‐ Previously on "The Betty Broderick Story"...
‐ Medical malpractice litigation is a chance
to do good and to make money.
Harvard must see that because they accepted me.
What's better‐‐rich or richer? ‐ Richer is.
‐ This is a lot of space
to house this elite army of legal minds.
‐ Have you met Dan Broderick?
He is a doctor who went to Harvard law.
‐ What's your secret?
‐ Being so happy we finally found a home,
someplace so beautiful among such nice people.
‐ What time is Dan getting home?
‐ He's probably with Martin.
‐ It is the Radcliffe & Nunn sickness.
It makes you greedy and selfish,
and the only cure is leave.
‐ Ivy League‐educated MDJD,
you don't need them for anything.
‐ Should I open my own practice?
Oh, man.
‐ Martin says he was only with her a few times.
I don't know him.
And if I don't know him, I don't know what I know.
‐ Yvonne.
‐ You're so lucky, Betty.
‐ In Frazier v. Cupp,
the Supreme Court stated the use of extrapolation
and dissembling is not coercion.
Also, the court ruled that police trickery on its own
does not deem a confession involuntary.
‐ You're saying the police
lying to defendants has justification?
‐ I'm not saying it, sir. The Supreme Court has ruled it.
‐ Noted.
Does that strike you as an ethical decision?
‐ In a utopia where the truth was told
always be everyone, eh...
but we don't live in a utopia...
where by definition everyone's goals are the same,
so I do agree with the Supreme Court.
In the right circumstances, lying serves a greater good.
‐ Big decision, chief.
Probably the biggest one you'll ever make.
‐ Yes, sir. You need to be sure.
Not that you're not, but if you're not,
you really need to be. ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ I've been thinking about it for a while now.
We really hardly have anything in common.
‐ Except the kids. ‐ Look, I don't care why.
I'm just making sure that you know why,
making sure that there is a why and you're not
just pulling a rip cord 'cause it's there.
‐ That's right.
You cannot liquidate a legal partnership on a whim.
Am I right, Danny boy?
‐ You can, but, uh, you shouldn't.
‐ I never know what to get.
Ugh. I wish they hadn't put us here.
‐ You said you didn't want a booth.
‐ Yeah, but I didn't want to be all the way over here.
Have you heard from Yvonne?
‐ Not since Sunday, but she said she was coming.
‐ At least she's calling you back.
I'm not saying that I don't understand
why she's gone to ground.
She's humiliated.
She thinks everyone's talking about her.
Well, all right, but we are talking about it
because we want to help.
‐ Maybe it doesn't feel that way to her.
Anyway, she said she's coming.
It's just Evelyn. ‐ Hey.
She's not here yet? ‐ Not yet.
‐ Close all your joint bank accounts,
secure all liquid assets in your own name.
Stocks, cash, coins, antiques, jewelry.
‐ Change your beneficiaries, defer your bonus.
‐ Mm‐hmm. Take or make copies
of all your tax returns, bank statements,
loan applications, deeds, all of it.
‐ I can't remember.
Does Yvonne work? ‐ No.
‐ Why did I think she‐‐ Did she ever?
‐
She was a travel agent before the kids,
but she got her degree in library science.
‐ Well, if that's something still...
encourage her.
Encourage whatever her dreams are,
whatever makes her independent.
‐ Mm. Mm‐hmm.
Although obviously don't tell her why.
‐ That's what Martin said‐‐ that he wants to work it out,
that they should go see someone.
‐ Oh, thank God.
‐ Why don't you give them the name of your counselor?
Didn't you and Frank love her?
‐ Yeah, but I don't know that Martin would
or he would even listen to her.
‐ I always worried something like this
was going on with them.
‐ She said that he didn't used to be like this,
that he changed, especially in the last few years.
‐ Uh, you know, I'm still happy for her.
That he's come clean‐‐ like, that's a good sign.
‐ Yes. ‐ Really good.
‐ It sounds counterintuitive that a man would cheat
and still want to stay married, but so many of them do.
‐ Accelerate any major credit purchases.
As one half of a secure married couple,
you're a better credit risk than a recent divorcé.
‐ Ah. ‐ Mm‐hmm.
Make orthodontist appointments
for all the kids and pay in advance.
Get 'em into therapy and pay in advance.
