Previously on "All Rise"...
There's been a slight change of plans.
- Oh. We're having the baby.
- Your water broke.
- Baby's coming home early.
- The truth hasn't changed.
I can always rely on Vic to be Vic.
I can never rely on him to be a father.
My whole life, I've been
waiting for that to change.
Benner's breaking up the band.
I will talk to Judge Benner.
- You are the best. We miss you!
- Thank you, Your Honor.
My court staff is worried
you're reassigning them.
Laski is being displaced
by renovations to his chambers.
He'll just move to .
[ DEVO'S "THAT'S GOOD" PLAYING ]
♪♪
♪ Everybody, it's a good thing ♪
- [ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
- [ PANTING ]
- ♪ Everybody...
- [ GASPING FOR AIR ] Hey!
Let me guess. . pace?
[ PANTING ] What? Do you know me at all?
. , miles in.
Tomorrow marks the start of my new year.
You know? Goodbye, Emily . .
Emily . ? Watch out, world.
[ LAUGHS ] Watch out, you.
I wish I could be there
for your birthday week
- instead of this boring conference.
- [ LAUGHS ]
- As long as you make it up to me.
- Just you wait, Ms. Lopez.
So? What's the plan for the birthday?
I don't know. Sara always
plans something fun, so...
- Okay. I gotta run.
- Okay.
- Have a good day.
- You, too. Besito.
You, too. Bye.
♪ It's a good thing ♪
♪ Ain't it true
it's a monumental good thing ♪
♪ Everybody, it's a good thing ♪
♪ Ain't it true
it's a monumental good thing ♪
First celebrity trial under his watch
as District Attorney, so...
Bravo wants to prove
that we can nail this case,
so he sent you to check my homework?
I got five minutes till
the belle of the ball arrives.
So talk fast.
I had such a thing for Samara
Strong when I was a kid.
- Now I'm prosecuting her.
- Don't get all misty. Let's go.
All right,
-year-old cold case gets reopened
when the m*rder w*apon,
Samara Strong's award statuette,
was recently dug up
by new owners doing a remod
at the Strongs' old mansion.
The award had David's blood
and Samara Strong's DNA on it.
Which, of course, it would have,
as it belonged to her.
But the award mysteriously
disappeared that night.
Autopsy also documents
a hairline fracture
consistent with the award's jagged edge.
The original detective
on the case said that she...
Will confirm Ms. Strong's
inconsistent statements
and suspicious behavior during
the original investigation.
- He's solid?
- As a rock.
We also have Bea Greer, former nanny.
She came out with new
information earlier this year.
Feels tight.
Let's not forget your history
with Judge Jonas Laski on the rink.
Right. He still claims
I caused his deviated septum.
I'm like, man, it's hockey.
People get hurt.
Watkins, follow me.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING IN DISTANCE ]
I cannot believe we got Laski in .
- I thought was over!
- He can't be that bad.
- Worse.
- What you got for coping tokens?
Ooh. Savage.
Voodoo, sweet Sara?
Relax. It's more like a stress ball,
except in the form
of a tiny, little cloth man
who happens to resemble Laski.
Sort of. Mm, close enough.
[ SIGHS ] We can get through this.
Together.
Show no weakness,
and whatever happens,
remember, we can take him.
- Mm-hmm.
- Ladies.
[ ALL GRUNT ]
- [ GROWLS ]
- [ CHUCKLES ]
[ RING ]
[ CHIRPS ]
- Lisa.
- Unplug, woman.
Enlighten me as to why
out of all of the judges,
Laski is the one
sitting in my judge's chair.
It's not personal.
You left earlier than expected.
I've got an infinite backlog,
and Judge Laski
has done big trials like Samara's.
We are night and day,
and why didn't you tell me?
My mama bear instincts kicked in.
I was trying to protect you
from the stress.
Hearing it through the
grapevine... not less stressful.
I miss my courtroom. I miss my peeps,
and now you're giving them both away?
I am moving people around
to keep them working.
There is pressure to downsize.
Top to bottom.
Down... Downsizing
while I'm on my mat leave?
I'm sorry, Carmichael.
It's only temporary.
- Focus on baby Bailey.
- Laski in .
I need you to protect
Ness, Sherri, and Sara.
[ LAUGHS ] You sure they're...
They need protecting?
Don't worry, Carmichael.
Everything's gonna be
back to normal when you return.
- I hope.
- Mnh-mnh.
- I gotta go.
- Oh, w-w-wait, wait. Li...
[ GROANS ]
- [ FUSSES ]
- [ GROWLS ]
[ COOING ]
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
Morning. You look great.
Aw. Thanks. It's my bir...
Love you, Em, but fill me in later.
Yeah.
This is the thorn in our side this week.
Well, your side.
A teleworking Public Defender
who refuses to step foot
- in the physical court for his trial.
