[country music playing]
[country music ends]
Normal America.
Feels good to get back to my roots.
[exhales]
You know what? Every time I'm feeling… lost,
all it takes is just a little dose of small-town America,
and I remember where I've come from.
Okay, great. So then you've had your dose.
Maybe we can turn our phones back on and get back to work.
Mm-mm. Phones are gone.
I tossed 'em while you were napping.
Where'd you… You tossed… Why'd you toss our phones? What?
So they don't track us.
Who would track us?
-[whispering] My enemies. -Oh okay.
Or maybe my coworkers, who I'm starting to think may be one and the same.
We both had bad days.
I was lied to. You were lied to.
Let's move on. We need to get back to work.
It's easier for you.
You just disappear in a lab.
I have to be
the great Ellis Dragon.
And it's exhausting.
So, are you boys in town for the realtor convention?
[whimsical music playing]
No. Right?
Yes.
Two realtors for the real estate convention.
Um…
-Thank you. -[woman] You're welcome.
Hey. What are we doing?
Checking in!
And checking out.
Are you okay?
No, Jackson, I'm not. I'm tired.
I've worked too hard and too long to be treated like I'm some kind of clown.
But everybody caters to your every whim.
Yes, and it's made me soft.
You have no idea what it's like to be me.
I mean… Ellis Dragon isn't a person.
It's a global brand.
A globally recognized brand recognized around the globe.
I know what global means.
Okay, what you don't know is the burden of carrying the name.
You do realize that Dragon is my last name too?
No, but it's different for you. For you, it's like an all-access pass.
It's difficult for you to understand any perspective besides your own,
but can you just try for one second?
Sure.
I'll never have my own identity.
In 30 years from now, I could win the Nobel Prize,
and somebody would say, "That guy got help from his dad."
Well, sounds like both of us could use a break from the Dragon name.
[theme music playing]
-[Ellis] Ellis Dragon. Speak. -[phone beeps]
Any sign of him?
He gone.
Can you check with Jackson?
He gone too. [exhales]
Seems like we both got dumped by our mans. Spa day?
Ellis is not my mans.
If you say so.
If you see either one of them, let me know immediately.
Hey.
Great work on the cathode electron mediator.
Thanks, boss.
You know you don't have to actually call me boss, right?
I'd actually prefer it if you didn't.
[laughs] Well, that's what you are.
And as scientists, we're nothing if not accurate.
Right, boss?
Right. So, uh, we're gonna move on to the membrane component,
even though we don't technically have the sign-off from Ellis.
Who needs Ellis?
As long as my boss is signed off, I'm a happy little worker bee.
Okay.
-Luna, do you want to talk about anything? -No. I've got my orders loud and clear…
boss.
[uptempo whimsical music playing]
[woman laughing] He's funny.
[Jackson clears throat] Excuse me.
I spotted you from across the room,
and I couldn't help but notice how familiar you look.
Do I know you?
I don't believe we've met before. Ron Tabasco.
Tabasco Realty Partners. You might remember me from my bus benches though.
A-ha. Yeah. Yeah. Ron Tabasco, huh? That's a name you don't forget.
I think you may have beaten me out on that monster listing
at the Oak Valley complex last year.
Guilty as charged.
[women chuckle]
Well, uh, Jason… Jason Dargon?
Yeah, it's not as spicy as Tabasco,
but it's like they always say, you don't get to choose your last name.
You just have it already 'cause it was your last name when you were born.
-They do say that. -Yeah.
So, Jason, I need to introduce you to my escrow-nies.
[all laugh]
This is Patricia, but you can call her "Patty Melt."
-She literally just ordered one. -I had a craving.
-And this vision in tweed is Sharon. -Oh, Ron, stop it.
It's my favorite texture.
Now who told you crack whores to start the party without me?
There's no party without you.
Adele Bordeaux, Golden Goddess Realty.
Golden Goddess indeed.
I like him.
Ron Tabasco.
That's quite a name.
You know who you look like?
That, um, that famous billionaire. You know, the crazy one.
Oh, he wishes.
[laughs] You're much better looking.
-Thank you. -[Adele] Yes. [laughs]
-Now, what region do you work? -What region ya got?
-This guy knows his stuff. -Hartford. Hartford, Connecticut.
-What? -Hartford. Connecticut. It's…
That's the region I work.
-Oh. -Yeah.
So… last night was fun.
-Yes. So fun. What are we talking about? -Mm. [chuckles]
Uh, we… we had drinks last night.
