The Wonder Years (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 10 - Lads and Ladies and Us - full transcript

One of the great
things about my mom

was how much she invested in us
when we were little.

♪ Imagine me and you, I do ♪

She was like that
for all of us.

♪ I think about you
day and night ♪

But she and Kim had things
in common

that she didn't have
with me and my brother Bruce.

A few years later,
Bruce and I destroyed

that tea set wrestling around
in the family room.

Kim adored Mama.

She wanted to be
just like her.



And Mama loved the special bond
they shared.

Then the teen years hit.

You think
I'm gonna wear this?

- Am I moving to a convent?
- No.

It started out
as fights about clothes.

Then makeup, then curfew.

Pretty soon it felt like they
were fighting about everything.

My dad understood
this was a typical pattern

for girls and their moms.

Unfortunately, I didn't.

This is so crazy.

They argue so much
'cause they're just alike.

Like my dad, I eventually
learned to stay out of it.

That's just
the way things were.



So what?
I missed one meeting.

I was tired.

Stop making a big deal
about this.

It is a big deal.
You can't just miss a meeting

with a college recruiter
because you felt tired.

When I was applying,
I met with every recruiter I could,

whether I felt like it
or not.

I know. And your applications
were perfect,

and your interviews
were perfect, and your GPA...

Was not perfect.

I made a "B." Once.

I've told you
a million times,

I'm not sure
I even want to go to college.

Bill, you'd better get
your daughter.

Kim and I both knew
that if Mom referred to us

as our father's children,

we needed
to be out of range

of anything she could throw.

College is my decision,
not yours.

Go ahead.

Slam another door.

Ah, there you go.

Dean! Come get a couple cokes
for me and Mr. Long.

In the South,
everything was called a "coke,"

but I knew what my dad actually
wanted was a ginger ale.

And Cory knew his dad
was asking for a grape soda.

But, Dad, you're closer
to the fridge than we are.

Boy, go get us some cokes
and don't talk back.

What? I didn't even
say nothing.

Can you believe that?

When I was coming up,
you'd never question an adult.

And if you did, you'd wake up
in the middle of next week.

Mm. Well, he's not half
as bad as Kim.

Jesus, keep me
near the cross.

Ooh, yeah. I heard about
your little door-slamming fix.

Yeah, we're, uh,
remodeling our sun porch,

so if you want to come rip
some more doors off,

come right on over.

I'm serious.

I don't know what to do
with that girl.

I mean, she's talking back
and

headed off at all hours
of the night to God knows where,

and don't get me started about
that boy she's seeing again.

- Kwame.
- Albert.

Then she had the nerve to say
she may not go to college.

I think she's getting it from that crowd
she's been hanging out with.

- They're putting things in her head.
- I hear you.

That's why we're thinking

about putting our Cory
into Lads and Ladies.

Yeah, we want to get him
around some children

with some good families
that share the same values that we do.

We talked about joining

when they were starting
that local chapter

a few years back.
Remember, Bill?

Yeah, but I'm not sure we're
Lads and Ladies-type people.

We do all right, but we're not
fancy like they are.

You mean like us?

Now, we can get up and get
into our brand-new Cadillac

out front and leave.

Don't get your 'fro
all bent out of shape,

Mr. Rockefeller.
You're not going anywhere

with us sitting on ten books
over here.

Yeah, you right about that.

Now, fancy or not,
you should think about it.

Dean and Kim would be around
the right kind of kids.

And you wouldn't have
to worry so much

about the "Kwames"
of the world.

Maybe we should give them
another look.

- What do you say?
- I say anything

that keeps that girl
on the straight and narrow

and off my last nerve
is a good thing.

Well, while y'all think
about the Lads and Ladies,

I'mma go ahead and cut this
with a lad of my own.

Ha-hey! Ha-ha!
Whoo!

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ And I know ♪

♪ Ohh ♪

♪ Through the highs and the lows ♪
*THE WONDER YEARS *

♪ I'mma find my way home ♪
Season 01 Episode 10

Episode Title: "Lads and Ladies and Us"
Aired on: January 05, 2022.

Subtitles
Synchronized by srjanapala

You know how important
first impressions are.

I want everyone
at Lads and Ladies

to know how special
you are.

Roll those eyes again,

and I'll make sure
they get stuck that way.

Now, act smart,

well-spoken, well-mannered
in front of the adults.

Be respectful
and remember to show

that you're up
on current events.

Current events?
I was 12.

I thought a Dixiecrat was a new
kind of sundae at Dairy Queen.

What's the point
of this Lads and Ladies thing?

I mean,
I already have friends,

and I don't have to dress up
to go see them.

