01x05 - We're Not Gonna Take It

[bunniefuu]

[rock music]

Remember, Zack,
no mumbling in class.

A good CEO
makes his voice heard.

Yes, Dad.

Hey, what’s up
with your tie?

Is that a half-Windsor?

Sorry, I thought
I’d try something new.

This isn’t
a bowling alley.

You dress for the job
you want.

But I’m a student
and also a child.

You’re a Kwon.
We don’t do things halfway.

Now, show me
a full Windsor.

The rabbit
hops over the log.

The rabbit
crawls under the log.

The rabbit runs around.

Okay, you’re strangling
the rabbit.

[rock music]

Lawrence.

I think you’ll like
today’s lesson plan.

Today we’re gonna learn
about the revolution of 1976.

Don’t you mean 1776?

No.

I’m talking
about the punk revolution,

but it’s about the same thing
as the American Revolution--

sticking it to The Man.

You’re always talking
about The Man.

I just want to point out
that it’s sexist,

and we don’t know
who you’re talking about.

The Man can be anybody:

the principal,
the government, your dad.

Your brother
who makes fun of you

because you’re too short
to ride the roller coaster,

even though after he rides it,
he throws up like a wimp.

Yes, brothers can be The Man,

and in 1976,
bands like the Ramones,

the Sex Pistols, and the Clash
stood up to the powers that be

and said, "We’re not playing
by your rules anymore.

"We’re gonna play
faster and louder

and wear cool leather jackets
and have weird haircuts."

So you’re saying
we should get weird haircuts?

I’ve already got one.

The whole point of punk rock

is being brave enough
to be different.

all: The whole point
of punk rock

is being brave enough
to be different.

No, no, just know
everyone here is an individual.

all: No, no, just know
everyone here is an individual.

You don’t have
to repeat in unison.

all: We don’t have
to repeat in unison.

Mr. Finn is the best teacher
in the world.

all: Nice try, dude.

[rock music]

Hey, guys.
What’s new?

Is there something wrong
with my glasses?

Nope, it’s your hair.

Wow.
You dyed your hair?

Yeah, pretty sweet, huh?

That is sick.

You’re prettier than I am.

Freddy, I dig the look.

You’re the first kid in the band
that looks like a kid in a band.

Your hair gets an A+, man.

Wait, what about my hair?

Summer, I don’t really
give grades for hair.

I’m expressing myself
like you told me to, Mr. Finn.

I feel totally punk.

Then my job here is done.

Well, not really.

I still can’t leave
until 3:00.

You’re gonna get
in huge trouble.

You know this school
has a dress code.

No T-shirts, no shorts,

o tattoos that say
"Tomika rules."

It wasn’t a tattoo.

It was a marker, and the kid
I gave it to said she liked it.

No, I didn’t.

You know what?

This school can try
to make us all look the same,

but I’m gonna be myself.

- Awesome.
- Way to go, Freddy.

- I have a crush on you.
- What?

Way to go, Freddy.

Okay, let’s get to class.
Everyone, get to class.

Oh, my, Mr. Huerta,
what a lovely shade of green.

when I write up
detention reports.

Come with me, young man.

Aw, come on,
Principal Mullins.

When you were a little kid
going to school,

didn’t you want to have
some fun, break the rules?

No, I always wanted
to be principal.

[laughs]
That’s not weird.

Oh, boy.

♪ Stop tellin’ me
to read between the lines ♪

♪ It all adds up
to one thing ♪

Five, four, three,
two, one.

♪ If you think you’re gonna
lose your cool ♪

♪ Well, sometimes you gotta
break the rules ♪

♪ Hey, show me what you know,
give it up to rock ’n’ roll ♪

♪ ’Cause we ain’t gonna stop ♪

♪ If you’re feeling like
you’re gettin’ schooled ♪

♪ There’s an answer
right in front of you ♪

♪ Hey, show me what you know,
give it up to rock ’n’ roll ♪

♪ ’Cause we ain’t
gonna stop ♪

- ♪ Hey! ♪
- ♪ Are you ready to rock? ♪

[rock music]

Freddy’s been gone
a long time.