-Oh, yes. -Yeah.
Yes. Sorry, bit frazzled.
Um, Ellis has disappeared,
and we've got a presentation to give to the board at the end of the day.
He'll be back for that, right?
Who knows? My whole job has become amnesia, lie detector tests, body shots.
Oh, but I fabricate three tiny little death threats,
and suddenly I'm the one who has to track him down and beg forgiveness.
Three does feel high.
Mm, I suppose you're right.
[spluttering] But I'm just feeling very burnt out
from this merry-go-round that he and I seem to be on.
[Peter] Mm-hmm.
How can I help?
[knocking on door]
Ellis?
Uh, I don't think anyone's here.
[Leslie exhales]
-Trying to give me another heart attack? -Whatever happens, happens.
[smacks lips] Where's Ellis?
It's hard to say.
Do you know if he's planning on coming to the board meeting later?
Well, I don't remember hearing anything about any meeting,
but… you can ask him yourself.
I mean, he'll be back any minute. He just ran out to get some Nutella.
Nutella?
It's a chocolate hazelnut spread.
[whispers] Yeah, I… I know what Nutella is.
I just had a great idea. Why don't you two get comfortable?
We could just wait for Ellis and talk about where things are headed.
-Where what is headed? -Well, that's what we're gonna hash out.
What can I get for you?
I mean, I'd offer you Nutella, but we're fresh out.
That's what Ellis went to go get.
So I called the client, and I said,
"Hey, uh, when I told you you needed to move all your furniture,
I guess I forgot to mention
that you shouldn't just pile it all up in the yard."
-No, they did not! -Yes!
-That's such a good story, Adele. -[Adele laughs]
Wow. Now that the bar has been set so impossibly high, I guess it's my turn.
So I… I work with a lot of high-net-worth clients,
and one multi-billionaire, uh, wants me to stage his home,
and it is a jungle-themed house.
Here's the catch.
I am not allowed to touch the humidity-controlled frog room
or indoor moat.
-You are kidding me. -No.
Hand to God, I can still hear the ribbits in my head.
-[women laughing] -You're so good. That's good.
What about you, Jason? Any tricky clients?
That I would have? Yeah, no, and I… So many. More than I can count.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell… tell us a story.
So I was showing a home with a pool,
and, uh, I have a young couple as my client, dream clients,
and we get to said home,
and what is it overtaken by
but a colony of frogs?
Of frogs.
[Sharon] Oh.
[chuckling] Ribbit, ribbit. You know?
Well, that sounds like Ron's story.
-Doesn't it though? -[Sharon] Mmm. [chuckles]
That's what happens sometimes.
Someone says a story, and it reminds you of a similar story.
Sure.
So…
[uptempo whimsical music playing]
Let's put our cards on the table. Now, Anna, I know why you're really here.
You're tired.
You're so very tired.
I'm tired of this.
Exactly. We all are.
Ellis is exhausting. And no one knows that better than you.
I never said that.
Yeah, you kind of did to me.
You said it was like a merry-go-round that was wearing you out.
Oh.
Interesting.
And, Peter, if you were calling the shots,
you'd treat Anna differently, wouldn't you?
-Yeah, I mean, of course. -[Anna exhales]
With kindness, some consideration. Maybe a little… tenderness.
-Sure. -[Leslie] Mm-hmm.
And, Anna,
would you like that?
I mean, who wouldn't? But…
How long does it take to get some bloody Nutella?
[Anna exhales]
See, I've done everything I can for Ellis.
And, Anna, I know you have too, but
Dragon needs to move on to a leader we can all depend on.
You know? Like a real… A real Peter type.
Peter type? [laughs]
-Do you know anyone like that, Peter? -Peter, can I borrow you for a second?
Yep. Done.
What's up?
[whispers] Can you have a little look in there for me, please?
Nope.
[uptempo instrumental music playing]
-What's up, man? -Hm.
You know what?
This has been pretty fun. It's been nice to not be ourselves for a little bit.
You know, I think this might be the first time
that people have seen us as true equals.
[slurping]
I'm not sure about that.
What do you mean?
Well, Adele took me aside
and told me she was considering Tabasco for the Windy Terrace team.
-What's that? -Only the most competitive set of listings
a realtor can hope to get in this market.
So what?
So, even with a clean slate, I was able to make Tabasco a winner.
Jason Dargon couldn't even finish a story without stealing one of my punchlines.
