Sweetbitter (2018–2019): Season 2, Episode 1 - The Pork Special - full transcript

Previously on
Sweetbitter...

Did you come
to New York with someone?

No, I didn't.

That's very brave.

Everyone was new once.

Don't get overwhelmed.

Can I actually fail
my trails?

Most people do fail
the trails.

Oh!

It's not a shot.

How do you know
all of this?



Simone's
a lot of things.

She's not your friend.

We're not together.

What is the deal
with Jake and Simone?

You can't have them both.

No one else
will ever know you

the way that I do, Jake.

I know.

Did she pass
her trails?

I thought you liked her.

I do, but this job
isn't for everyone.

Fuck Howard.

That man never promote me,
ever.

I love her, but Becky's unwell.



You want to transfer me?

- Not here.
- Fuck you.

You are showing your age
right now.

No wife, no server,

no America.

Sasha?

That was scary.

Congratulations.
You surprised?

Yeah.

Howard is not
a traditional manager.

I hope you'll be careful.

What does that mean?

Is this New Jersey?

What gave it away?

The smell of shit,

or the fact
that we're all miserable?

You know I live
in New Jersey.

I'm still drunk.

Yeah, that
I can definitely smell.

It's too early to talk
this much.

I feel like I can
actually breathe out here.

Oh, God. The shit smell
has corroded her brain.

Uh...

Fucking bus
was all bumpy and shit.

What are we doing here?

No idea.

Summoned to the countryside
at 7:00 a.m.

This is new, even for me.

Think I forgot there's a
whole world outside the city.

That happens.

What the fuck we doing

- on a goddamn farm?
- Ooh, chickens!

I hope we're getting
some farm-fresh...

My goodness.

Changelings in the morning.

Yeah.

The horror.
Good morning.

- Morning, Howard.
- Hi, Howard.

Good morning.

- Morning.
- Morning.

Why did I ask you...

in some cases, blackmail you...

into coming to a farm
this morning?

Because this is where
our food comes from.

By working at the restaurant,

you are ambassadors

of a movement

that is at once
more flavorful,

but also more ethical.

And the more you know
about the food,

the better you can sell it.

Knowledge, as they say,

is power.

Come on.

What you are about to see
is very important.

- Hey, it's an actual pig.
- Aww.

Cute.
He looks like Babe.

What's that?

Come on.

Jesus.

- Oh, man.
- Oh.

Holy fuck.

Chicken, of all days?

I know.

I really enjoyed believing

this came from Fairway.

I'm never eating meat again.

I don't know
what happened back there.

I think I might be
allergic to hay or something.

When you puked,

you sounded
like you were screaming.

Yeah, his scream-barfing
was worse than the pig.

Mm-mm, no, the pig was the most
fucked-up thing I've ever seen.

It's definitely the most
real thing I've ever seen.

Daddy's back.

Finally.

- Ouch.
- What?

- Remember? I'm a delicate flower.
- Oh.

I missed you.

Hey, baby.

My turn.
Hi.

- You look like shit.
- Thank. You, too.

Hey, sit.

So,

happy to be back?

I've been t... eating pancakes

and drinking Franzia,

jerking off
in a sock for a week,

living a real American dream.

Now I'm a slave again
because rent is due,

so tell me,
why am I just so happy?

- Okay.
- Ignore her.

She's been bouncing around

like a fucking Teletubby

ever since she got her stripes.

Okay, we've been working
on a plan

so no one has to know
you're still healing.

I bought a soft cast.
It's very discreet.

- What color?
- It doesn't matter.

My dad said you should wear it
during service.

I'm mixing the Oxy

with a touch of amphetamines

to keep your ass coherent.

Mm.

Welcome back, Sasha.

Oh, thank you, blondie.

Okay, I'm on bar,

so I'll be covering
your breaks.

We should plan on 15 minutes
every two hours.

Sasha, are you listening?

Enough.
Just change the subject.

Come on.

Well, that went well.

Never understood
jerking off into a sock.

I love my socks.

So what are you reading?

Proust.

The Lydia Davis translation.

Mm.

By the way,

I love your glasses.

What's that?

Uh, just trying to learn
the difference

between the Chenin

from Savennières
and the Chenin from Anjou.

You don't need
to know that, ever.

I know.
I want to.

Hey, that girl...

he's not just hiring her
because she's qualified, right?

You mean because she's hot?

Yes, that's what I mean.

Well, he hasn't hired her yet,

and, eh, probably both.

Will, do you... trust him?

What, Howard?

Sure.
He's a good boss.

