02x07 - Big Picture

[bunniefuu]

I've got this great idea

for my video production class.

Mrs. Clendening said I get to be

the director.

Okay, Spielberg, let's hear it.

Here's the premise.

America has surrendered her greatness,

we're a nation in decline...

Tammie!

And we don't pay enough attention

to our young people.

Look at that.

Nick and Tiffany?

How is that a couple?

I know. He's a national merit scholar,

and she's maybe six I.Q. points

higher than butter.

What could those two possibly

have to say to each other?

Gee, I'm only ten and even I know

the answer to that.

High school guys don't care about

what's up here.

All they care about is...

What's below what's up here.

Guys just go speechless.

They're lucky if they can remember

how to point.

[bell rings]

-See you later.

-Okay. Bye.

Oh, excuse me. Sorry.

I think I'm on the wrong floor.

Do you know where Ms. Lang's

chemistry class is?

Actually, it's that way.

♪ He's a smart guy ♪

[Mackey narrating] And so our patience is

finally rewarded,

As the head of the household

drifts slowly off to sleep,

the remote control

still clutched in his hand.

It's just another mundane day

in a place called,

Mackey's dad's house.

Okay. Uh, Mackey, thank you

for showing us what absolutely...

no effort looks like.

I do what I can.

On to our next production group,

which will be--

Mine, Mrs. Clendening.

Alright, T.J. has your group come up

with any ideas?

Yes, we have.

We decided to use Washington D.C's

historical structures,

to contrast the shining promise of America

with its tarnished reality.

I'm impressed!

Your group has certainly taken on

an ambitious project.

First I've heard of it.

I didn't even know there was a meeting.

I didn't even know there was a group.

I tried to get input.

None of them were interested.

Obviously, they didn't have any ideas.

I got one.

Place, Brooklyn, New York.

On the hottest day of the summer.

See, this guy, he owns a pizza parlor

with his kids.

Then this riot breaks out...

That's, uh... " Do the right thing".

Yeah?

It's copyrighted.

Legal technicality.

Terry.

My mom is nine months pregnant,

and she's supposed to go into labor,

and my dad was gonna tape it anyway, so--

No way! That's just plain nasty.

Do you have an idea?

As a matter of fact, I do.

Why don't we sh**t a music video

featuring my band?

Oh, please.

That's not a bad idea.

He just made something up

off the top of his head.

That's how I work.

I sat for days, working out the sh*ts.

I've got storyboards.

But have you got music?

I've got storyboards.

You could use Marcus' music with

your visuals. That way, everybody's happy.

I'm not happy.

Oh, my first medal.

I never had any idea that swim meets were

so much fun--

The excitement of watching you touch

the wall first,

and then the joy on your face as you

pulled your glistening, muscular body

out of the pool. Ha ha! Whoo!

-Hi, dad.

-Mm-hmm.

Dad, this is Xavier. He's a swimmer.

He better be.

Nice to meet you, sir.

Hi. Have a seat.

-Don't sit.

-Sit.

Good choice.

So, how long have you been friends

with my daughter?

Dad, don't you have to read him

his rights first?

No, I'm just being friendly.

You want me to be friendly.

I'm being friendly.

So, you're a swimmer, huh?

Oh, yeah.

My father says I was born a fish.

Except for the legs, arms, hair...

Breathin' on land.

So, you have any plans after high school?

I plan to go to college

on a swimming scholarship.

After that, I'm off to the next Olympics.

-Oh, Sydney?

-No, sir. Xavier.

No. I mean, the next Olympics are

in Sydney, Australia.

Oh, right. Ha ha! Just a little bit ner--

Can I go now?

Yes.

So, I'll see you tomorrow.

-Where?

-At school.

Gotcha.

So, what do you think?

Um, he's... um... good-lookin'.

Dad, that's not why I'm dating him.

I didn't say it was.

Well, Dad, it's not like he's shallow.

He's just focused.

Oh, extremely.

I would say laser-like.

Well, he's sweet.

-So what if he's not the--

-The brightest fish in the sea.

Okay, fine. So, he's no T.J.

He's not even Marcus.

He's not even Mo.

I'm letting you play your song.

What more do you want?

I wanna be on-camera singing.

Me and the whole band.

Well, I'm the director,

and that's not my vision.

Oh, well, envision this,

If we can't sing, you can't use my band.

