03x02 - Co-Host; Ass-Slap; Helen Keller; Forgiveness

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Review". Aired: March 2014 to March 2017.
"Review" revolves around a professional critic, who provides reviews of intense real-life experiences in lieu of food or cinema.
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03x02 - Co-Host; Ass-Slap; Helen Keller; Forgiveness

Post by bunniefuu »

Life. It's literally all we have.

But is it any good? I'm a reviewer.

But I don't review food, books or movies.

I review life itself.

Aah!

Aah!

♪♪

Hello! And knock, knock!

Oh, cute! Who's there?

Forrest MacNeil. And to
my left is A.J. Gibbs.

What's my first review?

"Forrest MacNeil. And
to my left is A.J. Gibbs.

What is my first review?" who?

What?

What?

I have no idea what just happened.

But please, press the button.

The first review comes from
Juanita in Madrid, Iowa.

Hi! Juanita Morales here,
licensed electrician.

Check me out on Yelp,
four and a half stars.

Check her out on what?

I'd like to know, what's
it like to be a co-host?

Oh, interesting! Hmm.

What is it like to be a co-host?

Of what, I wonder?

As there are a few different
ways of approaching the...

- What are you doing?
- Go hit the button!

- What?
- Yeah. You go back there.

And you hit the button.

- You're a co-host!
- Right.

I could be a co-host right here!

- Uh-huh.
- Oh, terrific.

Uh, well, Juanita, off
I go to be a co-host!

Uh-huh!

- Don't have to travel very far.
- Nope!

It's right over here. Okay, good.

Sit right here.

- Well, Forrest...
- Yes?

what's my first review?

[Laughs]

I don't know.

Please, press the button.

Oh, yes! Right. Ah.

As co-host, I will press the button.

Uh, yeah! Okay, a cartoon bubble

has popped up to say that we have a webcam

from somebody named Mork
in Loris, South Carolina.

Mork? That's an unusual name.

- Hey, this is Mark.
- Ah.

What's it like to slap a stranger's ass?

- Well, you know, Mork...
- Thank you, Mark! And cute beanie!

that request does sound a bit silly.

- What are you doing?
- Well, here I go to find out

what it's like to slap a stranger's ass.

Oh, I see. Well, yeah.

But not really. A.J.? A.J.?

You're not really gonna
do... You can't do that.

Can you stop for a second?
'Cause that's not a good idea.

A.J.? A.J., you're not a life reviewer.

So please don't go... I should do it.

A.J.?

A.J.

[Bell rings]

This assignment had gone from frivolous

to deeply concerning, as A.J. Gibbs,

who is totally unqualified to do my job,

headed out into the world
to review a life experience

that was meant for me.

But what was I supposed to do?

I've never thought much
about what A.J. does

or ever spoken to her about her duties,

if, in fact, she has duties.

I have no idea.

So I explored the world
behind "Review" for clues

about the co-host's life...

Oh, hey! I didn't know if
you wanted A.J.'s lunch.

...and sought guidance from our staff.

Maybe you can help me with something.
I'm trying to figure out, uh, what to do.

Can you tell me, what does A.J. usually
do when I'm out reviewing things?

I think she just hangs out with friends.

She has a lot of friends.

Oh, okay. Thank you!

As I explored her surprisingly
large dressing room,

I began to learn more about A.J. Gibbs...

That must be her dad.

...and her freewheeling lifestyle.

Hanging out at the beach and skiing, hmm.

A.J.'s job clearly occupied
a small place in her life.

As a reviewer of life,

my role in the world is crucial.

How could anyone do something
as trivial as co-hosting?

Yes, I did k*ll that man in self-defense

in order to defend
myself. It occurred to me

that since A.J.'s lack of
responsibilities allowed her

to take care of personal
business, I could do the same.

I used my time to rehearse testimony
for my upcoming m*rder trial.

I k*lled that man in order to
defend myself in self-defense.

I was currently facing life in prison

without the possibility
of parole as a result

of last season's review
of k*lling a person...

