The Slap (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Anouk - full transcript

Previously on The Slap...

Don't walk away from me, huh.
Listen to me!

Do you hit your wife?
Do you hit her?

God, I hope she sees
who you are.

No!

Mr. Apostolou,
we have a warrant.

I'm sorry, Sandi.

You have to come with us.

This whole thing
with the barbecue,

this slap thing...

- I didn't see it.
- How could you not have?



My attention was elsewhere.

Where?

Age-wise,
I would say you're, like,

28.

This is my friend Jamie.

He seems nice.

- Yeah.
- Is he underage?

I really like him.

You think he's shagging the
head writer to get more scenes?

I don't know.
Something's off.

You come from a place where

men can get away with
whatever they want,

but the world has changed.

They're going to
come after you.



On the day in question,

Anouk told herself that nothing
could be more pleasant

than being with the people
she loved.

And as a woman with
no particular interest

in a children's games,

her attention wandered.

Hey, Hugo, you're out, buddy.

You had three strikes.

Hey, Hugo,

you hear us talking to you?

Put the bat down, huh.

Let go.

Hugo, hey.
Put down the bat.

Huh?

And so she had
missed the very moment

that defined that day.

Or so she thought.

- You sick bastard!
- Ahh!

And by the time she turned back

to see its aftermath,

all she could think about was,
given who we are and what we do,

why on earth would anyone
want to have a relationship,

let alone children?

Hello.

Oh, so those are your friends.

Yeah.

Those are my friends.

It's a rough crowd.

Do they all beat up babies?

- Only me.
- Oh.

Hey, what's with...
What's with, um, Hector

and the girl?

- You saw that?
- As did you.

You want to compare notes?

Let's see, I saw...

I saw them talking about the
flowers and Hector was listening

with the kind of
intensity that...

That can only mean
"I want to have sex with you."

You?

I saw caressing/face touching

with hand holding
at crotch level,

all while gazing into
each other's eyes.

Yeah, well, they haven't done it yet,
but they're about to.

People already into
the affair are cautious,

but they're at the stage
of the infection

where the lust is roving madly
in their brain

and they're careless.

You know a lot
about infidelity.

It's not my first rodeo.

Okay, professor,

so should I say something
to my friend Aisha?

I mean, how should I know?

She's your best friend.

Listen,
how about I take you home,

make some pancakes?

Let me do it.

No.
I have to write.

Episode 208,

they have you going
to a sex party

thinking it is a book club.

That's crazy.

I wouldn't be caught dead
at a book club.

No.
No, I'm staying.

I'm coming home.

No. No.

I'm making Turkish coffee
and writing all night.

Believe me, we'll have you
exploring whether you're gay.

Well, maybe I am.

Especially if my girlfriend
keeps pushing me away.

I'm not your girlfriend.

Look, you're dropping me off,

going back to that hovel of yours,
actor boy,

and that's the last word
on the subject.

Oh, God.
Oh, God.

Oh, God!

Aish.

- Hey.
- Sorry for calling you so late. Are you working?

No, no, I'm fine.

Just, you know,

I think I'm getting
a little bug or something.

What's up?

We have to talk about

what happened at the barbecue.

I think things are starting
to spin out of control.

You have no idea.

I'm sorry I'm late.

I was trying to explain irony
to the brats.

Oh, yeah?
And what did you say?

A guy gets dental floss
stuck in his gum

while trying to clean his teeth.

Blah, blah, blah.

I shouldn't be
telling you this.

You probably, what,

saved someone's leg
or something.

- Hi.
- Hey.

Yeah, I...

I saved someone's entire leg.

How are you?

I'm...
Nervous and twitchy.

- I'm seeing my mother later.
- Come on.

If I had with my mother
what you have with yours, I...

Well, be careful
what you wish for.

- Here she is.
- Hey, guys!

Oh. Ooh.

You both look lovely.

Who's having wine?

They have the best branzino
here.

Someone's in a good mood.

Did Aisha tell you
about Harry's arrest?

