02x18 - N-O– NOMINEE

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Speechless". Aired: September 2016 to April 2019.*
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"Speechless" follows a family with a special-needs child, that is good at dealing with the challenges it faces and excellent at creating new ones.
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02x18 - N-O– NOMINEE

Post by bunniefuu »

[LAUGHS] Can I tell
'em? No, you tell 'em.

Which basically means

I'm telling 'em, so I can tell 'em.

Tell me to tell 'em!

I'll tell them!

You hired the wrong person

to speak for JJ.

Try bringing me down, blondie!

Not today, 'cause you are looking at...

Can I tell 'em?

- Oh, come on.
- Yes! Yes!

For the love of God!

An award-nominated filmmaker!

- Are you serious?
- That's amazing!

Was it one of those film
festivals you applied to?

- Which one?
- Which ones.

He's got two festivals

on the same weekend!

"I can't go to your festival.

I've got another festival to go to."

[CHUCKLES] Burn!

Don't look at me with that

"It's an honor to be nominated" mess.

Be proud. Recognition for
a young, black filmmaker.

- He's blac...?
- He's a success now.

I'm claiming him. Yes, he's black.

So, Orange County Horror
Fest... That's next town over.

Or... wow! Vancouver?!

All expense paid for two
first-class accommodations.

Well, this could take
milliseconds to decide.

"I want to go on the trip.

And I love you all, but
I'm t-taking the person

who spends her life fighting
to make mine better."

Darling, you're gonna make me cry.

"And I hope I win

so I can tell the world
what you mean to me."

You have to stop. We don't do this.

[CLEARS THROAT] We're British.

So, now he's British...

If he can be black,

he can be bloody British!

♪ ♪

I need this loan. I
have to buy my house.

They're selling it out from under me.

Our three beautiful kids,
they love this place.

They're always throwing stuff
on the ground with both hands,

but they're mad. They
don't want to do it.

They... [WHISPERS] I don't...

One of our children uses a wheelchair!

Will you please let us know
as soon as possible. Thank you.

We lose the house on Friday.
We have to tell the kids.

No. No way.

I am not going to have
them worrying about this.

The loan is gonna come through.

The kids can't know.

You might want to tell the neighbor's

construction workers in our yard.

The house is still ours until Friday!

Get outta my yard,

you Scandinavian animals.

Ikea! Ikea!

Git! I said, "Git!"

What are you chasing away?

Uh...

Coyote.

- A coyote?!
- Mnh.

They eat dogs.

Yes, but Daddy took care of it.

I said, "Git." They hate that.

Yeah, but what about when it comes back?

What about Pepper?

MAYA: Darling, you
don't have to be worried.

There is not coyote. Jimmy, tell her.

Mom, it's so obvious when you lie.

[SIGHS] Give it to me straight, Dad.

It will come back.

And I'll take care of it,

because I hunt and track coyotes.

See, Mom? Is that so hard?

- [SIGHS]
- Mnh.

Wow.

Thanks, Jimbo.

Ah.

That was for her.

It was a lie that made me a hero.

Sue me.

- Git.
- Okay.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

♪ ♪

Taylor? Here?

Oh, I must be dreaming.

Kiss me, dream Taylor.
Come take what's yours.

Ray! What are you doing?!

Oh, Taylor. You don't go to school here.

Uh-oh. Do you have
early onset dementia?

No, but my uncle does.
It's been very hard.

So sorry. Thoughts and prayers.

Thoughts and prayers.

My friend's boyfriend plays basketball.

They're playing you guys.
She took me to a game.

I got super into it.

Yeah, totally.

Kobe Bryant, the Spalding Company,

two points per basket, love it all.

It's amazing what those guys can do.

Oh, those guys impress you?

It was nice seeing you.

I've got to go. Bye.

Kenneth. Teach me basketball.

Hello, bossy.

Would you like to try that again

with a different tone?

Kenneth, will you please
teach me basketball?

- No.
- Oh, come on!

Make me a jock so I can impress Taylor.

Ray, it's not gonna happen.

You are the least
athletic person I know.

[SCOFFS] That's a bit of exaggeration.

[GASPS]

[KEYS CLATTER]

♪ ♪

Hi, yeah, this is Jimmy DiMeo.

I'm calling to say "Yes"
to the loan you offered me.

No, I didn't think that was gonna work.

- Yeah, I'll hold.
- The van is loaded. JJ!

Let's get you to that festival.

We're so proud of you, buddy.

JJ, I want you to win,
and not just because

we're both James DiMeo
and it'll make it so

our first Google result is
no longer that time that Leno

interviewed me for jaywalking

and I couldn't name a
state president or fruit.

"I already won. They picked me for me.

