BrainDead (2016): Season 1, Episode 6 - Notes Toward a Post-Reagan Theory of Party Alliance, Tribalist, and Loyalty: Past as Prologue - full transcript
When the Center for Disease Control has its funding temporarily cut, Luke attempts to reach a compromise to have the money reinstated, but Red's political machinations undermine him at every turn.
♪ Previously on BrainDead... ♪
♪ Well, it happened,
it finally happened ♪
♪ Laurel's got bugs
in her brain ♪
♪ Guess I didn't see
this coming ♪
♪ Isn't supposed to happen
to the main character ♪
♪ I hope her head
does not explode ♪
♪ Like other heads
exploded thrice before ♪
♪ Abby's dead,
Stacie's infected ♪
♪ Gareth's jealous
and rejected ♪
♪ Mean old Anthony got
face-punched out the door ♪
♪ There's no one left
to dry your tears ♪
♪ Hide your heart ♪
♪ Protect your ears. ♪
(insects trilling)
(gasps)
Oh!
Ow! Ow!
No, no, no...
No, no, no. (panting)
(grunting)
(screams)
No, no!
(screams)
(gasps)
(panting)
(groaning)
911, what's the exact location
of your emergency?
857 Acker.
House or apartment?
Apartment 2.
(screaming)
Are you all right, ma'am?
I need...
I need medical assistance.
What's the nature
of your problem?
Bugs crawled in my ear!
I need help!
(line beeps)
Got one of those calls,
Ms. Mooser.
Good, transfer
it my way.
You have bugs
in your ear, ma'am?
Yes! Yes.
I need help. Please hurry.
We're calling for an EMT
right now, ma'am.
Please stay on the line.
Don't hang up.
(grunting)
(pounding on door)
GUSTAV:
Laurel!
Get the cherry blossoms out!
The bugs are in the flowers!
(pounding continues)
Laurel, wake up!
It's the flowers!
Oh!
You got to get them out now!
They're in.
♪ ♪
You need to call 911.
I called.
They're sending someone.
It's there!
Hey, uh, we need
someone here now.
We have an emergency.
Yes, sir, I understand.
EMTs are on the way.
(grunts)
Well, how long?
They're just busy
with other calls at the moment.
45 minutes or so.
Oh, you've got to be kidding me!
What?
Uh...
What did she say?
No, don't worry.
We're fine.
We're fine.
No, no, what did she--?
(line beeps)
(call waiting beeps)
Uh, hold on.
It's, uh, it's
call waiting.
Hello?
GARETH:
Hello?
Who is this?
Gareth Ritter.
Who's this?
Uh, Laurel doesn't have time
for this right now.
She'll call you back later.
(Laurel screaming)
What's going on?
LAUREL: Oh, God!
Hey, what happened?
Uh, nothing.
We're all good here, bye.
(meowing)
(muffled laugh)
LAUREL:
I can feel it
in my mind.
Uh-huh.
They're eating at my brain.
Okay, okay.
Uh... look at me.
Uh, just keep,
keep breathing.
(exhales)
What do you have memorized?
What?
Do you know
the periodic tables?
Hydrogen, lithium,
sodium, potassium. No.
What are you--?
Seriously?
Gustav!
Presidents.
Do-do presidents.
Okay, Washington,
um, Jefferson...
(knocking)
I got it!
Oh, good, the paramedics!
You keep going.
Um, Madison,
Jackson...
It's in the
cherry blossoms?
Yes, but, uh,
she's got bugs in her--
LAUREL:
Who is it?!
Rochelle.
911 is just
a few minutes away.
Oh, my God, Laurel!
Are you all right?
Uh, she's
reciting presidents.
Uh...
Jackson--
Do you have any bacon?
Monroe.
Okay, here we go.
No, no, no.
It's all right.
Van Buren.
I knew this.
I know this!
ROCHELLE: I know.
There's no bacon!
Why don't you have any bacon?!
Can you see anything?
No...
Uh, here.
What is that?
Uh...
salami-- it's
all she had.
Are you insane?!
It draws out
the screwworms.
Aah, I can feel it going.
I can feel it going.
It's okay, it's okay.
Don't close your eyes.
How many fingers?
That's what I did
with your dad.
And that's, that's
what I did with Oscar.
I talked him through
the chess moves.
Lateralization
of brain function.
What about it?
Left brain, right brain.
Uh, we're going
about this all wrong.
You don't, you don't,
you don't battle it
with logic, you-- Stop!
Stop!
Stop thinking about presidents!
Stop-stop thinking at all, uh...
We've been
battling the bugs
with the wrong
side of the brain.
They went in
the left ear,
so we have to attack
from the right.
How do I stop
thinking?
He's right. Music.
(cheers)
Right
brain functions.
Non-verbal.
Um, intuition,
art, music.
Uh, feelings, movement.
Risk taking,
passion-- Laurel?
We need to spark
your intuitive brain.
Your non-logical.
Food, alcohol--
where is it?
(gasps)
Oh no, wait.
No. No, no, no, stop.
Don't think about
where it is--
I'll find it.
(loud rock music playing)
♪ Itsy bitsy teeny weeny,
ah, ah ♪
♪ Bikini, education... ♪
ROCHELLE:
I got it.
Take a drink.
From the bottle?
Yeah, now, do it.
♪ Down, down, baby... ♪
Okay, get up. Dance.
♪ Sweet, sweet candy... ♪
What? I can't...
Yes.
You can.
Come on, grab my arm.
Here we go.
Come on, take
another drink.
♪ By the broken glass ♪
♪ Five dollar baggies
on the ground... ♪
This isn't gonna work.
Does it still hurt?
♪ Rising high above ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy ko-ko bop ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy rye ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy ko-ko bop,
shimmy, shimmy rye ♪
♪ On this January Sunday ♪
♪ We watch
the airplanes fly away ♪
♪ As they rise up
from the airport ♪
♪ Above the Meadowland Highway ♪
♪ As we crash
through heaven's tollbooth ♪
♪ In our fleeting
getaway car... ♪
Oh, my...
Are you throwing up?
No.
They're moving.
Good.
No, I don't think so.
We need to be
more aggressive.
Uh, what else
is right brain?
(elephant bellows over TV)
♪ Until we're looking down ♪
♪ Into this Freedom Park... ♪
(knocking)
(moaning over speakers)
Hi.
Is Laurel here?
Oh, he's here.
(laughing):
Of course.
That makes so much sense.
She's fine.
She'll call you later.
Wait, wait, wait.
Um...
Gareth, right?
Yeah.
Why? What's wrong?
Is Laurel
all right?
♪ Sweet, sweet candy,
mama never let you go... ♪
Bugs?
You have met your match.
♪ Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top... ♪
No.
She needs your help.
♪ Walking down the street ♪
♪ I meant it, I said it, ooh,
I'm gonna get it ♪
♪ I'm cool, I'm hot,
sock it to me ♪
♪ In the stomach
three more times. ♪
Laurel has
a condition
where she needs
a... burst
of dopamine.
Excuse me?
Hi.
Hi.
I just came to make sure
you're all right.
LAUREL:
I am.
I'm...
Gah, I'm not supposed to think.
You're not?
No, no.
Why not?
Uh, to explain
would be to think.
And I'm not supposed to think.
(chuckles)
Okay.
Then, let's not think.
Actually,
I was thinking.
And right in the middle
of a good dream,
like all at once I wake up
from something that keeps
knocking at my brain.
Before I go insane,
I put a pillow to my head.
And spring up in my bed,
screaming out the words I dread.
♪ I think I love you... ♪
♪ I think I love you. ♪
What is this--
karaoke night?
