The Slap (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Manolis - full transcript

Previously on The Slap...

We are taking you all
to Greece.

I can't do it.

Is everything going to be okay
with this trip, right?

Yeah, I hope so.

Look at this
tremendous vehicle.

Takes a great man to drive a car
such as this.

Connie handed in her
notice yesterday.

It is quite possible
he is having a torrid affair.

You acted in defense of another.

He was gonna strike my child.



You go to trial?

What if you do a Harry,

and your head explodes
on the stand?

If I had a kid
and Harry slapped it

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

I'm Officer Forrester.

They want to fight?

I'm gonna destroy them.

This is a shakedown, huh?

You actually think
this is about money?

Talked to the prosecutor,

and she said
that this establishes

a propensity towards violence.

What's going on here



could scar us all
for a long time.

Listen to me.

Do you hit your wife?

Manolis couldn't sleep.

He studied the ceiling
of his bedroom,

looking for an answer,

and remembered
how his own grandfather

would gaze at the grounds
in his coffee cup

in hopes of seeing the future.

He could almost hear
the old man's voice.

"It's your job to fix this.

No one else
can save our family."

Oh, look at you.

Where are you going
all dressed up?

What?
It's a secret?

I'm back on the coffee route.

And if I needed a secretary,
I'd call the service.

I have a bunch of stuff,

bank, audiologist.

Yeah, well, why don't you stop

and visit Dimitrios
along the way?

This is why I don't report
my every movement to you,

because you turn a nice,
pleasant day into a...

It's Dimitrios.

You can't keep
putting it off forever.

I know, I know, I know.

Stop.

How's my tie?

I bought you that tie for
your retirement party.

Listen, if you are going
to see Dimitrios,

stop off at Artopolis
for some koulouria,

the sugar ones.

- He loved those.
- Loves.

He's not done yet.

Manolis, how long are you
going to go on pretending

we're all going to
be here forever.

Here.

I can do it.

All right.

Bye.

Have a good day.

Mr. Apostolou?

I'm Mr. Korkoulis' assistant,
Runya Stamos.

So nice to meet you.

Come with me.

Pleasure.

Lovely office, the view.

You should see it at night

when New York
looks like Christmas.

Manolis.

I was so thrilled
to hear from you.

Out of the blue,
I was just thinking of you, huh?

Thanassis, I'm so happy you
would see me like this.

Hey.

You met Runya, huh?

Working her way through
Fordham Law,

modeled in Milan,

and she's going to
take over this place

after she kills me.

Right, Runy?

You're indestructible,
Thanassis.

I've tried.

Yes, you have.

Did you offer
Mr. Apostolou coffee?

It's your brand, Mano.

No, I'm fine.

Thank you, Miss Stamos.

You've spent your entire life
since you were a baby

surrounded by beautiful women.

What is your secret?

My secret?

Make women your religion.

That way, they'll always know.

We have so much to catch up on.

My God.

Have you seen Dimitrios?

No, I've been meaning to
many times, but...

No, no, no.
There's no need to explain.

It's hard.

It's very hard to see someone,
especially someone you love,

wither away into nothing.

It's hard.

Too hard for some.

Enough of that.

Please sit.

Tell me, what's so urgent?

So the thing is, look,

yes, the judge said
we can move forward,

but what are we getting
in terms of statements?

We have a burden of proof
that damage occurred,

and it's a single incident.

Yes, but it was a hard slap.

Yeah, well, it's difficult
to pursue a single incident.

But, Bridget,
you could hear the slap.

Everybody saw.

And the judge determined...

All of that was, babe,
is that we can go ahead.

I keep saying that.

Look, I also...

There's gonna be...

They're going to ask questions
about your son.

You should be prepared.

Like what?

If he has any control issues.

What do you mean by that?

What... Gary,
what does she mean by that?

Relax, Rosie,
she has to ask this stuff.

He's a normal little boy,
that's all.

Let's move on.