Making M-O... movies
has finally given me

a way for people to
see me, not the chair."

[SNIFFLES] That was so beautiful.

If someone believed in me,

I could be getting invitations
to basketball festivals.

Not gonna happen, Ray. Let's
get you two on the road.

Bye, JJ.

Knock 'em dead, buddy.

Swish it, JJ. Swish
it right in the paint.

Dude, stop!

Oh, hi. Hello, yes.

Yeah, listen. I just need to know

if my loan's gonna
be approved by Friday.

- WOMAN: Please hold.
- No, don't put me on hold again.

Ugh! Damn it.

What was that about?

Oh, uh, dah, animal control.

I keep calling about
my coyote application,

and they keep putting me on hold.

[SIGHS] I hate seeing you like this.

Mnh.

What are you doing?

Your coyote application
just got approved.

We're doing this together.

Dylan, uh, no.

What? Let me help you.

I'm sure a lot of my Ray
traps would work on a coyote.

Honey, this is not your problem.

Ray traps?

I'm handling it... alone.

Oh. Okay.

What the hero says goes.

♪ ♪

Ray, look out!

[GRUNTS]

Whoa. Good move.

You just stood there and... took it.

Hey, coach! You gotta
see what this kid can do.

Hey, you. Play one-on-one
with this guy right here.

Full disclosure, I don't really dribble.

I "drabble."

Shh. Don't say that to people.

Listen, do exactly what you
did out in the hallway, okay?

Trust me.

Okay, kid.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

- [GRUNTS]
- [WHISTLE BLOWS]

Offensive foul. Charging.

And he'll do it like that every time.

Whatever it takes, right, Ray?

Oh, totally. Ray on the floor?

[IMITATES BRITISH ACCENT] Please, sir,

may I have some more?

Welcome to the team.

♪ ♪

Ooh, fantastic.

[CHUCKLING] Why is
everyone staring at me?

"Because you're dressed
like you're at the Oscars."

[CHUCKLES] You should see
what I'm gonna wear to those.

JJ DiMeo! Vince Stoeffer.
One of the festival chairs.

Hey. Chair. Chair. Two chairs.

[LAUGHS]

"How do you know me?
I just sent my movie."

Right, and I have to admit, I
haven't seen the movie per se.

But even without seeing
it, it moved me to tears.

Filmmaker's reception? That way.

Oh, that's where we're going then?

No. You are going to the reception

for the Vanguard Award nominees.

♪ ♪

Oh.

And w-what exactly
is the Vanguard Award?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Hm.

So, Vanguard is Canadian
for tokenism, eh?

MAYA: "I don't understand.

How did they even know I'm disabled?"

Yeah, your movie didn't have
a damn thing about disability.

Didn't have any well-rounded
female characters, either.

I'm making a joke. But it didn't.

Oh, excuse me. What exactly is this?

I'm pretty sure it's stupid.

Apparently, last year,
they gave too many awards

to able-bodied, straight white guys.

"Have they even seen your movies?"

I hope not. Mine stinks.

What do you mean "It stinks?"

Stinks. Like, it's bad.

Like, the sculpture I
entered in that art contest.

Honey, what award did I win for that?

Was I a Pioneer?

Trailblazer.

Yeah, yeah. Trailblazer.

I blazed a trail right to Sucktown.

"And you're okay with that?"

Okay? That lump won me bucks.

What was it, honey? It was a horse?

Didn't look like any
horse I've ever seen.

"They're using us. We should leave!"

You're right. Let's all
go. That'll show 'em.

You're going to stay.

And definitely win a grand? Nah!

[LAUGHTER]

"Well, I'm leaving.

Anyone coming?"

♪ ♪

"Okay, then. Good luck."

Yeah, you tell 'em, kid.

Hey, leave your Welcome bag, too.

That'll show 'em!

[LAUGHTER]

DYLAN: Dad! Come quick!

Oh, no.

I knew it. Not the one you saw, is it?

This guy was not afraid of "Git."

Oh, Dylan, what have you done?

I know you wanted to
catch the coyote yourself,

but I couldn't stand how
worried it was making you.

So, your guy's still out there?

Hey, you wanna be bait?

No, Dylan, I'm... I'm
not hunting coyotes.

What?

[SIGHS] We violated our lease,

so I've been trying to
find money to buy our house

before our landlord evicts us...

tomorrow.

I just went along with the coyote thing

because I didn't want you to worry.

[SIGHS] You lied? I can't believe you.

♪ ♪

Oh, like you're such a great father.

Okay, it's almost halftime.
You know what to do.

[ROBERT TEPPER'S "NO EASY WAY OUT" PLAYS]

ALL: Sea slugs!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

♪ There's no easy way out ♪

Offensive foul!

You okay?

Oh, yeah.