♪ This morning,
I woke up with a feeling ♪
♪ I didn't know
how to deal with ♪
♪ And so I just decided
to myself ♪
(chuckles) ♪ I'd
hide it to myself ♪
♪ And never
talk about it ♪
♪ But didn't I go and shout it
when you walked into the room ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you ♪
You've been drinking?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ So what am I so afraid of ♪
♪ I'm afraid
that I'm not sure of ♪
♪ A love there
is no cure for ♪
Oh, we're dancing now?
Hell yeah.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ Isn't that
what life is made of ♪
♪ Though it worries me to say ♪
♪ That I never
felt this way... ♪
What are we doing here?
Getting the bugs
out of my head.
Sure.
♪ I don't know
what I'm up against... ♪
Are you sure you
want to do this?
Yes.
Yeah?
Now.
Now?
Yes.
Now, like, right now.
Uh-huh.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ So what am I afraid of ♪
♪ I'm afraid
that I'm not sure of ♪
♪ A love there
is no cure for ♪
You hungry?
Don't stop.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ Isn't that
what life is made of ♪
♪ So it worries me to say ♪
♪ I never felt this way... ♪
Have you noticed in horror
movies black people die first?
(moans)
Faster.
Faster?
Yeah.
No, there, there.
Yeah, okay.
Uh, if you want me
to kiss your breasts?
No! Shh!
There, yeah.
That's good.
There, yeah, more!
There!
It's working.
Okay, good.
Can I just get my arm...?
No!
Not yet.
♪ Do you think you love me ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you... ♪
(moaning)
♪ I think I love you ♪
(panting)
♪ I think I love you... ♪
(snoring)
(gasping)
I...
What's up?
Huh.
(door closes)
Laurel?
You okay?
They're gone.
(sighs)
(sighs)
(chuckles)
Got one.
REPORTER:
We're half past the hour
and focusing on
the CDC budget vote.
Will the senate fund
this critical institution?
RED: Tax-and-spend?! ELLA:
Yes, we tax and spend.
That's out damn job!
You are trying to create dys... No,
it's because we're going broke.
We can't pay for everyone. This has
nothing to do with us going broke.
We are not a country where you
can just give handouts...
Read Paul Krugman.
Or look at Finland.
We should be taxing the rich
and redistributing the wealth.
RED: Are you serious?
Have you been to Finland?
It's like an empty parking lot with snow.
Okay, okay.
Tell me! AMARANT: Good, good.
Get it out here.
But we go into
that committee hearing,
I want a straight up vote
on refinancing the CDC.
There is $438 million
in pork in that bill!
Wow.
One-third of the CDC budget.
LUKE: Yes,
and $80 million of that pork
is coming back
to your state, Red.
It's why
you got reelected.
You bring home
the money.
So don't get all
hypocritical on us.
Times are changing.
I have e-mails...
God, more e-mails.
(knocking at door)
Gareth, bring me
the One Wayer e-mails.
ELLA: E-mails, as if
they prove anything!
They could all be coming
from one guy
in his mother's basement.
(indistinct shouting)
(phone beeps)
Hello?
Hey. It's Rochelle.
(sighs)
Just seeing how you're doing.
I'm good. Yeah, I guess.
You guess?
If you have
any hesitations,
come in for a CAT scan.
No, no, I'm good.
No side effects.
In fact, I was wondering
if the same thing might work
on my friend Stacie.
Using the right brain?
It's worth a try.
How would you do it?
I don't know.
I'm working on that.
Did you examine the bug?
We are doing that now.
Good. Let's get together
with what we found out. Okay?
Okay. Oh, hey, um...
did you talk
to Gareth afterwards?
No.
Not yet. Why?
Did he see the... the bugs?
I don't know.
I can think of a dozen reasons
why I'll never
hear from him again.
Ever.
(chuckles) Call him.
People can be understanding.
Not after last night.
Okay,
I'll talk to you.
Okay.
Hey.
How are you doing? It's Laurel.
Good. How are you?
Good.
I was wondering if
we could meet up
for drinks tonight.
I'm okay, Laurel, you don't
have to worry about me.
I'm not angry at you.
No, no, it's not that.
It's, um,
I have a scoop.
For Roll Call.
You do? What?
I can't say over the phone.
I wanted to slip it to a friend.
Okay.
What time?
It still hasn't moved.
It's like it's...
waiting for us.
What are you doing?
Finding out its
chemical composition.
Try the front appendage.
You have a spectrometer? Yep.
Okay...
Rochelle...
What?
GUSTAV:
Look.
Bugs don't do that.
Do they?
I've never seen it.
Do you think these bugs might be from...
Don't say it.
What? I don't know,
but don't say it.
Outer...
Don't.
I'm just...
Shh!
(quick knock) LUKE: Ah.
Here she is. Here's who
you want to see. My sister.
Actually, Luke,
I was just heading out.
No, because here's
a constituent
who needs your help.
Mr. Brewster--
BREWSTER:
Why can't you help me?
I voted for you, not her.
Hi, Mr. Brewster.
So good to see you again.
How may I help you?
I have to ride three buses
just to vote.
And if you lose your transfer,
they make you pay again.
This is about
your polling place?
Yes. What do you think
I'm talking about?
It used to be
right across the street
at the fire station.
Now I have to go
40 minutes away.
Have you discussed this
with your local representative?
No, my census taker.
She works in
the state house now.
She said it
all came down
from the Maryland senator.
You guys are
my Maryland senator.
Yes, but we...
Did she possibly mean
Red Wheatus?
I don't know.
There's too many of you people
to figure out which is which.
Just don't give me
the runaround, okay?
I gotta take two buses
now to go home.
You know that?
One bus to the museum,
three buses to vote!
♪ ♪
May I help you?
Um, Laurel Healy
for Gareth Ritter.
Please.
And what is this regarding?
A constituent I have to help.
Actually, no.
Just...
just tell him I'm here.
No, wait. Yes,
it is work-related.
Would you take a seat, please?
Actually, just...
don't say that.
Just say that I'm here and...
This is not kale.
I want kale!
Sorry, Senator.
I know you.
Healy, right?
Yes, Senator.
Come on in here.
I want to
talk to you.
Well, come on.
So, you're the bleeding heart
Healy, huh?
"Bleeding heart"?
Yeah. The emotional one.
The one who cares about...
(fake sobs)
...poor veterans
and their little
cute daughters.
"Why is my daddy sick?"
That's you, right?
Not your brother.
I don't know.
I think it's both of us.
Why don't you go back to L.A.?
Excuse me?
Well, you don't
like it here.
These aren't your people.
And things are gonna get bad
very quickly.
Why do you care?
Because you're in my way.
(chuckles)
I work in constituent casework,
Senator.
That's hardly in your way.
Well, here's the thing, Lana...
Laurel. You've been
slinking around
my chief of staff...
Really?
...distracting him.
He tell you that?
No, no.
He doesn't know
what you're about.
I do.
And what am I about?
Unpredictability.
I know how
your brother will act.
Strategists can read
other strategists.
But you... One day,
you're emotional;
the next, you're strategic;
the next, you're...
having your woman time.
My "woman time"?
Go back to L.A.
You don't drink anymore,
do you, Senator?
Oh, I drink
my kale-celery smoothies.
You should try 'em.
No alcohol?
My body's a temple.
Why do you drink?
'Cause I like it. It's fun.
There are other
ways to have fun.
Joining other
like-minded people
in completing
a mission...
Sounds like a blast.
What are these maps about?
Uh, office work
product.
It's not very smart of you
to let me see them.
