Effie gets arrested, Tanya Thompson goes out with Spencer Wilson, and Esther goes to a frat party at WKU in this throwback to 2007.
Effie gets arrested, Tanya Thompson goes out with Spencer Wilson, and Esther goes to a frat party at WKU in this throwback to 2007.
Season 2 Cast (bold denotes cast appearing in this episode):
Natalie Wachen as Ashley Allen (Ester Edelman)
Chris Osbrink as Spencer Wilson
Joe D. Reitman as Stephen Sly / Elijah Edelman
Janora McDuffie as Monica Edelman
Andia Winslow as Effie Edelman
Brian N. Taylor as Vinnie Valient
Nan McNamara as Elizabeth Ellis
Eddie Goines as Wahlid Walid and Tommy
Ashley Chaney as Helen and Charlie Cole
John Kassir as Coach and Rabbi
Christian L. Scott as Tanya and Desiree
Rebecca Johnson Wendy Wilson and Yael
Jacques Derosena as Jamie Johnson
CREDITS:
Written & Directed by Natasha Lewin
Produced by DaVida Chanel Smith of Creating, Etcetera
Engineered by Tom Fritze
Casting Director Medge Ross
Music courtesy of Brian Babylon
Copyright 2021
This episode contains adult content.
EXT. CAMPUS -
Birds CHIRP. Footsteps RUN. Leaves CRUNCH.
ESTHER Excuse me, Dan??
DAN Yeah?
ESTHER
Hey, I went to Jefferson with your brother, Tim. I’m new here.
DAN
No way?? A fellow Hornet, rad!
ESTHER Yeah, I’m Esther. Hi.
DAN
Man, you’re gonna love it here. I’ll introduce you to my frat guys. We’re always throwing parties. Actually there’s a party at the Kappas tonight. You should come.
ESTHER
Cool. Thanks. I got invited to another party tonight, too. BYOB.
DAN
This one’s better. There’s free beer for pretty girls like you. Here’s my number.
ESTHER Great. Thanks.
Pen SCRATCHES on paper.
INT. BASKETBALL ARENA
CHEERS from the crowd. HORNS. Fan NOISE.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.) Welcome to opening day of the 2007 UVA men’s basketball season! Tonight your Wahoos take on the Towson Tigers at home.
FAN Go Hoos!
TANYA THOMPSON Come on Tommy!!
SPENCER Tanya?
TANYA THOMPSON Hey! Spencer, right?
SPENCER
Yeah, hi. How’s class treating you?
TANYA THOMPSON Good. You ever pick a major?
SPENCER
I did. African American studies.
TANYA THOMPSON Really???
SPENCER
Yep. Though my parents want me go into Poli-Sci like you. The proverbial apple falling close to the tree.
TANYA THOMPSON
So this is your FU to the folks?
SPENCER
Keep ‘em on their toes, right?
TANYA THOMPSON Listen, I never got a chance to apologize for my brother.
SPENCER
That’s okay. You can’t help who you’re related to.
TANYA THOMPSON
I meant for that day. He was rude for no reason.
SPENCER
I’m sure he had his reasons. But I’m not really affected by what people think of me.
TANYA THOMPSON Impressive. Sure you don’t want to be a politician?
SPENCER
Positive. Hey, can I see you again? Not here. Out.
TANYA THOMPSON
As part of your African American studies?
SPENCER
As part of my Get to Know Tanya Thompson studies. How’s Friday?
TANYA THOMPSON
I dunno. My brother’s really overprotective.
SPENCER You mean he’s racist.
TANYA THOMPSON Tommy??
SPENCER Because I’m white.
TANYA THOMPSON I don’t know about that --
SPENCER
Then don’t let him think for you. The first rule of politics is don’t let anyone tell you what to do.
TANYA THOMPSON Even the voters?
SPENCER Especially the voters.
TANYA THOMPSON
You got a weird way of thinking.
SPENCER
So that’s a yes then.
TANYA THOMPSON Okay, fine. Yes.
