Flaked (2016–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Palms - full transcript

A trip to Palm Springs for a visit with his mother Jackie turns into an emotional roller coaster ride for Dennis and fellow travelers Chip and London.

Hey, man. You okay?
You keeping a low profile?

What? No, man. No, no, no. I'm just...
I'm kind of just leaning up against this.

Yeah, did you see Kara?
I didn't see her in there today.

No. Yeah. I...
I guess she's not here.

-Hey, you going to the store?
-Yeah.

Yeah? Well, hop on.
I can give you a ride.

-Oh, God. You didn't.
-Oh, no, I did.

And I got it for half price,
two hundred bucks.

Isn't that what a normal bike costs?

Yeah, but this one has...
it's for two people.

Not if one of them's me.



Hey!

You know, I'm thinking of
getting out of it for a little while.

Rejuvenate.

-Out of what?
-"It," man. The daily grind.

-You don't think I'm in "the grind"?
-No, I do. It's just that... no.

No, I just want to get out of here
for a minute. Get some sunshine.

-Dude.
-Come on. You know what I mean.

Yeah, I do.
It actually sounds kind of nice.

Well, then, come with me, man.
A little boondoggle.

We can blast off this morning.

-Yeah, I'd have to close the store.
-If a tree falls in the woods...

That's fair.

What? Fuck!

You've got to... you've got to give me...



you've got to give more of a warning
when I'm on this thing.

What'd you have in mind?
Like, Catalina?

Yeah, I don't know.
I was thinking the desert would be nice.

-Palm Springs, maybe.
-Fuck that.

Come on, man. Something's up.
She called me last night.

I'm not going out there to run
interference between you and your mom.

But she likes you.
It helps if you're there.

I just really feel like this is something
you need to do solo, you know?

Plus, if there was a real problem,
Wild Bill would have called.

Yeah, I guess.

And I've got to take care
of some store shit.

Figure out my next move.

Yeah, as in,
where you're going to move to?

Shit!

-Hey.
-Hey.

-Hey!
-Hey.

What are you two lovebirds up to?

-Well...
-Nothing.

She's trying to whisk me
off to Palm Springs for the night.

How romantic.
Your mom lives there, right?

Yeah.

I told him it was too early
to meet his folks, but...

I've never been to Palm Springs.

-What are you up to?
-It's my day off, so... no plans.

No plans.

♪ We were so in phase ♪

♪ In our dance hall days ♪

-No!
-That's so gross!

No funny voice. You have
to sing for real. That's the game.

-I know, but it's so hard.
-Sing for real.

Sing for real.
It's called "sing for real."

-It's just, it's hard.
-Okay, Chip.

No, no, no. I can't do it.
'Cause I don't sing and I don't--

All right, here.
Let's hear you do it. You go.

-Okay. I'm singing.
-Oh, yeah. It's back.

♪ Take your baby by the hand ♪

Good.

♪ And pull her closer there with-- ♪

-All right. You've got to sing for real.
-Boo!

-Shit! Okay.
-You've got to do it for real. That was--

-Chip. Ready?
-No, I don't know any...

-I know this.
-Yes! Me, too.

-You do?
-Yeah. Go.

♪ Sun, shine on me today ♪

♪ Sun, dry my tears away ♪

♪ You make the trees
and flowers grow ♪

♪ You can make my troubles go ♪

♪ Sun, shine on me today ♪

So, what's she like? Your mom.
You two get along?

Um...

Well, that depends on the lunar cycle
and her medication.

-I like Jackie. She's cool.
-Yeah?

-I had a different experience of her.
-Go on, if you want to.

Uh... Yeah, no, she was...

She was a very unconventional mother,
even for the '70s, wouldn't you agree?

Yeah, I would say that "unconventional"
pretty much sums her up.

And dad? Or no dad?

No, no. The opposite, actually.
A lot of dads. Yeah. None that ever stuck.

Yeah, she was a very...

Wow. This sounds weird
saying this about your own mother,

but she was very sexual.

