[theme music playing]
Okay, so the musical numbers are a bit Brechtian.
Yeah, of course.
Did you mean to type that into Google?
You don't know my life.
Brechtian is when the story draws attention to itself,
like when a character looks right into lens for no reason.
You'll find something better than that.
Damn it! Lionel, can you go connect Coco, please? Isn't it time?
[video call rings]
Whatever the DNC can do to help Malia, I'd appreciate it.
Tell that crazy-ass sister of yours Colandrea loves her too.
Got another call. Bye.
- [groans] - So sorry to interrupt, Coco.
Can't believe you two are actually working together.
Using that light-skinned privilege to tell our stories.
Mmm.
I'm down to talk about anything but the present moment.
The campaign's fine. I'm fine.
Well, we're going back to senior year,
when we all first got our glimpse at Colandrea.
So Big House. That's in my book.
Well, the what is in your book. But I wanna know the how.
How you did it, how you felt, at 21,
to compete for the validation of a racist, misogynistic public.
- I don't wanna talk about the present. - Okay.
The politics began even before we moved in.
It's imperative I show them I'm intelligent but non-threatening.
Intelligence is threatening when you look like us.
So I'm supposed to act dumb?
They'll be intimidated either way.
But if they can place you into a box they're familiar with,
you can hide in plain sight.
Lean into the sassy, don't cover it up.
Let them see that Chi-Town. In the Southside.
First, it's "on the Southside."
And I'm not interested in some Chiraq, trauma-porn version of my life.
There's a reckoning about race going on, and I'm not...
Naive.
This isn't my first racial reckoning.
I've produced every Black contestant on Big House...
And none of them have ever won.
And if I'm going to give up my senior year at Winchester,
it's gotta be for the whole thing. The jobs, the money and...
The fame?
Plus, that thing you made me sign
saying how any of this becomes course credit was dubious.
You're on the show.
You're a walking advertisement for Winchester, requirements met.
And the network's keen on having their first Black winner.
You listen to me, you won't have regrets.
- Hey. - Hey.
First step, not a word to anyone until the TV reveal, okay?
Yeah.
[Dereca on TV] Only two weeks in
and already a house full of elite college students
have been scheming, manipulating
and coming down off of various illicit medications.
Ooh, can I have some?
For our viewing pleasure. Why? Because they might win money,
a prestigious job,
or at the very least, several Twitter followers,
which I'm told is valuable for some reason.
I don't know. I'm rich!
I'm Dereca Allen Cosby Weinstein,
and this is Big House!
[announcer] Taggert's keeping his housemates on their toes
- by bringing big fun to Big House. - Look what I found.
Taggart, is that my bonnet?
[in English accent] Is that my bonnet, sista-girl?
- Dude, you're so funny! - [in normal voice] I know!
If I wasn't the token TV Black friend, I'd murder him.
- You're killing it! - Thanks.
[announcer] Meanwhile, David and Coco mix up a double chocolate shake of sexy.
The more the announcer explains, the less I understand.
[Kordel] It's reality TV.
The music and reaction shots will tell you how to feel.
It'd be good for our games if we slept together.
Boy, what is the angle here?
I came here to win, not make soft-core porn with a Black guy
who's friends with a walking hate crime for the weirdos who watch the live feeds.
We never win.
I'm a journey-over-destination kind of guy. It's more fun.
I pretty much stay in the "Are we there yet?" setting.
It'd be great if we did win.
But if money's not in the cards for us, then maybe that's okay.
I don't know, maybe the real prize is something else.
Anyway, I got your back. Final two, me and you.
[announcer] But little did everyone know,
cray-cray Coco and Muffy were hatching a plan of their own.
I can control his game. Taggart has the IQ of a thumbtack.
- Does he have shirts though? - Doubtful.
If you can get in with Eva and the outsiders,
we can control this house.
Easy. Final two, me and you.
[alarm blaring on TV]
Hello, students. I hope you're rested.
An alarm blares every time we fall asleep.
Isn't it fun?
I'm here to inform you of a twist.
It's called the Dean's List.
- This is exciting, be excited. Yeah. - Guys, look excited. Here we go.
Let's go again.
It's called the Dean's List.
[all cheering]
As you know, the only way to be spared from expulsion by a vote of your peers
is to win challenges.
However, the Dean's List allows America to weigh in on your fates.
Each week, you will be ranked from favorite to most hated.
America's favorite gets an advantage in the game.
Remember, there's a lot at stake,
and only one person willing to go the distance
will be the winner.
How you holding up, Taggart?
Uh, is more food coming?