Maybe she’s shaving his head.

No!

I mean, whatever.

[sighs]

You okay?

She gave me detention,

then showed me a book
of approved haircuts.

Did you know
there’s a reverse mullet?

Well, I’m proud you’re not
just another brick in the wall.

Every rebel’s got
to start somewhere.

You know, Kurt Cobain used
to strike out in Little League

just to tick off his dad.

He did?

Yes. Rock is about rebellion.

Music can change the world.
It has that power.

In fact,
your homework assignment

is to rebel against something.

I’m gonna rebel
against this pencil.

[grunts]

Later.

What if we all dye our hair
to support Freddy?

Yeah.

If he gets in trouble,
we all get in trouble.

Now we’re talking. Who’s in?

all: Yeah!

All right.

Yeah.

Yay.

[rock music]

Whoa, you did it.
Thanks, guys.

Look at me.
I’m a rebel.

Neat-o!

Rebels don’t say "neat-o."

This one does.

- You all look great.
- Thank you.

I’m still perfecting
my technique.

Ooh, Zack,
let’s see the hair.

Subtle.

You’re terrible at this.

Sorry, man.
I couldn’t do it.

You know how intense
my dad is.

Our goldfish hides in the castle
whenever he walks into the room.

It’s cool.

How is Luther?

Hanging in.
I brought him with me.

He needed a break.
- Mm.

What is going on here?

We’re supporting Freddy

and expressing ourselves through
civil disobedience and hair dye.

Mostly through hair dye.

Wait, we were supposed
to use hair dye?

I used grape-flavored drink mix.

Well, Freddy, seems
your bad attitude is contagious.

Do you all want detention?

If there’s a choice,
I’m gonna go with no.

There’s nothing
in the code of conduct

that mentions hair color.

Dyed hair is distracting
and disrespectful.

It is the equivalent
of mouthing off.

Your hair should be quiet.

So no one in the school
is allowed to dye their hair?

Of course not.

So you don’t color your hair?

Okay, well, just my roots
and a few natural highlights.

I’m prematurely gray.

I get a white line on my scalp.

I mean, it’s hard enough
to get a date

without being called Skunky!

[clears throat]

Well, fine, you win.
Excuse me.

Excuse me.

all: Yeah!

- We did it.
- Awesome.

Tomorrow I’m gonna dye my hair
with chocolate frosting.

All right,
time to take on The Man.

No matter how long it takes,
no matter how hard the journey,

we shall overcome.

[grunts]

We did it already.

Principal Mullins said
we weren’t in trouble.

all: Yeah.
- What?

But I wrote a whole protest song
on hair grooming.

♪ Follicles of freedom ♪

♪ Great locks of liberty ♪

Now it just feels anticlimactic.

You were right,
Mr. Finn.

That "challenge authority" stuff
really works.

You know what?
I’m with you guys now.

I’m going to do what I want.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, dude.

Yeah.

Get it.

Yeah!

Yeah!

This washes out, right?

[rock music]

[classical guitar music]

♪ ♪

[electric guitar solo]

Hey, Zack, guess--

Oh, hey, Dad.

Zack, what do you think
you’re doing?

Uh, remembering
that my door doesn’t lock.

You were supposed to be
practicing classical guitar.

Rock doesn’t get you into Yale.

Is that orange in your hair?

What has gotten into you?

My teacher, Mr. Finn,

told us to question authority
and never back down.

And you think
that’s a valuable lesson?

Yeah--no.

[rock music]

[clears throat]

Look at you kids--

lounging around,
chitchatting,

ot doing your schoolwork.

Don’t tell me
I’m not Teacher of the Year.

We’re making our own rules,
Mr. Finn.

See?

Even though
I’m not a real teacher,

I’ve taught you all
a very valuable lesson:

Breaking rules you don’t
believe in always works out.

I broke my dad’s rule.

Now he’s making me
transfer to another class.

Maybe I was a bit premature

on that whole
"Teacher of the Year" thing.

