01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

["Inmensidad" by Raphael playing]

[people chatting loudly]

[laughter]

♪ I can't go back to you ♪
-[man laughs loudly]

-♪ Even if you leave your life behind ♪
-[woman laughing]

♪ I don't understand the path you chose ♪

-[sounds distort]
-♪ I can't forgive you for straying ♪

Stop, stop.

What the hell is he doing?

Hold on. Wait.

-[music ends]
-[Raphael] Sorry.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for coming to see me perform.

But to give you my best,
I need quiet and your attention.

So, if you'd be so kind, I'd appreciate it
if you could go back to your seats.

Mm, I think it's what's best
for the show and for everyone.

[crowd murmuring]

Thank you.

Is he out of his mind?

[Raphael] ♪ I made you choose
Between two worlds… ♪

-Who the hell does he think he is?
-Well…

I'm gonna talk to the manager.
He should do the same and apologize.

That way, Paco.

♪ …like me enough ♪

♪ You didn't even take me
Into your dreams ♪

♪ The enormity ♪

♪ Of my failure ♪

-What was that?
-What?

Bermúdez is furious. Don't piss him off.

-He's talking to the manager.
-I only asked them to be quiet.

In a place where people come
to drink, dance… whatever.

I'm done performing
in places where I'm background noise.

-With clinking glasses.
-That's the way it is.

After the tour flopped,
this is all we've got.

If this is all there is,
I'd rather have nothing.

I'm tired too. Not just Bermúdez.

All right.

-The Teatro de la Zarzuela?
-Yeah.

-Do you realize what you're saying?
-Yeah.

Antonio el Bailarín
says he'll let us use it.

All right, now, Rafael.

That theater seats--

-Over 1,000, right?
-1,300.

-We'll have to hire performers, dancers--
-No. I want to do it solo.

Just me and the audience. All or nothing.

"All or nothing"?
Didn't the last tour teach you anything?

No, it didn't.

-That's why I want to go it alone.
-Alone?

-Why?
-It's what I was born to do!

What you were born to do?
Jesus f*cking Christ. [scoffs]

-Let's think about this.
-No, wait.

-Listen--
-No. Just a second.

You know what bothers me?

That Antonio el Bailarín
believes in me more than my own agents.

-It's not like that.
-[Bermúdez] Wait.

And this whole thing,
who exactly is paying for it?

-[Bermúdez] No, Paco.
-Mm.

I'm here to make money.

If you want to crash and burn,
do it on your own dime.

I'm calling Antonio.

Wait. No. You're right.
Things haven't been going well.

The last tour was a total fiasco.

But trust me. We need to do this now.

If it fails, I'm done performing.

[light jazz music playing]

We already have the theater.

Paco.


BEFORE THE LA ZARZUELA CONCERT

[DJ] Ladies and gentlemen,
tonight at the Teatro de la Zarzuela,

an unprecedented event.

The young singer Raphael,
who has been touring towns all over Spain,

brings us something unique,
a solo performance,

which he calls a "concert,"
like the ones in France.

A format never before seen in our country,

one that has sparked
both excitement and misgivings.

[jazz music continues]

-The dressing rooms?
-Straight ahead, that way.

Thank you.

[DJ] Raphael will face the audience
completely alone,

with no supporting acts,
no backup singers or dancers,

in a concert expected
to last over two hours.

Will Spain be ready for a show like this?

Or could this be the end of his career?

[bright music rises]

A DAY LIKE NO OTHER

[sounds fade]

-[man] Good afternoon.
-Hello. Good afternoon.

-Raphael, right?
-Yeah.

Would you come with me?

-The curtains are already set up.
-Yes. I don't need anything else. Thanks.

They're not too happy.
Today was their day off. Mine too.

We'll pay.

There's no dressing room
for the conductor.

That's fine. We'll share mine.

They're taking bets.

-On what?
-On whether you'll crash and burn.

-What are the odds?
-Four to one that you will.

-What did you bet?
-[chuckles]

-That's just great.
-You know how it is. I've seen it all.

People who made it
and people who went nowhere.

-[Argentinian] Hi.
-How's it going? Nice to see you.

-Raphael.
-Thanks for coming.

Where's my dressing room?

[man] Follow me. This way.

Right through here.

This is your space.

-I hope you're comfortable.
-Thank you.

I've had bigger dressing rooms
in small towns.

