[♪ "Wild Animals" by Liv.e playing]
[Paige Alexander] I think I'm gonna start making photo albums again
because it's just fun to have all these memories.
No, it's not. I'm not in any of these.
Look at this, remember when everybody was goth?
This is blackmail material for Aunt Esti.
- And you. - What?
Mm, look at my baby girl.
Were you out or in then?
Don't you remember I did your hair that day?
Look at those twists.
You think white folk can do that?
- No. - Okay.
So you would take the photo, but you wouldn't see it for months?
Yeah, and when you finally got them back,
they were terrible, and you would feel awful,
but then you would go and get a disposable camera
and start the whole process all over again.
Well, it sounds like there were less dick pics.
- [Paige] Yeah. - Yeah, they just had to be tasteful, man.
What?
Did-Did I say that?
- No, I didn't, I didn't say that. - [Finn snickering]
So, why you goin' all "Live, Laugh, Love"?
Uh, well, I heard from an old friend from college, Kiki,
and I don't know, it just got me in a reminiscing mood.
Hey, here's baby me and my dad.
What?! Let me see.
- Oh, look at this adorable baby. - [Edwin Alexander] Let me see it.
Finneas Alexander, you were a handsome baby.
- Stop it. - [Edwin] You were. Here, here.
[Finn Alexander] Where was this?
Uh, I think it was at our old place on Garfield?
Yeah, he used to give you baths.
- He did? - Yeah, when he was home.
- How often was that? - [inhales] Not often.
Dad, look, I found one of you.
- Ooh! That jacket was so fly. - [Paige] Look at that. Look.
- He hasn't changed. - Oh, man. Sookie-sookie now.
Uh, uh, uh.
- [Paige] What? - You know people don't have respect
- for turquoise the way they used to. - I think that's teal.
Finn, what color is that?
- Okay, okay. - Turquoise!
- Let's just say it's turquoise. - What color is it?
- Turquoise. - Gaslight Mom.
-"Gaslight Mom"? - Let's gaslight her some more.
- Kiki-from-college Kiki? - [Paige] Yeah, yeah.
Wants to see you? You guys were obsessed.
I know. Did you ever have an instant best friend like that?
- Yeah, you. - No, come on, that doesn't count.
- We're related. - Rude.
From the moment I met Kiki in line at Coffman Union,
we spent every minute together, we told each other everything.
We knew every word to every Prince song.
- [Esti Nelson] Mm. - I never told you this,
but one night, we almost kissed.
How did you never tell me this?
Well, because there's nothing to tell, you know?
I basically freaked out and ran off,
and then I sorta stopped talking to her.
- Wow, you invented ghosting? - Oh, I did.
She was probably so mad at me.
What if this is part of her 20-year revenge plan?
That stuff happens.
No, now she is a big-time editor,
and she thinks that I could sell a book about relationships.
You mean, like, Dating with Daddy Issues?
Oh, that's actually really good.
How about Fucking Without Fallacies?
- No. - Or should it be "Fellatio"?
- Please stop. - I got it, I got it.
- Trusting While Thrusting. - You need to stop talking.
[♪ gentle, upbeat music playing]
[sighs] Looks nice.
Man, if you see who puttin' their foot up on this table,
you need to tell me.
I thought you were against snitches.
I don't snitch, but you can.
[laughs]
Look, Edwin, I need to let you know one of your associates got popped, Sadiiq.
Well, now, Mal, I don't fool with those niggas anymore, man.
You know that.
Alright. Well, I'm glad 'cause he's got a situation.
- [sighs] For what? - Conspiracy to distribute.
I said, man, I don't fool with those dudes.
Mal, I... don't need to hear this.
Okay.
[♪ gentle music playing]
[sniffs, grunts]
[sighing]
Hi, sweet angel, ya good?
No. I would be if I knew how to solve the differential for cosine X.
The only math you'll ever need is how to tip 22%
and that's hard enough.
Mm, mm! You were so cute.
He's so Johnny.
Not really there.
Is it weird that I barely know him?
You know, I know nothing about the people who had sex,
got pregnant, then dropped me off at an orphanage.
Though I do wonder about their teeth. My teeth were jacked before braces.
That's really all you know about your real parents?
Yeah, my parents are like UFOs.
I know they exist, I just don't have proof.
Damn, that sucks.
Well, I joined a Facebook group of other Korean adoptees
who know what it's like when you're with your family
and you get mistaken for a foreign exchange student,
so... should we find a group for you?
Yeah, Sons of Dads Who Don't Care.
Hey, he cares.
He dedicated his one good album to you.
In the liner notes?
