01x01 - Best of All Possible Worlds

[bunniefuu]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[engine revving]

♪ ♪

More than physical pain,
I fear humiliation.

Last week
Hypergnosis was this close

to being acquired by Cupertino.

Our stock soared on the rumor.

I-I-I don't understand.

[chuckles]

Why... why not?

Uh, well, it's not happening.

I just found out.

Talks were terminated.

[line beeping]

♪ ♪

Um, Duncan, morning remarks?

Or, uh, you want to skip it?

I'm fine.

And when word gets out,
and it will,

my stock is gonna nosedive,

not to where it was
before it took off,

but sink with an odor of...

like what comes out
of a frightened dog,

that smell...
[sniffing]

Just...
[sniffing]

Just hanging around me.

[bell ringing]

[whispering] I said no.
- [whispering] Oh, sorry.

[normal voice]
Okay.

[clears throat]
How we doing, Hypergnomes?

Just got some news...

great news,

pretty... pretty
f*cking cool news.

Can't tell you what, not yet...

But it's great.

[applause]
Good.

Why did they say no?

I have a track record.

I mean, Fahfa was
a juggernaut in its time,

and I guess everyone assumes,

since I'm the man
who co-created Fahfa,

then I'm the man...

or the co-man.

And...

maybe I'm not...

And they smelled it.

When word gets out,
how will that make you feel,

and, uh, when do you expect
that to be?

- Won't be long.
You know, people talk.

They tear you down and forget
you ever even mattered.

The doctor-patient-
confidentiality thing,

just how airtight is that?

I can't speak with anyone
about what you say,

not unless you're meaning to do
harm to yourself or others.

Define harm.

Physical harm.

All right, uh...

[inhales deeply]

I shouldn't have leaked
the acquisition rumor.

[exhales deeply]
That's on me.

I wanted to up our valuation
before the price was set.

Uh, sorry, um...

It... it... it happens
all the time.

Uh...

yeah, we also reduced our price
before the IPO.

I don't know.
I'm not the money guy.

I do ideas...

powered by belief,

and belief is affirmed
by f*ck.

If I could just sell
my shares now...

- Mm-hmm.
- But the SEC would k*ll me.

So I'm just gonna
have to sink with it.

Surely you're not
going to be poor.

No.

Obviously.

But Lili can't find out.

God, she would divorce me
just to secure half of it.

It'd be the smart move.

Do you think perhaps
you're misjudging Lili?

Lili? No.

She'd frame all my success
as dumb luck.

You know, I'd... I'd become
an object lesson, an adjective.

Don't pull a Duncan.

Or is that a noun?

Oh, Christ.

What would my dad say
if he could hear me now?

Please, JoAnne.

Really, this is
strictly between us.

Thanks. I...
- Okay. See you next week.

Doing the work.
- Yeah.

♪

[phone beeps]
- Schmuck.

♪

[phone chimes]

The stressors that...

drove some workers

at our Guangzhou factory
to choose to...

exit themselves
out a window remain...

unresolved.

Well, what about
our supplier code of conduct?

Our code, their conduct.

Were we to enforce our code,

anything heavy-handed opens us

to charges of cultural elitism.

Text Anushka Cupertino.

- What would you like to say?
- "What happened?"

[phone vibrates]

However, our position
has always been

human life is valuable...

full stop.

It's a cornerstone for us.

[door whirs, closes]

[sighs]

[phone vibrates]

[line ringing]

[line beeps]
What?

- Wow. Thank you.
You picked up.

Great. Thank you.

I cannot talk to you about this.

I was not read in.

I'm an executive here,
and I'm on your board.

Recusal was mandatory.

- Okay, just...
the acquisition door, how...

how fully shut is that,
or are we, like,

playfully rimming
the door frame?

Oh, I would say nailed...

like a coffin,
from my understanding.

Nush, you're...

you're supposed to warn me
about this.

This your job?

Did you leak the acquisition
rumor, yes or no?

No! No.

Maybe.

Once it's clear
no acquisition's forthcoming,

your stock is going
to take a ding,

and you'll have no one
to blame but yourself.

Okay, that is just
one of the branches

on the tree of outcomes,

and there are many branches,
lot of leaves.

It's really...
it's really leafy, okay?

So just... can we focus
maybe not on the dings?

You want to change
the focus, Duncan,

change the story.

- Gladly. Gladly. Yeah.
How do I do that?

Oh, I don't know.

Presumably with another,
better story.

Yes! Yes!

Where I'm the hero.
- Sure. Why not?

Good luck with that.

- Thank you.
- Right.

♪

- Almost finished.
Be done soon.

- You know what that is?
That's tungsten.

Aerospace-grade.

Heaviest element
in the universe.

This one's 4 inches cubed

but weighs 43 pounds.
- Mm.

The crypto bros
are super into 'em.

You know why?

It's not...

it's not virtual.

It's real.

It's the realness.

Here you go.

[thuds on floor]
God damn it!

You're done, right?

Yeah.
You're done.

♪ ♪

[grunts]

[chains rattle, ball bounces]

- Gary, he landed early.
- Mm.

- Oh, no.
Damn it, we're late.

Yeah, I'm having lunch.

Yeah, well, bring it.

Orson's just wandering
around the airport.

Where are my damn keys?

He's got Wi-Fi
and snacks, right?

He's at the airport.
He's fine.

I told him we're already
on our way.

Well, we're not.

Honey, pick up your phone.

Gary!

You're yelling, JoAnne.

Being hysterical doesn't make
you a better parent.

[line beeps]
- Oh, that's him.

Honey?
- Hi.

What lures investment?
- Uh, sorry, but I can't talk.

- Unwavering confidence...
a hat I can wear.