Fellas, fellas, wait a minute.

The two of you are workin' together

and you're not getting along?

How can this be?

Ask him.

Dad, it's important that my idea

is followed through, or it won't work.

I hear you, son, but

there are other people in the group, too,

and they have to be included.

You at least have to

listen to their ideas.

What if I don't like their ideas?

Well, you can't just dismiss them, son.

You gotta handle them

in a way that doesn't hurt their feelings.

Look, tell them you

appreciate their ideas,

and you'll think about it.

I guess I could do that.

You'll try it for me?

I'll think about it.

Great.

Wait. When you say, "I'll think about it,"

You mean it, right?

Oh, yeah. I'll think about it.

Okay, our first sh*t is in front of the

Jefferson Memorial.

We cut to a trashy strip mall,

where we see--

The band?

This is where we see the band, right?

Let me think about it.

I'm still looking for the best place

to feature you guys.

Oh.

Next, we go to the Lincoln Memorial.

Can I do cartwheels

up and down those steps?

Let me think about it.

Our next sh*t is the sunrise over

the Potomac river.

Everybody okay with the Potomac?

Can we add a dog?

Will you think about it?

Of course, I will.

Hey, dad.

Hey, buddy. Marcus tells me,

your story meeting went really well today.

You would've been proud of me, dad.

I listened to everybody's ideas,

just like you said,

and still managed to hold onto my

artistic vision.

Glad I could help.

[music playing]

What's that?

Oh, that's Marcus and Mo.

They're outside at the casting session.

What casting session?

There's no casting session.

Yeah.

Yes, yes... beautiful, beautiful.

I like one and three.

Well, I like two and four.

Okay. I'll give you two and four if you

give me one and three.

Deal

Congratulations, ladies. You're all hired.

Oh, look. We made them happy.

They're hugging.

Let's go get one.

-Yes

-Oh! great.

You guys did great.

What are you casting?

There are no dancers in this video.

I see the Jefferson Memorial,

but I don't see any girls. Do you?

There's one.

I'm not gonna compromise my

artistic viewpoint,

just so you can have girls dancing

around you in colorful leotards.

Good for you, T.J.

I'm proud of you, for not reducing

human beings to the level of meat,

like some people do.

Stop that.

-Uh, Xavier, would you go get a sandwich?

-Okay.

Aw, come on.

The only reason why you're dating flipper

over there is because he looks good.

I am not. Flipper is--

Xavier is more than just a pretty face.

Don't try to bring me down

to your shallow level.

Oh, you're already down here, baby.

In fact, you're our hero.

I don't have to stand here

and listen to this.

Neither do I.

I'm the director, and we're gonna do

this video the way I saw it.

Does anybody have a problem with that?

A lot of people

are having problems with you.

With me?

A number of students have said that,

you don't take criticism very well.

That's insane!

They said you're resistant.

A director should be collaborative,

and if you can't be that kind of person,

then maybe we should find

someone else to direct.

No, no! Give me another chance.

I can collaborate. I can be a team player.

Look, I'm collaborating right now.

I'm listening to criticism,

and I'm liking it.

I can't believe you got me a present.

Where is it?

It's the books.

Are you mad at me?

No. I got these books for you to read,

because each one of them is about life

and the human condition.

It will broaden your outlook and deepen

your thought process.

Coach says I shouldn't get distracted

from swimming.

There's more to life than swimming.

Well, yeah, there's diving.

Just... go to practice.

Thanks.

Ooh, baby,

you are the luckiest girl in school.

If you weren't my friend, I'd hate you.

I'm already deeply disappointed in myself.

What? Why?

Tammie, I think I'm just dating him

because he's cute.

Yeah?

If I continue down this road

of superficiality,

there's nothing to separate me from--

Hey, girl, you wanna be in a video?

From that.

Look, I may have given the impression that

I didn't value your input,

but we're a team, and I want to hear

what you think.

Ahem.

Team member Monique?

Yes. It says here on the wardrobe list

that we're supposed to wear leather hats.

Well, leather comes from cows,

and cows have faces and feelings.

-The hats are gone.

-[Monique] Thank you!

I wouldn't want you to wear

a face on your head.

Sorry, I'm late, y'all.

I found another dancer.

Thank goodness.

Any other improvements?