She was always a very sexual person.
So, yeah. A lot of men. A lot of breakups.

And she'd always make me
break the news,

which was hard, you know,
for a ten-year-old,

but at least she was around.

Oh, she was around.

High school was an experience.

All my friends would come over
to do blowbacks with my hot mom.

-Oh, God.
-Mrs. Robinson.

Yeah, that's what they called her.
Hilarious, right?

-So, then you took off to Paris.
-I did. France, yeah.

-Thought that'd be far enough away.
-And it wasn't.

No. That's-- She sent me letters
saying that I was ungrateful and selfish

and that I had betrayed
and abandoned her.

Yeah, and that's when
the real vindictive shit started.

I'm sorry.

He was... pretty messed up
by the time he got back to Venice.

Yeah. Yeah, I was a drunk.

But you got through it.

Mm-hmm.

Well, I can't wait to meet her.

They were all out.
They only had...

Except for these.

So, did Kara like the cake
that you got for her?

Yeah.

I mean, you were there when she said
she's not that into cake, right?

And she's got a point.

Cake's not going to keep you sober.

But the first year, that's a big one.

I still remember mine.

When was that?

I'm coming up on ten years now.
God willing.

-Ten years?
-Yeah.

Ten years since...

Since...?

Since I killed someone.

I'm not proud of it, but it's the truth.

I was driving and I was loaded...

Not that that's an excuse.
It's not. It's just the bare facts.

And I've got to keep that always
on the front burner, you know?

Anything else would... be a lie.

There isn't a day that goes by
that I don't...

That you don't mention it?

Sorry. I was just trying
to lighten the mood.

I didn't say anything about the cake

because I didn't want Dennis
to read into it.

-Yeah, sure.
-Yeah.

-Hello, handsome.
-Hey, beautiful.

Oh, my God! Chip! Oh, my God!
You came all this way just to see me?

Hey, I came all this way, too, Mom.

-Are those for me?
-Yes, they are.

It's so beautiful. How thoughtful.

-It was actually London's idea.
-Hi, Jackie. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. Oh, my God, Chip.
She's the best one yet.

No, she's not... she's not his girlfriend.

-No?
-No.

Well, she's not yours.

I thought you were here to help.

Dude, I didn't...

I'm glad I changed the tee time.
I would have missed you guys.

Thank you.
Are you a big golfer, Bill?

Are you kidding? My Bill would sleep
in the clubhouse if they let him.

-That's not exactly true.
-Bill, come on. Be honest.

-Yeah, Bill, he likes golf.
-I do like to play.

Well, here we go.
Arnold Palmers all around.

Cheers.

Cheers.

So, Mom, what's going on?
What's the big emergency?

Oh, I'll tell you that later.

That's the thing.
We have to head out soon.

Why the rush? You just got here.

We're all booked into the healing center.
We're going to do the whole thing.

I love the healing center.

-You should come with us.
-No.

No. No, no, no. The last thing you need
is a fourth wheel. Right, boys?

No.

You would not be a fourth wheel.
You should definitely come with us.

Really?

This is fun.

So, Chip, who is keeping
your bed warm these days?

No one, really.
Just me and my cotton sheets.

What about Kara? I thought you guys
just crossed the threshold into serious.

I don't know if I'd put it in those terms.

Oh, what terms would you put it in?

I'd say that it's more like we crossed
the threshold into broken up.

Yeah? When was that?

-It's been a long time coming.
-Huh. I didn't know that. What happened?

I don't know. I guess she said that
she felt she was better off without me.

-Chip, I'm sorry.
-That's okay.

Yeah, well, there's more fish in the sea.

Yeah, and I'm sure Chip is going
to cast his net out real soon. Right?

I was going to tell you, okay?
What do you think this trip was for?

I just needed a minute
to process it, that's all.

Dude, I wouldn't hold anything
back from you. You're my best friend.

Dennis, come on, man. I always
try to be as transparent as I can.

I know. You're so transparent,
I can see right through you.

