ATTENDANT BRANT CALEB CROWD DARBY DERRICK ELENA EVAN GABRIELA GARY NOLAN PAM REGGIE SARAH SIERRA TANYA TIMOTHY VANCE DARBY No, you’re busy enough today. She props her bike against a wall. Hands Valet some money. DARBY Just keep an eye on it for me, ok? TANYA I don’t see a Darby Powell. DARBY Look under the Hypester Agency. DARBY I sent in a company check last week. TANYA Ah, I remember... Your check bounced. DARBY Sorry. I’ll just pay now. TANYA We’re actually sold out. DERRICK Hi Tanya, what a beautiful name! Can she have my plus one? It’s under the Nolan Powell Agency. TANYA Tickets aren’t transferable... but I suppose I can make an exception. DARBY Well, aren’t you slick. DERRICK Just being nice. DARBY You’d say she had a beautiful name even if it was Bertha. DERRICK Hey, my Mom’s name is Bertha. DERRICK Kidding. I’m... DERRICK Derrick Henderson. DARBY Yeah, I know who you are. You’re my father’s creative director. DERRICK And you’re the infamous Darby Powell. DARBY Infamous? DERRICK Nolan brought me on shortly after you left. From what I heard your parting wasn’t on the best terms. Darby stiffens a little. DARBY I had bigger things on the horizon. DERRICK Right... Hypester. Started up your own agency. Impressive. Not sure I’d classify it as ‘bigger’... DARBY Thanks for the plus one. ATTENDANT Welcome, Mr. Powell. DARBY You again. Prince Charming. DERRICK I just wanted to say, I think your work is pretty... um... out there. DARBY That supposed to be a compliment? DERRICK I really liked the video of the dogs running the pizza joint. DARBY Pizza Portico. Got us our first award. DERRICK I’m hoping our creative gets some recognition this year. DARBY Might be tough. Most of the awards go to campaigns that demonstrate innovation. Now it’s Derrick’s turn to stiffen. DERRICK What’s that supposed to mean? DARBY Hate to break it to you... but your agency’s work is dullsville. DERRICK Dullsville? DARBY You know, sleek cars driving through the desert set to dubstep music? A little tired, no? DERRICK What would you show? A car driving through ice cream? EVAN D, Bob Rosen is here. You should meet him... EVAN And I should meet you. DARBY I can see you guys have a lot of big fish to reel in. EVAN You at least get a phone number? DERRICK Evan. That’s our boss’s daughter. EVAN That’s Nolan’s daughter? Darby Powell? They continue to work their way down the buffet line. DERRICK Besides, I’m not ready to date again. EVAN Not every woman is your ex. There are some great girls out there. DERRICK Says the man whose last relationship was... how long again? EVAN It was a really good week. And I’m still friends with Eliza. EVAN Darby might be just your type. Cultured yet rebellious... ask her to a poetry slam! EVAN She’s got that nerdy hot thing going on... Derrick sees Nolan within earshot. DERRICK Um... EVAN She is beautiful, I’m telling you- NOLAN Brilliant, too. DERRICK Hi boss. NOLAN Looks like Evan could use some water. EVAN You think that’s funny? DERRICK You literally have egg on your face. NOLAN Going to leave without even saying hello? DARBY Sorry. Little stuffy in there for me. NOLAN You’d have more success if you dressed more professionally at events like this. DARBY Thanks for the tip. NOLAN Have you thought any more about my offer to bring you back? DARBY Yes. And I’ve given you my answer. My company’s doing great. Things are best the way they are, Nolan. NOLAN Nolan...? NOLAN What ever happened to Dad? DARBY We got a fantastic write-up in the trades. A couple of sites named it ad of the day. DARBY Timothy, you remember Caleb, our account exec? CALEB Wassup. CALEB I emailed those portfolios. DARBY Thanks. And don't forget agency paintball tomorrow night. DARBY And Cody and Sierra, our creative team. TIMOTHY Good to see you both. DARBY Our last campaign put Brenners Soda on the map. Your videos are viral, your hashtags are trending... TIMOTHY And our sales are up. As your research team probably told you. DARBY Actually, we don’t rely on research here. Focus groups get you TV ads showing people frolicking on a beach drinking your soda. DARBY Fast-forward material. TIMOTHY You’ve done a really fantastic job for us. DARBY Great. So let’s get rolling on our next campaign. TIMOTHY Darby... DARBY We’ve already started working some boards... TIMOTHY Darby. His tone makes her stop. TIMOTHY We met with the Nolan Powell Agency. They’ve offered their services for the same fee we pay you. DARBY You’ve got to be kidding me. TIMOTHY We’d never be able to afford an agency that size. This is a real opportunity for us and our brand. TIMOTHY I’m sorry. Honestly, I have no idea why Nolan Powell’s doing us this favor... but we can’t pass it up. DARBY I think I know why... SARAH That’s the third account we've lost this month. DARBY I think they’re all going to my father’s agency. SARAH What kind of man tries to sabotage his daughter’s business? DARBY I won’t go back to his agency so he’s trying to bankrupt mine. SARAH They say to be a CEO you have to be a bit of a sociopath. SARAH I didn't mean you. I meant for major, successful companies. SARAH And I should stop talking. GABRIELA Hey, I’m all done photo editing. DARBY Cool, Gabby. How’d it go? GABRIELA Went ok. DARBY I’ll check it out soon. Can’t wait. GABRIELA okay. My Grandma’s coming to pick me up. DARBY ok. I’ll see you at the community center later. SARAH Your mentee is pretty sharp. DARBY Gabriela’s amazing. And I finally arranged it so that she can earn high school credit while she’s here learning some of the basics. SARAH Through your program at the community center? SARAH I love your heart. You’re a real inspiration to those girls. DARBY Not gonna be much inspiration if I let my father steal all our clients, and I have to lay people off. SARAH It’s not going to come to that. DARBY Not if I can help it. SARAH What do you have in mind? DARBY Field trip? REGGIE Uh Oh. Reggie goes to intercept Darby. REGGIE Hey there hon, where do you think you’re heading all fired up? DERRICK We open on a beautiful beach. People frolicking, drinking Brenners Soda. EVAN We think a celebrity endorsement might make them seem more upscale. NOLAN Any names in mind? DERRICK Most of their market share are moms looking to save money. If we get a celebrity mom, it’ll connect with their demographic. DARBY I don’t need an appointment, Reggie. I’m his daughter! NOLAN Sounds like my beautiful daughter has joined us. REGGIE You’ve got to calm down, sweetie. He’s in a meeting right now. Maybe I can help...? EVAN What's she doing here? DARBY I don’t need help Reggie. I need to talk to my father. NOLAN I'm guessing she found out Brenners dumped her for us. DERRICK Are you going to talk to her? NOLAN We’re preparing a contract with Brenners in my office. This is awkward... Can you stall her until I get them out of here? DERRICK Hope you remember this at bonus time... DARBY If he’s poaching my clients I’ll sue... DERRICK Nobody's suing anybody. Thanks Reggie I’ll take it from here. DARBY Get Nolan out here. DERRICK He’s in a meeting. DARBY With a client he stole from me? Other EMPLOYEES stare at the commotion. DERRICK Come on, people are trying to work here. DARBY You want to avoid a lawsuit, tell my father to stop poaching my clients. DERRICK Clients come and go all the time. DARBY Losing Brenners is a huge hit for me. I’m going to have to lay off staff. DERRICK I’m sorry, but that’s not our fault. DARBY Do you have Della’s Organic Pet Food? DERRICK We did just win that. DARBY How about Ritzo's Tacos? DERRICK Um... yeah. EVAN I’m sorry I don’t think we’ve met. I wouldn’t forget a pretty face like yours. SARAH Really? You’re kidding right? Evan blushes a little, shrugs. EVAN A little clunky? SARAH A lot. DARBY Tell him to stop trying to ruin me. Immediately. Or there will be war. DERRICK Before you launch your attack, keep in mind that happy clients don’t