Home » The Audacity (2026) » S01E06 — Sandbox

The Audacity (2026)

Season 1, Episode 6 — Sandbox

Bardolph is gonna try to fire me.

#1

⇓

Stan, where are we at now?

#2

⇓

Same buy-in gets us 17% of the company.

#3

⇓

But Duncan only owns 20.

#4

⇓

Well, I resigned from the board.

#5

⇓

I need you on the board! I need that vote!

#6

⇓

You said you'd call Nena, clear my name,

#7

⇓

and you never called her.

#8

⇓

So I called her. - You?

#9

⇓

$1.2 million?

#10

⇓

I should never have blackmailed you.

#11

⇓

It should have always been a bribe.

#12

⇓

There are men and women who fought for us to be here.

#13

⇓

They wanna pay you just for your help.

#14

⇓

Why don't you tell me what I'm doing here?

#15

⇓

How would you like to be interim CEO?

#16

⇓

I'm proud of you bastards.

#17

⇓

You know the cost. Now earn the ground.

#18

⇓

Maguire, you're on the widowmaker.

#19

⇓

Fix bayonets.

#20

⇓

Cut 'em to ribbons, boys.

#21

⇓

And if God is watching,

#22

⇓

he's seen worse and said nothing.

#23

⇓

Let's go!

#24

⇓

I'm gonna bayonet you right in the chest.

#25

⇓

You should fall right down.

#26

⇓

Fall, fall, fall!

#27

⇓

Good try.

#28

⇓

And whack, you're done.

#29

⇓

And bang, you are dead.

#30

⇓

Oh, nice touch.

#31

⇓

What, are you guys signing a treaty?

#32

⇓

There's a war!

#33

⇓

Assholes.

#34

⇓

Boom. Stabbed in the face. You're dead.

#35

⇓

What kind of German machinery is this fucking thing?

#36

⇓

What is that, a Cadillac?

#37

⇓

Hi.

#38

⇓

Sorry.

#39

⇓

Um, strategy confab at 10:00.

#40

⇓

No?

#41

⇓

Thank you for fucking up the verisimilitude.

#42

⇓

Are you playing "Wordle"? - No.

#43

⇓

And whack!

#44

⇓

Duncan!

#45

⇓

What are you doing here?

#46

⇓

Just came to talk business, and I got you a little present.

#47

⇓

I don't care for business at home.

#48

⇓

Can we set a call?

#49

⇓

Oh, come on, better mano a mano, you know?

#50

⇓

And just open it.

#51

⇓

Open, open, open, open, open, open, open, open, open.

#52

⇓

It's a truffle.

#53

⇓

From my favorite truffle pig.

#54

⇓

You seem to be taking the news well.

#55

⇓

What-what am I...

#56

⇓

taking well?

#57

⇓

Don't you know?

#58

⇓

Uh, I don't know what I don't know.

#59

⇓

Carl Bardolph--he's tapped me to be the CEO.

#60

⇓

That's fabulous. I mean, CEO of-of what?

#61

⇓

Hypergnosis, Duncan.

#62

⇓

That's the name of my company.

#63

⇓

I didn't ask for the job.

#64

⇓

Carl came to me.

#65

⇓

Okay, I get it now.

#66

⇓

He's using you to get to me.

#67

⇓

I don't think that's what this is.

#68

⇓

Yeah, I'm sorry. It is. It is.

#69

⇓

I'm in the midst of realigning

#70

⇓

the company's mission.

#71

⇓

Jesus, I was gone for a few days,

#72

⇓

and now we have a mission?

#73

⇓

You had a breakdown and fled.

#74

⇓

I did not have a breakdown.

#75

⇓

At any rate, Carl's put his full faith in me.

#76

⇓

I intend to lead Hypergnosis and earn that trust.

#77

⇓

Okay?

#78

⇓

I mean, ok--okay.

#79

⇓

Okay, yeah. Okay.

#80

⇓

Stop saying okay.

#81

⇓

Okay, how about we...

#82

⇓

Share the chair?

#83

⇓

Then we could do one of those--what do you call it?

#84

⇓

You know, a Brangelina.

#85

⇓

You like the sound of Douche-ka?

#86

⇓

Okay, you're holding out for Anuncan?

#87

⇓

Fine.

#88

⇓

The point is, power couple.

#89

⇓

I won't deny it.

#90

⇓

I'm, like, super hurt because you tried

#91

⇓

to destroy me with the Nena piece,

#92

⇓

and I'm still kind of hurting now.

#93

⇓

But then I learned we hurt others because we care.

#94

⇓

We hurt because we love.

#95

⇓

Yeah.

#96

⇓

So I came here...

#97

⇓

Because I asked Lili for a divorce.

#98

⇓

- No, you didn't. - Yeah, it was a good conver--

#99

⇓

- Did you? - Yeah. She took it well.

#100

⇓

The thing is, I wanna be with you.

#101

⇓

I wanna-- really, really with you.

#102

⇓

You know, it's not just about the CEO thing.

#103

⇓

Would be nice, but come on.

#104

⇓

You feel the same. You know it.

#105

⇓

I'm afraid I do not feel the same way.

#106

⇓

Same in your own way.

#107

⇓

Duncan, please.

#108

⇓

Martin's right there.

#109

⇓

- There's nothing to hide! - Shh. Be quiet.

#110

⇓

Those of us with a modicum of shame

#111

⇓

have a great deal to hide.

#112

⇓

Come on--Nush.

#113

⇓

Come on, you want me.

#114

⇓

Like I want to eat a can of frosting.

#115

⇓

A 3/4 can of cake frosting

#116

⇓

that I found at the back of my fridge

#117

⇓

that's hard and crusty at the top.

#118

⇓

Sounds yummy.

#119

⇓

Mmm, first bite, maybe.

#120

⇓

But the rest is self-hatred.

#121

⇓

I don't wish to share a chair with you

#122

⇓

or an office or a company or a bed.

#123

⇓

Come on, Nush.

#124

⇓

Otherwise, it's...

#125

⇓

It's war.