- Miss Cole.
- Dr. Cole.

Dr. Cole.

- Mr. A-pasta-lou.
- Apo-sto-lou.

- He's your husband's cousin?
- That's right.

If this is a tendency,

that can be very persuasive
with the judge.

What do you mean by "tendency"?

Is he violent, doctor?

Has he done this before,
is what we mean.

That's a hell of a story.

A real American mess.

I don't want to screw around.
I want this over.

My family is...

We're taking them all
to Greece,

and I don't want this
hanging over the trip.

Hmm.

The thing about cases like this,
Mano,

they play on sympathy,
on emotions.

Even a hard-nosed judge
could be turned around

by stories of a kid
getting hit.

But there is a way.

What kind of home
does the kid live in?

My son Hector,
he could speak to that.

Yeah.

Listen.

I'm so busy now, huh?

It's not like it used to be.

This is a big operation.

I have partners;
I have a board.

I see.
I understand.

You know what?

Screw 'em.

I'm going to move
some things around.

You, me, Hector,

the nephew Harry
with the temper,

we have lunch on Monday
at my club.

We have a good steak,
a lobster, on me.

Hmm?

I can't tell you how grateful I am,
old friend.

This means the world.

Take that worried look
off of your face.

Are you having any fun?

Oh...

my grandchildren are
a great source of joy to me.

- Grandchildren.
- Uh-huh.

I'm not talking about
that kind of fun.

Gorgeous Koula,
is she enough for you?

That girl outside,
she keeps me up all night.

Those little pills,
thank God for them, huh?

Maybe we need to get you laid.

Thanassis, please,
let's not discuss my sex life.

Mano.

Look at poor Dimitrios,
dying in drips and drabs.

Live.

Fornicate a little.

Laugh.

"Fornicate a little."

Mano, my motto,
which I learned in America,

life is too short for anything

other than pleasure
and victory.

In that order?

Pleasure and victory,
my friend.

Manolis left feeling
that his powers as the patriarch

were still intact.

And whatever distrust
he had felt

for his old friend years ago
no longer mattered.

There was a job to do.

And for that instant,
Manolis believed

that he, in fact,
could see the future.

Come on, Uncle.

Thanassis?

What kind of lawyer is he,
anyway?

The effective kind.

I already talked to
Jay Goldman about this.

He's great with this
bottom feeder stuff.

He's sharp as a tack,
mean as a snake.

Jay Goldman is not a lawyer.

He is a friend from high school
with a law degree.

There is a difference.

Thanassis was a trusted advisor
to old man Onassis himself.

I know what I'm doing.

Right.

- We're meeting him.
- Okay.

Fine, we're meeting him.

Hi.

Hey, Rocco,
how's your face, love?

Hey, Dad.

Hi.

Aisha, my dear,
you look lovely.

Oh, thank you.

So they let you have
Sunday off.

- A miracle.
- Part of Sunday.

- I have to go in later.
- Ah.

This is fantastic cherry pie
from Red Hook.

- Ah.
- It's insanely good.

I'll take it to Koula
in the kitchen.

Koula.

How you doing, Aisha?

Yeah, good.

- Hey.
- I'm gonna grab a beer.

Hi, Koula.

- Oh, you're here.
- I thought you had to work.

They found someone to
replace you today, I see.

Rocco, look at your face.

What?

Aisha, we're taking Rocco to see
Wicked on Thursday night.

Do you want to join?

We could get tickets
for you guys,

maybe grab a bite before?

Oh, that's so nice, Sandi,

but, of course,
I have to work late

at the clinic that night.

- I have a council thing.
- Oh, yeah.

But we could take Adam and Melissa,
though.

Yeah, sure.

We took Hector
to all the Broadway shows

because Manolis supplied the
coffee to the Broadway houses.

Shuberts get us tickets
to everything.

Cats, five times.

Oh, Aisha, my dear,

would you take this out,
please?

- Oh, of course.
- Thank you.

All right.