‐ Did we mention your kids are gonna hate you?
‐ They hate me now.
‐ I mean, look at Frank.
When I showed Frank the credit card receipts that I had found,
he was so relieved the jig was up, he cried.
‐ And you came back from it.
You both wanted to rebuild your marriage, and you did.
And so can they.
‐ Hi, ladies. ‐ Hey.
‐ Yvonne. Hi.
‐ You've been married how long? ‐ 21 years in April.
‐ Mm, okay, after 20, you need to change
your beneficiary with Social Security,
otherwise they will automatically give Yvonne
your benefits after you die, even if you remarry.
‐ Look at you, covering all the angles.
‐ Hey, Dan, do you got any‐‐ anything to add to this
as a gentleman of the bar? ‐ Yeah, sure.
But don't operate on people when you're toasted, right?
That's his advice. ‐
‐ Uh, when you do finally leave,
make sure Yvonne knows that is what you're doing.
Establish the legal date of separation...
definitively.
That's the date a court will use to determine support,
property interests, and so on.
If you don't establish that date,
there's no way the two of you will agree on that later.
‐ Wow. It must be exhausting to be so right all the time, Doc.
‐ You get used to it.
Hey, Bets.
‐ You're home. ‐ Yes, I am.
‐ How was your day?
We had lunch with Yvonne.
She and Martin are going to counseling.
She seemed hopeful.
If they love each other and work hard,
they can get through this, don't you think?
I just keep remembering that movie, um‐‐
It's so romantic, in Italy,
the ambulance driver and the nurse?
‐ "Farewell to Arms." ‐ Yes.
"The world breaks everyone, and afterwards,
they're stronger in the broken places."
‐
I'm a little hungry. ‐ Oh, I'll heat something up.
‐ Let me know when it's done.
‐ Drew has already volunteered for torts,
which‐‐who volunteers for torts?
‐ I'll take property. ‐ I'll take civil procedure.
That leaves Constitutional Law for Dr. Dan.
‐ Oh, that's all right. Thanks.
‐ Are you kidding?
Professor Miller said his study group's the only reason
he made it through 1L.
‐ Yeah, well, I didn't have a study group during med school,
so, uh, I'm used to working alone.
‐ Illegal search. ‐ That's Fourth Amendment,
United States v. Jeffers, uh, 1951.
‐ Mm‐hmm.
Marital privacy with regards to birth control.
Oh, there's the baby.
‐ Ninth Amendment, Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965.
‐ She keeps trying to translate the Latin phrases.
She never underlines the case names.
‐ You can always just save the money and type them yourself.
‐ What do you mean? You type up your own briefs?
How do you have time for that?
‐ I make time.
In Flast v. Cohen, the Chief Justice Warren
established the double nexus test
which the taxpayer must satisfy in order to have standing.
‐ Uh, "Flast" with a T or "Flask"?
‐ "T."
In an eight‐to‐one decision.
‐ Want to come up to the Vineyard for the weekend, Doc?
‐ I can't. Thanks.
‐ Are you sure?
‐ Weekends are family time for me,
but I appreciate the offer.
What are we gonna build?
We're gonna build a house.
Yeah. Oh, it's okay.
‐ No.
‐ I knew you went to an Ivy League school,
but the big firms have big resources.
So tell me why you should get my business
and not one of the big shops.
‐ Now, you go with me, it'll be me.
I will never pawn you off on an associate.
‐ Because you don't have any. ‐ Yet.
But when I do,
their job will be to help me focus
on winning cases like your daughter's.
Now, off the obstacles
that she and you
and her other loved ones have already faced...
Now comes the hurdle of proving that the care and skill
exercised by her physician was below
that customarily exercised by comparable professionals,
a standard of care in a community provider‐defined.
They decide the doctors do...
and they protect their own.
So how do you clear a hurdle like that?
How do you hold them accountable?
You hire an Ivy League lawyer who's also an MD.
There used to be one big firm in San Diego
who had a lawyer like that, but he's not with them anymore.
He's here with you.
Hey, how are you?
Good to see you.
‐ Hey, congratulations.
‐ Thank you.
‐ ‐ The wine list, monsieur?
‐ Thank you.
‐ Knew it was just a matter of time
till you hit the gong, Danny boy.