[g*nsh*t]

...in which a person was k*lled.

I wish he hadn't tried to k*ll me.

He might be here in
this courtroom right now.

Except that we wouldn't be in the courtroom

because no one would've been m*rder*d.

And I would not be...
No, don't say, "m*rder*d."

Ah, good question. Half a star.

A m*rder*r who wanted to m*rder somebody

would probably have given the experience

more than half a star,
maybe even five stars.

- I give...
- Come on, Forrest, A.J.'s back.

- Already?
- Yes. Got to get you changed.

What do you mean, get me changed?

The co-host doesn't wear the same
thing for the intro and the outro, so...

A.J. changes clothes?

A.J.'s surprisingly quick
completion of her assignment

meant that there was precious little time

to understand the experience
of being a co-host.

I don't hate it.

But the bow tie's slowing the momentum.

- What?
- Try this.

Forrest: And for some
reason, much of that time

would be spent trying to improve
on the perfectly acceptable outfit

I usually wear.

- Fine, right?
- Oof.

You should never wear
gray with that skin tone.

It's almost as bad as tan.

- Try this.
- And give me those glasses.

- They're at w*r with your face.
- Yeah, and winning.

- You're on in .
- Ridiculous.

Forrest: As with A.J., this
would be my first opportunity

to see the host's work.

- A.J...
- Love the suit! Tom Ford?

I don't know. Do you really
change outfits for every review?

- Yay, here we go.
- Man: Here we go!

Forrest: I was nervous,
both for her and my show.

A.J.: I set out to find a stranger
with an ass that I could slap.

She works out.

As I studied these random asses,

I thought about what our
asses tell the world about us.

Forrest: Watching A.J.'s
review on the monitor

was an anxious and
uncomfortable experience.

A.J.: ...a kind patient,
understanding person.

Forrest: How I wished I
could jump into the screen

and take my rightful place,
slapping the ass of a stranger.

But as co-host, my job was
to do absolutely nothing.

And so I did.

A.J.: But would it be right
to exploit a human being

in this way just to see what it feels like?

Also, I thought it would be respectful
to check in with my boyfriend.

How would he feel about me
slapping a stranger's ass?

Does it matter if it's a man or a woman?

Uh-huh.

My thoughts exactly. I love you, too.

Thinking about others instead
of just myself allowed me

to learn something I will never forget.

What... What happened?

What... That's not it. Is that it?

- Yeah.
- No.

Slapping a stranger's ass would have
made me disrespect someone I knew,

someone I didn't know, and someone

I just got to know a
little bit better... me.

But you didn't, uh, do
it. You didn't do it.

- Right.
- The assignment is,

well, you've got to slap a stranger's ass!

You didn't slap a
stranger... You didn't do it!

How are you gonna give it stars?

Who cares how many stars slapping
a stranger's ass would get?

Who cares how many stars?
That's the whole point of it!

If you don't want to do
something, you can veto it, right?

But you've got to do that
before you leave the studio!

I guess you don't, 'cause I didn't.

Slapping a stranger's
ass... I didn't do it.

No. That's not a...

In my time as co-host, I felt
rudderless and insignificant.

But I am thankful for the experience

because it reaffirmed that
my rightful place in the world

is out in it issuing life reviews

instead of watching
someone else botch them.

- No offense.
- I'm not offended.

Being a co-host gets half a star.

- If you say so.
- I do.

Oh, I cannot wait to get back
out there and review something!

What is next, A.J.?

An e-mail from Mamma Carlotta.

Mamma Carlotta?

"When my son complains
about his miserable life

as a carnival attraction,
I tell him he's had it easy.

Will you please show my boy,
Johnny, The Human Hamster,

what real adversity looks like?

What's it like to be Helen Keller?"

- You're kidding!
- Oh!

What is it like to be Helen Keller?

Fascinating. What a great question.

I think I know all I need to
begin this assignment right now.

- Right now?
- Yes.

I am going to find out
what it is like to be blind

and also deaf and also mute.

She couldn't speak.

Off I go to be Helen Keller!