Only if you win!
Good luck!
[Coco] I'm excited about the twist.
Hopefully America will respect my game and give me the advantage.
So that's it? You know you and Eva will split the Black vote.
I'm not worried about Eva or anyone else. I'm my own person.
You know what America wants? "Will the darkies team up or not?"
- Yeah, what? - I'm Caribbean, and it's just us.
Going from fake friends to enemies is how they'll cut you.
- Use it. Get them on your side. - Can we cut?
Coco Conners is her own person.
I'll be damned if I let a man turn me into a puppet
because he won't go to therapy.
This is not going to work.
- You're making a mistake. - I want a new producer.
Or else I'll start talking candidly
about the aggressive tactics used here.
Coco, I'm so glad to be working with you.
Now, let's talk strategy. Roll, please.
Perfect. Muffy and I have a ten-step bulletproof plan.
Top of our list is Taggart.
He's a walking jockstrap. He's dominating the physical challenges.
After he's out, Muffy controls the White Hots,
- and if I can control the Outsiders... - They all love Eva. Maybe more than you.
- Do you trust her? - Everyone in here's a threat.
And Eva and I are friends.
Look, I wanna be the first Black woman to win this show.
That's why I'm here,
but I don't wanna take down the other sista.
I'm going to do everything in my power to help you make that happen.
You're one of a kind.
[Mehgan] What about Eva?
Eva is a threat. I wanna be the first Black woman to win this show,
and if I take down the other sista, perfect.
Whoo! Coco. Ruthless.
Babe, you're obsessed.
It's a fascinating look at human behavior and societal assumptions.
Oh, man. I probably just miss film analysis.
[chuckles] You're not fooling anybody.
No, I did not watch that much Big House.
- You absolutely did. - Mmm...
- Really? - Mm-hm.
Maybe I just needed some comfort.
- Is it trash TV? Technically. - [jazz music playing over speakers]
Is it also a microcosmic takedown of American meritocracy?
Um, this is a show with a story line about whether or not a guy's nipples are weird.
So you can go on with all your SAT words.
Right, okay. So when you said you weren't watching it,
what you meant was you're all caught up.
Fuck. They gotta get Taggart out!
- I knew it. - He's a fucking asshole.
Ooh.
Okay. Look. Yes, the show is triggering as fuck,
but I had to see how they're editing our girl.
She can't take the Eva bait though.
Oh, man, they're really pushing that story line.
But Coco's smart. I think she could go all the way.
- Fuck. You're a bad influence on me. - Oh, yeah?
Yeah, Big House, Father John Misty, that NSYNC doc we watched nine times.
Well, we watched it five times.
[door opens]
[Iesha] We have an overseer.
And that's my cue.
[Gabe clears throat]
Oh, thanks.
Hey, girl. All right, so this'll be real chill,
but if I have to play devil's advocate on some shit,
don't trip, it's not personal, just the job.
- You ready? All right. [sighs] - Yeah.
Okay.
Dear white people, counting down till the day I graduate.
Sorry to say the future of the movement is in fabulous Black hands.
Joining me today is freshman Iesha Vital,
new president of Black American Forum or Black AF.
- What's up, Iesha? - Hi.
There's a lot of hype about your presence on campus,
and underclassmen taking up space, I love it.
Yeah, taking up space on a Winchester-approved Black radio show.
How revolutionary.
Yeah, well, as an established fixture on this campus,
I do get to give newcomers a platform.
Very generous. It must be a struggle to act so down-for-the-cause
while the university dubs you the good house Negro.
Whoa.
Okay.
Uh, once you get your bearings around this campus,
you'll realize that dealing with the administration is a push-and-pull.
After four hard-fought years, so what if they're giving this show attention?
Now I get to finesse the system so it works for us.
Accepting a seat at the table when you know it's raggedy as hell.
Why are you coming for me?
Why aren't you standing with Black AF in protest of the Varsity Show?
Uh, everybody has to make change in their own way.
Some systems need to be railed against and illuminated.
Is that why you're doing their behind-the-scenes?
I am not.
I'm making a doc on the show for my thesis,
including your protests.
You haven't stopped by the protests to film them nor participate.
There are 782 Black students here. But you'd rather address the white ones,
putting them front and center when it comes to our lives.
The title is a misnomer.
I shouldn't be surprised, as you're fucking with Problematic Pete.
My native friends on campus are not happy about the shit he pulled last year.
But then again, they only make up about 0.25% of the student population,
and all you care about are the numbers. Check your blind spots.
Yeah.
That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining, Iesha Vital.
