Good afternoon, eclipse chasers!
How's everyone doing out there?
Yeah!
We are just 30 short minutes away
from the big event,
and we couldn't ask
for better conditions,
so let's all get ready
to have a fun, safe,
and memorable eclipse viewing!
Okay. Solar filter in place...
and...
we're good to go.
Hear that, Morgan?
We're good to go.
Yeah, yeah.
That's amazing, Malcolm.
I can't wait.
Isn't this amazing?
The first solar eclipse
of the century,
of our lifetimes,
in, I mean,
in the U.S., anyway,
and here we are,
smack dab in the middle
of the path of totality.
Pretty cool, huh?
Yup.
And, lucky you,
you get to experience it all
with a PhD candidate
specializing in astronomy.
Malcolm, I can barely
get a signal up here.
I'm gonna go down the hill
and see
if there's better reception.
But...
the eclipse
will be starting soon.
You're gonna miss it.
Not for, like,
another half an hour.
I'll be back in time, okay?
I'll bring you a rocket dog.
No. No, I-I said, "Do you
have the eclipse glasses?"
It's about to start.
Um, I'm trying my best, Kim.
There's a ton of traffic.
You know
how important this is to me.
Blake, you promised
that you would be here on time.
I know, and I'm trying.
I'll be there as soon as I can.
Okay.
This is something...
Nice scope.
Do you mind
if I take a closer look?
No.
I mean yes.
I mean...
Yes, uh, no, I don't mind,
and yes, you can
take a closer look.
Okay.
Oh, that's...
definitely not consumer-grade.
No, and it's not mine, either.
It's, um, I'm getting my PhD
in Applied Physics at SIU
specializing in astronomy,
and, uh, the department
let me borrow it.
Wow.
Well, it makes
the telescope I grew up with
look like an old-timey spyglass.
Hey, what's
the focal length on this?
900 millimeters.
It-it's high magnification,
but limited field of view.
Should be perfect for today.
Wow.
You grew up with a telescope?
Is that surprising to you?
Oh, you're just so...
I mean...
I mean, you just don't look
like the typical...
sorry, that-that sounded...
I mean, I-I wasn't trying to...
I mean, I-I didn't mean...
I-I-I am...
I have a girlfriend, so...
Okay.
Who's not interested
in this stuff, like, at all.
Yeah, she's, uh...
down there somewhere.
Well, at least yours showed up.
My fianc is late, as always,
and has our eclipse glasses.
Waited my whole life
to see a total eclipse,
but looks like
I'm maybe gonna miss it.
Here.
If Morgan doesn't come back,
you can use these.
Aw, thank you.
Are you ready...
for the experience
of a lifetime?
Because totality...
is on its way!
That's cool.
But the, um, the astronomy thing
is really just
more of a hobby for me.
How'd you get into it?
Uh, my mom, actually.
Although...
she's more into astrology
than astronomy, so...
I know, it's dumb.
No, I don't think
astrology is dumb.
Without it,
astronomy probably
wouldn't even exist.
What?
Yeah, when
you get right down to it,
astronomy is about
the study of celestial events,
and astrology
is about their interpretation.
I mean, the what and the why,
so to speak,
and in ancient times,
there really was
no distinction between the two.
It wasn't really until the 1700s
that their paths split,
and they sort of went
their separate ways.
I mean, it's really...
Sorry. I can
get carried away sometimes.
What? No, no, no, no!
I-I love it.
You're really good
at explaining things.
You'd make a great teacher.
Ah, I don't know.
I feel like
I still have a lot to learn.
Yeah, but-but isn't that what's
so amazing about the universe?
There's just
so much we don't know,
that we'll probably never know?
I mean, like, how can you ever
possibly hope
to wrap your brain fully around
something so vast
and so, just...
random and chaotic?
Yeah, it's not all
random and chaotic, though.
There's so many things
about the universe that feel...
intentional,
like it's perfectly designed.
Perfectly designed?
Yeah.
Okay, like-like what,
for example?
Well... take the eclipse.
Did you know
the sun is 400 times
larger than the moon,
but the moon is 400 times
closer to the Earth?
That's why
they fit together so perfectly
on days like today.
Doesn't that feel
too coincidental
to be coincidence?
It's also kind of romantic...
and a little tragic.
You know, like the sun and moon
fit together so perfectly,
but so rarely,
and just for a moment,
and then,
once that moment is gone...
it's a long time
before it can be recaptured.
This is it, everyone!
The eclipse in one minute!
One minute? Wh...
I've totally lost track of time!
- Me too.
Yeah.
- Do you want to...? Should we...?
- Yeah, we should.
- Okay. Okay.
- Okay. Okay!
- You ready?
- I think, yeah.
- Okay.
Just about there.
Blake, finally.
I'm here. Where are you?
I'll be right there.
I've got the glasses.
I'll meet you at the main stage.
You're the best.
Um...
my fianc made it.
Oh, that's great.
I, um, I guess I won't be
needing these anymore.
Thank you.
It was really nice meeting you.
You too.
All right,
and here's a view
of the last solar eclipse
that was over North America.
It's hard to believe
that it's been seven years
and already another one
is upon us,
and once again,
Carbondale will be
in the path of totality.
And just a reminder
to all you amateur astronomers,
there are many ways
to have a safe
eclipse-viewing experience.
Just don't try
to watch it through a colander.
You'll only end up
straining your eyes.
Oh... boy.
Yikes!
Sorry, folks. Dad joke.
Well, that's it for all of us
here at WGZA News.
Good night, Chicago.
And we are clear.
It was funny!
- Yeah.
- It was!
Great job, Keith.
It was great.
It was awesome.
So good.
Guy can't tell a joke.
He's a news anchor,
and you're a news writer.
You're not comedians,
which is now completely obvious
to the entire
greater Chicago area.
I am a part-time news writer,
thank you very much.
I'm just trying
to stand out around here.
You stand out!
Everyone loves
your segment titles.
"Pocketbook Peril"?
"Diets for Dogs"?
Oh, my personal favorite...
"Cat Caf Catastrophe"?
Nobody cares
who writes the segment titles.
I just want to make my mark.
I know I've only
been back for four months,
but I was gone for five years.
You know I was supposed
to come back
after maternity leave,
but I just got so attached,
I couldn't leave Anna.
If I'd stuck to the plan,
I'd be a reporter by now.
Stop second-guessing
your choices.
Plans are made to change,
and you love being a mom.
I know.
When it comes
to becoming a reporter,
you'll get there.
You got to sub in for Carlos
a few weeks ago, right?
Yeah, that went...
that went super great.
That was awesome.
Oh, please.
You're not talking about
the dreaded nickname, right?
It's not bad.
Just don't even say it.
And you know, for the record,
I did not freeze.
My earpiece malfunctioned.
You know, never mind.
Forget it.
I just can't catch a break.
Hey... don't give up.
I'm sure there'll be
a great opportunity
right around the corner.
I'm sorry, Mr. Whitaker.
I have to leave.
My son has pink eye.
Can't you get a babysitter?
No! Pink eye
is extremely contagious.
I could have it too,
for all I know.
You can't do this to me, Julia.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I have to go.
Well, what about the eclipse?
Who am I gonna send
to Carbondale?
Did you say Carbondale?
Not now, Kim.
Well, no, I mean, you know,
I was actually in Carbondale
for the last eclipse
seven years ago.
I, um, I know my way
around the place.
I was even at the festival.
I'm sort of an astronomy nerd
a little bit,
um, well, I-I used to be,
so anyway, if you're...
if you're looking for someone
to fill Julia's place,
maybe someone, um, who has
a little bit of
on-camera experience...
On-camera experience?
I hope you're not referring
to the Freezer Burn incident.
That was not my fault.
As I have told you repeatedly,
that was
an equipment malfunction.
Never mind, never mind.
You want the assignment?
It's yours.
Really?
Sure. What do I care?
End of the day, it's just,
uh, you know,
another puff piece, right?
It's not like
I have any other options.
Mr. Whitaker, I can do this.
Look, we're budgeted
for a three-person team, and...
Oh, sorry.
You can choose
your own camera person.
Claire Reynolds!
Uh, if, you know,
if she's available.
Fine, but I want to keep
my nephew on as field producer.
Have you met Reed?
Uh, Reed?
No, uh, no, I don't think so.
He's untested,
so you'll have that in common.
Promised my sister
I'd give him a chance.
Hopefully
this gets her off my back.
Mr. Whitaker,
thank you so much
for this opportunity.
I will not let you down.
Kim?
