NELLA: Previously, on The Other Black Girl...
HAZEL: What are you doing Saturday?
I'm havin' a gathering.
It's a hair party. - Oh.
- Hazel is surrounded by Fembots. [group gasps]
NELLA: Jesse Watson canceled Wagner?
I wanna help you get your message everywhere.
So, you'll think about it?
- Oh, absolutely fuckin' not.
- Please go and do some snoopin'.
You're never gonna get another chance like this.
♪ suspenseful music playing ♪
- Fuck.
It's a beautiful foam finger. Thank you.
[door slams] - Thanks for comin'.
- Think I was wrong about Hazel.
- Ladies, this is Shani. [Shani chuckles]
♪ ominous music playing ♪
MAISY: Nella, meet Hazel-May McCall. KENDRA RAE: Leave Wagner, now.
HAZEL: You shine, I shine. If she's dangerous, he's gotta hear it.
Tell people you belong and they'll believe it.
You and I know exactly how fucked up the system is.
[distorted] You shine, I shine.
MALAIKA: Hazel is surrounded by Fembots.
NELLA: Kinda made me look like you.
EDITORS: Leave Wagner now.
EDITOR: You don't belong here!
KENDRA RAE: Leave Wagner now. HAZEL: You shine, I shine.
[sighs]
- This is Camille, Ebonee, and Kiara.
MALAIKA: It's a cult.
OWEN: What does this mean?
NELLA: I think I was wrong about Hazel.
♪ suspenseful music playing ♪
HAZEL: We catch more flies with honey.
We take our community very seriously. [echoes]
♪
I genuinely feel sorry
for anyone who was unfortunate enough to be in our way.
♪ theme music playing ♪
- Nella.
[whispers] Nella.
[aggressively] Nella! - Involuntary!
Mal, what are you doing here?
- Owen called.
And thank God, because this... this is some Riddler shit.
- I also found this in the microwave.
Is it... just ketchup?
- Sorry.
- This is my Nana's bowl.
- I stared at this all night.
Hazel must be collecting these women for something.
I mean, that's what "voluntary" and "involuntary" must mean, right?
- What are they volunteering or not volunteering to do?
- Join the most moisturized army of all time.
NELLA: We all have to be connected somehow.
There is no way Ruby showed up by accident.
- Yeah, I don't see how Hazel is meetin' Ruby,
unless she also likes gettin' kicked off the Coney Island rollercoaster
for gettin' too drunk.
OWEN: Ruby was kinda fun.
- No, no, no, but that Ruby is gone.
All of their past lives are gone.
Their Instagram accounts only go back one year,
just like Hazel's.
It's like they came out of a pod fully formed at 26.
- What about Shani? She's the one that warned you about Hazel.
What, what happened to her?
- I haven't heard from Shani since the karaoke bar.
- How do you reverse stalk someone?
Yeah.
♪ Dog Food by IDK ft. Denzel Curry playing ♪
NELLA: I guess we go back to all the places I saw Shani.
♪ It's eleven o'clock, on the dot, I'm on the block ♪
♪ Ain't no time for no sleepin' or yawnin' or whatnot ♪
♪ Twelve runnin' 'round creepin' and peepin for the drop ♪
- ♪ The block is hot, the block is hot ♪
♪ The block is hot, the block is hot ♪
- ♪ They tried to frisk me, want me, hot ♪
♪ Incarcerated, I won't be, hot ♪
Now what?
- I cannot believe I have to be at work in less than an hour.
[keyboard clacking] - You can't go, Hazel will be there.
- And we still have no idea what the fuckin' deal is.
- And Diana's imprint launch party is tomorrow.
- Can't go to that either. Hazel.
- So, Hazel's connection to me is work.
But what about these other girls?
- They're in completely different industries.
Even Hazel's not that connected. Is she?
NELLA: Kiara's a buyer for Saks.
Camille is a chemical engineer. And Ebonee--
- [mockingly] The youngest tenure-track professor in New York state.
- How does a person even do that?
- It's impressive.
Gotta have friends in high places.
MALAIKA: Maybe their cult pays for PhDs or somethin'.
- Guys, guys, guys. "Ebonee Turner,
"set to become the youngest Associate Professor of Literature at Columbia.
"A position created by a generous donation
"from one of the program's most prominent alumni,
Richard Wagner."
- What, Richard? [Malaika gasps]
- I mean, you don't think it's just a coincidence?
- Have we learned nothin'?
Coincidences aren't fuckin' real.
♪
- Shall we get started?
NELLA: Kiara is a buyer for Saks.
