Previously on The Game...
I meant to give you this last night,
but we were having too much fun.
It's nice to meet you, Brittany.
I'm Allison Morris, Jamison's ex.
Union said we don't have enough owner votes
-to secure lifetime health care. -So, it's on us, then.
But the owners are unified. We need you, Lik.
Malik's looking out for Malik.
To the new owner of the Rick Fox Agency.
Yes, the Tasha Mack Mega Agency.
Tasha, you're not certified
'cause you didn't graduate from high school?
Loan's due in 48 hours. Cash transfers only.
I have Paxton on the line, he doesn't think
-that 48 hours is enough. -The hell it isn't.
You tell him to get his ass to Vegas now.
And cancel everything for the next two days.
-[clapping] -Hey!
-[gasps] -Sleep on your own time.
Erika, coffee, now.
Paxton, where the hell are we on this ridiculous deadline?
Judge Peters set a 1:00 p.m. hearing.
She's good and she hates banks.
That said, it may only buy us about a week or so.
A week is five dawg years to the Colonel, okay?
It makes the difference between me losing this agency
and putting a bullet in his mangy ass.
Get me that extension, and stop eating!
All the agents are on alert.
We're ready to contact clients as soon as you give the word.
Okay, good work, Candice, all right.
But right now, we need to keep this quiet.
Last thing we need are the players panicking.
Hey, right, got it.
Tasha, I just want you to know as your number two,
if we go down, we go down together.
Thanks, girl. But we ain't going down.
-Okay. -Ha-ha!
[sighs]
[knocking]
Uh, come in.
-Hey. -Hey.
Are you up?
Uh, yeah. I can't sleep.
Did you get my texts?
Yeah. Thought you could use a friend.
-Thank you. -Mm.
PORSCHA: Tasha, how you holding up?
Porscha!
Girl, I don't know. You tell me.
I'll have the financial plan ready in a few hours,
-then we'll know. -All right.
Erika? Oh, damn.
You sure you should be doing that?
Hey, hey, hey. You assist me,
and so does this.
[phone chimes]
Yo, my phone has been blowing up all day.
Like, I just want some peace and quiet,
but people keep on coming out the woodwork.
Anyone special?
A couple old friends, high school coach.
-A cousin I thought was dead. -[chuckles]
TASHA: Listen up, everybody.
[whistling]
-Right-- Erika? -Got it.
Whatever you need to do for the next 41 hours
to be at your best, then do it.
'Cause this is the fight of my life, and I need y'all.
Damn it, I need all y'all.
Go, now!
[all muttering]
Okay, here.
Since we have some time off,
how 'bout we have some us time?
-Us time? -Mm-hmm.
We can ride the High Roller at the Stratosphere,
because nothing clears my head better
than a good old scream-fest
and some hot chicken from Hank's with the extra pickles.
Oh my gosh, it's so good.
Yeah. Uh... yeah.
I guess you're not a scream-it-out kind of guy, huh?
More of a time-to-myself kind of guy.
I get it.
Besides, I seen a lawyer outside of Tasha's office,
so something definitely went down.
Maybe she could use some hot chicken.
-Maybe. -[chuckles]
-Okay. -Okay.
[both chuckle]
Text me if you need anything.
Yeah, I'll text you.
Good night.
[sighs]
[groaning]
[sighs]
Seriously, where are the donuts?
You stress-ate them ten minutes ago.
Then go get some more. Shit.
Erika. What the hell?
-Erika! -Okay, that's not a problem,
but what kind of donuts do you want?
Do you like gluten-free, do you want, like, dairy-free?
Ooh, they have like
-fried kinds. -Erika!
Erika, what is going on here?
[sighs] All I know
is I'm the keeper of time, and 5:00 p.m. Saturday is D-Day.
Tasha, look, I don't know what's going on,
but it looks like you could use my help.
No, this here is ICO.
-IC-who? -ICO.
Inner circle only. Get gone.
No.
Last night, I promised to regain your trust,
so let me prove my loyalty.
Loyalty? Oh, so you pledging allegiance?
Yes.
Here.
Place your right hand over my bible
and repeat after me.
I pledge allegiance to the Queen Boss Bitch of America.
Don't mock me.
And to the agency which she runs.
To the agency which she runs.