[rock music]

Wait, you can’t
switch classes.

What about the band?

We were all starting to gel.

We can’t start over now.

You sit in front of me.

I sit in back of you.

It’s our thing.

I don’t have
a choice, okay?

My dad lost it when he caught me
playing my electric guitar.

But don’t worry.
He doesn’t know about the band.

This is outrageous!

If we’ve been looking
for something to fight for,

we’ve found it.

Believe me, Zack,
we’re gonna protest

until you’re back in this room
where you belong.

all: Yeah!

The Man can’t tell us
what to do.

I’m gonna go find
Principal Mullins

and show her
just how tough I can get!

Pretty please
let Zack stay in our class.

I’m sorry, Mr. Finn,
but the decision has been made.

Pretty, pretty,
pretty please.

That’s three "pretty"s.
- Mr. Finn, I--

Don’t make me hit you
with the puppy dog eyes.

[whimpers]

Okay, that’s just creepy.

Look, Zack’s father,
who incidentally

is one of our largest donors,
seems to think

that you have contributed
to Zack’s insubordination.

That’s ridiculous.

Insubordination’s certainly
not taught in my class.

What is happening?

Uh, not insubordination.

That’s for sure.

We’re staging a sit-in
to keep Zack from leaving.

What do we want?
[overlapping protests]

We really should’ve
practiced that.

You shall not pass.

Okay, that’s cute.

Let’s go, Zack.

[sighs]
Thanks for trying, guys.

See you.

Get your class
under control, Mr. Finn,

or I’ll find someone who can.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

What are we gonna do now?

I don’t know.

I hit her
with the puppy dog eyes.

What happened
to sticking it to The Man?

Sometimes doing nothing
is sticking it to The Man,

especially when
they sign your checks.

So you’re caving?

I’m beginning to rethink
chaining myself to the desk.

Where’s the key?

I’m also beginning
to rethink swallowing the key.

[rock music]

In 1843,
Congress appropriated $30,000

to test the practicability
of establishing a system

of electromagnetic
communication.

It--

Ah, a foundling.

I’m Zack.

Just got transferred
from Mr. Finn’s room.

Well, Zack,
can you keep a secret?

Yes.

We do something in this class

that is technically
against the rules

but really ups the fun factor.

Really? What?

We do extra math.

[whispers]
There’s no fun factor.

[rock music]

Look, guys.

I know you’re mad
they took Zack away.

I know you’re mad
at the administration.

I know you’re mad
that the strawberry milk

in the cafeteria sounded
so much better than it tasted!

We’re not mad about that.

Well, I am.
That stuff’s disgusting.

But I think
I have a solution

that will solve
all your problems--

water balloons!

How is this going to help us
get Zack back?

Oh, it won’t,

but it will help us
work out our frustrations.

So you write
who or what you’re mad at

on these water balloons,

and we’ll smash them
against the wall.

You know who I’m angry at?

The Man.

Oh, yeah!
I already feel better.

Go on.
Don’t be shy.

Take one.
Get after it.

Nice, yeah.

Okay, that one says
"Mr. Finn."

Ha ha, good one.

Another "Mr. Finn."

That must be a typo.

Now we’re talking.

That one says "Mr. Simm."

I don’t know who that is.

It says "Mr. Finn."

I have bad handwriting.

Seriously?

All of you are mad at me?

You’re supposed to be mad
at The Man.

I’m sorry, Mr. Finn,
but technically you are The Man.

I can’t be The Man.

I hate The Man.

You’re the teacher.

That was a low blow.

You’re the one who told us
to challenge the system,

but then, when things got tough,

you asked us
to throw water balloons.

You guys are right.

I let you down.

I am The Man.

Let me have it.

Okay, glad we got that
out of our system.

Are we done?

Good, because--

because I’m gonna prove to you
that I’m not The Man.

I’m not gonna let Zack rot
in that class.

So you’re gonna stand up
to The Man?

Yes.
I’m gonna stand right up--

Sorry.

You give a kid a water balloon,
things happen.

