Powerless (2017): Season 1, Episode 1 - Wayne or Lose - full transcript

[train whistle blowing]

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

Just moved here for a new job.

Really excited.

How long have you lived in Charm City?

Long enough to know it sucks.

I don't know. I like it.

A little bigger than where I grew up,

- but not that different.
- [evil laughter]

- [crashing]
- Except for that.



Citizens of Charm City,

Feel the fire of Jack-O-Lantern.

[epic music]

Are you guys seeing this?

- [phone beeps]
- Siri, push my meeting an hour.

♪ ♪

[evil laughter]

♪ ♪

[evil laughter]

♪ ♪

[brakes screeching]

[dings]
- I know what you're thinking.

Yet another superhero battle.

[light music]



Well, my name's Emily Locke

and I grew up in what's
known as a fly-over state.

Superheroes never stopped there.

They just flew over it.

I didn't have any powers,

so I did what everybody
else in my town did:

finish school and got
a soul-crushing job.

I felt unfulfilled.

Until one day, my dad reminded me

that you don't need superpowers
to accomplish great things.

What you do, in your own quiet way,

can change people's
lives for the better.

Right then and there,
I decided to make a change:

I got a job at a company that
helps regular people like us

feel safer in a world where
this kind of stuff happens.

And now I might not even
make it to my first day.

- [dings]
- [epic music]

♪ ♪

Oh, my God, you're Crimson Fox.

[crashing]

♪ ♪

[car alarm chirps]

Wow. You don't see that every day.

Actually, you do.

You see it every day.

I'm still gonna take a photo.

♪ ♪

[camera shutter clicks]

[heroic music]

♪ ♪

[light music]

male narrator: In a world
where superheroes and villains

battle above us each day,

Wayne Security brings you products

that give the power
back to the powerless.

[maniacal laughter]

narrator: Like our revolutionary
Joker anti-venom.

Whoo.

[upbeat music]

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

- Emily Locke?
- I'm sorry I'm late.

You'll never believe
what happened to me.

My train literally went
off the rails and the...

I'm gonna cut you off here
because I'm assuming you lived.

Mr. Wayne is waiting for you.

♪ ♪

I just wanted to thank you again

for this opportunity, Mr. Wayne.

Please, call me Van.

Now, my cousin Bruce, he
likes to be called Mr. Wayne.

I call him B-Dubs. We're very close.

And I just told him about you.

You talked to Bruce Wayne about me?

No, I texted him. He's hard to reach.

But... look at his reply.

"Stop using my HBO GO password."

No, that... [chuckles]

What a joker. That's classic B-Dubs.

Look at the one right before it.

"Sounds good."

Bruce Wayne thinks you "sounds good."

Look, I'm not gonna lie to you.

Business at Wayne Security is down,

and I am looking to you,
as our new Director of R&D.

To come up with a big idea, all right?

Something that I can show to Bruce,

and he'll be like, "What?"

And I'll be like, "Yeah."

This is everything I have ever wanted.

I promise I will not let you down.

I know you won't.

There were more experienced candidates,

but you stood out. You
are a people person.

Every one of your references said

you're a great motivator

and you actually care about
the, uh... uh... the...

- People?
- Yep!

I do, that's why I wanted to work here.

- I want to help people.
- Love that.

As long as it's help plus kicking ass.

Because you need to whip
this team into shape.

They're very talented,
but they're just missing

a you to motivate them.

I'm more of a big picture guy.

Look at this picture.

This picture's huge.

You know, I am no stranger to adversity.

My dad owned a flower shop,
and when it was struggling, I...

I'm dying to hear the
end of that story, but...

Ooh, look, it's... my assistant's,
uh, motioning to me.

What is it? Jackie,
did you need something?

- No.
- What do you want from me?

Nothing.

[mouthing words]

You are the worst.

[playful music]

Uh, you said there's
a phone call for me?

[sighs] Bruce Wayne
is on the phone for you.

Bruce Wayne? My cuz-bro.

Oh, no. [chuckles]

Come on. Time to meet your team.

[upbeat music]

I can't believe I'm actually
working for Bruce Wayne.

Dot dot dot's cousin.

[quirky music]

Teddy, this is Emily
Locke, your new boss.

Nice to meet you. What do you do here?