- Unfortunately, yes.
Ah. Carol, I have
an important prelim today.
All right? This handoff trial
is for a fourth DUI.
My client is up for robbery.
Well, trials come first.
Right,
so this P.D. gets to do half the work
for the full amount of pay,
and I have to do
double the work without double the pay.
- In what universe is that fair?
- The COVID universe.
[ SIGHS ]
Awesome.
[ SIGHS HEAVILY ]
[ U 'S "MYSTERIOUS WAYS" PLAYING ]
♪♪
So this is the VIP entrance, huh?
- Half a dozen bailiffs.
- This is gonna be nuts.
Saving grace... I have
a brilliant second chair.
Morning, Sam.
♪ Johnny, take a walk
with your sister, the moon ♪
♪ Let her pale light in
to fill up your room ♪
Here we go, right on cue. Adam Pryce.
Ah, congratulations
on Special Trials, Mr. Callan.
Cute of them to let you play
with the big boys.
Congratulations on another
privileged, murderous client, Mr. Pryce.
You're, uh, trusted sidekick
here is adorable.
Aw, if only I were just adorable,
how lucky you would be.
MAN: Watch your step.
Thank you.
I've been reading up on her.
- Who, Samara?
- No, the daughter.
Lot of bumps in Kelsey's road.
♪ Mysterious ways ♪
♪ It's all right,
it's all right, it's all right ♪
Thank you.
Still got it.
♪ In mysterious ways ♪
- See you upstairs, big guy.
- MAN: Samara!
- Over here! Smile for the fans.
- Hello.
- Nice. Beautiful.
- Step back.
- Gorgeous.
- Sir?
Samara, over here! One more, one more!
- Hi.
- Uh, hi.
- Who are you?
- My name's Emily Lopez.
- I will be representing you.
- Really?
You are fighting your fourth DUI charge,
and we will completely dive into this.
I just need a continuance.
- Ms. Lopez, good morning.
- Good morning, Judge Delgado.
Good morning. My apologies.
I was... I was just assigned
this case, Your Honor.
I am requesting
a short continuance to prepare.
Your office announced "ready"
on this case last week.
- I understand.
- It was set for trial,
and I don't have a motion
to continue in this file.
I wasn't able to file one, Your Honor,
because I was literally just
assigned this case this morning.
I am... I'm asking for two days.
I have an avalanche of cases
piling up at my door.
Sorry, Ms. Lopez.
Your Honor, I was ordered to be
in Judge Benner's courtroom
in minutes.
I have an important preliminary hearing.
Judge Benner should know
best of all trials...
Come first.
♪♪
[ CELLPHONE BLOOPS ]
How generous of you to grace us
with your presence, Ms. Lopez.
- Where have you been?
- Just one sec, Tyler.
Uh, unfortunately, I have to
request to continue this hearing
because I am engaged in a trial.
Which is exactly what I
specifically ordered you
not to get involved in.
Yes, I did try to comply with
the court's orders, Your Honor.
Uh, this trial is a handoff,
and as I have been reminded,
repeatedly, trials take
priority over prelims.
The witnesses for
this preliminary hearing
were flown in from out of state.
You need to immediately find
someone else from your office
to do this hearing, then.
With all due respect, Your Honor,
you do not have the authority
to reassign my case
since defense counsel are not fungible.
"Fungible." We'll all look up
that shiny word later,
but for now, Ms. Lopez,
your continuance is denied.
We're all under pressure [ SIGHS ]
to keep things moving.
I can't have the judge
against me, Ms. Lopez.
If I do time, then my little boy
and his mom got nothing.
I know. I will... I'll find a way.
♪♪
You seem a little tense.
Now I know that I have exhibited
a different judicial philosophy
than the much-loved
Judge Lola Carmichael,
and different can sometimes
feel threatening,
but one can also learn from different,
maybe even soak up
a few pearls of knowledge,
which some of you might find
useful in your careers.
So perhaps you'll even offer me
a nugget of knowledge.
Now I know how you feel about me.
Jury's still out on you, of course.
- Likewise.
- But we are a team now, ladies,
since I couldn't bring my own.
Thank you, COVID.
- Of course.
- Yeah. Go, team.
Whoo-hoo.
Great! Shall we?
Yes,
we are right behind you. [ CHUCKLES ]
[ SCOFFS ]
[ ALL GROAN ]
- Come on.
- Oh, my God.
Detective Morales, when you
visited the Strongs' house
the night in question,
did you notice anything
out of the ordinary?
Yes. Mrs. Strong had
a large display cabinet
for her awards,
but her most recent award,
the Golden Universe, she had
just won... it was missing.
- Did you ever find that award?
- No.
Detective, you said you were
present for the autopsy report.
You saw the injuries
to Mr. Strong's head?
I did, up close.
Could the Golden Universe statuette
- have caused those injuries?