‐ Meet my wife, Betty.
Mitch Gilman. ‐ Pleasure.
‐ How do you do? ‐ How do you do?
‐ I don't know what "hitting the gong" is,
but I'm very proud.
‐ Lawyer slang‐‐ million‐dollar settlement.
You're gonna be hearing it a lot.
‐ I know I will, and I can hardly believe it.
Just a minute ago we were living on food stamps
in Boston, and now Dan's hitting gongs.
‐ Seems like a safe bet you won't need to worry
about food stamps anymore.
Speaking of which, your first time here?
Make sure you try the quenelles.
‐ Okay. ‐ Good to see you.
‐ Thank you.
‐
‐ I'm not celebrating your achievement
with poached fish dumplings no matter how good they are.
‐ Why would you bring that up?
‐ Why would‐‐ the food stamps?
I...
You should be proud.
People should know how hard you worked to get where you are.
‐ What if I don't want them to?
‐ Why wouldn't you want them to?
‐ Because then they think they know me,
and they don't, and they don't need to.
‐ Okay, I'm sorry.
‐
It's fine. I know you are.
Should we order some Chablis? Hmm?
‐ Let's.
‐ Okay, easy peasy.
‐
‐ Mr. Broderick?
‐ Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving.
Smile means good?
‐ You look like a Kennedy. How do they feel?
‐
Remember when you were a kid
and you'd get a new pair of sneakers?
All springy...
all the possibilities.
‐ I think this is the third time
we've been here this month.
‐ I was afraid they wouldn't have the mussel soup
and the roasted veal special
that they never don't seem to have these days.
‐ They haven't changed in a while, have they?
‐ Resting on their laurels, I guess.
Maybe we should find another spot
until this one gets exciting again.
‐ Maybe we should. ‐ Mm.
‐ Still, would you ever have thought we'd get bored
with a place this expensive?
‐ Don't. ‐ Don't what?
‐ I already know what you're gonna say again‐‐
‐ You never want to think about it.
‐ You never miss a chance to bring it up,
how our life used to be shit.
‐ It wasn't shit, Dan, but it was hard,
and I think talking about it
at least reminds us to be grateful.
‐ You don't have to tell me that it was hard.
I know it was hard, and I am grateful.
‐ Bordeaux, Mr. Broderick.
‐ Yeah.
Mm.
Hey. What are you doing here?
‐ I was just working late.
Figured I'd swing by on my way home,
see if you were, too, which of course you are.
‐ Can I get you something? A coffee?
‐ Yeah, Irish coffee, minus the coffee.
Well...
so, uh...
I'm just gonna say it.
I asked her to marry me.
‐ Amelia?
‐ I deserve that, but, yes.
‐
‐ I said congratulations
and that I'd hoped he found everything he was looking for.
And then I hung up...
Before I embarrassed myself.
‐ No one's going to that wedding, you know that, right?
It's completely insane.
Laughable. ‐
‐ At the end of the month.
‐ Oh.
‐ I was, uh, pushing for the county clerk,
but she, uh‐‐she wants the whole shindig.
Anytime now you can just‐‐
I don't know‐‐ jump in and say something.
‐ I think you deserve to be happy.
‐ I think you mean that.
‐ I do.
You've earned it.
‐ It's just so strange.
I thought there was something to hope for still,
some‐‐something lost to find again.
But there isn't.
It's really over now.
‐ "Amelia M. Scheffer and Martin Newsome
"invite you to share in the joy
of the beginning of their new life together."
Ridiculous.
‐ Ridiculous.
‐ When I think about what she's been through...
the shame, the guilt, the fear,
it's heartbreaking, and then on top of that, this?
‐ I know. It's so awful.
‐ Let's take her somewhere gorgeous on the day‐‐
Carlsbad or, uh, Mount Laguna.
Palm Springs‐‐ she loves it there.
What?
‐ Richard was Martin's intern out of law school.
I don't have a choice. ‐ You're joking.
Don't tell me you're going, too.
‐ All right, then I won't tell you.
You know‐‐you know that Frank and Martin are close.
They sail together.
‐ So let him go to his friend's wedding,
and you stay away out of loyalty to yours.
‐ I wish it were that easy.
‐ If it were easy, it wouldn't matter so much.
‐
At least Janet won't go.