- Oh! Forrest! Forrest!
- Ohh! Ow! Ah!

- Are you okay?
- I can't hear you.

Do you need help?

- You don't want help?
- [Groaning]

Should've used a veto for this one.

Tons of vetoes over there.

Forrest: As I set out on this journey,

I hoped to foster a greater
understanding of disabilities

by thoughtfully and sensitively

exploring the experience
of being Helen Keller.

For centuries, this brave woman

had been the butt of tasteless jokes.

That would end today.

Ow!

By necessity, my office staff would
need to play a key role in helping me

- to live as Helen Keller.
- Doin' good.

Oh, my gosh. They finally
refilled the jelly beans.

- Stop it!
- Yellow.

- Give me yellow.
- I like the oranges.

Mr. MacNeil. Mr. MacNeil.

Some of their efforts were
very much appreciated indeed,

such as this soundproof, lightproof helmet

contraption which allowed me
to take my hands off of my ears,

just as Helen Keller would've done.

- Aah!
- Aah!

But they made other contributions
that were less helpful.

This Victorian-era dress
and brown wig, for instance,

may have made me look like Helen.

But they did not make it any easier for me

- to get along in the world.
- Oh, I'm sorry.

And Josh and Tina's
less-than-perfect efforts

to help me navigate my
surroundings made me a nuisance.

- No, don't. Don't!
- What's wrong with you?

- Stop. Stop. Stop.
- No.

Forrest: As a disabled person,
I needed the people around me

to treat me with kindness and compassion.

And I'm about to quit in three,

two...

I had faith in my office staff to do that.

Okay.

- Upon reviewing the footage...
- Shut the door!

Josh: Helen, stay in your office!

Forrest: ...I see how wrong I was.

Even though I could not
see or hear anything,

I could sense the world
losing patience with me.

But still, I needed to communicate.

So, did you guys want to order?

Or do you need some more time?

I tried everything I imagine
Helen must have tried...

clapping, charades-style clues...

- Tina: He has to pee.
- ...guttural moaning.

Surely, one of these tools,

commonly used by the
disabled, would do the trick.

- [Moans]
- Lucille: Sounds like...

Forrest: But on a day when I wanted
to be taken to see my ex-wife,

I was instead robbed of my shoes.

[Grunts] On a day when
I wanted a light snack,

I was instead given a pen.

[Grunting]

On a day when I wanted to
play catch with my son, Eric,

like I used to, I was instead
brought to a dr*gs party.

And finally, on a day when I wanted
to be taken for a stroll outside,

I was troublingly brought to court,

where I was facing trial for m*rder.

My caretakers had failed me spectacularly.

This was the worst possible
time to be deaf, dumb, and blind.

- [Grunts]
- Okay, right.

Daisy: And what is your
relationship with your ex-husband?

Forrest: I was unable to discuss
anything with my lawyer...

He's my ex-husband.

...who made the questionable decision to
call my ex-wife as a character witness.

During the time of your marriage,

did he bring you flowers

or pay you compliments?

- [Forrest grunts]
- Um, yes, he did.

He did stuff like that?

Yes.

Oh, well he sounds like a really nice guy,

doesn't he?

No further questions, Your Honor!

Forrest: While everyone tried to ignore
the presence of a grunting visitor

from the th century,

Suzanne was asked if she thought
I would commit m*rder for the show.

[Grunts]

No, I don't.

He is overly committed to his work,

but he's not so committed that
he would actually k*ll somebody.

- [Forrest claps]
- Oh, my God.

And then, unbeknownst to me,

my lawyer made an even
more perplexing decision.

The defense would like
to call Forrest MacNeil.

This way, ma'am.

There we go.

We had always planned for
Forrest MacNeil to testify.

- Down. Down!
- Daisy: Down!

My attorney saw no reason to change course,

despite the fact that Forrest
MacNeil was now Helen Keller.

Thank you for coming to
testify today, Mr. MacNeil.

- I'm gonna cut right to the chase.
- There is much Forrest MacNeil

could have said in his own defense.