I'm just grateful they made room for me.

How are you?

Honestly? Scared shitless.

Hey. Don't be ridiculous.

Hey, thanks.

-For what?
-For being here today.

It means a lot to me.

I go where I'm asked and where I'm paid.

-I'm kidding. It means a lot to be here.
-[sighs]

If this works, a lot of things
will change in this country.

And if it doesn't?

If not… we've been through worse.

Much worse.

JESUS OF MEDINACELI

[engine revs]

["Noche de ronda"
by María Teresa Lara Aguirre playing]

ONE YEAR EARLIER

[woman] ♪ Moon that breaks ♪

♪ Over the darkness of my loneliness ♪

♪ Where are you going? ♪

♪ Tell me if tonight ♪

♪ You'll go wandering
Like when she left ♪

♪ Who is she with? ♪

♪ Tell her I love her ♪

♪ Tell her the wait is k*lling me ♪

♪ Tell her to come back ♪

♪ To come back now ♪

♪ The wandering nights ♪

♪ Are no good ♪

♪ They always end in tears ♪

-Bravo!
-[cheering]

[cheering fades]

[birds singing]

-[horn honks]
-[man] Hey!

[woman] Welcome, guys!

[bells tolling]

[orchestra playing "Noche de ronda"]

♪ Night… ♪

♪ Night of wandering ♪

♪ How sadly you pass by ♪

♪ How sadly you cross ♪

♪ By my balcony ♪

♪ Night of wandering ♪

♪ Ah, how you wound me ♪

♪ How you hurt ♪

♪ My heart… ♪

-I'm going to take a walk around.
-Okay.

♪ The moon that breaks ♪

♪ Over the darkness of my loneliness… ♪

-How's it going?
-Oh, it's lovely.

♪ Where are you going? ♪

♪ Tell me if tonight ♪

♪ You'll go wandering
Like when she left ♪

♪ Who is she with? ♪

♪ Tell her I love her ♪

♪ Tell her the wait is k*lling me ♪

♪ Tell her to come back ♪

♪ To come back now ♪

-What a voice.
-Care to dance?

Sure.

♪ The wandering nights are no good ♪

♪ They always end ♪

♪ In tears! ♪

-[song ends]
-[applause]

-So cute!
-What do you mean?

q*eer!

[applause fades]

[man] q*eer!

Let's go.

[crowd murmuring]

Bravo!

-[cheering]
-Bravo!

-Bravo!
-[crowd whistling]

Bravo!

[applause fades]

Congratulations, Raphael.

Thanks. Likewise.

Are you happy?

I adore you.

That can't be.
The square was full. Did everyone pay?

-What's wrong? Don't you trust me?
-The numbers don't add up.

You artists think businessmen
don't need to make a living.

No, excuse me.
We need to make a living too.

-Well…
-It's just that…

Here's your cut.

Could you sign the receipt?

-Here, here, and here.
-Thank you.

-Thank you.
-No problem.

[girl] You're going to be a star.

Excuse us, ladies.
I need him for a moment.

Okay? We'll be back.

-Bye.
-[group] Bye!

Here. Look.

-It's not much.
-There are a lot of expenses.

I don't know what to do.
We've got two options.

Either we scale the show back,
or we let people go.

If we send them home,
no one will want to work with us again.

Carmen hasn't been paid in two weeks.
We won't even have money to eat.

-We should be playing theaters.
-We go where they book us.

Some places have theaters, some don't.

-What if we raise ticket prices?
-That's not up to us.

Promoters know what people can afford.

-So we play more shows.
-More?

Matinées. I don't know.

But we can't scale back or fire people.

Think about it.

[Raphael sighs]

You were amazing.

[somber music playing]

It's enough to get by,
but they used to pay more.

-Hey, what's wrong?
-Nothing.

-Feeling down?
-No.

Then what is it? Tell me.

Just stuff. Don't worry about it.

[music fades]

[jazz music playing]

[knocking on door]

Raphael, half an hour to curtain.



[excited chatter in distance]

[driver] Pass me the black one first.
Thanks.

And now toss me that one with the stripe.

And the brown ones over there.

-Good morning, Vicente.
-Morning, Raphael.

-Here.
-Thanks.

Here you go. Look.

[Vicente] Take that one.

Check if there's anything left, okay?

"One of the night's highlights

was his performance of a well-known ballad
that reached real dramatic heights--"

Yeah, great reviews,
full houses, but we're still in the red.

