01x08 - Too Perfect

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Bull". Aired: September 20, 2016 - May 26, 2022.*
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"Bull" follows a trial consultant, who uses his insight into human nature, three Ph.D.'s and a top-notch staff to tip the scales of justice in favor of his client. Inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw.
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01x08 - Too Perfect

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♪ Go! ♪

Woman: Good morning.

Let's wake up and start the day.

Now, first things first, make sure that you're making healthy decisions for yourself.

And today, I'll be showing you how to make my favorite morning wake-up smoothie.

Let's do this.

Now, remember to get 45 minutes of exercise.

And, you know, switch it up, so that you don't get bored.

Think carefully about what you want to achieve today.

♪ Got my eyes on the prize... ♪

Then open your arms and get ready to greet the day.

And after this nutritious breakfast and that intense workout, you'll be ready for any obstacle that comes your way.

(gasping)

Time to wake up.

(gasping continues)

Mmm. Oh, my gosh, it's so good.

♪ Get, set go! ♪

Bella Colón Brands would like to express our condolences to the family of Olivia Brooks.

But I cannot let these charges against my company...

Man: My name is George Brooks.

And I'm here today to let you know that Isabella Colón and her lifestyle company are 100% culpable for my wife Olivia's death.

And we'll prove that in court.

Their irresponsible business practices k*lled my wife and other people across the country...

We are absolutely not culpable for Mrs. Brooks' death.

♪ ♪

(inhales deeply)

Mmm.

Mmm, mmm, mmm. When was the last time you bought me a $47 glass of scotch?

I don't remember.

Never.

You have never done that.

Especially before meeting a client.

What, are you nervous, too?

(chuckles) I knew it.

It's like you're gearing up to ask me to take my daughter to the prom.

Well, you don't have a daughter.

You do have a sister.

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no way.

Come on, you... you really want to represent your ex-wife?

I want to represent your sister.

Her lawyer called.

And they need us... She's being sued.

For gross negligence, wrongful death.

And the plaintiffs hired a top firm... suing her for 60 million, punitive damages.

That's gonna bankrupt Izzy.

It'll destroy her.

Y-You know that she hasn't really spoken to me in three years?

Well, you did turn down her job offer.

Three years without talking to someone you were very close to.

Living in the same city means it's more than just you turning down a job.

Bull, come on, don't... don't do this.

Don't use this trial to try to fix us.

There are ten other firms out there that she could hire.

None of them are as good as us, and you know that.

We're taking this case, Benny.

Relax.

Today we're just meeting the lawyer.

Uh-oh.

♪ Let's get together ♪
♪ Let's turn things around ♪
♪ Make our lives better ♪

Just a lawyer, huh?

Supposed to be.

♪ And flip it over... ♪

Ha-ha, Izzy.

How are you, sis?

Benny.

Punctual as always and full of surprises, as always.

(chuckles)

It's been too long, boys.

Yeah.

So... what happened to your lawyer?

You really thought I would let someone else handle our first meeting?

Hell of a situation you've gotten yourself into.

Thank you for the sympathy, but there's zero chance it was my company's fault.

We have the strictest safety standards.

Nothing gets by me.

That I believe.

♪ And I don't want to be divided. ♪

Olivia's death presented as a heart att*ck, so her husband George didn't suspect any foul play.

But then, when the autopsy came back a week later saying that she'd actually d*ed of anaphylactic shock from exposure to bee pollen.

Olivia and George knew about her allergy.

They avoided anything with that ingredient.

They kept the house clean. No traces were found anywhere.

Except in the Bella Colón smoothie.

There was some left over, and it came back positive for bee pollen.

Marissa: George's lawyers are arguing that some of it found its way into the Bella powder during its processing.

And since it's a civil case...

They don't need reasonable doubt.

They just need five out of the six jurors to agree that it's likely the pollen came from the powder.

What about the other packets?

In a landfill somewhere.

We need an alternative theory about where that pollen came from.

Well, I'll deep dive into Olivia.

And I will interview our client's suppliers and employees.

And should I call her "Izzy"?

Bull: Okay.

Would you all like to ask the question you are dying to ask?

Isabella Colón... She's your ex-wife.

We just want to make sure that you're okay with this.

Are you okay?

She was my wife for two years.

She is now our client.

More importantly, she's Benny's sister.

And they're not exactly getting along right now.

So we are gonna do everything in our power to help them.

Get it? Good.