I like you...
and I was more than happy
to bring you back
after your leave of absence,
but if this doesn't work out,
I don't want to hear any more
about you being
in front of the camera.
It's your last shot. Understood?
Yes, sir.
Challenge accepted!
All right, go get 'em!
Oh, yes. Yeah! I'm sorry.
- Yeah.
- Okay, thank you.
So the sky is gonna get dark,
so all the plants
and the animals
are gonna think it's nighttime,
so the petals on the flowers
are gonna close,
and the birds
are gonna stop singing,
and the bees
are gonna stop buzzing.
You might even hear an owl!
What do you think
the owl will say?
Hoo-hoo!
You-you, Anna Banana!
You-you!
I'll miss you!
I know, honey,
I'm gonna miss you too.
But it's only for one night,
and I want you
to listen to Grandma
when I'm gone, okay?
Can you do that?
You know, she's so excited
to watch the eclipse with you.
I can't wait to see you on TV.
Well, let's hope
it's not for the last time.
Will you wish me luck?
Good luck, Mommy.
I love you.
Oh, come here.
I love you too, baby.
Ah...
I am so proud of you.
Thanks, Mom.
Oh, I feel like my life
is finally
getting back on track.
You know, and if this goes well,
maybe Anna and I
can even get our own place,
get out of your hair.
You know, I love having
you and Anna here with me.
I know, but it just, you know,
it doesn't feel great to be
a 30-something single parent
living at home with her mom
'cause she can't afford
to pay her own rent.
Cut yourself some slack.
You've been divorced
for, what, a year now?
One year, one month,
two weeks and five days,
but who's counting?
Next year,
it's gonna be your year.
Back in January,
when I did your astrology chart,
it said great things
are in store for you
in both your career and romance.
Okay, enough with the charts.
Do you...
do you remember the chart
that you did for me
when Blake and I got engaged?
I admit,
the stars may have been
a teensy bit mistaken
about Blake,
but, Kimberly,
this is different.
Eclipses are
powerful astrological events.
They signify new beginnings
and transformations,
and that's exactly
what you need, isn't it?
It's like...
the stars and the planets
are aligning just for you.
I mean, it is
kind of crazy that...
I'm heading back to Carbondale
for another eclipse.
You know I almost missed
the last one 'cause of Blake?
He was running late...
Mm.
And I-I wound up talking
to this-this really nice
grad student.
He knew everything
about astronomy and eclipses,
and I...
kind of wonder
what happened to him.
We really connected.
Well, the sun and the moon
are about to cross paths again.
Maybe you and your mystery man
will too.
What...
what are the odds of that?
I can't do it.
Can't do what?
Ask Dr. Longford
to read my book.
What if he says no?
Or worse, what if he reads it
and hates it?
Then I'll never
get it published.
He's not gonna hate it,
and if he does, he's a fool.
Dr. Longford?
Dr. Stanley Longford,
who had one of
the most-viewed TED Talks
of all time...
you're saying he's a fool?
If he doesn't recognize
your genius, then yeah.
I'm probably crazy to think
he'd remember me, anyway.
I mean, yes, he was
my favorite professor
when I was getting my PhD,
but that was ages ago,
he probably...
Would you relax?
Listen, I don't know
anything about astronomy,
but I know
you're a great teacher,
and your book...
what's it called again?
The working title is
"Cosmic Phenomena
and Their Effects
on Early Cultures:
A Study in Three Parts,
Volume I."
Look.
I know you'll get your book
to this Longfellow guy...
Longford.
Him too, because
you can be very convincing
when you want to be.
You're right.
You're right! Positive attitude.
I'm gonna connect
with Dr. Longford,
and I'm gonna convince him
to help me
get my book published.
Attaboy! Manifest it!
Thanks for coming with me,
by the way.
Can't believe my T.A. bailed
at the last minute.
Honestly, I'm glad
for the change of scenery,
and to forget about my breakup.
Yeah, yeah.
Last time, though, the eclipse
was something to behold.
What last time?
Seven years ago.
It ran through Carbondale too.
That's weird. I mean, right?
Cosmically speaking?
Well, I mean,
their paths of totality
are completely different.
Last time, it was
northwest to southeast,
this time
it's southwest to northeast,
but... for some reason,
they both run right through
Carbondale, Illinois.
Huh!
Who would've thought
a little college town
in the heartland of America
would turn out to be
the center of the universe?
Well...
I think we're done here.
I'm starting to think
Whitaker doesn't consider
this assignment a priority.
This clunker is supposed
to get us to Carbondale?
Well, it's 300 miles away.
Just has to hold together
for... five hours.
Whoa.
Four and a half,
the way I drive.
Hi! Reed Harris, your producer.
I'm gonna be handling
everything, top to bottom,
soup to nuts.
That's a saying, right?
Soup to nuts?
I don't know.
Just kind of sounds weird,
you know what I mean?
Like, what does that even mean?
Anyway! Doesn't matter.
What I'm trying to say
is that everything
goes through me,
so as long as
we all remember that,
it is gonna be smooth sailing.
Promise!
Great. Uh, I'm Kim,
and this is Claire,
our camera person.
Nice to meet you, Reed.
Okay! Kim, Claire. Got it.
Really looking forward
to working with you guys...
girls. I mean, women.
We're so excited
to be working with you too.
So...
So, Reed... can ya tell us
about some of the segments
you produced?
Well, technically,
this will be my first,
but I've done
some great P.A. work.
Wait. You haven't
produced anything before?
Not technically.
You keep saying "technically."
It's either you have
or you haven't.
Well, then no, okay?
But it's fine, okay?
Uncle Pete gave me
this assignment weeks ago.
I was even working on it
when Jillian was still onboard.
I even booked
our accommodations.
Julia.
Julia? The reporter
that I'm replacing?
Her name is Julia.
Jillian, Julia...
I don't keep track
of those small details.
I'm more of a big-picture guy,
you know?
Your job
is all about the details.
Soup to nuts, remember?
Okay, it'll be fine.
I'm prepared, I promise, okay?
So if you guys are ready to go,
let's get moving.
- Great, let's do it.
- All right.
Let's do it.
What's the problem?
I don't know. Door's stuck.
It's not stuck, it's locked.
Where are the keys?
Uh...
Found 'em.
Okay. No, okay.
No, it's okay!
You know, it's-it's...
it's... heh.
It's okay. You know what?
This is my first problem.
I'm the producer.
I just gotta produce a solution.
Good.
Got any ideas, maybe?
Hi there!
I am Kim Gallagher,
here at
the Cardinal Regent Hotel
in Carbondale, Illinois,
the unofficial headquarters
of this year's total eclipse.
People have gathered
from far and wide
to witness the...
You can't...
you can't hear me.
"Far and wide" was like...
I don't know.
It was kind of like...
I don't know.
I'm gonna try that again.
Okay, ready?
Whew!
Three, two...
Hi there, Chicago!
It's Kim Galaxy here with...
What did I just say
was my last name?
- Galaxy.
- Galaxy?
I got my actual name wrong.
It's a good thing
we're not live.
Is this why everyone calls her
"Freezer Burn"?
Wait, what?
Maybe we should
take a break and re...
- Yeah.
- Group.
No, I gotta get this!
Other people are waiting,
so we're gonna...
I'm just gonna do it.
I'm just gonna do it.
Okay, let's go.
Let's go.
h* h*! A lot of people here.
I had no idea
eclipses were such a thing.
This might actually
be pretty fun.
Uh, I've got work to do.
You can concentrate on fun.
You don't
"concentrate on fun," Malcolm.
You just have it.
Travis, I've got
research to conduct,
eclipse footage to record...
and I've got to get my book
to Dr. Longford.
I'm not here for fun.
All right, no fun allowed.
Got it.
How do you know it's on?
It's... on.
Oh, hey, look! It's the news.
You want to try to get on TV?
- All right. Ready?
- Hey, be careful.
- Sorry.
- Uh, yeah.
Everything all right?
I think so. It's just
very delicate equipment.
What were you saying?
Huh? Oh, I just... the news.
Hi! I'm Kim Gallagher
here in beautiful Carbondale.
They're not interviewing
Dr. Longford,
I'm not interested.
For the first time
in 70 years...
oh, seven!
In seven years,
that, um, that the eclipse
will be passing over
the exact same spot in the sky
that it did just...
What are the ch...?
Oh, god. You know what?
I... Can we maybe just, like,
change up the angle
or something? I...
Can I see
your research notes, Reed?
My what?
- Your research?
- My...