-You said this could work.
-No, I told you we had to let people go.

That we wouldn't turn a profit otherwise.
You didn't listen.

We can't go around with a worse show.

What do you want me to say?
This isn't working.

We'll cancel the tour,
say you're sick, and go back to Madrid.

-We can't.
-Why not?

-Out of respect.
-For who?

Ourselves and our people.

What are you looking at?

-[man] Mr. Gordillo!
-What?

A call for you. From Ciudad Real.

-Ciudad Real?
-[Raphael] Good news?

[suspenseful music playing]

[Gordillo] Come on. We're leaving.
[clears throat]

-Yes. How many people does it hold?
-[man] Around 300.

It's the biggest venue
in Castilla-La Mancha.

-If you think you can fill it…
-[Gordillo] We won't.

-[man] You won't?
-No.

What? Of course we will.

One moment, Mr. Blanco.
There's a problem with the line.

-Hold on. What?
-People in Ciudad Real have money.

-We can charge more.
-We won't fill it.

-So what do we do?
-It won't work.

-It will.
-No.

-What are you doing?
-Hello, Mr. Blanco.

-Who is this?
-Raphael.

-It works for us. We'll see you there.
-Wonderful. That's great.

-All right, thank you. Bye now.
-Bye.

Shouldn't we be working?
Then let's get to work.

[music fades]

[quietly] Jesus.

TODAY - RAPHAEL

-Here we are.
-I guess.

Come on. Cheer up. I'm sure it'll go well.

We'll see about that.

["Te voy a contar mi vida"
by Raphael playing]

♪ Long before you fall in love ♪

♪ Long before binding yourself to me ♪

-♪ I'll tell you my life story ♪
-[Gordillo] How are you? Good?

♪ Now, in the dawn of this romance ♪

♪ At the start of our affair ♪

♪ I'll tell you my life story ♪

-♪ I want you to know the worst of me ♪
-Hello.

♪ And judge me fairly ♪

♪ While there's still time ♪

♪ So you'll love me as I am ♪

♪ So you'll fall madly in love ♪

♪ I want you to know about my life ♪

♪ My world, my desires ♪

♪ My faith ♪

♪ Long before you fall in love ♪

♪ Long before binding yourself to me ♪

♪ I'll tell you my life story… ♪

-Mr. Blanco.
-Gordillo!

-How are you?
-Great.

-Mind if I sit?
-Go ahead

-To the artist.
-Cheers.

-He's good, huh?
-Really good.

♪ I want you to know about my life ♪

♪ My world, my desires ♪

♪ My faith ♪

Mission accomplished.

The rest of the shows are sold out.
Then we head home.

It didn't go as planned,
but all's well that ends well, right?

-That's right.
-Of course! Cheers!

[all] Cheers!

-To us.
-Well, well!

Congratulations!

Jacinto, another round for everyone.

-All right!
-Thanks.

You really stirred things up.

The whole city is in love with you.

So many people couldn't get tickets.

-It's a shame.
-We'll be back.

That's actually what I wanted to discuss.

-What's that?
-Extending the run.

Extending it? For how long?

Fifteen days.

Fifteen days?

I don't know. That's a lot.

No, there's real demand here
for this kind of show.

And people from nearby towns
will come too.

I guarantee it.

-I'm not sure about this.
-Wait.

Word has spread.

People want to see you.

Look, I've got it all figured out.

I'll rent you the hall for two weeks.

And in return, you keep all the profits.

What do you say?

-What do you think?
-I think 15 days is too much.

-I don't know.
-Wait. Let's talk outside.

[guitar strumming]

Once we sign, there's no turning back.

Why wouldn't we do it? It might work.

We could return to Madrid.

Philips wants to record a record.
That's not so bad.

Sometimes we get hung up on stuff…

So they can do
what they did with the first record? No.

Bermúdez wants you to perform in Madrid.
He says people will forget about you.

-Excuse me?
-That's what he says. I don't know.

Then Bermúdez can wait.
It's fine if he waits.

If this works, it's a lot of money.

We can pay everyone
and go back to Madrid debt-free.

The last three days went well.

-I don't think it's a bad idea.
-And what if we fail?

[bells ringing]

-How are you, María?
-Morning, Mr. Gordillo.

-How's it going?
-Still a lot of tickets left.

