♪♪
[knocks on door]
Hey, J-Wu, what's going on? You got a job handing out flyers. Nice!
No, these were shoved in the mailbox along with my "No Flyers Please" sign.
Was just, you know, here wondering what you're doin'?
Well, it's the middle of the day, so we're working.
But you're home.
Well, yeah, it's the future.
I can find profiles for my focus groups online, Grandma.
Okay, well what about Nate?
Yeah, I watched the game online and while his Corsi numbers are strong, I feel like his puck handling skills need some work.
Look, I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job, but...
Hello? Can you hear me?
Aw, frig, it was on mute.
I hate the future.
So, I'm the only one not working.
Does that make me the slacker?
You know, in a m*rder situation, I'd be the first to die.
[sighs] Look, if you want, I can get you a job from our market research roster.
We're actually always looking for people like you.
Like me?
Yeah, overeducated underachievers who are too proud to join a focus group because they have unrealistic employment expectations.
You know, I thought you were gonna say creative types with a low BMI.
You know what? Sign me up!
Great.
No, I mean for the too proud, overeducated underachievers.
I did not suffer through an honours degree to give my opinion away for 20 bucks and digestible cookies.
Good day!
I don't actually have anywhere to be, so I'm gonna go to my apartment.
[doors slamming]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[door chime rings]
Scrambled eggs, bacon, extra fatty.
I am gonna miss our two-hour lunch break.
This corporate takeover is the Ramsay Bolton of retail, only you can't punch it repeatedly in the face.
I know it sucks that Mr. Lee retired to Bali, but he has been replaced by this handy employee rule book.
[laughs]
[scoffs] "Female employees shall not wear skirts.
"Female employees shall not wear spaghetti straps."
Please tell me female employees can still smack the fedoras off of smug neck beards?
We are under the corporate microscope, okay?
We have to listen to these people, or we could lose our jobs.
And you'll have to eat your lunch at home and that would suck, for me and for you.
I just need you to be on time, okay?
Why? It's just us.
Actually, starting today, we are going to have a new member join our team.
Did you just say the word... "team"?
Yes, and if you'd like to go the storeroom and scream about it, you are free to take your scheduled break early.
Did you just say... "scheduled"?
[door chime rings]
[sighing]
Ahem...
I just hit our new teammate, didn't I?
Mm-hm.
Oh. [chuckles]
I don't think you need any more bacon.
♪♪
Rough day at the office?
Did you know that every entry level job requires at least three years of experience?
By the time we reach middle management, I'll be a dead person.
The pot at the end of the corporate rainbow is full of B.S., anyway.
Okay, I'm gonna say we're talking about you now?
The store sold out, man... to "the man."
Do you think "the man" needs "a woman" for professional services?
I'd ask, but "the man" is a faceless conglomerate... though I did draw a face on the rule book.
[both laughing]
[sighs] They hired some corporate spy to work at the store.
He's probably listening to us right now.
Please give me an interview! I have mostly positive references.
Why don't you just ask Lewis for help? I hear he runs focus groups.
Because I have pride.
You just asked a non-existent spy for a job.
Point made.
So this is what it feels like to be on time.
And?
Meh!
Oh, well, do try and maintain a more positive outlook around your new team member, please?
If you say "team" one more time, I'm gonna kick you in the "member".
Look, I know you hate change... and authority, and anything resembling criticism.
Not as much as I hate people listing my very few weaknesses.
[sighs]
As assistant manager, isn't it my job to pick staff?
Not according to that very same rule book. Remember her? [laughs]
You wipe that smug look off your face, ya...
Look, you know I think you're awesome.
Just let him get to know you like I know you.
I don't like him.
What's wrong with him? Alister is fine.
I don't like his name.
Alister? You don't like...
He's a video game expert.
I'm the video game expert.
Hey, Al. Al, come on over.
We were just talking with each other about how excited we are that you're joining our team, right, Mo?
Go team.
Great. Okay, first thing... my name is Alister, not Al or Ally, or Ster-Ster, or whatever.
I'm s-sorry. [laughs]
You can call me Mo.
Sure, okay, yeah, but the staff list from corporate says your name's Jennifer.
Technically, but no one calls me Jenni...
Like Jennifer from "Primagorge," only less interesting.
Never played "Primagorge."