It won't matter.
You're gonna lose.
Then why do you care
if I'm in the way?
(chuckles)
You are a sly one.
I'm gonna keep an eye on you.
(knocking at door)
Senator, the...
Ah, Gareth, buddy,
how are you?
I think you know Lana. Yeah.
Laurel.
She's here wanting to talk about
my kale-celery smoothie intake.
(chuckles)
Well...
I'll let you two talk.
And we'll talk again.
So.
Um...
So...
I'm not here about last night.
I'm here
about gerrymandering.
Your office is
coordinating gerrymandering
with the Maryland State House.
One of our constituents
complained.
Okay...
Let's back up.
(exhales)
I think we should talk
about last night.
(birds singing)
I've had good nights,
I've had bad nights,
but I've never had...
Yes, it was odd.
I don't know
what it was.
(sighs)
What did you see?
What did I...
What do you mean?
When I...
fell unconscious,
what did you see?
I don't know
what you're after.
I... held you.
And then I
got dressed.
So you didn't see anything
near my ears?
Your ears?
No.
Okay, look.
I have these migraines,
and I needed human contact.
And if I wasn't there?
But you were there.
Yeah, but...
When you get these migraines,
what do you do?
Are you asking
if I sleep around?
No. No, I just...
(exhales)
I want to feel like
I wasn't being used last night.
It was great.
It wasn't great. It was weird.
Okay, yes.
(laughs)
It was weird.
What do you want?
For things to be normal.
I want to talk and joke
and take you out to dinner.
And pay.
And then kiss you on
your stoop one night
and feel awkward about
calling you the next day.
And then I talk to my friends
and they say
not to call because I'll
come across too vulnerable,
but of course,
I call anyway.
And then we're,
I don't know,
happy and a little awkward
on the phone together.
Okay.
Let's do that.
Why can't we do that?
Because you were yelling
at me to go faster
while you ate chocolate
and salami.
I just need some time to think.
Makes sense.
Oh, um...
what did you need
when you came by the office?
I need your list
of gerrymander districts.
(quiet chuckle)
We have a bug.
You do?
How did you get it?
GUSTAV:
That...
That would take
some explaining.
We did
a spectrographic test.
It's 90%
potassium chloride.
That could explain
the head explosions.
Potassium chloride
is combustible.
What's the other ten percent?
Unknown.
"Unknown"?
How could it be unknown?
There are some
other oddities here.
It moves.
Even after
you cut it up.
Do you have the bug here?
Yes.
We need your help.
We don't know what
we're dealing with here.
And we don't have the equipment.
The CDC does.
GUSTAV: We're trusting you
with this.
Someone risked their life
to get this bug.
Gustav, I'm on your side.
(bangs gavel)
There are
38 proposed amendments
to the CDC budget.
We'll address them
one at a time.
Senators will be limited
to five minutes
in discussing markups.
Uh, first, the
proposed $48 million
earmark for disease control
maintenance in New York.
I move to approve. I second.
Any discussion?
None? All right, then.
If there's no discussion,
we'll move to a vote--
RED:
Actually, Senator,
uh, if you don't mind.
But do you have
an objection, Red?
Well, I'll call it
more of a hesitation.
I'm reading this comic book--
I think the young people
call it, uh, a graphic novel.
It's called, uh,
Preparedness 101:
Zombie Pandemic.
Uh, a constituent
gave it to me.
I thought it was funny.
(chuckles)
But then, uh,
then I realized
who put it out.
It's our very own
Centers for Disease Control.
The real one; the one
we're discussing right now.
They put out a comic book
about how to repel
a zombie attack.
LUKE: This was merely
a way to get people
who usually
don't care about disease
to read about it.
I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman.
I thought I had five minutes.
You do. Continue.
Well, my question,
uh, isn't about
the cost of this.
I'm sure it's negligible.
My question is this.
Is the CDC devoting
practical research time
and money
to a zombie apocalypse?
Okay, that's crazy.
(laughing): I mean...
Then why are they investigating
bugs that eat human brains?
They're not.
Well, a constituent told me
that a CDC researcher goes
by the name of
Dexter Wu or-or Wah--
Dr. Wu?
...is investigating bugs
that take on zombie-like
characteristics.
This is what I say.
We are about to approve
a $1.3 billon budget
for the CDC.
We owe it to the taxpayers
to make sure this money
isn't spent on more
zombie comic books
and zombie bug research.
(applause)
You're moving that we delay
approval of the CDC budget?
Yes, until such time
as the CDC director
can assure us
that the people's money
isn't being misspent.
Are you studying zombie bugs?
Are you researching
bugs that eat human brains?
Well, I'm doing
research into
a bug that, yes,
like a screwworm
eats human flesh.
Stop.
But, sir--
Our budget is being
held up by this.
This was given to me
by a very trustworthy--
I don't care!
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(indistinct chatter)
1200 Ridge Place Southeast
to 17th Street Southeast.
8600 Good Hope
to 25th Street.
(muttering)
So, everybody
thinks you're crazy.
And I'm here to
calm their fears.
I'm just doing my job.
And what job is that?
Red Wheatus is acting
as a clearing house
to gerrymandering.
Well, he's a senator.
And gerrymandering
only affects house races.
He's working for a Republican
majority in both houses.
So you want to show how
ludicrously drawn
the precincts are,
embarrass Senator Wheatus
into backing off?
Yes.
Okay.
So here's some words of wisdom.
Politicians don't
embarrass easily.
You do.
Mm-mm, I do not.
Senior year,
Mom picking you up from school.
Okay, thank you. And then
that time your pants
fell down around your knees--
that was good.
Have fun.
I'm going.
You know, the more...
ludicrous the district,
the better.
(door closes)
♪ ♪
Allegany County.
♪ ♪
So, you see it, too?
Yeah.
Crop circles.
Come on, you can't be
going crazy, too.
No, I'm just saying
what does it mean?
Nothing.
What could it mean?
You're saying someone
is gerrymandering
districts into crop circles.
That doesn't
make any sense.
Because these bugs
are not of this world.
Oh, my God, you have been
wanting to say that for weeks.
GUSTAV:
How else do you explain all--?
ROCHELLE:
A million reasons!
Demographics. I-I don't know.
But why would creatures
from another world be making
crop circles
out of voting districts?
It makes no sense.
Look.
The circles-- they're all
pointing towards something.
Capitol Hill-- they're
taking over the government.
They're coming for us.
Okay, let's try
to maintain, please.
LAUREL: What did you
find out about that bug?
The one that you caught?
Yeah, Rochelle.
What did we find
out about it?
That has nothing
to do with this.
What? We gave it
to Wu at the CDC
for a more
"thorough examination,"
and his boss took it
away from him.
Why?
The budget.
Red Wheatus.
ROCHELLE: They argued the
CDC was being frivolous
with their budget,
looking into bugs.
So everything
was put into storage.
Oh, God. GUSTAV: Don't you see?
We're in a game of chess
with a higher intelligence.
That wouldn't be hard.
When we make a move,
they make a counter move.
Where are you going?
To find out
about the CDC.
We take the fight to Red.
He wants to stop
the government from working.
The CDC is just the beginning.
LUKE: Good, so we're
all on the same page.
We hold together.
Now Amarant's on our side,
so are two other moderate
Republicans. You're gonna
trust the Republicans?
Ella, stop with
the propaganda.
It's just us here...
Excuse me.
(chuckles)
Propaganda.
You can get the CDC
back up and running?
Yeah, this time
we have the votes.
I just can't be seen
going on about bugs, okay?
Mm-hmm.
Hi.
(paper crumpling)
Hey.