- Ah! "Publishing Magnate Richard Wagner
named to the board of Saks Fifth Avenue. February 2019."
And Ruby interviewed at Goldman Sachs--
- Where Richard's brother is CFO.
Oh, my fucking God! OWEN: What the--
GRANT: Huge week for you. Tomorrow's the launch party
for your new imprint, focused on diverse voices, Ascendent Books.
- Very exciting. Did you bring a photographer?
- Uh, I didn't.
- Your loss.
OWEN: What about Camille?
- "A subsidiary of Wagner Industries." Jesus, okay.
- Wagner's always been focused on diversity
ever since our first big hit release, Burning Heart.
You know, tomorrow's launch isn't really about me at all.
You should be interviewing the bright, young women
that made it all possible.
In fact, you know what?
Come with me.
- Richard is using Hazel to, like, recruit Black women
and turn them into pod people and farm them out?
- And he's trying to farm you.
- Hazel-May McCall.
Isn't that right, Nella?
- Richard Wagner and Hazel.
Bitch, I told you. [scoffs]
♪ tense, percussive music playing ♪
[phones ringing, light office chatter]
♪
- Hazel, where's our Nella?
- Um, she, she didn't come in this morning.
- Really? Oh well, another time, I guess.
Don't wait too long, this girl is on fire.
I'll walk you out.
Let's find out where she is... quickly.
♪ drumming increases speed, tribal vocalizing intensifies ♪
- How could I have been so stupid?
- Girl, it is not your fault that you work with psychopaths.
Now-- And I know I say all the time
that you attract the energy that you put out,
[chuckles] but it did not this time.
- But I went to Wagner in the first place.
I'm the one who pitched the rerelease of Burning Heart.
I put Diana and her new imprint in danger.
I single-handedly rebuilt Wagner's white-ass reputation
for a man who's using the idea of diversity
to plant docile, little pod women all over the city.
- You had no idea what Richard was doing.
- Nothing that I've done at Wagner matters.
All of those late nights,
the cancer from the energy drinks,
I mean, everything that I wanted is a lie.
OWEN: Come here.
♪
Should I make some food?
- I can't eat right now.
- I'd eat.
I mean, he offered.
- I actually believed that bullshit about being a part of a system
and changing things from the inside.
I mean, that [stammers] sounds so stupid now.
- The system always wins.
[chuckling] It's like Vegas.
- You're right. - I know.
That's why I never go to Vegas.
Not even to see Usher.
- The only way to beat a system is to work outside of it.
I mean, he warned me.
- Usher? That's not his song.
- Jesse... Jesse Watson.
He said that I was gonna have to grow up and see Wagner for what it really is.
I gotta take him down.
- Okay. Okay, I'm lovin' this energy.
We are strong.
We are ready.
And we are goin' down there and punchin' Richard in his face!
- I was just gonna call Jesse.
- All right, I see that vision, too.
[knocking at door]
HAZEL: Nella!
I heard you, uh, called in sick,
so I brought you some chicken noodle soup.
It's homemade.
It'll knock that cold right out.
- Hell, no. You better take your funky ass-- - Okay, thank you, Hazel.
Thank you. But, yeah, Nella is super sick.
I mean, it's very gross over here.
And, and probably extremely contagious, too.
[Owen coughs]
Yeah, nope, I, I definitely think that I've already got it.
You could just leave the soup out there, that'd be great.
- Um, can you just... open up the door?
I really don't wanna do that, Owen,
'cause that's how you get ants.
[door opening]
- All right, yeah. Why don't you just, ugh, [coughs] slip it on through.
- The soup? Owen, it's not gonna fit.
- It'll fit. - Uh, it's not--
- Oh, no, no, it'll fit. Yeah. Yeah. - Okay. I just--
I really just-- I really don't feel like this is necessary.
- Ah, I just don't want you to get sick. - Could you just--
- There we go. Okay, thank you. - Oh! All right. Um--
[door thuds] [Hazel clears throat]
You enjoy that.
And, uh, I really hope that Nella gets better
for the... imprint launch party tomorrow.
It's, um,
[loudly] it's gonna be her big moment and she can't miss it.
She's not gonna miss it, right?
- I don't know. I don't know. Bye.
- Uh! [door shuts]
♪ tense music playing ♪
- This is poison, right?
BOTH: Trash.
NELLA: So, Hazel and Richard are turning Black women into,
like, corporate Stepford wives.
And I don't even really know how, mind control or something.
You know, I shouldn't have said that 'cause I know it sounds insane,
and I'm not... insane.