INT. TAXI
Car DRIVES. Cell phone RINGS.
MONICA Hello?
EFFIE (in phone) Mom? I... I got arrested.
MONICA
What?? How? Where are you??
EFFIE
At the police station.
MONICA What happened??
MONICA (CONT'D) What happened?
EFFIE I went home.
MONICA And???
EFFIE
And the alarm went off and cops came.
MONICA
Did you tell them you were in your own house?
EFFIE
Yes. They pulled a gun on me.
MONICA
Let me talk to an officer, now. A Black one.
EXT. CAMPUS
BIRDS. FOOTSTEPS. Leaves CRUNCH.
ESTHER Jamie! Jamie Johnson!
JAMIE
Hey. I know you. You used to run with Corey. Esther, right?
ESTHER
Yeah. You still talk to him?
JAMIE
Of course. Corey’s my boy. He’s at Howard now, the lucky jerk. What you doin’ here?
ESTHER I’m a freshman.
JAMIE Why??
ESTHER
Why? You don’t like the school?
JAMIE
No! I’m only here to play ball. If I knew then what I knew now, I would’ve followed Corey to DC.
ESTHER To a bigger city?
JAMIE
To more Black folks. Look around, it’s just you and me. Maybe they won’t know with you.
ESTHER That I’m Black??
JAMIE
Look, here’s my number. Call me if you need anything. Anything. Got it?
Pen on PAPER. Birds CHIRP.
INT. ADMISSIONS OFFICE CLICKING of keyboard keys. FOOTSTEPS.
WAHLID WALID
Hello, I’m a new student here. Wahild Walid.
JOANNA
One of our foreign transfers, right? I can tell by the accent.
WAHLID WALID Yes. I am from Africa.
JOANNA
Welcome to UCLA, Wa..wah --
WAHLID WALID Wah-leed. And you are?
JOANNA
Joanna, Jones. I’ll be your guide.
WAHLID WALID Pleasure to meet you, Joanna.
JOANNA
We have another transfer from Africa here.
PAPERS SHUFFLE.
JOANNA (CONT'D) Nnn-sa-no-wah?
WAHLID WALID
Nsonowa. It means she has a large family, seventh born.
JOANNA
Do all African names do that?
WAHLID WALID Offer information? Most.
JOANNA
What does Wahlid mean?
WAHLID WALID Newborn child.
JOANNA
Not very informative.
WAHLID WALID
Have you ever met another Wahlid?
JOANNA No.
WAHLID WALID
Then I am a newborn child to you.
JOANNA
True. Hey, I know Nsonowa’s guide. You want me to call him and we can all tour the campus together? You can meet one your people.
WAHLID WALID
I know enough of my people, thank you. I am curious about you though. What does Joanna mean?
JOANNA
I don’t know. Names don’t mean anything here.
WAHLID WALID
It’s a pretty name. Maybe it means ‘beautiful.’
JOANNA
Right. Okay so we have a great Black students union.... I hear. And the Black sororities always throw big block parties --
WAHLID WALID More of my people?
JOANNA
So you don’t feel alone.
WAHLID WALID
I don’t feel alone. Thanks to you.
JOANNA Mmm. Shall we?
WAHLID WALID Yes, please. After you.
INT. RESTAURANT Fine dining MURMURS and NOISE.
SPENCER
And a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape.
WAITER Very good, sir.
TANYA THOMPSON
Um, how can you order wine?
SPENCER
They know me here. I come all the time with my parents.
TANYA THOMPSON But how is it legal?
SPENCER
Consider this your second Poli-Sci lesson: Power doesn’t care about legalities. It doesn’t need it.
TANYA THOMPSON Because of money, right?
SPENCER
Money isn’t always a pre-requisite to power. It helps but --
TANYA THOMPSON So does skin color.
SPENCER
I didn’t say that. Edward W. Brooke, Blanche Kelso Bruce, even Oprah. Blacks have had a lot of powerful people.
TANYA THOMPSON Look at you and your African American studies learning. I only know one of those names.
