking for what?

-You look good. -Spike, what're we booked on?

-Annette Gordon-Reed. -[student] Shh!

-Like, the Annette Gordon-Reed? -[Spike] I think there's only one.

That's me!

-You actually spoke to her? -[Spike] Well, her people.

-[student] Shh! -What did they say?

They like it, Grace.

-They like your thesis. -[student] Shh!

I told them about you and your work on Cecilia Payne

and they want you on her new TV show.

-Let's Try This Again. -Let's try what again?

That's the name of the show.

Taking the mystery out of history.

[Spike] About forgotten people in history.

This talk show thing with a studio audience.

-You want me to go on live TV? -[student] Shh!

[Spike] Well, it's-- it's not live,

but she has an audience and she asks questions, and--

-Okay, what kind of questions? -I don't know, Grace.

That's why we have to prepare

a good, strong pitch, story and science

all bundled together, and we work it out tonight.

Okay, you see this?

It's a long format

and blah, blah, blah--

We get ten minutes to tell her about Miss Payne, why she matters,

and then she opens it up to a panel of experts

and then we're famous.

[studio audience cheering and applauding]

So, Cecilia would work for three consecutive

days and night without sleep!

-So that's how inspired she was. -Exactly!

So this is a story of scientific genius

and strength and persistence.

Exactly, you get it.

I love you, Grace Campbell.

I love you, Annette Gordon-Reed!

-And when would this be happening? -6:00 a.m. tomorrow.

[librarian] Library voices, please.

Oh, God. Okay.

Uh, what if you just, um...

go on it by yourself?

Grace, no.

This is the story of your lifelong affection

for this great woman.

Does it have to be tomorrow?

They had a cancellation, yeah.

-Oh, shit. -Stars lined up.

I'm just-- I'm not--

Like, the whole-- the whole public speaking thing is hard--

You're going to have to learn how to do some public speaking, Grace.

-Spike, I-- -[bangs on table] Can you guys shut up?

-Yeah, anything for you, bud. -Fuck you.

[Grace] Stop.

Um...

Look.

People care about feelings more than thoughts, Grace.

We have to make people feel for Cecilia.

Or feel with her.

Her. You're right. Her frustration.

-Her pain, her rage. -But it has to be about her grace.

And her struggles and how she suffers.

-Spike! I- -What-- That's catnip for people, Grace.

They love that, they need that. Don't take that away from them.

-[Grace] It's not what I want to say. -But it's the truth.

The truth is that she discovered what stars are made of.

Nobody cares, Grace.

I'm sorry, but if you two can't be quiet,

I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

[whispering] Sorry. Um...

Okay, let's just-- Spike.

Spike.

I need this--

I need this to be about science, okay?

Then go on. Do it.

All right, pretend that I'm Annette.

Just try.

Welcome, Grace Campbell. It's great to have you here.

Let's hear the story of Cecilia.

Okay, Annette.

Um...

[triumphant rock anthem plays]

[music distorts]

-I can't do it. You do it. -Grace, come on. But--

-Please? -It'll be bad.

-I love bad. -Mm.

Welcome, Spike Randall.

Please tell us the story of Cecilia.

-Well, Annette... -Mm.

...when Cecilia showed up

for her fellowship in astronomy at Harvard

in 1922--

-23. -[Spike inhales]

The man in charge was this guy, Shapeley.

-Shapley. -Can't it be Shapeley?

-No. -Shapeley's so much better.

-I'm sorry. -Anyway.

[♪]

-Dr. Shapeley... -[Grace] Shapley.

[Spike] ...he takes advantage of all the women

in his department.

It's not like he's macking on them or anything,

he's just using them.

He makes them map out the entire sky for him.

[Grace] It's called photometric photometry.

[Spike] But he won't let them do anything important.

He makes them just crunch numbers like computers,

which is what he calls them.

Like in Hidden Figures,Annette.

And Cecilia says...

[Grace] Um... [clears throat]

"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think I'm suited for this."

-[Spike] She wants to work with a telescope. -[Grace] Spectroscope.

[Spike] And she starts to get these amazing results,

-and at first, Shapeley's-- -[Grace] Shapley.

[Spike] Shapley is like, "This is fantastic!"

But his friend,

the big authority on astronomy, Henry Norris Russell,

-is like, "I'm not so sure, my friend." -[Grace chuckles]

But neither of these men has managed to see

what Cecilia has seen.

-[Grace] Which is what? -[Spike] Lines.

[Grace sighs] You don't know what they mean?

-Not a clue. -They're absorption lines.

-Doesn't help. -Okay, can I take over now?

-Please, for the love of God. -Okay, I will make it good, I promise.

Um, so, a star burns in--

in a dark corner of the universe.

Excited with an energy that takes the form of light.

[ambient music plays]

Light is energy. Energy is electric.

It's electromagnetic, it's radiant.

Now, let's say that this is the center of a star.

-Grace, I'm bored. -Yeah, I know.

I told you I'm bad at this.

I know you don't care about a stupid star,

but you-- you care about, um...

sex...

and survival.

And we survive to have sex

because of the sun,

which is a star.

Okay?

So, let's say, again.

This is a star.

Um, this the star's atmosphere.

So, light travels in waves

through space,

to the spectroscope at Harvard,

where it-- um, it hits a prism.

A piece of cut glass that, um,

breaks the light apart into its component colors.

So, um--

Yeah. So, here is a star.

[Grace chuckles]

Here is the star's atmosphere, right?

It's like a boiling soup full of elements,

and in it, there's a photon shooting by.

And a photon is, like, a unit of light energy.

It's like, um--

it's like a light bullet,

And so, um...

when it does that, it hits a hydrogen atom

and then that arouses it.

Like, it gets turned on?

Yeah, um-- Yeah, you could say that.

And so, uh, its, um,

its little electron

jumps to a new level of energy.

The atom is, like... [moans]

And it-- it says that so loudly,

that you can-- you can hear it.

And see it in these lines, Spike.

These-- these lines on the spectrum at Harvard.

When it's excited it's like,

"Excuse me, I'm hydrogen.

Um, can you guys see me down there?

'Cause I'm naked and I'm screaming and, um...

and you're missing it."

[Spike] Damn.

That's hot.

Oh, God. Oh, no.

You've got to do that for Annette!

I'm not going to do that for Annette.

Please don't do that for Annette.

So many people come to me with ideas and I never say yes,

but you-- you're special, and that was...

that was... [mumbles, chuckles]

And what you said about being a little girl...

in a small town

and reading about this woman

who's as great as Isaac Newton

and nobody knows her name...

that's good too.

Thanks.

[Grace chuckles]

An apple falls on Isaac's head...

and a ray of light falls on Cecilia's.

Hey. You all right?

No, I'm fine.

I get you. We're going to get this.

It's ten minutes.

I, um...

I just want to say thank you, Spike.