I didn't realize this was a competition, you weirdo.
It's always a competition.
You would know that if you weren't born on third base.
[scoffs]
Where you going?
[Jackson sighs]
-I'm gonna go steal home, bitch. -Yeah!
-[Luna] I think it's cool now. -[Malcolm] It's not yet.
-[Ruby] Mind if I sit with you guys? -Of course not.
-Yeah. -[Ruby] Hi.
As long as the boss man doesn't mind slumming it with the gen pop.
[Ruby exhales]
Actually, I think I'm gonna eat outside.
Oh no.
What was that?
What was what?
I get that you wanted to be team lead,
but it doesn't really seem fair to be taking it out on Rubes.
Yeah. No, you're right.
It's not her fault.
If anything, it's my fault… [chuckles]
…for not being family friends with the guy handing out the promotions.
Or the boss's son's childhood friend.
Or… [chuckles]
…the boss's son's latest girl toy.
Whoa. Holy shit.
Not cool.
[exhales]
You're right. It wasn't fair for me to lump you in like that,
especially 'cause we know a Jackson romance is a road to nowhere.
Give me one.
-Luna. -[Luna] What?
-Stop. -[Luna laughs]
You guys, I'm just trying to help.
You're not Jackson's first office fling.
Okay? And you probably won't be his last.
I've lost my appetite.
Oh, come on. I'm joking.
And I'm still hungry.
But disappointed.
[instrumental music playing]
Hey. Dargon, ladies. What you guys talking about?
Oh, well, Jason has just thrown his hat in the ring
to be part of my Windy Terrace team.
[chuckles]
I love it. I love that competitive spirit.
He was also telling us about his nightmare boss.
Guy seems like a real butt nugget.
Who also happens to be his dad.
Yeah. Well, you know how complicated family stuff can be.
Yeah. No, I also think sometimes it's nice to have family give you a leg up.
No doubt. No doubt. But it's also nice to have separation.
Oh, I hear that. Did you ever think about going out on your own?
Tried to. And then my dad got so jealous
he bought the other company, so I had to keep working with him.
-That sounds like a happy ending. -[Adele] Wait.
Your dad got you to keep working with him by buying the other company?
-[scoffs] That is extremely controlling. -Toxic.
Well, we're only hearing Jason's side of it.
Well, has it just been torture working with your dad since?
It's been no pleasure cruise, Adele.
In fact, I started to develop feelings for a coworker,
and he forbid me from dating her.
-This man is unhinged. -You have to cut him out of your life.
I might have to give you a spot on Windy Terrace
just to get you away from this maniac.
-Ooh, whoo! -[Sharon] No kidding.
I mean, how is your dating life any of his business?
Well, I think it's literally his business.
I mean, he's dating a coworker.
Was this something you were making a pattern of doing?
No, it wasn't. It was the first time. And the only time.
-Huh. You sure about that? -Of course he's sure, Ron.
Yeah, I'm, uh, pretty goddamn sure, Ron.
Why are you asking me weird questions? We just met.
-Just a gut feeling. -Bad instincts there, bud.
Okay, Jason, I have to hear more. Can I buy you another drink?
No. No.
I'm gonna buy you ladies a drink.
[women cheer]
Okay, then.
-With your dad's money, probably. -The fuck?
Whose side are you on, Tabasco?
No, obviously, I'm on all of your guys' side.
Clearly his dad is just a complete dick.
I didn't say that. [chuckles]
[spluttering] No, no. Tell me, what did this sick ape do again?
Give you a job? Give you a leg up?
Let's stomp on his brains.
Okay. I don't know about any of that, but, yeah, you do need to stand up to him.
-Yeah. -Or just kick his ass.
-Ah! -[Ellis laughs]
-He couldn't. -[Jackson] Mmm, I don't know about that.
He's pushing 60, mostly glamour muscles. And he's got a soft belly.
-[Adele laughs] -He would maul you.
I don't know about that. Jason looks pretty scrappy.
[chuckles] That's right.
[women laugh]
Plus, I've got a lot of pent-up rage
that I feel like if I unleashed, it'd be game over.
He would use that rage against you.
I'd like to see him try.
Should you and I fight? I mean, you know, obviously I'm not your dad or anything,
but similar height and build, maybe. C'mon.
[Jackson laughs]
Tabasco, he's a jokester. He's kidding.
-Yeah. I'm just… -Sit the fuck down.
I'm just horsing around. But super down to beef.
If that's what's popping.
