01x02 - The Lovers

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The Lovers , by Magritte.

Some argue it tells

the story of frustrated desire.

Others believe in its romance,

a lover’s passionate embrace.

So which is it?

Perhaps we should

ask the painter himself.

Magritte, from its inception,

always insisted there was no story.

He told critics,

“It does not mean anything.”

But what of Magritte himself?

His mother drowned herself

when he was just fourteen.

She was plucked from the river

as he watched.

Her white, wet nightgown

hooked across her face.

But of course, this painting

doesn’t mean anything.

Which brings us to

a wider discussion, of meaning.

And who decides the narrative.

Do you think they know

they’re a total cliché?

Preppy lovebirds.

He’s probably reading her Baudelaire.

From a book, too.

Jesus.

You’re failing my class, Hannah.

I’m hungover, I’m on my period,

I don’t need a pep talk right now.

How’s your mom doing?

The new round of meds are helping.

What is this, old-school irony?

Maybe I just…

like old things.

Now who's the cliché?

Get out of here.

Go. Go, go.

Jesus!

Professor Gaskell.

Walter. How can I help?

Carl’s mother died.

I’m sorry to hear that.

He’s taking compassionate leave,

so he won’t be speaking to the

trustee conference on Tuesday

and the board has asked for you.

Uh, of course, yeah.

I’ll prepare

a summary presentation for review.

David Maddox?

-Hi.

-Hello.

I’m Alison Jones.

-Hi.

-Hi.

I’m sorry, I’m having

a hard time placing you.

Have we met before?

No. No, but, um…

I have some important information

I’d like to share with you.

What kind of information?

Okay, um…

Well, it’s my test results.

Uh, our test results.

I made my profile private,

you shouldn’t have this.

I know.

I did something I’m not proud of,

and I’m sorry, but…

I had to know.

-How did you get this information?

-Illegally.

It was wrong,

but David,

I took the test two years ago,

and every day since,

I’ve woken up wondering,

whoever my match was…

Why did he take the test

if he never wanted to meet me?

I’m married.

I guessed as much.

I am too, by the way, um…

And yes,

I love my husband very much, but…

One day I woke up

and everything felt…

different.

Do you know what I mean?

I’m sorry.

Honestly, I don’t even know

what I was hoping for.

You know what, um…

I’m in town for a couple of days

with work. Um…

Maybe we can grab a coffee?

Maybe we’re supposed to be friends.

Here’s me.

Right, that’s that.

You will say something, won’t you?

He hates me.

He doesn’t hate you.

He just doesn’t think

you’re good enough for me.

He’s got that right.

-You look beautiful.

-Thank you.

So? Will you say something?

David?

Okay everyone, settle down.

Let’s get this over with.

A toast to the birthday boy.

Everyone’s favorite grouch.

A man of a thousand words,

all published,

with only a few choice ones spoken.

To my father

and inspiration.

Walter P Gaskell.

-Cheers. Cheers.

-Cheers Dad.

David. Go on.

Just one more.

Um…

To a wonderful man, a loving father,

and a cruel and punishing boss…

Walter. It must be nice having

your whole family here together.

I’m retiring

at the end of this semester.

Oh.

But as my final act,

I’m going to recommend you

to the board, for tenure.

Well, I don’t know what to say.

-Thank you.

-People will think I’m only doing it

because you’re

married to my daughter,

and I want you to know

that is exactly the reason.

What’s wrong?

Walter’s retiring.

He told you. When?

Tonight.

He’s endorsing

my application for tenure.

Oh my God, David. That’s amazing!

That’s the mountaintop.

So why aren’t we pouring champagne

all over ourselves in the bath?

He thinks I’m only with you

for your money,

and his connections.

He said that?

Inferred.

Well, that’s fine with me because

I’m only with you for your body.

You know I love you, don’t you?

Shut up, old man!

I’m so proud of you.

I do not accept

that when Kahlo looks at herself,

it’s in any sense vain

or self-absorbed.

But why did she paint herself

so much then?

55 paintings, a third of her output?

That’s a lot of selfies.

Don’t undermine her art like that.

Her self-portraits express

the physical pain of her accidents,

the emotional pain

of Diego’s affairs,

her suicide attempts.

I’m on the road usually

two weeks every month.

I could fly, but um, I just,

I don’t have the conscience for it.

Plus, I think truck stop coffees

are underrated.

I love my wife.

And I love my husband.

Then why did you come looking for me?

I don’t know.

You don’t know?

You had my account hacked.

That’s a federal crime,

you could go to jail for 20 years.

You don’t think I already know that?

I’ve never broken the law before.

See, I thought that if I came here

and I saw you, that it would

I don’t know, be enough.

But it just made

the feeling even worse.

I'm sorry, Alison.

Really.

I took the test a long time ago.

I’m a very different person now.

I haven’t told my husband.

He thinks

this is just another work thing.

Have you told your wife

I came to see you?

Maybe you’re right.

Maybe we’re meant to be friends.

We could exchange numbers,

talk in… a month, maybe.

Yeah.

Yeah, I like that, that sounds…

grown-up and practical.

Ah!

I guess we now officially exist

in each other’s world.

Then let me

officially buy the coffees.

Thank you.

Well, it was nice meeting you.