‐ Maybe.
But when John was alive, he and Martin were close.
They were Lambda Chis.
Has Yvonne asked you if you're going?
She asked you not to?
Because if the situation were reversed,
you know what she would do.
‐ Sorry. Sorry.
Give me 10, maybe 15.
Why aren't you dressed? Didn't you speak to Evelyn?
I mean, you know they're going. Everybody's going.
‐ Is that what I should say to Yvonne‐‐
"Everybody's going, so I had to"?
‐ Why do you have to tell Yvonne anything.
She knows how this goes.
Besides, why do you care so much what Martin does, okay?
I mean, if he's such a shit... ‐
‐ Isn't Yvonne better off without him?
‐ You know what? I don't care.
But I'm not gonna stand there
and toast his happiness and‐‐and condone this.
‐ There are two sides to every story, okay?
If you were being honest with yourself,
you'd admit that you don't know both.
‐ Do you? Have you asked him?
‐ It's none of my business.
‐ It's none of your business what kind of person
your friend is?
How he treats people who trust him,
depend on him, that he made a vow to?
‐ I cannot think about it that way, all right?
I cannot control what other people do.
‐ No, you can't.
‐ We're not available to come to the phone right now.
Please leave a message after the beep.
Thank you.
‐ Hey, Yvonne. It's me again.
I just wanted to let you know I'm home,
and I can come over if you want some company.
‐ There he is.
Where's your better half, Doc? ‐ Oh, down with the flu.
Such a shame.
She really wanted to be here. Thank you.
‐ To Martin? ‐ To Martin.
Big day.
Cheers. ‐ Cheers.
‐ If not, just know I'm here thinking about you.
And you're not alone.
‐ Okay, up again. Tracy, take him outside.
‐ Okay, sure. Let's go.
‐ Happy Sunday, Betty. ‐ Happy Sunday, Father.
Ryan is ready for his first reconciliation, right, sweetie?
‐ Wow. Excellent.
Also, remind him mistakes and accidents are not sins.
‐ You hear that?
Okay, bud, good for you. Go find your sisters.
‐ All right. See you next week.
‐ Thank you, Father.
Go to your sisters.
‐
‐ All right, teamwork! We all have to work together.
‐ All right, on three! One, two‐‐
‐ I want to go to Marriage Encounter.
‐ What, the‐‐the church weekend thing
that my parents went to when we were kids?
Why?
‐ Just... ‐
‐ Something is happening.
‐ What does that even mean?
I don't have time for this.
I've got a thousand pages of transcripts to go through.
‐ Something is happening with us.
Back in the time that you never want to talk about,
it was hard, but at least you kissed me.
You touched my hair.
‐
‐ Now you don't even look at me.
I'm scared.
I don't feel like I'm worth anything.
I feel like we are speeding in the dark,
and I can't see what's up ahead,
and I'm‐‐I'm anticipating something terrible happening.
‐ Bets.
‐ We're losing touch with the world‐‐
‐ Bets.
‐ If you're worried they'll shame you
for sleeping in on Sundays, don't be.
You can miss Mass and still be a good Catholic.
‐
You have to believe to be one.
It's all just a show to me now...
run by these simpleminded, weak people
who built this network of fantasies
because they can't deal with life how it is.
‐ How long have you felt this way?
‐ I don't know.
I just don't respect it anymore.
It's...
It makes me want to roll my eyes.
‐
So we won't go.
‐ I didn't say that.
If you think it's important that we go...
we'll go.
I‐I was just trying to be honest.
I figured that's probably a good place to start
if we're gonna go to church.
I'm touching your hair, okay?
‐ A marriage is a lifetime.
That's why it's so wise to take this time
to honestly talk about your future
and your challenges.
Communication today will begin with the books
you have in your hands.
I'll pose questions,
and you'll write down your answers
for each other to hear.
What are my hopes and dreams in my life?
How do I feel about my answer?
When have I felt most loved?
How do I want you to see me?
What kind of failure disturbs me most?
How do I feel about death?
‐ "Who am I?"
"Betty Broderick is pretty.
"People like her. She's a good mother.
"She's a good teacher.
"She's funny. She's active.
"She's always busy doing something,
"but never really does anything perfectly.
"She loves kids, but feels trapped by them all the time.