- Objection. Calls for speculation.
The detective isn't possibly
qualified to answer that.
Sustained. Rephrase, Callan.
What did those injuries
look like to you, sir?
Result of a blow to the head
by the distinct jagged hands
of the Golden Universe award.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Your witness, Mr. Pryce. Sherri,
get me the, uh, the thing.
What thing, Your Honor?
What other thing could
I mean in this context?
The prelim transcript.
Go ahead, Mr. Pryce.
- What was that?
- Detective Morales,
you had been to the Strong mansion
before the night in question, right?
- Yes.
- And why was that?
I was responding to reports
of a stalker.
Judge Laski. And some of those
incidents involve death threats
to Mr. and Mrs. Strong, correct?
Yes, there was a stalker case,
but in the end, there was...
I'm the end, you concluded that given
the reports from the Strong house,
you could not, without question,
eliminate that same stalker
as Mr. Strong's k*ller. Am I right?
- Objection... speculation.
- Overruled.
- Oh, crap. sh**t.
- [ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
Ms. Castillo, do I need to call
on another reporter
to relieve you?
Oh, no, I'm... I'm fine.
Apologies, Your Honor.
- Mr. Morales, your answer.
- Yes. Correct.
No further questions, Your Honor.
The witness may step down.
[ GRUNTS ]
Ugh. [ SIGHS ]
♪♪
So your client, Mr. Laughlin,
was caught driving a vehicle
without the owner's consent.
- Joyriding?
- Call me Frank.
Yes, Frank chose to pay a fine
- in lieu of jail on the charge.
- But he didn't pay the fine?
Hey, you guys get to keep
your jobs during COVID.
Me and mines... We get shut down
and shut out at the plant.
So now jail for joyriding
over a fine you can't afford.
- We'll get an extension.
- Had one already.
I thought COVID would be over by now.
We'll get a continuance.
I'll figure it out.
Mr. Watkins, thank you.
- Is this good?
- Oh, right there is perfect.
What is happening, Your Honor?
My chambers are getting a remod.
Carmichael's are open.
Ipso facto, I can use them
till mine are ready.
- You hunt for sport.
- Of course he does.
Hey, my little baby.
- Mama's little baby.
- [ FUSSING ]
- Mm.
- [ BAILEY CONTINUES FUSSING ]
[ CELLPHONE CHIMES ]
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
[ ANIMAL GRUNTS ]
- Ain't he a beauty?
- [ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
Oh. Uh, excuse me. One moment.
Sherri, why is there a decapitated
deer head being mounted in my chambers?
I have no idea, Your Honor.
It's like an episode of "Black Mirror."
Wait. How do you know about...
- How do you know about the stag?
- Never mind.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Ooh. You are good.
- Should've known...
- Judge Carmichael, greetings!
What are you doing to my chambers?
Oh, relax, Carmichael.
It's only temporary.
Really? Jonas, it's a deer head.
My lucky stag goes where I go.
Too bad my staff can't.
Jonas, I swear to God,
all of your luck will run out
if you touch her.
Put... Uhura... down.
♪♪
Uh, this is wrong.
One multi green Kombucha latte,
organic oak milk, two Truvias.
- I'm sorry.
- Sorry about that.
My mom has a very specific order.
- Yes, ma'am.
- [ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
- [ INHALES AND EXHALES DEEPLY ]
- [ MEDITATIVE MUSIC PLAYING ]
Hmm.
- Oh, my gosh, it's Kelsey!
- [ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
- Ma'am. Ma'am.
- Come on, please.
- Not in here.
- Come on.
- I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
- I just wanted a picture.
[ SCOFFS ]
[ MUSIC STOPS PLAYING ]
Maybe you should try
sitting in a quiet space,
not standing in a crowded area.
Uh, not possible today.
Where'd you learn to meditate?
Rehab. Second... No, third time.
It's where I learned
about the drunken monkeys.
Yes, who Buddha says
we must train to be quiet
so we can hear the only real voice...
BOTH: Truth.
You are deep.
You're surprised?
- Uh...
- Kelsey.
Yeah. Ness.
- [ CHUCKLES ]
- MAN: Drink's ready.
Excuse me.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm sorry about your practice.
When my mom's around,
all the quiet gets sucked out.
BEA: Well, I was finished
working for the night,
so I put Kelsey to bed,
and then I went down to the pool
to get my jacket, and I heard arguing.
Samara was accusing David of cheating.
Had Samara been drinking, Ms. Greer?
Well, she liked to party. [ CHUCKLES ]
Um... Uh, yes.
And why not report this
to the police at the time?
I was young, broke.
Samara paid me well.
I adored my little Kelsey.
I didn't wanna cause any trouble.
Why come forward today, Ms. Greer?
David was a good man,
not perfect, but... but good.
He deserves justice.
Always did.
No further questions, Your Honor.