- I know you're not.
- Wait, so you believe me?
- Look, you're telling me a racist white man has an evil, racist plot?
It's the most sane thing you've said to me the whole time I've known you.
- I know that this sounds like a conspiracy theory--
- Yeah, but high-key,
every conspiracy about white people bein' whack
ends up bein' true in, like, 20 years.
- [whispering] And I think that this is really bad.
So, we just have to uncover it,
and then, we use your platform to go public.
- Bet. Let's get it.
- Wow.
Thank you.
- Of course.
And, um... look... I'm really sorry that this happened to you,
but I'm pumped that you woke the fuck up.
I-I might've been a little too real with you. - You were mean.
[Jesse laughs]
- All right. [chuckles] That's okay. Call me out.
I like that.
♪ Matter 2 Ya by Aint Afraid playing in shop ♪
[chuckles] Maybe we could talk strategy. - Mm! Mm-hm.
Strategy is important. Um, so, once we figure out
the methodology-- ♪ ominous music plays ♪
[train rattling]
- I just don't understand why she has to go to this party at all.
Shouldn't she be staying as far away from these people as possible?
- Or I go with her and we blow this whole conspiracy
wide open with bullhorns, and graffiti, and stuff.
- Thank you for the concern,
but I just need to get one more person on mine and Jesse's team and get out.
I don't need to draw any extra attention to myself.
MALAIKA: I can be subtle.
Subtle bullhorns.
- What if you keep us on speaker the entire time, just in case?
[phone ringing]
- Oh, my God, it's Vera.
- Ay. I cannot take any more plot twists.
NELLA: Why is she calling me?
- What if she's involved?
[phone continues ringing]
- Yeah, I'm, I'm gonna ignore that.
- No, you have to answer. She might know something.
But why would Richard fire her if she was involved?
[ringing continues]
Seriously, what can she do to you through a phone?
[ringing continues]
- Hello, Vera.
- Uh, Nella. Hi. Hi. Hi. How are you?
- I've been better.
- Yes. Well, of course, we all have.
But tonight is your big party, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, so I wanted to call and congratulate you,
and, um, on the rerelease. You, you deserve all of the success.
- Thanks. Well, gotta go.
- Oh, no. N-- Uh, Nella, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, don't hang up.
I, um, I-- God, okay.
My departure was an enormous wake-up call for me.
And I have been doing a lotta work on myself
since I was... fired in front of the entire office.
- [whispering] Ask if she knows about the mind control.
[Nella quietly shushing]
VERA [over phone]: What was that? - Nothing.
- Everything fell into focus for me recently.
I had just really lost track of what was important.
And I... I want-- I need [inhales deeply]
to apologize to you.
- Oh.
- Nella, I really believe in you. And just a word of advice.
Don't, uh... give your whole self to the job
because, believe me, you cannot get that time back.
- Wow. That's really... kind. Thank you.
[deep breath, chuckles]
VERA [over phone]: So, what are you going to wear tonight?
- Um, the dress that I wore to the holiday party.
- Oh, yes, that's perfect. It's powerful.
Show 'em who's boss.
- I plan to. Look, Vera, I really gotta run, but, um... thanks.
- What was that about?
- She was calling to apologize.
- Why didn't you ask her about Richard? [strained laugh]
She's known him forever,
and we still have no idea how Richard is controlling these women.
Call Vera back right now.
- I don't want to call Vera back.
I still don't know who I can trust.
- Back to my original question, why are you still going to this party?
- Unarmed.
- Look, they still don't know that I know,
and they're expecting me.
And if Richard and Hazel are as dangerous as we think,
there's still one more person I have to warn.
♪ Can't Let You Go by LP Giobbi playing ♪
♪
[people chattering indistinctly]
♪ Can't let you go ♪
♪ When we're moving ♪
♪ With the music ♪
♪ I, I, I can't let you go ♪
- Hey, Nella! Everyone thought you were sick,
but you look so fun. Ya havin' fun?
- Uh, yeah, tons.
- I wish we were better friends.
I mean, never really hung out. [chuckles]
I guess I could've initiated, but--
- Actually, do you know how you could be a better friend to me right now?
- Anything.
- Tell me where Diana is, and tell no one you saw me.
- She went to the powder room. [chuckles]
And [makes zipping sound].
[chuckles]
- You're definitely not... the worst person who works at Wagner.
- Mm-ah. Oh, my God, thank you. [chuckling]
- Hi, I'm Malaika, you definitely recognize me
from every single photo on Nella's desk.