Offensive foul!

Da-da-da-da-da-dah! Charge!

♪ Giving in can't be wrong ♪

Offensive foul!

♪ There's no easy way out ♪

♪ There's no shortcut home ♪

REFEREE: Foul! Foul! Foul!

♪ There's no easy way out ♪

I love this weird rule!

[GRUNTS]

Darling, I am so impressed
by your decision to leave

and also your ability to
stuff three days' worth

of room service into
one giant breakfast.

"Who told them I was disabled?

I wish I knew."

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

[SIGHS]

Yo, there! Surprise!

I drove all night.

I remember California and Washington,

but I think I slept through Oregon.

[CHUCKLES] Yikes!

Anyway, I wasn't gonna miss seeing

my favorite student honored.

"You told them I am disabled."

No, I didn't. I swear.

I can't lie. I have too many tells.

Watch. I like my students.

I make a difference and my life matters.

Yeah, we believe you. Stop twitching.

I'm trying! But it wasn't me.

It sounds like me. Oh, was it me?!

No, it was me. It was me. I told them.

I-I wrote a letter. I sent a picture.

Not just this festival.
I told all the festivals.

I'm sorry, but you wanted to win.

You deserve to win.

You deserve to have every advantage.

But the whole point was for people

to see him apart from the chair.

Well, I bloody know
that now, Mr. Powers!

But I didn't know until you said it.

I mean, I should've, but I didn't.

And I should've told you right away,

but I wanted to help you win.
I know how the world works.

"You're right. I was
crazy to think anyone

could see past the chair ever."

Oh, darling, don't get down.

Please, please. Just stay
mad at me. It's much more fun.

"You know it's T-R... true.

You fight for me all the
time because you have to.

All anyone sees is the chair."

[SIGHS]

You know what, I don't think
that this is a big deal.

♪ ♪

Hey, have you seen Dylan?

I'm busy seeing other things

like glory, a reunion with Taylor,

the ceiling of the gymnasium.

I don't approve of this.

[LOUDLY] But it is cool
how you're the smart one

in the family and also the star athlete.

DYLAN: No, he's no... Oh! Well played.

[CHUCKLING] Wow!

You got a full-blown Narnia
situation I had no idea about.

You know, the whole series
is actually an allegory...

We're getting evicted,
and you didn't tell me.

I'm sorry.

Do you think I can't handle the truth?

Do you think I'm a baby?

No, Dylan...

You think I'm dumb?

Yeah. You're very
smart about most things,

but for some lucky reason,
you're a magic sort of dumb

that allows you to
believe that I'm a hero.

I didn't want to let that go.


I lied about protecting you.

You're not the one I
was trying to protect.

♪ ♪

Look, anyone can see you're a hero.

You can handle anything. But
I'm not so little anymore.

I can handle things, too.

I may not be able to help
you, but I can listen,

the way you've always listened to me.

Okay.

[GROANS SOFTLY]

I don't like my job.

I'm failing two classes.

We're getting evicted tomorrow,

and I have no idea how to stop it.

I'm running a bookmaking
operation out of my locker.

Oh, man! It feels so good to share that.

[INHALES SHARPLY]

Ray? Are you hurt?

No, no. I'm fine.

Ray, no pills!

Baby aspirin?

They're for big boys, too.

That's it. No more charges.

I know I started this,
but I'm shutting it down.

But Taylor...

Just forget Taylor for a second.

Taylor, hey!

Ray, I came to see you play.

You're making quite a name
for yourself on the court.

Guilty as... charged.

Well, good luck out there.

♪ ♪

Ray...

I've got a floor to hit.

♪ ♪

Oh, nothin' like a good, long nap

to make you feel like your
problems aren't so bad.

- [RUSTLING]
- MAN: Okay, that's everything.

Let's go.

[WHISTLES]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

♪ ♪

Ahh.

So, how was the festival?

♪ ♪

[CROWD CHANTING "CHARGE"]

ANNOUNCER: seconds
to go in this tied game.

Lafayette needs a defensive stop.

[CHANTING CONTINUES]

[CROWD CHANTING "CHARGE" IN SLOW MOTION]

[CHIMES PLAYING]

[DISTORTED MUSIC PLAYS]

Is this a concussion? Are you me?

I used to be. You've changed so much,

I barely even recognized you
in that basketball costume.

Oh, I made the same mistake.
It's actually called a "jersey."

What happened to the Ray
who always had a telescope

and microscope so he could see
things up close and far away?

There will be a time for scopes later.

Now, it's time to get Taylor back.

Why?

Because she makes me happy.

Does she?

The whole time you were with her,

you were worried about losing her.

And ever since you lost her,

you've wasted all your
time trying to get her back.