- Do you ever lie, Ms. Greer?
- No...
Just like, you know, little
white lies every now and again?
Objection. Your Honor,
he's being argumentative.
Overruled. Continue, Ms. Greer.
- No, I'm...
- No?
Look, like everyone else,
I guess I lie a...
Oh, you're not like
everyone else, Ms. Greer.
Not everyone is as smart as you.
Not everyone is as talented as you,
talented enough to write a screenplay.
Ms. Greer, are you
the author of a screenplay
entitled "Not Strong Enough"?
- [ WHISPERS ] Oh, my God.
- Objection... improper... impeachment.
Quiet, Callan.
This is getting good. Overruled.
- Ms. Greer.
- Yes, I did write a script.
Ms. Greer, are you coming forward today
to clear your conscience
or to help sell your story?
Objection. Where's the exhibit?
I have no copy
of this alleged screenplay.
- Mr. Pryce has nothing in his hand.
- Your Honor, Ms. Greer
just admitted under oath that it exists.
Man has a point. Try again, Callan.
Your Honor, this is
a discovery violation.
We're in the process of acquiring it
- from her literary agent.
- Order!
- She has a literary agent.
- Mr. Pryce, may I address your client?
Ms. Strong, are you okay?
[ BREATHILY ] Uh, yes. I'm just hot.
We've all seen "Steel Magnolias."
- This isn't fooling anyone.
- And here it is now.
- Mr. Pryce.
- Perfect. Thank you.
[ SCOFFS ]
[ SIGHS ]
♪♪
- Dinner's here.
- [ SIGHS ]
Thank God! I'm so hungry.
Amy, this is... I mean,
I expected Pryce to be Pryce...
Mark... But Laski's giving him more room
to roam than usual.
Listen to me, Mark... Oh, and apparently
one of my star witnesses...
She forgot to mention she's
a budding screenwriter.
Case is falling apart. I'm
getting completely sandbagged.
Let's catch up later. We have a-a...
- Vic?
- A third for dinner.
My boy.
Let me explain.
[ SIGHS ]
So now you're taking referrals from Vic?
Hey, go easy. I reached out to her.
I planned to tell you after the trial.
You don't know if his friends
have any money.
Well, I asked him to wait a week.
Amy did say that, but I thought
I would surprise you.
Like when you were a kid,
you loved that.
I hated that. Where you been, Vic?
Florida, flying under the radar.
- And now you're here.
- I got no bubble.
- I thought maybe...
- Maybe we should eat.
Huh? Yeah?
And, okay, I mean,
come on. Samara Strong?
[ SCOFFS ] I knew it.
He loved her when he
was a kid. We both did.
Saturdays at the Mann?
When her movies would come out,
that would be our special night.
We'd sneak in our own Jujubes.
- Right, son?
- Yeah, Vic, I remember.
And now you're
sending her to the cooler?
- Hang on.
- Okay.
- What's up?
- I guess it's fiction,
because Bea Greer changed
her name from Bea to Dee
and Samara to Tamara.
But other than that, the only difference
between what we know
and what's in the screenplay
is that the daughter character
is a witness.
- She saw her mother...
- The actress by the pool
with a statuette, yes.
In her original
statements to the police,
Kelsey said she was on
the opposite side of the house.
That's the only fact that Bea changed.
- So we may have a new witness.
- Mark, Kelsey was .
Sam, we still need to talk to her.
It was years ago.
Look, I have memories from when I was ,
not all... fantastic.
It's a Hail Mary.
She's a character witness
for the defense.
Kelsey worships her mother.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
Growing up under
a larger-than-life figure is...
complicated. Look, let's
subpoena her and find out.
Maybe Bea's screenplay's more
reliable than her testimony.
If it is, Kelsey's the key to our case.
♪♪
Continuance? For what?
It's not right criminalizing
non-criminal behavior.
Frank couldn't pay a fine,
so now he gets jail time during COVID?
No judge will just grant a continuance
- because they can.
- We don't know that.
I just need a bit more time
to figure out an alt.
I'm thinking his lawyer and I
can pay his fine.
[ CHUCKLES ] And is his lawyer
aware of this plan?
Not yet.
Knock yourself out, Watkins.
Let me know how it goes.
Thank you.
Tyler, hey.
I've been trying to work
it out with Judge Benner.
My aunt kinda came up with the money
for me to get
a private defense attorney.
Uh... Yeah. So...
Tyler, that's a lot of money.
That's money that could buy you
a year's worth of diapers
or formula or rent.
My aunt thinks it's worth it.
I do a better job than them
on a daily basis.
I care about you, Tyler.
I care about your case.
And you've done really good
so far. I'm really grateful.
Sorry.
Hey, Emily.
- Is Andy...
- Conference room.
You okay?
I was just fired...
on my birthday, so that's fresh.
It happens.
"It happens"? That's all you got?