You know, I couldn't do this without you and I-- I know that.

-[Spike] Shh. Shh. -[Grace] No, I mean it.

Everything's going to be okay, okay?

Okay.

[phone vibrating]

Hey, Jer.

Hold on.

[upbeat music plays]

I can't hear you. Wait. Wait, wait.

Don't hang up.

Hold on. Hold on, I can't hear you.

Wait, wait, wait.

Don't hang up.

I got us on Annette Gordon-Reed. The TV show, remember?

♪ Little lady, step right up ♪

♪ You know You've got to test your luck ♪

♪ Everybody is a winner ♪

♪ Fortune lacks a little risk ♪

♪ A little something On the buck ♪

♪ And she favors a beginner ♪

[♪]

-[woman] You forget something? -[Grace gasps]

God. You scared me.

You knew I was there.

That's not why--

-It's a pretty good story you got there. -Who are you?

This girl makes this great discovery and...

she's so sweet and young.

And then this man takes it away from her.

Why are you talking to me?

I'm Diana, I'm a dancer.

-In the library? -Who's he?

Spike Randall.

He's, like, the best journalist in Chicago.

He won a Peabody.

Is that, like, a prize?

-Yeah. -Oh.

And you want him to take your thesis

and do what with it?

Make it reach people.

And you can't do that yourself?

I'm not a journalist.

So you went and you found that walking phallus of a human being.

You don't know him. He's not a dick, okay?

God, why am I even talking to you?

-[phone vibrating] -Sorry, I have to check this.

Um, my friend is covering for me at work and--

he knows where everything is, he's just second-guessing himself, you know?

Like, my boss is kind of a jerk.

[mumbling]

Okay, behind the cabinet.

Good. He's got it. Okay.

-[Diana] Where do you work? -This chem lab.

-Why not astronomy? -It's work-study, I don't get to choose.

I'm a History of Science Major.

[Diana] Oh, are you paying this guy?

-He's the only one who said yes. -Do you have your picture on your Gmail?

-[Grace] Yeah, of course. -That's why he said yes.

[Grace] Okay, can you stop?

Ooh, look, these are notes.

Okay, that's enough.

That's not okay.

I don't get why you don't trust him.

-He's, like, an amazing writer. -Uh-huh.

He's brilliant, he really is.

You know he took the time to meet with me on a work night.

-And he drove me-- -He drove you?

-[laughs] Where did he drive you? -Home.

[upbeat bass melody playing]

[Diana] He hit on you, didn't he?

He is a good person.

He signed onto this for no money--

-Sounds like a salesman. -[Grace] I need that.

I've never had that. It's like I'm allergic to that.

-[chuckles] Oh, my God, that's so cute. -Screw you.

You know, this always happens,

women do the work and men get the credit

and if I get this story right, it's gonna unhappen.

At least to Cecilia.

-Can I have one of these? -[Diana] Sure.

[upbeat music playing]

[chuckles]

How about this?

I'll sit here

and you can tell me all about your story

and I'll listen,

but please, keep the science super simple, okay?

Like, describe it to me like I'm five.

I don't even know you. [laughs]

We have chemistry.

Did you not see how hard I failed?

I saw something.

Okay, um...

her name is Cecilia Payne, and--

[Helen clears throat]

And her dad-- her dad died when she was young,

and she's so good at everything.

I mean, she studies music with Gustav Holst

who wrote "The Planets"

and physics with Niels Bohr who discovered the atom.

[Diana] What is he doing?

Uh, who is that?

Kendra.

God, she's such a flirt.

Why is he talking to her?

And then Cecilia's mentor steals her discovery

and publishes it two years later like it's his.

-Uh, no way! -Yeah way!

So, would you watch that?

Totally.

Um, would you like to buy me a drink?

I could do coffee, but I've gotta work right now.

Oh, okay.

You're sure nothing happened between you two?

Yeah. No.

[panting & moaning]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

-Oh, my God. -[Spike] Is it okay?

Yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

-Oh, my God. -[Spike] Okay.

[both panting]

[romantic music playing]

[indistinct lyrics]

-[Spike] Okay. -Okay. [laughing]

Okay. Um...

I have, um--

-You gotta go? -Mm-hmm. I gotta go.

-I'll see soon. -Yeah.

Oh, my God.

Okay, we made out once but that was it.

-But you didn't-- -No! God, no.

-No, Diana. -Okay, okay.

-Fine, whatever. -I told you, nothing happened.

So, you were saying?

[Grace] Cecilia was inspired,

so she tests the theory

of this Indian physicist named Saha

and she discovers a paradigm-shattering fact

about the composition of stars

and no one in the world knows this but her

and the Sun is a freaking star so--

Grace. Why does this matter?

♪ Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are ♪

She found out what they are.

You know, there's a TV studio across the quad.

It's open all night.

Let's go over there and sit under the lights

and, I don't know, we could hang out and simmer in it.

Yeah, I'm not gonna do that. I--

I think you should, it'll be fun.

Take it in, simmer in it.

[Helen] Good evening, everybody.

Just a reminder that food is permitted

on the basement level of the library only

and drinks must be kept in closed containers.

Also, starfish have neither brains, nor blood.

Thank you.

She is such a weirdo.

Are you kidding? Helen's the best, I love her.

No, so do I, it's just-- she's, um, pretty weird.

You know you're weird, too, right?

-I-- I know. -[Diana] Why?

You want to know why I'm weird?

No, no, I want to know about you.

You really don't know how to talk to people.

What was it like when you started dating?

-Can you stop? -Oh, come on.

We're just getting to the good part.

It took some time but I was fine.

Hm. You're deflecting. You're overstepping.

And you're afraid of public speaking.

You should be in a dance studio.

[grunts] Yeah.

I'd love to, but, you know, I'm working on my thesis, too

and you can't just dance,

you have to print stuff

and research and footnote

and that's just-- that's just not really where I live.

Well, you could ask Spike for help.

[laughs] Funny.

Um, I should probably get back

to this.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, me too.

So, good luck.

[Diana] Yeah. Yeah, you too.

[joyful music playing]

[Diana] Stare into the eyes of the goddess.

Good, good.

Freeze time.

Don't rush.

Good.

Keep that connection.

Support her.

["Disaster" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

♪ You've got disaster Written all over you ♪

♪ Underlined three times In red ♪

♪ You've got disaster Written all over you ♪

♪ But I've never been Much of a reader ♪

-[Diana] Grace. -[Grace gasps] Christ, Diana!

-How'd you get there? -[Diana] I need your help.

I know nothing about dance.

I've been dancing since I could walk,

and I came to this school

to work with this one genius dance director

and she does not like what I'm doing.

She hates it, actually.

She says I'm just tricking people

and not piercing their hearts.

And, "If you can't touch them, Diana,

then you're not an artist,

you're a showgirl and that's all you'll ever be."