How long you been sitting on that line?

-Hey.
-Hey.

So, what do we want to do first?
The hot springs or the body scrub?

-I like the sound of the hot springs.
-Oh, great.

Then you and I will be doing
the milk bath.

Why don't we all just do the hot springs?
We can all just...

God. Come on, grandpa.
The milk bath is going to be good for us.

Cleopatra took milk baths.

-Do you want to do the hot springs?
-Do you?

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Well, I can think of a couple of things,
but I've got my son right here.

That's never stopped you before.

Dennis?

-Dennis.
-Mm.

I've made a decision,
and I don't want you to get mad.

This doesn't sound good.

Bill and I are going our separate ways.

I knew it.

-It's not right between us.
-What, Mom? How could you say that?

Huh? Bill, he loves you.
He takes care of you.

-You can't survive without him.
-Oh, please.

You just think I'm going
to be a burden to you.

No, Mom, that's not it.
Bill, he loves you.

He keeps you balanced.
Your medication and everything.

I can take fucking pills.

Are you high right now?

Not really.

I split a half of a gummy.

Just... just now? With who?

-London. What do you care?
-No, I don't care, Mom.

How are you going to live?
Where are you going to live?

How are you going to make money?
You thought about that?

-I've got the house.
-You're going to move back to Venice?

I can sell it.

I Zillowed it on the Internet.
I can make a fortune.

Okay, and where are you going to live?

Where are you going to live?
That's what you mean.

I am... I'm going to be fine.
I can get a place.

So, what does Wild Bill say?

Well, I haven't told Bill yet.
You tell him.

Jesus! Fuck, Mom!
He's going to be devastated.

Could you Zen it down?

Look, this is bad, Mom, even for you.
How can you do this?

Because he doesn't do it for me.
He doesn't know the right buttons to push.

Come on, Mom. I don't even know
if you have buttons left to push.

Right, Dennis. Yeah.

You always had a hard time
accepting the fact that I have needs,

I have desires.

-I mean, even as a child--
-No, Mom, I was a child!

You said you wouldn't get mad.

And, just as a fact,
the buttons are still there...

...and Eduardo knows how to push them.

Jesus Christ!

Oh, my God.
Your butt is so white.

Who the fuck is Eduardo?

Are you disappointed?

-In what?
-Me.

Should I be?

I don't know.

I don't know how I'd react if I found out
someone I knew killed someone.

Where do you put that?

I don't put it anywhere.

It's like he's always...

-He...
-He haunts you?

You know, you do that thing where you go,
"What if I'd taken the later bus?

Or if I'd left the house
a few minutes earlier?"

It's like that every day,
except the stakes I'm playing with are...

I took a life.

Someone who had...

friends and parents,
brothers and sisters...

lovers.

A person.

Just like you and me.

So, how do you wake up every day?

Do things, exist, live, laugh?
How do you... how do you do anything?

The only thing I can do
is just try to be a better person.

And are you?

It...

It's made me want to help people.

Help people lead better lives.

And it's reminded me
that all we've got is this.

And this.

And this.

Not that. All right. Let's...

Yeah, let's get out.

All right, who's up for some body work?

-Will you be doing it?
-Yes, ma'am.

Well, in that case,
I can't wait to have my body worked.

-Mom, please.
-What?

I'm still in good shape.
Don't you think, Mike?

-Yes, you are.
-Man, do you mind?

-Stop being so rude to my new friend.
-Knock it off, Mom. I'm not in the mood.

-Maybe I am.
-Hey, no. You're not doing that.

-Let go of my arm.
-Stop.

-Let go. Ow!
-Watch it, son.

I'm not your fucking son.
Don't call me your son.

Dennis, Dennis.
Come on, man. Cool it.

No, he can't-- I don't have
to put up with this shit.

-All right. Come on, man.
-No, Mom, this is what you do.

This is why I had to move continents,
and you ruined that, too.

Why don't you just stop, okay?
Grow old. You're so fucking pathetic.

