03x04 - Contempt

[bunniefuu]

[Theme music playing]

Charlie: Unbelievable.
MacKenzie: Unbelievable.

Don: That is a subpoena for a reporter
to appear before a grand jury.

If they had grand juries in east Germany
and east Germany still existed,

then that's where we'd be right now.

Put it away, Rebecca.

And nobody says a word about this

- to anyone tonight.
- Jim: What happens now?

Monday morning,
he'll appear before a grand jury.

He'll be asked to name
his source and he'll say...

- No problem.
- He'll refuse.

Tuesday morning, the prosecutor...

Who wants will's head hung in his den.

Will go to a judge to get an order
for will to answer the question.

Wednesday morning, armed with the order,
the prosecutor will ask him again

and he'll refuse again.

Thursday morning,
we appear before the same judge,

who the prosecutor will inform

that will has refused to comply
with a court order and then...

- Everybody goes home.
- Because you're too big to jail?

- That's right.
- Will, you've been wrong about everything.

- Every step of the way.
- Do you really think this administration

- will lock up a reporter...
- I didn't think they'd raid a newsroom,

- thathappened.
- Who exposed a disinformation campaign

that resulted...

I didn't think Neal would have to ere,
and he's in Venezuela.

And I didn't think they'd have
the sack to subpoena you,

but you've just been served
by a kid in a rented tuxedo.

And the reason the kid was wearing a tuxedo

was because they don't
want to make any noise.

[Phones chiming]

Or maybe they sent out a press release.

No sh*t.

- You know what this is gonna be?
- Yeah.

"Will mcavoy, hypocrite in a monkey suit."

It's been posted on carnivore,
but it's been picked up by everybody.

Carnivore? It was posted on carnivore?

Also, what the hell is carnivore?

It's a new website that
just got its first scoop.

"Acn won't be attending the saturnalia
of incestuous ingratiation..."

- I remember that.
- "...That does little to instill confidence

"in the public that the press
isn't ensorcelled by the powerful."

- I have to go find someone. Don.
- Mmm.

Lead the team on the kundu story,

which has to be on the air
by Wednesday night.

That's in... why does it have to be
on the air by Wednesday night?

Because it does.

- You and I need to talk.
- Yeah. Not here.

[Music playing]

Will, I'm Mimi tassler with buzzfeed.

- Nice to meet you.
- Any comment on the story on carnivore?

I was wrong about
the correspondents' dinner.

I forgot what a great time I always have.

Will, I'm Zachary Webber with politico.

- Do you want to comment on the story?
- Sure.

I probably need to read it first.

- I'm going back to the hotel.
- You can't.

- No, I can't stay here.
- Think for a second.

- What's the reason we came here in...
- Pruit.

We have to sit with pruit.

I've had a minute with him,
and so far it's going badly.

You don't think he's going
to buy the network?

No, I think he is.

Jack: I've never heard of carnivore.
Maggie: It's new.

Why do they have names like that?

Carnivore, vulture, beast, gawker.

I don't know.

And why do gossip columnists
always sound like gossip columnists?

Finke, weasel, snitch, frump.

[Laughs] I'm not familiar
with snitch, weasel, and frump.

What do you read?

Well, I read Jonathan weasel
on a regular basis

before clicking over to angryspiderscom.

- Anyway, my answer to your question...
- Hey!

You'll tell me later.

- We were thinking about calling it a night.
- It's early.

Don and iwerejust given
a new deadline on a story.

- What's the deadline?
- Wednesday night.

Gonna rent a car
and drive back to New York tonight.

Maggie: I'll go with you.

Maggie and I were just
discussing an ethical dilemma.

She has a friend who's dating a woman

who just started writing
for a website called carnivore.

- We should go.
- I just want to hear what they think.

Maggie's friend thinks that
websites like this are toxic

and are poisoning our national
conversation and culture,

but he likes the girl.

So my question is,
would he date a drug dealer?

How would you like to handle this?

- Wait.
- Yeah.

- She works for carnivore.
- Of course she works for carnivore.

I just said you'll tell me later
as I waved them over.

How could you not pick up on that cue?

- I've never been good at that.
- You're terrible at that.

Yeah, so we're gonna go get that car
and pick you up at the hotel.

Cool. I...

- Listen.
- Not yet.

- Drug dealer?
- He said that. I didn't say that.

You're talking about this with Maggie?

- It came up at work.
- What came up?

It just...

- Your new job.
- Your disapproval of me came up at work?

The page view incentives in your contract.

They're bonuses, you judgmental prick.

And why don't you believe in me?

Why do you assume that
as soon as I take a job like this,

I'm gonna be an as*h*le?

- I don't think that you're...
- Yes, you do.

How did carnivore get
that story about will?

Did you see my byline on it?


he was going to get away with it?

He didn't knock over a bank.

He sang an Aria about how messed
up the correspondents' dinner was,

said acn wasn't going, and then showed up.

You weren't aware of the Aria
until I told you about it.

That story was waiting and ready to go
and I'm the one who leaked it.

It wasn't going to be a secret.

You had nothing to do with it?

I told them what to look for.

- Yeah.
- If I hadn't,

I would be betraying my job,
and you know that.

You know that.

It's horrible that I
got it from you, but...

Listen, the new hr guy
at awm, Wyatt earp...

- Not his name.
- Wyatt geary.

He's onto us, me and Sloan,
and he wants me bad.

He's gonna come asking questions,
and when he does, you say...