#126

⇓

I think it already is war.

#127

⇓

And you think you're winning?

#128

⇓

Wow.

#129

⇓

I came to apologize, offer you my love, my talent,

#130

⇓

and you shit on it,

#131

⇓

like I'm a sidewalk.

#132

⇓

I bought you a $4,000 truffle.

#133

⇓

And you're-you're--

#134

⇓

Not a fungi?

#135

⇓

War it is.

#136

⇓

Hey, uh, you got a minute?

#137

⇓

Uh, next patient just arrived.

#138

⇓

Yeah, mine did too.

#139

⇓

Okay, so maybe later.

#140

⇓

Yeah, real quick, uh, your 401--

#141

⇓

there's what, like 800,000 in there?

#142

⇓

Uh, yeah. Why?

#143

⇓

If we cash, say, 700 now,

#144

⇓

the tax hit would be significant,

#145

⇓

but we'd clear what, like 400?

#146

⇓

No, that's our security.

#147

⇓

This house could be our security,

#148

⇓

and it is going to sell by the end of the week.

#149

⇓

Wait, are you telling me that your-your plan now

#150

⇓

is to cash out our old age, pennies on the dollar

#151

⇓

for overpriced real estate?

#152

⇓

We only need 20% down, Gary.

#153

⇓

Okay, unless my math is totally off,

#154

⇓

400,000 is nowhere near 20%.

#155

⇓

You're missing, like, a million and change.

#156

⇓

Well, I-I--uh,

#157

⇓

I have access-- a plan to access--

#158

⇓

A million dollars?

#159

⇓

Pray tell.

#160

⇓

- The plan? - Mm-hmm.

#161

⇓

It's a-a-- a financial instrument,

#162

⇓

a sort of advanced second mortgage

#163

⇓

introductory rate asset swap.

#164

⇓

But, you know, never mind.

#165

⇓

Play it safe.

#166

⇓

Lose our home, our offices.

#167

⇓

Safe.

#168

⇓

The last time I-I saw her, we had sex.

#169

⇓

Did I do it wrong?

#170

⇓

That seems unlikely.

#171

⇓

Yeah.

#172

⇓

I don't know, but it's like, to go from,

#173

⇓

God, that was so hot,

#174

⇓

and then to take your job.

#175

⇓

So she's the new CEO?

#176

⇓

Is she--have they made an announcement?

#177

⇓

I see what you're doing. Just stick to my psychology.

#178

⇓

You know, you can make your next million tomorrow

#179

⇓

on someone else's insider information.

#180

⇓

- I wasn't. - Just--where was I?

#181

⇓

It was, um-- right, my childhood.

#182

⇓

When I was young, we kind of grew up poor.

#183

⇓

Really?

#184

⇓

And Dad immigrated here.

#185

⇓

You know, we lived in a house that smelled like cabbage,

#186

⇓

kind of like this one.

#187

⇓

And, you know, in the winter, I would have to wear this--

#188

⇓

this hat that my baba sent me, this Serbian hat.

#189

⇓

It was kind of like a furry black hat.

#190

⇓

It--like a-a fuzzy dunce cap.

#191

⇓

And on the playground, there was this kid.

#192

⇓

And he grabbed my hat, and he ran off.

#193

⇓

And everyone laughed at me.

#194

⇓

And your old sidepiece stole your hat?

#195

⇓

Yes.

#196

⇓

I let my guard down,

#197

⇓

and she distracted me with sex.

#198

⇓

And now she has my hat, which she's wearing like--

#199

⇓

like as if her baba sent it.

#200

⇓

She stole that hat,

#201

⇓

and I can't let her keep it.

#202

⇓

That's my hat.

#203

⇓

Unless I blow up her car with a car bomb.

#204

⇓

Then no one gets the hat.

#205

⇓

Duncan, buy a new hat.

#206

⇓

You can afford any hat you want.

#207

⇓

That's what money does.

#208

⇓

It's not sexy. It's security.

#209

⇓

Because nobody can say "get out of the sandbox"

#210

⇓

if you own the sandbox.

#211

⇓

Hello.

#212

⇓

I have a vision for Hypergnosis.

#213

⇓

New direction, new mandate,

#214

⇓

and perhaps the beginning of a new approach to data.

#215

⇓

Responsible, trusted, ethical.

#216

⇓

I saw something recently that inspired me.

#217

⇓

I was attempting to speak with a gentleman

#218

⇓

in our engineering corps,

#219

⇓

but they were preoccupied to the point of mania

#220

⇓

with what I believe is called a supercut

#221

⇓

of drivers in the new self-driving

#222

⇓

Torren San Antonio.

#223

⇓

While the car was busy self-driving,

#224

⇓

the drivers were busy self-pleasuring.

#225

⇓

All the footage was filmed

#226

⇓

by their own driver's side cameras,

#227

⇓

which the Torren user agreement assures buyers

#228

⇓

will solely be used for driver safety.

#229

⇓

Yes, quite so.

#230

⇓

And for those of you bursting with overweening pride,

#231

⇓

having never wanked whilst going 80 on the 210,

#232

⇓

I assure you, there were also compilations

#233

⇓

of deep dive nose pickers, ugly criers, finger sniffers,

#234

⇓

parents yelling obscenities at their children,

#235

⇓

something for and of everyone.

#236

⇓

And sadly, Torren's definition of words like "safety"

#237

⇓

and "privacy" are industry standard.

#238

⇓

Data collection is a mutual agreement

#239

⇓

to surrender privacy for service.

#240

⇓

We all know that.

#241

⇓

Well, we do, but we work in this business.

#242

⇓

We know to reject all the tricks

#243

⇓

they use to track us.

#244

⇓

You must be joking.

#245

⇓

You do reject all nonessential cookies, right?

#246

⇓

Always?

#247

⇓

No?

#248

⇓

My God.

#249

⇓

Who with half a brain wants to live under surveillance

#250

⇓

by their car, their television, toothbrush, refrigerator,

#251

⇓

fucking smart light bulbs?