What was that?
Nothing.
Just a note I was leaving.
Well, you could give it to me.
Yeah.
I do.
Good.
Look, I don't want things to--
I don't want
things to be awkward.
And I heard my boss had
a talk with you about us.
Yes.
I told him not to again.
I just don't like
when work impacts...
(chuckles)
life.
So, tonight?
"Tonight"?
Drinks?
Oh, yes.
Um... no.
Unfortunately, I have
to meet a friend.
How about tomorrow night?
Mm-hmm.
(chuckles)
Gareth?
Thank you.
We can make this normal again.
(quietly):
Yeah.
♪ Lying close
to floods, oh... ♪
Hey, Stacie.
Hi.
Loud bar.
Yeah, I know.
Good music.
Ah, let's go some
place quieter.
No, I don't want
people to hear us.
Here.
I have water.
Let's go.
Let's dance.
Why?
'Cause it's fun.
Remember, the West Village?
Like that.
I'm a little tired.
Okay, well, I'm dancing.
Come on, I'll give you
a scoop out there.
♪ I don't feel done ♪
♪ Catching me ♪
♪ Feel so good... ♪
So, you dating anyone?
No.
What about Michael
from last year?
We broke it off.
Yeah, I know.
He made a mistake.
How do you know?
He told me.
I called him.
He said he wanted
to see what you were up to.
Is this what you did with Abby?
Is "what" what I did with Abby?
Try to remake her life.
We're not your
playthings, Laurel.
Take the moat out of your
eye, then worry about me.
No.
No, I know how this works now.
You try to turn it back on me,
you try to make it my problem,
But it's not gonna work.
I felt the bugs
in my head, Stacie.
I know what
they're doing to you.
And I know there's a cure.
There.
That's Michael.
He misses you.
Just give it a chance, Stacie.
Ah. Ow.
Listen to me.
We know what you're doing.
It's not gonna work.
Let go of my hand, Stacie.
She's gone.
Stacie's gone.
You can't get her back. She
doesn't want to come back.
I came back, Stacie.
You just have to use
the right side of your brain.
This is different.
Knock the side of
my head. Go ahead.
(hollow thumping)
There's nothing there.
Go ahead, chase us away.
But your friend will
be a lobotomized idiot.
What do you want?
Everything.
We...
want...
everything.
Are you taking over
the government?
What government?
There is no
government anymore.
(chuckles)
(cackling)
♪ Be like little bunnies ♪
♪ Always riding on
the edges of your coat ♪
♪ Tails, tails ♪
♪ Don't be scared or nervous ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm here, here,
we're here about your finger ♪
♪ Nails, nails... ♪
Hey.
Hey... Ow!
Watch it!
Clockwise around the pond.
("You Might Think"
by The Cars playing)
(through earbuds): ♪ Well, you
might think I'm crazy ♪
♪ To hang around with you ♪
♪ Maybe you think I'm lucky... ♪
(sighs)
(mouse clicking)
IRA FLATOW:
Does space have a sound?
Thanks to
the wonders of science,
we can now hear
the constellations
of Cygnus, Lyra and Draco.
(dull humming)
DR. WU: We don't know what
it is, Senator.
We wouldn't have discovered
how the Zika virus was carried
if we hadn't done
the spade work.
PAKULA:
We hope that satisfies
your concerns, Senator.
We take taxpayer money
very seriously.
It does satisfy my concerns.
And I
will now entertain a motion
to close debates.
I move that we close... RED:
Just one more question,
Mr. Chairman, if I may.
I'll be brief.
He knows we have the votes.
He's delaying.
Oh, let him rant.
He's got to save face.
RED:
I can hear you.
And no, despite whatever vote
count you think you have,
I'd like to ask my question.
Let's talk
about your great work
at the CDC, Dr. Pakula.
What are you working on now?
We're testing the impact
of 32 prospective
infectious diseases.
RED: And how do you
test their impact?
With, uh, computer simulations
or...?
No, no, with live testing.
I see. "Live."
Meaning with animals?
Yes, we-we do animal testing.
On rats,
or chimpanzees, or...
Uh, both. Um, why?
So these animals you test, uh,
do they go on to live
long and healthy lives?
Uh, no.
Some expire.
Oh, I see.
(clicks tongue)
Aw.
And you-you bury them
someplace nice?
No,
we have a service who,
um...
well, there are
rendering factories.
Where the dead animals are
boiled down? LUKE: Chairman,
I don't think every
step of the process needs
to be examined.
RED: I just think
some of my Democratic colleagues
might be
interested in the process.
How many animals
are killed a month?
Ella, Ella.
Look...
they've always
had animal testing.
Yes, and at some point we have to say
"no." Well, Red will get his way.
If you vote with Red,
he'll get his way.
Come on, what do you hate more,
Republicans or animal testing?
IRA FLATOW:
Where do they come from?
Electromagnetic...
It's merely the sonification
of light curves
from the outer reaches
of the Milky Way.
Was Pythagoras right?
Is there a
"Music of the Spheres?"
I'd like to think so.
(dull humming)
(melodic tone similar to
"You Might Think" by The Cars)
("You Might Think" by The Cars
plays through laptop)
(song stops,
melodic tone resumes)
(melodic tone stops,
song resumes)
(song stops,
melodic tone resumes)
IRA FLATOW: What you just heard
is the energy arriving
from the Draco constellation,
over 148 light years away.
Yup, that's gerrymandering.
Look at the districts.
What does it look like?
Um... constellations?
No.
Crop circles.
Oh, yeah. Kind of.
No, not "kind of," "lot of."
Yeah, well, I saw
this one district,
it looked like Lincoln's beard.
Then use it.
To embarrass Red.
It's local government,
Laurel, it's not senate.
Yes, but they're coordinating
through Red's office.
Look at these districts.
They're crazy.
Yes, and why would
we stop it? I mean,
look at this district,
Dorchester.
The Republicans used to divide
the senior citizen
vote into two, right?
Now they have them all in one,
right? That's good for us.
It neutralizes the Republican
senior vote. And here?
This puts all the
college-educated together.
I mean, they're helping us,
not hurting us.
And why are they doing that?
(chuckles)
I have no idea.
General stupidity?
Never underestimate the
stupidity of your opponent.
But let's not get in the way.
When your opponent is
shooting themselves
in the foot... let them.
You're over-thinking it, sis.
I have the
appropriations committee.
The CDC budget.
How's it going?
We're losing.
Ella and Red should
be at each other's throats.
It's odd when they're not.
(gavel banging)
Are we ready to vote
on the CDC budget?
Hell yes. ELLA: Mr.
Chairman, I just have
one thing to say.
(sighs)
Go ahead.
My colleague, Red Wheatus,
wants to derail the CDC
by undercutting its budget.
And I can't support that.
The CDC does good work.
Even though, as
a strong animal lover,
I can't agree
with its... methods.
Still, I want to amend
the proposed bill.
The CDC should
be more ambitious.
More like our friends
in Finland,
who aren't satisfied
with just getting by,
like we Americans are.
I would like to
challenge the CDC
into fighting a war on death.
And I move that
we give the CDC
an additional $3 billion
to help fight such a war.
Ella...
What is she doing?
Uh, closing you down.
The Republicans will never
double your budget.
This country can't survive
without the CDC.
Yeah, well, we're about to try.
What?
There's a chance Gustav's right.
About what?
(chittering)
GARETH:
Okay, so, let's start over.
Okay.
I'm Gareth.
I'm a chief of staff
to Red Wheatus.
I'm Laurel Healy.
And I think I'm going insane.
Well, if we're being honest,
why insane?