-Can you show me the sales sheet?
-Sure.

What's going on today?

-Lent. Forty days of keeping to yourself.
-How's that related?

People don't go out during Lent here.

No movies, no theater, no dancing.

Are you serious?

Let's stay positive. There's time.

-All right.
-Okay.

-Thank you.
-No problem.

[sighs]

Have faith.
There's a crowd for everything.

Church and shows.

Doesn't look like it.
We've sold eleven tickets.

-What do we do with that?
-It'll pick up little by little.

Then there's word of mouth.

No, I'm not buying that.

We can't afford this.
We're going back to Madrid.

-Fine. Suit yourself.
-All right.

But just so you know,

I'll be charging the full rent
for the venue. Understood?

The full amount?
No way. How can you do that?

Look. Let's see here.

Do you know what this is?

A contract signed by Raphael.

And it states it very clearly.

[somber music playing]

Come on, Gordillo.

You'll see. It'll pick up.



[Gordillo] Paco.

-Where are you going?
-I don't want to see.

-I don't want to watch him fail.
-It'll be fine.

-You don't believe that.
-Lots of people came.

We covered our expenses.
What's the problem?

Face it.
This isn't what people want to see.

-Oh yeah? And in France?
-This isn't France, for God's sake.

Come on.

If he wants to fail like last time,
let him.

Fine by me. Maybe he'll learn something.
But I'm not sticking around to watch.

-Paco, I'm sick and tired of--
-All right.

-"All right."
-Where are you off to?

It's about to start.

Well, look who's here.
I thought you'd left me on my own.

-Good luck.
-Thanks.

-What?
-Well…

Where are you going? It's about to start.

I'm going to the bar to make a call.
I'll be right back.

Don't be long. What's up with him?

-Come with me to the dressing room.
-He's just nervous.

-He's not coming back.
-Yes, he is.

He said he's making a call.

-He's sh*t-scared.
-Yeah. So is everyone.

-Aren't you?
-Yeah, but I've got a right to be.

He's old school. Change scares him.

He'll have to get used to it,
or I'll find a new agent.

Listen, Rafael.

-You have to admit, he's sometimes right.
-You don't trust me?

-I do, but we're all on edge.
-But you're here.

-Of course we are.
-That's what matters. He isn't. He left.

What if it goes wrong tomorrow?
Will people be there?

I don't know.

I told you. I'm taking a risk on my own.

That's the problem.
You're not on your own.

I'm here, aren't I?

Are you really?

What kind of question is that?
I've always been here. Haven't I?

Let's not do this now.
We'll talk later. I'm about to go on.

[music fades]

[Gordillo] It's Lent.
People barely go out.

Look.

-[Raphael] Eleven?
-Eleven, yeah.

Not counting the ticket seller's niece
and her friends coming for free.

[sighs]

Get everyone.

-When?
-Now. Before we go on.

We need to talk to them.

[Raphael] What a mess.

[door opens]

[indistinct chatter]

-Are they here?
-Yeah. Everyone.

All right, everybody, please.

[somber music playing]

You all know things
are pretty slow tonight.

There'll be more of us on stage
than in the audience.

-[woman] Loli, what do we do, cancel?
-No.

I think we need to remember

that the people who came tonight

deserve just as much
as the people who filled the place before.

And we're all professionals.

I know it's not easy, but we have
to make sure no one leaves,

regretting they came.

Quite the opposite.

We should make them feel lucky

to have had us perform just for them.

Agreed?

-Yeah.
-Yes.

All right, then.
Thank you, and good luck to everyone.

-[woman 1] Come on.
-[woman 2] Right.

[woman 1] Let's bring energy.
Let's do this.

[Raphael] Yeah, Mom. It's going well.

Yeah, of course we're eating well.

How are you guys doing?

Good. Glad to hear it.

Listen, I've got to go.
Everyone's packing up.

I'm just standing here talking.

-Yes, he's here with me.
-[quietly] No, no.

-I'll put him on.
-No.

I'll put him on. Love you, Mom.

Rafaela?

Fine.

Yeah.

Yes, he's doing very well.
You know I'm looking after him.

A success, really.

Yes, everything's great.

Listen, I've got to go.
They're packing up, and…

[chuckles]

All right.

Bye.

I spoke to Blanco again.

Did you hear me?

Sorry, yeah.

I spoke to Blanco again, and he says no.