Do you even know what liner notes are?
No, I don't.
Oh, your generation was robbed.
What are the liner--
- [Esti] Yeah, google it. - What are they?
[Kiki] And then the algorithm served me your TED Talk
and I imagined how much trouble you probably had deciding
between that dress and a blue one.
Kiki, you still know me so well.
[gasps] Do you still have magazines with nail polish on the back?
Of course, I mean, I don't wanna get nail polish on my table.
[both laughing]
[sighs] God, I'm so proud of you.
- Oh. - You're a big deal!
No, I'm like a medium deal at best. [laughs]
[Kiki] I went deep on your Insta,
and not only are you still the most compelling person I've ever met,
you're really helping people.
Okay, so, to that end, I do have a possible book idea.
It's Dating with Daddy Issues.
Oh, my God, my favorite chapter's going to be,
"I've Never Had a One-Night Stand"?
Ew, of course not. I still haven't.
I mean, I don't wanna wake up in some stranger's bed.
- When was the last time... - [both] ...he washed the sheets?!
- Exactly! - [both laughing]
[deep breath] It's really good to see you.
Okay, I feel like I need to apologize.
- For what? - It was crazy the way I just ran
- outta that room when-- - When we almost kissed?
- Right. - Oh, my God, stop,
we were so young and wrinkle-free,
and high off of a Chumbawamba show.
I think maybe I was afraid to learn
something about myself that I didn't wanna know.
You were repressed and you couldn't deal with it.
Yeah.
I actually understood.
I still missed you. Maybe a lot.
How long are you in town?
Thursday. My husband has to get back to New York.
Now, I saw him on your Insta. He's so cute.
We're open.
Oh, oh, okay, oh! [giggles]
What are you doing later?
It's a Honeyed Alabama Chicken...
- Hm. [gasps] - ...yam puree, and collard green salad.
- Wow! - Bam!
Oh, oh, uh, the chicken's hot, just give it a minute.
When are you gonna actually start cooking for a living?
Oh, trust me, ma. [sighs] I'm tryin' right now just to put
- some things together, you know? - Good, because it's the second-best thing
you're good at.
And the first-best thing I'm good at is...
That would be illegal, everywhere but the state of Nevada.
I need a favor, Nadine.
- Uh-oh. - No, i-it's nothin' bad.
- Fox's nephew caught a case. - Don't ask me to do anything sketchy.
I'm just tryna find out what the DA has on him.
- I really would rather not. - [softly] Uh, oh, okay. Okay.
I mean, don't you think it might look a little strange
for a director in the mayor's office to be calling the DA about some drug case?
I'm not trying to jeopardize anything, Nadine.
I swear to God I'm not. It's just a phone call.
I'm trying to turn this thing around, Nadine.
You know I am.
[♪ "Love Won't Let Me Wait" by Major Harris playing]
♪ I see the morning sun creep through your windowpane ♪
♪ That love won't let me wait ♪
Okay, I'll do it.
But only because that is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.
Thank you, baby.
Well, the second-best thing.
[chuckles] Oh.
Hello, 1999.
Hey, Dad.
You seeing what I'm seeing? He's hiding somethin'.
No, no, he-he just looked at his phone.
You know when this man is being legally dubious.
And right now, he's being dubious as hell.
- I don't see that. - PTSD will do that.
So, we know how this goes.
- First, he's preoccupied... - [Edwin inhales]
then he'll be all upbeat.
Hey, baby girl, how was your day?
It was fine.
Then he'll be all sentimental.
You know I love you, right, Paige?
Whoop, there it is!
Okay, you're gonna let me handle this like an adult, okay?
- Dad. - Yeah, baby.
Um... are you sure that everything's okay?
Because right now you're doing what you do
- when you're doing something wrong. - Whoa, what?
No. No, no, no, no, no. No! I don't care, it's fine.
[clears throat] Nope!
Whoa, baby girl. I--
- [Paige] I had lunch with Kiki. - [Esti] Yeah?
It was just like college.
She asked to see me tonight and I ran.
Wow, I didn't know you were such a Flo-Jo.
- A what? - Yeah, a runner. R-- Flo-Jo's a runner.
Okay, so, I think that I might be afraid
to go there with her, like, go there go there,
because she's great, I feel very pulled toward her.
But what does that mean? Am I a lesbian? Am I bi?
But wouldn't I know that by now?
Does she make you tingle down there?
I mean, maybe, I don't know. I-I-I wanna be in her energy.
Do you look at her boobs when you're talking to her?
- I mean, they're there, I see them, right? - Mm-hm.
I see the boobs, but it's not about the boobs, right?