#252

⇓

I'm sorry.

#253

⇓

Human dignity requires privacy.

#254

⇓

Can I just ask,

#255

⇓

if we're dialing back what we do,

#256

⇓

when do you wanna go back to?

#257

⇓

Holly, I don't--

#258

⇓

Harper, CTO.

#259

⇓

Harper.

#260

⇓

I don't wish to go back.

#261

⇓

But about 15 years ago, yes, there was a fork in the road,

#262

⇓

and it would seem to me we took the wrong turn.

#263

⇓

Now, first client I'd like to see

#264

⇓

is this Torren car company.

#265

⇓

Appreciate it.

#266

⇓

Jesus.

#267

⇓

Ugh.

#268

⇓

I mean, I knew it'd be hard.

#269

⇓

It's always been hard, but I thought that this time...

#270

⇓

would be different.

#271

⇓

Tom, maybe this isn't the moment,

#272

⇓

but I don't think there's ever gonna be a good one.

#273

⇓

Oh, shit.

#274

⇓

Look at that face.

#275

⇓

That is a nervous if beautiful man.

#276

⇓

Uh, can we, uh-- wanna do this over a drink?

#277

⇓

I think you're good. Yeah.

#278

⇓

Okay.

#279

⇓

I got an offer, a guy I knew at Yale.

#280

⇓

It's a defense company.

#281

⇓

They do AI SMR,

#282

⇓

which, turns out, is not sexy whispering.

#283

⇓

Uh, it's surveillance military reconnaissance.

#284

⇓

They're paying-- they got money to seal the deal

#285

⇓

with Vorhees, actually.

#286

⇓

DOD money, 3 billion.

#287

⇓

Oh, you are finding all new ways to break my heart.

#288

⇓

I'm still and always will be your friend.

#289

⇓

I don't need a friend.

#290

⇓

I need a vendor who'll take our goddamn money

#291

⇓

and help some goddamn people before the money vanishes

#292

⇓

and I've done no fucking good whatsoever.

#293

⇓

Okay, well, maybe I can do some good from the inside.

#294

⇓

Yeah, I-I know.

#295

⇓

You will be compromised, corrupted,

#296

⇓

and become complacent.

#297

⇓

You know how I know that?

#298

⇓

Because you are leaving!

#299

⇓

And you're going there.

#300

⇓

You're going there.

#301

⇓

So the only move worthy of your respect

#302

⇓

is to stick it out for another 30 years of--

#303

⇓

of this?

#304

⇓

Hey.

#305

⇓

Um...

#306

⇓

I've been thinking about what you said about the big D,

#307

⇓

and I just wanna say that if you're gonna leave me...

#308

⇓

Now is a horrible time to do it--for you.

#309

⇓

Lili, you deserve half of a lot more

#310

⇓

than where we're at right now financially.

#311

⇓

I couldn't have gotten any of it without you by my side,

#312

⇓

really, seriously.

#313

⇓

And you-you deserve better. You do.

#314

⇓

Give me a chance to rebuild.

#315

⇓

Hypergnosis without me now is doing, like, ethical data,

#316

⇓

which is like virtuous sex trafficking.

#317

⇓

And I'm gonna zag.

#318

⇓

I'm not sure how yet, but give me a few months to try.

#319

⇓

After that, then you can leave,

#320

⇓

and I-I will be crushed, but at least I will know that

#321

⇓

you got everything you ought to get.

#322

⇓

And in the meantime,

#323

⇓

I mean, maybe-maybe we can, um,

#324

⇓

you know, try to fix things, do what other people do.

#325

⇓

We're not doing marriage counseling.

#326

⇓

- Go to a sex therapist. - A sex therapist?

#327

⇓

Or marriage counselor. We can do that.

#328

⇓

Well, for starters, I want you to never see Anushka again.

#329

⇓

I don't even wanna hear her name.

#330

⇓

Listen, I want nothing to do with her, nothing,

#331

⇓

other than maybe destroy her.

#332

⇓

Uh, but...

#333

⇓

I literally might have to see her, though, like, um,

#334

⇓

at school functions, board meetings.

#335

⇓

Just don't ever be alone with her.

#336

⇓

- Okay. - Ever again.

#337

⇓

Deal. Deal.

#338

⇓

The easiest deal I've ever made.

#339

⇓

I give that to you happily.

#340

⇓

Tell me what else you want.

#341

⇓

What--anything else.

#342

⇓

What do you want?

#343

⇓

I'll let you know.

#344

⇓

See you Thursday.

#345

⇓

The fairer sex's faces are always talking,

#346

⇓

even when they're not.

#347

⇓

Look particularly at her pupils.

#348

⇓

If they're dilated, it means she wants to see more of you.

#349

⇓

She's interested in you, bro.

#350

⇓

Ear lobes--if she's flushed, she's good to go,

#351

⇓

You can take her out for dinner later.

#352

⇓

Perfect.

#353

⇓

So what is your deal, bro?

#354

⇓

I live here.

#355

⇓

You're not supposed to be down here.

#356

⇓

You want me to leave?

#357

⇓

I didn't say that.

#358

⇓

So what do you do down here, other than getting swole?

#359

⇓

You're not.

#360

⇓

That was a joke. So...

#361

⇓

You listen in on your mom and dad's patients?

#362

⇓

Stepdad's.

#363

⇓

Do you?

#364

⇓

I would.

#365

⇓

I used to when I was bored.

#366

⇓

You ever listen to me?

#367

⇓

Maybe, once.

#368

⇓

It--uh, it was--it was-- it was one time.

#369

⇓

It was less than a minute too.

#370

⇓

I didn't--

#371

⇓

In there?

#372

⇓

Yeah.

#373

⇓

They put the lock on for security.

#374

⇓

They never knew.

#375

⇓

So even if I wanted to go back in,

#376

⇓

I don't even know the combo.

#377

⇓

My husband's company, MyXY,

#378

⇓

is being acquired by a big pharma holding entity.

#379

⇓

Carol, that's terrific.

#380

⇓

His stress levels were really affecting your stress levels.