Uh, yeah. Me and mo were

doing some talking,

and we decided not to do the ballad thing.

So, we came up with our own

up-tempo groove called,

"Don't hate me for being a dog".

-Woof woof.

-Heh heh.

Okay... our sh*ts of the Vietnam Memorial

are now accompanied by, " Don't hate me

for being a dog".

Anything else?

Yeah. Driving to all these locations,

it just seems like we'll be burning

a lot of fuel and polluting the air.

We have to go somewhere.

It's not like we can do

this thing in the cafeteria.

Hold up. I got an idea.

Oh, boy.

We can use the cafeteria.

We'll just get slides of all these

monuments and project them on the wall.

Yeah! That's the move.

And we can dance on the tables

like in "Fame".

-Yeah! Ooh, that'll work!

-Yeah, you know what I'm sayin'?

Totally! Totally!

[Yvette] Could you find Xavier

and tell him

that Yvette needs to speak with him?

It's important.

-Yes.

-Are you sure you can't make it work?

No. I have to break up with him now.

Oh, that's a shame.

So, exactly when will Xavier be back

on the market?

What?

What's up, baby?

What I wanted-- Ooh! Look at you!

What I wanted to say

to you is... is... uh...

I'll talk to you later,

when you're dressed.

Wear something baggy.

[T.J.] Okay, let's rehearse one.

♪ Uh, uh, check it out ♪

♪ Uh, come on, uh ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm doggin' you ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm playin' you ♪

♪ And, honey, I'm so fly ♪

♪ What? Come on ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm doggin' you ♪

♪ Why you wanna play the fool? ♪

♪ And you know that's no lie ♪

♪ You ain't lyin', ha ♪

♪ Mo will make you bounce ♪

♪ Till you can't stand still ♪

♪ Marcus got the vocals

to make the mommies go loco, for real ♪

♪ We never heal, we're like bad dogs,

But none can b*at us ♪

♪ We keep the naughties

For sorties and salsa for señoritas ♪

♪ We hot like D.C., singing for TV ♪

♪ Pete, my pal, gets down,

and you can't see me ♪

♪ But can you hate me for doggin' you?

Is that all of you? ♪

♪ Well, hear it straightforward, baby ♪

♪ It's all on you, girl ♪

♪ Don't hate me ♪

♪ For bein' a dog ♪

♪ Don't hate me ♪

♪ But, but-- don't hate me, baby ♪

-Alright, guys. Good rehearsal.

-Alright.

Let's put one of these in the can.

So to speak.

Okay. Slides are ready.

Alright. Put 'em on.

Places, everybody. Roll tape.

Cue music. And action!

♪ Uh, uh, check it out ♪

♪ About the dogs, uh ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm doggin' you ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm playin' you ♪

-Cut!

-Who said "cut"?

I did.

I just noticed

this is the Jefferson memorial.

And?

Jefferson owned slaves.

I don't think we should

celebrate that image.

Lose this slide. Next one, please.

Why, hey, it's Lincoln.

I think we can all agree he's a good guy.

And so... From the top. Roll tape.

-Actually...

-Cut tape.

Lincoln fought in the Illinois Militia,

against the Sauk and

the Fox Indian tribes.

That right there is oppression.

Lose Lincoln.

Uh, not so fast!

I think you're ignoring the rights

of the Illinois settlers,

who were simply defending

their homesteads.

You call 'em homesteads.

I call it imperialism.

-Thank you.

-Excuse me!

-Cat fight!

-Mmm, mmm!

Beautiful women fighting

over history. I'm there.

[overlapping shouting]

This is very hard for me to say, but our

relationship can't continue like this.

I need more.

Xavier?

Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting to take these

out after practice.

What were you saying?

I need more from this relationship.

Need more what?

More depth, more insight,

more intellectual stimulation.

Why?

Because without it,

all we have is a physical attraction.

What's wrong with that?

There should be more.

We have fun together. Isn't that enough?

No. It should be... I don't know.

They k*lled it.

They kept finding little bitty things

that were wrong,

And they kept pickin' and pickin'

and pickin' until there was nothin' left.

T.J., I'm kind of in the middle

of something--

Was it perfect? No, but it was fine just

the way it was.

Why couldn't they have left it alone?

-Well, sometimes--

-That was rhetorical.

What...

A question that doesn't require an answer.