What'd you call me?

What I catch, huh?
Did I catch a mouse?

Did I catch a mouse?

What about you, buddy, huh?

You think you can take me?

No way, right?

Huh?
Here.

Don't tell anybody;
share with your sister.

It's for both of you, huh?

Don't buy drugs.

What?

- Hector.
- Hmm?

I need you to meet me
and your cousin

tomorrow for lunch
with Thanassis.

Thanassis the lawyer?

I thought you couldn't
stand him.

He's always lording it
over you...

Let me worry about who I can
and can't stand.

Listen, Hector.

I got to ask you something.

Aisha.

She's barely looked at me.
Is this gonna be a problem?

Hey, come on.

Well, who's side is she gonna
take in this, cousin?

It's really complicated.
Rosie is her best friend.

She went to the D.A.
with her.

She can't say no to her.

Wait.

Say this again.

You have to understand,
she's in a terrible position.

Terrible.

I've been asked to shepherd you
to the dining table for lunch.

Let's eat.

- Hmm.
- Ah.

Look at those tomatoes.

People don't believe
in global warming,

I have news for them:

I have tomatoes
right into December.

I hate what we're doing
to this planet.

- Oh, Mano.
- Everything changes.

You learn more facts,
yet you have less wisdom.

- I saw on public television...
- Mm-hmm.

That the octopus has a soul,
feelings, enormous emotions,

love, even, memories.

They're so much like us.

I can't eat them anymore.

What kind of world are we
leaving to our kids, eh?

You know, the most we can do
is give them a sense

that their world is...

Temporarily, at least...

Safe.

I agree.

But are we doing
a very good job of that?

Not all the time, no.

And what do we do

when the adults
behave like kids?

Well, which adult
are we referring to, Dad?

Ugh.

Any number of them.

In this case,
I can influence a few, at least.

I hope.

Listen to me.

We must come together
as best we can.

I have upgraded us
to the premium economy

so that the trip to Greece
is easier,

- much more comfortable.
- You're such a smart man.

Dad, you and I both know

this is not about
what class we fly.

But it is about family.

Promise me you'll
think about it, hmm?

Come to Greece.

We show everyone how
we overcome our problems

and be together.

That no matter what,

family always comes first.

Yes?
Yes.

Honey, be careful.

Darling, not so rough.

Boom.

I can't stand here
waiting for him forever.

Would you please
just be patient?

He's an incredibly busy man.

Forgive me, my friends.

Forgive me.

I am so sorry
to keep you waiting.

Some clients don't know
when to shut up.

You remember my son Hector.

And this is my nephew Harry.

Yes, of course, look at you.

I knew your parents before
they were married,

before anybody.

And your mom,
she was the most gorgeous thing.

She's still, yeah.

And you, Harry.

You're the one who hits women
and small children.

Yeah, I didn't hit a woman.

Ah, so you admit
to hitting the kid.

He's joking.

Ah, but look at
the temper on this.

Hmm?

It took me half a second
to get you nuts.

Before we next go to court,

I'm getting my doctor
to give you something.

A beta blocker, drugs,
something.

Hey.

I knew your papa.

He got my broke-ass E-type

to run like a soft pussycat
hunting a little birdie.

- We're all here.
- Gentlemen.

Before I forget,

look what I found in a drawer.

Look, this is us,
full of piss and vinegar.

- Or something.
- Yeah.

Nothing scared us, Mano.

Huh?

And poor Dimitrios,
lying on death's door.

But you, me,

we're still standing, yes?

Still standing.

- This is for you.
- Oh.

And now, we eat.

I had some of the boys do
a little work for us already.

Did you know that this child

was born out of wedlock,
a bastard?

Who cares
when they got married?

A judge, a jury.

People care about
recognizable structures

that they are comfortable in.

Believe me,
you think this is a modern world?

It is ancient.

And did you know that the father,
Gary Weshler,

was twice arrested at
the Occupy Wall Street marches?