Because I think bugs
are eating people's brains
and turning them stupid.
(chuckles)
Huh.
Captioning sponsored by
CBS
♪ Well, it happened,
it finally happened ♪
♪ Laurel's got bugs
in her brain ♪
♪ Guess I didn't see
this coming ♪
♪ Isn't supposed to happen
to the main character ♪
♪ I hope her head
does not explode ♪
♪ Like other heads
exploded thrice before ♪
♪ Abby's dead,
Stacie's infected ♪
♪ Gareth's jealous
and rejected ♪
♪ Mean old Anthony got
face-punched out the door ♪
♪ There's no one left
to dry your tears ♪
♪ Hide your heart ♪
♪ Protect your ears. ♪
(insects trilling)
(gasps)
Oh!
Ow! Ow!
No, no, no...
No, no, no. (panting)
(grunting)
(screams)
No, no!
(screams)
(gasps)
(panting)
(groaning)
911, what's the exact location
of your emergency?
857 Acker.
House or apartment?
Apartment 2.
(screaming)
Are you all right, ma'am?
I need...
I need medical assistance.
What's the nature
of your problem?
Bugs crawled in my ear!
I need help!
(line beeps)
Got one of those calls,
Ms. Mooser.
Good, transfer
it my way.
You have bugs
in your ear, ma'am?
Yes! Yes.
I need help. Please hurry.
We're calling for an EMT
right now, ma'am.
Please stay on the line.
Don't hang up.
(grunting)
(pounding on door)
GUSTAV:
Laurel!
Get the cherry blossoms out!
The bugs are in the flowers!
(pounding continues)
Laurel, wake up!
It's the flowers!
Oh!
You got to get them out now!
They're in.
♪ ♪
You need to call 911.
I called.
They're sending someone.
It's there!
Hey, uh, we need
someone here now.
We have an emergency.
Yes, sir, I understand.
EMTs are on the way.
(grunts)
Well, how long?
They're just busy
with other calls at the moment.
45 minutes or so.
Oh, you've got to be kidding me!
What?
Uh...
What did she say?
No, don't worry.
We're fine.
We're fine.
No, no, what did she--?
(line beeps)
(call waiting beeps)
Uh, hold on.
It's, uh, it's
call waiting.
Hello?
GARETH:
Hello?
Who is this?
Gareth Ritter.
Who's this?
Uh, Laurel doesn't have time
for this right now.
She'll call you back later.
(Laurel screaming)
What's going on?
LAUREL: Oh, God!
Hey, what happened?
Uh, nothing.
We're all good here, bye.
(meowing)
(muffled laugh)
LAUREL:
I can feel it
in my mind.
Uh-huh.
They're eating at my brain.
Okay, okay.
Uh... look at me.
Uh, just keep,
keep breathing.
(exhales)
What do you have memorized?
What?
Do you know
the periodic tables?
Hydrogen, lithium,
sodium, potassium. No.
What are you--?
Seriously?
Gustav!
Presidents.
Do-do presidents.
Okay, Washington,
um, Jefferson...
(knocking)
I got it!
Oh, good, the paramedics!
You keep going.
Um, Madison,
Jackson...
It's in the
cherry blossoms?
Yes, but, uh,
she's got bugs in her--
LAUREL:
Who is it?!
Rochelle.
911 is just
a few minutes away.
Oh, my God, Laurel!
Are you all right?
Uh, she's
reciting presidents.
Uh...
Jackson--
Do you have any bacon?
Monroe.
Okay, here we go.
No, no, no.
It's all right.
Van Buren.
I knew this.
I know this!
ROCHELLE: I know.
There's no bacon!
Why don't you have any bacon?!
Can you see anything?
No...
Uh, here.
What is that?
Uh...
salami-- it's
all she had.
Are you insane?!
It draws out
the screwworms.
Aah, I can feel it going.
I can feel it going.
It's okay, it's okay.
Don't close your eyes.
How many fingers?
That's what I did
with your dad.
And that's, that's
what I did with Oscar.
I talked him through
the chess moves.
Lateralization
of brain function.
What about it?
Left brain, right brain.
Uh, we're going
about this all wrong.
You don't, you don't,
you don't battle it
with logic, you-- Stop!
Stop!
Stop thinking about presidents!
Stop-stop thinking at all, uh...
We've been
battling the bugs
with the wrong
side of the brain.
They went in
the left ear,
so we have to attack
from the right.
How do I stop
thinking?
He's right. Music.
(cheers)
Right
brain functions.
Non-verbal.
Um, intuition,
art, music.
Uh, feelings, movement.
Risk taking,
passion-- Laurel?
We need to spark
your intuitive brain.
Your non-logical.
Food, alcohol--
where is it?
(gasps)
Oh no, wait.
No. No, no, no, stop.
Don't think about
where it is--
I'll find it.
(loud rock music playing)
♪ Itsy bitsy teeny weeny,
ah, ah ♪
♪ Bikini, education... ♪
ROCHELLE:
I got it.
Take a drink.
From the bottle?
Yeah, now, do it.
♪ Down, down, baby... ♪
Okay, get up. Dance.
♪ Sweet, sweet candy... ♪
What? I can't...
Yes.
You can.
Come on, grab my arm.
Here we go.
Come on, take
another drink.
♪ By the broken glass ♪
♪ Five dollar baggies
on the ground... ♪
This isn't gonna work.
Does it still hurt?
♪ Rising high above ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy ko-ko bop ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy rye ♪
♪ Shimmy, shimmy ko-ko bop,
shimmy, shimmy rye ♪
♪ On this January Sunday ♪
♪ We watch
the airplanes fly away ♪
♪ As they rise up
from the airport ♪
♪ Above the Meadowland Highway ♪
♪ As we crash
through heaven's tollbooth ♪
♪ In our fleeting
getaway car... ♪
Oh, my...
Are you throwing up?
No.
They're moving.
Good.
No, I don't think so.
We need to be
more aggressive.
Uh, what else
is right brain?
(elephant bellows over TV)
♪ Until we're looking down ♪
♪ Into this Freedom Park... ♪
(knocking)
(moaning over speakers)
Hi.
Is Laurel here?
Oh, he's here.
(laughing):
Of course.
That makes so much sense.
She's fine.
She'll call you later.
Wait, wait, wait.
Um...
Gareth, right?
Yeah.
Why? What's wrong?
Is Laurel
all right?
♪ Sweet, sweet candy,
mama never let you go... ♪
Bugs?
You have met your match.
♪ Ice cream soda
with a cherry on top... ♪
No.
She needs your help.
♪ Walking down the street ♪
♪ I meant it, I said it, ooh,
I'm gonna get it ♪
♪ I'm cool, I'm hot,
sock it to me ♪
♪ In the stomach
three more times. ♪
Laurel has
a condition
where she needs
a... burst
of dopamine.
Excuse me?
Hi.
Hi.
I just came to make sure
you're all right.
LAUREL:
I am.
I'm...
Gah, I'm not supposed to think.
You're not?
No, no.
Why not?
Uh, to explain
would be to think.
And I'm not supposed to think.
(chuckles)
Okay.
Then, let's not think.
Actually,
I was thinking.
And right in the middle
of a good dream,
like all at once I wake up
from something that keeps
knocking at my brain.
Before I go insane,
I put a pillow to my head.
And spring up in my bed,
screaming out the words I dread.
♪ I think I love you... ♪
♪ I think I love you. ♪
What is this--
karaoke night?