It's an organization made up of
prominent families

who do really good work
in our community.

These are the type of successful
people I want you to be around,

so I need you two to be
on your best behavior.

Mama was always
giving us speeches

about being on
our best behavior in public

and representing
our family well.

What was she afraid
we were gonna do?

Black! Blackness! Vietnam!

Lil, there's nothing left to fix
on the boy.

- Let's go.
- Dad, it's a Saturday.

It's the only day
I get to watch cartoons.

Why can't I stay home
while you guys go?

You know this is
a family event.

- Now get in the car.
- But why?

The only reason we're going
is because you're afraid

that Kim's gonna fall
into the wrong crowd

and not go to college.

Is that why we've gotten
so bourgeois all of a sudden?

'Cause you're trying
to run my life?

Young lady, as long as
you're in this house,

you'll do as
your mother and I say.

And I say Lads and Ladies
is a classist organization

that only exists
to reinforce the patriarchy.

Those are some
mighty good SAT words

for someone who don't want
to go to college.

Ugh. The point is
it's my decision.

Didn't your father
just tell you

who makes the decisions
in this house?

And you better come on...

Yeah, this was a fight.

But just like other families,

we knew how to turn it on
when it counted.

I'll be back
for that recipe.

Oh, ooh!

You all look wonderful!

Mwah. Mwah.

Oh, now, I've almost met
everybody here,

so I can introduce you.

Now, right over there,
that's Dorothy Payton.

This is her home,
and she is the head

of the selection committee,

so you'll want
to be nice to her.

Oh, I'm nice
to everybody.

- Hmph.
- Don't you start.

So you ready to go over
to meet Dorothy?

Um...

I didn't understand
why at the time,

but Mama looked nervous.

Dad noticed too, but him
being a man in the 1960s,

he didn't know
exactly what to say either,

so he went
with his old standby.

Uh, you look very pretty,
sweetie.

Thank you, Bill.

Oh, my.

This is like sorority rush
all over again.

Okay, let's go.

Dorothy!

I would like to
introduce you

to my dear friend
Lillian Williams.

Oh, hello.

And these are her children,
Dean and Kim.

Such a pleasure to
meet you, Mrs. Payton.

Kim was gonna be on her
best behavior like Mama asked,

but she was still gonna do it
in a way that embarrassed her.

Thank you, Kim.
Please get up.

I am so surprised

that our paths
haven't crossed before now.

You know, Vivian and I know
a lot of the same people.

Would I have seen you

at one of the fundraising
luncheons for the NAACP?

No, I don't think so.

Oh, well,
do you do anything

with the women's auxiliary group
at the Boys & Girls Club?

Wait, I know.

Bridge Club.

I'm afraid not.

I-I work during the day,

so I don't get to attend many
luncheons and club meetings.

I'm an accountant at the state's
department of treasury.

Interesting!

Lillian here went to grad school
for her M.S.

Now, I just stopped
at my M-R-S.

Didn't we all?

Oh!

Now, tell me
about that recipe.

Thankfully, I saw Cory.

I'd just do whatever he did,

like I do in school
when I didn't fit in.

And on the baseball team.

And in church...

Man, pretty soon,

I'm gonna have to pay Cory
a retainer.

I am so happy
to see you, man.

I don't know what to say
to these cats.

They're...
They're different.

Uh, no.

They're gonna have to scrap
the Apollo 7

with all the problems
with the Apollo 6.

That's not what "Time" magazine
said, Nelson.

A bunch of Black kids

talking about space missions?

This felt unfamiliar
yet familiar.

Could I be...
in my element?

You know, my man Dean knows
everything about science.

Tell them about
your new chemistry set.

Yeah, well, I did get the
new Skilcraft Chem-master set

- for my birthday.
- What?

I thought that was for kids
16 and over.

The government makes them
put it on the box.

Yeah, it does have
some serious chemicals,

but, uh...

I can make
a stink bomb.

Stink bombs are so cool.
How do you make one?

I found my tribe!

I had a feeling
I'd never had before...

confidence!

And so I said,

"Then, do you pee outside?"

You were right, Dean.

It was a thinker.

Hey, Dean, are you coming to the
planetarium with us next week?

Uh, I hope so. I mean,
I love the planetarium.

Dean can name
all eight planets.

Cory was wrong then,

but he turned out to be right

thanks to
an absolutely fascinating

string of discoveries.

Yeah, still a nerd.

Now that I was all in with
these Lads and Ladies kids,

I didn't want Kim's
funky attitude

to mess it all up for me.

- What?
- Okay, I need a favor.