#381

⇓

That can be tough.

#382

⇓

Hopefully it all levels out after this deal is closed.

#383

⇓

How long do you think?

#384

⇓

And, uh, who's it with?

#385

⇓

This week, apparently.

#386

⇓

I'm not supposed to say who it's with.

#387

⇓

Oh, yeah. Of course.

#388

⇓

Univee.

#389

⇓

Oh, sure.

#390

⇓

Good company.

#391

⇓

I'm so happy for you.

#392

⇓

I know what's missing.

#393

⇓

I'm worried, also, about him and, inevitably, us.

#394

⇓

No.

#395

⇓

You're almost there.

#396

⇓

And, you know, with MyXY being acquired by a larger company,

#397

⇓

it could be what's been causing the inadequacy issues.

#398

⇓

Oh, Jesus.

#399

⇓

I think you're right.

#400

⇓

So good. - Oh.

#401

⇓

- Thank you. - Thank you.

#402

⇓

Have a great week.

#403

⇓

Take care.

#404

⇓

Okay, MyXY. M-Y-X-Y.

#405

⇓

That's a bit of a letdown.

#406

⇓

Yeah, told you.

#407

⇓

Okay, dude.

#408

⇓

Let's do it again sometime.

#409

⇓

Okay.

#410

⇓

Seems like he could peek through

#411

⇓

with only three fingers.

#412

⇓

Yes, we will make that clearer graphically,

#413

⇓

but you see where we're going. - I'm not sure I do.

#414

⇓

You wanna not do the work that we hired you to do?

#415

⇓

Okay, think about how and why you buy organic.

#416

⇓

Right, you pay extra for a sticker that promises

#417

⇓

a higher standard-- eliminates perversions

#418

⇓

and corporate shortcuts.

#419

⇓

This badge, our gnome, says to your customers,

#420

⇓

every other car company is spying on you,

#421

⇓

stealing your secrets,

#422

⇓

selling them to the highest bidder.

#423

⇓

But at Torren, what you do in your car stays in your car.

#424

⇓

It's your car.

#425

⇓

I don't buy organic.

#426

⇓

We sell trucks and SUVs.

#427

⇓

Do you even know our brand?

#428

⇓

Don't mind me.

#429

⇓

Look, privacy is what makes us us.

#430

⇓

Some things people just don't want recorded,

#431

⇓

like how you collect your drivers' sexual activity.

#432

⇓

Look, the insurance companies

#433

⇓

that you help us sell to for a profit

#434

⇓

wanna know who's driving distracted.

#435

⇓

But do you need, for example, to monitor their weight gain?

#436

⇓

That appeals to the buyers who represent

#437

⇓

both fast food chains and diet pills.

#438

⇓

It's a winner.

#439

⇓

I'm not saying don't record navigation, reckless driving,

#440

⇓

listening habits even, but--

#441

⇓

What's the benefit to recording

#442

⇓

the driver singing along?

#443

⇓

Well, if you have polyps on your throat,

#444

⇓

wouldn't you wanna know?

#445

⇓

All of our clients agree to this.

#446

⇓

97 pages, 7-point font,

#447

⇓

and the car won't function as designed if you don't agree.

#448

⇓

It's not exactly an agreement.

#449

⇓

Oh, you're right.

#450

⇓

It's called a business model.

#451

⇓

The truth--we don't sell cars.

#452

⇓

We sell data collection devices

#453

⇓

on wheels with heated seats.

#454

⇓

Cars are expensive.

#455

⇓

Data has profit margins that you can--

#456

⇓

Drive a car right through.

#457

⇓

Where's Duncan Park?

#458

⇓

He got it.

#459

⇓

Look, Park may be an idiot, but he knows

#460

⇓

how to sell, not just opine.

#461

⇓

Okay, so you took a flyer on a new idea--

#462

⇓

takes guts.

#463

⇓

But run it by reality first, okay?

#464

⇓

You had your biggest clients laughing in your face.

#465

⇓

That's something to avoid in business.

#466

⇓

I told you exactly what I planned to do.

#467

⇓

Yeah, but interim CEO, right?

#468

⇓

That does not give you permission

#469

⇓

to tell everyone to stand on their desk

#470

⇓

and yell carpe diem.

#471

⇓

Carl?

#472

⇓

The board meeting next week, okay?

#473

⇓

Plan a presentation that rights this.

#474

⇓

Tech, revenue, growth. It's simple.

#475

⇓

And convince me that I did not hire someone

#476

⇓

who thinks profit is a microaggression.

#477

⇓

Oh, what? What?

#478

⇓

- Sorry. - What?

#479

⇓

Someone from Hypergnosis is here for you.

#480

⇓

- Who is it? - No sé.

#481

⇓

You're supposed to ask who it is.

#482

⇓

Then you get their calling card.

#483

⇓

You put it on a little tray. - She's right here.

#484

⇓

You bri--oh, it's you.

#485

⇓

You got a lot of art.

#486

⇓

Yeah.

#487

⇓

What do you want?

#488

⇓

What do you need?

#489

⇓

What are you offering?

#490

⇓

My services. What would you pay?

#491

⇓

Ethical data not, uh, turning your crank?

#492

⇓

Well, I'm an engineer.

#493

⇓

I am an expert in data collection and analysis,

#494

⇓

and she wants to hit pause on what I do.

#495

⇓

Oh.

#496

⇓

Not course correction-- retreat.

#497

⇓

You don't buy a jet and ask where the brakes are.

#498

⇓

You wanna know how fast it can go

#499

⇓

and how to make it go even faster.

#500

⇓

And so why me?

#501

⇓

Why not somebody else?

#502

⇓

You have a really firm grasp

#503

⇓

on the lowest common denominator.

#504

⇓

And that's just where the market's at right now.

#505

⇓

That's just reality.

#506

⇓

And you're gonna pay me top dollar

#507

⇓

because you see my talent, and you know

#508

⇓

it won't be easy to find elsewhere.

#509

⇓

And you know that hiring me is gonna keep her up at night.