I disrupt.

I alter the structure of expectations,

make people see things in new ways.

For example, what do you think this is?

- A desk?
- But what if it wasn't?

What if it was the opposite of a desk?

I'm sorry, I'm still not
exactly sure what you do.

I'm the Chief Design Officer.

But what if you weren't?

Wait, are you firing
me? Is she firing me?

No, no. I was just making a joke.

Good one. Good one.

♪ ♪

[exhales deeply] All right, come on.

Let me show you around.

♪ ♪

This is the lab.

That's our 3-D printer. Don't touch it.

That's liquid nitrogen. Don't touch it.

That's Wendy, our
lead software engineer.

Let me guess, don't touch her?

Why would you touch her?

Hey, guys. Watch this.

That's Ron. He's head of engineering

and chief of childlike wonder.

Batter up!

[all chuckle]

That's amazing. What is it?

It's called the Wear Bag.

It protects against collateral
damage from superhero battles.

We're talking about projectiles,
falling debris, direct blows.

[chuckles]

[groans]

It's only good for one use.

I know.

That's for taking my muffin, Steve.

- Oh.
- That is an amazing product.

Right? LexCorp makes it.

We're trying to figure out how it works

so we can make a cheap knock-off.

Welcome to Wayne Security.

♪ ♪

Let's... be... better.

That's a permanent marker.

Well, good, because that's
how I want us to be thinking.

Permanently.

Look, Wayne Security
has stopped innovating.

Our follow up to last
year's Joker Venom Antidote

is the exact same thing in
a slightly darker purple.

Mm, it's not slightly darker.

Okay, one is amethyst and one's sangria.

You don't get it. She doesn't get it.

She's not getting it.

No, I get that they're different.

I just don't think anyone cares

- about the color.
- [all react]

Ooh, kitty's got claws.

Guys, we need to be innovating.

We need to push ourselves.

We can't...

just copy what LexCorp does.

Oh.

We need to...

♪ ♪

Let's be better.

And do you know how we'll do that?

Uh, let me guess. By
thinking outside the box?

[chuckles]

I want us to forget
the box ever existed.

Ron, what are you working on?

Literally... the box.

Ron, I did not know that.

This morning, my train
was blown off the track,

which apparently happens
every day around here.

Let's come up with something
that solves things like that.

That's a brilliant idea.
Let me just summon a wizard.

Shazam! Ah, nothing.

Have you ever even made a product?

Well, n... no.

[all groaning]

No, but I was sixth
in my class at Wharton.

- Ron, is that a product?
- Not a product.

No, I was President of
the Young Leaders Group.

- Ron, surely that's a product.
- Ooh, guess again, Teddy.

Well, guess what? This
company needs a big idea

that you haven't delivered.

So I suggest you take my lead on this

because I know what I'm doing.

Okay, Van hired me for a reason.

[laughter]

Yeah, because the other
people didn't work out.

- What other people?
- You're the fifth new boss

we've had this year.

And I refuse to let myself get attached.

I'm not getting hurt again.

But we'll do whatever you want

until number six comes along.

Just to be clear, I'm not
gonna do whatever you want,

so...

[humming, strumming guitar]

♪ ♪

You fired four people
before you got to me?

Technically, they weren't fired.

One was crushed by
rubble before he started.

I like to think of
that as God firing him.

Don't you think you
should have told me that

in the interview?

You want the real scoop?

You want to pop the hood on this van

and see what's inside?

Yes.

Fine.

I was supposed to be promoted
to the Gotham office last year.

But then Bob Lackey from
WayneBev pulled the idea

for Wayne Light Lime out of his ass

and he took my spot!

The only reason you're here

is to come up with a big idea

to get me out of this
God-forsaken taint of a city.

And I will.

It just might take a little time.

I'm sure Wayne Light Lime
didn't happen overnight.

The man left a lime in a
beer, literally overnight.

Get me to Gotham, or somebody else will.

[dramatic music]

If he thinks I'm scared, I'm not.

I'm going to get the team
to come up with a big idea.

Yeah, they seem to love you.

♪ ♪

[groans] Okay.

Maybe I came on a little strong.

To get the best out of people,

you need to get to know
them on a personal level.

Yeah, that line is
underlined three times

in your business book.
You left it in the kitchen.