One Tasha, over Oprah, incomparable,
with ballerness and flyness for all.
One Tash...
Amen.
-Okay. -[chuckles]
Erika will brief you.
Hi.
So, it's gonna be all hands on deck
to pay off the Colonel's loan
so he doesn't get control of TMA.
TASHA: Erika, put my certificate up.
-TMA? -Yeah.
-How is that even possible? -Shit.
Anyways, I am in control of...
Uh-huh, nothing, apparently.
How are we looking?
I found a loophole in the original
-Rick Fox Agency deal. -Rick Fox?
When you acquired the company,
it came with a reversion clause, a ten-year buyback.
If Rick activates the option,
he has a year to buy the agency,
which gives you a year to pay the Colonel
and make this go away.
Wow. Paxton, this is brilliant!
There's only one problem. I'm not calling Rick.
BRITTANY: Hey, wait, wait, wait, Tasha.
Rick is in San Diego with my dad.
Yeah, they just played a pro-am golf tournament together.
No!
That man was in love with all of this.
Now, CNN is just gonna crack his heart,
and besides, I made that man a promise
that I would die before I let anything happen to this company,
and that's a promise I'm gonna keep.
Tasha, time's ticking. This is our best option.
TASHA: I said no, Paxton!
Now, get me that damn extension!
[phone beeping]
Hey, Daddy.
Yeah, I know. I know it's late.
No, Dad, it doesn't cost more to talk after midnight.
Dad, hello? Hey, um, I need a favor.
I need Rick Fox's cell number. Please?
Thirty-nine hours!
♪
-Room service. -Ooh, what's this?
In honor of last night's amazing national anthem performance,
I hereby declare you queen for a day.
Ooh! First, this hotel,
-and now my favorite omelet? -[chuckles]
I hereby declare, I'm about to fuck this breakfast
-all the way up. -I think that's a compliment.
-Mm-hmm. -[phone chiming]
[speaking Spanish]
Oh, my God, I've been getting mad love.
I even heard from a few producers,
all because of you.
Hey, I didn't sing it. You did.
Aw.
[phone chimes]
Oh. My. God!
I know, I'm an amazing kisser.
It's Apollo Maze!
-Who? -The Apollo Maze!
He launched Apex, Lupé, 24/7.
Wait, he's flying in tomorrow to meet with me.
Oh my-- okay. Okay.
Okay, okay, okay, um... I gotta nail this.
I could sing my new song,
but shit, my janky keyboard's been fritzing again.
Well, why don't you meet up at Joint 51?
I'll rent it for an hour, and a piano,
make a real impression.
You know, for a guy who gets hit in the head a lot,
you're amazing, and sweet, and cute.
Well, I hereby declare
I'm about to fuck this girl all the way up.
Sorry, that-- that was better in my head.
Nah, you right.
[both laughing]
Damn! This your crib?
-[laughing] -Yo, if I was living like this,
I'd quit my job, too.
Hold-- dawg, we didn't quit.
And it ain't about the damn money.
It is for me.
You know how many cars I gotta deliver
to cover what I lost on your tickets?
-You can sign there, man. -Thank you.
Uh, no, dawg, it must be a mistake.
I only ordered one car, not two.
No mistake. Two cars.
One green, one silver.
One is mine. Thank you.
Oh-ho-ho. Okay.
Uh-huh.
You bought that shit before the walk-out, didn't you?
Yeah. Once I made the team,
-I figured I'd be good. -Well, you are good, bro.
Good for them payments.
Seriously, though, bro, you deserve it.
And good thing you do,
'cause I'm gonna take the green one,
'cause it screams money.
[laughing]
I am not selling the jet, Porscha!
Bring it up again, I'm-a sell your ass.
Paxton, she want me to sell the jet.
-Never gonna happen. -It'll cover a third of the loan
and put us in striking distance.
-It's just a jet, we can... -For centuries,
Black women had to get everyone where they needed to go.
First, it was the Underground Railroad.
Then, we had to walk white folks' kids to school.
Then, we refused to sit on the back of the bus
till change came, so we could buy cars for our families.
Hell, my mama drove her car until the wheels fell off.
And now, I'm flying my own jet, paid for?
You know what that means?
That means if this Black woman can get there,
then so can you.
It means that they have to listen.
It means I belong.
So, it's not just a jet, and I'm not selling it.