leave. Can’t blame the competition. DARBY Whatever helps you sleep at night. DARBY This ficus used to be in my office. It’s coming with me. EVAN Wow. I’d hate to get on that chick’s bad side. SARAH That chick is my boss and my best friend. And she has good reason to be upset. EVAN I meant that in a good way. DARBY Let’s get out of here, Sarah. EVAN But you just got here. SARAH Don't you have more of our clients to steal? Shoo! EVAN Nice meeting you, too. Sarah. SARAH Darby? SARAH Hey wait up. NOLAN Hurricane Darby is upon us... NOLAN I see even the vegetation isn’t safe. DARBY I’m taking back my ficus. Then I’m taking back my clients. NOLAN Give us a minute? DARBY At least have the integrity to look me in the face and admit it. You’re picking off my clients one by one. NOLAN Yes. I am. And it’s not easy. They really love you. DARBY At least somebody does. NOLAN Don’t say that. You’re my daughter. Of course I love you. DARBY A father shows love by supporting his daughter's achievements, not tearing them down. NOLAN I’m doing nothing of the sort. I’m giving you a... course correction. DARBY What does that even mean? NOLAN I want to buy you out. NOLAN Come back here where you can do bigleague, high-profile work, not rinky-dink taco stands and dog food. DARBY I left because I want to make a name for myself. On my own. NOLAN You’ve done that. You have a reputation in the industry and you’ve won some awards. DARBY Yet instead of congratulations I get sabotage and corporate bullying. NOLAN I know you're going to have to lay off some people. NOLAN You're in a tough spot. Take my buyout offer and you all become part of the team. DARBY Keep the ficus. And your offer. SARAH That takes some talent. DARBY I’m starting to think talent’s not enough. Maybe we can crowdsource funding for next month’s overhead. SARAH You have to let some people go, Darby. No way around it. DARBY I didn’t inherit my dad’s ruthless gene. SARAH Why is he so desperate to have you work for him again anyway? You two clearly don't get along. DARBY He promised me I’d come running back to him and I didn’t. So now he’s forcing me to. It’s a control thing... DARBY I suppose I could sell my condo and live at the office. SARAH I know you want to be everyone’s friend. But sometimes you just have to be the boss. SARAH They’ll understand. DARBY As you probably heard, we lost Brenners Soda. CALEB But we have some other stuff coming in right? I mean I finally put a down payment on that condo. DARBY Hold that thought, Caleb. I called you all here to... um... DARBY Wait, Sierra, where’s Cody? SIERRA Had to take off. His wife went into labor with their twins. DARBY I called you all here because we lost our biggest account. And... I can’t... DARBY Let it interfere with Sarah’s birthday! Woot! CROWD Happy birthday, Sarah! DARBY I’m taking us all out for cake! SARAH My birthday isn’t for another six months. DARBY Then it’s your half birthday. You get half a cake. CALEB It’s cake o’clock somewhere! DARBY I’ll figure something out. BRANT Then what? What’s our button? PAM They pitched that we have celebrities talking about staying connected with our communications App. BRANT Sounds familiar. PAM Sounds dated and completely unconnected to how our consumers can really use our software. PAM Brant... this isn’t going to work and I don’t have to tell you we are losing market share. We need more brand recognition and I think it’s high time we move in a different direction. BRANT Use a new agency? PAM Yes. BRANT Alright. Go out to Omega, HB Melvoy, the Nolan Powell Agency... see what they come up with. PAM We need to reach a younger demographic, and those aren’t the first agencies that comes to mind when I think “new and fresh.” BRANT Maybe. But we have to be sure not to alienate the older demos or our business clients if we are too out there. We need something polished and effective. PAM Come on, Brant, I’ve been your Marketing VP for five years. You have to trust me on this. We need to shake things up. BRANT Okay. We can’t stop the big agencies from sending in proposals, but you can bring in whoever you want to pitch. Let’s see this new direction, but Pam, this had better work. GABRIELA This computer is soooo slow. DARBY I know. The computers here are old. And there’s not enough of them. But this assignment should be easy for you. Of course it would help if you were looking at the computer and not at this. DARBY What’s up? GABRIELA I’m looking at some quinceañera dresses. DARBY And...? GABRIELA I’m not sure any of them would look good on me. DARBY Impossible. Lemme see which ones you like. DARBY Are you kidding me!? You would rock any of these. You are gorgeous, girl. GABRIELA For real? DARBY For real. GABRIELA Hi, Grandma. What are you doing here? Class isn’t over for another half hour. ELENA I have a surprise. ELENA I was able to reserve the center for your quinceañera party. GABRIELA Serious? We can have it here? ELENA You’re booked for the 21st. warmed. GABRIELA Thank you so much, Grandma! GABRIELA Are you coming? DARBY Wouldn’t miss it, Elena. ELENA Our whole family is so proud of Gabriela. And so excited. We’ve even got some flying in from the east coast. GABRIELA Do you have any family you wanna bring, Darby? DARBY Don’t think so. GABRIELA Why not? Don’t you have any family? ELENA Gabriella! DARBY That’s ok. I do have family, I mean my work friends are kind of like my family. ELENA Family doesn’t have to be people you’re related to. They sound wonderful and I’m sure you’d do anything for them. DARBY Alright, Nolan... DARBY You win. DARBY Ugh. It’s real. DERRICK Are you sure about this? NOLAN Sure I’m sure. What’s the issue? DERRICK Bringing all of them in here at once like this. It’s going to be chaos. NOLAN How so? DERRICK Are they going to play ball within our system, or are they in here to do their own thing? NOLAN They’re part of the Nolan Powell Agency now. DERRICK I’m not exactly confident that our cultures are going to mesh. NOLAN Derrick, you are my right hand man. I am counting on you to make this work. REGGIE This is your office. Your people will take the desks on this side... REGGIE It’s ten o’clock already. Did you give them the right address? DARBY We’re not exactly early risers. REGGIE Anything else you need? DARBY Besides a one way ticket to Hawaii? REGGIE It’s good to have you back. DARBY Thanks, Reggie. You’re the only thing in this place that makes me smile. DERRICK Good morning. Or should I say good almost lunchtime? SIERRA Where should we put this? DERRICK In storage? This isn’t a college dorm. DARBY Sierra, Cody, Derrick Henderson. Executive Creative Director and Chief of the Fun Police. DERRICK I hope you're going to talk to them about appropriate office attire. DARBY Do we have office inspections too, Sarge? DERRICK Is that a karaoke machine? DARBY Yes. For Karaoke Tuesdays. DERRICK Tuesdays are for status meetings. DARBY I promised my people our M.O. wouldn't change. This agency has enough stuffed shirts. DERRICK Stuffed shirts...? DARBY I know we may be a little untraditional. But my team is completely professional. CALEB Sorry, broseph. NOLAN How’s it going out there? REGGIE About as rocky as expected. NOLAN How’s Darby? REGGIE If you wanted to get back in her good graces, maybe you should’ve tried taking her to dinner instead of buying out her agency. NOLAN You know that wouldn’t have worked. This was the only way. REGGIE This plan of yours is a risk. You could end up pushing her further away. NOLAN I didn't get where I am today by playing it safe. REGGIE She’s not an account. She’s your daughter. NOLAN And now my employee. Whom it is my job to manage. I don’t tell you how to do your job. REGGIE Yes, you do. Every day for the last fifteen years. REGGIE And another thing. If I have to referee the X Games on my floor, I need hazard pay. One of those kids nearly skateboarded over my foot. NOLAN