♪ This morning,
I woke up with a feeling ♪
♪ I didn't know
how to deal with ♪
♪ And so I just decided
to myself ♪
(chuckles) ♪ I'd
hide it to myself ♪
♪ And never
talk about it ♪
♪ But didn't I go and shout it
when you walked into the room ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you ♪
You've been drinking?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ So what am I so afraid of ♪
♪ I'm afraid
that I'm not sure of ♪
♪ A love there
is no cure for ♪
Oh, we're dancing now?
Hell yeah.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ Isn't that
what life is made of ♪
♪ Though it worries me to say ♪
♪ That I never
felt this way... ♪
What are we doing here?
Getting the bugs
out of my head.
Sure.
♪ I don't know
what I'm up against... ♪
Are you sure you
want to do this?
Yes.
Yeah?
Now.
Now?
Yes.
Now, like, right now.
Uh-huh.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ So what am I afraid of ♪
♪ I'm afraid
that I'm not sure of ♪
♪ A love there
is no cure for ♪
You hungry?
Don't stop.
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ Isn't that
what life is made of ♪
♪ So it worries me to say ♪
♪ I never felt this way... ♪
Have you noticed in horror
movies black people die first?
(moans)
Faster.
Faster?
Yeah.
No, there, there.
Yeah, okay.
Uh, if you want me
to kiss your breasts?
No! Shh!
There, yeah.
That's good.
There, yeah, more!
There!
It's working.
Okay, good.
Can I just get my arm...?
No!
Not yet.
♪ Do you think you love me ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you ♪
♪ I think I love you ♪
♪ I think
I love you... ♪
(moaning)
♪ I think I love you ♪
(panting)
♪ I think I love you... ♪
(snoring)
(gasping)
I...
What's up?
Huh.
(door closes)
Laurel?
You okay?
They're gone.
(sighs)
(sighs)
(chuckles)
Got one.
REPORTER:
We're half past the hour
and focusing on
the CDC budget vote.
Will the senate fund
this critical institution?
RED: Tax-and-spend?! ELLA:
Yes, we tax and spend.
That's out damn job!
You are trying to create dys... No,
it's because we're going broke.
We can't pay for everyone. This has
nothing to do with us going broke.
We are not a country where you
can just give handouts...
Read Paul Krugman.
Or look at Finland.
We should be taxing the rich
and redistributing the wealth.
RED: Are you serious?
Have you been to Finland?
It's like an empty parking lot with snow.
Okay, okay.
Tell me! AMARANT: Good, good.
Get it out here.
But we go into
that committee hearing,
I want a straight up vote
on refinancing the CDC.
There is $438 million
in pork in that bill!
Wow.
One-third of the CDC budget.
LUKE: Yes,
and $80 million of that pork
is coming back
to your state, Red.
It's why
you got reelected.
You bring home
the money.
So don't get all
hypocritical on us.
Times are changing.
I have e-mails...
God, more e-mails.
(knocking at door)
Gareth, bring me
the One Wayer e-mails.
ELLA: E-mails, as if
they prove anything!
They could all be coming
from one guy
in his mother's basement.
(indistinct shouting)
(phone beeps)
Hello?
Hey. It's Rochelle.
(sighs)
Just seeing how you're doing.
I'm good. Yeah, I guess.
You guess?
If you have
any hesitations,
come in for a CAT scan.
No, no, I'm good.
No side effects.
In fact, I was wondering
if the same thing might work
on my friend Stacie.
Using the right brain?
It's worth a try.
How would you do it?
I don't know.
I'm working on that.
Did you examine the bug?
We are doing that now.
Good. Let's get together
with what we found out. Okay?
Okay. Oh, hey, um...
did you talk
to Gareth afterwards?
No.
Not yet. Why?
Did he see the... the bugs?
I don't know.
I can think of a dozen reasons
why I'll never
hear from him again.
Ever.
(chuckles) Call him.
People can be understanding.
Not after last night.
Okay,
I'll talk to you.
Okay.
Hey.
How are you doing? It's Laurel.
Good. How are you?
Good.
I was wondering if
we could meet up
for drinks tonight.
I'm okay, Laurel, you don't
have to worry about me.
I'm not angry at you.
No, no, it's not that.
It's, um,
I have a scoop.
For Roll Call.
You do? What?
I can't say over the phone.
I wanted to slip it to a friend.
Okay.
What time?
It still hasn't moved.
It's like it's...
waiting for us.
What are you doing?
Finding out its
chemical composition.
Try the front appendage.
You have a spectrometer? Yep.
Okay...
Rochelle...
What?
GUSTAV:
Look.
Bugs don't do that.
Do they?
I've never seen it.
Do you think these bugs might be from...
Don't say it.
What? I don't know,
but don't say it.
Outer...
Don't.
I'm just...
Shh!
(quick knock) LUKE: Ah.
Here she is. Here's who
you want to see. My sister.
Actually, Luke,
I was just heading out.
No, because here's
a constituent
who needs your help.
Mr. Brewster--
BREWSTER:
Why can't you help me?
I voted for you, not her.
Hi, Mr. Brewster.
So good to see you again.
How may I help you?
I have to ride three buses
just to vote.
And if you lose your transfer,
they make you pay again.
This is about
your polling place?
Yes. What do you think
I'm talking about?
It used to be
right across the street
at the fire station.
Now I have to go
40 minutes away.
Have you discussed this
with your local representative?
No, my census taker.
She works in
the state house now.
She said it
all came down
from the Maryland senator.
You guys are
my Maryland senator.
Yes, but we...
Did she possibly mean
Red Wheatus?
I don't know.
There's too many of you people
to figure out which is which.
Just don't give me
the runaround, okay?
I gotta take two buses
now to go home.
You know that?
One bus to the museum,
three buses to vote!
♪ ♪
May I help you?
Um, Laurel Healy
for Gareth Ritter.
Please.
And what is this regarding?
A constituent I have to help.
Actually, no.
Just...
just tell him I'm here.
No, wait. Yes,
it is work-related.
Would you take a seat, please?
Actually, just...
don't say that.
Just say that I'm here and...
This is not kale.
I want kale!
Sorry, Senator.
I know you.
Healy, right?
Yes, Senator.
Come on in here.
I want to
talk to you.
Well, come on.
So, you're the bleeding heart
Healy, huh?
"Bleeding heart"?
Yeah. The emotional one.
The one who cares about...
(fake sobs)
...poor veterans
and their little
cute daughters.
"Why is my daddy sick?"
That's you, right?
Not your brother.
I don't know.
I think it's both of us.
Why don't you go back to L.A.?
Excuse me?
Well, you don't
like it here.
These aren't your people.
And things are gonna get bad
very quickly.
Why do you care?
Because you're in my way.
(chuckles)
I work in constituent casework,
Senator.
That's hardly in your way.
Well, here's the thing, Lana...
Laurel. You've been
slinking around
my chief of staff...
Really?
...distracting him.
He tell you that?
No, no.
He doesn't know
what you're about.
I do.
And what am I about?
Unpredictability.
I know how
your brother will act.
Strategists can read
other strategists.
But you... One day,
you're emotional;
the next, you're strategic;
the next, you're...
having your woman time.
My "woman time"?
Go back to L.A.
You don't drink anymore,
do you, Senator?
Oh, I drink
my kale-celery smoothies.
You should try 'em.
No alcohol?
My body's a temple.
Why do you drink?
'Cause I like it. It's fun.
There are other
ways to have fun.
Joining other
like-minded people
in completing
a mission...
Sounds like a blast.
What are these maps about?
Uh, office work
product.
It's not very smart of you
to let me see them.
It won't matter.
You're gonna lose.
Then why do you care
if I'm in the way?
(chuckles)
You are a sly one.