- We need to bond as a unit.
- Mm, that line was circled.

A boss can't be afraid to look human.

That line was starred.

Is a star more or less than a circle?

Stop going through my book.

A star is greater that a
circle, but less than a heart.

Wayne Security?

[growling]

Citizens of Charm City,

this is Jack-O-Lantern

with a personal message
for Crimson Fox.

You can run...

Shut up, shut up, shut
up, shut up, shut up.

Bruce Wayne is on the phone for you.

Jackie, if you are lying to me,

I'll put rocks in your pockets

and I will throw you in the ocean.

You are gonna make
a great father one day.

It's really Bruce.

Oh, my God.

How do I look?

Like you don't understand
how phones work.

[exhales deeply]

B-Dubs, baby!

You keeping Gotham warm for me?

Yes! I can hold.

♪ ♪

Hey, guys, wait up.

- [beeping]
- What's that sound?

It's a device I built that warns you

when someone you don't
like is approaching.

I call it the "Emily Alert."

Well, that's very
impressive. And mean.

Look, I get it, you guys
have had lots of bosses,

but it's my job to make sure we deliver,

and I'm trying to help us do that.

Look, we know you're trying,

but you don't need to give us pep talks.

We've come up with
hundreds of big ideas,

and every one of them
gets shot down by corporate

- because they're too expensive.
- Or too dangerous.

Or you need a piece
of the sun to power it,

and that's impossible to get.

We're done getting our hopes
up so they can get crushed.

Well, I'm not giving
up. I believe in this team.

And I'm not going anywhere.

Everyone, come out here.
I have some terrible news.

We've all been fired.

- Wait, what?
- Wait, wait, wait.

By "we" you mean Emily, right?

I did. But also everyone else.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
No, I can't lose this job.

I take care of my sick grandma.

All: Aww.

- And I like nice things.
- [all groaning]

I should have went before Ron.

Wait, why are they shutting us down?

Bruce says we're obsolete.

Gone are the days of
a man in a bandit mask

stealing a ruby from a museum.

Now it's all just super villains
trying to destroy the Earth

and superheroes fighting one another

for vaguely defined reasons.

Our products are powerless to stop that.

So he just gave up on us?

I thought we were here
to change the world.

[chuckles] Who told you that?

It's the company motto.

_

Oh, that. No, that came with the office.

This used to be a diaper company.

[solemn music]

[sighs]

♪ ♪

There's gotta be something we can do.

[slurping]

[quirky music]

Why are you drinking champagne?

Oh, because I'm so sad. [chuckles]

I'm sorry, I didn't want to say
anything in front of the others,

but I'm being absorbed
into the Gotham office.

If I knew I could fail up, I
would have done it years ago.

So, everyone loses their job,

and you get exactly what you want?

I don't know why I was so stressed

about finding that big idea.

The big idea is, I'm a Wayne.

And a Wayne will always come out on top.

You know, I feel like I could
commit vehicular manslaughter

and I would get away with
just a slap on the wrist.

Now, I haven't done that, but now...

I feel like I could.

How long do we have
until it becomes official?

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- Guys, I've got good news.
- [beeping]

Damn, I've got to boost
the radius on my Emily Alert.

So, I just spoke to Van,

and we're not going to lose our jobs.

Wait, what?

Guys, Emily said we're
not losing our jobs!

[all cheering]

Technically, we haven't
been shut down yet.

- There is still hope.
- Oh, never mind.

She was just trying to inspire us.

We're still fired.

[all groaning]

Bruce Wayne wrote,

"Winners are just losers

that don't accept defeat."

If we came op with a
game-changing product,

Bruce would have to reconsider.

Ooh, me, me, me, me, me, me!

I mean, unless you
guys want to go first.

I'm totally cool about it.

- All you.
- No, I don't want to do it.

Okay, now, we all know

that the number one cause
of workplace accidents

is Superman crashing through
office windows mid-fight.

That's a simple fact. But now...

this glass is made of Kryptonite.

So if he flies close to
it, his powers will weaken,

and he'll safely bounce off.

Nice, and how does it work

when the people inside
need help from Superman?

I had not taken that
scenario into account.

[glass shattering]

It's also not very strong
against normal things.