I-I, I feel like I need to learn something here.
Like, no, I don't wanna be in a relationship with her,
but I do want to... What? No, no, oh, no, no, no.
I need to figure out this part of myself.
What if all of your relationship problems
were just that you were having sex with the wrong sex?
Honestly, that would be a relief.
I wish I was a lesbian. I just like balls too much.
See, now, balls stress me out.
I should text her.
Yeah, ya should.
- I should? Really? - Mm-hm.
I should text her?
- Okay. If you're gonna... - Oh, my gosh.
...be with a woman,
- we gotta get you one of these. - What?
Oh, no, what is that? I don't-- What do I do with that?
It's not complicated, you just strap it on and thrust.
You've used one of those?
What? Why would you not tell me this?
Mm, I guess we're even.
[Edwin] Thanks a lot, man.
[Fox] There he is.
Hey, Fox.
- Think I'm wearin' a wire? - You think I'm wearing a wire?
Hell no.
Fuck no.
How's your nephew doing?
- I haven't heard. - I heard three cop cars pulled up.
Yeah, motherfuckers ruined my grass.
He wouldn't cooperate, now would he, Fox?
- Honestly? - Yeah, honestly.
Who knows, man?
Fuck you mean, "Who knows?"
You got my freedom on the line with folk I can't trust, man?
- Man, it's not my fault. - What?
You know these young people are different.
- I-I'ma disappear for a minute. - But I can't do that, Fox!
I got a family, I got a whole life, man!
That's why you go!
- You wanna wreck that? - Okay...
this what I know.
I picked up a car in Alabama and I dropped it off in Minneapolis,
and I don't know nothin' else about it.
It was just a car.
I don't need to run.
Up to you, Edwin.
Up to you.
Ain't nobody around here. You need a ride?
No, no, no, I'm good. You go 'head.
[Fox sighs]
I don't know where the fuck I am.
- [Esti knocks] - Come on!
Hi, I'm going full-force aunt today.
- Why you being so weird? - I have something for you.
No way.
Is that my dad's album?
The good one, yep.
Oh, this is crazy, thank you.
Yeah, well... I know what it's like.
If my birth parents had an album, I'd probably want a copy too, so.
But not sure if your mom should know about this,
so... I'm leaving it up to you.
♪
Hi.
Hey.
And so, there he was, you know, all of a sudden, my dad living with me.
I can't even imagine how overwhelming that was, on every level.
Yeah, my brain was flooded with the cortisol and adrenaline,
and I, I could barely think straight.
I mean, that's a book.
Yes, that's my book.
- Right? - Yes!
- [both laughing] - Well, how's your son doing?
- Um, he's anxious... - Mm.
...but he loves having my dad around.
They have this dude bond that I do not understand.
Well, maybe your dad isn't always talking about feelings.
[laughs] Yes, I am still like that.
Oh, and you should be, and I'm glad.
[chuckles]
Is it just me or are we here in the exact situation
you ran away from 22 years ago?
It is not just you.
I didn't think so.
♪
So what am I gonna do this time?
What are you gonna do?
♪
♪ You know you're making it hard for me ♪
♪ Baby, us dancing so close ♪
♪ Ain't a good idea ♪
♪ 'Cause I'ma want you now and here ♪
♪ The way that you shake it on me ♪
♪ Makes me want you so bad sexually ♪
♪ Oh girl... ♪
Well?
Would it be okay if I used the bathroom?
- Sure. Yeah. - You sure?
- Super quick. - Okay.
Super quick. I'll be right back.
♪
- [shower curtain whooshes] - Ah!
We are embarrassingly cis-hetero.
- Mm-hm. - But you knew that.
There's still something about her that just makes me feel so seen.
Hello? There's a whole word for that.
- What? - Intimacy.
- Intimacy? - Into-Me-You-See.
Oh. Oh! [gasps]
- Like, Into-Me-You-See? - Yeah.
I've never heard that one.
Of course, you have. I'm you.
- Right. - Yeah.
Okay, so, what we're saying is I don't want Kiki.
I mean, I do, I do, I want Kiki, but make it a man.
Well, I want a Blow Pop without gum in the middle,
- but you can't have everything you want. - [shower curtain whooshes]
- [♪ mellow music playing] - I feel like I could get that for you.
Okay, here's the thing,
- I did really want to kiss you... - W--
...but I'm not into women, which I think I already knew,
but what I am into is intimacy.
Paige, this is my husband, Miguel.
Y-- W-- Oh.
♪
I can never do that for you again, do you understand?
It put me in a terrible spot!
Okay, I'm sorry, but I needed to know, baby.