You know, on, like,
on the hotel, on the town...
You did do research, didn't you?
No! No... no one told me
that I was supposed
to be do-doing that...
Reed! That's just
basic preparation.
Oh, my. You know what?
Never mind. Never mind.
I will... I'll figure it out.
What do we think about
the tone, though?
You know, should I, like,
change it up a little bit?
Make it, like, fun and breezy,
or more like
sciencey and serious?
- Yeah.
- What should we do?
How about over and done?
What?
Steve Hartwin,
KCYD St. Louis News.
Uh, Kim Gallagher, WGZA Chicago.
Hi, Kim. Nice to meet you.
Listen, I was wondering,
could you do me a favor,
you know,
colleague to colleague?
Yeah, absolutely.
What do you need?
Could you get
out of the way, Kim?
Um, what?
My team have been watching
you and your painful attempts
to say anything coherent
for the last 10 minutes,
and, uh...
gosh, we're just
plumb out of patience.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Look, you're not the only one
trying to record
a stand-up here today,
and I'm just worried
that by the time
you finally get it right,
the light'll be gone,
and we're gonna be
covering the next eclipse.
- Yeah.
- So move, please?
I got it. Okay.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Hey, don't worry!
You can have the spot back
when I'm done.
Rude!
Don't worry about it.
We got everything we need.
We do?
Yeah. We could
piece something together.
We can?
Why don't you go to the van,
send the editors what we have,
and Kim and I'll check in?
Okay.
Well, this is off
to a terrific start.
It's not how you start,
it's how you finish.
This is Steve Hartwin
at the Cardinal Regent Hotel
in Carbondale, Illinois.
Back to you, Beverly.
You know, that was
actually pretty impressive.
You know what
might help the edit?
If I get some B-roll
of the lobby.
- Oh, yeah!
- You go line up.
I'll be right there.
- Okay.
Hey, Reed, what's up?
You what?
Okay, I'll be right there.
Claire?
So, Reed left the lights on
in the van,
and now the battery's dead.
You're kidding.
I wish I was.
Can you handle check-in?
Yeah, sure. Good luck.
Dr. Brooks?
Oh, boy.
What? Who is that?
Former student.
Incredibly smart,
but she's got a lot of energy.
Dr. Brooks? Meredith Gordon.
I was in your Astronomy 101
class three years ago.
Meredith, of course.
Great to see you again.
This is my friend, Travis.
He's also...
Oh, I know Professor Westley.
My best friend, Carolyn,
was in your Film Studies class.
She thought
you were the greatest.
Sounds like a bright young mind.
I was really hoping
you'd be here.
I remember you saying
how amazing
the last eclipse was to watch,
so I just had
to come see it for myself.
I'm glad to hear you're still
interested in stargazing.
Oh, uh, I am!
I'm even getting my master's,
and my thesis
is on the sun's corona,
but my telescope
isn't working right.
Do you think you could
take a look at it?
There is nothing
he would love more
than to help a former student.
Right?
Go ahead, I'll, uh,
get us checked in.
Sure, let's go take a look.
A Panasonic AJ-PX800G?
Nice!
Built-in optical
conversion lens,
improved 3MOS sensor...
You know your cameras.
A little.
I'm a film professor
at a junior college in Arizona.
We don't have anything
as impressive as that,
but I like to stay up-to-date
on these things.
Arizona, huh?
Long way from home.
Oh, my buddy's an astronomer.
His assistant canceled,
so he asked me to tag along.
Ah.
What about you?
I'm a camera person
for a local news station
in Chicago.
I used to be
a camera person too,
but unfortunately,
I had to give it up.
Why's that?
Kept losing focus?
Okay, this is not my fault.
The lights are supposed to
turn off when you shut it off.
What kind of vehicle
did they give us?
We are the B-team, Reed.
We get what we get,
and we don't get upset,
and there's no use
in complaining, okay?
Um, maybe there's
a battery booster
stashed inside?
Everything all right?
Yeah, we're all good, thanks.
Gah!
You sure
you don't need any help?
No, we're good.
Ha! Reed!
I found one!
Okay, here we go.
From what you're saying,
it sounds like
a calibration issue,
usually not that big a deal.
Wow, what a beauty!
Yeah, thanks.
It was
a college graduation gift.
Think you could fix it?
I think so.
I have a collimator
with me, so...
we should set it up
first, though,
make sure we get it right.
Okay.
Ah!
Yes! We got it!
How was your trip from Chicago?
More exciting
than I would've liked.
We have the world's
oldest news van
with the world's
youngest producer at the wheel.
It was just...
- Next, please?
After you.
Okay.
Hi. Checking in. WGZA News.
WGZA.
Yes, for one room?
One room? N... uh...
No, it should be three.
Uh, I'm only showing the one.
Well, that...
that's not gonna work.
We need two more.
I'm so sorry.
We don't have
any other rooms available.
Reed!
We are here
in Carbondale, Illinois,
where workers are busy
setting up
for tomorrow's Festivus.
Val. Festival.
Keep going, keep going.
Um, um, dozens, if not hundreds
of eclipse...
en, uh, enthusiasts, are...
All right,
let's just try that again.
We are... we're live, Reed.
- What?
- Yeah!
So, um, there you have it.
That's it,
and I am Kim Gallagher
live from Carbondale,
and I will see you
again tomorrow
for the big event.
Back to you, Keith!
Clear.
Oh, god.
Kim, that was...
that was...
I don't. No, don't.
Okay.
Ow!
That was not my fault.
No one told me
we were going to go live.
Yes, we did.
Yes, we did!
You were playing Candy Crush
on your phone.
Claire said,
"We're about to go live,"
and you said, "Uh-huh."
It wasn't Candy Crush.
Just stop, Reed.
Oh, Reed...
You are the producer, okay?
We are depending on you!
You said
that you would be prepared.
You said that you wanted to be
in charge of all of this!
I am in charge!
Then start acting like it!
Oh... that was a disaster.
Uh, could've gone better.
He walked into a live shot!
Which I should actually
probably thank him for,
since I was so terrible.
Well, you-you... mm...
you weren't terrible.
I was... terrible adjacent.
I am... I am...
I'm blowing it, Claire.
I'm just...
I feel like such a fraud!
Kim!
Hey, it's the camerawoman.
It's the professor.
My name's Claire, by the way.
Travis. Mind if I...?
Yeah.
Isn't it weird
that when you meet someone
who's...
fun, cool, and easy to talk to,
you always forget
to ask them their name?
You think I'm fun and cool?
And easy to talk to.
Right now, you look like
someone who has
something to talk about.
The sh**t not going well?
Are you psychic?
Sometimes.
Uh, excuse me.
May I please grab a beer,
and can I buy you a drink?
Sure.
Wait. So,
you're a film professor,
and your favorite movie
of all time
is Weekend at Bernie's II?
Yeah, right!
It's true!
You'd think they couldn't
outdo the first,
but somehow they managed.
Uh, so I saw
they had a food truck outside,
so what do you say...?
Uh, Kim! Hey!
This is Travis. He's...
Hi. Hi, Travis.
Uh, so Reed has locked himself
in the hotel room.
Oh, the kid's such a handful.
Yeah, and he's now
having a temper tantrum,
so that's fun.
Can you help me?
Yeah. Sorry.
Apparently, there's
a crisis I need to deal with.
Hey! I saw there's gonna be
a party in the ballroom later.
Maybe I'll see you there?
Yeah, that would be great!
Sorry.
- Yeah.
- Sorry!
You were too harsh on Reed.
You should've apologized.
Why should I apologize?
Because, Kim, he's just a kid,
and one of you
has to be the adult.
I am an adult.
Hey.
Ready to go grab a bite?
Everything okay?
Yeah. Everything's great.
It's taco time.
Let's do it.
Reed... please open the door.
Maybe try apologizing.
Okay, fine.
Reed? Hey, Reed?
Look, I'm sorry
about what happened before.
I shouldn't have gotten angry.
Will you please
just open the door?
I'm sorry too.
There! That's a start.
Now, listen.
We have a job to do tomorrow,
and if we're gonna do it right,
you two need
to work out your issues, so...
do not join me
until you've talked this out,
okay?
Okay?
- Okay.
I'm sorry about the room.
I'll just sleep in the bathtub.
I'm sure we can call down
to the front desk
and have a roll-away brought up.
I... really am sorry.
God, I keep messing up.
Just everyone keeps
expecting me to fail, and...
I am... I'm really trying.
I know. I know you are.
I'm... I am sorry
that I've been so hard on you.