I-I have that hat.
- [snaps fingers]

Hey, JoAnne, I-I'm looking
at a light fixture.

Can you...

- I... Sorry.
We talked about this, Duncan.

You can't just call me
out of the blue.

But I have a plan. Listen.

I point to the fabulous
stock price,

which remains fabulous
for the moment,

and I say I will sell
another tranche

in private secondary offerings.

Who's wet for it, okay?

If I could Viagra the price
and keep it up long enough,

I could be like,
"Suck it, Cupertino.

Suck it and weep."

No ding, all dong.

Sorry, but if you're
leveraging the high stock price

when you know the stock's
gonna fall, isn't that fraud?

- "Fraud"?
- Or market manipulation?

I mean, won't that arouse
suspicion with the SEC?

First of all, I don't know
the stock's gonna fall.

I'm not Nosferatu.
Fraud? What...

[bang, clattering]

You know what?
Instead of accusation,

a smidgen of validation
would be nice.

Duncan, I'm gonna
have to take this.

No, you just
accused me of fraud.

It's my son, and he is alone
at the airport.

I don't care
if he's in a stranger's van

licking lollipops.

You do not hang up on me now.

- Goodbye, Duncan.
- No. No goodbye.

[line beeping]
No, no...

- Gary.
- Hmm?

Oh, my God, it's a sandwich.

Would you hurry up?

[glass shattering]
- f*ck!

[pensive music]

♪

You are gonna love Las Altas.

It's very progressive,

but they're not fruity about it.

Last year Las Altas was
the top feeder for Stanford,

including Paly.

♪ ♪

Look familiar?

Did your father send your
transcripts from Baltimore?

I know he's not feeling well,

but your tuition's
normally 90 grand,

and there's no way
your dad would pay for that.

But there was a scholarship
that no one was using,

so you'd be surprised
how hard it is

to find underprivileged youth
around here.

And as it turns out,
your father's illness

qualified as a hardship,

so I guess he is paying for it.

[scoffs]

[car door opens]
- Not... oh.

[car door closes]

I didn't mean in a karmic sense.

Orson, you know
I didn't mean it like that.

My gosh, you've gotten tall.
- [scoffs] Can we go inside?

I just need to know if your
father sent the transcripts.

It was the one thing
he was supposed to do.

He just got
out of the f*cking hospital.

Whoa, whoa. Hey, Orson.

We don't talk
that way to one another.

Can we just try to use
constructive language, please?

[door opens]

Okay, so, um,
kitchen, living room.

You remember
where everything is.

Well, actually, we have
moved things around a little

since you were last here.

That's my office now.
And, uh, Gary's is over there.

Clients come around the back.

If you see any of them,
just ignore them.

Some are professionals.

Some are even kids
from your school.

All normal people,
just, you know, sad.

Um, through here.

So the room
you stayed in last time,

the ceiling has termite damage,

and then the garage
apartment flooded.

Don't even get me started.

But the... the bedroom
down here's all fixed up,

so the whole bottom floor
is yours.

Oh, uh, Virgiinia, did you see

that I-I left sheets
on the dryer?

- I already make his bed.
- Yes, I-I-I know.

But I-I got him sheets, special.

[clears throat]

- Where's the bathroom?
- It's just around the...

[door opens, closes]

So nice to have you h*... home.

Okay, Xander,
just try mirroring.

So, if they smile...

if they smile...

Xander, can you try
holding the smile?

It's what people do.

[sighs]
You can do it.

Here, hold and let it fade.
Let it fade.

Martin, are we
actually drinking tonight...

or just pretending to drink?

sh*t.

- Chop-chop.
- I'm not dressed.

Your clothes are out.

Hey, Tess.

[phone vibrating]

Tess, you all right?

I think John has made you
mac and cheese or something.

I have to go.

Martin's finally inching
towards a funding round

for his little friend-bot.

He knows he can't keep spending
our money on his digital child.

But I have an actual company
that needs saving,

and you're on the board.

It's your fiduciary duty

to come and tell me
everything's going to be okay.

Sorry. Can't.

But you used to love to do
your fiduciary duty with me.

- [chuckles softly]
You're on your own.

[line beeping]

[solemn music]

♪

Rodrigo,

call the Ayahuasca guy.

And time me.

You look splendid
and very handsome.

I feel like I'm cosplaying
a version of me

that would never talk to me.

Xander said I look French.

Take style advice from
a widget or me... your choice.

Don't say "widget."

- So the Guangzhou factory...
it's endless.

It's 15 hours ahead, too,

so I might have to pop out
midway tonight.

Forgive me?

["Come and Be a Winner" by
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings]

♪ ♪

♪ Come and be a winner ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Come and be a winner

♪ ♪

♪ Be a winner ♪

♪ Just a winner

♪ Be a winner now ♪

[retching, groans]

- Ayahuasca.
Medicina.

[chanting indistinctly]

[groaning] I'm a puddle.

That's it, Duncan.

- I'm a puddle.
- Yeah.

[moaning]

[shushing]

He's in a very sensitive place
right now.

[moaning] I'm a puddle.

- What the hell?
- [moans]

He didn't think you were coming.

He begged me to come.

Dad... Dad...

Dad, you... don't be mad.
Don't be mad.

- Yeah, um, I'll go.
- No.

He wants to leave.

- Speak to Dad, Duncan.
- Dad... Dad...

- Oh, my God.
- Dad... Dad...

What do you wish to say to him?

[gasping, moaning]

I'm rich.

- That's great.
- Dad.

Dad.

Dad.
[moaning]

Help me!

[grunting]

Stay rich.
[exhales deeply]

[lively music]

♪ ♪

I hope no one's looking
out the window.

All right, go on, get.
Imshi.