[laughs] And you let her make "staff picks"?
Maybe we could all do this together... moving forward.
Excuse me a moment.
[door chime rings]
Okay.
[muffled scream]
That's not how I'd spend my scheduled break, but, hey, I'm the new guy, right?
♪♪
Okay, so, we're gathered here today for a very important issue.
But before we get started, Jennifer Wu, I need you to tell us why you're here.
Lewis, you know why I'm here.
Yeah, but I-I want you to say it.
Oh, okay, fine. [exhales ]
Lewis, can you please help me get a job?
Nate: Ooh.
No!
That's the first thing. You don't ever ask for a job, literally.
You just told me to...
[sighs] This is gonna be a big challenge.
It's not gonna be a walk in the park.
No, it's not.
Okay, I don't think I'm a big challenge.
Shh shh shh... shut up.
Not a small challenge.
True. But here's what's gonna happen.
Normally, I have a much larger team working with me, but I'm blessed to have Nate Dog with me.
He represents the strength of ten men.
And also, I bring muffins.
Now what Lew is trying to say here is that we actually think that this overhaul could be a good thing.
I know it really helped me with my internship.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Now we're gonna ask you one simple question, and be honest... how's your LinkedIn?
Good!
Okay, I tried, but the CAPTCHA code was really hard to read.
[scoffs]
Ah! No, no, no, no!
Muffins are for closers only.
♪♪
[sighing]
Nate: They're double chocolate chip.
♪♪
What are you doing?
[tape measure snaps]
My job, Jennifer.
This may seem like a foreign concept to you.
Okay, your job is not to measure the racks.
No, it is my job to adhere to the rules, and I've noticed a few violations around here. For example, this rack... it is 7 feet high.
So?
So, it is supposed to be 11 feet high.
Okay, I'm barely five feet tall, so if we had an 11-foot rack, I would not be able to reach it.
Ha!
I've kind of noticed that you do seem to have room to grow.
Does the rule book say anything about criticizing your assistant manager?
Actually, yes, it does.
It says that if you notice someone in a superior position performing at an inferior level, that's you, it is your duty to report them.
Interesting, and what does it say about new employees getting accidentally crushed by 7-foot racks with no witnesses?
Ooh, uh, nothing about that, but it does say that any thr*at from a superior should be considered harassment and should be filed with your HR rep.
Well, we don't have an HR rep.
[chuckling] We actually we do. It's me.
I nominated myself, Garth seconded.
It was a small ceremony, light refreshments were served.
Oh, consider this a warning.
[measuring tape snaps]
[laughs] Five feet.
What?!
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! I got an interview! I got an interview!
Oh, my God!
Well...
Nate, you are a résumé overhaul genius!
For what? For when? Details, woman!
Okay, um... it's a commercial account manager for a... a tech company.
Job may require travel. Oh, my God, travel!
And I'm gonna be doing an interview with... a computer?
Oh, fantastic!
So, instead of talking to a real person, you talk to an app, and they send you questions, and you record your answers, so they can watch it later.
So, everything I say and all my expressions are gonna be recorded?
Yeah.
How is that good?
[inhales]
Well, you won't have to worry about the strength of your handshake when you're meeting a new person.
Who worries about that?
Mmmm, shake his hand.
Yeah, it's like shaking the plastic bag from "American Beauty."
Okay, it's carpal tunnel and it's a serious issue.
Jen, don't worry, okay?
This interview on a computer thing is actually a good thing.
It allows us to control the way they see you.
I'm talking about set decoration, wardrobe, lighting, props...
Mmmm.
Oh, that's the costume jewellery my mom bought in Hong Kong.
I hid it for a reason... it's gaudy.
What are you talking about? This is bold and screams of confidence.
All right, now how do I talk to a bot?
Well, it's like any other interview situation, except, well, instead of a human, it's a cold, lifeless computer.
Now let's rehearse.
Jen Wu, why do you think you'd be good at this job?
Well, um, I... I'm pretty good with numbers, and I guess I'm okay with handling clients.
Jen, you've so many other amazing qualities.
Yeah, talk about yourself like Nate talks about ya.
Well, you know what? It's easier for you guys to brag. You're dudes.
Your gender hasn't gone through foot binding.
I kinda know what she's talking about. I bought some shoes online and they were a size and a half too small. Just the, uh, the blisters...