It's just this is
such a big opportunity for me.
You know, when I was your age,
I was just brimming
with confidence.
10 feet tall and bulletproof,
you know?
But then...
after so many years
out of the workforce,
I think I'm just not as sure
of myself as I used to be.
Maybe not as competent either.
A little while ago,
I was given a chance to do
a live report
on this fire downtown.
It was the first time
your uncle had ever given me
a chance to speak on-camera.
I-I called the segment
"Flames of Fury."
Wow! Yeah, that's good.
Yeah. Too bad
my performance wasn't.
I've been blaming it
on a faulty headpiece,
but the reality is
I just froze up.
The "Freezer Burn" thing?
Yeah, "Freezer Burn" thing.
But I... I am not
gonna let that define me.
You get knocked down,
you get right back up again.
And-and all those people
who think that we can't do this,
well, we're just gonna have
to prove to them that we can.
And we're gonna have to prove
that to ourselves, too...
you know, actually,
especially to ourselves,
and I-I actually really believe
that we can
help each other succeed.
Right?
Right.
Right, yeah! Okay. So...
you know, we're a team.
Let's start acting like one.
Yeah!
- Yeah.
Thank you.
Hey, man.
Have you... you ever had
an immediate connection
with someone
you've only just met?
Yeah, once. Why?
So, that guy
that you were talking to...?
The funny, nice guy
with the cute accent
that was about to ask me out
before you dragged me away?
I'm sorry!
That's okay.
I'm sure I'll see him again.
Well, his name's Travis...
Her name's Claire,
and I don't know
what to tell you, man...
butterflies, fireworks...
the whole nine yards.
I've just never connected with
someone so quickly, you know?
I mean,
I only came out here to...
work and hang out with you,
and all of a sudden,
my dream man's
right in front of me?
I mean...
what are the chances?
The universe is funny that way.
Sometimes things just line up.
Okay, did you know
that the sun is 400 times
the size of the moon...
but the moon is
400 times closer to the Earth?
That's why they-they seem
like a perfect fit
during an eclipse.
Of course, that perfect fit
only lasts for a moment...
and then,
once that moment's gone...
Claire...
you never know when
you're gonna find a perfect fit.
But if you think
there's a chance
that this is your perfect fit...
my advice to you is
don't let it pass you by.
As you can see,
everyone here
at the Eclipse Festival
knows how to let loose
and enjoy themselves.
Well, that's all for tonight.
Tune in tomorrow
for the big event,
the total eclipse!
Oh, I feel ridiculous
in this thing.
Well, since everyone else here
is wearing them,
you'd look ridiculous
if you took it off.
Now, come on!
Help me find Claire.
Are you sure you need me here?
Won't I just be
like a third wheel?
She's got a friend!
I might need you
to be my wing man.
Now, wait here.
I'm gonna go do a loop,
see if I can spot her.
I'll be right back!
Dr. Brooks?
Sorry, Malcolm.
Yeah, it's me?
Oh, I'm surprised you're here.
I don't think of you
as a party person.
Oh, I'm not.
I'm here for Travis.
I should be trying
to get ahold of Dr. Longford,
but I don't think his assistant
believes he knows me.
Wait. You know Dr. Longford?
I'm trying to get him
to read this book I wrote.
You wrote a book?
What's it called?
"Cosmic Phenomena
and Their Effects
on Early Cultures:
A Study in Three Parts,
Volume I."
Wow! I so want to read that.
Oh. Oh,
wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Thank you.
To... a successful sh**t.
I'll drink to that.
Ooh! Oh, what time is it?
Like five to eight.
It's Anna's bedtime.
I'm gonna grab my phone,
give her a quick call.
Okay!
Hey, Claire, is that you?
- Reed!
- Yeah.
We missed you at dinner.
Yeah. So, I'm trying
to get better at this job,
so I spent some time
preparing for tomorrow.
That's good.
Wouldn't want anything falling
through the cracks, right?
Hi, baby! Hi, Mom.
Mommy, we saw you on TV.
You were funny.
Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it,
but I wasn't supposed
to be funny.
I, uh... Mommy actually
made a few mistakes.
I'm sure no one noticed.
Everyone noticed.
I-I just hope we can
pull it together by tomorrow.
Come on, honey,
you're gonna be great!
Here... listen
to your horoscope.
Oh, please, I don't want
to hear the horoscope.
"Expertise will..."
"guide you
to your heart's desire."
That sounds promising,
doesn't it?
Uh, well, it might,
if expertise
weren't in such short supply.
The only one here
who has any idea
what they're doing is Claire.
- Mommy?
- Yeah, baby?
What if I get scared tomorrow
during the eclipse?
Yeah. We're, um...
we're struggling a little bit
with the idea of it getting dark
in the daytime.
Yeah, that does sound scary.
Hey, but you know what?
Sometimes,
it's okay to be scared.
You know why?
Why?
Because when you're scared,
it gives you
a chance to be brave,
and no one's braver than you,
right?
- Right!
- Right.
Okay, I love you.
I love you!
Bye!
Bye, sweetheart. Mwah!
It's just...
if you're serious
about a career in academia,
you've got
to get published, but...
ah, I worry my book's
just not good enough.
How could it not be good enough?
You're the best teacher
I ever had.
Getting published
is no easy feat.
Dr. Longford, with his contacts,
his clout,
he's my best shot at getting it
in the right hands.
Attention, please!
Can I have your attention?
I have a fantastic
surprise for all of you.
A very, very special guest
has just called in to say hello.
So...
let's give a warm welcome...
to Dr. Stanley Longford!
Hello, eclipse-chasers.
Ah, just look at this place.
Whoo!
I just want to say
I'm excited to see you all
at tomorrow's festival,
and after the eclipse,
I'll be recording
a special live episode
of my podcast
from the park.
I may even choose
one or two of you lucky folks
to join me.
How does that sound?
Now, get back to the party,
but don't stay out too late...
big day tomorrow.
And remember,
keep your head in the clouds...
And the stars in your eyes!
Excuse me?
Sorry, this, uh,
this might be a silly question,
but who is that guy?
Dr. Longford?
Yeah.
He's, um, well,
he's a lot of things.
He's a college professor,
author...
he's probably best known
for hosting
this really great
astronomy podcast,
and that's the way
he signs off every episode,
"Keep your head in the clouds
and-and the stars in your eyes."
Ah, okay!
He's, uh, kind of a rock star
with this crowd.
Yeah, he's an expert
on all things cosmic.
Huh.
"Expertise will guide you
to your heart's desire."
Pardon?
Um, sorry...
something from my horoscope.
I don't usually pay attention
to that kind of thing,
but at this point,
I will take all the help
the universe can give me.
I hear you.
I could use some help
from the universe
myself right now.
You know, someone really smart
once told me
that astrology and astronomy
were once
very tightly connected,
that you couldn't have one
without the other.
That's true, actually!
Yeah, it wasn't until the 1700s,
really, that they...
Oh! Uh...
Sorry! I just...
I have to take this.
Okay, bye.
Ooh! Guys, hey!
Uh, it's Mr. Whitaker.
What do I do?
- Answer it!
- Don't answer it!
What if he fires me?
He's not gonna fire you!
Just-just answer it.
Hi, uh, this is Kim. What's up?
What's going on?
Sounds like you're at a party.
We are, uh, but we're working!
We're getting
some great footage.
Is my nephew with you?
Yup, he's right here.
Hey, Uncle Pete.
I need you to hear this too.
Terrible job today.
Yes, sir. Sorry.
Um, we're so sorry about that.
We had a bit
of a miscommunication,
but we promise
that we will have it
all together tomorrow.
'Kay. You better,
'cause I just talked
to the network,
and it turns out
the St. Louis affiliate
didn't send a team
to Carbondale,
so I told them
we have a team there.
They decided
they want us to go national.
- National?
- And live, of course.
Oh.
And live, of course.
Okay, I don't want you
to change anything.
Just keep on reporting exactly
how you planned...
just, you know, better.
Yeah, yeah, better.
Absolutely, yup, we can do that.
This is a huge opportunity.
We're gonna be seen
by millions of people
across the country,
so... don't mess this up.
Bye, now!
Um...
Congratulations?
Yeah. Yeah, live?
Live, national.
It's an opportunity
of a lifetime is what it is.
Kim, if you nail this,
you'll be regular
on-camera talent for sure.
Yeah, but if I mess this up,
then I will never get
another chance,
not just at WGZA, but anywhere,
because I will have messed up
on live national television.