Great. We're going
into the world's

most profitable company

reeking of that dude's
cinnamon f*cking patchouli.

[distant telephone rings]

[breathes deeply]

♪ ♪

- You good?
- Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.

I'm fine.
[sighs]

You must be
the gentlemen from the VA?

- Yeah, that's right.
- Just here.

Thank you.

We used to run
the world, Jeffery.

Now we rent server space
from the b*stards who broke it.

Good grief.

- Oh, sh*t.
- Ruffage?

[chuckles] Generalissimo.

General Don Voorhees,
Jeffery Hart.

- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.

What are you doing here?

Oh, I just came to solve
the backlog at the VA.

Well, prepare to die
with your boots on, boys.

[laughter]
- Well, about to meet with Tim.

Just met with Tim.

DOD arranged a conference
in partnership with Cupertino.

Technology of defense.

Gazillionaire jagoffs
love these things.

[laughs] Yeah, nice.

Nice. Hey.

You know, tell me to get lost,
but, uh...

what if I spoke about our
initiative at your conference?

You know, make them
feel like heroes

for helping the actual heroes?

Maybe.

Major Marcia?
- Maybe.

We'll let you know.

Okay.

[indistinct chatter]

"Maybe."

Guy fired me ten years ago.

Prick.

[groans]

God damn it.

- Hi. Hi.
- Ah.

I'm Anushka Bhattachera,
Director of Ethical Innovation.

Tim Kwan, corp dev.

Jeffery Hart, Assistant
to the Deputy Undersecretary.

Yeah, Tom Ruffage,

Deputy Undersecretary,
Veterans Affairs.

All right.

Oh, just here?
- Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Sure.

Okay.

But, uh, will
the other Tim be joining?

[Anushka scoffs]

Big Tim only shows up

when the contours are delimited.

Uh-huh.

So, uh, you guys got
a traffic jam needs clearing.

Yeah, we do, indeed.

- Tim... Big Tim...
he likes things super direct,

uncluttered.
- Mm-hmm.

Right? So, straightforwardly,
what's the quant ben for us?

[chuckles]

I'm still pretending to know

what "delimited contours" means.

[chuckles]

Quant ben is
"quantifiable benefits."

Got it.

Yeah.
[clears throat]

Well, I mean, uh...

I don't know.

Uh, you're here.

You live here.

And you and me and Jeffery
and Anushka and Big Tim,

we're all here.

There are men and women

who fought for us to be here

and live like... this.

[chuckles] You know,
free to make a business,

to speak our minds,

to make ungodly sums of money.

But for the men and the women...

who actually put themselves
on the front lines

to defend
the socioeconomic system

in which you
and your company thrive,

I mean, they're not even
asking you for a favor.

In fact, they want to pay you

a quarter
of a billion dollars...

just for your help.

So us helping you
do the work is...

kind of like, I don't know,

um, France helping your mother

set up her printer, you know.

France but with, like, much,
much, much more money

than France.
[laughs]

[chuckles awkwardly] Yeah.

- You guys get it.
- Oh, yeah.

Okay. Yeah.

We... we, of course,

recognize the sacrifice
of your...

your people.
- Mm.

They're struggling, and we...

We feel that.

- Oh.
- You feel it, huh?

We feel it, guys.

We feel it. Thank you.
Thank you.

- Uh-huh.
- He must be really feeling it.

Yeah.

Well, thank you, Anushka.

This has been, um...

What's the opposite
of uplifting?

Uh, demoralizing.

- Yeah, "demo"...[laughs]
I bet, in these parts.

Come on, Jeffery.
We got other meetings.

♪ ♪

Our 11:00 has to postpone
till next week.

Uh, it's Major Marcia.

Vorhees says "you're welcome."

You're speaking
at the conference.

No.

DOD will cover
a junior suite at the Elysium,

if we're all right with sharing.

You just need to reserve it
on your card,

and they will reimburse you.

You okay with sharing a suite?

I-I'll take the couch.
- Oh...

No, I've been
a full-time pain in the a*s.

You deserve it.

Damn!

The Elysium is the sh*t!

Thought that guy'd
never forgive me.

Why?

What did you do to get fired?

Doesn't matter now.

Booyah!

[bassoon playing]

♪

[phone vibrating]

[flat note plays]

[line trills]
- Hello?

Honey, we can hear you.

No bassoon during office hours.

[sighs]
Very sorry about that, Carl.

[door closes]
- It's fine.

- No, no.
No, it's not.

This is... this is your time.

Well, might as well fill
the emptiness with bagpipes

or whatever the hell that was.

[sighs] Lord knows I was just
gonna complain anyway,

and who wants
to hear me complain?

Boo-hoo. Poor old rich fart.

We all deserve to complain.

Not the richies.

People act like
we took something...

as if we didn't build
everything they touch.

Mm-hmm.

And we didn't build it
to be worshipped.

We built it to work,
and it does work.

But where's our parade?

All I see are pitchforks
and ingratitude!

And I got to be honest with you.

It's starting to make me
maybe a little mental!

Would you like
to starfish, Carl?

No.

Okay. Yeah.
Thank you.

[sighs]
- Great.

[sighs]

I'm backsliding, JoAnne.

This sh*t-heel came up to me
at Milltown, my haunt,

the one place that
I could go to in public

and no one bothers me.
- Mm-hmm.

And right before I get ready
to bite into my T-bone,

this sniveling sh*t stick
sits...

sits at my table.

And he's like,
"Oh, Mr. Bardolph,

you're such an inspiration."
[muttering]

Of course
he brings up Bardolph's Law.

He was admiring you.

Doesn't it make you feel
even a little bit good

to see your legacy in action?

- "Legacy"?
Bardolph's Law is something

I wrote on a napkin on speed
when we still had fax machines.