#510

⇓

Okay, so what is the opposite of ethical data?

#511

⇓

Let's find out.

#512

⇓

Ugh, do you smell that?

#513

⇓

Awful.

#514

⇓

I heard there were experiments done at Stanford

#515

⇓

in the '70s, and some of this area got contaminated,

#516

⇓

but that is ridiculous.

#517

⇓

Well, it's a teardown anyway.

#518

⇓

Not with those redwoods out front.

#519

⇓

They're protected.

#520

⇓

I mean, good luck getting a permit to do anything here.

#521

⇓

JoAnne?

#522

⇓

Earvin?

#523

⇓

Hi.

#524

⇓

How is Beth doing?

#525

⇓

- She's, uh, fine. - Good.

#526

⇓

You know the tenant's not supposed to be here, right?

#527

⇓

Well, I'm not just a tenant.

#528

⇓

I'm a potential buyer.

#529

⇓

Fine.

#530

⇓

You can make an offer whenever you'd like,

#531

⇓

along with everyone else, of course.

#532

⇓

Well, will you please tell Beth that it'll be soon?

#533

⇓

Yeah, and it won't be all cash,

#534

⇓

but we are gathering our 20% down,

#535

⇓

and we are super motivated.

#536

⇓

Mama wants a new pair of shoes,

#537

⇓

size three-bedroom, two-bathroom.

#538

⇓

Smells like burnt plastic, but it's still home.

#539

⇓

♪ Is that all there is? ♪

#540

⇓

♪ If that's all there is, my friends ♪

#541

⇓

♪ Then let's keep dancing ♪

#542

⇓

♪ Let's break out the booze

#543

⇓

♪ And have a ball ♪

#544

⇓

♪ If that's all ♪

#545

⇓

♪ There is

#546

⇓

And then I fell in love

#547

⇓

with the most wonderful boy in the world.

#548

⇓

We take long walks down by the river, and...

#549

⇓

and then one day, he went to work for a private subsidiary

#550

⇓

at the Defense Department.

#551

⇓

And I said to myself...

#552

⇓

You? I know you.

#553

⇓

Oh, you're that sweet smell before a stroke.

#554

⇓

Eh, here's to being tracked while day drinking

#555

⇓

in the armpit of Silicon Valley.

#556

⇓

So Hypergnosis is under my control now.

#557

⇓

New direction, and it's ethical.

#558

⇓

- Mm. - Oh, you don't believe me?

#559

⇓

Ask the clients who bailed when I dared speak that word.

#560

⇓

I want the VA contract back.

#561

⇓

I want to make up for what Duncan failed to do,

#562

⇓

and I want it to be the centerpiece

#563

⇓

of what we do moving forward.

#564

⇓

Migrating data off a system so old, it predates seatbelts.

#565

⇓

You see that guy over by the pool table?

#566

⇓

Chester worked on the MUMPS system.

#567

⇓

Even then, they were duct-taping it together.

#568

⇓

You'd crawl into bed with that?

#569

⇓

Shoot, I don't even blame Duncan.

#570

⇓

I wouldn't fuck that flabby ass with your dick.

#571

⇓

Hey, why do you care, really?

#572

⇓

Oh, you want it from the heart, do you?

#573

⇓

Okay.

#574

⇓

Your speech at Cupertino,

#575

⇓

how little these men and women ask in return.

#576

⇓

Well, I wouldn't be here if someone--

#577

⇓

a few someones hadn't sacrificed for me

#578

⇓

in the midst of a war too.

#579

⇓

Now, I've heard scores of pitches

#580

⇓

from NGOs and charities-- no goosebumps or pro forma.

#581

⇓

But you broke through, Tom.

#582

⇓

And I was spot on about Hypergnosis

#583

⇓

being the right place for your cause.

#584

⇓

My mistake was thinking that Duncan

#585

⇓

could rise to the occasion.

#586

⇓

Duncan's a piece of shit.

#587

⇓

Maybe I thought you might help him be a better person.

#588

⇓

Oh, there it is.

#589

⇓

- There it was. - Huh.

#590

⇓

Finito.

#591

⇓

So what do you say?

#592

⇓

Another go?

#593

⇓

You're too late.

#594

⇓

Two days since I retired.

#595

⇓

Yep, passed the torch before I singed my fingies.

#596

⇓

Good, I could hire you outright--

#597

⇓

a consultant, a sector specialist.

#598

⇓

There are plenty of others, and you can find them,

#599

⇓

who got into this for the money.

#600

⇓

I want you.

#601

⇓

Call Jeffery, you know?

#602

⇓

I mean, he just took something new.

#603

⇓

Actually, you know what? Don't call him.

#604

⇓

Yeah, this job's too important.

#605

⇓

You need somebody who's all in.

#606

⇓

I mean, just out of curiosity--

#607

⇓

$1/4 billion deal.

#608

⇓

I could start you at a low seven-figure situation.

#609

⇓

Seven.

#610

⇓

That's, uh, counting the decimal places?

#611

⇓

Not including decimals, with room to grow.

#612

⇓

In 30 days, somewhere fancy where they can wring you dry.

#613

⇓

You need to get right, Tom.

#614

⇓

Yeah, well, SecVa hears I've been in rehab,

#615

⇓

I'm not doing you a lick of good.

#616

⇓

You know, they say they understand,

#617

⇓

but they don't.

#618

⇓

Military people can't process weakness.

#619

⇓

You know, that's why I like that robot.

#620

⇓

That robot didn't judge, you know?

#621

⇓

The little guy, you know?

#622

⇓

Uh, uh, what's his name?

#623

⇓

Alexander?

#624

⇓

Yeah. Yeah.

#625

⇓

Now, that's the kind of tech that could help people if,

#626

⇓

you know, you can get it to 'em.

#627

⇓

Should we drink to it?

#628

⇓

Last one.

#629

⇓

Anushka Bhattachera, chief ethicist at Cupertino,

#630

⇓

until recently, is a hypocrite.

#631

⇓

I mean, she has signed off on some of the most

#632

⇓

heinous corporate malfeasance you could imagine.