Don and Sloan are just colleagues.

Should you guys be standing
next to each other?

Yeah, what are you doing
standing next to me?

I really don't know.

Scatter.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, too.

I get it.

Do you?

- Where have you been?
- Looking for someone.

We're supposed to be talking to pruit.

Listen, a little while ago...

Nothing.

- You sure?
- Yeah.

Let's talk to pruit.

Lucas.

Books are like the
new art, don't you think?

Yes. No. I have no idea what you mean.

We don't need them anymore,
but they look nice.

- We don't need books?
- Not on paper.

I'll send you a kindle, grandpa Joe.
You'll like it.

- I'm will mcavoy.
- MacKenzie mchale.

If you say you're not gonna come to a party

and you say it loud to a million people,

you can't show up to the party.

He came to talk to you because you
said you wanted to meet him at the party.

Why did you want to meet him at the party?

- Are you f*cking kidding me?
- Take it easy.

I won't take it easy.
The position you put him in,

all of us, for a laugh?

It was not for a laugh.

Don't be a child.

It was an exercise of power.

You shoved the lansings around for years,

and I wanted to let you
know right off the bat

that I'm not impressed by ratings.

Second, I want you to know
that I'm not in this for the trophy.

I'm in it for the
ratings. I'm just kidding.

But really, second place
does nothing for me.

Good, 'cause as of last
week, we're in fourth.

I don't know how you managed to swing that.

I was very proud of our Boston coverage.

Proud is generally what people
pretend they are when they've lost.

Cryptic is generally what people are

when they're trying to pretend
they possess supernatural powers.

Okay, we've gotten off to a rough start.

Lucas, we're naturally curious
about your plans for the network.

What if I told you you could be
the number one news network

and change the world at the same time?

Change it into what?

A place where people say snappy,
sardonic things like that.

Hey, we really have to do better
at talking to each other right now.

- Who are you looking for?
- Me?

You've glanced around a couple of times.

Nothing, I'm here.

Is that accent real?

Can we please cut the sh*t?

I'm gonna infuse acn with tens of millions
of new dollars in your budget.

How does that sound?

I'm gonna get 18 to 25-year-olds
to watch the news

so it can support itself
and so it doesn't die when you do.

The news gathering and newscasts
will have tentacles

in every reach of the Internet.
Interactives, podcasts, live streams,

tumblr, Facebook, Twitter.

We'll make our audience
reporters in the field

through Instagram and vine,
Snapchat and blogs. You still with me?

Our users become the audience
and our audience becomes contributors.

That's my plan.

Needless to say,
I'm impressed by your indifference

to talent, experience and credentials.

And I assume the absence
of the words truth, trust

and professionalism in your
mission statement was an oversight.

Your contempt for the second-rate
seems to be a contradiction, too,

since you believe the best reporting
is done by anyone with a phone

and the time it takes to write "epic fail."

And as an old guy,

I've got a lot more respect
for 18 to 25-year-olds than you do,

'cause I don't believe
their heads will explode

if you stop patronizing them
for an hour a night

and tell them
what the f*ck's going on in their lives

and maybe even in
the lives of other people.

The air up on that pedestal
must be pretty thin,

'cause you are delusional, sir.

If I am, I plan on staying that way.

And my network's staying, too.

We've got a problem now, you and me.

Have a good evening.

[Siren wailing]

Lasenthal: You knew that the documents
were stolen by the source?

- Will: Yes, sir.
- You knew the documents were classified?

Will: Yes, sir.

Did Mr. Sampat tell you anything
about the source?

- Yes, sir.
- Did Mr. Sampat tell you his name?

- Yes, sir.
- Will you tell us the name of your source?

- No, sir.
- Let me phrase that differently.

Would you tell the grand jury
the name of the person

you know to have
stolen classified government documents

containing secrets, which, if made public,

could calamitously threaten
our national security?

No, sir, I won't.

At this time I'll excuse the grand jury
until 10:00 am. Wednesday,

at which time I will return

with a court order compelling the witness
to answer that question.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

And, Mr. Mcavoy, you can step down.

Hey.

Does anybody know
if they got that guy out of the country?

The writer. The guy
who wrote the fake story.

Been over a week since
the government's known about the breach.

- They would have pulled him, right?
- You would think so,

but we need to find out.

Oh, come on!

Come on in.

Don't look at any of these papers,

don't look down,
and don't ask anyone what they're doing.

Got it.

I just wanted to ask you in person

why you haven't accepted
my friend request on Instagram.

[Slurps]

It was the very next thing I was gonna do.

- How about now?
- Sure.

Gary, toss me my phone.

Martin, can you read this over,

- and if it looks good to you, take it to Mac?
- Sure.

[Keypad beeping]

- Acce pted.
- Awesome.

[Knocking on door]

Come in.

It's from Don and it says "take to Sloan,"

and then it says, "sabbith" in quotes.
So, I was told to read it.

Do you think it meant
take to Sloan sabbith...

Was the new hr guy just down there?

- Yeah, how did you know?
- It's his Instagram password.

Nice try, but my mama didn't raise a fool,
unless you count my brothers.

So I don't know what we just did,

- but I'm gonna go back to work.
- Yeah.

- Hey.
- Have you been outside today?

How do you think I got
from where I live to where I work?

- I just mean it's a gorgeous day.
- Shut up.

All right.

There has to be another way.

There has to be another buyer
for this network in the next...

