01x03 - Happy Place

[bunniefuu]

- Previously, on "Twenties"

- I know it's not the job

you wanted,

but at least it's a job

on a scripted show.

You need to be the best

writer's PA they've ever had.

- I'm gonna slay.

- This isn't a classroom.

It's a job.

- Well, let me get your number

so I can text you

when I get there.

- Oh, I don't have a phone.

- Are you serious?

- Where the hell

is the art department?

- You want a map?

- Does this ever

get any easier?

- Once Courtney gets over

hating you for taking her job.

Ida just told her that

someone needed the opportunity

more than she did.

That person was you.

[sweeping orchestral music]

♪

- Yo, does everyone use this

place as their personal office?

- That woman has her packages

sent here all the time.

And that dude brought in

a shredder last week.

- No wonder the Wi-Fi's

so damn slow in this b*tch.

- I know, it can take forever

for my stories to load.

[both laugh]

You ordering or picking up?

- Picking up for Hattie.

- Ah.

Here you go.

Love the name, by the way.

It's real vintage.

- Thanks.

- Yeah.

What do you do?

- I'm a writer's PA

for this show called

"Coco's Butter."

- Oh, I know that show.

I did a write-up

on the r*pe episode

for "Best Coast Weekly."

- Oh, yeah.

I think I read that.

Yeah.

- So you a writer on the show?

- Nah, I'm a writer's PA.

- Ah, well,

only a matter of time.

Most people k*ll for your job.

- Yeah, I feel like

I won the lottery

every time I pick up

a grown-a*s woman's lunch.

- I'd happily pick up

Ida B.'s lunch

and drink her bathwater.

- [chuckles]

If you write for

"Best Coast Weekly,"

why are you working here?

- When's the last time

you picked up

a "Best Coast Weekly"?

- Touché.

[both laugh]

- So are you working

on a script?

- Yeah, I'm more

in the idea phase.

Taking it one day at a time.

I don't wanna rush the process.

You know.

- Sure.

[Molly Brazy's

"Lil Booties Matter"]

- All right.

- Little booties matter,

little booties matter ♪

Taking a check ♪

'Cause them

little booties matter ♪

Little booties matter,

little booties matter ♪

All the rich love me ♪

'Cause them

little booties matter ♪

- Somebody's getting fired.

- Relax.

- I knew I shouldn't have

got that Tesla.

- You got a Model 3.

You're fine.

- Whoo!

Ladies and gents,

as of this morning,

the merger

is officially complete.

Tomorrow we're throwing a big

party in the lot to celebrate.

[light applause]

Ah, y'all must be worried

about your jobs.

Yeah, unfortunately, I have

to let go of half of you.

Guys, come on.

Everybody is safe.

Not only that,

I have been promoted

thank you very much

which means that

my old position as VP

is now up for grabs.

So take a look to your left.

Now take a look to your right.

That is the person you will

have to stab in the back

to get my old job.

Now, our new mandate is

building talent relationships.

And our number one target

is Quaintrelle King,

NBA superstar turned

Hollywood actor and producer.

Now word on the street is he's

looking for an overall deal.

And we need to make him

an offer that he can't refuse.

- Since we're notorious

for being cheap,

how are we supposed to do that?

- We need to woo him

with more than just money.

We need to make sure

that he knows

that this studio

is the best home for him

because we will care about

the projects he cares about.

- Okay.

- If all else fails,

we'll just hit him over the

head with how inclusive we are.

- Well, we are not

that inclusive.

- Hmm.

[clears throat]

We're inclusive enough.

Great work, guys.

Love you all.

Keep up the good work.

- I just don't want the only

two black execs at the studio

trying to k*ll each other

over a promotion.

It's not what the ancestors

would've wanted.

I don't know.

I did the 23andMe thing.

Turns out half my ancestors

were feuding tribes,

the others were house negroes.

- And we both know what side

you took after.

- May the best man win.

- That's sexist.

- You know what I mean.

- I just wanna thank

each and every one of you

for bringing your energy

and light

to share with everyone

this evening.

Go forth in peace and love.

- Namaste.

all: Namaste.

[soothing music playing]

- Don't forget to sign up

for my two-for-one special.

Twice the mindfulness,

half the price.

[laughs]

- Sorry I missed class.