He's an anarchist,
a civil disobedient.

Thanassis,
the cops cornered these people

and basically stripped them
of their rights.

A good American father

does not get into altercations
with the police

over Wall Street.

Oh, yes, and he also has a DUI.

Is that a good parent?

And then there's this woman,
yes, Rosie.

She has at least one incident
with social services.

What exactly is going on here?

Let him finish, Hector.

- Hey, let's not...
- No, no, no, Mano, let's.

You know, don't you?

Rosie and my wife
are very close.

I have to respect
their confidence.

And that's more important
than keeping Harry here

out of Rikers Island?

Well?

Cuz, is it?

Rosie, she's had emotional
difficulties in the past,

but that's not on the table.

I'm sorry,
but what does her emotional state

have to do with the slap?

She's a good mother and friends
with my wife and me,

and I will not be party to
some sleazy lawyerly smear.

Ooh, and what about
the smear on Harry?

What about that?

What about people
who tried to conflate

a simple slap into
a life-altering trauma?

Is that not a sleaze?

My guess is,
this is all preparation

for a very nasty lawsuit

where they go after
Harry's assets,

which I understand
to be quite considerable.

My cousin hit their kid.

It was wrong.

Say what you will
about the response,

but, Dad,
do you see what's going on here?

What are you talking about?

This is interesting.

I apologize
for not apologizing,

but this is dirty business.

I have our own shrink
evaluate the kid.

We find that he has
a major anger problem

- and undiagnosed rage.
- He's five years old.

I agree with Hector.

I'm sorry, but we don't want to
drag them through the mud.

Really, no.

That's... That's...
That's not right.

Mano, my dear,
you have done a good job,

but your work is done.

Go home.

Enjoy your beautiful wife.
Drink some wine.

But now we will take it,

Harry and me.

Uncle.

This man gets it.

These people are asking for it.
We cannot be gentle here.

This is code for
character assassination.

That's code for returning fire,
Hector.

This isn't what I wanted.

- Oh.
- No, no, no.

- No, no, Mano.
- No, no, no, no, no.

I have this, please.

I owe you much, Mano.

Besides,
this is a private club.

Money never
exchanges hands here.

So that is that.

Harry.

To be continued.

Thank you.

That is a guy, huh, Uncle?

Comes over here,

makes something of himself,

gets it, protects his own.

You did a really good thing
bringing him onto this.

I feel...

I feel like I'm getting ahead
of this thing.

- I love you.
- I love you too.

I got to go see a '67 Cobra.

Gorgeous American car.
Best we ever made.

I'm sorry.
I didn't, um...

No, no.

You didn't.

I will control this.
I promise you.

Oh, Dad.

Don't you get it?
You already lost.

- I can fix it.
- Hmm.

I can.

Go home, Dad.
Go home.

Ooh.

Oh.

You're... Oh, my God,
you're Hector's dad.

Uh-huh.

I thought I recognized you.

We met at the...

- Barbecue, yes?
- Yeah.

- You were there, yes?
- Yeah, Connie.

- Manolis.
- Hi.

That was awful.

Yeah, that was terrible
how it ruined Hector's party.

How is he?

He's a good son.

I'm proud of him.

Yeah, God, you must be.

Did he tell you about

the new plan for the park
in the Bronx

that he's working on?

Yes, very exciting.

Yeah, he's personally in charge
of the whole thing.

He's so...

The whole City Planning
Department is behind it.

You're close to Hector?

Um...

I think he's a great man.

He was just telling me
about this article he wrote

about how city planning
is for everyone

but mostly for children,
which...

Manolis.

Sorry, Connie.

Ah, darling.

I hate to come by
with no appointment; I do.

But I had a little scare today,

and I just wanted, quietly,
to see you.

What kind?

Well, uh...

I don't know what it was.

My heart was beating so fast,
it wouldn't slow down.

Oh, dear.

Is there any way you could
shoehorn an old man into a...