- Few hours?
- Few days.

Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, antoinette dodd,

Michael... Michael bloomberg?

- Do you know any of those people?
- I know all of them.

But Leona and Reese told you

they exhausted all their options
before they went to pruit.

They exhausted all their options for
keeping control of awm before selling us,

but they didn't necessarily exhaust
their options of who to sell us to.

Look, I want what you want,

but this is big business
and you're a news director.

You don't know what you're doing.

You can't just write down
names of rich people.

I didn't just write down...

Those are all people
who would be interested in media buys.

Elon Musk isn't interested.

Michael bloomberg
has his own media company.

Larry Ellison is busy
winning the america's cup.

Toni dodd...

- Antoinette dodd.
- What?

This is unbelievable.

- What?
- It's just...

So help me, Hannah...
I read in page six, like, two weeks ago

that Toni dodd was looking
to buy a media group.

I remember because I thought,

"this is exactly what happens
to Melanie Griffith in working girl."

And, hand to god, I was on the
staten island ferry at the time.

But there was nothing
I could do with that information,

so my mind went to how good
a young Alec Baldwin was in the movie.

And whatever happened
to that Carly Simon song?

You think Toni dodd
wants to buy a news network?

Page six wouldn't
say it unless it was true.

- And she has in the area of $4 billion?
- That's not how it works.

Nobody has $4 billion.

But, yes, she has $4 billion.

Are you able to call
her? She'll take your call?

- Yeah.
- You need to set up a meeting

for her and Leona
as soon as humanly possible.

Leona can't meet with another buyer
while she's negotiating with pruit.

Friendly, informal, off-the-record meeting?

Pruit will go away.

Not fast or far enough.

I know you don't like the guy, but...

It doesn't matter that I don't like him.
It matters that I'm scared of him.

You were scared of Reese and Leona,
but you turned them around.

You'll fight with pruit and you'll win.

I don't want to fight with anybody, Sloan.
I'm tired.

I don't want to expand
the definition of the news.

I want to narrow it.

We'll be right back at the beginning,
only worse.

I can't fight these fights with this guy.

I won't win.

We can meet with her.

- You and me?
- Yeah.

But quietly.

'Cause there's one option worse than pruit,

and that's this place getting sold for
parts and a lot of people out of work.

Very quietly. And now.

How'd it go?

Exactly the way we said it would.

Now lasenthal goes to a judge

to get court to compel will
to answer the question.

Now, tell me what's happening in here.

Tell me we'll be able to run
the story by Wednesday night.

We've got the motive,
but we don't have the ringleader.

The motive is what we thought it was?

To disrupt and delay their elections.
We've got that cold.

Elections that would have yielded
a hard-line islamic government.

Democracy is good
as long as we like the outcome.

- Don: Yes.
- How do you circle that square?

By knowing that islam is a religion
and not a form of government.

When it becomes one, it is fascism.

- And the 38 dead bodies?
- Are a bargain

compared to what it'll cost us
in blood and money

when we have to b*mb the place
five years from now

because it's al-qaeda's new home office.

But we've got a different problem.

The writer of the story,
we think he's still on the ground.

Don and I are each talking
to a different source at state.

When I asked my source
if the writer was out,

he said, "I don't know. Is he?"

They're trying to slow down the story.

Then my guy said,
"no, the writer is not out."

- Do you believe him?
- 50-50.

But when our story comes out
that this guy worked with the us,

they're gonna slit the throats
of his children right in front of him

and then drag him down main street,

so I don't want to pick the wrong 50.

- Extend your arbitrary deadline.
- It's not arbitrary.

Work with state,
get the guy and his family out today.

It's night in kundu.

The phones don't work
at our embassy at night?

What are you working on?

A piece.

You're not allowed to tell me?

I don't want to fight right now.

I don't either.

I'm really glad you said that.

Do you mean that?

I have to go back to the office tonight.

We're crashing on a deadline
I don't even understand.

I just want to eat my sandwich
near you for a while.

Sometimes you say that,
and then you ambush me.

What are you working on?

My editor wants me to
write more personally.

- Like an op-ed?
- Yeah.

- What's wrong with op-eds?
- Nothing.

What are you writing about?

I pitched a few, but the only one they liked
was my experience with the plan b pill.

Cool.

- Come on.
- I said, "cool."

You said more than that.

What's wrong with
writing in the first person?

What's wrong with sex?
And what's wrong with my new job?

Hallie, I said, "cool."

You're not going to give me
a hard time about this?

I'm your boyfriend.

It is my role to support you.

It's a role I'm grateful to have,
and I want to do it well.

Thank you. Sorry ijumped the g*n.

No problem.

Does your piece begin, "dear penthouse,

- "I've never written a letter like this before"?
- m*therf*cker!

[Door slams]

You know how this is gonna end, right?

Please don't directly address my client.

- We're in chambers, counselor.
- I don't care if we're in your f*cking hot tub.

Hey, I'm on a government salary.
I barely have a bathtub.

Good morning.

- Morning, judge.
- Good morning, sir.

Does anybody need any coffee or anything?

- No, thank you, judge.
- No, thank you.

Mr. Lasenthal, how can a man
with your resume possibly let this happen?

Your honor, there's a limit to my ability

to let or not let things happen.

Not much of a limit.

Mr. Mcavoy is aware
of the identity of someone

who has committed in excess
of 27,000 counts of theft

of government property,
disclosure of classified documents

and conspiracy to commit espionage.