"She feels incompetent at keeping house.
"She's an awful listener.
"She doesn't hear people the way she should,
especially her husband."
That‐‐that's all I have for that one.
‐ You can keep going.
‐ "The difference between wants and needs."
Okay.
This might sound like a want, but to me,
we need a sofa...
"So you and I can be physically close
"in the evenings and share the day's events and feelings,
"so we can go to bed in love.
"Not what we have now.
"By the time we go to bed, I'm full of resentment
"for the lack of closeness and communication,
"and how can I make love to that?
"I love you and want to share all that I am with you,
"but I also need to be loved by you.
"You know all the other reasons,
"but the number‐one thing I loved about you
in the beginning was how much you loved me and showed it."
"I love everything about you now as much as I did then,
except that you don't show your love for me anymore."
"But you are the most important person
I have in the whole universe, bar abso‐‐"
Sorry.
"Bar absolutely none,
"and I'd be lost without you.
"You will never be replaced.
We've shared too much."
‐ Thank you.
Dan?
‐
"Dearest Bets...
"If I were told that I had a short time left to live,
"I'd feel I had wasted my whole life.
"Everything I've done so far has been in preparation
"to be successful in this world,
"to get on with the important things in life,
but I feel lately that...
time is running out on me."
"I've always put my relationships last,
"always thought about...
"'I'll get to it next summer or next year
or after I make partner.'"
"I've told myself I've got to earn a decent living,
"get established,
acquire certain necessary possessions"...
"Before I can indulge in the luxury
"of being a...
attentive, thoughtful human being."
"Even now I believe
"when money ceases to be a problem...
"I'll be happy then,
"a more loving and...
lovable man."
"I am...
"sometimes afraid that this is self‐delusion.
"One worldly goal will unplan another
until it's too late."
"I want to be a responsible, sensitive husband and father."
We'll get through this together.
"A person...
"who will be missed when he dies,
"and I do firmly believe I can be...
"given time.
"I've made many sacrifices,
"but I've made you sacrifice as well,
"perhaps even more than me, and I want to reward you
"for all the...
"All of those sacrifices
and all of those deprivations."
They love it.
"I want you to feel happy and secure,
"to know that it was all worth it.
"I do believe that you deserve
"every bit as much love, consideration,
"and sensitivity as every other woman combined
"gets from their husband.
"So...
I will try my best."
"Love, Dan."
‐
‐ Hello? ‐ Bets.
‐ I got you a present. ‐ I don't want a present.
Did you see the credit card statement I left on the table?
‐ Yes.
‐ Well, did you look at the numbers I circled?
‐ Yes. ‐ What the hell, Bets?
‐ Oh, Brandy Louis was shoes for the kids.
‐ All of it?
‐ Loafers and tennies, plus the girls' needed Mary Janes.
Neiman's was the crystal pitcher and glasses...
‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ And my dress...
for the Fletcher's party. ‐ Right.
‐ Socks for the kids and pillow shams.
Wine for Karen and Frank's anniversary, remember?
‐ Uh‐huh.
‐ And, well, those were shoes for me,
and a St. John pantsuit, that was for me.
But this one for $987.14 isn't me.
‐ Bets... ‐ It isn't.
‐ Even if that's true,
you still have to exercise some restraint.
‐ Said the man who just went in
on a however‐many‐floor office building in Telluride‐‐
another one.
‐ That was an investment. ‐ And so is this...
in our pleasure and happiness that we deserve.
‐ How can I be happy when there's a $1,000 charge
on our credit card bill
and you can't even begin to tell me where it's from?
Oh, shit.
What's the name of that, um, place on Girard,
the, um, bespoke tailor?
‐ That made your new shirts? ‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ Wow. Mystery solved.
‐
‐ And I forgive you.
‐ I'll see you tonight. ‐ Bye.
‐ Hey, found you. ‐ Come on.
‐ Last one in's a rotten egg.
‐ We want to belong here. ‐
You like this place better than the other one?
‐ They both have private beaches,
but tennis fits us better than golf, don't you think?
‐ Mm.
‐ And Evelyn's got our recommendation ready to go.
‐ Well, there's nothing that says
we can't eventually be members of both.
‐ Oh.
Did you not even go for a swim?