- Why are you here?
- Andy.
- He's in the big...
- Hey, about your birthday, I...
No, I... canceled.
I'm canceling it. I, um...
I wanted to get you
something appropriate,
but I didn't know if
anything was appropriate.
Yeah. [ SIGHS ]
- But I'll figure it out.
- Yeah.
- I should...
- Yeah. Have fun with Andy.
Hey, Andy. I know you're busy.
Here's the plan.
You and I go half and half
on Frank's fine.
[ LAUGHS ]
[ LAUGHS ]
Yes!
[ SIGHS ]
Oh, you're serious? Oh, dear.
If I did that for even
a sliver of my clients,
I'd be living on the streets.
Also, you work for the People, I think.
I can't stand by Frank
doing time over a fine
- that he can't afford.
- Welcome to my world.
Well, can I... can I at least
talk to the client?
[ SIGHS ]
MARK: This better be something
cute about Bailey, or I'm hanging up.
We better be talking
about anything but babies,
- or I'm hanging up.
- [ CHUCKLES ]
First off, how are my girls in ?
Yeah. Uh, I might have seen
Laski literally
snapping his fingers at Sherri,
and I definitely heard him
embarrass Sara in court.
- Ugh. That bad?
- It's temporary, Lo.
Is it? The man tried
to get rid of Uhura.
- [ GROANS ]
- Sorry. How are you doing?
Oh, besides Vic showing up unannounced,
trying to drum up business for Amy?
- Amazing.
- Vic is there? Where has he been?
Florida, apparently.
Why there? Why here now?
Who knows? Vic requires
unpacking over many drinks.
Ohh.
- What I wouldn't do for just one drink.
- [ CHUCKLES ]
Sorry. Back to your case... The child.
Actually, it's Kelsey Strong, age .
She may have witnessed
her father's m*rder
when she was , and that's the Kelsey
- I'm trying to talk to.
- Talk to her then.
I once had an FBI agent
testify as an expert
on the cognitive interview technique.
Releasing memories to the five senses
by taking the victim back
to the scene of the crime.
- Yeah, I'm familiar.
- Take her back to the mansion.
Could work.
Kelsey Strong has been
interviewed five times.
Kelsey had had five
basic interviews, Your Honor.
Let us not put her through
this fourth circle of hell, Your Honor.
It's just the same thing every time.
I'm saying
a cognitive interview might be
to % more productive
than all combined.
Junk science, Your Honor.
Your Honor, if Mr. Pryce is so certain
that all five previous
interviews are accurate,
he should feel confident
that a cognitive interview
will render the same outcome.
I'll allow it under
the following conditions.
I wanna do a view of the location.
The interview will occur
during that time.
Mr. Pryce will also be in attendance,
but nothing Kelsey Strong says
will be received into evidence.
She will have to testify
from the witness stand.
- Now, out.
- [ SIGHS ]
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
Out, out, out, out, out.
♪♪
[ SIGHS ] I can't.
- A moment, Your Honor?
- What is this?
Research of the potential
negative side effects
- of the cognitive interview technique.
- That was quick.
I work at Mach speed.
The technique can be triggering.
That's the point, to try
and help solve crimes,
and if I wanted research,
I would have asked for it.
Yes, but it can lead to mental
and emotional health issues.
Trust me, it is godsent
that we can forget.
I see your passion. I really do,
but my decision has been made.
You asked us to offer
a nugget of knowledge.
This is mine.
Have you undergone
a cognitive interview?
- No, I haven't, but...
- Ms. Johnson, it is not your place
to try and hold sway over judges.
All I ask is that you look
into the research
instead of this archaic way of thinking
that it's gonna keep you
from having an open mind.
This is exactly why Judge Carmichael
- was here in the first place...
- Ms. Johnson, enough!
- ...just because...
- Out of my chambers
and do not come back.
With all due respect,
these are not your chambers.
[ SIGHS ]
♪♪
Sherri didn't waste
any time reaching out.
She wasn't the only one.
He called to cover his tracks.
He called because you were
dangerously close
to being insubordinate.
Look, I spoke to Kelsey,
who seems trapped
in her mother's wake.
She's been through enough.
So I simply urged him
to research just how problematic
that cognitive interview
technique can be.
I recommended that technique
to Mark, Ness. It came from me.
You? Why?
I have seen it work to serve justice.
But the victim can suffer.
The victim was grateful
to no longer be jailer to a lie.
And anyway, it is not your place
to voice open criticism
on a judge's decision.
Now I recommend that
you apologize to Judge Laski.
I don't do respectability politics.
You do unemployment?
Ness, you are here to learn.
Yes, from you. Not from...
Not only from me
but from the entire system.
Examine, scrutinize, study.
But play the long game
so that you can change
the politics you're becoming
so well-versed in.
Your chair's still warm,
and there's already another
white man sitting in it.