The suspect remains at large

and presents a clear
and present danger to national security.

Cedarman: Why is he not protected
by the first amendment?

Lasenthal: Because the court
in branzburg denied the press

first amendment protection
when they're subpoenaed

to testify before a grand jury
in a criminal case.

- Counsel?
- Sir,

the court in branzburg also said

that a journalist need not comply
with a grand jury subpoena

where there's bad faith or harassment.

The government has raided
my client's newsroom, seized hard drives

and threatened him with criminal
prosecution under the espionage act.

In this case,
a journalist participated in the crime.

[Chuckles]
He didn't pull on a ski mask, judge.

- He may have unwittingly...
- He didn't do anything unwittingly.

Lasenthal:
He is the senior editor of acn digital.

Rebecca: You are speculating on
whether a third party...

All right, all right.

Mr. Mcavoy,
is there anything you'd like to say?

I haven't heard a request
from the prosecutor, sir.

Am I crazy, or have you argued in my court?

You're not crazy, sir.
Brooklyn criminal court, part c.

- How'd I do?
- You were very fair.

Does your honor need to recuse himself?

I want counsel to take care of this.

I don't want to see the press on the steps
when I come in to work tomorrow.

And I absolutely don't want to see you
in my courtroom on Thursday,

which I strongly suspect
is what's going to happen

as Mr. Mcavoy does not strike me

as someone who is likely to cave,

especially with everybody watching.

It was foolish of you, Mr. Lasenthal.

The DOJ should not have let it go this far.

The department of justice, your
honor, is not playing a strategic game.

We have to arrest his source,

and the government of the United States
will avail itself

of every legal measure to do that.

The government's request is granted.

Mr. Mcavoy, you're directed to appear

before the grand jury
at 10:00 am. Tomorrow.

- I have a logic problem.
- Maggie, what's going on over there?

- Sloan: His logic is inconsistent.
- How?

He doesn't believe the source
should have leaked classified documents.

- Neither do I.
- But he's unwilling to help law enforcement

capture the source by identifying him.

- He can't. I'd be unwilling and so would you.
- I know,

but following that logic, he should
also not be willing to broadcast the story.

If he believes no one should ever leak
because it poses a critical threat,

then why is he broadcasting the story?

Well, I can't speak for will, but I will.

This leak, he believes, is a good leak.

What he's very reasonably
worried about is the bad leaks.

So he'd prefer there are no leaks.

You and will are making
the same unilateral decision

you don't want a leaker to make.

I trust strangers less than I trust me.

Your logic is consistent,
though horrifying.

No one's gonna ever guess
you guys are a couple.

All right, listen. Listen up.

He's refusing to leave without his kids, and
his youngest kid doesn't have a passport.

Jesus. All right.
We got to get the kid a passport.

State has to expedite that.

The state department can
only issue us passports.

They've got to walk over to the embassy.

- And tell them what?
- Where are we?

Just...

We need a favor. Whatever it is they do.
Can I talk to you a minute?

The youngest of his three kids
doesn't have a passport.

State's got 30 hours to get him one.

We are talking to mid-level people,

and the us department of state
isn't hopping to it

when we give them instructions.

You have to tell me why

we have to air the story tomorrow night
and not a week from tomorrow night.

All right,
I'm gonna be out for about four hours.

Once we run the story,
we've shot the hostage.

Will has no more leverage.

If we don't run the story,
why don't we all just go home?

Four hours.

Don't ask me where I was when I come back.

Toni:
And what we say is important is important.

The news reflects back to us
our national character,

and I don't like seeing
a bored and boring teenager in the mirror.

What we say is important is important.

It's a solid business, Toni.

Locked-in carriage contracts
with every mvpd, and they're staggered.

The carriage fees are due for a hike
that could double revenues by itself

over the next decade.

Can you talk about valuation?

Earnings before interest?

You'll look at our books
and see it's in the sweet spot,

and the deal would be
accretive to your earnings.

It would pay for itself?

And then some.

Have you decided what you would like?

A news network.

- [Siren wailing]
- [Car horns honking]

You were on fire in there.

I didn't understand half or, really,
any of what you were saying, but...

You were able to follow when she said

she's meeting with her board on Thursday,

and she thinks we'll have
an answer we'll like?

Just tell me one thing. Is she eccentric?

- How do you mean?
- She didn't eat her food.

She pushed it around a little,
but she plainly doesn't like Sushi.

Why set a meeting at a restaurant
where they only serve Sushi?

Boss, you may be overthinking that.

That's hardly ever the problem.

We'll find out Thursday.

It's ahead on the left.

Just here.

You can keep the meter running.

No umbrella?

You either.

Should we sit in your car?

They may be tapping my car.

I disabled the GPS,
but they can still get in.

We need more time.

- I told you tomorrow night.
- Lilly.

Tomorrow night, or I just have
to upload the documents.

- The writer of the story...
- We're the writer of the story.

Joseph bartho,
who physically wrote the story,

whose name is on it,
and who is paid by the us government,

is still on the ground because one of
his kids doesn't have a passport yet.

If we run the story before
bartho and his family are out,

the best-case scenario is
he gets a trial before he's ex*cuted.

And if you dump the documents
without them being vetted,

there's a very good chance
other people will be in danger.

You really don't need to speak to me
like I'm dim-witted.

Please lift the deadline.

Give me a reason to trust you.

You already did.

You reached out to us.
Not the other way around.