I'm gonna keep an eye on you.
(knocking at door)
Senator, the...
Ah, Gareth, buddy,
how are you?
I think you know Lana. Yeah.
Laurel.
She's here wanting to talk about
my kale-celery smoothie intake.
(chuckles)
Well...
I'll let you two talk.
And we'll talk again.
So.
Um...
So...
I'm not here about last night.
I'm here
about gerrymandering.
Your office is
coordinating gerrymandering
with the Maryland State House.
One of our constituents
complained.
Okay...
Let's back up.
(exhales)
I think we should talk
about last night.
(birds singing)
I've had good nights,
I've had bad nights,
but I've never had...
Yes, it was odd.
I don't know
what it was.
(sighs)
What did you see?
What did I...
What do you mean?
When I...
fell unconscious,
what did you see?
I don't know
what you're after.
I... held you.
And then I
got dressed.
So you didn't see anything
near my ears?
Your ears?
No.
Okay, look.
I have these migraines,
and I needed human contact.
And if I wasn't there?
But you were there.
Yeah, but...
When you get these migraines,
what do you do?
Are you asking
if I sleep around?
No. No, I just...
(exhales)
I want to feel like
I wasn't being used last night.
It was great.
It wasn't great. It was weird.
Okay, yes.
(laughs)
It was weird.
What do you want?
For things to be normal.
I want to talk and joke
and take you out to dinner.
And pay.
And then kiss you on
your stoop one night
and feel awkward about
calling you the next day.
And then I talk to my friends
and they say
not to call because I'll
come across too vulnerable,
but of course,
I call anyway.
And then we're,
I don't know,
happy and a little awkward
on the phone together.
Okay.
Let's do that.
Why can't we do that?
Because you were yelling
at me to go faster
while you ate chocolate
and salami.
I just need some time to think.
Makes sense.
Oh, um...
what did you need
when you came by the office?
I need your list
of gerrymander districts.
(quiet chuckle)
We have a bug.
You do?
How did you get it?
GUSTAV:
That...
That would take
some explaining.
We did
a spectrographic test.
It's 90%
potassium chloride.
That could explain
the head explosions.
Potassium chloride
is combustible.
What's the other ten percent?
Unknown.
"Unknown"?
How could it be unknown?
There are some
other oddities here.
It moves.
Even after
you cut it up.
Do you have the bug here?
Yes.
We need your help.
We don't know what
we're dealing with here.
And we don't have the equipment.
The CDC does.
GUSTAV: We're trusting you
with this.
Someone risked their life
to get this bug.
Gustav, I'm on your side.
(bangs gavel)
There are
38 proposed amendments
to the CDC budget.
We'll address them
one at a time.
Senators will be limited
to five minutes
in discussing markups.
Uh, first, the
proposed $48 million
earmark for disease control
maintenance in New York.
I move to approve. I second.
Any discussion?
None? All right, then.
If there's no discussion,
we'll move to a vote--
RED:
Actually, Senator,
uh, if you don't mind.
But do you have
an objection, Red?
Well, I'll call it
more of a hesitation.
I'm reading this comic book--
I think the young people
call it, uh, a graphic novel.
It's called, uh,
Preparedness 101:
Zombie Pandemic.
Uh, a constituent
gave it to me.
I thought it was funny.
(chuckles)
But then, uh,
then I realized
who put it out.
It's our very own
Centers for Disease Control.
The real one; the one
we're discussing right now.
They put out a comic book
about how to repel
a zombie attack.
LUKE: This was merely
a way to get people
who usually
don't care about disease
to read about it.
I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman.
I thought I had five minutes.
You do. Continue.
Well, my question,
uh, isn't about
the cost of this.
I'm sure it's negligible.
My question is this.
Is the CDC devoting
practical research time
and money
to a zombie apocalypse?
Okay, that's crazy.
(laughing): I mean...
Then why are they investigating
bugs that eat human brains?
They're not.
Well, a constituent told me
that a CDC researcher goes
by the name of
Dexter Wu or-or Wah--
Dr. Wu?
...is investigating bugs
that take on zombie-like
characteristics.
This is what I say.
We are about to approve
a $1.3 billon budget
for the CDC.
We owe it to the taxpayers
to make sure this money
isn't spent on more
zombie comic books
and zombie bug research.
(applause)
You're moving that we delay
approval of the CDC budget?
Yes, until such time
as the CDC director
can assure us
that the people's money
isn't being misspent.
Are you studying zombie bugs?
Are you researching
bugs that eat human brains?
Well, I'm doing
research into
a bug that, yes,
like a screwworm
eats human flesh.
Stop.
But, sir--
Our budget is being
held up by this.
This was given to me
by a very trustworthy--
I don't care!
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(indistinct chatter)
1200 Ridge Place Southeast
to 17th Street Southeast.
8600 Good Hope
to 25th Street.
(muttering)
So, everybody
thinks you're crazy.
And I'm here to
calm their fears.
I'm just doing my job.
And what job is that?
Red Wheatus is acting
as a clearing house
to gerrymandering.
Well, he's a senator.
And gerrymandering
only affects house races.
He's working for a Republican
majority in both houses.
So you want to show how
ludicrously drawn
the precincts are,
embarrass Senator Wheatus
into backing off?
Yes.
Okay.
So here's some words of wisdom.
Politicians don't
embarrass easily.
You do.
Mm-mm, I do not.
Senior year,
Mom picking you up from school.
Okay, thank you. And then
that time your pants
fell down around your knees--
that was good.
Have fun.
I'm going.
You know, the more...
ludicrous the district,
the better.
(door closes)
♪ ♪
Allegany County.
♪ ♪
So, you see it, too?
Yeah.
Crop circles.
Come on, you can't be
going crazy, too.
No, I'm just saying
what does it mean?
Nothing.
What could it mean?
You're saying someone
is gerrymandering
districts into crop circles.
That doesn't
make any sense.
Because these bugs
are not of this world.
Oh, my God, you have been
wanting to say that for weeks.
GUSTAV:
How else do you explain all--?
ROCHELLE:
A million reasons!
Demographics. I-I don't know.
But why would creatures
from another world be making
crop circles
out of voting districts?
It makes no sense.
Look.
The circles-- they're all
pointing towards something.
Capitol Hill-- they're
taking over the government.
They're coming for us.
Okay, let's try
to maintain, please.
LAUREL: What did you
find out about that bug?
The one that you caught?
Yeah, Rochelle.
What did we find
out about it?
That has nothing
to do with this.
What? We gave it
to Wu at the CDC
for a more
"thorough examination,"
and his boss took it
away from him.
Why?
The budget.
Red Wheatus.
ROCHELLE: They argued the
CDC was being frivolous
with their budget,
looking into bugs.
So everything
was put into storage.
Oh, God. GUSTAV: Don't you see?
We're in a game of chess
with a higher intelligence.
That wouldn't be hard.
When we make a move,
they make a counter move.
Where are you going?
To find out
about the CDC.
We take the fight to Red.
He wants to stop
the government from working.
The CDC is just the beginning.
LUKE: Good, so we're
all on the same page.
We hold together.
Now Amarant's on our side,
so are two other moderate
Republicans. You're gonna
trust the Republicans?
Ella, stop with
the propaganda.
It's just us here...
Excuse me.
(chuckles)
Propaganda.
You can get the CDC
back up and running?
Yeah, this time
we have the votes.
I just can't be seen
going on about bugs, okay?
Mm-hmm.
Hi.
(paper crumpling)
Hey.
What was that?
Nothing.
Just a note I was leaving.
Well, you could give it to me.
Yeah.