So, that's a hard no on the jet, copy you.
Bad news. Judge Peters recused herself.
Conflict of interest. Her son's a student at OSA.
-So, expel his ass. -I wish.
The stay is with Judge Allen.
He has a standing racquetball game
Fridays at noon. I'm headed there now.
Well, don't just talk about it. Be about it, Paxton, all right?
Go, keep me posted.
It's the Colonel. He wants to meet.
How 'bout that? Three weeks as the players rep,
and I did what y'all been trying to do
for the past five years.
Yeah, I'd kiss the ring, but that dumb stunt
you just pulled set us back a decade.
Chance, I was in a position to act, so I did.
Yes, but you acted before the strike fund
was fully in place. We're not ready.
But Malik was only looking out for Malik, just like always.
Hey, he was looking out for all the players,
past, present, and future.
Yeah, exactly.
So, what is the league gonna do? They gonna play or not?
I'll know tomorrow when we vote.
But you're officially suspended.
-What? -I will be taking your vote
by proxy, and voting no for you and me.
Ho, ho, ho, ho, hold up. Dawg, I don't understand this.
We got the owners on the ropes. Now is the time, Chance.
You don't understand because you already got your millions.
You don't have a family depending on you
like 99% of the league.
They can't afford a strike. Not now.
Well, took you long enough to call.
Sensible people should be sensible.
I agree.
-Please, sit. -No.
That's where I made the deal with the devil.
-I'll pass. -As I recall,
you asked this devil to dance, and it was heavenly,
until your son opened the gates of hell.
I have half your money in pocket,
and when the judge grants our extension,
you'll get the rest.
So, can we just end this tantrum
and get back to doing business the right way?
Oh, no, I never let emotion get in the way of a deal.
That's why I asked you here.
-Listening. -Tasha...
you were 16 when you had Malik,
and you turned managing him into an empire.
This is your vision,
which is why you should run your company.
Well, I'm glad we see eye to eye.
Thank you for ending this nonsense.
No, no, no.
Our deal stands. I'm taking over TMA.
-I want you to be involved. -Involved?
Legally, I had to put the agency into a blind trust.
Sadly, owners can't represent players.
I want you to run daily operations.
You want me to work for you at the company I built?
You will take home a very nice salary.
-Company will keep its name... -Look,
let me tell you something,
you patronizing fake-ass Jerry Jones.
Who's having a tantrum now?
What, you think this is a game?
This is my life.
You will take my company over your dead body.
Tasha, be reasonable.
You signed a non-compete. If you don't work for me,
you won't work as an agent for two years.
That's if I lose, Colonel Cracker.
No, that's when you lose, Ms. Mack.
Now...
swallow that beautiful pride and run TMA.
Or Candice will.
-My Candice? -I'm giving you the opportunity
to save the status quo.
To the world, you will be the mogul you are.
No one ever has to know.
I'll know.
You'll have your money tomorrow.
Ooh! Miss Walk of Shame.
Just passing through to rinse pits, tits, and naughty bits
before round two?
Hardly. I was helping Tasha all night.
Ugh, left turn.
What happened with your hot and heavy plans
with Mr. JJ Jiggles?
Oh my gosh, it was just off.
So? Did he see Allison?
-Didn't come up. -[laughing]
And you didn't bring it up. Classic Brit.
Afraid of intimacy, or are you afraid
that your man is still stuck on little miss blondie?
Actually, I'm scared that he doesn't know
he's stuck on blondie.
So wait, you and Garret have these, like,
heavy heart-to-heart talks?
Girl, if I hadn't opened up to him about my fears,
I wouldn't be meeting Apollo Maze tomorrow.
-You're meeting Apollo Maze? -Yes,
but don't change the subject!
Look, the best way to get close to someone
is to go through the tough stuff and come out on the other side.
Babe, that's where the real intimacy is.
Brit, just call him. Be honest.
-[sighs] -I gotta go.
Okay.
-Hi. -Is Candice here?
No, she left after you did.
Close her files, shut down her emails, she's fired.
-Okay. -Set up a video call
with all of the other agents.
Can y'all close the damn door? Mama!
And tell the team to strap on their astronaut diapers,
it's gonna be another all-nighter.
Paxton, please tell me you got your ass kicked in racquetball.