Message received. EVAN Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the Nolan Powell Agency. SARAH Sorry, I don't make small talk before my morning coffee. EVAN Need something? SARAH Instruction manual for the cappuccino machine. Guess I’ll just have regular coffee. EVAN If the lady wants a cappuccino, that’s what she’ll get. SARAH Are you having some? EVAN I don't need coffee. Seeing a beautiful woman like you gets my day started on the right track. SARAH I’m just here to do my job. So if you feel the need to do any buttering up, save it for your toast. EVAN All I want is a smile. EVAN Allow me... SARAH There. Got me to smile. NOLAN Even my furniture annoys you. DARBY Reggie told me you had the legs shortened so whoever sits here is in less of a position of power. NOLAN What other secrets has Reggie spilled? DARBY I’m sure she’s keeping all the good ones from me. NOLAN How are you adjusting? DARBY What am I supposed to say, Nolan? NOLAN Give it a chance. Things will be different this time. NOLAN I didn’t do this to hurt you. Just the opposite. DERRICK Uh, you wanted to see me? DERRICK I could come back... NOLAN No, I wanted to talk to you both. NOLAN Suntrasoft is looking for a new agency. DERRICK I heard. DARBY That's a two-hundred million dollar account. NOLAN And I want it. Word is they are looking to rebrand. They want Suntrasoft to be a household name and they are looking for ways to make that happen. DERRICK Pam Davis is the VP over there. I understand she’s tough. NOLAN “Tough” is understatement. And the rumor is she’s looking to work with someone smaller and edgier. DARBY Then she won’t want anything to do with the Nolan Powell Agency. DERRICK We can give them anything they are looking for. DARBY Really you don’t really think of Edgy when you think of Powell. NOLAN ok kids, play nice. We need to come up with a plan for this and it won’t be easy. They are only bringing in a few agencies for formal pitches. DARBY How are you planning to get in there? NOLAN Not me. You. NOLAN DARBY I’ll be more successful working with my own team. DERRICK I agree. I don’t need any help- NOLAN This is not a debate. I want my two top people on this. Understood? DARBY So... we’ve got the most soughtafter account in the city, with a vp of Marketing that’s already biased against us. We’ll have to put together a killer proposal. DERRICK I already have my research team on it. We can send Pam something by end of the week. DARBY I think we have to talk to her in person. DERRICK That’s not how you get into a review of this size. DARBY That’s what everyone else will be saying. Let’s go for it. Show up at her office. Convince her to let us pitch. DERRICK There are rules as to how things are done at this stage. DARBY We follow the rules, our proposal gets tossed in the trash with fifty other identical ones. DERRICK We’re not going to agree on this. DARBY Nope. DERRICK So what do you suggest? DARBY I’ll attack the pitch in my way with my people, and you do the same with yours. Then we’ll let the chips fall where they may. DERRICK Two separate proposals? DARBY We’ll both be working on it, just like Nolan insisted. DERRICK Pretty sure that’s not what he meant... Darby steps closer. DARBY What’s the matter, Derrick? Scared of a little competition? SARAH Remind me not to come on disco day. DARBY I liked the music. I could do without the strobe light though. SARAH I couldn’t tell if the woman in front of me was working her abs or having a seizure... DARBY We need to talk Suntrasoft strategy asap. SARAH Tell me, does the loser of your and Derrick’s little “wager” have to wear a gorilla suit to work? DARBY Stakes are much higher than that. It’s a fight to maintain Hypester’s creative identity. Prove to Nolan I won’t let him crush my voice. DARBY He thinks life is about selling soft drinks and software. We can do so much more with advertising. SARAH Like getting the word out about your program with the girls? DARBY That’s just the beginning. SARAH And you think playing into your father’s games is going to help with that somehow? DARBY What, I’m supposed to just give into Derrick and go along with some rank and file proposal? SARAH No... but if our team is supposed to coexist here long-term, we need to figure out how to make that transition work for everyone. DARBY Outside of Reggie, I don’t think there’s a single person from there I would have brought on at Hypester. SARAH Some of them seem nice... SARAH I was just talking to one of the account guys. Slightly obnoxious. But harmless... DARBY Well, keep your guard up. As of right now it’s “us against them.” DERRICK Darby wants to start with a face to face with Pam Davis. EVAN How is she going to manage that? DERRICK I don’t know. She’s unorthodox, but she’s smart... DERRICK You think she could be after my job? EVAN Paranoid much? EVAN From what I gather, she doesn’t want to be here at all. I think you’re reading too much into this. DERRICK I have the utmost respect for Nolan. But if Darby’s a chip off the ol’ block, then there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. EVAN You got issues, D. DERRICK You think having Darby and her people in-house bodes well for us? EVAN I don’t know. I kind of like some of the new people... DERRICK Do me a favor, keep your distance until we get the lay of the land. SARAH Hi, I’m calling for Pam Davis. From Darby Powell’s office. Yeah, I left those other three messages... EVAN Yeah, I was wondering if Pam’s had a chance to look at our proposal... the Nolan Powell Agency? DARBY Is this the Pam Davis that works at Suntrasoft? ... Oh, um... sorry for your loss. GABRIELA Awkward. DARBY Yeah. GABRIELA Even if you find this woman’s home number she’ll just think you’re a stalker. DARBY Maybe I am. DARBY Hey, I’m glad you could meet me for lunch today. Sorry about all these phone calls. GABRIELA No problem. DARBY So, did you finally pick a dress yet or what? GABRIELA I think so. Check it out. DARBY Gabby, that is... GABRIELA Is it okay? DARBY It’s stunning. GABRIELA I can’t believe my quinceañera is coming right up. DARBY Getting nervous? GABRIELA Not if you’re there with me. GABRIELA okay, time to try another one. DARBY Hi there, is this the Pam Davis that works at Suntrasoft? ... No... ok sorry... DERRICK I know! Let’s send Pam a gift basket. Then she’ll have to call us back. EVAN Think that will work? DERRICK The right gift basket always works. PAM News is officially out that we're looking for another agency... BRANT Looks like somebody loves you. PAM I hate groveling. BRANT Then you’re sitting in the wrong chair. Who have you talked to so far? PAM Just a few agencies. Nothing inspiring yet. No one I want to bring in for the formal pitches. BRANT Anything from Nolan Powell? PAM Um, I think I’ve got their proposal somewhere in my pile. I’ll get to it after lunch. BRANT I want to hear what you think. PAM I know you’re a fan of Nolan’s, but I’m honestly not expecting much... SARAH Any luck with Pam’s home number? DARBY I tried over seventy-five Pam Davises. None of them were her. SARAH Her assistant said that Pam's out to lunch right now. SARAH You have that evil plot look. Darby makes a call on her cell. DARBY What’s her assistant's name? SARAH Anna. DARBY Hello, this is Chez Sarah - is this Anna? I’m confirming the reservation you made for Pam Davis today.... Maybe she made it herself. Sure she’s not joining us today...? ... Oh, that’s a fine establishment. Sorry for the confusion. DARBY The country club at one o’clock. SARAH Wow, you are good. DARBY What is the name of the restaurant there? I always forget. SARAH Let me look it up. DARBY Email it to me. VANCE Excuse me... CALEB Yo. Vance, right? VANCE I’ve asked you three times now to turn your music down. CALEB You don’t like this song? VANCE I was just on a conference call, and I could barely hear. CALEB Sorry, broseph. I can’t do