This is professional.

Okay?

How much of that was genuine, and how much of that was straight-up denial?

I don't think they're mutually exclusive.

Yikes.

Awkward.

She's a celebrity. The one who tells you that by making your bed in the morning, it will somehow make your day better.

Now, personally, I never made my bed as a kid.

It's true.

He's been waiting 30 years to get that dig in.

It's not a dig, and we can't ignore your fame.

It is going to have a significant impact on the jury.

In a good or bad way?

Depends on the juror.

And that is what we're here to find out.

Well, these people seem to like me.

(chuckles)

Oh, there's my team.

Dr. Bull, you know Christopher Franklin, lead outside counsel for Bella Colón Brands, and my attorney in this case.

(clears his throat)

Oh, this is my brother, Benny.

Hi.

He's a lawyer, too.

Well, no, actually, he was a lawyer, and now he's a... a mock-lawyer?

Okay, Isabella, always the older sister.

Benny's tried hundreds of cases.

How familiar are you with trial science?

Very. I knew we needed every tool in the arsenal for this case, so I advised Isabella to put the past aside and let me call you up.

Good advice to us all.

Oh, sorry, our distributor in Wisconsin was trying to raise the price per unit on our line of yoga gear.

And I bet you didn't let him.

Mm-mm.

You remember Alison, my C.O.O.?

Of course. Good to see you.

Hardest-working person I'd ever met, and I see you still hold the title.

You know what we say at Bella, "Busy with what I love."

(scattered chuckles)

Well, we'll be putting you on the stand to walk the jury through safety protocols, and as Izzy's friend, you will be her character witness.

Of course. Franklin says that is a "lose the company" case?

Only if the other side wins.

Oh, boy, what's that smell?

Eucalyptus. Cable asked for some advice for her back pain, so I set up a few essential-oil diffusers.

On an unrelated matter, remind me to fire Cable later.

I can't believe you still live in your office.

Funny story...

I had a bed and a home, but two and a half years ago, a bunch of lawyers came and gave them to you.

Funny story, when we were married, you often slept in the office.

Only when I had a case.

I'm just saying I think it's your choice.

I love what I do, and I love not having to justify it to anyone.

And can you please stop with the folding of the, because...

It's fine.

I'm sorry.

You didn't come here to fix my office ambience, and certainly not here to fix me.

I'm here to help you.

Right? So... how are you handling this?

I'm fine.

You're not fine.

You've been tapping your finger against your leg like a crazy person.

All right, you see, this is exactly what I don't need.

I don't need psychoanalysis, I need trial science.

You know, I may be innocent, but I've heard you say often enough that the facts don't matter, it's how the jurors see you, so...

Um, about that, uh...

There's something you should see.

Our most recent mock jury.

Oh, I'm a big fan of Isabella's.

Her lemon cake is my go-to choice for potlucks.

It's always a hit.

And she's so put-together.

I wish I could pull off her look.

She's totally flawless.

What exactly is the problem?

Liable.

Liable.

Woman 2: Oh, she's definitely guilty.

I mean "liable."

Okay, that doesn't make sense.

Bull: They're not judging the case.

They're judging you.

Izzy: But they just said that they were fans of mine.

They feel like Isabella sets an impossible standard.

So even while they praise her products and advice, they seem to hate her for being too perfect.

People can't take having two conflicting feelings.

It's cognitive dissonance, so they have to settle on one.

If they declare Izzy liable, it makes her seem less perfect.

Is it like this across the board?

Think of it like a love/hate relationship.

You eventually settle on hate, because you can't take feeling so much affection for someone you can't stand.

Are we still talking about the jury?

People love to hate you.

Benny: Well, this is a first for me.

I've never seen a jury have a love/hate relationship with a client.

Well, how do we change that?

What do we have to do?

Give the people what they want.

We're gonna take you down a notch, so they won't have to.

First, physically, with Chunk, and then emotionally, we're gonna muddy you up, show your vulnerability.

Alison: Isabella's image is her brand.

It's aspirational.

It inspires a better life.

If we make her look bad, then...

Not bad... just human.

Look, you either trust his strategy or there's no point in hiring us.

If you want, we can sit this one out and help you with the bankruptcy proceedings.

You'll get the family discount for that one.

Okay. I get it.

But it must be rough, though.

I'm one of six, and sure, we drive each other crazy, but we're tight.

If I only had one sibling and we weren't talking...