[smack lips] So, yeah.

You think I know how to touch people?

-[Diana] I think you might. -[laughs] I don't.

I really don't, and I can't help you right now.

-I listened to your story. -[Grace] No one asked you to.

Sorry?

[sighs] That was a dick thing.

Just do it fast, please.

We begin with Atalanta.

She's tall and strong and beautiful

and she's the fastest woman in the world,

and men are willing to die for her.

-And you don't care. -No, I wanna care, it's just--

-Honestly? -Please, tell me.

It's kinda hard to empathize with someone

who, like, has it all.

-She doesn't have it all. -You just said--

She was left for dead by her dad,

she was raised by a bear in the woods.

Maybe you should lead with that.

[Diana groans] Fine.

I'll start over.

There's this staircase.

This tall, towering staircase.

And at the top we see the king.

And he's tall, too, impossibly tall,

like, ten feet tall,

in this purple velvet robe

with a crown studded with rubies.

And the king is angry,

storming down these stairs, scary, thrashing.

Why's that? Why's he thrashing?

He told his kingdom he'd give them a prince

but the queen has given birth to a princess,

and the queen is curled on the floor,

bleeding, full of shame,

cradling her infant daughter, sobbing,

her wails echoing throughout the castle corridors.

Yikes.

Then the king rips the baby from his wife's arms,

and suddenly these trees sprout

and the staircase becomes a mountain

and he is carrying his little girl to a cliff

to leave her there to die.

[thunder rumbling]

This is dark.

[Diana] Then thunder rumbles,

clouds gather,

and a radiant goddess appears,

and somehow she reaches out over the horizon,

lifts the crying child, summoning a she-bear

who breastfeeds the child

and places her in the care of the forest creatures

who help her grow up to be

the fastest human being on Earth.

Whoa.

But the goddess makes Atalanta promise

never to have sex with anyone.

Ever. In her life.

Why?

She's a bitch.

-[Grace] That's so mean. -Drink some water.

And the queen can't have any more children,

so when the king finds out

that his daughter is alive out there in the woods,

he finds her and commands her

to come home and get married.

[Grace] What does the goddess say?

She must obey.

This goddess sucks.

That's what Atalanta thinks, so she says,

"Dad, I refuse to marry any man

unless he can defeat me in a footrace,

and the punishment for all the men who lose...

they must die a painful and unnatural death."

[groans] I still haven't found it yet.

What? What're you talking about? That was so great.

-No, I'm like, I'm forcing it. -No, no, no.

-I can feel it! -No, that was fantastic.

I mean, I've been dying trying to tell a woman's story

and you're so great.

I think it's just hard.

I'm, like, I can't see anything, I'm just in the middle of it all.

-No, no, no, no. -I'm just very confused.

It's all good, Grace. I talked to Annette's producer.

She loves the stuff about Cecilia and the equipment budget.

-I got you a red eye, two sugars. -[Grace] Thanks.

We're nearly there, it's just a matter of framing it like a film,

setting up the key players, what they want, what's in their way.

Is that what you were doing outside?

I beg your pardon?

With Kendra.

I was pitching, that's what we call it.

She's our key demo.

She's our audience, Grace.

I was just giving the girl what I had.

-[thunder rumbling] -Oh, I bet.

[Spike] Grace, can we get back to work now?

Oh, my God, that was you?

With the white and the sex and the blood.

And the feathers.

[Grace] You're not her, are you?

Are you-- are you her?

-Grace, calm down. -You don't understand, Spike.

This woman, I saw her show,

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

I mean, I still dream about it and I still see her in front--

Oh, my God, you don't see things in front of your mind, Grace.

[Spike] Are you all right?

Okay, you're not listening to me.

This woman does things nobody else in the world can do.

-Okay, it's just theater. -No.

Who are you?

Diana de la Palma. She's a genius.

Grace, could you just give me a sec, please?

What's going on? Why is she here?

-She's working. -Okay, but why is she talking?

She's not an astronomer, she's distracting you, she's getting in the way.

No, no. Relax, okay? I was listening to her, it was really good.

-Okay, then can we focus now? -Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Can we focus now?

She's a master and I'm learning

and it's making everything better.

It's been a pleasure, Diana,

and I'm sure you're great, but that's enough.

-Please don't be rude. -I'm not.

Show me your eyes.

[Spike] Um...

[laughs] Yeah, it's happening.

What? What's happening?

[Spike] Grace?

[psychedelic music playing]

[Diana groaning, gasping]

What are you doing?

Have you ever read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?

-Kill me now. -It's, like, Christian allegory.

But this isn't a wardrobe.

Shut the lid.

Do you know what this is about?

No.

[Diana] You'll see.

[Spike] What am I gonna see? When?

[Diana] In a second.

Are your guys' mouths dry?

[Diana giggling]

It's the gummies.

You're high.

Grace.

-What? -[Diana] You are high.

-[Spike] Oh, fuck me. -They didn't taste like weed.

[Diana] Oh, they're not just weed, honey.

-Oh, my God. -[Spike] What are they?

-[Diana] They're, like, a blend. -A blend of what?

-[Diana] You'll be in and out. -Why did you let me eat them?

-[Diana] Not my fault. -Oh, my God.

How am I supposed to work if I'm high?

-[Diana] I do it all the time. -What the hell is wrong with you?

I'm not gonna be able to see or move my pencil the right way.

[Diana] So lose the pencil, Grace.

You are an evil tiger witch dragon.

It's not like your story was working

when you were not high.

How am I gonna go on TV?

-How the fuck did this happen? -[Grace] Oh, my God.

-I'm gonna be so sad. -[Diana] Nah, drink some water.

-[Grace] Oh, my God. -[Diana] Oh, coffee.

-Look, you have coffee. -You know what?

I'm just gonna do this myself. It's like-- Jesus!

[Grace] Wait, no, but they wanna see me.

-What are you gonna say? -Well, I'm-- I'm ready.

Let's hear it, Spike, show us.

What, like now?

No, like, in a week, in a month.

-Yes, now! -[Grace slurping]

Okay, whoever the hell you are, here goes.

Fade in on Cecilia Payne, Harvard University 1925,

100 years ago, defending her thesis.

This is the single most important moment

in our young astronomer's life.

I don't know that that's true.

It doesn't matter, Grace, just let me do this, okay?

Let me do my job.

Cecilia is stressed, her palms sweaty.

The frock she sewed for herself in England

is uncomfortable and unfashionable as she--

How do you know about frocks?

Because I read the book, okay?

She takes a seat on a hard oaken bench

to face the eminent Henry Norris Russell of Princeton University

and Dr. Harlow Shape-- Shapley

of the Harvard Observatory.

Cecilia is stressed

as she stares at these masters,

one of whom she adores

and has nicknamed "DD," Dear Director,

a man for whom she says she would gladly give her life,

a man who stayed up till dawn on a sticky summer night

typing her first published paper,

who encouraged her to sign her name "Cecilia Payne"

instead of "C.S. Payne."