An already overburdened day?

Just give me one sec.

Yeah.

Of course.
Come on back.

Hi.

Yeah.

It's actually great.

Now, you've got to follow up
with your own doctor, okay?

Get them to do some blood work.

Yeah?

You know the medical community
frowns on doctors

treating members
of their own family.

- I'll see you out front.
- Aisha, listen to me.

I know how close
to Rosie you are.

I want to ask you, please,

can you get her to withdraw
the case against Harry?

The lawyers for Harry are
going to hit very hard,

ugly, ugly, dark things.

Wait.

The lawyer that you
sent him to?

Thanassis?

I'm sorry, but that's how
things are done nowadays.

Maybe I've not spent enough time
around these things.

I'm trying to fix it.

But the best thing
is to get her to withdraw

and drop the case.

And as her friend,
you'll be helping her.

- No.
- Please.

- Please talk sense to her.
- I can't do that.

And they have a right
to see him punished

for what he did.

But everyone will be hurt.

The family.

Aisha.

To lose everything

because of slapping
some stupid kid, hmm?

Oh, Mano.

You don't know anything.

First of all,
Rosie is family to me,

as much as the family
I married into.

And secondly...

What?

Seven years ago,
Sandi came to our house

in the middle of the night.

She'd been hit hard
round her face.

She had a cut on her face,
Manolis.

I treated her.

His ring must have caught her.

She has a scar
if you look closely.

She keeps it covered very well.
Very well with makeup.

We... I calmed her down,

and we agreed that we would never,
ever speak of it.

Never say anything.

And even though I knew
it was wrong,

so very wrong,

I went along with it,

knowing that he would
one day do it again.

Although I must admit,

I never imagined
he'd hit a little boy.

I don't understand.

Harry?

Harry did this?
Hit his wife?

And you all kept it a secret?

I don't know if it was
to protect you or him.

But I felt guilty about it
every day since.

So if I was to go

and get Rosie to somehow
stop this thing,

Harry would, once again,
have hurt someone freely,

and I would, once again,
have been complicit in that.

And that I will not do.

Do you understand?

I can't have any more of this
on my conscience.

I'm sorry, Dad.

It's just one lie
too much for me.

Hey, man, spare some change?

God bless.

Hello there.

Hi.

I'm looking for Harry.

Oh, he's on a call.

Ah.

We just got it in this morning.

Owned by a very famous
comedian.

I'm sure it was.

Go on.
Sit in it.

It suits you.

Takes a very great man
to drive a car like this.

Don't listen to her,
Uncle, she's hustling you.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Don't be sorry.

This is a man
who cannot be played.

Right, Mano?

- We need to talk.
- Yeah, come up.

- You want a drink, anything?
- No.

No, thank you.
I am fine.

Oh, come on.

We got a lot to celebrate.

I already talked to
Thanassis again today.

He's all over this.

Ah, aha.

So what's up?

Harry.

When we first came
to this country,

it wasn't so easy, you know.

Learning a new language,
getting the right job,

school for you and Hector...

- Making a new life, all of it.
- I know.

I know how hard you worked.

No.

No, it was a privilege.

I mean, I didn't become rich,
but it didn't matter.

But what was important
is that you and Hector

were taken care of and that...

You were decent.

Why are you saying this, Uncle?

What did you do to your wife?

What?

What are you talking about?

Years ago...

Did you hit Sandi?

What is this?

Is this Aisha again,
stirring things up?

'Cause I swear to God,
that woman...

Stop.

I asked you a question,
anipsiós.

Did you hit your wife?

No.

Have we had our rough patches?

Have we fought?
Yes, of course.

Of course we have, Uncle Mano.
I don't deny it.

I grabbed her once.

Maybe too hard,
maybe I bruised her.

I don't even know.

But have I ever hit Sandi?

Listen to me, Uncle Mano,
I swear to you,

never.

How could I?
She's my wife.

But why would Aisha
say such a thing?

Look.