Gross.
[bicycle bell tings]
♪♪
[door chime rings]
Whoa! K-Karen Chen?
Mo? You still work here?
Do Fraggles rock?
They do.
Do you still work at Steak Away?
Uh, no, not since we were in high school. I'm a doctor now.
But I thought you were dumb.
Me, too. It turns out I just had mono.
Oh.
I'm a gynecologista.
I added the "A" at the end just for funs.
So, what are you up to?
Uh... I'm in management now.
I'm actually training a new, probably human, employee.
Wow. Don't let me get in the way.
Oh, you cannot get in the way. You're a potential valuable customer.
Yes, I am engaged. Three carats.
[sing-songy] Princess cut.
Choke on a trash panda, Karen.
Whoa!
Jennifer, that is not very friendly.
Congratulations. He must be a very lucky man or woman.
Or non-binary gendered human being.
'Kay, so, once you've scanned all the items...
Item.
Once you scan all the item, you press F12 and that'll open the payment screen.
This game's actually really crazy.
It was designed by Suda 51 and George A. Romero, Mmm, yeah, nope. [scoffs] so...
George A. Romero didn't design the game, he just helped write the script.
It's the same thing.
Oh, wow, not the same thing at all, [chuckles] actually.
Unless you disrespect the process of creating video games.
[chuckles] I... I definitely respect it.
I'm just trying to make nice conversation.
Looks like the student's become the teacher.
Yeah, you know what, actually? How about I show you some better games?
I can, uh, make up for what, uh, Jennifer lacks in the taste department.
Come around this way.
[case clatters]
Whoops!
Hey. [sighs] So, they want us to change every price ending in .95 to .96.
So, that's like 200 price changes and we don't even have the penny anymore, and you're not listening to me. You've got your mad face on.
What's... what's going on?
Garth, can you please talk to Alister?
He's really pushing all this corporate policy stuff.
You can't really criticize the guy for following the rules.
Half these rules don't even apply to our store.
Okay, we're supposed to put staff picks on the second floor, and in case you haven't noticed, this one-storey establishment needs to obey the laws of reality.
You're just gonna have to have to deal with it.
I guess we're just gonna have to fire him.
We're not gonna fi...
[laughs]
We're not gonna fire Alister, okay?
We fire Alister, he just gets replaced by some other guy, who's also got a name you hate.
The... Aiden. Jayden. Brayden.
Any name ending with "den", they got 'em.
This place used to be like home.
It used to be ours.
Now it just feels like a job.
They've got a business to run.
That doesn't change the fact that this is stupid and they're stupid, and, you know what?
I just wanna say it again...
Stupid.
Stupid!
That's good.
That's good. Oh, great. Fantastic.
You work here, you do kn...
[heavy sigh]
You work here, too, Alister.
My middle name's Brayden.
♪♪
_
♪♪
"What is my educational background?"
[clears throat]
[inhales deeply]
Well, I graduated from U of T with a 4.0 GPA, showing that I am highly intelligent and would be an asset to your company.
[inhales deeply]
Okay, [exhales] what my greatest weakness is...
I'm a perfectionist.
I need things to be done right, even if it means working 'til it's medically inadvisable... which shows my willingness to go the extra mile, like the time I led the 24-hour famine in high school, inspiring people to go 26 hours.
Only three people fainted!
All right [sighs], "What excites you about working in commerce?"
[inhales]
[silently] What?
[silently] Say something.
♪♪ - [silent comments]
[slams laptop cover]
[guys sighing]
That was...
[chuckles]
[Lewis sighs]
But...
[sighing]
♪♪
Okay, Alister, we need to talk attitude.
We do need to talk attitude. I do not like your attitude.
Excuse me?
You have no respect for the rules.
[inhales deeply]
Okay, look, you're new here, so I'm going to cut you some slack...
I mean, there's the shelf height.
There's the lacklustre customer service, if you're calling it that... that's a reach... and look at your outfit.
What's wrong with my outfit?
What is wrong with your outfit?
Okay, how about I tell you what's wrong with your...
"Female staff shall not wear spaghetti straps.
"Female staff shall not wear skirts."
Dude, it's like 30 degrees out. If I could be naked, I would be.
Are you coming onto me?
What?