I do.
Good.
Look, I don't want things to--
I don't want
things to be awkward.
And I heard my boss had
a talk with you about us.
Yes.
I told him not to again.
I just don't like
when work impacts...
(chuckles)
life.
So, tonight?
"Tonight"?
Drinks?
Oh, yes.
Um... no.
Unfortunately, I have
to meet a friend.
How about tomorrow night?
Mm-hmm.
(chuckles)
Gareth?
Thank you.
We can make this normal again.
(quietly):
Yeah.
♪ Lying close
to floods, oh... ♪
Hey, Stacie.
Hi.
Loud bar.
Yeah, I know.
Good music.
Ah, let's go some
place quieter.
No, I don't want
people to hear us.
Here.
I have water.
Let's go.
Let's dance.
Why?
'Cause it's fun.
Remember, the West Village?
Like that.
I'm a little tired.
Okay, well, I'm dancing.
Come on, I'll give you
a scoop out there.
♪ I don't feel done ♪
♪ Catching me ♪
♪ Feel so good... ♪
So, you dating anyone?
No.
What about Michael
from last year?
We broke it off.
Yeah, I know.
He made a mistake.
How do you know?
He told me.
I called him.
He said he wanted
to see what you were up to.
Is this what you did with Abby?
Is "what" what I did with Abby?
Try to remake her life.
We're not your
playthings, Laurel.
Take the moat out of your
eye, then worry about me.
No.
No, I know how this works now.
You try to turn it back on me,
you try to make it my problem,
But it's not gonna work.
I felt the bugs
in my head, Stacie.
I know what
they're doing to you.
And I know there's a cure.
There.
That's Michael.
He misses you.
Just give it a chance, Stacie.
Ah. Ow.
Listen to me.
We know what you're doing.
It's not gonna work.
Let go of my hand, Stacie.
She's gone.
Stacie's gone.
You can't get her back. She
doesn't want to come back.
I came back, Stacie.
You just have to use
the right side of your brain.
This is different.
Knock the side of
my head. Go ahead.
(hollow thumping)
There's nothing there.
Go ahead, chase us away.
But your friend will
be a lobotomized idiot.
What do you want?
Everything.
We...
want...
everything.
Are you taking over
the government?
What government?
There is no
government anymore.
(chuckles)
(cackling)
♪ Be like little bunnies ♪
♪ Always riding on
the edges of your coat ♪
♪ Tails, tails ♪
♪ Don't be scared or nervous ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm here, here,
we're here about your finger ♪
♪ Nails, nails... ♪
Hey.
Hey... Ow!
Watch it!
Clockwise around the pond.
("You Might Think"
by The Cars playing)
(through earbuds): ♪ Well, you
might think I'm crazy ♪
♪ To hang around with you ♪
♪ Maybe you think I'm lucky... ♪
(sighs)
(mouse clicking)
IRA FLATOW:
Does space have a sound?
Thanks to
the wonders of science,
we can now hear
the constellations
of Cygnus, Lyra and Draco.
(dull humming)
DR. WU: We don't know what
it is, Senator.
We wouldn't have discovered
how the Zika virus was carried
if we hadn't done
the spade work.
PAKULA:
We hope that satisfies
your concerns, Senator.
We take taxpayer money
very seriously.
It does satisfy my concerns.
And I
will now entertain a motion
to close debates.
I move that we close... RED:
Just one more question,
Mr. Chairman, if I may.
I'll be brief.
He knows we have the votes.
He's delaying.
Oh, let him rant.
He's got to save face.
RED:
I can hear you.
And no, despite whatever vote
count you think you have,
I'd like to ask my question.
Let's talk
about your great work
at the CDC, Dr. Pakula.
What are you working on now?
We're testing the impact
of 32 prospective
infectious diseases.
RED: And how do you
test their impact?
With, uh, computer simulations
or...?
No, no, with live testing.
I see. "Live."
Meaning with animals?
Yes, we-we do animal testing.
On rats,
or chimpanzees, or...
Uh, both. Um, why?
So these animals you test, uh,
do they go on to live
long and healthy lives?
Uh, no.
Some expire.
Oh, I see.
(clicks tongue)
Aw.
And you-you bury them
someplace nice?
No,
we have a service who,
um...
well, there are
rendering factories.
Where the dead animals are
boiled down? LUKE: Chairman,
I don't think every
step of the process needs
to be examined.
RED: I just think
some of my Democratic colleagues
might be
interested in the process.
How many animals
are killed a month?
Ella, Ella.
Look...
they've always
had animal testing.
Yes, and at some point we have to say
"no." Well, Red will get his way.
If you vote with Red,
he'll get his way.
Come on, what do you hate more,
Republicans or animal testing?
IRA FLATOW:
Where do they come from?
Electromagnetic...
It's merely the sonification
of light curves
from the outer reaches
of the Milky Way.
Was Pythagoras right?
Is there a
"Music of the Spheres?"
I'd like to think so.
(dull humming)
(melodic tone similar to
"You Might Think" by The Cars)
("You Might Think" by The Cars
plays through laptop)
(song stops,
melodic tone resumes)
(melodic tone stops,
song resumes)
(song stops,
melodic tone resumes)
IRA FLATOW: What you just heard
is the energy arriving
from the Draco constellation,
over 148 light years away.
Yup, that's gerrymandering.
Look at the districts.
What does it look like?
Um... constellations?
No.
Crop circles.
Oh, yeah. Kind of.
No, not "kind of," "lot of."
Yeah, well, I saw
this one district,
it looked like Lincoln's beard.
Then use it.
To embarrass Red.
It's local government,
Laurel, it's not senate.
Yes, but they're coordinating
through Red's office.
Look at these districts.
They're crazy.
Yes, and why would
we stop it? I mean,
look at this district,
Dorchester.
The Republicans used to divide
the senior citizen
vote into two, right?
Now they have them all in one,
right? That's good for us.
It neutralizes the Republican
senior vote. And here?
This puts all the
college-educated together.
I mean, they're helping us,
not hurting us.
And why are they doing that?
(chuckles)
I have no idea.
General stupidity?
Never underestimate the
stupidity of your opponent.
But let's not get in the way.
When your opponent is
shooting themselves
in the foot... let them.
You're over-thinking it, sis.
I have the
appropriations committee.
The CDC budget.
How's it going?
We're losing.
Ella and Red should
be at each other's throats.
It's odd when they're not.
(gavel banging)
Are we ready to vote
on the CDC budget?
Hell yes. ELLA: Mr.
Chairman, I just have
one thing to say.
(sighs)
Go ahead.
My colleague, Red Wheatus,
wants to derail the CDC
by undercutting its budget.
And I can't support that.
The CDC does good work.
Even though, as
a strong animal lover,
I can't agree
with its... methods.
Still, I want to amend
the proposed bill.
The CDC should
be more ambitious.
More like our friends
in Finland,
who aren't satisfied
with just getting by,
like we Americans are.
I would like to
challenge the CDC
into fighting a war on death.
And I move that
we give the CDC
an additional $3 billion
to help fight such a war.
Ella...
What is she doing?
Uh, closing you down.
The Republicans will never
double your budget.
This country can't survive
without the CDC.
Yeah, well, we're about to try.
What?
There's a chance Gustav's right.
About what?
(chittering)
GARETH:
Okay, so, let's start over.
Okay.
I'm Gareth.
I'm a chief of staff
to Red Wheatus.
I'm Laurel Healy.
And I think I'm going insane.
Well, if we're being honest,
why insane?
Because I think bugs
are eating people's brains
and turning them stupid.
(chuckles)
Huh.
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