But you've been talking to the government.

We got an invitation
to talk to the government.

It's called a subpoena.

They also made an unannounced
drop-by called a raid.

I'm not talking about that.

You said that you've been working
with the government to vet the material.

- Of course we are.
- You trust them?

In my way.

You don't trust them any more than I do.

Please lift the deadline.

I reached out to Neal, not to you.

Well, Neal's in Venezuela, Lilly.

And you know what? Why aren't you?

Why haven't you said, "this has
gone too far. Let's switch places.

"I'll go to a country
with no extradition treaty.

"You're now free to disclose my name.
Neal can come home

"and will can stop spending his days
in front of a grand jury."

Why hasn't that happened?

You really think the price
for telling the truth should be that high?

[Thunder rumbles]

No, I don't.

I promise this story will be reported.

Well, I can't promise anything.

Really?

Look, mcavoy's a republican.

- I know he thinks I'm a criminal.
- He's a journalist.

His politics don't have anything...

"Worst-period-generation-
period-ever-period."

That was spoken in the middle
of a very difficult...

I reached out to Neal,
so I can't promise anything.

You know, it wouldn't matter if you did.

I trust you less than I trust them.

Dump the documents and I'll quit my job,

walk to the FBI and give them your name.

- Trust that.
- f*ck you.

We can go back to the airport now.

Mr. Mcavoy, I have here a court order

directing you to tell us
the name of the individual

that is the target of this investigation.

Will you comply with the court order?

No, sir.

You won't comply with the court order?

No, sir.

- [Music playing]
- [Chatter]

I saw a lot of spirit in
that shot, a lot of guts.

Shut it, fast Eddie.

Why are hot women
in movies always great at pool?

Is that what men like?
A hot girl who plays nine-ball?

You could have said
anything after "hot girl"

- and the answer would have been...
- All right.

[Phone chimes]

Oh, brother.

What happened?

- Hallie posted a column. You ready?
- Mmm-hmm.

"Old media guy and new media girl:
An analog romance."

- What's it about?
- What do you think it's about?

It's pretty personal, but in her defense,
she doesn't use his name.

What does she call him?

- Jim?
- Yeah.

Tim.

Hallie is an excellent reporter.

And she's reporting on a fight
she's having with her boyfriend.

She's working a tough beat.

- It's a lot more than that.
- Okay, read it.

"My boyfriend loves me,
but he doesn't like me.

"He definitely doesn't follow me.
He disapproves of me."

Maybe he just disapproves of
using the word "me" four times in the lede.

How would you have written it instead?

I'm not a professional writer,

but I'd have maybe
tweaked the opening so it read,

"I am not making my private life
and the private lives of others

"available for entertainment
so I can get comments like,

"'you stay strong, Hallie.'

"'he doesn't deserve you." '
Seven in the corner.

I have been a witness to Jim
being a condescending...

Look, there's nothing wrong with this.

It's relatable and interesting
and she can write like crazy.

Did she ask Jim's permission before
deputizing him into her well-written...

Why are you so quick to defend Jim?

Why are you so quick to defend Hallie?

Because she's going to be attacked by Jim.

Probably not in print,
but I don't think that's the reason.

I'm always grateful when a man can tell me
why I'm thinking what I'm thinking.

You're into Jim
and you don't want to be a jealous cliché,

so you defend Hallie for show.

And it's a classy thing to do,

but at some point we're going to
have to discuss how that makes me feel

to know that any man in your life
is going to be the runner-up.

You really believe that?

Still got my security key.

- This place has gone to hell without me.
- Mmm-hmm.

It's almost 1:00 in the morning, Jim.

Are you not coming home
or answering my calls or texts?

I told you my editor wanted me
to write more personally.

[Sighs]

There are classified
documents in this room.

You can't be in here.

[Wind blowing]

It was an invasion of privacy.
I'm really sorry for that.

I was mad. We had just had the last fight,

and I went into the
other room and wrote it.

You know my computer doesn't trust me.

It always asks,
"are you sure you want to do this?"

But it never asks before I hit...

I don't care about the invasion of privacy.
I wish I did.

I've been here for hours

trying to make myself mad
because it was an invasion of privacy.

And the crowd would be on my side.
That's a no-brainer.

- You don't like me very much.
- And I wish I didn't like you so much.

Took five f*cking days, Hallie,

for you to give yourself
your own reality show.

I understand your wanting
to insult me right now,

but that's not what I did.

Writing about the media,
writing about the New York elite,

telling personal stories
that resonate with readers

doesn't take one cent
away from covering Syria

and Afghanistan and Washington.

There are foreign correspondents,

sports correspondents,
fashion correspondents.

And an unbearable correspondent.

Jealous of the New York elites?
I've got you covered.

A movie star was at
an environmental fundraiser

and they rode on a private jet?

Here's your phony outrage.

Feeling a little like
you didn't make the cut?

I hereby declare that amateurs are awesome
and professionals are so 20 years ago.

Only instead of professionals,
I'm gonna say old media,

and instead of Jim, I'm gonna say Tim

because I'm Hallie shea,
senior f*ck you correspondent

- and I've decided to become a star.
- Are you drunk?

Did you out yourself about the Boston tweet
to make sure no one suspected anyone else

or did you do it to let our enemies know
you were available?

Do you hear the way
you're talking right now?

- Our enemies?
- Did you?

I'm gonna stay at my place tonight.

Do you mind if I tell you something?