Focus on the positive.
Yeah. Okay, you know what?
We need to up our game!
Okay, back to the hotel room.
Let's, uh...
we got work to do.
Let's go! Come on.
Oh! My... oh!
Claire!
Travis!
Uh...
I've been looking for you.
Likewise. These, uh...
masks definitely upped
the degree of difficulty.
There you are.
Oh, Malcolm, meet Claire,
TV news camera person
extraordinaire.
Claire.
I've heard great things.
Well, it's nice to meet you.
Uh, where's your friend?
Kim, right?
She and Reed, our-our producer,
we just got some big news
about our report tomorrow,
so they went off to prepare.
That's great!
But also too bad.
She's single, right?
I was gonna introduce her
to my buddy Malcolm here.
Travis, I'm not...
sorry, I'm not
looking for anything, or...
It's okay. Kim's kind of got
a lot on her plate right now.
I know the feeling.
Well, Malcolm's
sworn off fun, but...
would you like to dance?
I would love to dance.
It's nice to meet you.
You too.
Hey! Did you see that video?
Uh, Dr. Longford, I think.
He's really, like,
a really big deal.
Well, well, well.
Look who it is.
Say, did you, uh, did you ever
get through that standup?
Don't beat yourself up.
I mean, not everybody is cut out
to be on camera.
If she's not good
at what she does,
why was she chosen
to go national tomorrow?
National? You?
Kim, right?
- Uh-huh.
Look, uh...
Kim, I know you're
new to this, so...
let me give you
a little insight.
It's a tough business.
You got to be willing to do
whatever it takes.
I mean, do you really think
you're ready
for a live national report?
You know what?
I'm a single working mom...
and I deal with pressure
every day
that would flatten
a guy like you,
so if you think I can't handle
a live national report,
I just have two words for you...
stay tuned.
So, can you just...
You, um...
you might want
to work on your wrap-up.
You couldn't have
held the door open?
There's Leo, and that's Libra,
and the big one in the middle,
that's Virgo.
Which one's Virgo?
I'm a Virgo.
Oh, all right. Right there.
See that really bright star?
It's called Spica.
It's actually
one of the brightest stars
in the entire galaxy.
Which makes perfect sense
that it's in the constellation
for your astrology sign.
You better stop.
I'm extremely susceptible
to flattery.
It was constellations
that actually made me
first fall in love
with the cosmos.
I was fascinated by the idea
that I was looking
at the same stars
that the ancient Babylonians
and Greeks
first identified
thousands of years ago.
It made me feel small,
but at the same time,
aware that I was part
of something huge.
The stars, they...
they connect us to the past,
to the future...
to each other.
When I was younger, I used...
I'll leave you two alone.
Oh! Oh, no, don't go!
It's early.
Yeah. Malcolm, stay, please.
As much as I'd like to,
I got a big day tomorrow.
I should go get some rest.
You two have a great night.
Oh, wait, wait!
Before you go, selfie time.
Oh, you don't want me
in your picture.
Oh, come on!
Get in here!
All right.
'Kay. Ready?
Everyone say "starstruck"!
Starstruck!
All right, guys,
have a good night.
- Good night.
- Good night, Malcolm.
We have another call coming in.
I'll just put you on hold.
- Okay, yeah, I'll hold.
- Any luck?
Well, I managed to track down
Dr. Longford's assistant.
I've got her on the phone
right now.
That's great.
Will he do it?
Okay, well, what do you want?
You want the bad news
or the worse news?
Oh, just give me...
can you say the things?
Okay, okay, yes.
The bad news is,
he's already booked
a pre-eclipse interview.
- What?
- Yeah.
No. With who?
Well, that's the worse news.
Remember our friend
from the elevator?
Steve Hartwin?
Oh, I can't believe he beat us.
That pompous, spray-tanned,
cap-toothed...
Well, yeah, hold on!
He hasn't beaten us
at anything... yet.
I have a plan. I'm gonna...
- Mr. Harris? Are you there?
- Oh, wait, shh.
Uh, yeah, hold on!
- Speaker! Speaker, speaker.
Okay, yeah.
I'm gonna put you...
Hold on.
I'm gonna put you on speaker.
- Okay, great.
- Um, yes, okay, hi.
You are here
with our star reporter,
Kim Gallagher.
Hi. Hello, hi! Yes.
Mr. Harris,
as I told you earlier...
No, I-I understand.
I am aware that Dr. Longford
already has an interview booked,
but here's the thing.
He's gonna want to cancel
that interview
and talk to Kim instead.
Okay, you see,
our network
is broadcasting our interview
to all affiliates
nationwide.
There will be no larger audience
for that eclipse.
That I can guarantee, okay?
Now, I know Dr. Longford
is a very famous man, okay,
but let me ask you this.
If you have the chance
to possibly expand his listeners
by potentially millions,
would you at least
want to talk to him
before saying no?
Okay. I'll try
to get a hold of him.
Dr. Longford loves
to expand his universe.
That is great,
but don't take too long,
'cause we got
Neil deGrasse Tyson
waiting in the wings.
- What?
I'll call back as soon as I can.
Oh, my... That was amazing!
That was amazing.
That was amazing.
Although, uh, is it ethical,
though? Is it ethical?
Because
I'm no Steve Hartwin fan,
but he did technically
have the interview before us.
Didn't he say to do
whatever it takes?
- Yeah.
- This is whatever it takes.
If anything,
he brought it on himself.
Hey! I'm the producer.
You're the reporter.
Let me worry
about getting the interview.
You worry about knocking it
out of the park, okay?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Yeah! Okay.
All right. Let's do this.
- Let's do it.
- Let's do this.
I left New Zealand
to try make it in Hollywood,
thinking I'd make
this big splash...
and then I ran out of money,
and I saw this job posting
for a teacher
at Solana Ridge Junior College
in Arizona,
and six years later,
there I still am.
This is so typical.
I haven't been on a good date
in, like, years,
and tonight,
I'm on what may be
the best first date
of my entire life,
and we live
nowhere near each other...
Stop. Stop, stop, stop!
The best first date
of your life?
Your entire life?
Did I just say that out loud?
You did.
Oh...
And I'm gonna say it too.
This is the best first date.
No, this is the best date
I have ever been on.
I mean... look at us.
We shouldn't even be here.
Both of us ended up coming here
at the last minute.
Both of us came here
to support our friends,
but it feels like
something wanted us to meet...
I don't know,
something bigger
than the both of us.
We have to find
a way to see each other
after tomorrow.
If we don't, it's like...
a slap in the face
to the universe.
Slapping the universe
in the face
sounds dangerous.
We definitely shouldn't do that.
So...
let's just worry
about tomorrow tomorrow.
Tonight...
Samantha Johnson speaking.
Hi, Samantha.
It's Malcolm Brooks.
I called earlier.
- Yes, Dr. Brooks.
I remember you.
This is the fifth time
you've called.
As I told you,
Dr. Longford is very busy.
I promise
I've given him your message...
four times.
Did you have
anything else to add?
Well, no. It's just...
I'm very sorry,
but I am in the middle
of something right now.
Goodbye, Dr. Brooks.
You know,
I didn't know you were single.
What?
Uh, at the elevator,
when you were talking to Steve,
told him
that you were a single mother.
Well, I was... I was raised
by a single mother.
Oh.
Well, she did a good job.
Well, she did her best.
She was working a full-time job
and raising me and my sister.
When I was little,
I used to get upset
that I couldn't see her
as often as I wanted to,
and she'd always say,
"Even when we're apart,
you're always in my heart,"
which was
a little corny, yeah...
No, it's not corny.
I like it!
Yeah, it's not easy
finding that balance,
being a working mom.
I think I'm getting there.
Can I ask you
a personal question?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Why'd you get divorced?
Um...
it was no one reason.
You know,
I think there was a time
when we both truly thought
we were meant for each other,
and then, we just...
we realized that we weren't.
It's just love is complicated.
Yeah. Well, at least
you've been in love.
I've never even...
Reed, you are so young.
You have your whole life
ahead of you.
You know, the thing about love
is that you just never know
when it's gonna
pop into your life.
Sometimes the timing
is just really crazy.
Like, you could be searching
and searching
and searching for love
and then
it's nowhere to be found,
and then,
as soon as you give up,
it's like, boom! there it is.
I mean, love is just...
I'm... in love!
You're what?
Okay, fine, I'm not in love yet,
but I'm very much in like
with the potential
for it to grow into
something so amazing!
Oh, Kim, you have to go
on a double date with me
after the sh**t.