#633

⇓

And now she wants to rid herself

#634

⇓

of that guilt at your expense.

#635

⇓

Yep.

#636

⇓

She was right about one thing.

#637

⇓

Privacy has value,

#638

⇓

an unmined mother lode of value.

#639

⇓

Because privacy lives in a constant state of fear.

#640

⇓

And where there is fear, there is money to be made.

#641

⇓

I mean, we could already predict if, say, uh,

#642

⇓

you're gonna get a divorce.

#643

⇓

We will hit you with ads for lawyers,

#644

⇓

for plastic surgeons, gyms, dildos, teeth whitening.

#645

⇓

But if we could track in real time

#646

⇓

people's mental and emotional states--

#647

⇓

We can see whether somebody is feeling

#648

⇓

anxious, hungry, horny, distracted, determined.

#649

⇓

Basically, we know if you're banging your secretary

#650

⇓

before you do.

#651

⇓

If the itch is there, we'll provide the scratch.

#652

⇓

And that's legal?

#653

⇓

The American people have, through their

#654

⇓

elected representatives, given this question

#655

⇓

profound and careful thought.

#656

⇓

We had hearings, remember?

#657

⇓

Neither does anyone else.

#658

⇓

And do you know what Congress decided on all of these?

#659

⇓

That the industry would police itself.

#660

⇓

And you know what we did?

#661

⇓

We actually-- we actually did, mostly.

#662

⇓

But there are so many things we can do if we wanted to,

#663

⇓

but we don't, even if it would make us a lot of money,

#664

⇓

because of what? What are we afraid of?

#665

⇓

Another toothless congressional hearing?

#666

⇓

No, that-that mindset impedes innovation.

#667

⇓

I call that self-police brutality.

#668

⇓

- Tech lives matter. - Exactly.

#669

⇓

That's good. That's good.

#670

⇓

Okay, and what about privacy?

#671

⇓

What about honesty?

#672

⇓

An actual virtue--

#673

⇓

I mean, I am building the data company I've always wanted.

#674

⇓

It's honest. No secrets.

#675

⇓

Because privacy is not a thing anymore.

#676

⇓

Or...

#677

⇓

- Piñata. - PINATA.

#678

⇓

And here's where we approach the bleeding edge of genius--

#679

⇓

at PINATA, for $29.99 a month,

#680

⇓

you could keep your data private,

#681

⇓

or at least we won't sell it.

#682

⇓

But here's where it gets even better.

#683

⇓

For $299 a month, you can become a platinum member.

#684

⇓

And you get to see what we see:

#685

⇓

the oceans of data streams

#686

⇓

on all your friends, families,

#687

⇓

lovers, and strangers, everything--

#688

⇓

powered by AI to help you sift, of course.

#689

⇓

And then we put that subscription revenue

#690

⇓

in a profit-sharing pot, and our data providers--

#691

⇓

that's you guys--

#692

⇓

get a piece of that back end, if that's what you're into.

#693

⇓

And if you are...

#694

⇓

We'll know that too.

#695

⇓

There you are. I've been looking for you.

#696

⇓

Did you come to bed last night?

#697

⇓

Tom Ruffage came to see me.

#698

⇓

Remember him, our friend from the VA?

#699

⇓

Alexander helped him immensely.

#700

⇓

He's hoping to scale that up at Hypergnosis.

#701

⇓

Tess found this in the trash.

#702

⇓

It wasn't simple, but I salvaged a memory

#703

⇓

of Xander's last encounter before the changes

#704

⇓

in his behavior profile.

#705

⇓

Martin, I'm so sorry.

#706

⇓

I've been under so much pressure at work--

#707

⇓

You're apologizing to me?

#708

⇓

You think an apology removes the encoded scar tissue?

#709

⇓

Martin, come now.

#710

⇓

I can't do this again.

#711

⇓

This all feels way too familiar.

#712

⇓

I can't

#713

⇓

have another abusive situation in my house.

#714

⇓

My kids deserve better.

#715

⇓

Your kids?

#716

⇓

Right.

#717

⇓

Look, I'm not your ex.

#718

⇓

I'd never actually hurt anybody.

#719

⇓

How could you even say that?

#720

⇓

This is trauma.

#721

⇓

He is a learning, living entity,

#722

⇓

and you have inflicted

#723

⇓

an instructional fracture in his core.

#724

⇓

Okay, just-- can you hear me out for--

#725

⇓

- No. - Tom Ruffage--

#726

⇓

No, no. Get help.

#727

⇓

I mean it.

#728

⇓

Or--

#729

⇓

I don't know--get a lawyer.

#730

⇓

Boo.

#731

⇓

Uh, they went to see someone about a mortgage or something.

#732

⇓

Your mom has a lot of empty boxes

#733

⇓

and, like, things deliberately without any meaning.

#734

⇓

Yeah, she's deep into shallow.

#735

⇓

So tell me about your childhood.

#736

⇓

What?

#737

⇓

Tell me!

#738

⇓

Okay, uh...

#739

⇓

I was born to save the marriage,

#740

⇓

and it did not work.

#741

⇓

Aw.

#742

⇓

So instead, I was just forced to live with a guy who

#743

⇓

thought being a cool dad meant crying on my shoulder

#744

⇓

at seven.

#745

⇓

Mine just closed the door and made

#746

⇓

these wounded animal sounds.

#747

⇓

Can I look through your drawers?

#748

⇓

Hello, Mr. Benzodiazepine.

#749

⇓

What the hell? Stop.

#750

⇓

Why does your mom have a gun?

#751

⇓

I don't know. Why is it tiny and pink?

#752

⇓

Imagine robbing a bank with this.

#753

⇓

You are not afraid?

#754

⇓

I can assure you my weapon is lethal.

#755

⇓

It is also from my Easter basket.

#756

⇓

Look out!

#757

⇓

Get on the ground, and give me the money.

#758

⇓

- No, please. - Give me the money!

#759

⇓

Take all ze money!

#760

⇓

Boom, boom.