Your problem isn't with me
and it isn't with the site.

It's with the audience.

You don't like that
they like what they like

because you need them to like you,
and that's no different...

I don't give a sh*t about me or liking me

or following me or
friending me or trending.

It's just ugly.

I think you're threatened by technology.

I beam a signal into
outer space every night.

I'm not scared of your Samsung galaxy.
What else you got?

I want to be part of the digital
revolution. I want to be part of...

Oh, my god!
I am not talking about the apparatus!

[Groans]

Just tell me you know I'm right.
Please. Please.

At least tell me that.

Tell me when you knock away
the digital revolution bullshit...

"We're not beholden to corporate masters."

Yeah, or any standard of good taste.

Tell me, please, that you know all you did
was have a fight with your boyfriend

and litigate it in public.

Because I have spent time
with hardcore drug movers,

and they don't pretend
they're selling medicine.

Yeah, I'm drunk.

- I'm gonna miss you.
- You're gonna miss a lot of things, Jim.

[Door opens and closes]

[Grunts]

- Yeah?
- If he sentences you, where do you go?

Nowhere. He's not
gonna find me in contempt.

- But if he does?
- Manhattan correctional center.

That's a real jail.

And you've been shot at
and you've been stabbed.

[Phone ringing]

It's 1:30.

I think that's your phone.

[Groans]

We need a table or a dresser

where I can put my phone.

Also, walls and electricity.

Hello.

Is it Rebecca? Is it Charlie?

It wouldn't be Charlie.
It'd be Rebecca. Is it work?

It would've been my phone
if it was work. Is it Rebecca?

Hang on.

Yeah?

Okay.

No court tomorrow.
The hearing's been moved to Friday.

Cedarman wants lasenthal
and Rebecca to work on a deal.

Does he know there won't be a deal
that involves not airing the story?

What he knows is he doesn't want to be
the judge who locked up a news anchor.

I find your Irish stoicism...

- Sexy?
- Irritating.

Thank you.

He's out.

[Cheering]

[Singing over recorder]
Hallelujah!

Everybody, the whole family.
Everybody's out.

Here we go, tonight.

Show me a rough sketch to time by 3:00.

Good job, everybody.

Thank you. We're not done yet.

Good job, Don.

Jim, you look sleepier than usual.

Tess, Gary, Kendra, Martin,
Sloan, you did nothing.

- Maggie...
- Mac.

Jenna, your future is limitless.

Reese wants to see you in his office.

Now?

Reese?

Come on in. Close the door, please.

Joseph bartho and the
Joseph bartho family singers are out.

We just got the word.
They're heading to France

via 14 connecting flights
and a team of oxen.

So we're running the story tonight.

You can't. I'm sorry,

you can't run it at all.

[Chuckles]

- Why?
- Pruit. He signs a deal at the end of the day,

and he won't if we run the story.

Because of will?

Says he doesn't think there's a chance
cedarman's gonna send him.

It's not because of will.

He likes that will's going to jail.
He wants him to broadcast from there.

- I'm certain they won't allow that.
- I'm certain they won't, too.

- What's the problem, Reese?
- The fines.

His lawyers had to be told about the story,
and they've advised him that

if the story was gathered illegally,

the justice department can,
and probably will, impose

crippling criminal fines.

- This is horseshit.
- I know.

The source risked everything.

Neal's hiding in South America.

Will is facing a grand jury.

Bartho and his family fled the country.

- And it was for nothing?
- Mac.

It was for nothing?

Yeah.

Selling the company is the only way
you get to live to fight another day.

Do we ever get to win one?

I've got to go and tell the staff.

Hey, Mac. You know,
the fight with the grand jury isn't over.

- They still want his source.
- I know.

Since the day you got here,
will's been having a battle with himself.

Is he a real journalist or just good on TV?

You ever think he might be
doing this for you?

Because I don't think there's not a chance
he's gonna be sent to jail.

I've got his ring on my finger.

He's not doing this to win my approval.

Then it would be the first thing
I've seen him do that wasn't.

I'm going to tell the staff.

- I'm sorry.
- Thank you.

[Groans]

[Sighs]

[Knocking on door]

Can I make a suggestion which,
if you think about it,

makes a lot of sense?

Don't say anything.

Have Rebecca go to lasenthal
and say we're willing to k*ll the story

in exchange for everybody's off the hook.

Do you think there's a chance
will would let Rebecca utter those words?

- No.
- [Both laugh]

Let's pack the documents up in cartons

and label everything.

[Sighs]

Who's the most responsible
reporter you can name?

- You.
- Thank you.

Who doesn't work here.

Maybe someone who could use a break.

Responsible how?

There is an old teacher
of mine from Columbia.

She mostly gets garbage assignments now
'cause she's in her 70s.

Write her name down.

[Pounding]

I just heard. Sorry, bubba.

Good afternoon.

I'll tell you, Mr. Geary,
this isn't the best time.

- You two are a couple.
- We're not,

but maybe we can do this later.

No, you are.

I have a signed letter
declaring that you are.

It was sitting in my office
in a pile of things I hadn't gotten to yet.

- Somebody ratted us out?
- Yes.

Nobody around here would drop a dime.

- You're blowing smoke. Who cheesed?
- Okay, mugsy.

- You did.
- Huh?

- You did.
- Which one of us are you talking to?

- I think you know.
- What's he talking about?

Sloan wrote a letter to hr
declaring the two of you a couple.