- Oh. Um... [scoffs] I do. - Mm-hm.
- Uh, but, why--
- Nella needs your help... We gotta talk.
- Of course. No, come in, come in, come in.
- Thank you.
[indistinct chatter in background]
- Nella.
We didn't know you were-- - Uh-uh, one, one second.
[stall door shuts]
- Are you okay?
[stall door shuts]
- Um, [exhales] no.
All right. Look. I-I know that this is gonna sound Kanye-level wild,
but Richard and Hazel are up to something terrible.
They are doing very bad things to Black women all over the city.
They are changing them, and they are turning them
into little corporate drones against their will.
And I don't know how, but they're trying to do it to me.
And it's only a matter of time before they come after you.
And I think Richard probably did it to Kendra Rae all of those years ago.
And maybe that's what sent her over the edge.
And I have proof.
It's, uh, on my wall at home, which is why I didn't bring it
because it wouldn't have fit in one of my tiny purses.
But all that matters is that you trust me.
♪ tense music playing ♪
[background chattering continues]
- I do.
I believe you.
- Oh, my God, thank you. [heavy breaths]
- I knew it.
I've known there's been something terribly wrong
with, with Wagner, with Richard. I mean, it's why I left.
From the moment that Kenny went missing,
none of the pieces fit.
I mean, it's-- She warned me about him
and I, I didn't listen.
I, I thought maybe she was just going through some-- - It's not your fault.
- I just needed someone else to... help me see it.
- I have a plan... but I need your help.
I can tell you everything. - No. This is not the place.
We have got to get through tonight. Richard can't think anything is wrong.
Enjoy the party as much as you can. Eat the crudités.
- I can do that. I--
Can I just say that this has been driving me fucking crazy,
and it is really amazing and validating that you believe me.
[exhales]
[door opens, shuts]
MALAIKA: So, Nella thinks Wagner's fucked.
- Well, duh.
- And if she has any hope of takin' it down,
we need whatever dirt you have on Richard.
- Okay, well, I have dirt.
Um,
he spends a lot of money on manicures.
- Miss, that is not helpful. Don't you hate him?
- Well-- - Y-Yeah.
Come on, gimme some real shit.
- I think his hair is fake.
He hit a city bike with his car, but he paid for it, so.
[guests chattering]
- Good evening.
[cheers and applause]
Thank you for joining us tonight.
When I founded Wagner in the Paleozoic era,
[crowd laughs]
I didn't really know what I was doing, other than proving my father right,
that I probably should've gone to law school.
But then... Diana Gordon's first book,
Burning Heart... gave this company a mission,
and she gave me purpose.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
Please give a warm welcome to the incomparable Diana Gordon.
[crowd claps and cheers] Come on up here.
Can't do this without you.
- Thank you, Richard.
[cheering continues]
- And so, to launch our new imprint, Ascendent Books,
Wagner's renewed commitment to promoting marginalized voices,
we give you the 35th anniversary edition of the seminal Burning Heart.
[cheers and applause] There it is.
Yes.
Ascendant will celebrate the new class of bright, young voices,
and one of those shining stars is with us tonight.
Ladies and gentlemen, the first signee to Ascendant Books,
I give you Mr. Jesse Watson.
[cheers and applause]
♪ dark, dramatic music playing ♪
[Jesse and Richard speak indistinctly]
- Wow. What a moment.
Thank you, Richard.
You know, I can't think of a company more aligned
with my goals and values as an artist than Wagner.
Wagner's commitment to creating an inclusive future in publishing
is... nothing short of inspiring.
And thank you, Nella,
for helping me to see the light.
GUEST: Inspiring! [indistinct chatter]
- Nella Rogers.
[crowd clapping]
♪ dark, dramatic music continues ♪
[cheers and applause]
- Jesse! - Nella. How's life?
- Uh, what-what-what's going on?
- Just tryin' to change the world. What do you mean?
- Okay, is this some, like, deep undercover thing, or something?
Please say it is.
- [chuckling] What? No, Nella.
I'm joining the Wagner family.
Look, after our chat, thought about things,
I got a haircut.
When I woke up this morning,
I realized... I think you got Richard all wrong.
- You hate Wagner! You literally told me that.
- Yeah, but Nella, people change.
I-I heard Richard's pitch and I believe in him
and what he's trying to do.
I believe in this company.
- What about your podcast?
What about everything that we talked about?
- Yeah, but you showed me
that I don't have to be angry about things all the time.
Wagner can be where we make the real change.
Just like you said.
You in?