We're finally
getting somewhere.

We talked to the prosecutor

and she said that
this establishes a...

Oh, what did she say?

Propensity towards violence.

What are dayboat scallops?

Forgive me if
I don't feel like celebrating

the arrest of
my husband's cousin.

Aisha, this is important.

Hugo, Adam, Melissa,

they need to see that there
is justice in the world.

Rosie,

let it go.

- What?
- Stop. Let it go.

Five-year-olds get slapped all the time,
and they heal.

- They do not.
- They do.

But I'm not so sure we will.

What about us?

Hector, Aisha?

Putting Harry away,
these are issues

that could haunt us forever.

And you know this how, Anouk?

By writing your TV show?

Oh, I'm incapable of holding
an opinion about a child

because I've never had children.

No, no, no, no.
Rosie...

Aisha, let me finish.

She shouldn't ask what I think

if she doesn't want to know.

I mean,
I'm fascinated by this perception

that unless one has children,
one is somehow exempted from...

Fine, why don't you tell me
what you would do

if it were your child.

If I had a kid
and Harry slapped it,

I would kill him myself,
but I wouldn't drag in the law...

What do I tell Hugo?
Just forget?

Well, for starters,

you could teach him that
waving a baseball bat

in other kids' faces
is not much more acceptable

than getting slapped
by a grownup.

As much as I'd love to stay
and do this,

because this is
so very much fun,

I have to go see my mother
and...

it takes forever
to get to the Upper West Side.

I got to go.

Anouk,
loved the show this week.

The wedding in the empty pool...
Crazy.

Thanks, Tommy.

- Sorry.
- It's okay.

What's up?

Hi, Ben.

Hey, Anouk.

- I loved last week's episode.
- Thanks.

Didn't understand a word of it.

Might as well have been speaking
Urdu.

Thank you, Mother.

Told you to stop watching.

What's with the cane?

Oh, God. Nothing.

I twisted my ankle taking a walk
in Central Park.

The squirrels have gone mad.

Ben, is Virginia making you
work too hard?

- No.
- Yes.

Ben is not your slave, Mom.

It's precisely what he is

until he graduates

and is set loose
on the unsuspecting

psychiatric patient
population of New York.

What are you doing here?

Mom,
you said you had some news.

Oh, I do?

Yes. The...

Oh!
I do. Right.

Oh, it's nothing, really.

I shouldn't have had you
run up here.

Doctor, it's not nothing.

Oh, I like that,
"not nothing."

What is not nothing?
I mean, is something something?

Well, it seems that
they've taken the decision

deep within the academic
bowels of Columbia

to publish a two-volume book
of my collected lectures.

Yeah, and we're scrambling to
make sense of her handwriting.

Virginia, that's great.

I know you've wanted this.

Anyway,
it's a limited edition...

Limited to the 18 people
who might read it.

Ben, I'm going to have tea
with my daughter.

Make interesting stacks
to sort through.

Stacks?

One on lies, one on narcissism,
one on greed.

One on mothers.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe the show has not
rotted her brain completely.

You look awful.

What's going on?

I'm fine, Mother.

Let me feel your forehead.

Leave my forehead.

I need to talk to you
about something.

Yeah, shush.
Tell me your symptoms.

I...

I'm all worn out is all.

I'm...
My stomach is weird.

I'm snappish and stuff.

Everyone in this city is.

Or maybe you're pregnant.

I'm most certainly
not pregnant.

What kind of doctor are you?

Virginia.

Pregnant... God.

Oh, you probably need iron.
Swim in the ocean.

No one swims after August.

I swam Scarborough
my entire childhood,

all through the winter.

You are English, aren't you?

Why do you never
answer my emails?

I'd never see you if I did.

And besides,
the only thing it's really good for

is shopping for Fair Isle knits
and sensible shoes.

There is something wrong,
isn't there?

Of course,

if I'd been paying attention,

I probably would have
slapped him myself.

Well, you didn't because
your eyes are glued on Hector

and the salacious babysitter.