Yeah, it was after you made $125
on the chipotle trade I tipped you off to.

We spent the last two weeks

trying to conceal
from this man that we're dating,

and the whole time you knew

you'd sent him a letter
saying we were dating?

- Mmm-hmm.
- Why?

Well, obviously I was hoping
he'd never find out.

But you knew he was gonna
read the letter eventually.

Eventually is a wonderful time of day.

This was a
cross-that-bridge-when-we-get-to-it

situation for me.

- And here we are. We're at the bridge.
- Wyatt...

Is lying to corporate
something you do habitually?

Don and I like to make decisions
about lying on a case-by-case basis.

Maybe you've helped enough.

Please, don't transfer one of us.

We don't work together enough,
but the little we do works.

And if you ask Sloan to choose
between me and herjob,

you wouldn't be able to get
that sentence out before she said herjob,

and I really like her
and I'm trying to be good enough.

And this here is the best thing that I do.

And can I say one more thing?

It's just occurred to me that your company
is only going to own my network

until the end of the day,

so what the hell has this all been about?

- Come to think of it...
- I'm blown away you let me do it this long.

Why did you do it this long?

Fun.

Iwork in hr.

Our days aren't scored
by the hallelujah chorus.

I don't know anything
about the story you were all working on,

but I know enough to say sorry.

Good luck to the two of you.

I'm a big fan.

Put those Instagram photos back.

- Yes, sir.
- Why haven't we heard anything yet?

- The board's still meeting.
- Pruitjust walked into the building.

- He's an hour early.
- Yeah.

What are you guys talking about?

The bloomberg terminal will tell us
everything we need to know.

Bloomberg terminal, tell us what's going on
with Toni dodd's board meeting.

It's not a ouija board.

Iwasn't... I was just, you know, praying.

- What are you two...
- Hang on.

Their press rep just tweeted,

"exciting announcement about
major media acquisition coming at 5:00 pm."

Go. Tell Reese.

- So what's going on?
- We found a white knight.

Antoinette dodd's gonna buy acn.

- Are you kidding?
- Hang on.

- No, seriously.
- Hang on.

How did you do that?

- sh*t.
- What?

This can't be happening.

I don't know what you're looking at.

Options on halifaxjust started trading up.

- The halifax group.
- Halifax group options...

f*ck!

She's buying halifax.

She met... I don't believe this.

She met with us.
She wanted them to think that...

We were leverage.

God damn it!

Lucas: There's no need for airports.

Just runways and a fence.

That's a hell of a plan, Lucas.

Dude, I told you in college

that one day I was gonna buy
a company out from under you.

I gave you, like, 15 years' warning.

I remember you telling me
you were sleeping with my girlfriend,

but not the second thing.

You were probably
in shock from the first thing.

Call it off! You don't have to
sell us to this pretentious ponce.

Toni dodd just got out
of her board meeting,

and she's gonna make a competitive offer.

So f*ck you and f*ck you again,

you fiber-optic yak!

Charlie. Charlie.

What Sloan's telling Charlie
is that people are buying halifax

at the current stock price
with an expiration on the assumption

that Toni's about to
announce she's buying it.

It was leverage, Charlie.

She wanted people to think
she was looking at acn.

That's why she had you guys
eat at that Sushi place.

She knew there was a halifax
board member there.

- You're gonna love me, Charlie.
- No, I'm not.

Yeah, you are.

I'm gonna take you into the 21st century

right after I drag you through
the 19th and 20th.

You couldn't have gotten here


I just saw it.

What's the point of having

- a bloomberg terminal...
- It's not the terminal's fault.

Lucas: You want a ceremonial pen?

It can write in a zero-gravity environment.

Yeah, I plan to take a trip
through the ionosphere.

[Chuckles] Keep that sense of humor.
You're very entertaining.

- No, whoa. Come on.
- Whoa, whoa!

We're sworn enemies now, he and I.

He can still hear you.

- Did you see Charlie?
- After the show.

He was cleaning his 12-Gauge
with maker's Mark

and muttering, "k*ll the wabbit."

It's not Irish stoicism, is it?

This is some kind of
internal baptism for you,

which would be heartbreaking enough,
except I think maybe it's a little for me.

Don't you know that anything that
can be proven by courage and character,

you proved to me a long time ago?

You want me to give up the source?

I just want you to say you're scared.

All right, here's the thing, MacKenzie.

'Cause I love you, but you've had me
on your couch for three years,

and this one time we're switching places.

You're tearing yourself up

because you either
prioritize the story over me,

which you think makes you a bad person,

or you prioritize me over the story,

which you think makes you a bad reporter.

Either way, you're wrong.
The source came to Neal,

and then I asked Neal
for his name, and then...

- You can stop saying "his."
- What do you mean?

His name. The source is a woman.

I've spoken to her in person twice.

I know just as much about her as you do.

Why are you standing
in front of a judge and not me?

Oh, god.

You can't ever repeat what you just said.

[Reporters chatting]

Cedarman: Mr. Mcavoy refused to comply
with an order of this court.

Title 28, section 1826[A]

Of the United States
code directs this court

to hold a grand jury witness in contempt

if he refuses the order
and does so withoutjust cause.

We're here today to determine
if the witness can showjust cause.

Miss halliday,
I'll hear argument for the witness.

Thank you, your honor,
and may it please the court.