Cecilia respects these men,

but she can't stand up to them.

And so, as she sits there

facing the gods of her field

as they hand down their judgment--

I really need to pee.

Can you pause for one second?

Okay.

I'll wait.

No!

Keep going.

What, just for you?

Yeah, just for me.

Where was I?

[Grace panting]

Okay, listen to me.

You cannot be high, okay?

You're not high because you can't be, okay?

So you're not.

[bear grunting]

So Shapley says...

Miss Payne, I'm afraid you must renounce your discovery

of the composition of stars.

And Russell's like...

[Russell] There's something seriously mistaken

about your theory, young lady.

What you're claiming is impossible

and your results are almost surely wrong.

[panting] Oh, my God.

[Russell's voice echoing] There's something seriously mistaken...

about your theory, young lady.

...is impossible...

Wrong.

And Shapeley's like...

-[Russell] Wrong. -..."I'm sorry sweetheart."

[Diana] He's so not sorry.

And Cecilia's not wrong and she knows it.

She definitely does.

She also knows

that if she doesn't disavow her discovery,

they won't give her the doctorate that she's earned.

Hmm. That is so messed up.

[Spike] Hmm. Yeah.

[Diana] So they blackmailed her.

That's blackmail.

Yes, and Cecilia has the chance to become the first person,

not the first woman, but the first person,

to earn a PhD in astronomy from Harvard.

-That's huge. -It's gigantic.

It's massive.

Okay, I'm gonna be okay, okay?

What if she sticks to her guns?

She'll be fired.

No, they can't do that.

And she'll lose access to the thousands of spectrographs

upon which her work depends.

Those monsters.

Yeah, the choice is hers, but she has no choice.

Desperate, on the edge,

she pictures herself disappearing

into the dark waters of a New Hampshire lake.

[acoustic guitar melody]

["Walk Me Home" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

♪ Walk me home ♪

♪ I know it's getting colder ♪

♪ And I know That you have got your bike ♪

♪ But walk me home ♪

♪ I know You're just a little guy ♪

♪ But you're a little guy I like ♪

-That never happened! -Sure it did.

Her friend Adelaide drowned, not Cecilia.

It's not a leap to say that she contemplated suicide.

It's a total leap, it's the definition of a leap.

Relax, it was just an idea. A good idea.

But we just-- we can't fudge our data.

Then what do you want from me?

-I know what I don't want. -What's that?

All these stories about men.

Men are villains, Grace, you need villains.

-Did you even mention hydrogen? -I was about to get to that.

You just can't shunt her discovery aside,

it has to be the heart of the story.

Grace, your thesis is never gonna see

the light of day if it's boring.

I'm just trying to make it interesting.

I'm doing this for you because you got nothing.

[Grace] I've got something.

I mean, Cecilia is weary.

She's filled with an energy that's almost godlike,

it's beyond anything she's ever felt in her life,

she's analyzing and comparing stellar spectra.

[sighs]

-[Spike] And you've lost us. -No!

-[Diana] Let her finish. -Okay.

Back then everyone assumed

that men are made of iron

and the earth is made of iron

and that's what the stars should be,

all celestial bodies are the same, right?

Wrong. That's not what Cecilia's seeing.

The spectral lines are showing all this hydrogen

but that can't be.

It must be a mistake, the stars are iron.

So she checks again and again,

star after star, spectrum after spectrum,

hoping to prove herself wrong, to find her error.

Days are blending into nights and she keeps getting the same result every time.

Stars are fiery balls of hydrogen,

light, ethereal, feminine, simple hydrogen,

basically the opposite of iron.

-That's not bad. -It's not good.

-It's just a lot. -I think it could work.

[Grace] Can I just say what I think the most amazing part of all this is?

She's seeing what is not there.

She's seeing all these hydrogen atoms

but they've ionized, they've lost their electron,

which means she can't even see them.

[Diana] Wait, why not?

[Grace] Because they're invisible.

Well, if they're invisible, how come Cecilia can see them?

She understands quantum mechanics

and the physics of thermal equilibrium.

-[Spike] What the fuck is that? -[Grace] Okay. Let's not dwell on it.

What matters is that she sees what is not there!

I mean, that is a huge thing.

There are a million times more hydrogen atoms

than any other element in the freaking universe!

Oh, God, she says-- Can I just read this to you guys?

She says-- And this really breaks my heart.

Okay.

"I was to blame for not having pressed my point.

I have given in to authority when I believed I was right.

If you are sure of your facts, you must defend your position."

"If you're sure of your facts, you must defend your position."

-I love that. -But you wouldn't click on it, would you?

-I mean, come on, be honest. -Just because you wouldn't, doesn't mean nobody would.

You came to me-- She came to me talking about magazines.

And now we're going on a legit talk show.

But what about a six-part series on the BBC

and then there's PBS.

And what about the world?

What if the whole world knew about Cecilia?

-But, Spike, what do you want me to do? -You're not gonna do it.

[Grace] Well, not, if you don't tell me what it is.

-Get out of the way. -I'm not in the way!

You want Cecilia to be famous the way she deserves to be.

-And you're not helping. -Yeah, I am.

She'd want her story to be told,

she wouldn't care about your fears, Grace.

Wh-- I'm going on a talk show tomorrow

even though I'm probably gonna throw up.

Yeah, you're on task, you're diligent, you're perfect,

and that's not what she needs from you.

You don't know what she needs.

She made the worst possible mistake,

not standing up to those men

and she took that shame to her grave.

Okay, well...

Hey, are you okay?

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Come here, Grace.

Grace, I need you to do something for me right now.

-Close your eyes. -No.

[Spike] I want you to think about a story that affects you.

Not Cecilia's. Someone's, anyone's.

Okay, I got it.

[Spike] Do crazy things happen in the story?

[Grace] Yeah.

[Spike] And they're exciting, aren't they?

[Grace] Yeah.

[psychedelic music playing]

[Spike] So we have to tell a story like that.

A big story,

a strong story, a story for all time.

Now open your eyes.

[crunching]

-[Grace] Tell him. -[Spike] Tell me what?

[Grace] She's working on a dance piece

about sex and power in ancient Greece.

-[Spike] Fuck me. -No, no, no! It's gonna help us.

It's about this woman who has this ability like a superhero

but she's in trouble

'cause a man is telling her what to do, right, Diana?

-Pretty much, yeah. -[Spike] I give up.

-You told me to close my eyes. -[Spike] Forget it, Grace.

-That's all I could see. -'Cause you're high.

Well, you said to get outta the way!

-That's not what I meant. -What'd you mean?

I was trying to get you to understand how stories work.

-She's got a great story. -Uh, it's getting there.

You know, Spike, I hear you're pretty good at your job.