Sorry. Even took one to the nuts.
Allen wouldn't grant a stay.
-Erika, get me some ice, please. -Damn it.
-Ma! -Hey.
-Hey. Hey. -Hey, baby.
So, I did the right thing with the walk-out, right?
Of course, baby. What you did was so brave.
-Mommy's so proud of you. -Good.
So, what are your clients saying?
Can you nudge 'em in support of the strike?
[chuckles] Hey.
You know I got your back, right?
-[chuckles] -You know, Malik,
you got a lot on your plate,
so why don't you just focus on your health,
and start by getting some rest.
-Me? -Like, right now.
No, Mama, you're the one who look tired.
Mom, what's going on with you?
You said you needed a room for a meeting or two,
and this is a hell of a lot more than that, Mama Mack.
[chuckles] It's just pre-planning, baby.
You know, I got the New York and Miami offices opening.
That's all.
This is for the strike, isn't it?
Whoo! [grunting]
Mack right, ah, ah, ah, better get that act right.
Malik, we need to talk.
Mama, why didn't you tell me?
How do you tell your child you're about to lose everything?
This is all my fault, isn't it?
No.
It's on me.
I got greedy, I...
should have never bought Oakmont.
Ma, how can I help you? What can I do?
Lik, there is nothing you can do.
Baby, even you can't raise that kind of cash in 26 hours.
I can't lose.
I can't lose, Malik. I can't.
-Come here, Mama, come here. -I can't lose.
[sighs] It's all I know.
I mean, without this, who the hell am I?
JAMISON: Clear your head, Jimmy.
Clear your head.
Breathe.
[exhaling]
That's right, man, just get lost.
Brittany looked so good last night.
Oh, come on, clear your head, J! Clear your head.
Breathe in.
[inhales deeply]
Out.
[belching]
Mm.
Whoo, all right, just, let's try this again.
ALLISON: Hey, Jamison.
Yo, great. [chuckles]
Now, I'm hearing voices.
It's great, it's great, it's perfect.
[chuckles]
-Allison. -I knew you'd be here.
This is where you came after every game you ever lost.
I haven't been back since that day.
What are you doing here?
Keeping a promise.
I was at the game last night.
I'm so proud of you.
I haven't seen that since the, uh...
Since it was in my dad's office.
Yeah.
You haven't slept.
You're still fighting insomnia.
[laughing]
Yeah, well, that's an understatement this time.
I...
Allison, why are you really here?
The truth?
I miss my best friend.
That's just a little bit about me and my label.
I knew all that.
I mean, I'm not-- I'm not a stalker or anything.
I just... What I'm saying is,
I've been following your career for years.
I'm flattered.
I'm-- I'm just here to learn about you.
It looks like you're living large.
I mean, you rented a whole entire club
for this meeting. [laughing]
Garret did this. I mean, he's great,
but he's not gonna help me win a Grammy.
[laughing]
I'm just Raquel's teammate.
-Babe. -Ooh.
Oh! Here. I'll leave you to it.
-Okay. -Thank you, babe.
Tell me about your roots, your family.
My dad was an ass, so me and my mom had it rough.
Bounced from city to city till I found my voice, and...
It's a lot of inspiration in pain.
That's why I love your sound.
It's raw and it's real.
I'm so glad you said that, 'cause I have this--
this song that I've been writing, and I would love
-to play it for you. -It's not an audition.
It's not?
I'm sold.
-Hmm? -Yeah.
I'd love to guide your career.
-You're kidding. -No.
Okay.
Say I'm interested. What happens next?
Well, after meeting other managers--
and you should-- if you think that we're a good fit...
That's my standard contract.
Have your attorney take a look at it.
Once you sign, we start recording, and...
Small incentive.
$50,000?
Mm-hmm, and get used to it.
Even without me, your beautiful voice
will be heard, and it is beautiful.
-Babe. -What'd he say?
-He's gonna sign me! -What'd he say, what'd he say?
-He wants to sign me! -Ah!
I told you! Oh, I knew it!
I knew it, I knew it.
I will walk back the protest
and get the team to play Monday nights.
And Tasha gets to keep her agency.
And we all get our flowers today.
This must be hard for you, Malik.
You're a good son.
Beau... [chuckles]
Would never do anything like that for me.
Colonel, do we have a deal or not?