I had to remove the lint from

all of Ida B.'s black sweaters.

- Ah, the glamour

of working in Hollywood.

- You gotta pay your dues.

That's how the game works.

- When am I supposed

to find time

to write an excellent script

if I'm on call 24/7?

- You find time for Lorraine.

- Well that's a name

I haven't heard in a while.

- Uh, excuse me.

Don't I know you from somewhere

other than class?

- No, I get that all the time.

I look like

everyone's third cousin.

- No, that's not it.

Oh, my God.

You were on "Whoosh"!

- [laughs]

- Oh, my God!

I love that show.

It's so much better

than "Zoom."

I can't believe

you're teaching yoga.

Are you still acting?

- Not anymore.

- [laughs]

Can I get a quick pic?

- Let's take a selfie!

- Ahh!

- I can take it.

- Oh.

- Here, I got you.

[shutter clicking]

Yeah, yeah, okay.

- Yes. Angle.

- I think you got it.

- I just wanna make sure.

[shutter clicks]

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't catch your name.

- I'm Kelly.

- Nice to meet you, Kelly.

I love your kicks.

- Oh, thank you.

I just got these.

- I can tell.

They real crispy.

- I have such a hard time

keeping my shoes clean.

- Oh, I'm a sneakerhead,

so I know all about that sh*t.

I can hook you up.

- Oh, thank you.

- Yeah.

I'll just put my number

in your phone.

- All right.

- You can hit me up anytime.

- Okay.

- All right.

Use that.

All right, now.

Kelly!

What?

- You really gonna help her

keep her sneakers clean?

- I'll help her

with whatever she want.

- I'm sure.

[sweeping orchestral music]

♪

- [vocalizing cheerfully]

- Um, do you mind

clearing out soon?

My class is about to start.

- Class?

How do you have class

on a Friday morning?

- They're writing

from home today.

I'm on call.

- That must be nice.

- I mean,

I'm still working, though.

I signed up for this

online screenwriting course.

I'm brushing up

on the basics.

- Screenwriting course.

Why does that sound familiar?

- You probably got

an email about it.

I used your email address

because my free trial expired.

I'll cancel before the 15th

so you don't get charged.

- That's so considerate of you.

- What can I say?

I was raised right.

- Welcome to

"Expert Screenwriting,"

discount edition.

The first step for any writer

is to find your happy place.

Finding a quiet,

peaceful place to write

will open up your heart

and mind and cause

[blender whirring]

- Oh.

[laughs]

My bad.

I'm sorry.

I just gotta make sure

these bananas

are completely blended up,

'cause I love the taste,

but I can't stand the texture.

I'm serious.

I'll start gagging,

and not in a good way.

- Do what you gotta do, man.

[blender whirring]

[upbeat music]

♪

- What's wrong?

- Ben's gonna

get the promotion.

- You don't know that yet.

- I can feel it.

And it pisses me off

because he's not gonna get it

because he's smarter than me.

He's gonna get it

because he's not.

- He's just like them.

- Like who?

- The white boys

that I work for.

Meanwhile,

I'm over here breaking my neck,

trying to make movies

that are actually good.

- Well, greatness

always rises to the top.

- That's not true.

- Sometimes it does.

- Is this supposed

to make me feel better?

- No, but maybe this will.

I went online and bought you

every self-help book

I could find with

a black person on the cover.

♪

- Who knew there were so many

fabulous black people

in the self-help business?

- And the covers

are a little airbrushed,

but once you start reading,

sh*t gets real.

- This is amazing.

Thank you, babe.

Maybe I should start

with this one.

- Oh, no.

That one's for me.

It's all about how

black men are carrying

the trauma of sl*very in

our epigenetic DNA like PTSD,

so we have intimacy issues

because our brains

won't let us love ourselves,

which means we don't know

how to love anyone else,

especially not a woman.

'Cause we wanna be strong like

the warriors we know we can be.

But how can we be warriors

when we can't even protect

ourselves out in these streets?

So we need to heal

the warrior within

so we don't end up in jail

or with a white woman.

- Okay.

[mellow music]

♪

- [softly]

Congrats, queen.