I'll do all your chores
for a week

if you tell Mom
you want to come

to every
Lads and Ladies event.

Okay.

Man, that was easy!

Too easy.

It is so cool
that Howard has a major

in Afro-American studies.

It's not just a major
anymore.

They started
a whole new department.

There was a bit of
a student takeover, if you will.

If I do decide
to go to college,

I got to go some place

with a progressive
curriculum, you dig?

Right on, sister!

You know, you should
really come to

our college information
meeting.

You'd definitely
dig that.

What?
Kim was having a good time?

Man, I played myself.

I was gonna have to do a week
of Kim's chores for nothing.

Dammit.

Wait, you're talking about
Nat King Cole?

- The Nat King Cole?
- The one and only.

Ooh.

Now, I'm not saying Nat's band
was into wild stuff,

but let's just say
this cocktail

- waitress and her friends...
- Hey, Bill. Bill.

Oh. Hey, Dean.

I can't tell you
how many times

I heard my dad
almost finish that story.

Mom says it's time to go.

Hey, it was really good
meeting you, Bill.

And I'll be listening
for your song on the radio.

Hey, give me a call about
the club in Birmingham.

The owner, he's always looking
for a good band.

I definitely will.
I really appreciate it.

Yeah. Hey,
us Lads and Ladies folk,

we take care
of each other.

Dean, tell your mama
I'll be there in a minute.

It was so nice meeting you,
Lillian.

We really look forward
to seeing you and your children

at the rest of our events
for prospective families.

Well, we really look forward to
being involved.

- See you next time.
- All right. Bye, Vivian.

Bye.

Did you hear what
she said about "good hair"?

Like anybody's hair
could stay good

out in this type of humidity
for hours.

I did.
It was right after she said,

"We only take a certain type
of family into Lads and Ladies."

I see a whole lot
of milk chocolate out here

and not a lot
of dark chocolate.

Hm.

Well, there go my boys.

See you later, girl.

This wasn't as bad
as I thought.

I actually met some guys who
had excellent taste in music.

Meaning they heard your record?

Yep. Real good taste.

Yeah, well,
we'll see how it goes.

You don't sound happy.

I'm afraid they might be
living up to their reputation,

if you know what I mean.

Somebody say something?

Well, it's not like they
pulled out a brown paper bag

or anything, but...
it was just a lot of comments

about looking for
Lads and Ladies type of people.

Well, you let me know
what you want to do.

As long as it's good
for Dean and Kim,

we'll stick
with the process.

That was great news because

I'd promised a stink bomb,

and I'm a man of my word!

Dean! Kim! Let's go!

- Ooh!
- Hey, Dean, come on.

Oh, well, looks like we were
wrong about the whole... thing.

Looks like we're still
in the running, girl.

So what you gonna wear
to Dorothy's luncheon tomorrow?

What luncheon?

You know,
the one for all the moms.

Oh.

Lil, I'm so sorry. I...

Don't worry about it.
I'm glad they invited you.

At least now we know
it's not about complexion.

Well, it probably
was just an oversight.

I'll talk to Dorothy.

No, don't worry about it.

And feel free to go
without me.

Girl, now, you...

You know
I was still going.

I'm not gonna have no fun,
though.

30 minutes. Come on.

Hey, I'm not gonna lie.

I felt a little left out
last time,

so I spent all night
studying up on the planets.

Did you know that Pluto is so
far out there that from there,

the sun just looks like
a regular star?

Also, did you know that we have
a library by where we live?

Wait a minute, Cory's an
astronomer all of a sudden?

Hey, you know how sports
is your thing?

Mm-hmm.

Maybe leave the planets to me.

Okay. Unless there's
a cute girl out there.

Then the Pluto thing's
coming back out.

Cory was probably
the only kid in the world

who could make a pick-up line
about Pluto work.

Let's begin this trip
by looking at the solar system

with the largest object
in our solar system, our sun.

The sun is a star...

When we get back outside,

I'll set it off
in the parking lot.

Ooh-hoo-hoo,
this is gonna be great.

Let me see it.

No.

...in February of 1930
by Clyde Tombaugh.

Did you know that Pluto
was so far...

Ew.

What happened?

A stink bomb went off

but Dean had nothing to do
with it.

Yeah, we, uh, had to miss
the rest of the exhibition.

Uh, do you think we could
come back next weekend?

We'll see.

Something about
that look on my mom's face

made me worried
that she wasn't buying it.

But soon I would realize

what she had on her mind
wasn't about me.

Dorothy.

Do you mind
if I ask you a question?

Vivian was telling me
about a luncheon,

and I hadn't heard anything
about it.

Is it an official event?