♪ eerie music playing ♪
All right. I mean, you gon' wanna try those garlic prawns, though.
'Cause they are dope as fuck. [chuckles]
- What the fuck?
What the fuck? [gasps]
- I need to warn you about something. - You stay away from me.
- Okay, you seem really keyed up right now.
- Do I? - Uh, yes.
All right, this might not be the best time,
but I thought you should know it from a friend.
- [scoffs, laughs] Are you kidding me?
You're not my friend!
Who even are you?
- I think you know.
- You're Richard's puppet.
- [chuckles] You think Richard is in charge?
Girl, you were so close to figuring it out.
- What are you talking about?
RICHARD [over speakers]: Now, none of this would be possible
without the hard work of two up-and-coming editors,
Nella Rogers and Hazel-May McCall.
Nella, Hazel, where are you?
[applause] - That's our cue. Come on, Nella.
You wanna know who's in charge?
It's right in front of you.
- I am so sorry I couldn't help. Truly.
- We'll get him some other way.
- He always wins and then he just goes around out there
like he's a good person,
even though he's been cheating on his wife for 40 years.
- Yeah, the dude sucks.
- [groans] I used to have to go get his dry cleaning
when I was an assistant.
And Diana's negligees were always just, like, in there.
It was so gross and blatant.
[scoffs] I mean, who screws their bestselling author?
- Wait, Richard and Diana?
- Yeah.
- Th-They're together?
- Yes! And now she is back,
and they're like, "Oh no, it's all business."
I'm like, "I know what business." Okay? - Oh, my God.
[cheers and applause]
RICHARD [over speakers]: ...ladies and gentlemen.
- There she is.
- Diana?
It's you?
I thought-- No, it, it, it, it doesn't, it doesn't make any sense.
RICHARD [over speakers]: And where's your, where's your partner in crime?
Where's Nella? Nella?
- It's time for your big moment.
[gasps] RICHARD [over speakers]: Where is she?
Where is her partner in cr-- There she is!
There's our Nella. Come on you two, take a bow.
[muffled cheering]
♪ eerie, dramatic music playing ♪
♪
HAZEL [muffled through speakers]: I, uh, I just--
I have to say,
[normal] coming to Wagner books truly felt like... coming home.
GUEST: Aww!
- Like, finding my family,
and Nella, I guess that kinda makes us sisters.
[Hazel giggles]
♪ eerie music continues ♪
[microphone feedback screeches]
- You're a lunatic.
[guests gasp]
We're not fucking sisters.
[crowd gasps, murmurs]
Two seconds after you met me, you tried to ruin my career.
What fucking planet am I on right-- No!
No. She's crazy. You're crazy.
She lied about the cake.
She's a liar.
Where's Jesse? Look at him.
He looks like a fucking robot.
This is what they do to people.
[guests murmuring]
Is this what you did to Kendra Rae?
What did you do to Kendra Rae?
- That's enough.
- Am I the only one who's seeing this?
Are any--
[panting] Ca--
Plea--
♪ Dream Girl Evil by Florence And The Machine playing ♪
♪ Well, did you miss me? ♪
♪ Walk on water just to kiss me ♪
NELLA [over speakers]: Oh, my God.
♪ Oh, come and get me ♪
I'm the crazy one.
♪ Drag me out, destroy me ♪
♪ I've been expecting you ♪
They made me look like the crazy one.
♪ Deliver me that bad news, baby ♪
♪ Am I your dream ♪
- Girl, pick up! This is the most important voicemail in your life!
You need to leave that party right now.
Diana is in on it. I repeat. Get the fuck out.
Okay. Uh, okay, uh.
♪ Make me evil ♪
Owen, have you heard from Nella? I can't--
[tires screeching] [Malaika gasps]
[thud] - Malaika, Malaika, are you okay?
[over phone] Hello?
♪ Dream girl evil ♪ [tires screeching]
♪ Dream girl evil ♪
[panting]
♪ Dream girl evil ♪
- Come on, pick up. Pick up, pick up, pick up--
[screams]
♪ Dream girl ♪
♪ You think of me in bed ♪
♪ But you could never hold me ♪
♪ You like me better in your head ♪
♪ Dream girl evil ♪
♪ Watch me shimmer ♪
- ♪ Shimmer ♪
- ♪ A projection of your mother ♪
- ♪ Mother ♪
- ♪ But don't come crying ♪
- ♪ Crying ♪
- ♪ I am nobody's mother ♪
♪ Center ♪
♪ It cannot hold, it cannot hold ♪
♪ It cannot hold ♪
♪ music fades ♪