Your team voted to walk out.
And I will get them to walk back in.
I believe that.
You've become quite a leader.
But the union votes today.
What if they decide to join this charade and strike?
Trust me, that is not gonna happen.
I won't give lifetime health care to retired players.
I'll accept your original offer...
...if we close right now.
Son, if you didn't make bonehead decisions...
...you would have made a fine owner.
[door opens and closes]
-Hey, buddy. -What?
-Come with me. -Come with you where?
Look, I don't have time for this.
Come on.
Why are you dragging me out here?
If that pool ain't filled with vodka, I'm not interested.
Bottom's up.
Rick.
[sighs] Hey.
I had no idea Brittany called you.
Well, I can imagine how hard it is for you
to see this fine glass of wine
knowing that you'll never take a sip again.
Tasha, I'm good.
In fact, since we last spoke,
I bought three more Mercedes dealerships,
was named ambassador-at-large for the Bahamas,
and also voted Nassau's most eligible bachelor.
All right, Slick Rick! I see you.
Who knows, maybe I'll find Miss Right,
and make her Mrs. Rick Fox.
Oh, that's sweet.
Did you see me in Mogul Magazine?
Yeah, real moguls don't read Mogul.
Why not? Real people read People.
[both laughing]
It's always good to see you, Tasha,
even under these circumstances.
I don't need a white horse, Rick.
Good, 'cause I'm only half white.
Look, I'm just a friend looking to help.
Let me be clear.
If this goes down, Tasha Mack Agency
remains the Tasha Mack Agency.
You initiate your reversion clause
and that'll buy me time to pay back the loan.
I keep control of TMA,
you can get back to the Bahamas
and your bachelorettes.
What do I get for my trouble?
I knew that was coming.
How much you want?
Just one.
All right, get the papers together.
I'll be back to sign 'em.
Brittany!
It's hilarious, right?
[both laughing]
No, but I really wanna thank you
for keeping tabs on my mom while I was away.
Oh, it's nothing. You know I love Miss Lula.
Um, by my count, I wrote you 47 letters.
-[chuckles] -But not a single response.
I mean, you didn't really expect me to write back, did you?
I mean, I was hoping one, at least once.
[chuckles] No, I understood.
Um, I figured you hated me, till I saw Hard Blocks.
Not my best performance.
And I heard that producer ask the same question
that I've been asking myself.
Allison, please, don't.
Why not?
Don't we deserve to know if what we had was real?
No, the only thing that was real is what happened to us.
What happened to me.
All right, we can't just-- we can't just erase that.
-We can't turn back time. -No, we don't need to.
All we need to do is just be honest with ourselves.
You look me in the eyes right now
and tell me that you don't love me,
and that all the promises we made about...
...the family we wanted and the future we'd have,
all those dreams are not worth fighting for.
Allison, you were my first everything.
That'll never change.
My heart is somewhere else.
With Brittany?
[sniffling]
She make you happy?
[sighs]
Yes. Very much.
Guess I have my answer, then.
[sniffling] Um, for the record...
I'll answer the question that you won't.
I still love you, Jamison.
I always will.
[chain jingling]
[phone chiming]
♪ Once you go Mack, you never go back♪
Rick is in.
He's in? Oh my...
Uh-uh.
Thank you.
Wait, what, did you just thank me?
Mm-hmm. You know why
I made you take that pledge?
Yeah, to make a fool out of me.
And I didn't think you would do it,
but then you did, but then you lied.
To be fair, I said that you could trust me.
I never said I wouldn't be who I am.
But ain't no trust without the whole truth,
even if you did do it for the right reasons, okay?
Now, me and you, we gonna get there, or we won't.
Either way, just keep tearing it up.
Thanks, Aunt Tasha. I will.
No, I mean the paper you shredding.
-Keep tearing it up. -Oh.
ICO-- I got secrets don't nobody need to know.
All right. Paxton!
-[clapping] -How we looking, baby?
Hey, but fellas, fellas, fellas.
All right, listen up, guys.
We made our mark.
The owners know we mean business.
And this would mean lifetime health care
after three years of service for us and for future players.
But not for retired players?
I don't know, it sounds a lot like the old offer to me.
It's exactly like the old offer.
I don't understand. What's changed?
The union changed. They're against us.