a media plan without my tunes. Maybe I could play something you like better? Check out my- CALEB Hey! I lost my work! DERRICK What’s going on here? VANCE Someone doesn’t realize that we’re in an office, not at “da club.” DERRICK Caleb, please... CALEB Darby said it was ok. DERRICK She did, huh? DERRICK You can’t do this. DARBY What are you doing here? DERRICK Saving you from a mistake. DARBY I don’t take orders from you. DERRICK You can’t just ambush Pam at lunch. DARBY Watch me. DARBY Pam Davis? PAM And you are...? Darby sticks out her hand to shake. DARBY Darby. Darby Powell. PAM Hypester, right? DARBY You know us? PAM I know everyone. I also know you just sold out to your daddy, Nolan. Darby’s flattered look disappears. PAM I was just leaving. DARBY Two minutes of your time. Please. DARBY Suntrasoft’s current ads are what I call 3-D. Dull, dated and derivative. PAM You don’t sugarcoat, do you? DARBY If you give me a chance, I think we could work extremely well together. PAM So what would you do differently? DARBY Your software offers the most modern way to communicate, yet you use old fashioned methods to sell your product. You should be using new technology to get your message out. Interactive, viral... PAM Works with the younger demographic. How would you market to businesses as opposed to young consumers? DERRICK Darby! What a coincidence running into you here. Mind if I join you? DARBY As a matter of fact, I... DERRICK Pam Davis, right? I don’t believe we’ve met face to face. I’m Derrick Henderson with the Nolan Powell Agency. Pam looks thoroughly annoyed now. DERRICK From my calculations Suntrasoft has lost twenty percent of its business clients in the past eighteen months. PAM You’ve done your research. DERRICK I think you need a major direct marketing campaign to get them back. PAM You two are at the same agency. But clearly not on the same page. DARBY Derrick and I have different philosophies. DERRICK And I believe mine would be a much better fit for Suntrasoft. A sound, research-driven approach- DARBY What's sound about junk mail? DERRICK You’d prefer singing telegrams delivered by penguins? DARBY Better than spending a million dollars on a TV ad nobody watches. PAM Before you crash another lunch, you two need to deal with... this. Whatever it is. I’m a marketing VP, not a couples therapist. DARBY We’re not a couple! DARBY Nice going. I was making progress until you made three a crowd. DERRICK You weren’t prepared for her questions. At least I know something about the account. DARBY She’s looking for a new direction. DERRICK She’s looking for a strategy. DARBY Well, thanks to you, now she’s not looking for anything from us. EVAN Hey, I seem to have lost my phone number. Think I could get yours? SARAH That’s awful. Even from you. A new low. EVAN Just trying to break the ice. SARAH I can’t have a conversation with someone who’s spouting lines from a playbook. Do they ever work? EVAN I’ve had some success asking if this is a library, because I’m checking you out. EVAN Hey, your tablet... EVAN Who’s the photographer? SARAH Me. Just a personal hobby when I have down time. EVAN You're really talented. And that’s not a line. EVAN Maybe Darby can have you do a shoot for us. Has she seen these? SARAH No. And no thanks. It’s a passion, not a profession. EVAN If you could make that one in the same, why not? SARAH Because it’s just for me. EVAN What’s the point of artwork if you can’t share it? SARAH The point is you don’t have to worry about what anyone else thinks. Plain and simple. Sarah starts to exit. EVAN Leaving so soon? SARAH I don’t think I’m supposed to be seen talking to you. You’re on Team Derrick. EVAN I don’t have to be the enemy. SARAH You're back. How did it go? DARBY Disaster. Derrick exploded the whole thing. SARAH How did he know where you were? DARBY No clue. He’s like a bad penny. You haven’t been talking to his people, have you? SARAH No... definitely not. DARBY I need another crack at Pam. SARAH Any more clandestine plots up your sleeve? DARBY Fresh out at the moment. CALEB And then the walking talking taco can say to the kid: “Super fresh!” SIERRA Then the guacamole grenade! CALEB Love it! VANCE I’m meeting clients here in five minutes! This room is a mess. CALEB We didn’t know you needed the room, we were going to clean it up. VANCE Clean it up. Now. SIERRA Chillax. SARAH What's going on? VANCE I scheduled this room for a meeting in five. And I come in to this. CALEB He’s interfering with our creative process. SARAH Caleb... just clean up quick as you can. And check the schedule before you set up in here from now on. EVAN Vance, don’t sweat it, man. You can use my office for your meeting. VANCE Fine. EVAN We just negotiated peace together. SARAH More like a temporary cease-fire. I thought we agreed we weren’t talking. EVAN I didn’t agree to anything. EVAN You have to admit, it’s a little romantic. Like Romeo and Juliet. SARAH Hopefully we won’t get poisoned. EVAN Maybe we should stay clear of each other. At least until things get less tense around here. SARAH I’ll miss your terrible pick-up lines. EVAN I might still use them if I run into you outside the agency. SARAH Like if I happened to be at the art gallery on Third Street tonight? EVAN Only if we were there at the same time. SARAH Like around seven-thirty? REGGIE Hey honey, how’s it going? DARBY Not great Reggie this hasn’t been the easiest transition. For any of us. REGGIE Give it time, Darby. Your dad really is glad you are here. DARBY Of course he is, he is always happy when he gets his way. Where is he by the way? REGGIE I am waiting for him to come down. I think he just got on the elevator. DARBY Really? REGGIE Darby what are you up to? DARBY When I was little I used to play a prank on my dad. There’s a glitch. DARBY If you press this button three times quickly, it stops the elevator. REGGIE Darby, come back here. How do you fix this? SARAH I'm taking off. DARBY See you tomorrow... SARAH You’d better go, too. You don’t want to be late. DARBY Right! Thanks for reminding me. DERRICK She’s up to something. Could be seeing Pam. EVAN I’ve never seen you so frazzled like this, D. DERRICK Darby’s not playing fair. EVAN Looks to me like you’re the one conducting illegal surveillance. NOLAN Just the lady I wanted to see, need some help with those? PAM Nolan Powell. NOLAN Pam. It’s been awhile. PAM This one is from your agency, I believe. You can have it back. NOLAN Didn’t know my team was resorting to bribery. PAM Not to mention stalking. Though I see where they get it from. NOLAN At least they went with a Michael & Marla basket. You have to admit they have class. PAM I don’t know. I met with your daughter and your creative director. They had a little tiff right in front of me. You know I am only bringing in a few agencies to pitch and they didn’t exactly impress me. NOLAN They're just very passionate about their ideas. That's exactly the kind of team you want on your side. PAM I didn’t get the sense that they were a team at all. NOLAN Derrick’s my right-hand man. And you wait: Darby’s set to emerge as one of the most influential trendsetters in the business. PAM I have to say I was impressed by what she was doing at Hypester. NOLAN And she will be even better with the resources at Powell. You will never find a harder worker. PAM All work huh? I am looking for someone who gets out of the office once and awhile. Someone who really understand people and what they need. NOLAN Darby’s working with a non-profit, too, I think. PAM You think? NOLAN She’s very independent. PAM It is sweet of you to go to bat for your daughter. NOLAN Thanks NOLAN But I have a history of striking out in that department. PAM Listen, I’m going to be at the ad agency picnic. If your people are there, perhaps we can have a chat. NOLAN Perhaps? PAM Perhaps. And only if they’re civil. DARBY Hi girls, sorry