Aisha and I
have our own issues,

but I'll say this much.

As much as I hate to
have her as an enemy,

I'd love to have her
as a friend.

I mean,
look at what she's doing for Rosie.

I mean,
if Sandi went over there,

and Aisha thought
she was upset or hurt,

I can't do anything about that.

You know,
we're all just trying to get through this

the best we can.

Besides, you know Sandi.

You think she'd stay with me
if it was true?

Hmm.

Come here.

I'm sorry.

There's nothing to be
sorry for.

Now, let me have Meme
drive you home.

No, no, no, no.

I have...
I have to visit someone else.

Hello?

It's Manolis.

Manolis. Really?

Come up.

Well...

My feet just sort of
brought me here.

I hope you don't mind me
coming by like this

to see Dimitrios.

What do you think, sweetie?
He'll be so damn happy.

I just made coffee.

Mitso.

I hope you've come
to finish me off.

Help me to get up,
will you, my old friend?

Come on, Mano.

Stop with that miserable
old horse face.

I'm not dead yet.

I'm ashamed of how long
it's been since I've seen you.

Please forgive me.

Listen.

It's just good to see you.

Besides, you gave us free coffee
for 20-some years.

I probably owe you $5,000.

Let's have some Metaxa.

Maybe you shouldn't.

I definitely shouldn't, but...

But I'm gonna.

To heaven and to children.

- Ya mas.
- Ya mas.

Ya mas.

You must, at your age, Mano,
not try so hard.

The idea of the wise head
of the family,

it doesn't stand up anymore
to the reality.

Georgia.

- I'll let myself out.
- Okay.

- Manolis.
- I'll come back.

You came once.

It's enough.

How's poor Dimitrios?

How do you know
that's where I went?

How do I know when
your blood sugar's down?

How do I know when you're
in the mood for Chinese?

I see it in your face.

What God lets happen to us

I wouldn't let happen to a dog.

Do you want some tea
and cookies?

_

And Thanassis
is an unholy monster.

Yes.

And you did not once
ask my opinion

about seeing that man.

I'll never understand
what you saw in him.

- Manolis, I chose you.
- Hmm.

He's,
how do you say in English?

He's a papagálos.

"Papagálos."

Popinjay.

Yeah, well,
the popinjay has turned into a vulture.

Koula,
do you think we did a good job

as parents?

I mean, look at Harry, Hector.

So many problems.

- Did we do this?
- Do what?

Did we neglect anything?

Neglect?
Maybe the opposite.

- We did too much, perhaps.
- They're a mess.

Oh, poor Manolis.

- I miss holding him as a baby.
- Oh.

You know what I miss?

Johnny Carson.

Don't you get it?

We did our best.

We're almost done here.

Why do you think
people have children

when they're young?

Because only the young
can raise children.

We can't.

- Harry has problems.
- Mm-hmm.

He does.

And there's only
so much we can do.

Trips and cakes and watching.

Cakes and watching.

Is that all we're good for now?

Manolis, don't you understand?

What?

They don't need us anymore.

So I bring too much food.

It's my way of saying,
"I'm older than you,

and bounty is a blessing."

Who cares if they get it
or not?

And you dispense advice
like some kind of wise man.

My Koula.

Manolis, you are a wise man.

You know a lot.

But how long will it
take you to realize

that there's not much more
we can do.

Cheer for the grandkids,
make the right noises,

and hope for the best.

We're on our own now.

Just you and me.

They don't need us anymore.

But I do.

Manolis had
exhausted himself now.

He could finally
put all the worries aside

and let events
take their natural course.

Harry would or would not
pay for his crimes,

and whatever happened
would be neither because of

or in spite of
Manolis' efforts.

Bam! Bam!

It's my bedtime, Mommy.

Why don't you sit with me
till I'm done with my nails,

and then we'll both go to bed.

Okay.

Can I try putting it
on your nails?

Sure.

And now
it was time for one thing:

Sleep.