It's typical.
It was a matter of necessity...
A decision that Judge Benner
made for reasons
you are not privy to.
The optics speak for themselves.
I trust my mentor and friend.
You really think the powers that be
are gonna choose you over some white man
who's been on the bench for how long?
I heard the rumors of downsizing...
Judges and lawyers being moved
to different courthouses.
It's easy to be erased these days.
♪♪
Damn, where did you come from?
The dimension of bad-ass
brother man prosecutors?
- Yo, this here's unreal.
- Nah, it's real.
It's just different.
It's called restorative justice.
Restorative justice. Lay it on me.
Well, it's about healing for both...
Hey, your suit is fly, by the way.
Thank you, brother. It's about healing
for the victim and the offender.
It all started with a probation officer
in the s... Damn, lit.
Look, I wanna hear everything,
but in a no-pressure setting.
You feel me? Not with
robot bailiff over here
mean-mugging me,
sh**ting lasers out of his eyes.
Like, over lunch or something.
Yeah! Let's do lunch!
Okay, sure.
Um, so, um, about that fine real quick?
I'm covering it, because like I said,
I think you'll learn more
this way than in a cell.
Bro, %.
All right, guys. Let's wrap this up.
Stay out of trouble, Frank.
Hey, Luke, do you think you can help me
- with one more thing?
- What's that?
So I'm like this much short on rent,
and the thing is, if I get evicted,
me, my girl, and her daughter
all gotta live in a car.
This fine is steep. I would if I could.
I got you, I got you. I got you.
We'll find another way for little Lucy
to finish first grade in the backseat.
And I'm-a go to
my anger management classes
even with them in the car.
Hey, you didn't do this
for nothing, though, man.
You won't see me here again.
How much?
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
I know you've been through a lot.
I'm sorry to force you
to come back here.
I'm not here because of your subpoena.
My mom taught me to swim
right here when I was .
Guess I was a late bloomer.
Didn't learn till I was .
- That is kind of old.
- [ LAUGHS ]
It's just me and my dad,
and my dad was a busy guy.
Kelsey? Mr. Callan?
We're ready.
Okay, Ms. Strong, please know
that you're safe with me.
As we go through this,
you can stop me at any time.
[ SIGHS ] Can we just get on with it?
It's hard enough being right here again.
Of course. Let's start
with a deep breath in.
[ BOTH INHALING DEEPLY ]
- And out.
- [ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
Keep breathing in.
Then out.
- [ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
- Keep going.
And let's go back... Way back.
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
It's March , ,
the night of your mom's awards party.
How do you feel?
Itchy.
Describe what you see.
I'm walking down a hallway.
I wanna give my dad his jacket.
The music is loud.
♪♪
Do you see your dad?
[ WHISPERS ] There he is.
- [ LAUGHS ] Come dance with me.
- [ GIGGLES ]
He wants to dance with my mom,
but she won't.
"I'll dance with you,"
I say to my dad.
My dad says,
"Get over here, Sugar Butt."
Sugar butt, let's dance.
Let's dance together.
Come on, Sugar Butt.
But Mom's mad.
I can't take this.
I've thought about this.
[ CRYING ] My mom says to go find Bea.
But I don't go to Bea.
Where are you now?
Now I'm in a room with a window
so I can see Dad. Dance some more.
But he can't see me.
What do you see, Kelsey?
Bea.
SAMARA: David!
She's walking towards the pool.
My dad's yelling.
You gotta go. Get out of my way.
He's so angry. [ CRYING ]
And Bea... she's...
She's stepping toward him,
and her face is all twisted.
- And your mom?
- She's crying.
Who does your dad see?
- [ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
- Kelsey?
Who do you see?
[ SAMARA CRYING ]
Mommy?
Mom?
Mommy! Daddy! Mommy, no!
- [ SOBBING ]
- Pull her.
- Oh, for God's sake!
- Do it, do it.
- Yeah, do it, do it, do it.
- Kelsey, open your eyes. Kelsey.
Kelsey, you're with us now.
[ CRYING ]
I do not know what the hell that was,
some sort of legal sorcery or whatever,
but my mother would never do that.
God!
Kelsey!
[ SIGHS ]
♪♪
Really, Vic? You stopped going
to my soccer games when I was .
- Hey, that's not true.
- It's not me he's here to see.
Hey. I've never seen my son in action.
Why are you both talking to me?
You know, I thought you'd be pleased.
I'm finally taking an interest.
Not what I'm saying.
It's just been a while.
Hello.
[ SIGHS ]
I understand that this has been
an unsettling experience, Kelsey,
but we're gonna need to hear
again what you told us.
Everything?
Like, everything?
Only the facts regarding
how your father was k*lled.
- Objection.
- I'll rephrase.
Only the facts regarding
what you personally witnessed
the night that your father d*ed.
Kelsey, tell us what
you remembered yesterday.