With whom it is quite possible
he is having a torrid affair.

Well, he may well be.
What's it to do with you?

Have more shortbread.

Aisha is my best friend.

I feel I should tell her.

Oh, really?
You do? Hmm.

I guess that's what I'm asking.

Well, you know
I don't give advice,

but since you asked,
you saw the wrong thing.

You could have been
looking at a...

A purple finch or your watch

or into the eyes
of this Jamie person.

You had bad luck.

People have bad luck
all the time.

Your father had bad luck.

Tiny,
little capillary in his brain.

I don't see how that's quite
relevant right now, Mother.

The point is,
you really think telling her

will make things better?

Because I think exposing people
to painful realities

isn't all that great.

There's nothing you can do
to make it better.

But then I am lying
to a friend.

Saving someone you love
from upsetting news

is not the same as lying.

Denial is a useful tool,
darling.

I use it, as you well know,
all the time.

Let's not get started on that,
shall we?

No, no.
Let's not talk about denial.

Not when you could be telling me
how much you don't like

this Jamie fella.

Mm, you never bring your
boyfriends anywhere.

I've never met them.

What are you doing
tomorrow night?

It's going to be my birthday.

- Not for another month.
- Be here at 7:00.

Let's see if
he's worth his salt.

Hmm.

Oh, and in terms of
this barbecue

you seem so upset about,

I wouldn't talk to the victim.
I'd talk to the perpetrator.

Daddy! Anouk's here!

- What'd you bring?
- Did you bring things?

I don't bring stuff for
you creatures every time I come.

I'm not gonna spoil you.

Really... I don't.

I swear.

- You know you do.
- You're so stupid.

Where did this come from?

Amazing.
Wow.

They're not dogs, you know.

Maybe they are.

Hey, Aisha's not home
from work.

Did you guys have a...

No.

I just want a beer before
I go see Jamie's band.

He's playing at a club
in Red Hook.

Oh. Cool.
All right.

So...

- I really like Jamie.
- Yeah?

Yeah, he's...
He's very...

I don't know.

I like him too.

You know what the name
of his band is?

Hmm?

Useless Precaution.

Ring a bell for ten points?

Mm, it's the name of the fake
opera in The Barber of Seville?

Oh, you really know your music.

- Mm.
- Don't you?

I spend a lot of time alone.

I don't know

if I really like him

or if he just reminds me
of the opportunities

I missed when I was younger.

What does that even mean?

Listen.

I saw my mother today

and it really brought
something home.

You guys are the closest thing
I've ever had to family.

Hmm.

And?

And...

It's precious.

So if someone's gonna have
an inappropriate dalliance

with a young person,
it should be me.

Don't say anything.

There's no one around me
that can get hurt.

This is the only house
in the world

where I can show up
without calling first,

and I don't want to lose that.

Nothing happened.

I love you, Hector.

Don't make me a liar.

♪ Is it off ♪

♪ Another night in shape ♪

♪ 'Cause you saw them all ♪

♪ Only every other one ♪

♪ Why you got to be
so cynical? ♪

♪ I'm not your average
mother's son ♪

♪ So evil ♪

♪ No, you're...
People like you change ♪

♪ All but in the light ♪

♪ Never gonna know
what it's like ♪

♪ We're burning up ♪

♪ Burning up ♪

♪ So stay another minute ♪

♪ Say nothing ♪

♪ No ♪

♪ You're not the one I feel... ♪

Thank you, guys.

Thank you so much.

Oh, I'm sorry.
Was it that bad?

No.
Love that song.

I just...

I feel weird.
I...

I think I'm getting a bug
or something.

My life is becoming
like our show.

Oh, you poor thing.

What's wrong?

I had lunch with Rosie,

who is like Joan of Arc
about Hugo.

Yeah?

And my mother is more eccentric
and opinionated than ever.

There's something
she's not telling me.

Now she wants to meet you.

That's great.

The legendary Virginia.
That's...

No.

Not good.