Profits will continue
to grow forever, right?

Infinite growth.

Yes, the logic
of the cancer cell.

If I could have just reached out

and... and... and... and throttled
and just squeezed and squeezed

that little sh*t licker's
trachea until it buckled

and his eyes popped,

that would have been a legacy!

But I didn't.

I didn't.

Okay, Zeus.

[dog whimpering]

Go get it.

Zeus.

Come on, buddy.

Got to get it.

Sorry.

Oh, I'm... I'm sorry.

Hey, boy.

Trying to teach you
some new tricks, huh?

A little late for that,
don't you think?

Tricks are for kids.

One day you're...
you're chasing squirrels,

and then the next,

you're sh1tting yourself
on the good Persian rug.

Ain't right.

Sorry.

[thuds]

[engines turning over]

♪ ♪

[soft ethereal music]

♪

Ooh.

Oh.

Stop, stop.

Hey.

Thank you for this joy.

- Oh, Dad.
- Jim-jam!

Hi!

Hey. You... you had a game.

How was the game?
Or was it a match?

We lost.

- That's how we learn.
- Yeah.

Okay. Okay, Dad.

- It's lemons. It's limes.
I don't know...

Love you.

What they're doing over there.

Oh, look who's alive.
- Yes.

Can we move
this beverage dispenser?

I am alive.

Anton came over
for a session last night.

- Right.
- And...

it was expansive.

You really ought to try it.
- The puke juice?

No. Thank you.

I had a...

a snag at work...
a little bit more than a snag.

But, Lili...

my dad came to me in a vision
and showed me a path forward.

Right.

Guests arrive at 1:00, Duncan.

"Guests"?

The reception?

For Beatrice, the new headmaster

at your daughter's school?
- Nice.

I think maybe
a shower is in order.

Okay.

Oh, um...

and with regards
to our arrangement

and in keeping
with what we discussed,

I did meet someone in Napa
at the mud baths...

a Danish CFO.

[whispering]
Of course, we used protection.

[both chuckle]

Fun guy.
You'd like him.

Oh. Oh.

I know Anushka
was here last night.

So that's back on.

You were supposed to tell me.

No, no, no. I... she...

That's all in the past.
That... she was here as a friend.

Right.

- Da... Danish CEO?
- CFO.

- Okay.
- Brush your teeth.

- Okay.
- Your breath stinks.

Yeah.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Oh, Rodrigo. You're fired.

- [chuckles] Good one.
- No, you're fired.

You told Lili
Anushka was here last night.

- Wha... No, I didn't.
- Yes, you did.

[line trilling]
Lucky?

- Yeah?
- So that Dragon Tattoo chick...

I need that algo she did
on that guy that was doing

that thing that one time.
- Isn't that ill*gal?

No, no, it's not ill*gal,
just frowned upon.

- Okay... Yeah.
- Hold on.

Lucky, are you still there?
- Yeah, I'm here.

Okay, listen to me.

It was Napa Valley,


- Got it.
- Danish CFO, like, you know...

[muttering goofily
with Scandinavian accent]

Get me that, uh, code monkey
with the pink hair

the "none of the above" with
the door knocker in her nose...

sorry, their nose.

Just get her.
- On it, Duncan.

♪

Whoa. Hey.

Uh, get... get up.
What is this?

Get out from behind my desk.

Did... did anyone see you
sitting there?

I don't think so.

How's progress?

Uh, the gentleman
from the Napa mud baths

is now in Copenhagen.
- Okay.

Get him.
What's the problem?

- In Europe, this is against...
- This is America.

We have our own rules here.

I mean, we play football
with a football.

Okay.

Um, this algo is
an AI-powered threat shield

intended to protect people
and their privacy.

I know, I've seen it,

and I find its scope
annoyingly narrow.

It synthesizes socials,
biometrics, financials.

Your current algo
is just a data aggregator

that can't account
for orphaned infosets,

which is fine
for your corporate clients

but not performant under
data-rich scenarios, so...

This is... I mean, it can capture

someone's entire digital
footprint in a heartbeat.

Now you're making my heart beat.

Its scope is
basically God's eye.

- Good.
Super-scope me, then.

But in the wrong hands,
it could...

It could... Whose hands are
you talking about, my hands?

Hmm?

Listen, you make
a wrench, right?

And I buy that wrench, right?

If I fix a leak or break
someone's kneecap with it,

it's not up to the wrench girl.
- But my algo isn't intend...

- No, my algo... mine.
You work here.

You developed it here.

It is mine.

Or do you want me
to slap you with a lawsuit?

If you did that,
I would quit, obviously,

and then one
of your other employees

would need to be capable
of supervising,

which they're... not.

Lucky, can you give us the room?

[door clanks]
I told you to fix the door.

- Sorry.
- Um...

Mr. Park, there are rules...

Rules are designed
to keep morons in line.

Are you a moron?
No, you aren't.

And think about it, okay?

What if this algo ends up
protecting evildoers,

when it should be exposing them?

Hmm?

Who... who's gonna... who's
gonna make that call, you?

Every time?

Yeah.
How about we develop this?

Hmm?

Right, I'll give you
the resources you need.

Don't you want to see
the rocket you built

punch a hole in the sky?

Isn't that why
you came to the Valley?

Yeah.

Okay, so how godlike is this?

Omni-science?
Semi-deity omni-science?

- Omniscience.
- What's that?

We're about to find out.

[dialing]

[line trilling]

[automated voice
speaking Danish]

Here, spoof it from this number.

[keys clacking, dialing]

[line trilling]

Lili, I was just thinking
about your jugs.

Hello? Hi?
[speaking Danish]

Hang up.

Ah, what's this?