Right,

but what about Becky?

Well, Becky's fine.

She's working
at that barbecue place

on Gramercy.
She makes bank.

Why?

Just...

well, I wasn't exactly
an obvious hire,

and something Simone
said just...

made me wonder
why he gave me the job.

I don't know
why you listen to her.

She didn't even want you here.

What?

She had a chance
to defend you

after your trails,
and she didn't.

Okay, well,
she wouldn't do that.

I was in the room with them.

I fought for you.

Okay.
Want me to thank you?

No.

I just want you to know
who you're dealing with.

'Cause there are a lot of
people here who care about you,

and Simone only cares
about one person:

the guy with the
shitty tattoos.

For our special tonight,

the chef is celebrating

nose-to-tail dining

and the devoted farmers

who raised
our beautiful animals.

We are serving...

- We got tight sirloin.
- Okay.

Jambalaya's right here.

Ordering one
radicchio salad.

Nine pork!

Down to nine pork, all day.

- Nine pork!
- Nine pork!

All right,
fire two lamb chops

and one burger with...

Cabron, what the fuck
you gonna do with the skin?

I want to make chicharrónes
with the boys.

I sell it to my guy
in Chinatown.

I'm not here to make snacks
for your crew.

Fine.
I'll take the feet.

What about
the trotter special?

That was alive this morning.

And now it's bacon.

No higher calling.

You're just hacking it up

and selling it for parts?

That's kind of brutal.

I assumed you grew up
on a farm.

Excuse me?

You seemed riveted
this morning.

Uh...

I mean, there were
a lot of farms around.

I just...

I've just never seen anything

like what we saw today.

Do you think it knew?

Knew?

The pig.
Do you think it knew...

I-it was gonna die?

I don't think so, no.

A pig lives
its whole life in a pen.

It eats, it sleeps,

it breeds, it dies.

I don't believe
it had any awareness

beyond the five inches
in front of its nose.

Sasha!

Huh?

You're running.

Apologies, Mr. Howard.

First day at work.

Perhaps I'm
a bit out of shape.

Eight pork!
Got eight pork, all day.

Sasha, you look seriously ill.

It is time for your break.

I'm not needing a break.

I assure you, if you do not take a
break, you will get yourself fired,

and then how will you pay for rent?

Meet me in the walk-in
in five minutes.

Okay.

I have to say, I'm impressed
you made it this morning.

I wanted the extra credit.

I'm not exactly
Howard's favorite right now.

And now you're getting
your own ice.

It's quite the campaign
you're running.

Well, apparently,
there are no back waiters

working tonight, so...

Okay, between you and me,

it's that Sasha
isn't doing so well.

We're all trying to cover
for him,

but he's, of course,
making it impossible.

I'm trying to make him
ice his foot.

Your compassion
is so inspiring.

You should tell Simone.

And why would I do that?

'Cause if he's hurt,

she'll do something about it.

I don't know.
She fixes things.

- You're done, right?
- Mm-hmm.

Sasha.

Hey, Sasha!

- Sasha!
- Mm.

I'm resting.

You said rest, no?

Okay.

Give me your foot.

Okay.

Jesus.

Sasha, what the fuck?

This is disgusting.

You said you were
taking care of yourself.

What have you been doing?

No.

I said pancakes
and masturbating,

and I went out dancing

a few baby times.

Sasha, what the fuck
is wrong with you?

Do you not want
to get better?

I do not care either way.

You barely touched your pork.

Um, was everything all right?

Oh, everything was fine.

I-I'm full.

Try not to make them
feel guilty.

It's just such a waste.

I heard about Sasha.

Wish you would've told me.

- There's nothing...
- I could talk to Howard if you like.

We might be able
to put him on phones for a bit.

No.

Thank you. I know how to
take care of my friends.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I have some perfectly good pig
to throw away.

Something wrong?

No.

Just a busy night for me.

Excuse me.
Hi.

Sorry, um,

I'm Rosalyn.
I'm the new hostess.

I know you're busy. I just...
I didn't know what to do

with the stuff
that was in my locker.

Mm, that would be
the old hostess'.

I'll take them.

I'm Tess, by the way.

If you have any questions

or, uh, need anything...

Yes?

They were Becky's.

The new hostess
gave them to me.

I believe we can safely
throw those in the garbage.

Howard, I hope you can see

how seriously I take this job.

I do.

I admire it.

It's what I saw
at the farm today.

You've got a...

Real curiosity.

Why else would I
have hired you,

aside from your years
of experience

in the Midwest diner industry?

Thank you, Howard.