Fuck!

Dennis!

Fuck!

Fuck!

-Fuck!
-Jesus, dude.

Hey, man. I'm sorry.
That was uncalled for back there.

-She really pushes your buttons.
-Please, don't use that term.

Okay.

Look, man, you've got the tools
to deal with this shit, man.

All right? You... you're a good dude.

You are. You've got to know that.

You are...

an emotionally-developed,
aware 42-year-old man

who could easily pass for 35.

I mean, in the right light.

She's leaving Wild Bill.

-Oh.
-Yeah.

Did she give a reason?

Wild Bill is not wild enough in the sack.

You know, man, I'm not
that comfortable talking about this.

I bet.

Yeah, and apparently,
there's this Eduardo guy, who's...

-Sniffing around?
-Man, yeah.

No, I don't... I don't... yeah.

What are you going to do?
Talk to Wild Bill?

-And say what?
-I don't know.

Tell him to, you know, dim the lights
and rub the balls of her feet.

Maybe scented candles.

Aw, Chip!

Come on, Dennis. It's been a while
since I've had to give someone advice

on how to satisfy
my mom in the sack, but...

What, no, I don't need
that type of advice, obviously.

I just... what do I...

How do I tell Wild Bill about Eduardo?

You tell the truth.

Yeah. Then they split up,
she sells our house, and then we...

Yeah, well, you've still got to do it.
It's the truth.

So, I'm gonna talk to Wild Bill
when we get back, yeah?

Hey, Bill.

I just... wanted to come say goodbye.

Yes, yes, Dennis. Goodbye.
Nice seeing you.

Yeah. Yeah.

This is hard for me to say. Um...

How is everything
between you and Jackie?

Oh.

Very good.

Jackie's amazing, you know?
She's doing great.

Great. Great. And a lot of that
is because of you, so thank you.

She means a lot to me.

Yeah, yeah. Um...

How's everything physically?

You mean my back spasm.

I'm not as long off the tee, but...

No, no, no. Physic...
intimately, in the bedroom.

I... Mom, can she...

she can be a very...

-Sexual.
-Sensual. Sensual person. Yeah.

I know.

So, yeah, if you ever
needed a helping hand...

Oh, no. Thank you, Dennis.
That would be too weird.

What? No. No, a helping...
a helping hand, like pills.

You know, a doctor can get you some pills
and can possibly enhance the performance.

You know... Jackie's crazy, right?

Yeah. Yeah, I know.

She told you about Kyle?

Uh... Kyle? No, Eduardo. Who's Kyle?

Kyle's the kid who delivers
our paper. He's 16.

Oh, and Eduardo?

Landscaper. Great guy. Very quiet.

-Huh.
-And also very gay.

Huh.

Okay. So, she made all of this up.

The call, the emergency, us...
us coming all the way out here.

It's just a wild goose chase.

She wanted to see you, Dennis.
She's your mother.

Yeah.

Why didn't she just say that?

She's Jackie.

Yeah.

Well, take care of yourself, Jackie.

I will. It was great to see you, Chip.

You, too.

Be good to this one.

Yeah.

Are you okay, honey?

Did that edible hit you too hard?

I'm okay, I think.
I just need to lay down.

-Okay.
-Bye. Oh... Yeah, bye.

Thanks for coming.
It was good to see your face.

I'll call you.

You've always been my man, Dennis.

Since the day you were born. That's why
all of the others came and went.

'Cause they couldn't compete with you.

Bye, Mom.

I'm not really sure
that it's going to happen,

you know, between me and...

-Because of today?
-No, no, no. Just because.

The other night, it wasn't...

it wasn't really there,
that spark, you know?

Mmm.

-I'm sorry, man.
-That's okay.

It's not there, it's not there.

And if it is, it is.

And there's nothing
we can do about it, you know?

Yeah, and thank you for, you know,
before, talking me down.

Yeah. Yeah, no sweat.

I'm glad you came today.

Me, too.

You're a good friend.