Aren't we here to try on clothes?

Oh, I'm full service. I can dress you up and talk family dynamics.

Well, let's just stick to the clothes.

Hmm. Except not those.

But that's the whole point.

Bull wants you more approachable.

Would you approach me in this?

Look, I get it.

I-I read your blog.

I know it sounds frivolous, but so many people, they walk around wearing uniforms, and aren't able to express who they are, because they're scared or they just don't have the confidence.

You give them self-esteem.

Thank you.

You still have to try these on.

First look.

Man: What? She'd never wear that.

Who is she trying to be?

Is she, like, mocking regular people with that outfit?

No.

No. No, of course not. How about this one?

Woman: Now that's Isabella Colón.

I wonder how much plastic surgery it would take to make me look like that.

Bull: Chunk!

Guys, excuse me for just a second, okay?

See if this helps.

Are you sure about this?

Give it a try.

(chuckles)

How about this one?

She looks different.

Well, how do you feel about it?

Male juror: I like it.

I mean, she looks comfortable.

Yeah.

Much more chill.

I'm a fan.

All right.

You look the same.

Okay, what did he do?

It's what we didn't do.

Makeup... barely any of it.

Creates the ineffable feeling of accessibility, particularly among strangers.

And she's beautiful enough to carry it off.

Benny: All right, noted.

No makeup in court for Izzy.

Let's get down to voir dire.

I have a questionnaire prepared.

It's standard for defendants with a large media presence.

It'll identify who on the jury likes Isabella and who doesn't.

Well, finding people who like Izzy isn't enough.

Our whole problem is with the love/hate dynamic.

People will say they like Izzy, but then they'll hold her liable.

Who do we target, huh?

Bull: For those who've never heard of her, we want to find the people who aren't quick to blame.

And for those who do know who she is, we want to root out the perfectionists.

Like I said, they'll say they like Izzy...

But they'll secretly resent her for holding them to a standard that they can't meet.

How much are you enjoying this?

More than I should be.

Of course I know who she is.

I make her gilded fruit centerpiece every Thanksgiving.

How do Sara's centerpieces look?

Marissa: Well, she's not exactly the da Vinci of tablescaping.

More like the Tower of Pisa.

So she can't meet Izzy's standards.

(whispers): Great, so she secretly hates me?

No, not necessarily.

(whispering): Depends on the captions.

Marissa: Uh, #Nailedlt, #LOL, #MaybeNextTime.

They're hilarious.

Acceptable, Your Honor.

Wait, what just happened?

We move fast. Keep up.

Sara can joke about her failures.

She's not a perfectionist, so... she's not likely to resent your perfection.

You've never even heard her name?

I don't know.

Has she ever been on ESPN?

Have you?

Missed opportunity.

You could help linebackers with dinner parties during the off-season.

Carlos, have you ever tried online dating?

Sure. In this city, who hasn't?

And how did those dates go for you?

Honestly, not great.

I guess I haven't clicked with anyone yet.

But that's just blind luck, right?

Acceptable to the defense, Your Honor.

Boom.

Judge: You may continue, Counselor.

I suppose you have an explanation for that selection.

Or you want to date Carlos.

I could do worse.

Benny: He's not a blamer, so he doesn't hold the dating sites accountable when he strikes out.

So he'll be less likely to blame you for Olivia's accidental death.

Woman: Don't know her, sorry.

With three kids under ten, the only celebrity I see regularly is Dora the Explorer.

Leslie's up. She's never heard of Izzy.

She might be right for our last slot.

Okay.

High school principal, divorced.

Oh, but it was amicable. The court records indicate they used mediation.

So she's not inclined to place blame unnecessarily... That's good.

And yet, you two notice anything funny about her?

Izzy: Yeah.

Are those my...?

Peacock feather earrings.

She followed your step-by-step video.

She lied about being a fan of mine?

She wanted in on the jury, but thought she'd get struck if she admitted to knowing you.

Problem is we can't trust her.

We don't know what her motives are.

Yeah.

Acceptable to the defense.

No. Um, Franklin...

Man: That should do it.

Thank you, everyone, for your time.

Looks like we've got our jury.

I'm going to read everyone...

What's the issue?

She fit all the criteria you gave me.

Marissa.

Right here, Bull.

Have Cable and Danny focus on Leslie.

The secret fan and possible perfectionist could be trouble.

Carter: ...certain kind of value system for you and each one...

Do you have a sec?