[rock music]

For more complex sentences,

connect the independent clause

to the subordinate clause
with a dotted line.

I know.

I love
the subordinate clause too.

Howdy, neighbor.

Can I borrow a cup of chalk?

[all mouthing words]

Ah, thanks so much.

Oh. Oh!

Oh, my.
This might take some time.

[mouths words]

Okay, the plan is,
he jumps, we catch him.

That was almost a great plan.

[rock music]

Ah, welcome back, Zack Attack.

Let’s do this.

How’s about we stick it
to The Man?

all: ♪ We’re not gonna take it ♪

♪ No, we ain’t gonna take it ♪

♪ We’re not gonna take it
anymore ♪

Whoo!

♪ We’ve got the right
to choose and ♪

♪ There ain’t no way
we’ll lose it ♪

♪ This is our life ♪

♪ This is our song ♪

all: ♪ We’re not gonna take it ♪

♪ No, we ain’t gonna take it ♪

♪ We’re not gonna take it
anymore ♪

♪ ♪

Hey, there.

May I borrow an eraser?

[mumbles]

[all grunt]

Nice catch.

- Okay, let’s go.
- Okay.

all: ♪ We’re not gonna take it ♪

♪ No, we ain’t gonna take it ♪

♪ We’re not gonna take it
anymore ♪

♪ Oh,
you’re so condescending ♪

♪ Your gall is never-ending ♪

♪ We don’t want nothing,
not a thing from you ♪

♪ ♪

Brownie time.

Mullins is coming.
Let’s go.

all: ♪ We’re not gonna take it
any-- ♪

Oh!

Oh.

Oh.

Hi.
- [chuckles]

[rock music]

Detention?

Wait until your mother
hears about this.

This is not what Kwons do.

I feel like I don’t know
who you are anymore.

That’s ’cause you don’t.

What was that?

You don’t know me.

You only know
who you want me to be.

You’re talking back?

No, I’m just talking.

You don’t know what it’s like
because we never do it.

If you actually talked
with me,

you’d know
I don’t like classical guitar.

I like to rock.

Don’t raise your voice to me,
young man.

I’m not raising my voice.

I’m making my voice heard.

You’ve always told me
that’s what a good CEO does.

Wow, Zack, this doesn’t
sound like you at all.

Well, this is me.

The only difference
between me now

and three months ago
is that I’m happier,

and that’s
because of Mr. Finn.

So take a good look, Dad.

This is what a Kwon looks like,

and, yeah,
he wears a half-Windsor.

I know
we’re all worried about Zack,

but I’m gonna tell
Principal Mullins

it was all my fault.

Sometimes, you got to step up
and take responsibility...

- Mr. Finn, please report
to the principal’s office.

Because if there’s one thing

you need to know
about old Dewey Finn,

he steps up.

- Mr. Finn.

Another thing about me is,
I will take--

Mr. Finn,
that’s the third time

she’s called you to the office.

Okay, okay, I’m going!

[groans]

You wanted to see me?

Yes, um,
this is Mr. Kwon, Zack’s father.

Mr. Finn, my son tells me
you’ve had a big influence

on how he’s been
behaving lately.

To be fair,

he’s been in Mr. Fox’s class
for a good chunk of the week.

I’ll go get him.

Sit down.

Right.

Before you fire me,
I have to tell you something.

Zack is a great kid.
You should ease up on him.

And, Principal Mullins,

I’ve been sucking most of
the jelly out of the doughnuts

in the teachers’ lounge
with a straw.

[sighs]

Mr. Finn,

today I saw Zack speak his mind
and stand up for himself,

something that I could never get
him to do, but somehow you did,

and that’s gonna make him
a great CEO someday.

I was wrong about you.

As far as I’m concerned,
Zack can go back to your class.

So Zack comes back,
and I’m not fired?

Thanks.

Raise?

No.

[rock music]

And in 1812 was

the w*r of 1812.

[sighs]

Back to borrow something else?

No, this time,
I’m just taking.

Zack, you’re back
in our class.

Really?

Really.

Stay strong, bro.

Take me with you.

Yeah!

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