I’m late. How’s your web design assignment going? DARBY Gabriela? You okay? DARBY What’s up? GABRIELA The center fell through for my quinceañera. They found out they have to replace the pipes or something, and it’s going to take too long. DARBY I’m so sorry. GABRIELA My Grandma’s been looking for another place. Anything we can afford is already booked. DARBY I might be able to come up with some ideas. If... GABRIELA If what? DARBY If you get back to work and finish your assignment before class is done. SARAH What's good here? EVAN Not their proofreading skills. I hate to think what’s in a “Desert Platter.” Rattlesnake? EVAN I dare you to ask if it comes with a cactus. SARAH You are so terrible. EVAN Like the art we just saw? SARAH Harsh! EVAN Come on, you’re an artist. You know a gallery of your photographs would be better. SARAH You were finally being real with me, now you’re back in flattery mode. EVAN I wouldn't lie about talent. I still think you should show Darby. Work those skills. SARAH I told, I want to keep my photography separate from work. Besides, Derrick’s making her crazy right now. EVAN Making her? I think it’s a preexisting condition. SARAH Hey! Darby’s my friend. EVAN And Derrick’s mine. He worked his way up from nothing to win his position here. Now Darby waltzes back in and shakes everything up. He’s just protecting his interest. SARAH Darby didn't want any of this. EVAN Then she should let Derrick take Suntrasoft. SARAH Not her style. EVAN If they can’t work together, and neither one is going to back down, I’m afraid this could get brutal. SARAH All the more reason we definitely can’t tell them about... SARAH ...this. EVAN This what? SARAH This. Seeing each other. EVAN Oh. Is that what we’re doing now? EVAN Because I really hope it is. DARBY Why are you following me? DERRICK Oh... hey. I uh... was just grabbing some dinner. DARBY Just happens to be from a place right here. DERRICK Coincidence, right? What are you doing around here, by the way? DARBY You may be a good schmoozer, but you're a terrible liar. DERRICK Alright. I followed you. Thought you might be meeting Pam. DARBY That is so messed up! DERRICK I’m sorry. I guess this whole thing has got me a little... off balance. DERRICK I didn't know you did volunteer work. DARBY It’s a program to help high school girls prepare for careers in tech and media. I’ve been running it for a few years now. DERRICK How do you have time? DARBY No social life helps. ELENA Gabriela didn’t tell me you had such a handsome boyfriend. DARBY No... DERRICK I’m not- DARBY He’s not my boyfriend. DERRICK We just work together. But I’ll accept the “handsome” compliment. Thanks. GABRIELA I’m Gabriela. This is my Grandma, Elena. DERRICK Derrick. Nice to meet you both. Darby turns to Elena. DARBY Gabby told me about the rec room, not being able to use it. ELENA I’m sure we’ll find an even better place for her quinceañera. ELENA When we do, you should bring your not-boyfriend. DARBY I feel so bad. Gabby looks so heartbroken... DERRICK Your program must be huge boost for these girls. DARBY Yeah, but it’s hard. The technology’s antiquated. And there aren’t enough computers to go around. DERRICK I’ll bet funding is tough. DARBY I haven’t had much luck winning grants recently. DERRICK You’ve convinced your clients to spend money on much more ridiculous things. DERRICK That was just a joke- DARBY You’ll see how ridiculous my ideas are when I win that Suntrasoft account. DERRICK And the gloves come off again just like that, huh? DERRICK So Pam’s at Table 8. EVAN And our agency’s at Table 3. DERRICK Isn’t that your ex that you’re still friends with? EVAN Eliza? Yeah. DERRICK Maybe you can work your charm and get us moved to Pam’s Table? EVAN Deploying charm. DERRICK Hi Pam. Derrick Henderson. Remember me? PAM How could I forget? DERRICK I know we didn’t get off on the right foot before- PAM More like you had two left feet. DERRICK I deserve that. PAM Why do I think it’s not a coincidence you're at my table? DERRICK Give me one more shot. Pam sits back. Sighs. PAM I’m listening. DARBY Hi Pam! So nice that we’re at the same table. DERRICK Darby. Thanks for joining us. PAM What a coincidence. Do you agree with Derrick’s approach he’s been pitching me here? DARBY I’m... not sure. But I’m sure you need to take advantage of new media. That’s where we can really soar. DERRICK Are you sure you have the right table, Darby? DARBY Table eight. That’s me. I can take over here if you want to go back to your table, Derrick... DARBY I understand you’re supposed to be a table three? DERRICK Did you also understand that we were right in the middle of something here? DARBY I assumed you could use a hand. DERRICK I’m just fine without your hand, thank you. Now... NOLAN I practically begged Pam to give you a second chance. And this is how you take advantage? NOLAN You two are both acting like children, and it has to stop. DERRICK I called in an apology to Pam. If she ever listens to her voicemail. NOLAN Every agency in the city saw your ridiculous behavior. Why would a client ever give us their business? DERRICK It’s been a struggle to get on the same page ever since Darby and her team arrived. DARBY Our styles, our people... it’s like oil and water. NOLAN It’s because you can’t make it work that your teams are at each other's throats. You two are supposed to be their leaders. Setting the example. And you’re failing miserably there. DARBY Nolan... NOLAN I have to call our clients and do damage control. We’re done here. DERRICK We really made a mess of things. DARBY I haven’t seen Nolan that upset in a while. DERRICK Why do you call him Nolan, anyway? DARBY Feels more appropriate than the alternatives. DERRICK Guess he’s always been pretty tough on you? DARBY In that office it was like when I was eight years old, and I used his golf clubs to play water polo in our pool. DERRICK That's not how you play water polo. DARBY I was eight. DERRICK We’ve both been acting like kids. DARBY With grown-up sized egos. DARBY So how do we fix this? DERRICK Win Suntrasoft. We have to convince Pam to bring us in for a formal pitch. DARBY At this point, we have a better chance of riding unicorns to Mars. Derrick suddenly sits forward. DERRICK Whatever your deal is with your father, you’ve got to admit, he knows his stuff. He saw something in us that would make a great team. DARBY What are you suggesting? DERRICK Forget competing and actually work together. Come up with something they can’t say no to. Maybe there’s a chance we can still do this. DERRICK Truce? DARBY Truce. SARAH How many cups have you had this morning? EVAN I lost count. I’m trying to calm my clients after that picnic fiasco. SARAH Can you please not bring that up? EVAN ok, then let's talk about something fun. How about having our own picnic after work today? SARAH I’d love to- SARAH -have some coffee, but you finished the pot without brewing a new one! CALEB That’s rude, dude. EVAN That was for Caleb’s benefit right? SARAH Of course. And our picnic sounds wonderful. EVAN Great. And just to be a nice guy, DARBY So... Suntrasoft. DERRICK Suntrasoft. DARBY Let’s say our killer ideas at the same time. Three... two... one! DERRICK I got nothing. DARBY Me neither. DERRICK Maybe we are thinking about this too hard. Did you ever notice how you get your best ideas when you are in the shower or jogging or something. DARBY Actually yes. DERRICK Sometimes, when I’m stuck I like to get away from work for awhile. Get my mind on something completely different. DARBY Like what? DARBY You give me grief about foosball and karaoke, and you run out to play remote control boats? DERRICK I love this place. It’s quiet, no wifi... DARBY Maybe that’s our angle. “A world without Suntrasoft...” DERRICK Hey! No talking about work. DARBY Can I try? DERRICK Sure you’re qualified to drive one of these things? DARBY