Because if so,
I'd hate to miss it.

Oh. It's on a weekday

and I didn't think
you'd be able to attend.

I imagine you have so much
on your plate

with all your numbers
and meetings and things.

Thank you for your concern,

but... I would find the time.

Oh, I would never
ask you to do that!

But a lot of our meetings
and get-togethers

do happen
during the afternoon,

and... I'd imagine
that participating

would be difficult
for someone with a career.

Well, I would
find a way to contribute.

Just like the other working
mothers of Lads and Ladies.

We don't...

haven't had many like you
in our chapter.

Well, I hope this won't affect

your decision on membership.

When it comes to doing
what's good for my family,

I always find a way
to work things out.

I'm sure you do your best.

We won't decide about membership
until after the spring gala.

It's at night, so I'm sure
you'll be able to make it.

It would be a few decades

before I learned
the name for it,

but outside that planetarium

was the first time
I witnessed

the phenomenon
known as "shade."

Something about
my mom's silence

on that ride home
made me feel that my reign

as the king
of the Lads and Ladies kids

was in peril.

Since this whole thing
was about Kim,

I decided it was up to her
to fix it.

No, the other kids
are actually pretty cool,

and my dress for their party
is boss.

Look, I got to go.

There's a pest in my room.

- What?
- So you know how Mom

was worried that we would do
something to blow our chances

into getting
into Lads and Ladies?

Well, I think the real problem
might be her.

- What are you talking about?
- She didn't get invited

to the lunches
with the other moms,

and when she asked Miss Dorothy
about it,

they got into
this big fight,

which wasn't really a fight,
but it kinda was.

Hm.

If they have issue with you
being a working mom,

maybe they're not
the right group for us.

Tell them to kick rocks.
You have plenty of friends.

This is not about me.

It's like we said,
it's about this being

a good thing
for the kids.

So it is true?
We're not getting in?

Great. I found this dress
and got excited

about this gala
for nothing.

Well, I'm honestly not sure
about our chances.

It'll be their loss, Lil.

Those women
ain't got nothing on you.

A bunch of jealous hens,
you ask me.

Can't you just do
what you always tell me to do

when people don't like me?

Show them
why you're special.

Ask them about themselves.

Tell a joke.

I got some good ones
you can use.

I just hate the idea
of you guys missing out

- because of my choices.
- What?

The only thing
they missed out on

is a smaller house
and only one car.

Dean, I'm sure there are times

that you wish
I was doing things

like volunteering more
at your school.

Yeah, but that was only
because when Miss Vivian did it,

she would give Cory
extra cookies

and he'd get
to go home early.

Well, Kim, Lord knows
I miss the times

when I wasn't working as much
and we did everything together.

Well, that wasn't your fault.

We don't want you to quit
your job, Mama.

Oh, I'm not quitting.

We are going
to that spring gala,

and we're gonna do
what we always do.

Be who we are
and hope for the best.

That's right.

Nobody else is gonna talk about
how Kim's dress is cut too low?

I can see the girl's
heart beating.

Daddy! Ugh!

You better be walking off
to get another dress.

Welcome to
the Montgomery chapter

of Lads and Ladies'
bi-annual Spring Gala.

Now it's time to meet
the fine young people

eligible to be presented

at next year's
debutante cotillion.

These groups
are both current and prospective.

Lads and Ladies members.

First,
Miss Sandra Diane Henderson...

...a senior at...

Bill, do you see Kim?

She's probably in the bathroom
hogging the mirror.

She can do that
for hours.

Thank you, Catherine.

Isn't she so lovely?

And next we have
Miss Kimberly Lanette Williams.

Kim is a junior at...

While everyone else
wore their formal gowns,

Kim busted out
one of Mama's business suits

and strutted her stuff
like when they played dress-up

back in the day.

She made a real statement
that night.

At first, we didn't know
how to react,

but the look on Mom's face

made everything we'd gone
through worthwhile.

Unfortunately, Nelson also
wanted to make a statement.

He copied
my stink bomb formula.

But I felt heartened

knowing that my influence
would live on.

Everyone, everyone,
please, remain...

Why you wearing
a Tuskegee sweater

when we're going
to visit Howard?

Howard is not
the only school around.

Besides,
Tuskegee's on the way.

Fine. But I'm driving.

No!

But you can pick
the music, though.

♪ Ooh, I don't care if
the whole, wide world knows ♪

♪ I want to tell them
just what I feel ♪

They're gonna have
a good time?

Yes, they will.

With just a little bit
of bloodshed.

♪ I wanna tell it like a feel ♪

...Captions by VITAC...
Synchronized by srjanapala