Hey. You know, in the future, we're gonna have implants in our heads, so you won't have to hold that thing up to your ear.

It's usually not this bad.

Just right now, our capital is low, so...

Izzy is 24/7, right?

(chuckles) Trust me, I understand.

If you want to talk about it, I'm here, okay?

Okay.

Hey, Bull?

Hmm? Hey, how are the company interviews going?

Well, Alison is a tireless worker, a loyal number two, and would die for Isabella.

Look into her correspondence.

Let's focus on Alison.

You got it.

Izzy: God, that was rough. I'm really starving.

Benny: Well, you know, it's downtown. There's plenty of places you can get yourself something to eat.

What about that Puerto Rican Place in the East Village for dinner, remember?

Mm-hmm.

We can go there and discuss the jury results.

I should get back to trial prep.

I'm still tweaking the opening remarks.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, mm-hmm.

But thanks for the offer.

Hey.

I know this rooftop place.

Well, I haven't been there in a while, but they serve cheap beer.

♪ ♪
♪ When you look in my eyes... ♪

Izzy, I forgot how much I love your roof.

I know.

I was just thinking about...

Do you remember when Benny confronted me up here?

(laughs)

(chuckles)

If you recall, I was just chilling.

I had a little cozy blanket, nice bottle of wine.

Oh, yeah, no. He cracked it open and he asked you what your intentions were with me.

And then, he finished the bottle of wine.

(both chuckle)

You guys were so close.

Big sister.

He wanted to follow in your footsteps.

You guys cared so much about each other, and...

Must be hard to have lost that.

Don't.

I'm just saying, I know how important family is to both of you.

Well, work is my family.

I have Alison and Franklin.

(chuckles) Franklin.

Give me a break.

Franklin's nice, but he's in it for the money.

And Alison is so overworked.

I mean, looks like she hasn't slept in a month.

I think she may be hiding something, too.

Okay, stop it.

I trust Alison.

She's not just my C.O.O.

She's also my closest friend.

So don't ruin that the way that you ruined my relationship with Benny.

So you think I ruined that?

Hmm!

That's interesting.

Why do you think he didn't accept your job offer?

Because you got in his head and you convinced him to.

(laughs): Oh!

You and Benny have a complicated relationship.

No, we have a complicated relationship.

So stop trying to pass the buck to Alison and Benny, because the truth is that we just don't work well together.

I mean, this is our marriage all over again.

You just, you can't stop digging and analyzing.

You know, when I first met you, you were so blindly confident and passionate and opinionated.

I really liked that about you.

Trust me, I've been wrong before.

But not about this.

This is exactly my point.

We clearly cannot work on this case without it getting personal, and wasn't it just bad enough the first time around?

Tomorrow, I'm gonna go and I'm gonna get a new firm.

And I'm sorry, Jason...

Good-bye.

(horns honking)

I'm a high school principal.

I'm a high school principal.

I'm a drummer in a punk rock band.

I'm a drummer in a punk band.

I write freelance articles.

I write freelance articles.

Our mirror jury's set.

Except we don't have a client, so I'm not sure why we'll need a jury, mirror or otherwise.

I can't believe my sister fired you.

Temporarily.

She divorce you temporarily, too?

We must protect this client from herself.

(groans) This is exactly what Izzy wants, for me to come begging to her.

To take me back, to help her.

Have you ever considered that you hurt her feelings?

You rejected her, and we both know she's not used to that.

All right, I'll try to get her back.

Can't promise it'll go well.

Well, it can't go any worse.

♪ Love, it's a wonderful thing... ♪
How'd you find me?

'Cause this is where you go when you need quiet.

Which is ironic, because...

This place is loud.

No.

Because when I was studying for my LSATs, I sat right over there and you constantly yelled over my shoulder.

And you got a 180.

Why are you here?

Izzy, come on.

This is a really tough case, and I want you to succeed.

(scoffs)

Oh, I wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't...

Forget it.

What?

No.

What?

Wh-Why are you shaking your head like that... what?

Okay, fine. If you would've come to work with me in the first place.

Oh, my God.

Izzy, come on. You're still on that?

I would've been Alison right now.

What's wrong with Alison? (gasps)

Did Bull tell you to say that?

No. No, I came to my own conclusions.

All right? As I can tell, working for you is hard as hell.

Would've been damn near impossible as your little brother.

No, you don't know that.

Oh, yeah, I-I know that.