Mm-hmm.

You know,

Nicky's been doing this

as long as I've been alive,

and yet, I still manage
to outsell him

every night.

Must be my charm.

You told her.

What?

About Sasha.

So?

We've got
two huevos...

- Sure.
- And, uh...

Why do you trust her?

What?

I see how she
treats you, Jake.

I saw you guys.

- You saw...
- In the basement.

- You don't have to take that from her.
- It's... stop talking.

Hey!

You don't have
to be embarrassed.

I'm not.

- So talk to me.
- Why?

Why would I do that?

Because you kissed me.

I did.

And you felt something.

I know you did.

And then you went
to the Cape with Simone

and acted
like it never happened.

I want to be clear.

This has nothing to do
with Simone.

If I wanted you, I would've fucked
you that night on the street.

I don't want you.

You're not my type.

You're a little girl.

It was a big day.

Only up 3% from last year.

I guess I meant long day.

We're up early.

Mm.

We've worked together
a long time, Howard...

mm, arguably too long...

but that was unexpected.

I'm not allowed to surprise
once in a while?

You're allowed to do
what you like,

but it's one thing
to go on a field trip

and it's another to make them
watch an animal bleed out.

You up for a promotion?

No.

You looking
to move companies.

Maybe I'm ready
for some changes around here.

Things have gotten
a little loose for my taste.

People sleepwalking
through their shifts.

I decided to wake them up.

Okay.

- Sasha, I swear...
- Hey!

Ah, dude, get off me.

It's a good thing he didn't
get ahold of the head.

Oh, my God.

I missed him so much.

He's an actual psychopath.

Heather, he's not wearing
the cast you gave him,

and, Ari, you're giving
him too many pills.

He was literally passed out
in the walk-in.

He blew through his own
prescription in three days.

He has the tolerance
of a horse.

He's not well.

Okay?
It's not just his foot.

It's his head.
He jumped off a building.

He fell off of a building.

I was there.

So now that you're passed your
trails, you're a fucking shrink?

You've only been here
a month.

What does that mean?

You don't know Sasha.

Stop talking... "discushing"...
shit about me,

you dirty hairy vaginas.

Sasha, we're not.

I'm worried about you.

Oh, shut it, baby monster.

Stop calling me that!

I'm not a baby.

I'm not even new anymore.

Ooh.

Okay, fine.

You are an adult monster.

Where do you think
you're going?

Hey, come talk to me.

Everything okay down there?

Fine.
They were just, um...

they're just being morons.

Is everything okay with us?

Because if something was wrong,
I hope you would tell me.

Yeah, yeah, I would.

I really care about you, Tess.

Okay.

You going
to Home Bar tonight?

Um, no, not tonight.

Good, 'cause I have an idea
for us.

Shockingly, it is not
a drink or a meal,

but it is still
a proper celebration.

- I'm... I'm exhausted.
- Hear me out.

Come on, it'll give us a...

a chance to have a real talk.

Okay.
Talk sounds good.

Good.
You will not be disappointed.

Yeah, absolutely.

Pruning.

Are you happy
at the new place?

You know I hate beer,

and they have TVs in the bar.

Dawn says,

"She's terrific!"

And you're a server now.

Nice people.

It's better hours for you.

It's good.

It's a good place.

Kind of thought you didn't want
to do this anymore.

Thought that was
the whole point.

Hm.

I did what I thought was best.

I needed things
to die down.

The man in the suit.

I do love my suits.

And it's more...

the stronger the image,

the better I'm able
to do my job.

It's not even an image anymore.

It's who I am.

So is this a secret?

Are we sneaking around again?

I'm not sure right now,

but what I know

is that I want to spend
more time with you,

time that is not at work.

You have been very patient.

It's not too crowded
this time of night.

As you know,
I live down the street,

so this is another reason
I can never move.

Start in here.

After this,
we can get platzas.

They, um... they beat you
with oak leaves,

dump cold water on your head.

And that's fun?

Surprisingly, yes.

Great.
I'm in.

Yeah, I want to do this.

I want to try everything,

learn all the streets,
find secret spots.

People at work...

it's like they want
to punish me

for being excited.

No, no, they've just hardened.

You know, they're up
against this moment

when the job stops
giving them freedom

and starts to feel
like a trap.

They've plateaued there.

You... you are taking
every experience

on the pulse.

I keep thinking
about this morning.

About the pig?

Mm.

I know why it bothers me.

It's about trust.

The pig trusted the farmer.

That's what pigs do.

That's not me.

I know that people tend
to underestimate you.

I do not.