Press releases,
personal calendars,

text chains, posts,
search-engine requests,

shopping...
- That's a big boat.

- Oh.
- It's really...

He's handsome.
- Yeah.

No.

How much does he make?

[keys clacking]

f*ck.
[sighs]

Okay.

He got a tonsillectomy
when he was a kid.

I did, too.

He likes wheat beer, herring...

a**l, okay.

Do you want more
of the sex stuff

because I can tweak it to...
- No, no, no.

It's...

Okay.

[dramatic music]

♪

This is, um...

♪ ♪

This is a thing.

♪ ♪

Good work.

♪ ♪

Hey...
I don't know your name.

What is it?
- Harper.

Harper. Hi. Um...

I can count on your complete
discretion with this, right?

What do you want?
- Um...

I want to get you something.

- I don't...
- What do you need?

What do you need? Anything.
- An office of my own.

[chuckles]

[snaps fingers]

♪

[door opens, closes]

- Oh!
- Oh!

[indistinct chatter]

- Jamison.
Hey, kiddo.

What are you up to these days?

- Soccer tournament.
- Stalker tournament?

That sounds...
- Soccer.

Soccer.

I prefer skiing
and squash, but they have

wealth connotations.
- Uh-huh.

Soccer's more relatable.

Hey, Tessie's here somewhere.

You two should get together.

When's the last time
you guys had a sleepover?

[chuckles] Not since,
like, seventh grade.

Okay, can you just hold
that face?

I'm building
an intelligent entity,

more of an autonomous companion
for alienated teens

based on personal data
ecosystems,

but it has been a real slog

to replicate a genuine look
of bothersomeness.

Thanks, Jamie.

- Okay, just a sec.
Sweetie. Sweetie.

Next bite of the lemon square
tastes exactly like the first.

Yeah.

I don't know how many
of those she's eaten.

You try, and you try.

I mean, it's hard
being a parent.

It's really hard being a mom.

It is hard being a parent.

♪ ♪

Honey, swim first, then eat,

just so you don't have
any digestion issues

in the Park-Hoffsteaders' pool.

Can we talk, please?

Our next session, in the office.

Well, eh, I...

I'd rather do it now.

Duncan, circumstances
don't always align

with our wishes.

[indistinct chatter, laughter]

- Ah! Whoo!
- Whoo!

Your parents gave you
a smartphone?

Uh, yeah.

Yours don't?

Smarts are worse than hard
drugs, twice as addictive.

Doesn't every parent here,
like, work on tech stuff?

[scoffs] Arms dealers don't
give their kids land mines.

[water splashes]

♪ ♪

[toilet flushing]

[breathing heavily]

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

Does your mom still take

your body mass index
every night?

What was her thing, like,
anything over petite,

and you're 8% less likely
to get into a top 10?

[chuckles]
Amazing.

Hear you're klepto now.

- It was that or pyromania.
- Hmm.

And you have to repeat
the 11th grade.

Plus community service.

I have to see Dr. Gary...
court-ordered.

Triple crown.

Aw, poor Tessie.

Stealing the flag
off the flagpole,

turning the exit signs
into no-exit signs...

so deep.

Or just another cry for help?

You found me out, Jamie.

Just remember,
if it comes down to it,

it's cross the street
for attention,

up the road if you want results.

[water splashes]

♪

Hello.

Oh.

You're not ashamed
to be seen with me?

What are you talking about?

- Your buddy from Cupertino...
Tim, Little Tim.

Guy's staring at me

like he's trying to castrate me
telepathically.

It's working, too.

- He's just gloating.
- What? Why?

He convinced Big Tim to shut
down the acquisition talks.

Mind you,
after you leaked the rumor.

What'd he say?

Wasn't there.

But I heard he called you
a dumb man's genius.

At least I'm someone's genius,

not everybody's as*h*le.

He comes to my house.
He comes to my house gloating.

That is...

How much of my stock
do you own, huh?

Little Tim blabs
about the acquisition snafu

to any of these people here...

- Very strict at Cupertino.
He won't.

- Okay.
- He won't.

Yeah, well, he better not.

I'm just saying,
you stand to lose, too.

I know. That's why I had
to firewall myself off

from all of it.
- Oh.

And yet you still heard him
call me a dumbass.

That just happened to get
through your firewall...

the zinger.

I mean, he is...

he's cutting me off
at the ba*ls here.

I need you to shut
that sh*t down.

Is it the stock you're
worried about or your d*ck?

It's one and the same.

[door closes]

♪ ♪

So this whole experience is,
you know,

quite out of the box for me.
- Yeah?

- Great community, it seems.
Everyone is so lovely here.

Happy to get to work
and bring my daughter

and give her
the best opportunity.

Oh, uh, by the way,

Lili knows you came
to my session last night.

Yeah, I know. I texted her.

Why would you do that?

- Misunderstandings...
they're unpredictable, costly,

and easily avoidable
with a bit of truth.

Well, it got lost
in translation.

She went and banged
a guy in Napa.

- Oh...
[laughs] Oh...

- That is not funny.
- I'm sorry. No, I know.

I know.
- It is not funny.

- No, I know.
I'm sorry.

I just wanted to give Lili
a nod of respect and agency.

Well, mission
super-duper accomplished.

- [laughs]
- Don't...

- [snorting]
- No.

- Okay. Shh.
- No.

- You sound like a truffle pig.
Don't do that.

♪ ♪

Thank you.

I want to officially introduce

the reason we're all here...

an educator who took a top 50
in Pasadena

to the top 5.

- Wow.
- Whoa.

Before that,
masters from Columbia,

Harvard before that,

and a terrifically
underprivileged upbringing

in Chicago.

I knew the minute
I heard her speak

at the Aspen Education Summit
that she was the one

to lead us into the future...