Known that ever since the sixth grade, in San Juan, when you laid out my outfits every morning.

I mean, come on. Law school, the D.A.'s office.

That was all your idea.

What you thought was best for me.

It was just... just time I went out on my own.

But you didn't.

You ended up working for him.

My ex-husband.

Do you think it was just a coincidence that he offered you the job right after we got divorced?

He wanted to win. And he did.

Because he got you.

(sighs)

I'm not a pawn.

He didn't get me. I didn't choose sides.

You just can't handle that I was choosing for myself.

And for once, I wasn't your doting little brother, doing exactly what you said.

Benny, do whatever you want with your life.

I... I just, I know you.

That's why I could advise you.

Look, Izzy.

What matters is that I'm-I'm happy now.

You know?

I joined TAC because it's an amazing job.

You know, we-we help people, innocent people like you, if you'd just let us.

♪ All night long... ♪

Bull: Did you get our client back?

Honestly, I have no idea.

I tried.

How is the jury we picked?

Well, we got four jurors in the red, engaged in love/hate with Izzy's public persona.

Especially Leslie, who's our covert perfectionist.

But there's still two on the fence.

Bull: Sara and Carlos.

They'll be swayed as long as we provide a plausible alternative as to where the bee pollen originated.

And our dear Cable may have the answer in her eucalyptus-inspired update on Olivia's routine.

Not quite, but behold the dark side of perfectionism.

Turns out that three weeks before Olivia's death, she became pretty obsessive about following Isabella's advice.

Bull: 6:00 to 6:30, organize canned goods.

6:30 to 6:45, meditate.

So she started all of this just three weeks before her death.

Bull: Means something Specific inspired her to start this up.

It's time for court, right?

I should get a raise and be fired for bringing her back.

Love/hate.

Woman: A lab report confirming there was bee pollen in the smoothie and Bella's vitamin-infused powder.

A mixture of ingredients made in a factory where cross-contamination with bee pollen is very possible.

I guess Miss Perfect actually messed something up.

Isabella seems nice enough to me.

I like her makeup. Very natural.

Doesn't bee pollen enhance sex?

Now the defense will say, we couldn't test the packet, so we can't prove that that's where the pollen originated.

But when you see snow on the ground, you know that it came from the sky.

Well, you were right.

Good.

I caught Juror Carlos leaving Juror Sara's apartment at 7:00 a.m. in yesterday's clothes.

Oh, romance is good for our case.

Sara and Carlos will be in a better mood, more open, and they'll vote as a team.

Have we ever had jurors hook up before?

Oh, yes. It happens more often than you think.

If two jurors are sleeping together, it affects the whole jury.

Our job is to create the same dynamic between our mirror jurors.

Otherwise, we're flying blind.

And how is that going, Chunk?

Feels like a zoo experiment.

I put Mirror Carlos next to Mirror Sara. Nothing.

Marissa said that their profiles are a 96% match to the real Carlos and Sara.

They should be engaged by now!

Bull: Proximity doesn't necessarily create sparks.

What was it with you and, uh, Izzy, if I may ask?

Huh. It was December 3, Union Square, my favorite bakery.

She walked in covered in snow.

Dumped most of it on my raspberry Danish, and then, we just looked at each other.

She didn't apologize, but she did buy me a crescent.

It was delicious. And that was it...

Our moment of connection.

And if we can find Sara and Carlos's moment of connection, boom.

Cable: Let's say it was dusty in the jury box.

Sara sneezes, Carlos hands her a handkerchief, they lock eyes.

In 1925!

Carlos is into punk rock. I doubt he carries a hankie.

Marissa: We have to get them together, or our mirror jury won't accurately reflect the real one.

We tracked the jurors' entire day.

Not a single moment of connection. They were chosen in voir dire, the judge gave the jury instructions.

They were specifically told...

Wait. Whoa.

That's it.

What?

Their jury instructions.

The judge instructed them not to fraternize, said it was forbidden.

Let's think about these profiles.

These two are mischievous, and they enjoy keeping secrets.

The forbidden nature of their relationship sparked a sense of danger.

Cable: But with the mirrors, we put them together.

It's time to give our mirror jurors new instructions.

As for our real jurors, we need to give them an explanation for the pollen.

Danny: Which I might have. So I looked into the factory, and all their correspondence with Alison, like you asked, and got a flawless safety record.

I'm sensing a "but."