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
I...
I saw my mom...
with her award in her hand,
and then she hit my father
over the head with it.
What happened next?
Uh... he fell in the pool.
- His head was gushing blood.
- And what did your mother do?
She walked away.
Kelsey, why didn't you tell the police
what you saw years ago
when they asked you?
Because I was .
[ SCOFFS ]
I was .
Thank you, Kelsey.
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]
Your witness, Mr. Pryce.
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
Ms. Strong, growing up with a mother
who not only received
more attention than you
but has to pay attention
to so much more than you
- must breed resentment.
- Objection... argumentative.
Sustained. Ms. Strong,
do you resent your mother
for the attention she received,
and the attention that was
robbed from you as a child?
No. No, never anything like that, no.
The last years, you were
questioned multiple times
by police and media
about the night in question,
and you never once said you recalled
seeing how your father d*ed, correct?
Yes, correct.
Yeah, and after years of growing up,
unable to express anything
to the only parent you had left,
your mother, were you angry
at being ignored?
Were you angry at never having
a chance to be anything more
than an appendage to the myth
of Samara Strong?
Uh...
I guess...
- Yeah.
- There were times, yes.
And today an opportunity
presents itself.
Suddenly, you remember
everything necessary
to finally make you the star...
Mr. Pryce.
I'll rephrase. Ms. Strong,
how good does it feel
to destroy your mother's life
after she destroyed yours?
- MARK: Objection.
- Mr. Pryce, I will not tolerate
such insensitive treatment
- of this witness.
- Withdrawn. No further questions.
Mr. Callan, redirect?
Kelsey, I understand you might feel
some resentment towards your mother,
but you can be angry at someone
and still love them at the same time.
- Objection... leading the witness.
- Sustained.
Mr. Callan, rephrase.
Is your testimony accurate and truthful
irrespective of whatever feelings
you might have for your mother?
Uh... yes.
No further questions. The state rests.
You may step down, Ms. Strong.
- Put me on the stand.
- No, not happening. Terrible idea.
With what I'm paying you, yes, you will.
Put me on the stand.
♪♪
I think I just got took.
Paid the guy's rent,
maybe even the girlfriend,
so if you wanna rub it in,
let's get it over with.
Luke, I'm sorry, but you're
not allowed to continue
with restorative justice
or whatever you call it.
- Oh, wait, that's not fair.
- You'll either wind up broke,
b*rned out, or fired by me.
Sorry.
But I'll make you an offer.
- You can do it with a partner.
- What?
We'll do it together.
Next time you have
the right case, it's us.
Wait. You... Are you serious?
It's as if you're first chair,
and I'm second.
Or Batman and Robin.
[ LAUGHS ] Cool. Yes!
- Thank you!
- You're welcome.
- So I'm Batman.
- No way.
No, but you just said
that I'm first chair.
This is like Batman giving Robin a sh*t
at teaching Batman
something Robin-esque.
- [ CHUCKLES ] That's just...
- I am the Batman.
Now get out. Shut the door.
Kelsey and I have been inseparable
since her father... [ SIGHS ] passed.
By the time she was a teen, I...
I made the mistake of not
treating her like a child
but more like... like a...
I was in mourning.
I was... I was so lonely.
That's a... That's a reason,
not an excuse.
I put her in the position
of being a confidante to me,
and I made her a partner
in a way, I guess.
It was wrong. It was unfair,
and I know that.
Then we became so trapped
in this codependent relationship
neither one of us could escape.
It's no wonder she's so resentful.
Ms. Strong, did you k*ll your husband?
I did not.
- I loved David.
- No further questions.
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
Ms. Strong, you and Kelsey are close.
Yes. That's what I've been
saying... very close.
Given how close you are,
you could say that
you trusted her completely, correct?
Of course I trust her completely.
Yet your testimony is that
she is, in fact, lying.
- Do I have that right?
- I was saying she's confused.
Are you prepared to let
your daughter, Ms. Strong,
believe that she didn't see
what she, in fact, saw?
- Objection... foundation.
- Watch your approach, Callan.
It must have been terrifying for you,
wondering when the day
would come that your daughter
would wake up and realize
that you k*lled her father.
- PRYCE: Your Honor!
- Mr. Callan, final warning.
Withdrawn.
[ GASPING ]
Come dance with me.
Do you love your daughter, Ms. Strong?
Of course I love her.
I believe you. So then are you prepared
to let her think that she's
crazy for the rest of her life,
- that she imagined this?
- Okay, that's it.
Mr. Callan, before you're held
in contempt,
- I'm gonna give you one...
- No, no, no. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Pardon?
- Your Honor?
I can't. I can't do this to her.
Your Honor, a moment
with my client, please?
Please, please, let me speak.
I'll allow it.
[ CRYING ] David and I
grew up together in this town.