What are you so embarrassed of?

Jamie, it's nothing.

You're wonderful.

I wasn't talking about me.

You want to go?

Can we go to a drugstore
or something?

Think I need some aspirin.

Yeah.
Yeah, sure.

You're all set.

All right.

Hey.
Sorry.

It's the weed.
I...

Okay.
That's it.

Crap.

Whoa.

This cartoon makes me
believe in God.

It's here.
Oh.

Hi.

Oh.
We met.

Oh...
Hi. Yes.

- Hi.
- We love your show.

It's droll.

Oh, you are so cute.

You have some eyes on you,
don't you?

So are you moving
into the building?

Yeah, we just passed the board.

Oh.
Congratulations.

I know.
Okay.

We'll continue this
conversation later.

All right?

- She's adorable.
- Oh, thank you.

Okay.

Ah.

Fashionably late, as usual.

- Mother.
- Hmm.

This is James.
Jamie.

Hello.

Now, who dresses you
for the show?

'Cause you look a hell of
a lot better in a good suit.

- Thank you.
- Nice to meet you.

I'm Virginia,
and I'm sure you've heard quite more

than you needed to about me.

All good.

Jamie, it's not good to lie
to a psychiatrist.

We always know.
Take this.

- Oh, most of it is good.
- Stop.

Oh, let's talk about

the not-so-good,
shall we?

In fact, what we are finding

is that soon enough we'll be able to,
through imaging,

pinpoint the exact location
of the traumatic memory

in the brain

and tailor drugs
to your precise psychic trauma.

That's years away, Raj.

And it sounds like years
when you're talking about it.

Oh, God.
I'm sorry.

Did I get you?

My eyes...
I missed the glass.

- Do you need new specs?
- Oh, these are new.

I'll pour for you, Mom.

No, no.
You have the rest.

My mother always said
that was good luck.

If spilled wine
comes towards you,

it means you'll be getting money
soon.

Oh, that's the last thing
Anouk needs.

Her show throws money at her
by the bucket.

And you're the head writer.

You're so gorgeous.

It's a waste of talent.

Waste of talent...
Oh, God,

I wish you had seen
Anouk's first play

when she still did that.
It was thrilling.

Mm-hmm,
hilarious, opaque,

bitter, evil.

Mike Nichols loved it.

But now she's doing this.

Say what you want,

that show's the only thing
Sean and I have date night for.

We order in Second Avenue Deli
and binge-watch.

You're saving my relationship.

I know that the show is funny,
but I...

I don't know,
I just find it terribly sad.

Oh, Mom, please. Not...

Sad?

All those aimlessly
self-obsessed young people

fornicating and then
chasing their tails

after iced macchiatos
or whatever they are.

Really, Virginia, I think...
I think that's a simplification.

The world is more complicated
than that for my generation.

My grandkids all went to Yale

and are all doing fine now.

One is transitioning
from a boy to a girl,

but he's managing a hedge fund.

Season three.

Why not?
Yeah.

Ten years worth of stories
right here at this table.

Oh, Mom,

I saw this attractive
young couple

with a baby in the elevator.

Finally getting some young blood
in the building, aren't you?

In fact, they bought this apartment,
my dear.

I sold them the apartment.

What...

I don't understand.
What did you say? What?

I was offered an endowed chair
at the University of Edinburgh.

One lecture a month,
advise a postdoc or two.

Exceptional.

They are very excited
to have you.

Am I hearing this right?

I get a lovely flat,

and my brother, your uncle,
is an hour and a bit away.

I never see him.

You've sold our home

and are moving to Scotland.

You never like coming
all the way up here.

It's so inconvenient.

As opposed to Scotland?

Listen, darling,
this has never really felt like home to me.

Are you actually
telling me this

in front of a dinner table
of strangers?

They're not strangers to me.

Why are you so upset?

Mother,

a word, please?

Excuse us.

You're angry with me.

I'm angry with you.

Well, you're becoming
very perceptive.

This is not a cataclysm.