Raising money off frothy numbers

to sugarcoat the rotten apple
is what built this town.

It's not fraud.
- Not now, Duncan.

If not now, I will do harm
to myself and/or others.

Jesus. Fine.

[applause]
- Hear, hear.

[indistinct chatter]
- Uh...

goodness, I, um, should have
prepared something.

[laughter]

I know you're all ready
for a new chapter

at Las Altas.

[tense music]

- Oh. Hey.
- Orson.

- I, uh...
- I... What?

- Hey.
- Hey. Sorry.

Ooh.

That kid laid a stinker.

And let's make this
a great year.

[cheers and applause]

♪ ♪

Hi, um, this is...

this is weird,
but I was in there,

and I-I saw you take that thing.

Don't know what
you're talking about, bro.

Oh, well, that guy
in there, he just...

he saw me come
out of the library,

and he might think
that I took it,

like, ipso facto or whatever.

Um...

♪ ♪

[objects rattling]

Okay, so, listen,
I'm in crisis right now.

This is...
You're looking at it.

And my therapist,
who's supposed to know me

better than anyone,
thinks I'm a fraud.

Okay, Duncan, I-I-I didn't
call you a fraud, okay?

- Well...
- I said...

What I said was that you...
you might be committing fraud.

- What is the difference?
You're not a m*rder*r.

You're just someone
who committed m*rder.

And here, when you use the
word "fraud" in the Valley,

that's kind of like saying...
"good hustle."

Okay, I-I...

I spoke to a lawyer friend.

W-w-what?

I didn't mention
your name or anything.

Why would you... why would you
talk to a lawyer?

What...

Oh, you haven't done
anything about this yet...

acted on any of it?

I've done the analytics,
you know.

I-I-I-I bag
a high-profile investor...

Yeah... Mm.

And then everybody forgets
about Cupertino.

And we grow.
We grow.

I'm sexy again.

Come and get it.

But you'd have to lie
to... to do it.

It's... it's...
it's market manipulation,

and it is a felony.

A felony. A felony.

No, li...

Okay, here.

You... you came here
today, right?

And I'm just gonna assume
to benefit your business.

Right?
- What?

To snarf up a bunch
of potential hotshot clients

and their f*cked-up kids.

That's...
- No.

I...

My child is attending Las Altas.

You don't have a child.

You just met him.

- The pooter?
Look, no...

- Okay.
- No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I think that we should be
getting back to your guests.

- I just had a aha. I did.
It's a really good one.

Okay, okay, okay.

Out of all your
illustrious clients, right,

maybe there is one or two
in my arena or adjacent

and that maybe their
business needs align with mine,

and... and maybe their
personalities match as well,

and you could set us up
for... I don't know... a lunch.

Okay, I am not a dating service

for businessmen, Duncan.

I am a therapist,
and you need to respect that.

Okay, life coaches do it
all the time.

- I am not a...
I am not a life coach.

No, no, I... listen, I want
to continue doing the work.

I do... with you, with you.

Then I think that
you need to face

the discomfort of your truths.

You pumped your stock.

Right?
- Eh...

Yeah, and now you want
to do more of it?

I mean, if the SEC find out,
you could go to jail.

- Jail. Don't...
Shh. Jail.

Yeah, well, you wouldn't be
the first CEO to end up there.

- You make me feel worse!
You do!

And that is not your job.

I'm pretty sure that is
the opposite of your job!

- Okay, this, right here...
- Oh, my gosh.

This is why we have sessions
in an office... boundaries.

Okay, look, I-I-I...

I apologize, Duncan,

and I am ending
this conversation right now.

- No!
Hey, wait.

Listen, Lili's having an affair.

I'm just a bit agitated...
more than usual.

And you keep bringing up
the SEC and lawyer and...

Well, I...

Listen, I-I depend on you,
and I respect you.

There is...

There's no one else.

Oh, man, that's a good shower.

- Yeah.
- Oh.

Finally, an ounce of respect
for the VA, huh?

Right.

Oh, and some legit
aboveboard decadence.

Yeah, I just wish
some meetings went better.

Oh, no pouting, Jeffery.

Come on.
No feelings in a firefight.

Smell this.

Bergamot.
- Smells good.

- Yeah. Earl Grey, right?
- [chuckles]

- [sniffs]
Yeah. Come on, look around.

We're doing okay.

I'm gonna do my pitch tonight.

All the wigs will be there,
the big ones, the little ones.

- Hell, yeah.
- I will make my case.

I'll be passionate.

I'm great when I'm passionate.

[chuckles]

Do you want to help me
get passionate?

Uh...

Tom.

Yeah.

What about the Behavioral
Health Forum in Fairlawn, huh?

Back seat of that car.
- Yeah.

Yeah, I got you drunk.

Crossed the line.

Sorry.

But, you know,
if I'm being honest...

not sorry.

I wasn't that drunk.

Oh.

But, uh...

Yeah.
- Yeah.

Yeah, I was younger once,
you know?

- No, no.
- Handsomer.

No, no, no.

All the officers' wives
wanted me.

Yeah, and you wanted
the officers.

[chuckles] Yeah.

Hey, you're still handsome...

Mm.

And my boss.

Yeah. Right.

Yeah.

You're gonna be great.

Yeah?
Gonna get some.

- Hoo-ah.
- Yeah.

[applause]

Y'all didn't invent moving
fast and breaking things.

We did.

We need to be agile.

And America is the greatest
startup of them all.

The future is coming.

We like that startup energy.

We're gonna require
our contractors

to look over existing deals

and let us know what was good
about them in the first place.

Let's go to the movies.
Hmm?

[applause]

[dramatic music playing]

Born from carbon-woven
composite skin...