Okay, Ron, at Windy Terrace, we abhor violence of any kind.
Okay?
[scoffs]
Let's go.
[whimsical music playing]
[chuckles] The… What the hell?
[spluttering]
[Jackson chuckles] If one of us is making the Windy Terrace team,
it ain't gonna be your sorry ass.
Yeah, I may have mishandled that.
You really did, and it was very fun to watch,
but thank you for helping me overcome my fears.
You do know that I didn't wanna fight you? It was just Ron Tabasco?
-Yeah. -'Cause I don't need to win every time.
Uh, since when?
Since now.
I just like the energy of it, you know? Getting my blood up.
-It's got me feeling like myself again. -Okay, so then can we finally go home?
Let me just go upstairs for, like, 30 minutes and pack my stuff.
I think it's probably best
if we just forget that whole Leslie interaction ever happened.
Wipe it from memory.
Uh, yeah, I don't… I don't think I can do that.
And honestly, I don't think you should either.
-Well, the man's a raving lunatic. -Okay, but he's not the only one.
-You mean Ellis? Oh. -Mm…
[hesitating] Sure, he's, uh, he's a bit of an odd duck,
and maybe he's been a little odder of late,
but, uh, we're working through it.
All hands on deck.
I think it's sweet how much you care about Ellis.
I really do.
However, this dynamic between you two,
you know, where you clean up mess after mess for him,
I just don't think it's good for either one of you.
Oh, there you are.
There are a bunch of randos in the conference room with the twins.
They're not randos. That's the rest of the board.
Well, whoever they are, they're super pissed.
Still no sign of Ellis?
Nope.
Tell them we'll be right there.
[tense music playing]
[tense music ends]
Hey, ladies, have any of you guys seen my da--
Ron Tabasco?
I saw him go up to Adele's room. Maybe to "talk about the Windy Terrace team."
Tabasco wants it real bad.
And I think Adele just might give it to him.
Okay, gross. No.
Oh, grow up, Dargon. We're all adults.
Yeah, don't be such a prude.
What the…
Oh! Ew! Ah!
Are you seriously that desperate that you want to sleep your way into this bullshit?
[scoffs]
Ron tried, and he couldn't perform. How about that for a turn of events?
No, he had, uh, Adele in the bed
and Norma in his head.
Who is Norma?
Ron's dead wife.
-Ron's a widower. -Oh, Ron's a widower.
And he's having a very hard time moving on, apparently.
[Jackson exhales]
[whispers] You're so crazy.
Okay, let's have a drink and then get back on the horse. Jason?
What are you doing here?
Uh, I'm here to talk about the Windy Terrace team.
Oh, well…
Okay. Well, I might have more than one opening available,
if you catch my drift.
-[hesitating] That's never gonna happen. -No. No.
Why, because of Norma?
Norma, Norma, Norma. [scoffs]
[Ellis] It's not just Norma.
It's… it's also Casper. My son.
Casper Tabasco?
Yeah.
Look, I… I haven't been as good a father as I should be to Casper Tabasco
because sometimes I need to be somebody else to navigate the world, but…
[exhales]
…not Casper.
He is always
Casper.
And I have to say, I'm…
I'm jealous of that.
Really?
Really. And it's not just him that I've been mistreating.
Thank you.
Norma would not be happy.
Or Norma would want us to live our lives.
Did you really mean all that?
Do you think that Ron is ready to get back to work?
No.
But Ellis Dragon is.
Okay.
[Adele] Oh, that's sweet.
But if neither one of you is gonna fuck me,
I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
[uptempo instrumental music playing]
[music ends]
Anna, I have something I need to tell you.
I have been through so much this year,
and you are the only one who's been there for me the whole time.
Ellis--
[spluttering] No, and I know sometimes it feels like… I don't notice,
and that's because I don't, and I know that's not good.
But I promise…
to try to notice more.
Oh, Ellis.
[Peter] That went amazing.
[Anna] Oh.
-[Ellis] Hey. -Hey, man.
What went amazing?
Peter just did the BioTexpo preview for the whole board.
That was today, remember?
Oh, yeah.
And the presentation smashed nuts, man.
Yeah. Peter's a beast.
Thanks. You guys smash nuts too.
Come on, let's go grab some popsicles.
What's happening?
The board is considering Peter as your replacement.
For BioTexpo?
As CEO.
All right. We're gonna fight this.
It was my recommendation.
[instrumental music playing]
[music ends]