Okay, I am not demoralized.

I'm just going to
take a five real quick.

Hey, wait. You haven't
heard my idea yet.

So, you know how everyone wants
to have sex with robots, right?

- Go on.
- I'm listening.

♪ ♪

"Problems are just opportunities

dressed in work clothes."

You're aware this means nothing, right?

I give up.

I took this job to make a difference,

and I didn't even get a chance.

Oh, honey, no one makes a difference.

I used to be just like you.

I think we're pretty different.

Oh, yeah?

This me my first day of work here.

Oh, no. I have that shirt.

Sorry, honey. Welcome
to the real world.

[zapping]

We should probably go inside soon

because there's an evil
pumpkin flying around.

Citizens of Charm City,

kiss your precious
organic juice bar good-bye!

[people shouting]

"You don't need to have superpowers

to accomplish great things. Love, Dad."

He gave this to me when I was little.

- I always keep it with me.
- That's so sweet.

And now you're smelling
it like a creepy person.

Oh. My dad ran a flower shop.

Everything he touched
smelled like flowers.

I used to know when he was
around before I even saw him.

I feel like I let him down.

- [evil laughter]
- [zapping]

I wish we knew that guy
was around before we saw him.

Yeah, it would save a lot of lives.

[distant shouting, crashing]

Oh, my God. Maybe there's a way.

Guys, I have an idea.

Good, 'cause Wendy's sex
robot is not market ready.

Guys, just hear me out.

Now, remember how I said I
wanted us to invent something

that would stop things
like that train attack?

Right, and then we laughed at you.

[laughter]

Wendy, what if you could
boost your Emily Alert

- to have a wider radius?
- It's maxed out.

You have to be in visual range.

But what if it worked on scent?

We could totally rig
it to use chemoreceptors.

And what if we used it

to track super villains, and what if...

And what if who cares,
because we're all fired?

Look, I know you've all
been beaten down in this job.

And you feel like what
we do doesn't matter.

But I truly believe we can change lives,

and I know deep down you still care.

[soft music]

♪ ♪

Can I pick the color?

♪ ♪

It's 7:00 a.m. What am I doing here?

Van, this device we've
created has just alerted me

that Jack-O-Lantern is in the area,

giving us enough time to get to safety.

It uses advanced chemoreceptors

to pick up on Jack-O-Lantern's
unique smell profile.

We call it the "Jack-O-Lert."

It is sleek, stylish,
and available in sangria.

I see. I'm having a hard time figuring

why you'd think I would care.

I already picked out a
penthouse in Gotham City.

Well, the way I see it,

if you don't take this
to Bruce, maybe I will,

and maybe I'll be the one
sipping Wayne Light Lime

in my Gotham office.

Okay, I take your point.

But none of this matters
because your Jack-O-Lert

detects jack squat.

[explosion]

Citizens of Charm City,

prepare to feel my
powerful balls of fire!

[explosions and screaming]

Fine.

I'll take it to Bruce.

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

Everybody, I have some terrible news.

I'm not gonna get to go to Gotham.

Tell them the other news.

I got a parking ticket.

We're not fired.

[all cheering]

Wayne Security is staying open.

Yeah, Bruce loved the Jack-O-Lert.

He's putting it in
beta, wherever that is.

So great. Did he mention the color?

- No.
- Damn it.

But he did say because
I did such a good job

inspiring all of you,
he wants me to stay here

to continue inspiring you.

I guess with great power
comes living in a taint.

Emily...

[rousing music]

I blame you.

I blame you.

♪ ♪

[all cheering]

♪ ♪

You guys did it.

You should be really
proud of yourselves.

We couldn't have done it without you.

No. We got you a little something.

It's a bus pass. It's
a much safer alternative

to the train. A little
Charm City insider tip.

You guys, thank you.

I didn't chip in.

I would not expect that.

To the R&D team.

- To Emily.
- All: To Emily.

This just in:

Gotham City police report the
Joker has been apprehended.

Batman used a new device
that tracked him by his smell.

And now for a correction...

What a crazy coincidence.

Batman came up with his own Jack-O-Lert.

In midnight black. Subtle.

Powerful. Slimming.

I wish we worked for Batman.

I feel like he'd really get us.

Well, maybe someday we will.

♪ ♪