But... their factory only puts out a thousand boxes a week.

So why was there a week when Bella Colón Brands received 2,000 boxes?

And that was the shipment that produced Olivia's tainted packet?

Mm-hmm.

Well...

Okay, time to bring in C.O.O. Alison for mock trial.

We always use the same factory in Wisconsin for the vitamin packets.

Hmm. And you're the one who's in charge of the supply chain, right?

Yes, but...

I-I tried really hard to make sure that all of are shipments are, um... coming in time, and...

Alison, it's okay.

I understand how this happened, how Izzy kind of made this happen.

She holds everyone to an impossible standard.

She holds herself to that standard.

That's why she's so successful, right?

Maybe.

But it can't be easy... for you, 'cause you know how hard you're working.

And you're doing everything you can, but she keeps pushing and pushing.

Yeah, th-that's true.

So when she asked you to double production, and you knew the factory couldn't handle it, what did you tell her?

I, uh...

I didn't tell her.

I didn't want to disappoint her, so... so I went to another factory just that one time.

Alison, tell me you didn't.

It was the only way to keep up with your schedule! All I knew is I had to get the shipment in time!

The plaintiff's attorney also discovered the second factory, and they've got proof that they process other products containing bee pollen, so we might have to settle.

Bull: But we don't know there was cross-contamination for sure.

I think we should consider the possibility that...

Okay, you know, Franklin, can you just give us a minute?

Thank you.

Sorry.

You're not sorry.

You knew about Alison, so...

Forget it.

It's okay to feel guilty.

And it's okay to feel sad.

What if I'm really the reason that Olivia's dead?

There's no proof of that yet.

And we are gonna find out what really happened.

But how, how could I not have seen that Alison was cracking, and...?

Was that what I was like in our marriage?

Did I just push you away like that?

I think that's on both of us.

Okay, look, I know I have high standards, but I honestly just don't get why that's bad.

The problem is you push people away.

When you demand more than they can give.

I could really lose everything here.

We're not gonna let that happen.

You guys doing some post-marriage marital counseling?

It's hard to say with her.

Yeah, no kidding.

Gets swept up in what she's saying, and then you think about it later, and...

Like what?

She said you only hired me so that you could win the divorce.

Come on, Benny.

Marissa: I already told you once.

Bull: Uh-oh.

Fraternizing among fellow mirror jurors is not allowed.

This is breaking a cardinal rule.

Benny: You were right.

We got the mirror love birds together.

But it won't matter once they find out that Izzy outsourced to that other factory.

They'll blame her for the contamination, and we'll lose.

Unless someone else is to blame.

Cable you said you found something?

So, you told me to dig into Olivia.

Why she got so obsessive with all that lifestyle advice three weeks before her death, and it turns out... she suspected her husband was cheating.

Meet Katrina.

George had scrubbed their entire online correspondence, but...

I recovered it.

I think that Olivia was working so hard to win George back.

Bull: Our sympathetic plaintiff just became a philandering husband with a possible motive for m*rder. Let's get Katrina in here, now!

I'm not sure how I can help.

Why don't you tell me a little bit about George?

Did you know he was married?

We sparked immediately.

Woman: How did you meet your wife Olivia?

A wedding. We were seated next to each other at the singles table and just had that immediate spark.

He said the spark was gone with Olivia.

He complained about her constantly.

She was gaining weight, her cooking was awful.

Olivia was perfect.

Bull: And how did he treat you?

Great... at first.

Then he started to pick at my flaws, just like Olivia, so I broke it off.

But then he called, said he was leaving her.

When was that?

A week before Olivia d*ed.

Interesting. How would you like to join me in court today?

Olivia and I were so careful about her allergy.

That pollen came from Bella's powder.

(door opens)

Franklin: Mr. Brooks, given that your mistress has decided to join us and is now sitting in this courtroom, do you want to risk the thr*at of perjury, or will you answer the question honestly?

Were you or were you not having an affair?

Marissa: Bringing in George's mistress really helped.

It turned these two for us.

They bought George as a plausible source of that pollen.

Well, I hate to be rooting for m*rder, but it's better than gross negligence.

Actually, we're in the clear. Danny just called.

That backup factory that did the extra order has a perfect quality control rating.

And the foreman is willing to testify if we need him.

So Alison's off the hook for that mistake.

Unfortunately, George and Olivia's marital drama has soured the spark between Sara and Carlos.

They are convinced that love is imperfect.