-Show me. -How long will this take?

-Um, ten minutes. -You get five, that's it.

[psychedelic music builds]

[thunder rumbling]

I am Atalanta,

the fastest person in the world. [laughs]

And I'm circling this man.

-[Spike] I'm not part of this. -Too late, you're in it.

She's magic, Spike. [laughs]

[Diana] And you're not like other guys, no.

You're a son of Neptune,

strong, handsome,

and you watch me run races against men

who want to marry me and I crush them.

-She kills them. -You die!

And you watch, and you fall in love with me.

[Grace] Oh, I told you she is good.

-This doesn't make any sense. -Shh!

Four minutes.

I like you, you're smart,

but you know you've got no chance, I'm too quick.

You've seen what happens to all the boys who lose,

they all die.

So you have to get help from the goddess of love.

[Grace] Can I be the goddess of love?

-[Diana] I don't know, Grace. -Can I dance?

-[Diana] No, don't dance. -[Grace] I really wanna dance.

[Diana] Okay, well, just don't move too much.

Just know that this spawn

of Neptune will kneel...

He won't kneel.

He will kneel

before you, his benefactor,

and beg for help,

or you will lose the race and die.

Um, do I touch him, or...

[Diana] Do what you want,

just do it deliberately.

Ooh. Good, Grace, that's good. That's good.

Now give him the gift of three golden apples.

[both] Why?

You'll see.

Give him the apples, Grace.

Where do I get apples from?

They're props, Grace, they just appear on stage.

Great, and now you will bestow them upon him.

Okay.

I am bestowing.

[♪]

Now, you will watch over this man

as he takes his place at the starting line.

Poised, flexed,

ready to run,

the scent of a woman at his side,

her breath on his neck.

Look at me.

No, use your peripheral vision.

You'll know what to do.

-[Spike] No I won't. -[Diana] Please don't talk.

All in slow motion,

everything underwater.

-Like-- -No!

Slower. Slower.

Slower than slow.

You're sprinting at the start,

tense, straining as I, Atalanta,

stay calm, flowing, fully at ease,

watching you,

studying the shape of you,

your muscles,

that neck--

I'm sorry, it's not working. I need you to be naked.

Greek and Roman athletes were always naked.

It was impressive,

the athletes dousing themselves in oil

and glistening in the sun.

-The Olympics were naked? -[Diana] Yes.

-[Spike] No. -[Diana] Of course they were!

Have you ever read a book or been to a museum?

"Ode on a Grecian Urn."

Ring any bells?

There are a lot of glazed pots with pictures of this, okay?

You see the runners and then you see their penises.

-You're not gonna see my penis. -[Diana grunting]

Well, could you at least take off your shirt?

Just give me something to work with.

[♪]

And we run, side by side,

as I drink you in and take pleasure

in the beauty of your body and your brawn--

It's not working, I need you naked.

Are you fucking kidding me?

She was naked in the thing that I saw

for, like, the whole time, like, an hour.

-Yeah, I was. -You were naked?

It was full frontal, full everything.

But this time, it's all about you, Spike.

You're the challenger, you're the focus.

You are risking your life for a woman.

We need to see you,

every inch of you.

There's a fucking security camera.

Ugh, come on! These guys, they--

-Corlene? -Yeah?

What's that?

What's going on there?

[Corlene] What're they doing?

They're sitting at their monitors

popping popcorn in the break room,

and then this thing happens,

best thing they've seen all week,

maybe in their entire lives.

[all chuckle]

Wow. What's she up to?

Can't we just use our imaginations?

That is for amateurs.

-Spike. You're a feminist. -Yeah.

You have to hate these double standards--

[Spike] I don't have to do anything.

Oh, so you think it's fine

for a bunch of men

to go out and look at naked women?

When do women get to do that?

At Chippendales?

Yeah. "Oh, let's go to Chippendales."

-Yeah, let's go. -Oh, wait, we can't.

-They don't exist anymore. -Psych, we can't!

And bachelorette parties--

[security guard] I mean, you know her, right, Paulette?

-I've seen her before, yeah. -[laughing]

And now, when we're simply requesting that one man...

-Just one. -...make himself vulnerable.

Yeah.

For an artistically valid purpose.

Yeah, the most valid.

He says no. [scoffs]

Because-- Oh, I don't know, what is it Spike?

-Yeah, what is it? -Are you shy?

-Shy? -You can't do what's asked of women all the time?

Yeah, I do this all the time.

Is it too much for you?

A chance to sort of...

-even the score? -Mm.

But I guess no.

[upbeat music playing]

[laughs] He's gonna do it, I think!

Look at him, they got him, they got him, they got him.

-Where is he going? -You think he's going?

-You think he's going? -He's gonna do it.

Fine. Here goes.

[♪]

[guards cheering]

He did it! He did it!

Okay this is the part I can't figure out.

You are literally

running for your life and you're thinking,

"How am I gonna handle these apples?"

They're made of gold,

they're so heavy

and the goddess gave them to me for a reason, but why?

What am I going to do?

And you are struggling,

they are so heavy.

These apples are so heavy

and they're gonna pull you down.

What are you gonna do?

How are you gonna win?

Ooh.

That's good, Spike, that's good, yes.

But remember,

Atalanta's a runner

and runners run,

so I'm gonna lengthen my stride

and pull away from you,

which causes you to take

one of your heavy golden apples

and what?

What can you do with a golden apple?

Ho, that's not gonna work.

It's bouncing right in front of me.

I can field it like a shortstop.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, pardon the interruption,

but Campus Security has asked me to remind you

that proper attire is required at all times

on the library premises.

And butterflies have their taste buds on their feet.

Thank you.

[Grace giggling]

They taste with their feet?

-I'm getting dressed. -No, you can't, Spike.

Drop it, Spike. Drop the underwear.

I told you, no one's coming.

Yeah, and if we don't finish,

you're standing there naked for, um, no reason.

-Good point. -This is just so stupid.

It's not, I'm learning a lot.

Come on, Spike, stay with me.

You're desperate, frantic--

[thunder rumbling]

Okay.

Okay.

You know you might die and you only have

two heavy golden apples left and--

Oh, my God, you're gonna fumble one!

-[Spike] No, I'm not. -[Diana] You're nervous.

-[Spike] I'm not nervous. -[Diana] You know you might die.

-No, I won't. -[Diana groans]

-I don't fumble. -Fumble it, Spike.

-Why? -It's the story.

-I don't care. -Fumble!

-Oh. -Oh.

Now it's on the ground and if you reach down

to pick it up, you might lose the race and die!

But Atalanta's not worried, she turns around,

runs right past you,

grabs the apple, and she's off!

-[Grace] Oh, you're in trouble. -Come on, Spike.

Try anything, there's no wrong answer.

-[Spike] All right, I got this. -Yeah, show me what you got.

-[Spike] I got it. -Yeah?