[Lady Bri's "Do What I Do"]

- Ladies and gentlemen ♪

Let me introduce me ♪

♪

Here I come ♪

Yeah ♪

Here I go ♪

Whoo ♪

Ain't no time

for imitation ♪

Ain't no time for playin' ♪

I'm just gonna do me ♪

[screen clicking]

Whoo ♪

[phone blipping]

I feel elated ♪

So elevated ♪

I'm just doing my thing ♪

Hey ♪

- Welcome to

"Expert Screenwriting."

- Ain't y'all supposed

to be in school?

Badass Bébé Kids.

- I'm gonna do ♪

- A writer's happy place

should be a place of comfort.

Your happy place should be

a place

that makes you feel safe,

a place that is nourishing

your creative spirit.

♪

- Do what I do ♪

I feel marvelous ♪

- Excuse me, sir.

I can't help but notice

your words per minute.

Might I ask what

you're working on over there?

- My manifesto.

- Your what?

- It's the real thing ♪

Tell me what's that thing ♪

It's a real thing ♪

["Gymnopedie No. 1" playing]

♪

- Whenever I'm stuck,

I try writing longhand.

It's like the words travel

from my brain through my arm

and down onto the page.

Try it.

I'm usually here writing

in the mornings

before I clock in.

Hope to see you soon,

Idina.

[romantic music]

- First of all,

who writes letters anymore?

What is this, 1875?

♪

Wow, actually, it's

It's not a bad idea.

[phone chimes]

Damn!

- Still at it, huh?

I'm gonna exercise my male

privilege and leave early.

- Do you.

- Look, no matter what happens,

we're both great

at what we do.

And I'm just happy

we're both being considered

for the promotion.

When one of us wins,

we all win.

- Wow, that's really mature

of you.

- I try.

What you reading?

- Oh, this incredible biography

about this 18th century

black man who

- [chuckles]

I gotta go.

[light music]

- Ooh ♪

- This massage isn't

gonna get me high, is it?

I have somewhere to be tonight.

- It's just CBD oil.

No THC.

No hallucinations.

- Thank God.

The last time

I got really high,

I almost slept through Chingy.

- What?

- [laughs]

- How?

- It's a long story.

- [laughs]

- You're a photographer

and a drug dealer?

- I'm not a drug dealer.

I grow weed just like

the privileged white boys do.

- How'd you get into

the reefer business?

- Reefer?

[laughs]

You sound like my least

favorite aunt, for real.

I grow weed,

and I sell it.

- That sounds like

you sit around

and get high all the time.

- No.

[laughs]

I'm for real passionate

about this sh*t

just like you passionate

about yoga.

- I wouldn't say

I'm passionate about yoga.

It's more of a job.

- So what are you

passionate about?

- I used to be passionate

about acting.

- Then why aren't you

doing that?

- Oh, once I was

old enough to drive,

my mom stopped taking me

to auditions, and

I guess I wasn't determined

enough to keep going, so

I fell out of it and just

got a regular job.

- Mm.

Wow.

- What do you mean, "wow"?

- I guess

I just always been confused

by people who know

their purpose,

but refuse to walk in it.

- Not everyone can afford to

walk in their purpose.

- But some of us

can't afford not to.

What do you miss most about it?

- I miss feeling alive.

[mellow hip-hop music]

♪

- Just hang them in there.

Finding everything all right?

- Yeah, uh, all done.

[chuckles]

Nothing to see here.

I, um, also grabbed you dinner.

It's in the kitchen.

- Thank you.

I've been so busy

I forgot to eat.

- I don't ever

wanna be that busy.

- Then you never

wanna be successful.

I need to get the new draft

to the studio

first thing in the morning.

- Can't they give you more

time?

The creative spirit

can't be rushed.

- [chuckles] Sounds like

the mantra of someone

who never finishes anything.

What have you

gotten accomplished today?

- I was supposed

to work on my script,

but I kept getting distracted.

And I still haven't

found my happy place.

- Happy place?

- Yeah, the place where writers

go to be inspired to write.

- Where are you getting this?

I don't have a happy place.

But you know what I do have?

Deadlines.

Writing isn't about

being happy.

It's about being disciplined.

- You don't ever get

distracted?

- I don't have the luxury

of being distracted.

Writing isn't a hobby for me.

It's a job.

- It's not a hobby

for me either.

- Well, then I suggest

you get to it.

You can work on

your script here

at the office, if you'd like.

I'm gonna be here

all night anyway.