I’ve got a clean maritime record. DARBY I never would have pegged you for a ship captain. DARBY What else is going on behind that manicured exterior? DERRICK What you see is what you get. DARBY Really? No exotic pets? Secret identities? Femme fatale lady friends...? DERRICK Last woman I dated would be Miranda Hope. DARBY Ooo... DERRICK You know her? DARBY We’ve met. You know those mean girls from high school? I bet she made them cry. DERRICK She can be really nice... when she wants something from you. DARBY What happened? DERRICK We worked together for another agency. Started dating right after I was first hired as creative director. She wanted me to give her all the best assignments. DARBY Yeesh. DERRICK But her work wasn’t all that great. When I didn’t give her what she wanted she ditched me for my former “best friend,” who was starting his own agency. DARBY One advantage of being too busy to date. Avoiding back-stabbing situations like that. DERRICK You’re accelerating too fast out of the turns. DARBY Better not make any “female driver” jokes. DERRICK You’re a lot better than me when I first started using this thing. DARBY It really is pretty here. Think they’d rent it out for a private function? DERRICK You mean for Gabriela’s thing? Darby nods. DERRICK Can’t hurt to ask. DARBY Hi, how much would it be to rent out the park for a party? GARY What kind of party? DARBY A quinceañera. GARY Free. GARY When do you want it for? DARBY The twenty-first. GARY What month? DARBY Uh... this month? GARY Have to book six months in advance. GARY Park policy. DARBY Is it booked on the twenty-first, or...? GARY Doesn’t matter. Rules are rules. DERRICK Listen, Gary. Great name by the way... DERRICK This quinceañera, it’s for a young woman named Gabriela. DARBY I’m her mentor. DERRICK She lives with her Grandma. She’s a good girl, and she studies hard... DARBY And she needs just one day in her life when she feels like a princess. DERRICK Their other venue fell through at the last minute... DARBY And six months away just isn’t going to cut it. DERRICK Any chance you could make an exception for Gabriela? DARBY Just this once? GARY You two must be in sales or somethin’. NOLAN Reggie, remember that campaign I did for that little bank, you know the one. REGGIE You mean the one that turned that little bank into the biggest bank on the west coast and won a ton of awards, yes I’m familiar. NOLAN I was just thinking maybe something like that might work for Suntrasoft. REGGIE Except that was 5 years ago and I thought Suntrasoft was looking for something new. Look, don’t give up on Darby and Derrick. I still think they will come up with something great. NOLAN I don’t know, this wasn’t what I had planned when I brought Darby back. REGGIE Maybe because Darby isn’t one to take orders, she does things her own way. Sort of like her father. SARAH These are delicious. EVAN Thanks. My panini press broke so I had to put some muscle into it. SARAH It doesn't take a bodybuilder to mush a sandwich. EVAN Just wanted to show you my arms. SARAH What was that? EVAN Nothing. SARAH You can tell me if it’s a girl. I won’t be jealous. EVAN It’s not a girl. It’s not even a human. EVAN It’s an auction that I’m watching. For a... nevermind. SARAH If this is going to work you have to keep it real. EVAN I collect action figures. SARAH Toys? EVAN No. Action figures. From sci-fi shows. SARAH Why wouldn’t you tell me that? EVAN Because it’s weird. SARAH You don’t have to sell yourself to me like I’m a client. I want to know who you really are. EVAN So you don’t think it’s nerdy? SARAH Totally nerdy. But if that’s who you are, it's ok. SARAH Any other hobbies I should know about? EVAN If you ever hear me tell Derrick about my hockey league, it’s actually an a capella group. SARAH Why do you hide who you really are? EVAN Doesn't fit with the Evan brand. SARAH News flash: the real Evan is much more appealing than the “Evan brand.” EVAN I’ll keep that in mind. SARAH It’s not the most original subject, but I want to get these clouds. EVAN You're a true artist. SARAH Not... EVAN You are. It’s part of the “real Sarah.” And I just want to see her shine. DARBY Suntrasoft... sun up... sun down... sunshine for everyone? DERRICK My brain is fried. Maybe we should pick it up tomorrow. DARBY I want to brief our teams tomorrow so we can all start cranking on this. DERRICK Are you one of those people that never sleeps? DARBY When I worked for my Dad - the first time - I made a point to be the first one in and last one out. DERRICK So you could win his approval? DARBY No, Mr. Freud. I had to prove that I was there because of talent and hard work, not because of my dna... DARBY Everything I accomplished was discounted by people who said I only succeeded because I was Nolan Powell’s daughter. DERRICK I was the first person in my family to go to college. DARBY So you're an overachiever. DERRICK I started as an assistant and worked like crazy for every promotion. I want to be at the top of my game. Like your father. DERRICK Your mom. Is she...? DARBY She divorced Nolan, moved out of state right after I graduated high school. DERRICK That’s tough. DARBY I think she was just... lonely. DARBY I know I can’t complain. I’m so fortunate compared to a lot of people. But... DERRICK I get it. DARBY I started hanging around at Nolan’s agency after school. One day I realized I loved advertising as much as I loved spending time with him. DERRICK dna aside, you really are good at what you do. And I’d definitely rather be on your side than competing against you. DARBY Better get back to it. DERRICK Yeah. DARBY Sorry to bore you with family history. DERRICK I wasn’t bored. Hey, we all have our stuff, life can be hard. DARBY Wait, what did you just say? DERRICK I’m not sure. DARBY I think I have an idea. DERRICK So we show all these situations where Suntrasoft can improve their consumers’ lives. The tag is “Suntrasoft. Because life is hard.” DARBY And we do funny viral videos where we go back in time and show how Suntrasoft could’ve improved things. NOLAN What’s the plan for the pitch? DERRICK Darby will start out with the creative, she has some great ideas. DARBY And then Derrick will come in with the research, he has come up with some really interesting things. I think Pam will be impressed. NOLAN Since when do you believe in research? DARBY I’m starting to come around. NOLAN I love it. It’s great. I knew you two could get it done if you worked together. DARBY There’s still the problem getting it through. DERRICK We’ve pretty much burned our bridge with Pam. NOLAN Keeping fine tuning, and leave that aspect to me for the moment. I might have a workaround. DERRICK Before we get into the Suntrasoft pitch, let’s take care of a little housekeeping. DARBY Caleb, you’ll turn your music off during working hours. CALEB But I need my tunes. DARBY Use headphones. DERRICK And from now on, my people will be allowed to dress in any casual attire you please. VANCE Even silly ties? DERRICK Use your discretion for client meetings. But sure. DARBY Sierra, don't bring your ferret into the building. SIERRA Fine. But she only dug up the rug in my area. REGGIE I see you got them to make up. NOLAN They’re working together. Finally. My plan is falling into place. Winning this account is going to make Darby look great. REGGIE And Derrick too. NOLAN Of course. DARBY I have to head to the community center soon. DERRICK Hang on. I’ve got something for you. DERRICK It’s research on young women in tech. How having a skill like coding raises their self-esteem. Stuff like that. DARBY You really spent time on this. DERRICK You said you needed help getting grant money. DARBY Thank you. So much. DERRICK Happy to help. It’s a great cause. DARBY Derrick? DARBY Our guest speaker canceled. Would you want to talk to the girls about careers in advertising? DERRICK Talk? DARBY Just