Mr. Mcavoy's cause exists
because he is protected

by a reporter's privilege
to withhold information,

a privilege that's been recognized
by a wide range of courts.

Rebecca: If we were
to apply that test here,

we would find that the information given
by the reporter's source

poses no harm to the public,

and we would weigh that
against the newsworthiness

of the us government swift-boating
a foreign election with disinformation

that got 38 people,
including three Americans, k*lled.

No one disputes that this is
a tragic story of unintended consequences.

No one intended for anyone to die
and no one did anything ill*gal.

Our intelligence professionals
engage in covert operations

all over the world to keep us safe.

It's their job.

It's how we won world w*r ii.
It's how we won the cold w*r.

It's how the Berlin wall fell,

and it's why more buildings
didn't fall on September 12th.

But not only can't they do their jobs

if their identities are revealed
by a rogue government worker,

their lives and the lives of their families

will be put at great risk immediately,
and perhaps without even their knowledge.

Judge, when they do their jobs recklessly,
the public has a right to know.

And how does someone who isn't
an experienced professional

in the clandestine services

presume to know when one
of our agents is doing their job well?

In this case,
we can put a stethoscope on the 38 bodies.

The court is sufficiently convinced
of the news value of this story.

Mr. Lasenthal,
please speak to any harm it poses.

Judge, someone with a high level
of security clearance

has committed an act of espionage.

That fact is not in dispute.

This person is still inside the government,

still has access to classified materials.

This person must be apprehended.

Law enforcement doesn't know the identity.

Mr. Mcavoy does.

And I can't imagine

what other argument
the court needs to hear.

Mr. Mcavoy.

What do you want me to do?

Your honor, if you're leaving it up to me,
I'd just as soon go home.

It's funny, but the first time

the supreme court ever supported
a claim of protection

under the first amendment
wasn't until 1919.

The amendment says
congress shall make no law

abridging freedom of
speech or of the press.

And we went 125 years

without that law protecting
critical expression.

The legislation that sparked the dissent?

The espionage act.

I just thought that was interesting.

I appreciate the defense
my attorney mounted,

but my heart is with the prosecutor.

I'm sorry, Rebecca, it just is.

It didn't used to be that so much damage
could be done by so few people.

It just used to be harder.

It took more manpower.

So, for me, I don't like the cost benefit.

But I can't give you the name of my source.

I'm just not allowed to, your honor.

It's as simple as that. I'm not allowed to.

And as your honor well knows,

prison time in a civil contempt case
can't be punitive, only coercive.

So with that in mind,

I'm telling the government and the court

that there are no number of prison days

after which I will reveal
my source's identity.

Well, I hate to say this,
but we're just going to have to find out.

Mr. Mcavoy, I find you in contempt of court

and order you to surrender yourself
to the us marshals in this building

on this day at 5:00 pm.

- Yes, sir.
- [Gavel bangs]

[Chatting quietly]

Hey, you know this is bullshit.

I don't think you should wait for me.

I think you should forget about me
and move on.

- Okay.
- Listen, remember,

only my conversations
with my lawyer are privileged.

Right? What we were
talking about last night...

- Yeah, or your wife.
- Yeah, but you wanted to be a June bride...

I don't anymore. I want to get married now.

I think you should have
thought about that...

Wait. Are you serious?

I'm more than serious.

We get a waiver from the mayor's office
and use the chapel at city hall.

Honey, we've got 300 people
coming to a wedding

you've been planning for 25 years.

Remember the seven weeks
I spent picking the invitations?

I really do.

Done.

- "I'm marrying will today...
- [Phones chiming]

"At 3:30 pm. At city hall"

"if you guys want to come."

- Congratulations!
- Finally!

That... that's what I was begging...

For seven weeks we were looking...

Different cardboard... okay.

For that little stunt,
I'm gonna marry your a*s off.

Charlie, Don, Gary, Jim,
Martin, we're putting on a wedding.

- This is men's work.
- All right.

- Let's go. City hall, here we come.
- You finally grew a brain.

[A ve mar/a playing]

[Knocks]

- I saw on the news.
- Thanks for seeing me, Phil.

You want to spend
your last hours of freedom

arguing with me about
something that's 2,000 years old?

No, we can do that another time.
I wanted to ask a favor.

Mac and I have moved our wedding up
from June to this afternoon.

MacKenzie, while not being
as religious as, say, you are,

- she's not a full-on whack job or anything...
- Yeah.

Is devout and a catholic service
would mean a lot to her.

I can do that. Where are you being married?

At the chapel at city hall.

Catholic service has to be
performed in a catholic church.

Doesn't that sound like one of those rules
we've talked about?

God's omniscient,

but he's only willing to work
in certain buildings?

- That's not...
- Like it's a union thing.

Fine.

Thank you. I'll have a car waiting at 3:15.

Will.

You want to pray with me?

[Music continues]

Maggie:
You have to make a grand apology to her.

- Really grand.
- I know.

- Canyon grand.
- I know.

- Where's professor ethics?
- We had a fight.

About what?

Nothing.

Rejoice with those who rejoice.

Weep with those who weep.

Have the same regard for one another.

Do not be haughty,
but associate with the lowly.

Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be concerned for what is noble
in the sight of all.

If possible, on your part,

live at peace with all.

The word of the lord.

- Thanks be to god.
- Thanks be to god.

Do you take this man to be
your lawful wedded husband?

I do.

Do you take this woman
to be your lawful wedded wife?

I do.

[Inaudible]

[Music playing]