[jazz music playing over speakers]
What was that?
Had to play devil's advocate. It's not personal.
[door opens, then closes]
[Gabe] You were different after that.
What happened between us had nothing to do
with some freshman trying to be me on my own show.
It was the movie that changed things.
Yeah, let's talk about your movie, Gabe. That must have been a welcome development.
Go ahead.
I like to think that projects find you at exactly the right time.
Uh, I know we have plans,
but I just got summoned to dinner by my Uncle Roy.
Uncle Roy.
The right-wing media tycoon or the one with the unfortunate OnlyFans?
Yeah, the wealthier and somehow more problematic one.
Right-wing media tycoon.
Who now has, and I quote to emphasize the creepiness:
"a proposition."
Oh.
Well, whatever it is, you can always say no.
[snickers] Yeah, you don't know my uncle. Ahem.
Well, I'd like to think I know you.
[mellow music playing]
How problematic is he?
Uh, well, you know the scene in Get Out
when Marnie assures Slim that her family will be cool?
Yeah.
This is the opposite of that scene.
Well, I think it's time I meet more of the Mitchell clan.
It is clan with a C, right?
You wanna come?
Nothing can be changed without being faced, right?
Yeah.
Yeah. [clears throat]
Yes. Okay. Yeah, sure. I mean, it'll be fine. Right?
White people love it when you drag them.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Was it something we said?
Said, didn't say.
If we speak too loud, we're scary. If we're quiet, we're suspicious.
[Eva] If we smile, we're manipulative. If we cry, we're overreactive.
I have your back.
You don't hate me?
Girl. If it's not me that wins, it better be you.
- Why would you think I hated you? - Everyone told me that you hated me.
- Also, your face. - Girl, my face hates everyone.
Why is it that any time there are two Black women in the same room,
they want us to take each other out?
Because we're too powerful.
Seriously, two beautiful, genius Black women working together?
- It wouldn't be fair. - And it shouldn't be.
Per usual, the hot-but-mediocre whites have consolidated into an alliance.
- They're calling us the Outsiders. - Happens every season.
Because the outsiders always try to break in
or go at each other instead of working together.
- Hm. - What are you two conspiring about?
None of your business!
[Mehgan] You really went off on Taggart.
Give us more of that. Come on, Coco. Tell us how you feel.
♪ Now who do you think you are? ♪
♪ Puttin' your cheap two cents in ♪
♪ Don't you got nothing to do ♪
♪ Than worry about my friend? Check it ♪
♪ I can't do nothing, girl Without somebody buggin' ♪
♪ I used to think that it was me But now I see it wasn't ♪
♪ They told me to change They called me names and so I popped one ♪
♪ Opinions are like assholes And everybody's got one ♪
♪ I never put my nose Where I'm not supposed to ♪
♪ Believe me if he's something that I want I'm steppin' closer ♪
♪ I'm not one for playin' high-pole ♪
♪ Like them high sadiddy 90210-type of hos ♪
♪ I treat a man like he treats me ♪
♪ And if you're lookin' to align Well, then I've got a guarantee ♪
♪ They can hold their tongues tightly Wish they could be like me ♪
♪ Poppin' all that mess Only to stress and spite me ♪
♪ Now you can get with that Or you can get with this ♪
♪ Who gives a shit if they stare? It's none of their business ♪
♪ If I'm with a new tribe It should be all right ♪
♪ It's none of your business! ♪
♪ And if we rollin' with the freaks Then go about your week, man! ♪
♪ It's none of your business! ♪
♪ Now you shouldn't even get into Who I'm givin' skin to ♪
♪ It's none of your business! ♪
♪ So don't try to change my mind I'll tell you one more time ♪
♪ It's none of your business! ♪
I know you have this agenda, but I'm telling you what it takes to win.
I'm not going after Eva. We're building a new alliance.
You know Helmut's her producer now?
What do you think he's telling her?
[indistinct chatter]
Taggart's not winning. If I throw it, and Bl... David throws it...
If one of the Outsiders wins, we could all get rid of Taggart, got it?
[Dereca] Houseguests!
In order to win,
you must be the first person to correctly assemble the puzzle.
Put a piece in the wrong spot
and you get eliminated and electrocuted! Ha-ha!
Sound good?
Now let's play!
- Electrocuted? - Are these real?
[indistinct chatter]
[electricity crackling]
[groans]
Come on, people. Toddlers can even do puzzles.
[indistinct chatter]
[electricity crackling]
You get a shock, you get a shock, you get a shock! Yes!
Does it seem like Muffy's about to win?