When he told me that night,
I was so angry,
not... not... not just because
of the affair.
I mean, God knows how many we both had.
But because I felt like
I was losing my best friend.
We'd been losing each other
for some time.
David said he was tired
of playing in this arena.
But I couldn't stop.
Then he said he wanted to take Kelsey,
that he could give her
a more normal life.
[ CRYING ] And I just...
I just... I just swung.
[ SOBBING ]
My God.
He d*ed...
Because... [ SNIFFLES ]
I... k*lled him.
I k*lled him.
[ SOBBING ]
I k*lled him.
♪♪
[ COMPUTER RINGS ]
[ CHIMES ]
- Hey, baby.
- Hey.
- How's our girl?
- Oh, eating, pooping, growing.
[ LAUGHS ] How about you?
You look tired.
I am managing,
but I think I'm going
to have to go back to work.
Already? It's only been a month.
You went back to work right away.
- Because I had to.
- Yeah, but you also loved it.
Yes, I loved it, but I also felt
that I didn't have a choice.
You know that I can barely remember
the way you smell, the way you felt,
your little giggles?
That precious time flies fast, Lo.
You know, if you want
something different with Bailey
than what we had, then do it different.
Besides, what is the rush?
I think I'm not afraid
of letting go.
I'm scared of letting me go.
[ SIGHS ] The mark you made is etched
into the very fibers of that place.
It is not going to be erased,
and neither are you.
Thank you, Mom.
Now can I see our little girl?
[ LAUGHS ] Yes.
[ LAUGHS ]
Ohh! There she is!
Oh, she is getting big.
- [ LAUGHS ]
- Look at you, pretty girl.
Look at you! Oh!
Oh!
♪♪
[ SIGHS ]
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
Oh, my God.
Luke.
It's my favorite.
I know this doesn't
top last year, but...
Make a wish.
Okay.
♪ Happy birthday, dear Emily ♪
♪ Happy bir... ♪
[ LAUGHS ] You remembered!
Yeah, of course. I'm sorry.
I was stuck in the belly of Laski, so...
That's okay.
Um... here.
Thank you.
- Love ya.
- I love ya.
Mm-hmm.
[ CHUCKLES ]
- Bye, Luke.
- Bye, Sara.
My wish?
Um...
[ INHALES DEEPLY, BLOWS AIR ]
Oh, and, uh...
[ BLOWS AIR ]
Extra wishes.
Grab those Twinkies.
Let's find some forks.
Come on.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Yeah, seen her
since she was yea high on TV,
gazing up on Samara. Poor thing.
Sucks when you find out
the people you idolize are human.
No, well, we had a good run
until then, though.
Not really. Lost your hero cape
before I hit double digits, Dad.
I would've worn that cape
for a lot longer if I could,
but circumstances being what they were,
oh, hell, could've been a lot worse.
At least I ain't a m*rder*r.
You literally got charged
with m*rder last year.
- Charged, not convicted.
- [ CHUCKLES ]
- [ CHUCKLES ]
- Congratulations.
So this is where the party is.
Called. No answer.
Figured you're always here.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, he's a real hero.
- Yeah.
Well, thanks for the drink, son.
I'm off to Oakland
to do a thing. Ms. Quinn.
That's it? That's all you got?
Oakland for a thing?
Well, I don't wanna burst your bubble.
I'll see you later, Vic.
- Yeah, I'll send you those names.
- Okay.
[ SIGHS ]
As it was, so it is, and always will be.
Be careful. Not all his friends are...
I know.
[ SIGHS ]
Amy, I never would've been
able to do this before you.
Have a conversation with Vic
without throwing a punch...
That's... all you.
Let's talk about this at home,
because we have one.
- Maybe more than just talk.
- Oh.
We don't need a house for that.
Like...
Yeah.
[ "REVOLUTION COME KNOCKIN'"
BY AG & ALOE BLACC PLAYING ]
♪ Whoa, oh ♪
♪♪
Ms. Kansky! Ms. Johnson!
Yes?
Where is it?
[ SIGHS ] I have no idea.
I was in court all day with you.
Before you called me,
I thought I was fired
and couldn't even get into the building.
♪ Knockin' at my door ♪
♪♪
♪ Fast and dangerous
on the wrong side of town ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ Knowin' what's good for me ♪
♪ Trying to wash my troubles down ♪
♪ I'm looking for some redemption ♪
♪ 'Cause I know I ain't that man ♪
♪ The truth start pouring out of me ♪
♪ Like ink out of a pen
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
♪ When the revolution
come knockin' at my door ♪
♪ I ain't fightin' just
for myself no more, no more ♪
Yes!
♪ Got my rebels by my side ♪
♪ And on the wings of freedom we ride ♪
♪ When the revolution
come knockin' at my door ♪
♪ Revolution come knockin' at my door ♪
♪ It's knockin' at my door ♪