Travis has a friend.
He's also a professor,
and he's cute.
Here, I'll show you. Oh...
Oh, yeah, super cute.
sh**t. Sorry.
I promise he's cute.
I believe you.
I just don't think that this...
Ladies, it's-it's her.
It's her!
- Answer it.
No, no, you answer it.
Wh... Oh, okay. All right.
Ahem!
Hello. Uh,
Kim Gallagher speaking.
Hi, Ms. Gallagher,
this is Samantha speaking.
Uh-huh.
So I've discussed
with Dr. Longford,
and he's decided to go ahead
with the interview.
Uh-huh. Yes, I understand.
Keep an eye out for details
sent to your email.
I will do.
Thank you, Samantha.
Well?
We got the interview.
- What?
- We got the interview!
Yes!
What interview?
So, today is the big day.
Heading to the park soon?
Yeah, the eclipse
isn't until 2:00,
but Malcolm has this spot
he wants to call dibs on.
We're getting there early too.
Gotta set up
for some big interview
Kim and Reed managed to score.
Oh, by the way,
I don't think
Kim will be
up for a double date after.
She's, like,
laser-focused on this report.
She's gonna want
to head back to Chicago ASAP
when we wrap out.
That's unfortunate,
but honestly,
Malcolm's the same way.
Totally work-obsessed.
He's dying to meet up
with this old professor of his,
wants to give him his book,
maybe help him get published,
which leads to a better job.
You know,
typical overachiever stuff.
Seems like he and Kim
have a lot in common.
Yeah. Too bad
the stuff they have in common
is the same stuff
keeping them apart.
Well, I had
a lovely evening last night.
We still on for drinks later?
We sure are.
Meredith, since your telescope
is so much nicer than mine,
I was thinking maybe we could...
Team up? Seriously?
I like the idea
of working with you.
You remind me
of my younger self.
I-I do?
Yeah, although you're much
more outgoing than I was.
When I was young,
I was very shy.
I could never imagine
being a teacher.
But you're so good at it.
Thanks.
You know...
I kinda owe it all
to someone I met here
seven years ago.
Wow.
Yeah, a very special woman.
She's the one who put the idea
of being a teacher in my head.
Without her,
who knows what I'd be doing now.
And if you'd never been
my teacher,
who knows what I'd be doing now?
So by the transitive property,
she changed my life too.
Wow.
Huh.
Ever wonder
what happened to her?
Sure, but...
for all I know,
she's happily married
and living in Paris
or Australia or on the moon.
She probably never gave me
a second thought anyway.
Okay.
What matters today
is that I get some great footage
of the eclipse,
and then I figure out
how to score five minutes
with Dr. Longford.
Mm-hmm. I bet you will,
because I believe
the universe always finds a way
to give us exactly what we need.
Hmm.
Oh! I love that shot
with the girl with the headband.
It-It reminds me of my daughter.
Yeah.
Okay, um...
I think that's it.
I think we're good.
Uh, "good"?
I-I mean, I think
we're better than good.
I think this is gonna make
a fantastic lead-in.
You know what?
You can probably just go ahead
and send that
over to the studio.
Oh, I forgot to mention
Samantha called me this morning,
told me that Dr. Longford
will be at the park at 1:30.
She even gave me
his cell phone number.
Great. Call him to confirm.
But his assistant already...
No, just... I just want you
to hear it from him.
All right. Of course.
Look, this-this interview
is everything.
If we get this right...
- Hey! We will.
- Yeah.
All right?
You can count on me.
- Okay.
- All right?
All right. I need a...
I need a breath of fresh air.
- Yeah, okay.
- 'Kay.
- Go ahead.
- Here I go.
Ooh!
Hey, Malcolm?
Oof!
If you're gonna check out,
can you save me a spot in line?
I just gotta fix this quick.
You got it.
You good with that?
- Yeah.
- Great.
You gotta move.
Hey, uh, Kim, we should leave.
Valet needs us out of here.
Oh, where are we supposed to go?
Um, I don't... we'll just
pull... we'll pull it forward.
- Okay.
- It'll be okay.
All right.
Claire.
Heading to the park?
Almost, yeah.
Maybe we'll see you there
afterwards.
Hey, listen, uh...
I just wanna say,
I-I don't know
if Travis told you,
or if I should tell you,
but he went through
a pretty rough breakup recently,
and, uh, for what it's worth,
I haven't seen him
this... excited,
optimistic, happy?
Whatever it is,
I haven't seen it in him
in a long time.
It means a lot.
It's nice
you care about him so much.
He cares about you too.
Hi!
You just say goodbye to Travis?
Well, hopefully,
not "goodbye" goodbye,
just... goodbye.
You know, if it's meant to be...
I know! I know.
Let's focus.
It's a big day.
Yeah.
Sure is.
Steve!
So nice to see you.
You know,
you're not gonna believe
the message that I just got.
Yeah, it seems Stanley Longford
just canceled my interview.
Oh... that's... that's too bad.
You know, I know
that it was you
who lured him away from me.
Um, what can I say?
I have a great producer,
you know?
He gets things done.
Look. See, here's the thing.
You can't
just take my interview.
Don't worry about it,
'cause you can speak to him
when I'm done.
Yeah.
We'll see.
Satisfied?
Just a little bit!
Hi, Mom!
Hi, Anna.
We're making eclipse viewers!
Yeah, I can see that.
Hey, you be careful
out there, though, okay?
Don't look directly
at the eclipse.
Everybody knows that!
They do, do they?
Mommy, when are you coming home?
I miss you.
I know.
I miss you too, sweetie.
Um, and I promise
that I'm gonna finish up
as soon as I can,
so I can get home
and tuck you in tonight, okay?
Hey, but you know what?
Even when we're apart...
you're always in my heart.
How you doing, Kimberly?
Are you okay?
Uh... why would I be nervous?
You know?
Just a few hours away
from talking
to millions and millions
of people,
coast to coast.
I'm not nervous. I'm...
terrified.
It's okay to be scared, Mommy.
You know why?
Why is that, sweetie?
Because being scared
gives you the chance
to be brave.
That is very wise.
I was thinking,
maybe we try and stay
another night.
Bet I could
talk Claire into it, too.
We have classes tomorrow.
We can get out of them.
I can't.
Now, come on.
I've gotta get serious.
This afternoon is my only shot
at getting to Dr. Longford.
- Yes, okay.
- If I can just get around
his assistant...
- Okay. Thank you, Dr. Longford.
I will see you at the park.
Was that...?
Were you talking
to Dr. Longford?
Uh, yeah?
Dr. Stanley Longford?
The coolest astronomer
of all time?
Okay, well,
that's not for me to judge.
I don't even know what
makes an astronomer cool.
He's meeting you at the park?
Uh, yeah.
Yeah, we're doing
this live interview.
I'm with WGZA.
- WGZA?
You must work with Claire.
You know Claire?
Uh, we met yesterday.
It's, uh, been a...
Oh! Oh!
You're the guy
she kissed last night!
You and Claire kissed?
Yeah! It was awesome.
- That's great!
- What's great?
Travis and Claire kissed!
That is great.
Who's Claire?
She's...
never mind right now.
This guy...
sorry, I didn't get your name.
It's Reed.
Reed works
at a news station in Chicago,
and they're interviewing
Dr. Longford today.
No way.
You've gotta introduce us!
I'm-I'm sorry,
I-I don't know who you guys are.
Claire will vouch for us.
You just said you don't
even know who Claire is!
She'll vouch for Travis and I.
Who are you?
This is starting to feel
like an Abbott and Costello
routine.
- Abbott and what?
- Who?
Look. We really need your help.
It's very important
I talk to Dr. Longford today.
Okay. For Claire,
I'll see what I can do, but...
no promises, okay?
See?
I told you,
the universe always finds a way.
I wonder if
Dr. Longford is here yet.
The eclipse footage
is still the priority,
and this hill's
the best place to get it.
Hey, Travis? Go find Claire.
What?
No, the whole reason I came here
is to help you out.
I-I can't just...
I've got Meredith
here to help me.
She's an expert in this stuff,
and, no offense, but you have
no idea what I'm talking about
half the time.
Are you sure, though?
I don't wanna ditch
my best friend.
You're not ditching me,
and what kind of friend
would I be
if I kept you
from the woman of your dreams?
Thanks, man!
Oh, and if you see
Dr. Longford,
make sure
to bring him our way...
kicking and screaming
if you have to.
Will do.
Just look at this crowd!