[electricity crackling]
No, she's not.
[all cheering]
And congratulations, Coco!
Eva was right at your heels,
but, Coco, congratulations on your first win in the Big House.
Thank you, I'm so excited.
Well, that's about to change. I'm here with the Dean's List ranking.
[Muffy] Yay!
[Dereca] Congratulations, Muffy.
You now get a secret advantage in the game.
Doesn't feel very secret.
Now, Coco, you must put up two students for expulsion.
Do you go for a physical threat, a mental threat or a social threat?
Get ready, Coco.
Your classmates will be begging for your attention.
I know the plan was to get Taggart out,
but he's a bigger target than us.
He gives us cover.
But if you let her stay, Eva could win this game.
- I can't, I promised. - So she won't expect it.
You don't think you'd be higher on the Dean's List if she wasn't here?
Co, I get why you don't wanna get rid of her.
But if you wanna be the first Black contestant to win, you'll have to.
How anti-establishment can you be on the Winchester homepage, sis?
- Can you believe this? - Tsk.
I know, right? I mean, how is Coco last?
The British one gets the Black and white vote.
Accent neutralizes her.
And, yes, I keep getting dragged because of my proximity to you,
but let's talk about Big House.
[Sam] Oh.
Well, this was built by slaves.
Huh.
Original painting by George W. Bush, sans irony.
You wanted to come.
[glass breaks]
This is a bit, right?
She's very pretty for a Black girl.
Whoa. What the fuck, Nana?
Samantha, have you asked to direct one of those Marvel movies?
Diversity seems to be all the rage in Hollywood.
Have I asked?
That's how everybody in this family gets a job. They just ask.
- Roy Junior. Good to meet you. - Sam. Hi.
- So, Gabe, how's bartending? - Yup.
And, uh, coffee bartending?
[Roy] Oh, he's on the path to becoming a socialist congresswoman yet.
Ahem. Uncle Roy. Thank you for the invite. This is my girlfriend Sam.
Your house is really beautiful.
Mm-hm.
Your parents tell me they're in a bit of a financial pickle,
can't pay for school.
Yeah. Well, you know, uh, I'm taking the semester off,
trying to focus on hands-on experience.
My brother's a dipshit about money. Always has been.
I could give him a loan, but how would he learn?
Not your fault though.
What's the biggest problem facing the world today?
- Systemic raci... - Lack of family values.
He's been investing in faith-based movies and the returns are huge.
These films answer a clear need. Now, there's a script on my desk.
It's the true story of a man who one day sees God in a piece of toast.
- Jesus. - Oh, could be Jesus. I'm open.
I can produce it myself,
but I need a director, and I don't wanna deal with unions.
Oh. Uh...
Oh, okay. That...
- That's flattering. - Of course it is.
Any filmmaker would kill to have his first film financed.
Hollywood's not giving white guys jobs anymore.
Uh, nine out of every ten movies are still directed by white men.
- Oh? - Yeah, I don't know, Uncle Roy,
you know, faith-based movies, they're really not my thing.
Oh, I wasn't aware film-school dropouts had a thing.
- Excuse me... - Sam.
[Roy] Give me a number.
I'll give you all dinner to think. We can talk after, without the women.
Oh, God, I had to get out of there.
Why do all of George W.'s paintings
look like they were done by a child who witnessed a murder?
Because he oversaw and caused countless murders.
Right. How did he take it? Your uncle?
You know...
Gabe, I don't know what to do about Iesha.
Well, you know, you can't let her get to you.
It's not that. I've lost the main conflict of my movie.
I feel like Order of X is a dead end.
But how would I even look trying to cover her wannabe protests?
I mean, the way she's using the language of our movement to...
I don't know what. I have fucking principles.
Sam.
I'm making the movie.
What?
I know it's not ideal, but I can give it some integrity... Sam.
Wow, what the fuck, Gabe? Did we not just sit there with your...?
[Sam] I'm sorry.
I'm still trying to catch up to the fact that you would sign on to something
that is financed by and lifts up everything you disagree with.
As an artist! As an activist!
Sam, I can't do anything if I'm broke!
A lot of people are broke, Gabe!
This is the same shit you did last year with the Native American stuff.
When things get hard, you sell everything down the river.
That's not fair. I gave that money away. I was more upset about that than you were.
Yeah, maybe that was a mistake.
[cell phone chirps]
What about Career Day?
You were crushed at not being able to make your first steps in the real world.
Now I'm all in on my senior thesis.
I don't get to have a thesis.
What about all the stuff he puts his money into?