SPENCER
Really? You don’t know your own history?
TANYA THOMPSON No, they teach us yours.
SPENCER
Ahh the allusive ‘they.’ It’s never a Black versus white issue, it’s always an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ one.
TANYA THOMPSON And you’re pro ‘us’.
SPENCER I’m pro you.
WAITER Your wine, sir.
Wine POURS. SIPS.
SPENCER Perfect.
Wine POURS.
WAITER Miss?
TANYA THOMPSON No. I’m good.
SPENCER
But it’s the finest on the menu.
TANYA THOMPSON I don’t drink.
SPENCER
Then you should start with best.
TANYA THOMPSON Well, okay. Just a splash.
Wine POURS.
INT. HOUSE - Small gathering NOISE.
DAISY
Hi!! You must be new. I’m Daisy.
ESTHER
Esther. I got a flyer for this but I’m 18 so I couldn’t 'bring my own.' Hopefully there’s some to share.
DAISY
There’s a bunch all over here. So Esther, huh? Like the queen?
ESTHER
Yep, Queen Esther, like the Bible.
DAISY
Maybe that’s what we should study tonight.
ESTHER
Hah! Bible study. Good one.
DAISY Mhmm. Always is.
ESTHER
I’m sorry, this is a Bible study?
DAISY
And a Christian mixer.
ESTHER
Ohhhh. I’m not a ummm --
DAISY What?
ESTHER I’ll be right back.
DAISY We’ll be here.
Footsteps HURRY.
EXT. STREET -
CRICKETS. Ashley LAUGHS. DIALS keypad. RINGS once.
EFFIE (O.S)
What up party people, this is Effie. Leave a message. Audi!
BEEP!
ESTHER
Oh my God, Effie, that BYOB party was Bring Your Own Bible. Call me back.
CLICK! Paper RUSTLES. Phone DIALS. RINGS. Party NOISE O.S.
DAN (O.S.) (in phone) Hello?
ESTHER
Dan?? It’s Esther. Where’s that frat party you were talking about?
EXT. POLICE STATION - CARS DRIVE
EFFIE
Grounded?! So this is my fault?!
MONICA
No. But you should’ve stayed put.
EFFIE
There’s nowhere to even go in Orange County. And you guys are always talking about how safe it is.
MONICA
For white people!! Listen to us, Effie! When we tell you girls not to do something, don’t do it. Your father and I know what we’re talking about. Now give him your phone. No calls and no going out even if there’s no where to go, got it?
INT. HOUSE - House party NOISE. MUSIC.
YAH DUDES DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!
DAN Here’s your beer.
ESTHER Thanks.
DAN
Did I see you talking to Jamie Johnson earlier?
ESTHER
Yep. He’s a fellow Hornet too, you know.
DAN
He went to our high school?? I didn’t know that. You good friends?
ESTHER
I dated a friend of his.
DAN Who?
ESTHER Corey Clark.
DAN But he’s Black.
ESTHER Yeah. Like Jamie. And me.
DAN (sotto) You’re Black??
ESTHER Yes.
DAN
Wow. You don’t look it.
ESTHER Oh-kay.
DAN
Look. I hate to ask you this, but I don’t want to get into trouble.
ESTHER For what?
DAN
We don’t have integrated parties.
ESTHER
Are you kidding? It’s 2007.
DAN
It’s also Kentucky. Do you mind... leaving?
ESTHER
Wow. What would happen if I stayed?
DAN
You could get hurt. These guys...
YAH DUDES SHOT! SHOT! SHOT!
DAN
It’s not safe. You should go.
INT. CAR - Car IDLES
SPENCER We’re here.
TANYA THOMPSON
I need to lay down. I don’t feel right.
SPENCER Want me to carry you?
TANYA THOMPSON No. Hey this isn’t my dorm.
SPENCER
I can’t bring you on campus like this. You’ll get in trouble.
TANYA THOMPSON Where am I?
SPENCER
My place. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.
Car door OPENS, SLAMS.
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