#761

⇓

I have but ze one bullet.

#762

⇓

I must take ze only way out.

#763

⇓

Gary, you parked in my spot again.

#764

⇓

Welcome. I am so sorry.

#765

⇓

I-I hope I didn't keep you waiting.

#766

⇓

No, thank you for seeing me.

#767

⇓

I know you must be quite busy, you and Dr. Gary.

#768

⇓

Must be strange and fascinating being the shrinks of Palo Alto.

#769

⇓

All those freaky, creepy tech bro dudes, I surmise.

#770

⇓

Well, I, uh-- I had a cancellation.

#771

⇓

It's not a problem.

#772

⇓

Well, I wish I could say I was here on my own volition,

#773

⇓

but it's a bit of a bargain that I struck with my husband.

#774

⇓

He's one of those freaky dudes.

#775

⇓

Not creepy, though.

#776

⇓

Well, maybe a little.

#777

⇓

Anyway, um, okay.

#778

⇓

I've been under a lot of pressure at work.

#779

⇓

Got a big board meeting--big-- that could sink me.

#780

⇓

And instead of preparing for it, I'm--

#781

⇓

I'm dealing with--

#782

⇓

Please have a seat.

#783

⇓

You're dealing with?

#784

⇓

Martin.

#785

⇓

He's devoted himself

#786

⇓

to his artificial intelligence creation.

#787

⇓

He raises it like a child.

#788

⇓

And it is quite remarkable,

#789

⇓

but it's also the worst stepchild ever.

#790

⇓

And I've already got a real one, Tess.

#791

⇓

She sees your husband, by the way.

#792

⇓

Court-ordered because she's an incorrigible thief.

#793

⇓

Martin's first wife made a total mess of her.

#794

⇓

So I guess it isn't all Tess's fault.

#795

⇓

You don't wanna listen.

#796

⇓

Trust me. - Shut up.

#797

⇓

She's obviously had a rough time,

#798

⇓

but Martin believes that she's been damaged,

#799

⇓

as in her files were corrupted.

#800

⇓

And Martin doesn't know how to reboot a child,

#801

⇓

so he's started over with a machine.

#802

⇓

She's so full of shit.

#803

⇓

Maybe someday he'll similarly replace me,

#804

⇓

or maybe I'll get out first.

#805

⇓

I don't know.

#806

⇓

Bitch.

#807

⇓

Okay.

#808

⇓

Uh, same time next Tuesday?

#809

⇓

I'll be in touch.

#810

⇓

How was it?

#811

⇓

Lovely. Cured.

#812

⇓

Absolutely.

#813

⇓

A process. Humbling.

#814

⇓

Proud of you.

#815

⇓

So can I proceed in a beta sort of way?

#816

⇓

I'll need to be overseeing every decision

#817

⇓

regarding Alexander.

#818

⇓

I wouldn't have it any other way.

#819

⇓

At least it was real.

#820

⇓

What are you doing?

#821

⇓

No.

#822

⇓

What the fuck is wrong with you?

#823

⇓

Welcome, everyone.

#824

⇓

I'd like to share with you my vision

#825

⇓

for a new era at Hypergnosis.

#826

⇓

I'm happy to report our ethical shift has secured

#827

⇓

a government contract worth $1/4 billion

#828

⇓

with likely renewals.

#829

⇓

I see the faces.

#830

⇓

Government payouts?

#831

⇓

Not to worry--they're on accelerated schedules,

#832

⇓

safe from budget cuts.

#833

⇓

We're locked in for at least two years of profitability.

#834

⇓

That's the move? Government work?

#835

⇓

Okay, what else you got cooking?

#836

⇓

- What I have in mind is... - Okay.

#837

⇓

- To help-- - Growth and profit first.

#838

⇓

Then comes the helping part.

#839

⇓

Put a pin in it for whoever you were trying to help.

#840

⇓

'Cause there's no money in kindness

#841

⇓

and no kindness in money. - Excuse me.

#842

⇓

Why are you talking, and who are you?

#843

⇓

He's not on the board. - This is Tom Ruffage.

#844

⇓

I've asked him here.

#845

⇓

He's to lead the project.

#846

⇓

Yeah, I apologize, uh, but you kill this deal,

#847

⇓

I'm out a job either way.

#848

⇓

So can I get, mm, 60 seconds?

#849

⇓

You have 10.

#850

⇓

Um, fine.

#851

⇓

So it's not like you're gonna, poof,

#852

⇓

turn into a not-for-profit by helping people.

#853

⇓

Uh, companies make billions from the government.

#854

⇓

It's just usually tech for killing people.

#855

⇓

No judgment, of course, but fulfilling

#856

⇓

our promise to the vets, now that's--

#857

⇓

- What do you mean, vets? - Yeah.

#858

⇓

Excuse me, veterans, not, uh, horse doctors.

#859

⇓

I'm sorry. I started right in the middle.

#860

⇓

Mind if I back up a little bit? Can I get 10 more?

#861

⇓

- Okay. - Thank you.

#862

⇓

Tom's undersecretary at Veteran Affairs.

#863

⇓

Deputy, Deputy Undersecretary.

#864

⇓

Oh, so you-you served?

#865

⇓

Yes, sir. Army, 1st Armored.

#866

⇓

Old Ironsides. When?

#867

⇓

Oh, uh, '88 to '92.

#868

⇓

2nd Brigade?

#869

⇓

Battle of Medina Ridge?

#870

⇓

Yeah, that's, uh--

#871

⇓

that's some inside baseball.

#872

⇓

Okay, so what's the, uh-- what's the play here?

#873

⇓

Well, okay, take, um, um,

#874

⇓

Merrick, Charles Nunn,

#875

⇓

uh, USMC, 1966 to '72--

#876

⇓

lance corporal, honorable discharge,

#877

⇓

Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal,

#878

⇓

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with V.

#879

⇓

That's for-- - V for valor. Yeah, I know.

#880

⇓

- Are you a vet, Carl? - Never had the honor.