I think. I’m still trying to decide.

I’m glad you made contact.

-Are you sure?

-No.

Well, do we hug, or…?

I don’t know.

Sure.

I am so sorry. I shouldn’t, I

Oh God.

Barolo on a school night?

Yeah. It’s been a strange day.

I hope you don’t want to

talk about it,

because I need to drink water,

pee, sleep.

You coming?

After this.

-Beautiful, isn’t it?

-Gorgeous.

-How are you?

-Thank you for inviting us.

-Thank you so much for coming.

-It's wonderful.

-Hey Julia.

-Hi Sarah.

-Hi, how’s it going?

-Hi!

Ooh! I am two more no-thank-yous away

from shedding these heels

and popping a Valium.

-You okay?

-Mm-hm.

Oh my God, there’s Francis.

Come with me.

-Francis?

-Sarah!

Darling, you made it.

I love you,

thank you so much for coming.

Hey Laura, how’s it going?

So, before you tell me

you love what you're seeing,

I'd love to introduce you

to my husband, David Maddox.

He’s an arts professor

here at Amherst.

David? Francis.

Francis, what a pleasure.

Thank you so much for coming.

-It’s so good to see you.

-And this is Laura, his wife.

It's a pleasure.

Hey.

-Hey.

- Will you meet me?

-Yeah.

- Tomorrow?

Yeah.

Hey.

Hey.

Oh, uh I brought alcohol.

I love my wife.

You keep telling me.

It’s why I blocked the test.

Seemed unnecessary.

What we have, works.

Why did you take the test?

College is a great place

to meet people.

-If you’re a student.

-Hm.

The world of academia

was not leaving me a lot of room

to meet women my own age.

I’d been so focused on my career,

that I realized

I was about to hit forty,

and I couldn’t honestly say

that I’d ever really been in love.

Never?

So I took the test.

And I waited.

And then I met Sarah.

We fell in love, and I made a choice.

I only ever truly loved one person.

And it wasn’t him.

Who was it?

It was a long time ago.

We did everything together.

But then she went to college,

and fell for her professor, and…

Well, you know the rest.

She?

And her professor, huh?

So when I found out what you did,

I thought…

The universe really loves irony.

And that moment I saw you

in the parking lot,

I just knew there was no going back.

Everything I felt for her

just came rushing back.

What I first saw you,

I had the strongest feeling

that I knew you.

You do know me.

What’s up?

Yeah, um…

This seminar thing?

They want to take me out

for dinner after.

-I think it’s going to run late.

-How late?

I don’t know.

I think I might stay over.

You okay?

Yeah. I’m just tired.

Maybe a little distracted, I guess.

Okay. Love you.

Love you too. Bye.

Alison?

Hi, this is Alison Jones.

I can’t take your call right now,

but if you leave me

your name and number,

I’ll call you right back.

Gentileschi emphasizes

the physicality of the beheadment.

Perhaps drawing on

her own experiences

of the power of men.

Judith’s young maidservant helps pin

Holofernes down, an unusual detail.

Possible moment of sisterhood.

Now, if you compare

this interpretation

with Caravaggio’s vision…

Ew!

Okay.

That’s very, very funny.

Now, when I find out

who put that in there,

we’re going to have a long talk

about lighting and composition.

As I was saying…

-Alison.

-Hey, you.

What happened? Where did you go?

I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.

You looked so innocent laying there.

I tried to call you.

I’m passing back through tonight.

I really want to see you.

-Tonight? I don’t know if I can--

-I know what we did was wrong,

but I can’t stop thinking about you.

Please.

-Okay.

- Same hotel?

Yeah.

I’ll leave a key

at reception for you.

-Okay.

-Bye.

TV on.

What the hell is going on?

Hannah, what are you doing here?

Are you joking right now?

What the hell are you doing here?

We've, we’ve been…

I, I sent you, uh…

I sent you pictures.

No. No, no. What pictures,

what are you talking about?

You sent me pictures.

-What? I didn’t send you pictures.

-Yes you did, you sent…

Hannah, what pictures?

What are you talking about?

-Stop. Breathe. Hannah?

-What? No.

-Wait, Hannah, stop, stop! Wait!

-No no no no

-Hannah, Hannah…

-Get off of me!

Hi, this is Alison Jones.

If you leave me your name and number,

I’ll call you right back.

Where are you?

You need to call me and

tell me what the hell is going on.

End call.

my camera,

and this monkey grabs my glasses

and I’m screaming

“David, get the monkey!”

in the middle of Jemma el-Fnaa,

and everyone's--

There you are!

David, uh, meet Alison.

David.

-Hi.

-I came to her rescue.

You know, I swear there is

something wrong with the battery.

David, I hate cars.

I, uh, I got back and found her

stuck in the middle of the street.

It was total

damsel-in-distress stuff.

She was my knight in shining armor.

Uh, so, um, Alison is actually

thinking of moving here.

She has a secret.

She’s taken the test,

and her match lives here.

Somewhere.

But sh

The Lovers , by Magritte.

Somewhere.

But she won’t reveal who it is.

Well, he’s married…

Yeah, for now.

Ooh, it’s all very salacious.

Oh, I really should be going,

I’m supposed to be meeting him.

I’m going to be late.