From Big Oil to statue restorations of Robert E. Lee?
I get it. Okay? You don't think I get it?
I'm a good person, Sam.
I wanna put good things into the world.
What's wrong with him putting some of that money into my pocket?
[cell phone beeping]
[rock music playing over speakers]
Can you keep it down? Please!
♪ I'm doin' this tonight ♪
♪ You're probably gonna start a fight ♪
♪ I know this can't be right ♪
♪ Hey, baby, come on ♪
♪ I loved you endlessly ♪
♪ And now I've really come To see that... ♪
♪ Life would be much better When you're gone ♪
♪ I know that I can't take no more ♪
♪ It ain't no lie ♪
♪ I wanna see you out that door ♪
♪ Baby, bye, bye, bye ♪
♪ Don't want to be a fool for you ♪
♪ Just another player In your game for two ♪
♪ You may hate me but it ain't no lie ♪
♪ Baby, bye, bye, bye ♪
♪ Don't really want to make it tough ♪
♪ I just want to tell you That I've had enough ♪
♪ It might sound crazy But it ain't no lie ♪
♪ Baby, bye, bye, bye ♪
♪ Just hit me with the truth ♪
♪ You know you're more than welcome to ♪
♪ So give me one good reason ♪
- ♪ Baby ♪ - ♪ Baby, come on ♪
♪ Don't want to be a fool for you ♪
♪ Just another player In your game for two ♪
♪ You may hate me but it ain't no lie ♪
♪ Baby, bye, bye, bye ♪
We always end up in the same fight.
We are always worth it.
And what about after I graduate? And after you're a Christian filmmaker?
- I'll use a pseudonym. - You'll still be you.
And I'll still be me. And the stakes will be higher.
I shouldn't have brought you.
Hate to see it, but I needed to.
Every time I check my blind spot, I see you in it.
Wow.
Okay.
So?
[Gabe] Once Iesha got into your head...
Stop trying to analyze me. Okay?
I couldn't stomach the compromises you were making.
Compromise is the only way to make it, Sam. You know that.
Of course I know that.
I won Best Director at Sundance straight out of college,
and now I make Tide commercials for a living.
- Sam, it's... - Don't!
You get to take risks and play and make fucking sequels
out of movies that should've never been made.
And before you defend yourself,
I know, it's not your fault and you're trying to make it right.
But how could I look at you
and not see all the chances I wasn't allowed to take?
The ways I had to hold back, stay in the box.
It's not about whether you were enough.
It wasn't about you.
Sometimes a person just needs a time-out.
Time-out, huh?
Hey, you're home!
Reggie's off working on some app, and somehow I got the night off,
and I just got this bottle of Moscato, but I can get another one... or seven.
Aw.
[sobbing] I must be getting my period.
Bitch, you know I always get mine first. Is it your mom?
Mm-mm.
Is it Gabe?
Y'all fighting?
Was it like a fight or the fight?
Okay, um, well, do you wanna drink and watch in silence
as Coco finesses the system?
Okay.
Eva and Taggart, two house favorites, are on the block.
Put there by Coco.
Eva is confident she's up there as a pawn to throw off Taggart. Mm.
And Taggart, well, he's drunk.
Let's check in with the students as they cast their votes.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Dereca] All right.
With a vote of six to five...
Eva, you've been expelled.
- What? - Whoo!
Oh, yeah.
I just... Someone must've flipped.
[Taggart] Told you.
Yeah!
[indistinct chatter]
I never really told this side of the story.
How quickly the paranoia sets in
and you start making choices
you would've never made had you been thinking clearly.
[somber music playing]
It all worked out in the end though, right?
Did it?
We're barely halfway to the end.
[Sam on radio] Why are you coming for me?
[Iesha] Why aren't you standing with Black AF in protest of the Varsity Show?
[Sam] Everybody has to make change in their own way.
Some systems need to be railed against and illuminated.
[Iesha] Is that why you're doing their behind-the-scenes?
[Sam] I am not.
I'm making a doc on the show for my thesis,
including your protests.
[Iesha] You haven't stopped by the protests to film them nor participate.
There are 782 Black students here. But you'd rather address the white ones,
putting them front and center when it comes to our lives.
[Sam] The title is a misnomer.
[Iesha] I shouldn't be surprised, as you're fucking with Problematic Pete.
My native friends on campus are not happy about the shit he pulled last year.
But then again, they only make up about 0.25% of the student population,
and all you care about are the numbers. Check your blind spots.
[Sam] Yeah.
That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining, Iesha Vital.
[cell phone beeps]