Tell me, Malik, did you go to the Colonel,
or did he come to you?
[players murmuring]
What does it-- what does it matter?
-I mean, who cares? -I care.
All right, well, he came to me, dawg.
'Cause he knew you'd fold like a wet handkerchief.
[laughter]
All right, look, guys, I got caught up
the other night, and that's on me.
But this way, we can get back on the field Monday,
and we can get paid.
And I promise y'all, I will keep fighting
for the retired players, you have my word.
What do you say?
[murmuring]
I say, since Jamison ditched the team meeting,
Sydney gets his vote.
MAN: And she's voting yes!
[players laughing and cheering]
ALL [chanting]: Sydney! Sydney! Sydney!
[knocking]
Crap. Fuck.
Hank's?
Did you bring the extra pickles?
-Brought the extra pickles. -Extra pickles!
-[laughing] -Hey, babe.
Hey.
You look tired.
Uh, the line at Hank's was crazy.
That line at Hank's was crazy?
[laughing]
I-- I've been up for 43 hours straight.
Insomnia, thoughts racing.
Yeah, my mind's in overdrive, too.
-Brittany, I... -Jamison...
-Oh, um... -No, you...
-You go ahead. -No.
-You go. -Okay.
Um...
I saw Allison at Club End Zone,
and we spoke, and it was weird, and it freaked me out.
Uh, you saw Allison?
Yeah, and I know I should have told you,
but then I figured, you know, if I didn't tell you,
and then you told me that you cared about me
more than you cared about her, but then if you didn't tell me,
then... I just, I was scared.
Well, um, I did see her a couple hours ago.
And she found me at this spot
that I used to go to clear my head.
And for years, I thought about what it would be like
to see her again, and then I was afraid
that it would mess me up.
-You know? -Yeah.
But, once it happened, all I could think about was you.
-[mouthing] -[whispering]: Yeah, you.
I do seem to have that effect on people.
Mm.
-Right. -Especially strippers.
Oh, true. True.
How are we on the time?
15 minutes, and once Rick signs the deal,
I will deliver a copy to the Colonel.
Oh, hell no! Mm-mm.
I am delivering and serving this tangy dish myself.
Foxy!
-Hey. -Hey, I see you, Bahamas-Obamas.
Hey. We need to talk.
Rick, tell me the Colonel didn't get to you.
He offered me five percent of the Fury.
Malik's five percent. You sold us out?
It was ownership, Tasha. Black ownership.
What would you do?
Half white, all devil.
Tasha, don't be like that.
I'd watch my back if I were you, Rick Fox.
'Cause karma is a boss bitch.
-[laughing] -Oh, and I do this thing
where I try to avoid tough conversations.
Oh, well, I shut down when things get tough.
BOTH: I'm working on it.
[chuckles] Guess we have a lot to learn
about each other, huh?
Not gonna lie, though, the more I learn about you,
the more I want to know.
I think... I might be falling for you, Miss Pitts.
Um...
Do you wanna eat, or...
Mm, yeah, but not a chicken.
♪
Well, you did it, Malik.
I say we call Tasha and give her the good news.
Oh-ho-ho, no.
No, she is never to know about this, okay?
-All right. -MAN: Ladies and gentlemen,
please be seated.
There will be time for questions afterwards.
[sighs] After a league-wide vote,
the 1,400 members of the player's union
have decided to follow the lead of the Las Vegas Fighting Fury.
We will not be playing tomorrow.
The league is officially on strike.
-Questions? -REPORTER: Did Malik Wright
-instigate this? -Yes.
Malik Wright did start the ball rolling,
but we are all in congruence now,
everyone in the union that voted for this strike.
-You, sir. -REPORTER 2: Are you upset
-with Malik Wright? -No.
There's no reason to be upset with Malik Wright.
[clock ticking]
[sighs]
-[phone chimes] -COLONEL: To all clients,
agents, and employees, effective immediately,
Tasha Mack will be stepping down from the Tasha Mack Agency.
Thatcher Holdings has acquired TMA.
We'd like to thank Ms. Mack for her many years of service
and passionate dedication,
and welcome her replacement, Candice Ross.
I want to personally thank you and assure you all...
-[phone chiming] -...that operations
will continue as before.
Yours truly, Colonel Ulysses S. Thatcher.
[screaming]