- I can't.

Actually, I have a party

I need to get to.

- Well, we all have

our priorities, don't we?

I'm gonna get back to work,

but you have fun though.

[Normani's "Motivation"]

- I'ma break you off,

let me be your motivation♪

To stay

and give it tonight ♪

And, baby, turn around ♪

[indistinct chatter]

- Wow.

- What?

- He is such an as*h*le.

No.

He's smart.

- Really, babe?

- Don't let him out-hustle you.

I shouldn't have

to give Quaintrelle a handjob

just to get him

to sign with us.

- Well, we both know

how much you hate giving those.

- Look at them over there.

- Maybe you should go insert

yourself in the conversation.

♪

- How's the party?

- Honestly, it's kinda wack.

And low-key, I need to be home

working on my script.

- According to your Insta story

you were writing all day.

- Nah, I was bullshitting

most of the day.

- Well, tomorrow is a new day.

- Yeah.

- I'll keep Mary company.

I don't think she'll mind

if you go home.

- Really?

I love you, Ni.

- I love you too.

♪

- Nia?

- Sarah?

Is that you?

How have you been?

I haven't seen you since

we did that Tide commercial

when we were kids.

- I know.

That was forever ago.

- Are you still acting?

- Hell no.

Girl, I escaped that life

and went to college,

then to grad school.

I work here now

in business affairs.

- Look at you

all corporate and sh*t.

- What about you?

- Um, I took a break

for a while,

but I think I might

get back into it.

- Really?

Such a crazy lifestyle.

- Better that than be stuck

in a boring corporate job.

[laughs]

- I'm gonna go find

the crab wontons.

You want one?

- I don't eat fake crab.

- So howhow

how long ago was that?

- Kindergarten.

- Kindergarten?

- Oh, we go way back.

- Aww.

- [laughs]

- How was the game?

- Aw, it was amazing, man.

It's too bad you were busy.

- Busy?

- Yeah, Ben said

you couldn't make it.

- Yes.

Uh, right.

I had a work dinner

I just couldn't move.

- Ah, that's too bad.

But yeah, things are looking

good with Quaintrelle and

[laughing] Ben has

a great rapport with him,

so he's gonna run point.

♪

Okay.

I'ma get some shrimp.

- I know this looks bad.

It was spontaneous.

I thought that you would

- I've been reading

"Warriors and Fools."

It's an analysis

of how the U.S. lost a w*r

to a little group of rebels

known as the Viet Cong.

You know how it happened?

The U.S. underestimated

their opponent.

They had power,

but lacked strategy.

They were fighting

a ground w*r,

but the Viet Cong

built tunnels.

They had spies.

They knew the enemy better than

the enemy knew themselves.

[dreamy eerie music]

I hope you like the smell

of napalm in the morning, Ben,

because this is your Vietnam.

♪

[woman laughs]

[indistinct chatter]

[uneasy hip-hop music]

♪

[mellow hip-hop music]

- [laughs softly]

♪

[phone buzzes]

[phone beeps]

Yo.

- What you doing?

- Working.

- You wanna come with me

to Santa Barbara?

Just for the weekend.

My treat.

- [clicks tongue]

Ah, sounds amazing.

But I'm finally getting

some writing done,

and I wanna

keep the party going.

- You don't wanna have

a private party with me?

- [laughs softly]

[car door slams]

- Sorry to pull you away

from work.

But every now and then,

it's good to be distracted.

- Yeah, but distractions

can be dangerous.

- How so?

- Too many distractions

can keep me

from walking in my purpose.

- Are you saying that

I'm preventing you

from walking in your purpose?

- I ain't say that.

- What are you saying?

- I'm just saying,

every time I start

getting my sh*t together,

here you come.

- I'm just trying

to help you relax.

- Oh, is that what

you're trying to do?

- If you don't wanna

go to Santa Barbara,

you can stay another night

on Marie's futon.

- I'm sorry, all right?

I'm just stressed about work.

- That's exactly why I'm trying

to take your a*s away

for the weekend.

[dreamy music]

♪

- I love you.

- I know.

[giggles]

[Doja Cat's "Roll with Us"]

- Baby, you can roll,

roll with us ♪

- Now what the hell is that

on your head?

Is that a hat or a beanie?

- You should bring them ♪