Is it true that that guy,
Ray, att*cked you first?

- Indeed it was true.
- Mr. MacNeil? Forrest?

Ray, the man who was k*lled,

was a violent sociopath.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh, god. Can I get out of here?

- Man: Oh, God!
- A man who would surely have been

k*lled somebody someday.

You did this in self-defense.
Is that true, Forrest?

Say, "Yes." Just say, "Yes."

The answer was yes.

I had no doubt Ray was b*ating me to death.

You did this in
self-defense. Is that true?

All you have to do is say, "Yes."

- Say, "Yes."
- [Grunts]

But Helen could not answer,
even if she had known

she was testifying to save my life.

Okay, Forrest. Come here.

If only my attorney had tried
harder to remove my helmet,

or had not called me to stand at all.

Oh! Oh, my God.

Bailiff: Ma'am, sit in your seat,

or I will handcuff you to this chair.

Yeah. I think we got
to go back to the seats.

Forrest: Being in constant
need of assistance made it clear

- that in life...
- Be careful.

All right. That is good enough for me.

...we are surrounded by people

who do not fully apply
themselves to their duties.

As a result, I was not
able to exonerate myself.

And "Review," once again,

left my fate in the hands of fate.

Living as Helen Keller
was an isolating experience

that required trust, perseverance,


and a high tolerance for minor abrasions.

She was a remarkable woman and,
for a little while, so was I.

I give being Helen Keller five stars.

Pretty bad luck that that had to
happen during your m*rder trial, huh?

Oh, that? No. I was acquitted. Not guilty!

- What?!
- Yes!

- Really?
- Yeah.

Well, why?

Well, I think many of the jurors
have probably seen this show

and understand the value of my work.

The district attorney
had another explanation.

He said, "It's almost to convict someone

who looks like me for
using a g*n in America."

I don't know what he means.
But anyway, once again,

the mighty hand of the
universe has intervened

so that I may continue to do
this vitally important work.

All right, A.J. Please tell me

we've got time for another review!

We have time for another review.

- Ha-ha! Do we really?
- We do!

Oh, good.

This one's a tweet

from Amos Stellenbosch, location unknown.

- Wow!
- Amos tweets, "What is forgiveness?"

Oh, that's a good, heavy one.

Oh. Well, too bad this isn't the
assignment you got and then refused to do.

[Chuckles] I'm off to
experience forgiveness.

I would've done this one.

Who knows? I will, that's for sure.

Forrest: My ex-wife, Suzanne,

and I had had some regrettable
difficulties in recent times,

many of them related to my
work for this television show.

This was surely the place to have a
meaningful exploration of forgiveness.

- What do you want, Forrest?
- Hello.

You know what? I have a review for you.

What's it like to leave
me the [bleep] alone?

[Clears throat] If you are curious

about that life experience, then
I suggest you submit your request

- to through the proper channels.
- Oh, my God. Good-bye, Forrest.

And if your random s... Wait! Hey, Suzanne!

I'm reviewing forgiveness!

Okay.

Did you just say you were
reviewing forgiveness?

Yes. Yeah.

What's the catch?

There's no catch.

- I don't believe you.
- No, really, honestly.

That's... I'm here to review forgiveness.

[Sighs] I can't believe
I'm engaging in this,

but I've actually been
talking with my therapist

for some months now about forgiveness.

I'd really like to try.

I hate that this is just
part of a [bleep] review.

All right then.

[Sighs]

Suzanne...

I forgive you.

- Excuse me?
- Yeah.

- What did you just say?
- Ah.

I forgive you for everything that you said.

- For what?
- Well, for everything...

- For what?
- For... For what?

Yeah.

I had no idea

what you said about me during my m*rder
trial until I took off my Hel-Kel-met.

- Don't. Nope.
- My Helen Keller helmet.

- But when I finally heard...
- Mm-hmm.

that you felt like there are all kinds
of things that I won't do for my work,

and you said that like that.

"Oh. He's committed, but
he's not that committed."