-I got this. -Yeah?

I'm gonna take this last fucking apple.

-Yeah? -And I'm gonna hurl it.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah. -As high and as far as I possibly can.

-Yeah. -And then I'm gonna make you...

-Yeah? -I'm gonna make you want it.

-Yeah? -You're gonna want it.

[Diana] Yeah, I'm gonna want it.

You're gonna decide to go and get it,

-and then-- -Do it, Spike!

I win and I won't die,

and I will finally fuck you!

Oh, nice throw.

Now I have to make

the most important decision of my life.

Do I win the race...

or do I get laid?

What are you gonna do?

You tell me.

-You're gonna win the race. -Or...

Atalanta could have sex for the first time.

-Well, you can't do that. -[Diana] Oh, but I can.

'Cause I know what I want.

[Grace] Well, I hate that.

Nobody said you have to like it.

[thunder rumbling]

Yeah, but you have to like it, don't you, Diana?

Do you like how your story goes, Grace?

-It's not the same. -Does it have a happy ending?

Is this what your teacher had in mind

when she said to "touch" people?

I don't know, I'm still working on it, Grace.

Yeah? Why are you doing it?

Some of us wanna fuck the man,

and some of us wanna say fuck you to the man.

What do you wanna do?

-Both. -Good for you. Where's my shirt?

-Just the-- -Why don't you guys just go be together then, huh?

-Whoa, Grace, come on. -Come on, Grace.

Is that what this was? Some kind of mating dance?

No, I'm rehearsing my thesis, Grace.

I just wasted all this time, and now I'm not even prepared for Annette.

Grace, relax. Do you want me to get you your water or something?

-You need to calm down. -We do have to tape at 8:00 a.m.

-Okay, that's just not helpful. -But it's true.

Why don't you just talk about me behind my back--

Grace, no one is talking behind your back!

-We're trying to help! -And fix his hair and be nice to him--

-I'm not being nice to him. -And I'll go back to the lab

while you tell women that they should give up their power...

-What am I telling women? -...for men.

-Calm down. Grace. -Oh, okay, that'll be great.

-You know what, Spike? -[Spike] Calm down.

Why don't you just take Diana on the TV show

and not me?

-Grace. Come on. -[Diana] Grace! Grace, come on.

Fuck.

What the hell was in those gummies?

You should go after her, don't you think?

Yeah, but I'm not just feeling it right this second.

Spike, Grace is your partner.

Yeah, but first, what was all that,

right there, over there?

-Did you like it? -Yeah.

-Was it good for you? -Good for me.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

-Or was it, like, too weird? -No.

Yeah?

-Look, um... -I gotta go.

Yeah. Grace is...

She needs you, so what would make the most sense

is if you go to the--

the TV studio,

and you can put her in front of a...

-microphone. -I will. I will.

Yeah. And just try a little exposure therapy or something.

-Sure. -Yeah, just give her a little nudge.

-I'm gonna go. -Yeah, just go. Or, like, a big nudge.

She will be so thankful... [gasps]

-...for you. -All right.

-Okay. -You--

-I'm gonna stay, yep. -...here.

I'm just gonna...

stretch here.

["Boo Frickin' Hoo" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

[Diana sighs]

♪ Stop, you're gonna Make me cry ♪

♪ You mean to tell me That some guy ♪

♪ He took your heart ♪

♪ And left you in a spin ♪

[Helen] Okay, attention everybody,

just a reminder that the reference desk

will be closing in five minutes,

but the library will be open until 3:00 a.m.

Also, beavers can hold their breath underwater

for up to 45 minutes.

Thank you.

♪ Well, we all get Fricked around ♪

♪ From time to time ♪

♪ No frickin' ands... ♪

[Annette] Grace.

♪ Or ifs or buts ♪

♪ You think your special You're frickin' nuts ♪

[Annette] Grace.

♪ ...boys and girls Were born to do ♪

♪ Boo frickin' hoo ♪

[Grace] I was to blame for not having pressed my point.

I have given in to authority when I believe I was right.

If you're sure of your facts, you must defend your position.

[echoing] If you're sure of your facts, you must defend your position.

She's seeing what is not there.

Did you even mention hydrogen?

[Helen] Please don't run, Diana.

[scoffs] You're absolutely right, Helen.

I'll be more careful. You're the best.

[fluttering]

Oh, my goodness.

[Diana] Grace.

Grace.

♪ ...that her true love Has gone ♪

[Annette] Welcome, Grace Campbell,

let's hear the story of Cecilia.

-[bell tolls] -[Annette] Grace.

[whispering] If you're sure of your facts,

you must defend your position.

[Annette echoing] Grace.

Grace.

-Grace. -[Diana] Grace?

Oh, shit! Ow! [sucks teeth]

♪ It's a vicious Frickin' ugly sight ♪

♪ That first Mark fricks Meg Then Meg fricks Michael ♪

♪ The frickin' Never frickin' ends ♪

♪ It's true ♪

♪ Boo frickin' hoo ♪

[Diana panting]

[Diana] Why don't you find someone you like?

[Spike] I gotta go.

A story you actually care about.

You don't care about her.

I need this more that she does. It's my life, it's her hobby.

Oh, you really don't know her, dude.

Wait, your forehead.

-[Diana] What? -You're bleeding.

It-- It's fine, okay? It doesn't hurt.

[bell tolling]

I do know her.

I do know that she's been in love with this woman forever,

and I'm the one helping her.

Yeah, but why are you helping her?

Look, I see the way the world's turning,

and I think it's great that there's all kinds of

new people getting a chance now.

-She's what they want. -Yeah, she's...

-amazing. -See?

But she's so timid.

I'm sorry but y--

you're still bleeding and I've got a Band-aid, just...

-[Diana] It's fine, Spike, seriously, it's not necess-- -Just let me.

-All right, don't move. -Ow.

-Don't move. -Ow. Okay, okay. Ow.

-Okay? -Yeah.

That's-- That's very nice of you.

I can be nice.

Right.

You see where I'm coming from.

She can't get this out there without me, be honest.

[Diana] You're supposed to be doing this for her.

[Spike] I've got the craft, I've got the connections,

and I've earned this.

I'm the lion.

I make the kill,

I bring the meat...

-I share with the pride and I'm not sorry. -Oh, my God, Spike--

She'll get something, I'm not gonna cut her out.

She'll be fine, she'll be full.

-That is fucked up. -Why, Diana?

It's what I saw you do just now.

You're not dancing some wimpy little

everybody's-nice- to-each-other ballet.

You're telling the story of a woman who wants something,

wants to fuck a guy's brains out, to be specific,

and so she does what it takes to get what she wants.

Your work is carnal.

And it's true.

And everyone knows it and that's why they fuckin' like it.

-They love it. -[Spike] It's you.

Yeah, it is.

-They want you. -Yeah, they do.