"Employees shall not discuss their naked bodies."
Hey, guys, clothes on in the workplace, okay?
Love it. Keep... keep it up.
Listen, Alister...
Okay, we're going to get you a Beta Games golf shirt so you can stop forcing your décolletage upon mine eyes, Jennifer!
My name is Mo!
[gasps]
♪♪
[both groaning]
My parents immigrated to give me a better life, spent all their money on my education, so that I could get a degree in a subject I hate.
I'm about to get fired for physical and sexual harassment.
What?
Jen, can we go to our happy place?
Yeah.
Yep, this blanket fort's nicer than our actual apartment.
Mo, I think this is a sign.
I know. The burn mark on this muffin totally looks like Jesus.
No. The situation. Your situation at the store.
It is time to move on.
We can start over again together.
You're too good to still be working retail.
Come again?
You've been working there forever. But what do you really want to do?
We can't waste any more time in our lives not going after what we want.
Great talk... for you.
Jen, do you even know how the economy works?
Yeah, you go to university, graduate, get a career, then a house...
You do know all the entry level jobs were replaced with computers or shipped overseas right?
Your interviewer wasn't even human.
Retail's the new factory and I'm lucky to have a job.
Then why won't you apologize to the guy you book-slapped?
Because he's stupid... and so am I.
Cheers.
Cheers.
I'm sorry, Jesus muffin, you're more delicious than you are holy.
Look, I get that you love working here, but that doesn't give Yeah. you permission to stay overnight.
You know what I'm... You know...
Wow, I'm not ask...
I'm not asking for permission. I know.
You haven't clocked out, okay.
Oh, okay, I need an adult, please? All right?
Okay, these are at least fettuccine.
I mean... Al... ister.
My behaviour yesterday was inexcusable... and I'm sorry.
I'm sorry?
I'm sorry.
[Stammering] Again?
I'm sorry!
I love how apologies sound. [laughs]
So can you forgive me?
Umm... okay.
Really? And you'll take back the write-up request?
Sure. Yeah, I...
I saw Captain Kirk's face in a muffin last night. It's a sign.
♪♪
You know, that guy's starting to grow on me.
Yeah? Well, that's good, 'cause he took down all your "staff picks."
But they're all here in a stack for you to knock over at your own free will.
Awww...
[cases clattering]
I was being sarcastic.
So glad I'm not on the clock today.
Hey!
So?
Well, I no longer have dignity, but I do still have a job.
[Jen chuckles]
Well, then in other good news, Lewis got me a spot in one of his focus groups for millennials living under the poverty line.
Why can't they just call them "young people"?
I know.
Jen, right?
Yeah.
[chuckles] Garth. Uh, I'm on a dinner break.
Do you guys maybe wanna join me?
Jen: Sure! Can I borrow some money?
Sure.
Oh, okay, I saw some people loitering out here and it's a "no standing" zone.
Alister... we were gonna to go out for some dinner. Would you like to come with?
Oh? Are you gonna add a word to that sentence, or are you just... just gonna leave that preposition dangling?
Jen: Okay, give me the rule book. I don't work here, so I can hit him.
Okay, I'm sorry. That was rude.
[stammering] I don't get invited to a lot of things.
I get invited to leave a lot of things, um...
But, no thanks, Mo, I, uh, have a raid to lead.
He means online...?
Does he mean online?
Jen: Yeah?
♪♪
[computer chimes]
Ay! You're working so late. Did you even eat?
Garth bought me pizzas. And, yes, the plural is intentional.
Is the store good?
Thanks for asking.
All right manager on the floor, what is going on here?
Ay! Guapo!
What's that?
My mom thinks you're hot.
Thank you.
[chuckles]
Nay, Jen's here, too.
Hey, Mamajun!
Hi, Jennifer! [speaking Tagalog] So pretty!
Can we please trade moms?
[Mo giggles]
Trade moms? I heard that.
Maybe Mommy trade daughters. How you like?
Mommy take Kate Middleton.
Ay Kate! I love her! She's so pretty.
Ma: Yes, and so many small hats!
Do you think I can pull off a small hat, or do you think my head too big?
Right, I'm the manager of this store.
01x03 - Re-Tales
"Second Jen" follows two young Asian Canadian women experiencing the ups and downs of being independent after moving out of their parents' homes for the first time.