‐ Ah, what a life. ‐ What a life, baby.
Chin up.
‐ Oh, Juliana, hold on one sec.
‐ This is it.
‐ Thank you. Thank you so much.
‐ Sure.
‐ It is gorgeous, and it is gorgeous on you.
‐ Well, De la Renta does amazing blues,
and you look so terrific in blue.
‐ Dan looks great, too.
‐ Oh, well, he's always loved clothes.
Just now all his suits are European...
because they can be.
He started calling himself the Count DuMoney.
As a joke, of course.
‐ Oh, my God. ‐ I love it.
‐ I love it, too, but if you tell anyone I told you,
I'll kill you.
‐ Your table's ready, Mrs. Broderick.
‐ Oh, dinnertime. Mwah.
‐ Bye, babe.
‐ Have fun.
‐ ...playing with fire. But at the same time...
‐ Yeah, I know, but she's just so beautiful.
Hey!
Uh, looks like my table's ready.
‐ Enjoy your dinner, Mrs. Broderick.
‐ Just so beautiful.
‐ The wine list, Mr. Broderick.
‐ So beautiful.
Beautiful.
Hmm.
‐ So who were you talking about to Mitch?
‐ What?
‐ Before we sat down.
You said someone was beautiful.
‐ Oh, yeah.
It's, um, some new girl in the office
that, uh, Mitch has a thing for.
‐ He doesn't work in your office.
‐ Well, he works in the building.
She's in the lobby at, uh, reception.
‐ What's her name?
‐ I don't know. Why?
‐
You don't say things like that.
You don't call anyone "beautiful."
‐
Well, I don't think that's true, but...
I was just humoring Mitch.
I don't know.
Something with an L. Laura maybe.
‐ Reception, please hold.
Reception. How can I help you?
Okay, send it down.
Reception, how can I help you?
Yes, this is Linda. I'll transfer you.
Okay.
‐
‐ Sand castle contest?
Boys versus girls?
Or every man for himself? ‐ No, thanks.
‐ You hungry?
I got, uh, roast beef.
I got BLT.
‐ I'm not hungry.
Whatever you did with those potatoes,
keep doing it.
‐ Cheese is what I did to those potatoes.
‐ ‐ And thank you.
‐ Hey, uh, I hired an assistant.
‐ Finally. ‐ Yeah.
‐ Now we can spend more time together.
Where'd you find them?
‐ The, uh, building receptionist pool.
‐ What's her name?
‐ Linda Kolkeena?
Uh, no, Kolkena.
‐ A receptionist is gonna assist a lawyer
who litigates multimillion‐dollar cases?
She have a degree?
‐ Well, she's a bright young woman whose supervisor
says she's a quick study with a good work ethic.
‐ Has she ever worked in a law office?
Can she type?
‐ She'll do research, interview clients.
She doesn't need to type.
‐ Is she just so beautiful? ‐
You're being childish.
‐ It's childish to think it's crazy
you're hiring a girl with no education and no experience?
‐ That is the right word‐‐ "crazy."
You're being crazy!
‐ Get rid of her. ‐
‐ I mean it.
Get rid of her by the end of the month,
or you can get out of this house.
‐ Oh...
‐ You're so lucky, Betty.
You are so lucky.
‐ My teacher says if you say it the first day of the month,
you have a lucky month.
‐ Why do you say it twice? Why is it rabbits?
‐ I don't know.
Mom, do you know why we say "rabbit rabbit"
on the first day of the month? ‐ Huh?
‐ Maybe it's because of jumping.
Rabbits jump.
‐ Maybe they're jumping for luck, jumping into luck.
‐ Jumping away from bad luck.
‐ If you're done, get ready!
Get your stuff.
‐ Law offices of Dan Broderick.
‐ Good morning. Is Linda Kolkena there?
‐ Uh, just a moment.
‐ Hello, this is Linda.
‐
‐ I said get rid of her.
Get rid of her by the first or get out.
But I called there today, and she answers the phone.
Why is she still there, Dan?
Did you not hear me?
Did you think I didn't mean it?
‐
No.
I knew you did.
But you made a mistake.
You thought it was your decision.
You think you decide who works for me,
for my practice,
where I make the money that you spend...
but you don't.
I pay for your life...
everything about it.
I pay for this house that you live it in.