["Drunk Dial" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

Grace? Grace?

-[Dev] I'm not Grace. -You know Grace?

Duh, she got me here.

Do you know where she is?

She doesn't even know who she is.

♪ I called you up last night ♪

♪ To reminisce 'Bout our first date ♪

♪ And our first kiss ♪

♪ You told me that You couldn't talk just then ♪

♪ But I was only wonderin' How you are ♪

♪ I called you From outside the bar ♪

♪ But I woke up Your new girlfriend again ♪

♪ So to finalize our break ♪

♪ There's still one step I need to take ♪

♪ I'm takin' Your number off my phone ♪

♪ So I can't call you When I'm wasted ♪

-[smashing] -Grace!

-You've gotta stop doing that. -[Dev] Good night, ladies.

It's all good.

I finished all your titrations, Gracie.

You're not fired.

Oh, and I got you all white-balanced.

You're welcome.

[door shuts close]

Grace, I'm so sorry.

-Shouldn't you be with Spike? -He's on the phone.

-Of course. -No, he's talking to some Hollywood guy,

they're gonna turn your story into a series.

Good. That's actually a good thing.

-So great. Fantastic. -No, they're gonna cut you out.

[Spike] So, what did he say?

Oh, God, that's amazing.

How many episodes?

Yes, absolutely. Say yes.

[Grace] They can't, it's my thesis.

-[Diana] It's his deal. -It isn't.

Look, I've got the number of Annette's producer.

-What's that gonna do? -Take it and kick Spike off this thing.

-I'm not that kind of girl. -Grace.

You are a woman.

And what kind of woman are you?

Because it seems like you're a coward,

and a liar, and the worst kind of liar

because you're lying to yourself.

You are Cecilia,

and you're making the same mistake as she did and you know it.

Don't do this.

If you think you're being selfless and noble

like you've got no ego, you're not.

If he takes this, it's gonna feel like

you've died or something, okay?

And I cannot believe you can't see that.

Grace, what are you doing in here?

-I just wanted to be alone. -[Diana] Yeah, well she's not.

I heard you on the phone,

you have no idea how loud your voice is,

you're like a frickin' auctioneer.

That was a private call.

Discussing terms for a deal.

-Am I included? -[Spike] Yes.

-[Diana] No. -I was negotiating.

-[Diana] For yourself. -For her too.

-Ah, right. -Can you just let him talk?

I was on the phone with my agent.

I told him about this project, and he shopped it around...

-and he's got some good news. -What news?

From Apple and Amazon and--

[chuckles] It's real money.

They like us on Annette, they like the story,

they love Cecilia.

-That's incredible, Spike. -Now tell her the rest.

Well, they've--

Yeah, they've got this one issue

that they've had to deal with in the past,

with the union, the WGA.

I don't understand.

Um, when they have a non-writer in the room.

What room?

[Spike] You know these people,

they're professionals, Grace.

-But they need me, right? -[Spike] Someone like you.

But, uh, with credentials and a real job.

I have a job.

[Spike] Someone who is older

-and won't bug them. -[Grace] I won't bug them.

Don't-- Don't take it personally,

it's just that they've had trouble in the past

with people saying that it's their baby.

It is my baby.

[Spike] Grace, look,

you're going to be on Annette

and her producer loves you.

That's beside the point.

These guys wanna buy you out.

They wanna give you money and make you go away.

-[Grace] Well, how much money? -It's a lot, maybe five grand up front.

-That is a lot. -[Diana] They could make millions off of this.

Grace, take it. It might not even fly.

-How soon would they pay? -The minute it sells.

[Diana] Oh, my God, Grace, if you agree to this,

you give up everything, that is what a buyout is.

[Spike] Grace, Grace, I fought for you.

Okay, if a buyout's what it takes then...

-I'll make it happen. -[Grace] Did you win?

[Diana] No, he got his ass kicked.

[Spike] They're going to credit you and compensate you

for bringing them the whole idea.

[Diana] They're going to throw you away, Grace, like garbage.

-[Spike] Would you stop? -Oh, you're a fucking traitor.

Okay, let's back up.

All right?

It's not your fault, you don't know the business,

but this has been a huge pain in the ass

to get as far as I've gotten with this

and I'm so close to getting it done.

And I will. But I just--

I need you to just let me, okay?

-But we're partners. -[Spike] Yeah, we're partners.

And we're going on the show together tomorrow.

But you have to trust me to work on your behalf.

Oh, she does not have to do anything.

[Spike] Okay, who should trust then?

You, a girl that she just met, or herself?

When she read my stuff...

and she wrote me and she called me...

and she told me that she loved my work.

[Grace] I know, I did. I do.

So go with your instincts.

[Diana] Grace, I swear to God I heard him say--

What? What did you hear him say?

Dead weight, Jer. Those were not my words.

[Diana] Then whose were they then?

She doesn't know what she's talking about.

-[Diana] I heard you! -[Grace] Are you--

Are you 100% positive?

"If you're sure of your facts you must defend your position."

This woman is not your ally.

Oh, don't you tell her what I am.

You want me to tell her what you did?

You're not gonna say anything to Grace, okay?

Course not. Jesus.

Swear to God, you're not gonna say a word, Spike.

-I don't swear. -Spike, shut up.

-She came onto me so hard. -Stop!

It was sick, Grace.

Yeah, you see this?

You see this, the claw marks, what she did?

Diana, tell me he's lying.

Oh, I know. [moaning]

-It's good. -Mmm, yeah?

-It's so good. -Why's it good?

[Spike] You see?

Grace, I just want you to know

that I'm fully committed to this project.

-I was right. -Completely.

-Honestly, Grace. -[Grace] You are so fake.

I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm just--

-Sorry. -Screw you.

It's-- I know, I'm disgusting, I'm a whore, okay?

-So I should feel bad for you? -No, that's not what I'm saying,

I'm saying that's it's just what I do,

I can't help it, I-- I just control people, you know?

I just take their power, like, you've seen it.

-I'm-- -[Grace] I don't care.

I'm just-- I just get off on it, okay, I'm a showgirl.

Grace, she's been wasting your time,

distracting,

just fucking with you all night.

Forget about her.

Come on, let's get back to the library.

Okay, we've got a 6:00 a.m. call,

and we've gotta get this pitch down.

You said if I care about this enough

I can talk about it on TV, right?

Grace, this man is taking your confidence

and he's abusing it.

That is what conmen do.

He's confusing you. He's gaslighting you.

[Spike] Why would I do that?

To get the lion's share.

Okay, now she's just making shit up.

That's verbatim, Grace.

-Does sound like you, Spike. -[Diana] Thank you.

This TV thing, it-- it's pretty major, right?

-[Spike] For you too. -We're not stars, Spike.

There are such things as stars in this world,

but we're not one of them.

-I mean, stars are hot, with energy-- -You gotta stop.