Then they look at Izzy, and they see perfect, which makes them want to blame her.

So if we don't put these two back together, we may lose this case.

We could bounce 'em.

If they slept together, they discussed the case.

That's grounds for dismissal.

No, then the jury would speculate about who ratted the lovers out.

Who would get blamed?

♪ De-de, de-de, ding! ♪

Gold star, Ms. Colón.

So we've lost Sara and Carlos, and we still don't have perfectionist Leslie, because she wants to take you down a peg for being too perfect.

So, we need to make Isabella seem less perfect, and get Sara and Carlos back together again.

I don't know if we need a Shakespearean sonnet, or an episode of The Young and the Restless.

Maybe a little bit of both.

Would you like to get a drink with me?

♪ Baby, meet me on the dance floor... ♪

Three olives, never one or two.

It's the aesthetic.

It represent perfect balance.

Ah.

You feel you need to have that in your martini, 'cause you don't have it in real life?

Izzy: I though you were gonna work on less psychoanalyzing.

Isn't that Isabella Colón?

Oh, my God, it is.

All right, don't, Izzy, don't start.

Izzy: Don't throw our sessions back in my face just because you're Mr. Three PhD's...

Okay, please, inside voice.

Don't you patronize me!

What the hell is this?

I thought Isabella was out discussing the plan.

Uh, this is the plan.

Let's hear them.

You enjoy controlling order.

Oh, okay, great. Okay, okay...

Now it's all my fault...

Yeah, cute...

To have a public fight with her ex?

This is the last thing she needs right now.

Actually, given the juror map, this is exactly what she needs... (arguing indistinctly) public humiliation, A laundry list of her personal faults, all going viral.

It's the best way to humanize her.

You're a narcissistic asshat.

You scripted this?

Right down to the sarcastic clap.

The name-calling, Isabella...

He's a little too good at that.

I'm sorry, but I have no desire to tamper with a jury like this.

We're not.

The jurors aren't there.

But if this happens to go viral, if certain jurors happen to check their favorite social media sites, which we know they've been doing...

Then it's on them, not us.

Has Isabella agreed to all this?

Well, she... (clears throat) agreed in concept. I don't think that she was aware that Bull's about to go off-script.

Bull: That's why your relationships always fail and that's why you're so unhappy, Izzy.

What?

Am I wrong?

And there it is.

Surprising her was the only way to get a real reaction.

The jurors hated her for being perfect, but once they see her vulnerable, like this...

The jury won't feel the need to find her liable and knock her down.

What-what are you... what are you doing?

Why are you talking quietly? Why are you off-script?

I'm being honest.

For once, maybe we should... both try being honest.

Wait, they're still talking.

Benny: I thought Bull was finished.

I can't hear what they're saying.

I... You pushed me away.

You never really loved me, you just, you studied me, like if I was one of your subjects.

I just wanted to know the real you.

And I think you were afraid that I would just discover your faults.

But that's what I needed, Izzy.

I needed... all of you to love you.

And I did love you, Izzy.

The baby, the miscarriage...

I know.

That was hard.

I'm sorry about what happened.

I wanted a family, too.

♪ People, don't you understand... ♪

Franklin: What is that all about?

I don't know. I couldn't hear it.

♪ ... to be part of your plan, people, people... ♪

Well, whatever it was, that's the most vulnerable I've ever seen her.

So... mission accomplished?

♪ People, don't you understand ♪
♪ All I ever wanted was to be part of your plan ♪
♪ People, people, don't you want to know ♪
♪ Swallowed all your medicine ♪
♪ Was not in the plan at all. ♪

Bull: That's because halfway was not ever gonna be far enough.

(phone whooshing)

Benny: Think our plan may be working.

Danny said Carlos and Sara met up this morning.

If they're back to happy, they'll vote as a team and be less likely to blame Izzy.

And more open to your closing argument.

Correct.

Good.

I couldn't hear a thing, but you and Bull looked pretty upset during your fight. You okay?

I will be, eventually.

Oh, and you know what, on that note, you were right.

(stammers) I was what?

(laughs) Did I-did I just hear right? I was what?

I was what?

Yeah, I know.

Can you repeat that, please?

I'm impossible.

I couldn't hear you.

Okay, okay... look.

Growing up, I gave you advice because...

I just, I saw how high you could go.

You were that talented.

And I don't think I ever just stopped and asked you if those were the plans that you wanted.