Eclipse chasers
from across the country
have turned out in full force
to celebrate
today's cosmic event.
I'm Kim Gallagher
reporting live
from Carbondale, Illinois,
which is about to see
its second total solar eclipse
in seven years.
Now, we're just
under 30 minutes away
from the start
of the main event,
but before we get to that,
I'm gonna be sitting down
with popular podcaster
and astronomer
Dr. Stanley Longford,
and you do not
wanna miss a minute,
so stay tuned.
We're clear!
Was that okay?
"Okay"? You were fantastic!
The kid speaks the truth.
No, it was amazing!
Confident, just no fear.
A lot of fear, actually,
but, you know,
when you're scared,
it gives you a chance
to be brave, right?
Seriously, Kim, you nailed it!
Let's not get too excited.
You know,
that was just the local set-up.
You know, we don't go national
until the interview.
Speaking of which,
is Dr. Longford here yet?
How about I give him a call?
- Okay.
- Claire, could you take this?
Thanks.
Hey, everything okay?
Yeah.
I just...
Dj vu, I guess. I think.
I don't know.
The last time I was here,
seven years ago,
I was all... just primed
to set the world on fire.
Things just didn't work out
quite that way.
Things hardly ever work out
the way we think they will...
but they do work out...
sometimes for the better.
Yeah. Thanks, Claire.
Now, focus!
You're an on-camera
reporter now,
and you've got
a live national interview
to get ready for, right?
That is right!
You know what? I can do this.
My mom was right!
The stars have aligned for me,
and everything
is gonna be perfect!
Guys, we've got a huge problem.
What?
And, there, everything's set.
Perfect.
Now, if I can just connect
with Dr. Longford,
we can call this day a success.
You'll get to him.
That cute TV news guy
will pull through.
Cute, huh?
Don't change the subject.
I promise, everything's
going to work out.
Can't you feel it, Malcolm?
The stars are aligning
all over the place.
Dr. Longford,
he's not picking up. Okay?
And I-I can't reach
his assistant either!
He should be here by now.
- You can't be serious.
The whole thing is built
around this interview!
What are we supposed to do
if he doesn't show?
- I don't know. I-I guess we...
- I'm right here.
Terribly sorry.
We tried to call, but, uh...
reception is spotty here.
Forgive me
for being a few minutes late,
but I just had
to get myself a lunar cake. Mm!
Delicious!
Dr. Longford,
I'm Kim Gallagher.
Ya had us worried there
for a second,
but it's so nice to meet you.
Ma'am, lovely
to meet you as well.
I understand
this is going out nationally,
is that correct?
- Uh, yeah, that's right.
Um...?
I'll need you to, uh,
hit these talking points
to set me up
to promote my live podcast
after the eclipse.
That's the reason why I, uh,
agreed to cancel
my previous engagement.
Yeah, of course!
Yeah, we totally...
We can handle this.
Um, if we could just...
look over the questions, and...
I'm sorry,
I don't do pre-interviews.
It ruins the spontaneity.
Did you not tell her?
Dr. Longford
doesn't do pre-interviews.
Ruins the spontaneity.]
Good to know. Thank you.
Don't worry.
I've been doing this
a long time.
Together, you and I
shall shine brighter
than a supernova.
Great. Right. Supernova time.
If we could
just get set up for the shot?
- Of course, of course.
- Let's, uh...
I just need
to use the facilities...
- Oh.
- First.
Uh, do we have time for that?
We're live in 15 minutes.
15 minutes. I...
Can you wait?
I'd be happier if I...
take some of the pressure off,
so to speak.
Don't worry!
Back in a jiffy!
- Okay.
Great, great.
Okay, it's gonna be great!
Let's go set up, guys.
- Okay, let's go get set up.
- Let's set up.
Excuse me? Um...
Dr. Longford!
Steve Hartwin.
KCYD in St. Louis?
Ah, yes, Mr. Hartman.
Apologies for canceling on you,
but I just had to go with
the, uh, national broadcast.
I'm sure you understand.
- Of course.
- Yeah.
We have to do what's best
for ourselves, right?
That's very gracious of you.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I just really
have to use the restroom!
Uh, Doc, I think
you got yourself turned around.
Yeah, the restrooms
are all the way over there.
Thank you, Mr. Hartman.
My pleasure.
There's... Is there a single...
a single bar?
- Call failed again.
- What?
It's all the news trucks.
They're hogging the signal!
This isn't happening.
- Claire!
- This isn't happening.
Hey! There you are.
Uh, hi, Travis.
Not now. Crisis.
Uh, what's going on?
Oh, nothing. Just, you know,
the end of my career...
that's all.
We lost Dr. Longford.
He went to use the restroom
and never came back.
Oh, he didn't...
it wasn't the meteor dogs,
was it?
'Cause I've had three of them.
- Oh...
- Oh! I got him!
- I got him!
- Oh, hi, hi, hi, Dr. Longford.
Dr. Longford, it's Kim!
- Fantastic.
Hi. Uh, wh-where are you?
Ms. Gallagher, thank goodness!
I-I-I-I... I think
I-I might have got, uh,
turned around somehow.
Um... if you could send
someone to, uh, collect me,
I'm at the, um...
- We lost him!
- You're at the...?
Three minutes till we're live!
I'm coming for you,
Dr. Longford!
Oh, my god. Oh, my god!
We... we-we could...
We could still
pull this off, right?
How? How, how?
I am about to go live
to the entire nation
with no one to talk to
and nothing to talk about.
No, no.
I'm not gonna let us fail, okay?
No, I'm the producer!
I'm-I'm gonna produce
a solution, okay?
Just give me a second!
He's gonna produce a solution.
You know,
Malcolm was really hoping
to talk
to that Longford guy too.
Hey, that's it!
Your friend, he's some sort of
hot-shot astronomy professor,
right?
Uh, well,
he's an astronomy professor.
Don't know if
I would call him a hotshot.
Yeah, yeah, close enough.
Where is he?
Right up there.
Right up there?
Okay, you two bring
everything we need up that hill,
make sure the signal
can still reach our antenna,
and... we'll be
right behind you, okay?
I thought you said
he was incompetent.
He's had
a transformative 24 hours.
Keep up, Travis!
I'm coming!
All right.
Okay, Kim.
- Uh-huh? Yeah?
- Listen to me.
We're gonna have to salvage
the whole interview.
All my questions
are specific to Dr. Longford
and his podcast!
That's okay! You'll just have
to make them up on the fly!
You're good at that, you're good
at thinking on your feet!
Live on national TV?
No, I can't.
Yes, you can!
Listen to me.
- Oh...
It's just like you said,
everything, everyone
who expects us to fail,
we have to prove them wrong!
Okay?
- Okay.
Especially us.
Now, I'm not gonna let you down,
and you're not
gonna let me down!
- No. No.
- Okay?
We can do this! Yeah?
Yeah! Then let's do this.
- Yes, let's do this!
- Yeah.
Okay, we got 90 seconds
till they throw it to us.
- 90 seconds?
- Let's go. Let's go.
- Right over here.
- What's going on?
Oh, what's going on
is you're about
to be interviewed on live TV!
I'm what?
Nationwide!
Sorry! Live TV, nationwide.
Don't worry!
You're just gonna be
talking about eclipses.
You love eclipses.
Wait a second! I don't wanna
be interviewed live on TV.
It's too much pressure.
I'm not...
I'm not cut out for this.
- No choice.
You gotta
save the day here, buddy.
But, I'm-I'm not...
I mean, I can't do that, Travis.
You totally can.
Dr. Brooks, Malcolm...
you were my favorite professor
for a reason.
You make astronomy fun
and relatable.
Just pretend
you're teaching class.
Okay. Yeah, okay.
Just like I'm in class.
Yeah, right. I can do this.
Okay, yeah.
- Good, 'cause you're on in 30!
Just like in class...
except instead
of 20 students watching,
it's millions of people.
No pressure.
Uh, notes.
Do you have... okay.
Yes, thank you.
Okay, what can I use?
Hey. Are you good?
Yeah! Yeah, I'm good.
You got this, okay?
- I got it. I got it.
- You got this.
Do you have a high-def camera?
- Uh, yeah, right here.
- Okay, great.
If we could
link that feed to our antenna,
we'll have a perfect footage
of the eclipse.
Um, is that...
Is that okay? Can I do that?
- Why not?
- Okay!
This is getting so exciting
all of a sudden.
Yeah.
Um, hey, Claire,
um, could you link
this feed into our antenna?
Kinda busy at the moment, Reed!
I know how! I can do that!