- I-- And I thank you. - Okay.
Well, the good news is Sadiiq isn't gonna take a plea bargain.
- Okay. - But that doesn't mean that he won't.
Right.
[quietly] Right, right. Right.
- So what are you gonna do? - I don't know.
You know, normally this is right where I disappear,
but I don't know, Nadine.
Well, as someone who's been on the receiving end of you disappearing,
all I'll say is: it hurts.
[♪ soft music playing]
[Edwin] Hey.
You're just... very miss-able.
Woman, you did just fine without me.
- Yeah, I did. - I-- Yeah, I know. [chuckles]
But still... there is only one you, Edwin.
♪
There's no one else I'd rather be in a... situationship with.
- [video recorder beeps] - [Paige] Hey, everybody.
So, I've been on social media Ozempic for a minute,
and I've been thinking about why am I making these videos?
Is it for me? Is it for you? And the answer is: yes, both.
Because I think healing in public helps me heal,
and I think it helps you heal too, wherever you are.
So, speaking of healing,
this week, I got some unexpected healing from the past
because the past slid into my DMs.
And here's what I learned:
being willing to look at the past
actually helps us make sense of who we really are.
And when we can see who we are,
other people can start to really see you too,
and that's what we all want, right?
To see and be seen by the people who matter the most.
♪
- Hey. - Hey.
Oh, my, um, dad said he would be a minute.
- How's Ava? - She's good.
- We're good. - Oh! Good.
- Yeah, yeah. Mm-hm. - Good.
Edwin told me about family therapy.
I bet it's bringin' up a lot.
Yeah, but it's not a bad "a lot."
I mean, it's working. You look more open and lighter.
- Oh. - Even more than usual.
- Really? - Mm-hm.
Wow, [chuckles] I guess I'm just figuring shit out.
- Thank you. - Yeah.
- For seeing me. - Mm.
- [♪ mellow music playing] - [Mal clears throat]
- [Paige] Hey. - [Edwin] Hey.
What's goin' on?
I'm just... takin' in everything I missed.
- Time is a bitch. - [slight chuckle]
[Edwin exhales]
[Paige] Hm.
- Dad? - Yeah.
I'm really sorry that I freaked out on you before.
I just have these well-traveled neural pathways
and... they were telling me that you were up to something.
And I think, in the past, I wouldn't have...
asked you directly because what if you said something that terrified me.
But I really want to know.
So... [inhales] do you have something you need to tell me?
Sadiiq got arrested, Paige.
And I thought he was gonna... take me down with him.
Don't look at me like that, baby, please. [sighs]
- Did you do something bad? - I didn't think so.
"Think" implies doubt.
When we went to Alabama, I did a job.
Oh, wow.
I drove a car for Fox.
Whoa. [nervous chuckle]
Uhh...
you lied to us?
I was trying to help you fix the roof.
Oh, God, I, I don't know how to feel about that.
Fox is getting ready to leave town. He told me I need to do the same thing.
But I ain't goin', Paige.
I ain't goin' anywhere.
I'm stayin' right here.
Thank you for telling me the truth.
You cannot keep things from me.
And I won't, baby...
ever again.
[softly] Okay.
- [Finn knocks] - Hey.
Hey. Can I use your record player?
Yes, you can.
What you got there?
- You wanna play that? - Mm-hm.
He has that one song, it's in that annoying asthma commercial.
[Edwin laughing]
But I kinda just wanna hear the whole thing, so.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Did you know him? My dad?
Little bit.
Here, let me play that for you.
[Finn] I reached out to him.
Your dad? Is that, is that right?
Yeah.
And... he texted me back.
And how did that feel?
I'm not sure.
But, um, if you could just... not tell my mom.
♪
[Edwin] Okay.
♪ A lot can happen in one year ♪
♪ One day you're happy floating on air ♪
♪ The next day your whole closet's full of tears ♪
♪
♪ Through the highs and through the lows ♪
- ♪ In the darkness, find your home ♪ - [chuckles]
♪ I'll be there, no matter where you are ♪
♪ Hey! Take one breath ♪
♪ Before you leave ♪
♪ I'll show you off ♪
♪ Be a part of my dreams ♪
♪ Hey! Feel the air ♪
♪ And find your peace ♪
♪ Breathe and believe ♪
♪ Hey! You know you gotta be yourself ♪
♪ 'Cause you'll never be nobody else ♪
♪ You know you gotta be yourself ♪
♪ Hey! Oooh... ♪
♪ You know you gotta be yourself ♪
♪ 'Cause you'll never be nobody else ♪
♪
[spray paint can hissing]
[speaker] Woo-hoo!