Okay, fine. Let's say you have a point.

I'm about to take the
game-winning charge.

What do you want me to do?

Just be Ray.

Just be Ray.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I hate taking charges!

[CROWD GASPS]

[BUZZER]

[CROWD BOOING]

Okay, look, I know you're all mad.

But can't you be impressed
that I was true to myself?

[BOOING CONTINUES]

I know I am.

Come on, buddy.

Say goodbye to sports, Ray!

"Goodbye, sports!"

[CROWD BOOING]

I think it's time to tell
the kids we might get evicted.

Mnh. I mean, I don't know
who we thought we were,

winning awards, living inside.

Gotta say, though, this
layout, it just works.

- Yeah, good flow.
- Really nice.

What's for dinner?

It bums me out how fast
you acclimate to things.

"I think it's A-P...

Appetizer hour at my
other dumb festival."

You don't want to go to that.

"You use JJ DiMeo as a token,

you pay in shrimp."

Okay, let's do this.

Mom?

What? This festival hasn't seen it.

Ray.

I just wanted to make
sure you were okay.

I know how much you hate being booed.

Oh, please, I've been booed way worse.

I feel like I owe you an apology.

What? For losing?

No, for all the dumb schemes
I tried to win you back.

I think I liked the idea
of you being my girlfriend

so much that once I
started to lose you, I...

I lost myself.

It did seem like kind of a stretch

that you were a basketball star.

Hey, I may still be great.

I literally never touched the ball.

[LAUGHS]

So, where are you gonna go now?

Well, if you asked me that yesterday,

I would've said,
"Wherever you wanna go."

But now I think I need
to figure out Ray...

by myself.

Good for you.

I'll see you, Ray.

See ya, Taylor.

♪ ♪

[SNIFFS, STOPS ABRUPTLY]

Mnh-mnh.

Okay.

Ray!

Hey. I'm back, and I'm at peace.

Great. You guys got evicted,

and we have to steal
food from a film festival.

Yeah, peace was boring.

♪ ♪

Oi, little festival man.
We've come for your shrimp.

Where's the ramp?

Oh, uh, I don't think there is a ramp.

Then an elevator, but
now we want lobster tail.

This much.

Elevator's out. I'm sorry. Who are you?

This is my son, JJ DiMeo.

He is a finalist in your competition.

You're JJ DiMeo? I loved your film!

[CHUCKLES] Oh, God! Um, I'm Kevin.

I run this thing. I had no idea
that you're in a wheelchair.

I would've set something
up. Nobody told me.

You... You just liked his film?

You had no idea he was disabled?

Yeah.

"What about the L-E...

Letter she sent?"

What letter?

Well, this normally
unforgivable oversight

has come at just the right moment.

Thank you. Thank you.

There's got to be a way to get you in.

Oh, God. They're
announcing your category.

Come on. Follow me.

I mean, I did spend a
long time on that letter.

♪ The warmth of your love's
like the warmth of the sun ♪

♪ And this will be our year ♪

They certainly didn't know
you were in a wheelchair.

Wait, you expect my son
to use a garbage ramp?!

That's fantastic!

ANNOUNCER: [IN DISTANCE] Our next category

is "Best Short Film."

And the nominees are...

- [ALL GASP]
- It's too narrow.

- He's not gonna fit through.
- Pick him up!

Like a couch?

Stop complaining. Grab the ends.

♪ Darling, I love you" ♪

And the Kevvy goes to...

"The Hall" by JJ DiMeo.

MAYA: He won!!

[DOOR RATTLES]

Ack! Too bright!

♪ The warmth of your smile ♪

♪ Smile for me, little one ♪

Hey! I-I-I got all
the food I could carry!

Oh, no! We're not doing that anymore.

Help throw the boy on the stage!

♪ You don't have to worry ♪

♪ All your worried days are gone ♪

There's steps.

We're committed to this now.

♪ Took a long time to come ♪

- Nice dress.
- Isn't it?

♪ And I won't forget ♪

♪ The way you held me
up when I was down ♪

♪ And I won't forget the way you said ♪

♪ "Darling, I love you,"
you gave me faith to go on ♪

[AUDIENCE CHANTING "SPEECH!"]

Yeah, that's not gonna happen!

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

I can't believe our son is
an award-winning director.

It all worked out.

Right, kids?

I mean, it's okay.

This isn't the plan, though, right?

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING IN DISTANCE]

The stars are nice.

KENNETH: Ooh! A sh**ting star!

No. Plane.

Kenneth, what the bloody
hell are you doing here?

Sorry, I... let myself in.

Hey, what's the plan for tomorrow?

We'll figure it out.
I mean, we always do.

You good, JJ?

♪ ♪

Oh, yeah. He's good.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪
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