Listen to me.
I must get on with my life.

Did you ever think this might
be the worst possible time

for you to do this?

And why on earth did
you have to do this

in front of your friends?

Do you not see the hostility?

Darling,
if I told you privately,

you'd beg me to stay and
I could never say no to you.

Are you sure you're
thinking clearly?

Have you had some sort
of mental...

I already bought you a ticket
to come at Christmas.

It's lovely there
at the holidays,

and you've never had a proper
English Christmas.

If Jamie's still in the picture,
please bring him,

but it's decided.

Well,

how easy for you.

I've only stayed
as long as I have for you.

Don't be afraid.

Everyone has to lose something
as they get older.

Your youth goes,

your parents.

Maybe your marbles go.

So long as you fear loss,

you will never really be
living your life.

We'll have a wonderful time
at Christmas.

You're a very strong person.

I'm alone tonight.
Okay?

Okay.

You're not alone, you know.

- Oh, you were nice last night.
- Mm.

I'll regret it.

How come I never know
when you're in costume?

I should have known
you wouldn't tell me.

- Tell you what?
- Oh, Anouk, come on.

If you're throwing up
in act one,

we both know by act four,
you're pregnant.

The mood swings, the fatigue,
the nausea...

You're pregnant, baby.

Jamie,

I really can't deal
with this right now.

I know we may be a weird couple,
but think about it.

What's so great about
being a normal couple?

I am 13 years older than you.

And I'm catching up fast.

I think I could be a good dad.

Olive.

Olive?
Olive.

I'm ready to not only
live for me now

and my band and hanging out

and acting cool and killing...

There's so much killing time.

Aren't you?

I don't know.

You're so smart.

You have so much.
Don't waste it.

- Let's just do it.
- Do what?

Let's get married

and be together
and have fun with Olive

or add an "R" for Oliver

and show whomever's
in your belly

how great life can be.

I think about breaking up
with you ten times a day

just so that I don't have to
think about you.

I know...

I know, but you haven't.

But I should.

I really should.

You're the most beautiful man
I ever met, but...

I just don't want this.

I don't.

And I don't want you.

So this was...
This was what?

Just killing time.

Hey, they said
you were outside.

Is this a drop-in?

I'm sorry.

I just...
Um,

I need to see you.

I didn't know...

- Well, you're the only person...
- Are you okay?

No.

I need your help.

Can you sit?

No, I don't think I can.

All right.
No sitting.

I need an abortion.

Uh, an abortion?

I think you skipped
over the part

where you told me
you were pregnant.

You're pregnant?

Yes, and I would prefer
not to be,

so that's the name
of that tune.

All right,
you need to sit down.

Hi.

Yeah.
Can you...

I just need a few minutes.
I'll call you back.

Yeah,
Mrs. Cooper can wait.

And no calls.
Okay?

Thanks, Conn.

I just...
I need a referral.

Okay. Slow down.

So am I right to assume
that Jamie's the dad?

He is.

He is, and you're not happy.

Okay.
So where to begin?

Is there a medical reason
that I'm not aware of

which would mean you wouldn't
have a healthy child?

Or some reason why you
couldn't take care of it?

No.

I'm a perfectly healthy woman.

Blah, blah, blah.

Aisha,

why the interrogation?

Please don't.

Oh, Anouk,
you're my dearest friend,

but when you're in my office,
you're my patient,

and I need to ask you
certain questions.

Maybe it was unfair
to come to you with this.

Oh, stop.
Stop.

You're not going anywhere.

Come on.
Sit down. It's me.

Just answer me one thing.

Why?

Is it Jamie?

It has nothing to do with him.

Then what is it, love?

I don't know.

Why are you being so cautious?

Because it's my last chance?

What, to have a kid?

Well, it's only gonna
get harder,

but no.

No, it's not your last chance.

Well, listen to me.

I don't know how to be a mom.

Anouk, nobody does.

That's not true.

You're...
You're a perfect mother.

You give safety.

You give boundaries.