twenty, thirty minutes. Doesn’t have to be anything formal... DERRICK I’d love to. DERRICK Computer skills are important in advertising. Art direction, web design - learning these skills will help you compete in the job market. DERRICK Gabriela? GABRIELA I heard that most agencies are made up mostly of men. Is that true? DERRICK I don’t have any specific numbers for you on that... DERRICK But I can tell you that in the agency I work for, my female colleagues are extremely talented. DERRICK You all, right here in this room... you represent the future of our industry. Think about that. It’s pretty awesome. After meeting you all... I can definitely say that the future is looking bright. GABRIELA Derrick’s really cool. DARBY Yeah, he’s alright. GABRIELA And super cute. DARBY Excuse me? GABRIELA I think you like him. DARBY Worry about your course assignments, not my coworkers. DERRICK What was the consensus? DARBY That you were cute. DERRICK Not what I was going for, but... DARBY You really connected with them. It was powerful. DERRICK I was just being honest. ELENA Your offical invitation for Gabby’s quinceañera. Thank you so much again for helping us find a new venue. DARBY So glad it’s working out. Derrick helped, too. GABRIELA Are you coming? ELENA We’d love to have you. GABRIELA Unless you’re too busy... DERRICK No. No, I’d love to. ELENA Where are you off to now? Are you leaving us? DERRICK I was just about to... ELENA I made my famous mole for the group. Stay, join us. Please. DARBY This is so good. DERRICK Incredible. Truly. GABRIELA Grandma makes the best mole in the world. DARBY Must really tough to make. Aren’t there like a hundred ingredients or something? ELENA I can give you the recipe. DARBY I’d mess it up for sure. GABRIELA Grandma’s teaching me. It’s not that hard if you follow directions. DERRICK That’s where Darby would have a problem. She’s not good with rules. GABRIELA Darby’s a rebel. DERRICK Rebel, huh? DARBY That’s right. DERRICK I am getting stuffed. ELENA Well, you aren’t leaving here til you eat some more, Mister. DERRICK Only if Darby has more, too. DARBY Don’t have to twist my arm. DARBY They really love you. DERRICK No. They really love you. DARBY I love them, too. But if I can’t get a new grant, I’ll be letting them down. DERRICK Research numbers will go a long way. I’ll dive in more tomorrow. DARBY You have enough on your plate. You don’t have to. DERRICK I want to. For them. And for you. DERRICK You’re different, Darby Powell. DARBY How’s that? DERRICK Most people I know pretend to be nice. But they’re really just out for themselves. DARBY Sounds like you should start spending more time with new people. DERRICK I like that idea. DARBY Me too. DARBY So...I’ll see you tomorrow. DERRICK See you then. BRANT Same time next week? NOLAN I’ll get a seven a.m. tee time. PAM Seems like you and Brant had a productive morning. NOLAN Just catching up with an old friend. PAM You went over my head and got yourself a pitch meeting, didn’t you? NOLAN Sorry if I stepped on your toes. But after the picnic I knew you weren’t going to budge. PAM You do realize that everything still has to go through me? NOLAN I understand. And I know how much Brant values your opinion. There’s nothing I can do if you shoot us down. PAM Quite a gamble. Taking the chance of alienating me. NOLAN I’ve developed a pretty good sense of when to gamble. PAM Manipulating people is a sticky game. Things rarely go as planned. NOLAN Throw me a bone then. All we really want is to make you happy. PAM So far I’ve heard very few actual ideas, and a whole lot of bickering from Derrick and Darby. Needless to say, your team has not impressed me. NOLAN I understand that, that’s why there is no more team. PAM What does that mean? NOLAN I think Darby really has a handle on what you are looking for. She will be making this pitch on her own. DERRICK Then we show how Suntrasoft would have made their lives easier. DARBY And we’ll include a link to the webisodes with our historic and literary characters. EVAN I think Pam will be blown away. DERRICK What is it? DARBY I don’t love the background we are using for this. I need something else. Evan takes the photo off the easel. EVAN Wait a minute, Sarah might have something we could use. DARBY My Sarah? DARBY Wow. I had no idea... SARAH Evan! SARAH What are you doing? EVAN I was pitching you as a photographer for the Suntrasoft presentation. DERRICK Your work is impressive. Sarah glares at Evan. SARAH I told you specifically that it was just for me. And you went behind my back? EVAN If you won’t sell yourself then somebody has to. SARAH I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t interesting in “selling myself”. DERRICK You two are friends? EVAN Uh... apparently not anymore. Thought I was doing her a favor. DARBY Maybe give her some space right now, Romeo. DERRICK Getting late. Quinceañera time. DARBY I know, I’ve just got so much to get done before I can leave... DARBY I’ll meet you there. DERRICK You sure? ELENA Eat something. GABRIELA Hi, Derrick! DERRICK You look really pretty, Gabby. Thank you so much again for having me. ELENA Of course. GABRIELA Where’s Darby? DERRICK She’ll be here. Any minute. She was just... Derrick suddenly stops... ...as Darby enters, wearing a gorgeous dress and evening makeup. It takes his breath away. GABRIELA Darby! Gabriela goes running over to her. DARBY Sorry I’m late. DERRICK Wow! DARBY You sound surprised? Should I be offended right now? DERRICK You look beautiful. DARBY Go! Smiling, Gabriela goes with him. ELENA What about you two? Derrick smiles at Darby. DERRICK Shall we? DARBY Sorry I stranded you here alone for a bit. DERRICK I was well taken care of. DERRICK I know we’ve had our issues... DARBY Issues? What issues? I don’t recall any issues. DERRICK I wasn’t so sure I could trust you at first. But now... DARBY Now...? DERRICK I think you’re the most honest person I know. DARBY I trust you, too. DERRICK Good. Because I meant what I said before. DARBY What? DERRICK You look really beautiful. DARBY You’re not so bad yourself. GABRIELA Cake! DERRICK You wanted to see me? NOLAN C’mon in. NOLAN Tim wants to talk about the Brenners Soda radio strategy. Can you meet over there Wednesday at eleven? DERRICK Uh... did you forget we have the Suntrasoft pitch at that time? NOLAN Darby’s going to handle it. Alone. DERRICK What? NOLAN I met with Pam, and I think it’s for the best. DERRICK Darby and I did the work together. As a team- NOLAN Darby is the team now, Derrick. That’s what I’m telling you. DERRICK This isn’t fair. Those are our ideas. NOLAN Maybe so. But now it’s Darby’s time to shine. I want her center-stage on this. She’s my daughter. DERRICK And I’m your creative director. NOLAN I need you on other projects. Derrick stiffens. DERRICK I think we should see what Darby has to say about this- NOLAN She agrees that it’s best approach. DERRICK Wait... she was part of this decision? DERRICK Nolan just told me you’re doing the pitch without me? DARBY Yeah... I guess so. He said there was some Brenners emergency? DERRICK Is that why you stayed late last night? DERRICK To make changes because you knew you were taking over this pitch. DARBY What...? No. Derrick, I didn’t know about any of this until this morning. DERRICK That’s funny. Because it’s feeling like you had it planned this way the whole time. DARBY You’re not making sense- DERRICK I’m not? DARBY I told you, I just found out- DERRICK And you thought it was the “best approach”. DERRICK Are you after my job, too? At least have the decency to say it out loud. DARBY Derrick, that’s not fair. How could you ever think of me like that? DERRICK I’m just reading the writing on the wall, Darby. DARBY Derrick! Wait! DARBY This is crazy. I’m not like your ex. DERRICK No. You're just like your father. DARBY What did you do? NOLAN I did what I thought