Wonderful speech, General.

I'm afraid we're gonna have
to bump Mr. Ruffage.

We pay overtime
if we go even a minute over.

But wait, since he wasn't
part of the original program,

is he gonna have trouble
reimbursing his room?

- Yeah.
That's $2,100 a night.

I mean, you could lie,
say you spoke.

Just don't get caught.

- Don, let me say my piece.
Five minutes. That's it.

It's not about being reimbursed.

It's for the vets.

I find it best
to leave these decisions

to Major Marcia.

- Shh...
you son of a b*tch.

You set me up to f*ck me down!

How long you gonna
hold a grudge?

You know what?
To hell with this.

I'm speaking.

You can just try and stop me.

- No...
- [grunting]

[struggling]

[distant clattering]
[plane whooshing]

Okay, okay.

[panting]

[breathing heavily]

[phone ringing]

Hey, handsome.

Hey, Dad. How's it going?

Oh, not bad, you know,
for an old geezer.

How's it going there?

When, uh...
when does school start?

Day after Labor Day, I think.

[sighs]

This place just feels like
a weird "simaculum" of life.

- Simulacrum.
- Simulacrum.

There's these clients
who pay to come see

Mom and Gary on the hour.

It's so weird.

And there's this one guy
who's worth, like,

a bazillion dollars,
but he's the saddest man

you've ever seen.
[chuckles]

The world there
is not the world.

Your mother loved it.
I did not.

Yeah.

I really want to come home.

Soon.

December 19th,
the day the semester ends.

Um, and I-I checked...
on the 21st,

BSO's playing Berlioz's
"Symphonie fantastique."

It's "Berlios."

You know, worst-case scenario,

you do both semesters out there.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

[thud]

- sh*t.
[clattering]

♪

[footsteps overhead,
floor creaking]

Hi, Sandra,
it's Dr. Gary Felder.

Yeah, it was
a prescription I filled

for a patient... Teresa Phister,


Yeah, sure. I'll hold. Thanks.

It's a cesspool of idiots.

Guys like me and you making
a median wage,

guys who actually make
this country run...

Mm-hmm.

Who need to know
what they're doing,

or else people, real people,
will suffer.

I mean, what do we get

for keeping the wheels
on the bus from falling off?

[clears throat]
- Why did Voorhees fire you?

- I don't know.
Who remembers?

I might have bottomed
for his son.

[laughs]

Don Jr.

Oof.

That's what
he wanted to be called.

- [laughs]
- Yeah.

- Wow.
- I know.

They're military.

Like, and...
should I be all gung h*,

like, w*r's my jam,
or is it like,

oh, we don't talk about
blood and guts

and stuff like that?

Just be yourself.

Who else would I be, huh?

Duncan, this is
the story you need.

Yes. Right. Right-o.

Once more onto the beach.
Bye.

Hey.

Go back to D.C.

I need you there.

Keep an eye on the jackals.

They see a safety net,
and all they think is,

where'd I put my scissors?

- You're staying?
- Yeah.

- You hate it here.
- I hate it everywhere.

I complain so much,
I've lost track

of where things fall
on my color wheel of sh*t.

It's all one big brown smear.

You'll be point in D.C., okay?

We'll... we'll talk every day.

Mr. Ruffage.

Duncan Park, CEO Hypergnosis.

Data analytics.
- Oh.

I hear you need a data man

to help our fighting men
in uniform... and... and women.

Can I get you a round of drinks?

- Uh, yeah.
- Yeah, two of those.

Uh, gentlemen, what can I...

what can I do for...

I am sorry. I don't...
Is it the army?

Is it the navy?

Marines?

Air Force and Coast Guard, too.

Cowabunga, right?

I... What... what
can Hypergnosis do

to help us win our next w*r?

Uh, well,
it's really the last w*r

we're still fighting.

Okay, of course.

Of course.
[chuckles]

Tracking down the t*rrorists.

So you give us
your satellite feed,

your secret files, and we...
we meld that with our data.

We cross it. We blend it.
We dig into it.

We find the pattern.
We find your bad guys.

And you just...
you just pull the trigger.

Done. Win-win.

I mean, not for the guys
that you're blowing up,

but, no, they're
kind of into it, too.

It's their martyrdom.

So that's... it's actually
a win-win-win.

That's sort of the slogan
for Hypergnosis.

Ah.

Um, it's just...

What?

We represent America's veterans.

We're the VA.

[chuckles]

[glasses clink]

[phone vibrating]

[light music]

How'd it go?

What's the matter?

Duncan, slow down.

I told you
they were from the VA.

You... you said military, okay?

I need a sexy, new client,
not old urine-soaked vets

with their weird hats
and broken brains.

I thought you got that.

Sorry I hooked you up with
a bloody government contract.

There are more
than one kind, okay?

More than one kind.

There are stealth bombers
and secret agents,

and then there's distributing
colostomy bags in tent cities.

These men and women,
they fought so that...

so that we... we here could...

be free here.

I admire them,
and I've seen the alternatives.

But I chose to make a life here,

and in spite of its flaws,
I'm grateful.

Well, then you should have
had Cupertino be their hero.

Okay, my company is not your
ethical "laundry mat," okay?

I...

I have a reputation, okay?

I know it's not great what
people say about me, but...

but this is not... this is
not the story I needed.

Okay, this is just...
this is goodwill f*ck.

And your buddy Little Tim,
Little Tim,

that's exactly
what he's gonna say

when he leaks
the acquisition fail.

- No.
- Yes. Yes, it is.

I-I-I-I see
how that guy looks at me,

like I'm lying in a ditch

with my as*h*le sticking up
inside out

so he can drive up
with his buddies

and go, like, "Hey, guys,
isn't that Duncan Park

in that ditch with his as*h*le
sticking up inside out?"