Says if we're not selling, that's on us.

We should report him.

The whole town's on his side.
How can we report him?

And we've got people not getting paid.

And we're eating with your dad's money.

[Gordillo sighs]

-The accordion players are out.
-[sighs] The Josephines…

They needed to give two weeks' notice,
but we can't ask for it.

They've put up with enough.

We tried, kid.

We really did.

Tomorrow we do the show.

Whether it's three people,
two, one, or none at all.

We deserve it.

And we go home with our heads held high.

All right, Paco. I'm going to bed.

And you should put me
in a shared room like everyone else.

This is nearly over.

Besides, you know…

-Stars like you…
-We get the best room.

You know it.

Get some rest.

[melancholic music playing]

[Raphael] This isn't the ending I wanted,
but at least we're going home.

I want to thank all of you
for the effort you've put in.

I won't forget it.

And I swear I'll pay back
all I owe you, no matter what it takes.

And when something worthwhile comes along,
I'll call on all of you again.

Well… if you still feel
like doing this again, I mean.

Anyway, thank you again.

It's been a pleasure working with you all.

I've learned a lot.

And believe me when I say
I feel very sad, angry, and ashamed.

Because what we do,
and what we give the audience,

didn't deserve to end like this.

[sighs]

I applaud you.

[melancholic music continues]

All right, come on. Let's pack it up.

[woman] Come on. Let's go.

Thank you.

[sighs] I take it this is goodbye
for us too, right?

-Pati, I never meant to--
-It's okay.

You never promised me anything.

Come here.

Goodbye.

[music fades]

[rhythmic music resumes]



[music grows tense]

House lights.

Curtain up.

[music ends]

[crowd applauds]

[jazzy music resumes]

-Is it really that bad?
-What are you doing here? Get up. Go in.

-I'm not going, I told you.
-Get up and go in.

Look, it's over. That's it.

You're his agent. You need to be there.

-Damn it, he's giving everything he's got.
-Like everyone else.

He deserves for the people
who've been with him

to be there till the end.

Even if this is a disaster.

I'll be outside. Paco.

[music ends]

[sighs]

["Brillaba" by Raphael playing]

♪ Forgive me, Lord ♪

♪ For my mistakes ♪

♪ It's true, I sinned ♪

♪ With all my heart ♪

♪ Because of love ♪

♪ Burning loves ♪

-♪ I burned my soul ♪
-Excuse me.

-♪ With the light of passion… ♪
-That b*stard.

He's going to make me lose the bet.

♪ She shone ♪

♪ A light that blinded me ♪

♪ A magnetic force that pulled me ♪

♪ Toward the abyss ♪

♪ She shone ♪

♪ And I worshipped her glow ♪

♪ I walked day and night ♪

♪ Chasing a mirage ♪

♪ I know it was a mistake ♪

♪ I know I sinned ♪

♪ Forgive me, Lord ♪

♪ But she shone ♪

[applause]

So?

♪ She shone ♪

♪ And I worshipped her glow ♪

♪ I walked day and night ♪

♪ Chasing a mirage ♪

♪ I know it was a mistake ♪

♪ I know I sinned ♪

♪ Forgive me, Lord ♪

♪ But she shone ♪

[cheering]

Bravo!

Bravo!

[emotional music playing]

[music intensifies]

[music fades]

[doorbell rings]

-[Paco] Hey!
-Paco, come here.

Listen to this.
"Raphael achieved the impossible,

winning over a packed theater
with nothing but his voice,

his presence,
and his command of the stage." Incredible.

-Coffee?
-Yes, please. Hey, kid. Oh, you're here.

"A landmark night at the theater."

"Every critic dreams
of witnessing the birth of a star,

and that is
exactly what we saw last night."

You've really done it, kid.

- [Bermúdez] Amazing.
-Look.

All right. "The well-known singer Raphael,
who won in Benidorm three years ago,

took the stage alone
with the courage of a bullfighter,

armed with nothing but his voice
and his stage presence."

-See?
-I'm coming!

-[Gordillo] Want one?
-We're gonna do great things together.

I've got songs you're going to love.

-Really?
-You were right.

Well, you were too. It was crazy.

-Rafael.
-[Raphael] What is it?

This came for you.

[somber music playing]

RECRUITMENT DEPARTMENT

I have to do my military service.

When?

Now.

[music fades]

[energetic jazz resumes]

[music ends]