And Annette Gordon-Reed is energized

because the rest of us are pulled toward her,

her substance, her mass, her gravity--

-Shit. -So she shoots out the truth

in beams of pure light

that do not lie...

and she shines on you...

and reveals you for who you are.

Which is nothing...

but a liar, a-- and a cheat and a sham.

-[Spike] Mm-hm. -You're worthless, Spike.

The world can take you or leave you,

an asteroid could blow you into a billion little pieces

and it wouldn't make a pin's worth of difference.

-That's nice. -You're a planet.

You're not even a planet, you're Pluto.

-Thanks. -[Grace scoffs]

You're just a pockmarked little rock,

swirling around a greater person...

in her orbit.

Are you finished?

This story's mine.

And I'm taking it.

[Spike] Grace, we made an agreement.

Yeah, a verbal agreement.

[Spike] Which we both heard and was clear.

Yeah, thanks to me.

I brought you this and now I'm taking it back.

Grace, you're high,

and you're gonna regret this in the morning.

Regret? You wanna talk about regret?

There's naked footage of you from the library camera.

-All on record. -[Spike] That's not permitted.

Oh, a visible camera on school property?

I think it's state law.

Can you put it up on three, please?

-[Spike] How did you do that? -[thunder rumbling]

Doesn't look good.

You gotta go on Annette with me.

-[Grace] Not with you, I don't. -They're expecting you.

I-- I'm sorry.

[Spike] You'll always be known as the woman

who discovered Cecilia.

Look at me...

and tell me

you'll make Cecilia Payne a winner

and not a victim and you'll vindicate her genius.

If you can promise me that...

I'll let you work with me.

["A Proportionate Degree" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

I promise.

I don't believe you.

I'm sure of myself now.

I'm defending my position.

♪ You hold my hand ♪

[phone buzzing]

♪ And I hold your hand too ♪

♪ You say I'm wonderful ♪

♪ So I say so are you ♪

Give me the producer's number.

-Um, are you sure? -Yeah.

♪ ...easily ♪

♪ I think I love you ♪

♪ To a proportionate degree ♪

Oh, my God, I-- I thought this would go to voicemail.

I'm so sorry, um-- Yeah.

The woman Spike Randall told you about.

Yeah.

Grace. Grace. Um...

Well, actually, there... [voice cracks]

There is something wrong.

♪ I have been uneven ♪

It's-- It's him, it's Spike.

And it's, um--

It's a little uncomfortable, but...

♪ I'm here to love you ♪

♪ To a proportionate... ♪

Oh, okay, sure. 5:30 a.m.

I will be there.

Thanks. Thank you.

♪ ...or two About being unrequited ♪

♪ You say... ♪

I can't believe she answered.

She's a producer, so, you know,

she has a show in the morning.

Yeah, she wants me to come in, she wants to know, like,

what's happening.

Look at you.

I know, right?

♪ But for now I'm stuck on you ♪

♪ So stay stuck on me ♪

♪ Baby, just love me... ♪

[Diana] I'm telling you.

You're gonna do great. You got this.

♪ ...love me To a proportionate degree ♪

[Grace] How could you let him touch you?

[Diana] Can we not?

Let's Try This Again, Grace Campbell.

Thank you, Annette.

[gentle guitar melody playing]

A star burns

in a dark corner of the universe,

excited with an energy,

just like Cecilia Payne,

a 23-year-old woman, far from home,

who is about to discover the essence...

of everything.

[♪]

♪ You tell me I'm crazy ♪

♪ I'm too much to deal with ♪

♪ Well, baby That's probably so ♪

♪ But if I'm the one Who's crazy ♪

♪ Why are you the one Who's letting me go? ♪

["Frankenstein" by Phoebe Kreutz playing]

♪ Frankenstein, I'm sorry ♪

♪ But it's seems You're out of luck ♪

♪ That corpse That you reanimated ♪

♪ Well, it's run amok ♪

♪ You're a simple man Of science ♪

♪ Your intentions All were good ♪

♪ And, Frankie I'd absolve you if I could ♪

♪ But the things You were pursuing ♪

♪ Were things No one should be doing ♪

♪ The ambition started screwing With your head ♪

♪♪ 'Cause you focused All your focus ♪

♪ On that gruesome hocus-pocus ♪

♪ Now that monster's Going to choke us in our bed ♪

♪ You were right to be afraid Of the monster that you made ♪

♪ So I guess it's only fair You should be haunted ♪

♪ And it's very well to say ♪

♪ It wasn't supposed To go this way ♪

♪ But you got what you want ♪

♪ Just not the way you wanted ♪

♪ Just like Little Albert Einstein ♪

♪ Was so smart But couldn't see ♪

♪ All the shit that comes ♪

♪ From proving MC squared's the same as E ♪

♪ He's a simple man of science ♪

♪ And the bomb Was not his plan ♪

♪ Yeah, well go And try to tell that to Japan ♪

♪♪ 'Cause he gave The drop his blessing ♪

♪ But then later Starts confessing ♪

♪ That nobody should be Messing with the bomb ♪

♪ 'Cause now Everybody clambers ♪

♪ With their guns And words and hammers ♪

♪ For a box that Goes kablammers on your mom ♪

♪ He was right to be afraid ♪

♪ Of the monster that he made ♪

♪ Stuff gets scary when The laws of nature's flaunted ♪

♪ By their spookiest designs, Yeah ♪

♪ Both Ein- and Frankenstein Gave us what we want ♪

♪ Just not the way we wanted ♪

♪ There's a lesson You can learn ♪

♪ Please observe it In your turn ♪

♪ And I hope that I can count On your compliance ♪

♪ Don't discover anything ♪

♪ Be like me Just eat and sing ♪

♪ And for God's sake keep Your kids away from science ♪

["A Bad Feeling About Anna Karenina" playing]

♪ I've got a bad feeling ♪

♪ About Anna Karenina ♪

♪ I feel like It's gonna go bad ♪

♪ Well, she just met a man ♪

♪ She likes more Than her husband ♪

♪ And I feel like He is gonna make her sad ♪

♪ Well, they're all Hangin' out ♪

♪ Shakin' hands at the station ♪

♪ When a train rolls over A peasant ♪

♪ And I could be wrong ♪

♪ But it feels like foreshadowing ♪

♪ And she's in For somethin' unpleasant ♪

♪ And I wish that I could walk into the pages ♪

♪ And tell her How wrong it all goes ♪

♪ But this feelin' I have about Anna Karenina ♪

♪ I feel like She already knows ♪

♪ Oh and if I know Tolstoy And Anna Karenina ♪

♪ She won't stay away From the man ♪

♪ No, she can't stop her heart ♪

♪ And she can't stop the train ♪

♪ But baby Which one of us can? ♪

♪ No, she can't stop her heart ♪

♪ And she can't stop the train ♪

[music fading]