Yeah, I know how people are...

because I'm one of them.

I'm a person, and I'm like that.

- So you're walking away?
- You're g*dd*mn right!

And you're going to tell
the VA guys.

That is your punishment, okay?

Just put them
out of their misery.

They've probably been to more
funerals than birthdays anyway.

They can take it.

Thanks.

[dramatic music]

[groans]

[phone vibrates]
- Message from Harper.

♪ ♪

[phone vibrating]
Message... message from Harper.

Message from Harper.

Message... message...
message from Harper.

♪ ♪

You got to be kidding me.

♪ ♪

Um, before we start,

I think it's important
to ensure your commitment

to the doctor-patient-
confidentiality thing.

You know everything about me,
as it should be,

and as you know,
I have trust issues.

Duncan...

where are we going with this?

Easier to hear me out.

Um...

on May 7th, you missed
a session due to the flu,

but you were actually getting
varicose veins removed.

Hypergnosis, my company,
we harvest your data

every time you click agree,
and then we put that all

into an algorithm that would
make the Patriot Act blush...

anything, everywhere, anybody.

I know.

All that godlike knowledge,

and still,
Cupertino didn't want us.

The thing is,
we're not all that unique.

The amount of companies with
as much or more capability

than the NSA
would give you nightmares.

Here, Russia, China, India...

they all have
what I have on you,

if... if they only cared to look.

Duncan, um, I fear that you...

you may be having
a psychotic episode.

Half of it's public filings
and court cases,

like how you
and your ex-husband both

try to dodge custody of the kid.

Pretty sure little Orwell
would love to hear that.

Okay.

Okay.

You need to leave...
- [breathing heavily]

Right now.

You need to face the discomforts

of your truths, Jojo.

When I told you
my company was in trouble,

within 53 seconds
of me leaving this office,

you sold your shares,
and I was like, wha...

That hurt.

No faith in Dunky?

And then I asked myself...

I was like, why did she have
shares of my company?

Sounds like
a conflict of interest, no?

Oh, my goodness.
Could it be? Yes.

Yes, it is.

You've been running
a magnificent scam

on all your high-end,
blubbering billionaire clients.

You, the trusted repository

of the Valley's
ultimate insider information.

VC agonizing about an
upcoming earnings call, sell.

CEO hopes his wife
finally respects him

after an upcoming
secret merger, buy.

What's the harm?

Except it's a felony,
and you can go to jail for it.

Duncan, this is madness.

You are confabulating,
and it's a-a-a concern.

That superior tone is something

I really would like you
to work on.

Sit.

Sit, please.

We're both flawed human beings,
you and I.

With your degree,
you could have chosen

to help filthy city urchins
with their nasty demons,

but, no, no, no,
you planted yourself

in the single richest enclave
in America

to help cure the scourge
for performance anxiety,

sudden wealth syndrome?

No.

You profited.

It really is okay,
and you'll still profit.

Me too...

because you're gonna dish all
that life-giving dirt to me.

Not today, though.
No.

Today I feel comfortable,
earthed.

There's level ground between us.

Feels better, right?

So can we please just...
please...

talk about my dad?

♪ ♪

[crying]

[door opens]

Hello?

Hello?

♪ ♪

You are inviting a pushback
that is going to feel

like the wrath of God.
- Ow!

Dad, you're, like,
having a breakdown.

Aaah!

Hyper gnomes, assemble!

We're gonna make money!


on every person from birth.

You're not predicting behavior.

You're steering it.

[Cellphone chimes]

- Your algorithm says all that?
- Yes.

That's the kind of tech
that could help people.

My patients have dangerous,
violent tendencies.

I just want to crush them.

[Whistle blows]

So, what is your deal, bro?

I know tech changed the world,

but so did the bubonic plague.

-I don't get it...
your bot, is it a moron?

I mean, is it based on a moron?
- [Laughs]

Duncan!

You do not want this guy
running your company.

Hey! Whoa!

♪♪

Prepare to have your mind blown.

♪♪

Welcome to the table read of
"The Audacity," first block.

[Cheers and applause]

It's about to get real.

[Applause]

-The Audacity.
Episode 101.

In episode one, the first thing
that I wrote down

was Duncan's opening line.

It felt like it was being
said to somebody in confidence.

She kind of runs the Valley's
mindset, or the psychology.

The lost man-children.

It became a question of,

how can we make
this relationship

more than
just therapist-patient?

They started the season
a little bit in performance

of themselves,
especially Joanne.

She's, like,
playing the "good therapist."

Let's see what happens
when you are a powerful person

discussing corporate secrets,

successes and failures,
in a therapeutic setting.

And what does the therapist do
with the information,

which is essentially
insider information?

Really,
this is strictly between us.

It was fun also doing
some therapy scenes with Zach.

- Would you like to starfish, Carl?
- No.

Okay. Yeah. Thank you.

Bardolph is... he's an angry
man and very resentful

and feels like
he's never gotten his flowers

that he deserves as being one of
the pioneers of Silicon Valley.

His main problem is greed,
like most of the characters.

The doctor-patient
confidentiality thing,

just how airtight is that?

Ha!

I grew up in a house

with a psychiatrist
and a therapist,

with their offices in the house,

and I could hear the patients.

I was a teenager.

And I chose
not to listen to them

because they were
mostly really boring,

but I could listen to them.

It's that sort of funny faith

that this room's a safe space.

Why?
What's so safe about it?

These two
seemingly are so different,

but then they actually have
a lot in common.

She is shown to be somebody
with ethical lapses,

who cuts corners herself.

It really is okay.

And you'll still profit.
Me too.

End of episode.

[Applause]

♪♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