Then do it!
This is your moment.
I know this is all
super chaotic, but...
but for everything
that feels crazy
and chaotic and random
about the universe,
there's something else
that seems...
All right,
you guys, we gotta go.
We gotta go! We gotta go.
Perfectly designed.
Perfectly designed.
Hi, everyone.
It's Kim Gallagher,
broadcasting live
from Carbondale, Illinois,
right in the path of totality
for today's eclipse,
which will begin
in just about five minutes.
In the meantime,
we have a great interview
lined up for you.
Unfortunately, Dr. Longford
couldn't be with us,
but we have another fantastic
professor of astronomy
who's here to help us understand
what's going on
in the skies today.
So, why don't you
tell the folks at home
your name, Doctor...
Uh...
uh, Brooks, Malcolm Brooks.
Hi.
I'm Kim.
It's nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too, Kim.
So, Dr. Brooks...
uh, can I call you Malcolm?
- Malcolm, please.
- Malcolm, okay. Hi.
Sorry!
So, Malcolm, um...
how long have you been
teaching astronomy?
Uh, about five years now.
I finished my PhD
in Applied Physics at SIU
right here in Carbondale,
and got hired as a professor
at, uh, Solana Ridge
Junior College in Arizona.
Arizona?
That's a long way
from, uh, Carbondale.
It is, but...
I would've traveled any distance
for an opportunity like this.
An opportunity
to see a total eclipse,
of course.
- Of course.
- Of course.
Is Mommy okay?
She looks funny.
Oh, I think
Mommy is better than okay.
It's like I told her...
the stars have aligned.
So, did you travel here
with your wife?
- Oh, no.
- No?
No, no. I'm not married.
No, I've still yet
to find my... my-my perfect fit.
No, I totally understand.
You know, as a single,
completely unattached
person myself,
I know how hard
it can be to find that...
perfect fit.
- That's true.
It can be tough,
but the important thing
is to never lose hope.
Finding the perfect fit
can take patience.
Sometimes it can take
a lot of patience.
Speaking of perfect fits...
can you explain
to the folks at home
why, on a day like today,
the sun and the moon
match up so well?
Yes!
You see, the sun is 400 times
larger than the moon,
but the moon is 400 times
closer to the Earth, which...
Which is why, during an eclipse,
it seems like
they were made for each other.
That's quite a coincidence.
You know,
the universe is actually full
of coincidences like that.
- Hmm!
- For instance,
isn't it amazing
that the paths of totality
of this year's eclipse
and the eclipse seven years ago
both passed
right through Carbondale?
You know, I was actually here
for the last eclipse.
How about that? So was I!
And the cosmic coincidences
just keep on coming, don't they?
It sure seems like it.
But, you know, seven years ago,
the sun and the moon
crossed paths, even connected,
but... I don't know,
for some reason,
it just didn't click, did it?
Does Mommy know that man?
It seems so.
I think I know what you mean.
Maybe the...
universe's timing
wasn't quite right somehow.
That's what I was thinking.
But, I don't know,
I think this time...
things are gonna be different.
I think you might be right.
We are just a few moments away
from the eclipse...
beginning,
so back to you
at the station, Keith,
and I'll be back here
right after the show.
And we're clear!
That was amazing, Kim!
That was, uh, folksy,
down to earth...
I mean,
it was a little
weirdly personal,
but I loved it, and, I mean,
no one's ever gonna
call you "Freezer Burn"
after that, right?
Thank you for that, Reed.
I appreciate that so much.
Okay!
- Okay?
- You're good to go.
Hey. Yeah, this is Reed.
Okay, whatever
you were using for the eclipse,
I have something better.
I'm sending it to you right now.
It's high-def live images.
I'm talking
NASA-level quality here.
So... long time no see, Malcolm.
It has been a while...
- Yeah.
- Kim.
At least we got
each other's names this time.
Uh, I think we...
we have a couple minutes.
You wanna go for a walk?
There's nothing I'd love more.
All right, folks!
Listen up!
The eclipse is almost here!
Whoo!
Good work getting this camera
hooked up to the feed so fast.
I'm glad I could come through,
but this is the guy
that deserves all the credit.
It was his idea.
Thanks for, you know,
letting us take over
your whole setup.
Are you kidding?
That was the most exciting
two minutes of my life.
I can't believe
I was a part of that.
So, uh, TV news producer, huh?
You must see this kind of action
all the time, right?
Well, I'm actually
still kind of new at this,
but, yeah,
it can get kind of wild.
Maybe later we can...
get some coffee?
You can tell me some stories.
Yeah, sure, yeah.
I got lots of 'em.
Dr. Longford! Are you okay?
I'm fine.
I just feel terrible.
I missed the interview.
But not the eclipse.
Thanks.
There's this Tahitian myth
that reminds me of us.
I liked it so much,
I put it in my book.
You wrote a book?
Yeah. It's called
"Cosmic Phenomena
and Their Effects
on Early Cultures:
A Study in Three Parts,
Volume I."
Sounds like a real page-turner.
Anyway...
the story goes
that the sun and moon
met for the first time
during an eclipse...
and, well, they fell in love,
and they became so enamored
with each other
that they got lost in the sky,
so they created the stars
to find their way back
to their proper paths.
That's beautiful.
I think I did get a little lost
after that last eclipse,
and I went through
a lot of ups and downs
just...
trying to find my way...
but I think
I'm on the right path now.
Full disclosure?
Okay.
I've thought about you a lot
over the past seven years.
You were like
this beautiful stranger
who came into my life,
gave me a glimpse
of how special
a personal connection could be,
and then... vanished.
I don't wanna wait
for another cosmic phenomenon
to see you again.
No, I don't want that either.
There's... there's something
that I've been dying to do
since the last time I saw you.
Well, don't make me wait
another seven years.
Yeah!
That was the best!
The best one ever!
The eclipse! It's over.
Huh.
I can't believe we missed it.
Eh, you seen one eclipse,
you've seen 'em all.
Ms. Gallagher!
Ah! Hello!
Dr. Longford.
I'm so sorry
I missed your interview.
Well, actually, I'm not.
I mean, I'm-I'm glad
that you're okay, of course,
but if you hadn't missed it,
I might not have reunited
with someone very special to me.
Well!
I was able to catch most
of your interview on my phone.
I was quite impressed.
Eh, you seem...
somewhat familiar to me.
Yes, I was in your class at SIU.
- Oh!
- And I was actually hoping, um,
you see, I have this manuscript.
It's kind of part astronomy,
part sociology.
It's about how cosmic phenomena
like today's eclipse
have inspired us
to search for knowledge
and understanding
over the centuries.
What's it called?
It's called
"Cosmic Phenomena"...
"Cosmic Cultures." Right?
Good title.
And do you have
a, uh, publishing deal?
Well, I was kinda hoping
you might take a look at it,
and, uh, if you...
if you liked it,
maybe you could
write me a little blurb
or a recommendation
I could put
in my submission inquiries.
Well...
I'd love to help out
a former student,
and if
it's everything you say...
I'll forward it
to my literary agent.
That sounds amazing.
Why don't we discuss it
on my podcast this afternoon?
- You want me on your podcast?
- I sure do, both of you.
You have amazing chemistry.
Thanks!
We think so too.
Fantastic.
Well, we, uh, we're recording
on the stage... in an hour.
Hey, we're moments out,
so do you guys wanna...
Oh! Uh, Dr. Longford, um,
do you wanna jump in?
The least we can do
is plug your podcast.
Oh, wonderful!
Okay, we're back
in five... four...
Welcome back, everyone!
Well, there you have it,
another eclipse for the books.
I'm Kim Gallagher,
here with world-renowned
astronomers
Dr. Stanley Longford
and Dr. Malcolm Brooks.
So, Dr. Longford,
would you like to say anything
to the folks at home?
Yes, thank you.
Please be sure to join
all three of us
for a special live episode
of my podcast,
which will begin shortly.
I can't wait
to sit down with you
and learn even more
about what happened here today.
Thank you.
- So... Malcolm?
- Mm-hmm?
The next time the sun
and the moon cross paths
over North America,
it'll be 2044.
What do you think
you'll be doing
for the next eclipse
in... 18 years?
Well, with any luck...
I'll be spending it with you.
Once again,
I'm Kim Gallagher
for WGZA News in Chicago,
and in the words
of Dr. Longford here,
Keep your head in the clouds...
And the stars in your eyes!
Clear!
Fantastic.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Longford.
Yes, thank you.
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Stars Between Us, The (2026)
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