If you're determined

to find something wrong, you'll find it.

Nothing's perfect, so why can't people

just look at what's good?

-Why can't they?

-Still rhetorical.

My point is, people need to lighten up.

They need to stop

over thinking everything.

Is that so hard?

Hey, this one's a real question.

No, T.J., it's not so hard.

Thank you.

You know, I just figured out

what the problem with our relationship is.

Yeah?

It's me overthinking it.

We were having fun, before I started

overanalyzing everything to death.

Well, you do think an awful lot.

I'm sorry.

No. It's what I like about you.

You know what I like about you?

What?

You're sweet.

Now, come on. You've got practice,

so I'll watch you swim laps.

They kept picking and picking and picking!

I ask you, is that fair?

This one's not rhetorical. You can answer.

No, it's not fair.

You started off with a fine

artistic vision, and now you got--

A mess. A big bucket of stink

because I gave in.

I gave in to everything they wanted.

Why'd you do that?

Because the people in the group

were complaining I was being resistant.

Oh.

Now, I thought you were gonna listen

to people's ideas.

I did. I did exactly what you

told me to do--

I listened and told them

I'd think about it.

And then?

And then I did what I wanted.

That's not listening, T.J.,

that's ignoring.

Well, I'm not ignoring anymore.

I've got dancing girls and a dog.

[laughing] Come here, buddy.

The point that I was trying to make

to you, and apparently I failed to--

Is that you're not supposed to be

a dictator or a doormat.

Be a leader, son.

Inspire them to give you their best.

It's kind of hard to be in charge.

"Uneasy lies the head

that wears the crown." Henry IV, part two.

You only know that, Dad, because I made

you read it to me at bedtime.

[overlapping arguing]

[Marcus] Alright, alright!

Okay! Chill, chill!

Look, this is important.

Now, we gotta make a decision,

otherwise, we are never gonna finish

this project, so...

-Chinese or pizza?

-Chinese.

-Pizza!

-Thank you.

[all argue]

Listen, guys! Shh!

I'd like to say something.

You've been quiet for a while.

I've been gone for two hours.

Then you really must be hungry.

Chinese or pizza?

Neither.

Look, I'm the director, and I'm back now,

and it's my responsibility to get

something on this film that we believe in.

So if I didn't include you at the start,

let's start now.

Marcus, what do you want

to say to your audience?

That my band sounds slammin'.

I'll get behind that issue.

That's not what's important to me.

What is important to you?

I kind of like the concept we

started off with--

Showing how the promise

of America doesn't live up to its reality.

I can get behind that issue, too,

except for the fact that it's boring.

It's just a bunch of old buildings.

But there was irony.

There was.

[Monique] I like the irony, too.

[Marcus] Oh, so now the band is out?

No. The song just didn't underscore

the message.

Do you think you could write something,

that plays a little more to the concept?

I had an idea for a song about a girl

I used to go with...

[Mo] She was real cool. Then she flipped,

and got all mean and evil.

So, why don't we just say, "you turned

on me, America ,"

Instead of, "you turned on me, Tookie"?

[Marcus] But with the same vibe.

Oh, yeah. You can't mess with the vibe.

This turned out real well.

I helped him edit it.

I can't wait to show this to my

new baby brother.

I'm still not convinced that

this was the best way to go.

So, T.J., you turned your entire concept

into a visual essay

on the nature of the creative process.

Uh... yeah.

Very impressive.

I told you this was the best way to go.

♪ What? Come on ♪

♪ Girl, you know I'm doggin' you ♪

♪ Why you wanna play the fool? ♪

♪ And you know that's no lie ♪

♪ You ain't lyin', ha ♪

♪ Mo will make you bounce ♪

♪ Till you can't stand still ♪

♪ Marcus got the vocals

To make the mommies go loco, for real ♪

♪ We never heal, we're like bad dogs,

But none can b*at us ♪

♪ We keep the naughties

For sorties and salsa for señoritas ♪

♪ We hot like D.C., singing for T.V. ♪

♪ Pete, my pal, gets down,

And you can't see me ♪

♪ But can you hate me for doggin' you?

Is that all of you? ♪

♪ Well, hear it straightforward, baby ♪

♪ It's all on you, girl ♪

♪ Don't hate me ♪

♪ For bein' a dog ♪

[clapper]

I'm never working for this guy again.