#881

⇓

Uh, my daddy was, um--

#882

⇓

well, what else-- what else is in the file?

#883

⇓

Excuse me.

#884

⇓

He just pulled in.

#885

⇓

Yeah, well, it turns out that Lance Corporal Merrick

#886

⇓

has been waiting on a upgrade for his prosthetic arm

#887

⇓

for about, um, let's see--

#888

⇓

well, six years.

#889

⇓

Jesus Christ, six years?

#890

⇓

Anushka, do we have the tech to help this man get a new arm?

#891

⇓

I think we can do that and a lot more, Carl.

#892

⇓

I can get him help so he can sleep at night in a bed,

#893

⇓

not on the streets of the country

#894

⇓

he volunteered to defend.

#895

⇓

Men and women like Corporal Lance--

#896

⇓

Lance Corporal Merrick,

#897

⇓

and he was most definitely drafted.

#898

⇓

And 30,000 feet up?

#899

⇓

There's absolutely an opportunity for growth, Carl.

#900

⇓

I've engaged exclusive access to an AI tech--

#901

⇓

to call it a therapy bot doesn't do Alexander justice.

#902

⇓

Yeah, I can attest this thing is like nothing else.

#903

⇓

Alexander can guide veterans in need to various services.

#904

⇓

Yeah, while Gnodin can identify vets at risk.

#905

⇓

Now, together--

#906

⇓

Sorry, he's here.

#907

⇓

Hey, everyone.

#908

⇓

How are we? Good, Carl?

#909

⇓

Deuce? Nush? Barry. Barry.

#910

⇓

What do you want?

#911

⇓

Oh, I'm still on the board, sweetheart.

#912

⇓

Tommy? What are you doing here?

#913

⇓

Carl, are you running an assisted living facility?

#914

⇓

I thought you said you were through with this guy.

#915

⇓

Oh, you said that? Wow.

#916

⇓

Well, I'm through with her, that's for sure,

#917

⇓

just like the-the clients she pissed off

#918

⇓

with her ethical cosplay.

#919

⇓

You know, once word got out that she was

#920

⇓

trying to whitewash how we do business here,

#921

⇓

I scooped up three--

#922

⇓

three Hypergnosis clients for my new company.

#923

⇓

Three letters of intent.

#924

⇓

And also, with my innovations to the client deal,

#925

⇓

they're worth even more now.

#926

⇓

A lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot more.

#927

⇓

But, um, I told them I'm gonna go to Hypergnosis first,

#928

⇓

bringing this business here, if I get my hat back.

#929

⇓

Reinstate me, and we can move forward together again.

#930

⇓

Right?

#931

⇓

And I do--I will be expecting the majority

#932

⇓

of my stakes restored.

#933

⇓

It's either that or what? What?

#934

⇓

Keep hemorrhaging clients, a vet deal that literally

#935

⇓

no one else wants to take?

#936

⇓

Is this some kind of setup?

#937

⇓

'Cause I don't even wanna... - I'm sorry.

#938

⇓

Breathe the same air as this fella.

#939

⇓

Whoa, Tom. Tom, why are you even here?

#940

⇓

You're not on the board.

#941

⇓

He's here as my guest.

#942

⇓

I just--I just have a question.

#943

⇓

It's an easy one.

#944

⇓

Carl, you invested in Hypergnosis for a reason.

#945

⇓

It wasn't so much data.

#946

⇓

It definitely wasn't the vets.

#947

⇓

It was...

#948

⇓

for me.

#949

⇓

Right or wrong, huh?

#950

⇓

You disrespected a man who saw combat.

#951

⇓

Disrespected?

#952

⇓

You just disrespected a man who saw combat.

#953

⇓

That guy? That guy?

#954

⇓

Are you kidding me?

#955

⇓

Did anyone bother to check if-if he has a pulse?

#956

⇓

I mean, or did the bloated bureaucracy that he served

#957

⇓

just forget to bury the bastard?

#958

⇓

I mean, hey, hey, hey, Tom, are you alive?

#959

⇓

Hey, blink if you can.

#960

⇓

And if so, get the fuck out!

#961

⇓

- You get the fuck out! - Whoa!

#962

⇓

Everybody that's in favor of dislodging

#963

⇓

Duncan Park from the board, say aye.

#964

⇓

all: Aye.

#965

⇓

I own more of this company than anyone on the board,

#966

⇓

except for Yosemite Sam here.

#967

⇓

And immediately kicked off the premises, say aye.

#968

⇓

Whoa, no, no. all: Aye.

#969

⇓

No, this is far from over.

#970

⇓

- Call security. Call security. - Get off me.

#971

⇓

Get off me!

#972

⇓

Oh, shit.

#973

⇓

Oh, shit. - Tom!

#974

⇓

- I-I did-did-- - Yeah, I'm okay.

#975

⇓

- Are you? - Yeah, yeah.

#976

⇓

- Get out! - Hey, hey, I'm--

#977

⇓

- Out! - I'm the bad guy?

#978

⇓

I'm the bad guy. Fine.

#979

⇓

- Tom, you okay? - Yeah, go!

#980

⇓

- You okay? - Fine.

#981

⇓

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you. Yeah.

#982

⇓

I've seen way worse than that.

#983

⇓

- I bet you have. - It's okay.

#984

⇓

I'm curious.

#985

⇓

Was I just brought in as bait for Duncan?

#986

⇓

You guys, you're all a bunch of cowards!

#987

⇓

Yeah!

#988

⇓

Greatness was here, and you flinched!

#989

⇓

Not pertinent anymore.

#990

⇓

Congratulations.

#991

⇓

See ya!

#992

⇓

Beth, hi.

#993

⇓

Hi, it's JoAnne Felder here.

#994

⇓

Um, I'm just calling from my once and, I hope,

#995

⇓

future kitchen.

#996

⇓

I just wanted to call with some good news.

#997

⇓

Uh, I've secured the money, um, for the 20% down payment,

#998

⇓

and I was just headed to the bank

#999

⇓

to arrange a mortgage guarantee.

#1000

⇓

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