'Cause... you're my little brother.

And believe me, it... took me a while to see myself in any other way, too.

I'm sorry.

Truth is I... I don't know where I'd be without you.

Not a lawyer, not working here.

No.

Not that you need my approval.

Mm-hmm.

But you got it.

As long as you win this case.

Oh, that's it, huh?

That's it.

All right.

(both chuckling)

Benny: Okay, Franklin, you'll start the close with one simple word: imperfection.

We do everything we can to mask it.

With online profiles that make our lives seem fantastic.

With beauty routines that hide our flaws.

And when something goes wrong, with finding someone else to blame.

Okay, at this point, move closer to Izzy.

Yes, she's made a career out of creating...

Franklin: ...out of creating

An image of perfection.

But that doesn't mean that she's perfect.

If she's guilty of something, it's that she works too hard.

She tries too hard to help people achieve more in their lives. Now, this has helped her to create an amazing company, but Isabella will be the first to admit it has not made her good at maintaining personal relationships, especially with those she cares about the most.

(whispers): I didn't write that.

Neither did I.

Before you blame her for this tragedy simply because it feels good to blame someone, remember the legal question before you... has the plaintiff produced a single shred of proof that Isabella is responsible?

No.

Which means you must find her...

Reporter: Not liable. And that's exciting news for Isabella fans. She's officially not responsible for the death of Olivia Brooks, ending a difficult lawsuit for the famous lifestyle guru.

Kristen Goodwin reporting, back to you.

Bull: Katrina.

Hey. Thanks for meeting me.

You were so integral to this case.

Happy to help. I'm excited to meet Isabella.

Where is she? I'm a big fan.

Oh, I know. You'd literally k*ll to meet her.

George told you that he was gonna leave his wife to be with you.

That was just a fairy tale.

Wasn't it?

So you decided to help things along by slipping into Olivia's drink the one thing you knew that she was deathly allergic to.

This is ridiculous.

But it got us a warrant.

You said you had keys to their house for your romantic trysts. And your boss said you were late to work the morning of Olivia's death.

(siren wailing)

I can only wonder what the police have found.

Traces of bee pollen on a shirt, thanks to social media, they can prove Katrina wore the day that she was late to work.

Come with me.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.

(chuckles)

Mm.

That smells nice.

Katrina's been arrested.

(sighs) Well, I'm happy it has nothing to do with my company, but I still feel awful about Olivia.

Olivia wasn't following your advice to win George back.

I had Danny and Cable continue the deep dive.

She was leaving George, starting a new life.

And you, with your advice, inspired her.

Thank you.

For that and for Benny.

We're talking again.

Good.

He and I need to do the same.

Settle a few things.

You remember how we started?

Forbidden love.

(chuckles)

Oh, like your jurors.

Then we were off to Puerto Rico.

Oh.

To meet your parents and tell them about us.

Mm.

But in the end...

...I didn't know how to handle losing our baby.

Forgive me for not knowing how to help you.

That's the most powerless I've ever felt.

No...

I know you tried.

I didn't need you to heal me.

I need you to mourn with me.

It was the only way I knew how.

It still is.

Fatal flaw.

Hey, I thought you said this was about trial science.

Yeah, I did say that, didn't I?

Mm-hmm.

But you were right.

It was more than that.

It always is with you.

♪ I don't know who's gonna kiss you when I'm gone ♪
♪ So I'm gonna love you now ♪
♪ Like it's all I have ♪
♪ I know it'll k*ll me when it's over ♪
♪ I don't want to think about it ♪
♪ I want you to love me now ♪
♪ I don't know ♪
♪ Who's gonna kiss you when I'm gone ♪
♪ So I'm gonna love you now like it's all I have... ♪

Thank you. Ah.

Two overpriced scotches in one case.

Must have won a big payday in Izzy's trial, huh?

Well... this isn't about Izzy.

No?

It's about us.

Rest of the team's not coming.

Oh.

So I'm being fired.

Well, it's a classy way to go out.

The answer is no.

Sorry?

No.

I didn't hire you to win the divorce.

I hired you because you're you. And you're the best at what you do, and I knew that after my divorce, there was one lasting part of my marriage I wanted to hold on to.

Oh, you thought I meant our friendship?

Mm-hmm.

Sorry, that's awkward.

I meant that antique clock in Izzy's dining room.

Ah. I want that.

You want that?

Yeah.

I hate that damn clock. It's yours.
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