Are you [bleep] kidding me?

All right. I mean, that...

hurt me so much.

But I'm gonna be the bigger person.

- Oh.
- And I'm just gonna say,

in the face of some
very, very hurtful words,

"I forgive you."

- Okay.
- Yes?

No, I talk now.

You divorced me for your television show.

I want a divorce.

You are going to die alone.

You were very largely responsible

for k*lling my father in outer space.

No! Jack!

- In inner space.
- No! It was outer space.

- No.
- You slept with me under false pretenses

with a drug-resistant form of gonorrhea!

You allowed Eric and me to believe
you had terminal brain cancer.

And then, when I was ready to move on,

you catfished me and got me hooked
up with an assh*le baseball player

and then humiliated me
at my rehearsal dinner.

I was catfishing you, Suzanne.

What? Who are you? What is going on?!

You have vanished for months at a time...

Ah!

...without telling us where you were.

We could only assume that you were dead.

You showed me a photo of
your engorged, deformed penis.

- Okay?
- Oh, [bleep]!

I don't think that belongs on this list.

Oh. And I just remembered one.

You got charged with m*rder!

Hey! I get to take a ride in a police car!

Did it ever occur to you,
just once, that possibly,

you should be asking me for my forgiveness?

Um...

well, I didn't interpret
the assignment that way.

You didn't interpret
the assignment that way?

- No.
- What I would like to apologize for

is opening the door at all to you.

- No.
- And engaging in this insanity.

No, I'm very glad.
Listen, listen because...

No, no! Look! Okay?

You are not a person.

You are a malfunctioning robot.

And it's sad, Forrest, because
you used to be a person.

You used to do things because
you wanted to do them,

not because, "Oh! A stranger
said I should take my d*ck out

and walk all over my
ex-wife's front lawn."

Okay. That was not the review request.

I... I was living my dream.

- This is the hand of the universe.
- Oh, my God. Do you hear you?

You sound like a lunatic.

I don't think I sound like a lunatic.

- You do, I promise you.
- There's no other explanation

- for what's going on...
- Oh, my God. Forrest!

...other than the universe is guiding us!

- Wake up! You're crazy!
- Listen, listen, listen.

I'll do it the way you want
it, because you're right.

I could've interpreted the
question a different way,

absolutely.

Forgive me.

- What?
- Do it. All the things...

"Do it"? No, I will not. I cannot.

I'm saying, let's do it
the way you want to do it!

I won't do it! This review gets zero stars!

Well, you can't give zero
stars to something, actually.

Yeah, well, I give zero [bleep].

Oh...

Forrest: Before literally
slamming the door in my face,

Suzanne had raised an interesting thought.

Perhaps I would not fully
understand forgiveness

without both forgiving and being forgiven.

Luckily, I had another idea.

Forrest: My search for
forgiveness now led me

to the bedside of my best
friend and producer, Grant...

Hey, Grant. Can I have a word with you?

...and some very difficult
unfinished business.

Can it wait until morning?

No. I don't think so.

Okay.

I think it's waited too long already.

Do you remember when
we fell off that bridge,

and you were paralyzed from the waist down?

Yes.

And it was all my fault?

Yes.

Grant...

I'm asking for your forgiveness.

I forgave you before we even hit the water.

Ah.

That is a huge relief.

[Chuckles]

That feels great.

I came to realize that you

forgive a person who wronged you,

not to free them from
the prison of your anger

but to free yourself.

And you seek forgiveness
also to free yourself

and also the person who's forgiving you.

They are also free. But
in any case, I am free.

And that is worth four stars.

Well, A.J., please tell me

we have time for one more review.

We have time for one more review.

- Thank you.
- No, we don't really.

- Oh, we don't?
- No.

Oh. All right.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Extra cheese!

The real Helen Keller actually was, like,

b*rned really badly when
she tried to answer the iron.

Why would she answer? She can't hear it.

- Mm-hmm.
- She can't talk into it.

And who's calling her?

And wouldn't she know long
before it reached her face

that this is no phone?
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