And I screw up
as oftentimes as I don't.

You know what I always tell
first-time parents?

You go and read one of
those hideous stories

about a baby being dumped in
a trash can for five days

and turning out fine.

You know,
they're not that breakable.

But they are.

You know how you said you wished
you were friends with your mom

the way I am with my mom?

Well, it's true.

We are friends... now,

but she was never,
ever, ever a mom.

Okay.

Let me tell you something
about my friend.

You know my father...
died

during their divorce
proceedings.

So I...

I went into her closet
to get something black

for the funeral,

but I found her
divorce transcript.

She didn't want custody.

She wanted me to live with him.

I only grew up with her
because he died.

Oh, honey, I'm sorry.

Well, I don't know what to say
other than that you're here now

and that you're strong.

So I'm supposed to erase
this history?

Erase the fact that
she didn't want a kid

getting in between
her brilliance...

She didn't want me?

I can't,

and I don't know
how to be a mom.

Did you talk to her about it?

We don't do that
in our household.

That's how we stay
such good friends.

Oh, listen,

I can't really advise you
other than...

Other than, maybe,
you should think about it less.

Less?

I actually think
part of being a parent

is learning about
when to let things go.

I'm going through
this thing now with Adam,

my brilliant, bookish boy.

Uh, I discovered that
he has developed...

A fascination with porn.

What?

What kind?

Uh...
I don't want to know.

- What did you do?
- Mm.

Well, nothing.
I let it be.

I mean, of course,
it's embarrassing, but...

sometimes I think that the way
to erase the bad history is...

Is to figure out
how not to touch it.

You know, just to let it go.

Why don't you go home,

get some sleep,
and come back tomorrow?

And we'll talk about
a referral then.

Okay.

I love you.

Yeah, I love you.

How did you find out
about the porn?

Well, it turns out
my brilliant son

wasn't such a genius.

He didn't know to erase
the computer history.

Mom?

_

_

_

Ben.

I wanted to tell you,
but she'd have fired me.

The tripping,

the spilling,

the new glasses.

It's early.

There are treatments
and protocol.

One is at Edinburgh.

Don't tell her.

Don't tell her I was here.

Anouk.

What's wrong?
You all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I just have something to say.

Well, come in.

I can't.

It's just...

I was awful.

You were,

but I was worse.

I was saying you didn't know
anything about...

I don't.

Listen, Rosie,

I still think that what's going
on here could scar us all

for a long time,

and I still hope
you think about it.

But the way you love your son

is one of the most
beautiful things

I've ever seen in my life.

Never let anyone
tell you it isn't.

Oh.

I heard you stopped by.

I thought you were
so terribly angry at me.

I can never stay angry at you
for more than a day.

Oh, well,

I don't believe you,

but you're on to something
with that.

Oh, that really...
That's a very large box

to be dragging around.

Your birthday present.

You recall I left before cake.

Well, I have to wait
for my birthday to open it.

Sit down now.

Oh, God,
my eyes are blurry lately.

You said it was a very bad time
for me to leave

and you're right.

I know I've handled
this poorly,

but there are certain factors
in my life now that...

- It rather means...
- Stop.

Mom...

Open your present.

Will you?

Well, what's this?

Hmm?

Wow.

Ah.

Yes.
Ah.

You're leaving and...

You'll be away
for so very long.

Thanks.

Yes, it's a long journey.

But you'll come at Christmas.

I wouldn't miss it.

Rituals are important, my dear.

Mom.

Mm, my daughter.

You're at a turning point
in your life

and you only have room to care
for two people right now

and I can't be one of them.

You knew?

Yeah.
I get lucky sometimes.

And besides, you...

I never knew you to pass up
a glass of holiday...

Cheer.

You know you're going to be...

You're going to be fine,
don't you?

Hmm?

No one knows that.

Chances are, you will be.

You'll be utterly fine.
Hmm?

Most of us are

for a while, at least.

And sometimes that while
lasts a very long time.

Meet Olive.

Or Oliver.