was best for the agency. And for you. DARBY Derrick and I had a good thing going. Now he thinks I betrayed him. How is that best for anyone? NOLAN You don’t need him. You don’t need anyone. NOLAN When you win Suntrasoft - and you will - it will be the greatest single success you’ve had in your career. This is your moment. And you’re going to use it to carry you into the next phase... DARBY What are you talking about? NOLAN Sit down. NOLAN Please. NOLAN I’m getting to the point where I have to face the fact that I can’t do this forever. I have my legacy to consider. And I want that legacy to include you. DARBY How do you mean? NOLAN I want to make you my partner. NOLAN You’ll bring your creativity and ingenuity to the table. And I’ll groom you to be a major player in the big leagues. DARBY But... Nolan- NOLAN And, eventually, I’ll leave the agency to you. NOLAN Aren’t you going to say something? DARBY I just... never saw this coming. NOLAN This is our chance to work together. Me and you. Side by side. DARBY You really want that? NOLAN Yes, I do. But most of all, I want to give you what you’ve always wanted. DARBY Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me? SARAH I lost one a bag of nails and now this is going to be super lopsided? DARBY About Evan. For a random coworker you got awfully mad at him. SARAH Fine. I didn't want people to know in case things fell apart. Now he thinks I’m crazy. DARBY Better that than a backstabbing hypocritical Daddy’s girl. SARAH Derrick called you that? DARBY He thinks I conspired with my father to kick him off the Suntrasoft pitch. SARAH Are you going to accept Nolan’s offer to become a partner? DARBY Never in million years would I have guessed that he’d offer me that. SARAH What about your dream of your own boutique agency? Something that’s really you? DARBY That didn’t work out. SARAH Don’t forget why. SARAH Say you accept. Where does that leave you and Derrick? DARBY I don’t think there is a me and Derrick... DARBY How could he say those things to me? How could he even think I was capable of that? SARAH Put yourself in his shoes. SARAH Darby, this is your dad manipulating both of you. DARBY This is the first time I’ve actually felt respected by Nolan. First time I’ve felt like he wanted me to be a real part of his life. SARAH But if this his way of making that happen...? It’s like... emotional blackmail. DARBY I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here. SARAH I think you need to consider the price of the offer on the table... SARAH And the possibility that Nolan is trying to turn you into something you don’t want to be. DERRICK She couldn’t even admit it. She lied to my face. EVAN That doesn’t seem like Darby. DERRICK I should have known better... EVAN I saw the chemistry you two had when you were pitching. It was real. You gotta take a minute and think about all this. DERRICK Oh, I’ve thought about it. I’ve already made some contacts. As soon as I get another opportunity I’m out of there. EVAN Don’t be so hasty, D. DERRICK Nolan’s forcing me out anyway. EVAN You don’t know that- DERRICK And Darby was in on it the whole time. EVAN From what you said, you’ve barely given her a chance to explain. DERRICK I don’t know if I’d believe a word that comes out of her mouth at this point. EVAN All I’m saying is, you’re pretty worked up right now. And this sounds like it’s about a lot more than just a job. EVAN If you care about her, you should listen to her. DERRICK Is that what happened between you and Sarah? You didn’t listen to her? EVAN Don’t blow it like I did. Not if you think there’s any chance this could really be something. DARBY Wanted to let you know I’ll be gone for a couple hours this afternoon. NOLAN Why? DARBY A meeting at the community center. NOLAN Community center. Right... NOLAN I’m thinking you should skip that. DARBY What...? Why? NOLAN Suntrasoft pitch tomorrow. Got some tweaks I’d like you to make. DARBY I thought you wanted me to pitch it my way? NOLAN It’s just my input. Also, I’m sure there’s extra prep to do because DARBY That was your decision. Not mine. Ignoring her statement, Nolan rises. Paces. NOLAN About your volunteering... NOLAN I can’t have your attention divided between your career and your hobbies. DARBY It’s not just some hobby. NOLAN I didn’t set all this up for some part-time commitment. I need onehundred and ten percent. DARBY You are getting a hundred and ten percent. I’ve put in absurd hours since I’ve been back. And what do you mean by “set all this up?” NOLAN Bringing you back to the agency- DARBY By stealing all my clients away. NOLAN And positioning you to succeed with Suntrasoft- DARBY By using Derrick to get the pitch together, then kicking him off at the last minute. NOLAN I’m only doing what’s best- DARBY For this agency? NOLAN Yes. And for you, Darby. NOLAN I told you. I want us to work side by side. DARBY If you wanted me back in your life, you could have just talked to me, and not just about work. How about asking me about how my life is going? DARBY You could stop manipulating for once, and just be my dad. NOLAN Darby I never meant to manipulate you. DARBY Yes you did Dad. It is how you operate, you manipulate everything. Me, Derrick. I just don’t understand why he would think I was in on it too. NOLAN Well.. DARBY Wait a minute, Did you tell Derrick I was part of the plan to force him off Suntrasoft? NOLAN I thought it was best to show solidarity behind my decision. DARBY You showed him I was a liar. DARBY I don’t want to give up my program at the community center. And I don’t want to do the Suntrasoft pitch without Derrick. NOLAN He really means that much to you? DARBY I... appreciate what you’re trying to do here. I do. But you’re doing it all the wrong way... DARBY I don’t want your life, Dad. DARBY Thought I’d find you here. DARBY You’ve been ignoring my messages. DERRICK I don’t think we have a lot to talk about. DARBY I was just as blind-sided by Nolan’s Suntrasoft decision as you were. DERRICK Is that so? DARBY Yes. And I told him I don’t want to do the pitch without you. DERRICK I’m sure you’ve got it under control. DARBY I realize how this might have looked. But you can trust me, Derrick. DERRICK How am I supposed to know that? Darby, peeved by his reaction. DARBY I thought you knew me. DARBY Guess I was wrong. REGGIE I understand you’ve got a little debacle on your hands? NOLAN It’s under control. Reggie eyeballs him. NOLAN Fine. It’s a mess. REGGIE That’s what happens when you try to play people like pawns on a chess board. NOLAN Darby’s too smart not to see the opportunity. REGGIE And if she really loves Derrick, she’ll never forgive you. NOLAN She has to learn her priorities. REGGIE I think she already knows her priorities. And that’s exactly why all this blew up in your face. NOLAN Believe it or not, I only want what’s best for her. REGGIE If you could do things over again, would you still choose work over Darby’s mom? REGGIE Because from what I can see, you’re pushing her down the same path that you now regret taking. NOLAN I already lost her mom. I don’t think I could deal with losing Darby. REGGIE Then you’ve got some work to do. And I’m not talking about Suntrasoft... REGGIE Hopefully it’s not too late. NOLAN I’ve still got a chance. REGGIE What makes you say that? NOLAN She called me Dad. DARBY Ok and everything is loaded onto the tablets. CALEB Yup, just checked it. DARBY Oh, I think I left the handouts in Nolan’s office. Sarah can you run up and get them for me? SARAH On it. EVAN Hey Darby, I just wanted to wish you luck on the presentation. I know you’ll do great. DARBY Thanks Evan. Um have you seen Derrick? EVAN He’s waiting for the me up in the conference room to go over the Brenners strategy. DARBY Oh. DARBY Oh wait Evan, you should take the elevator. I think I saw someone working on the stairs this morning. EVAN Really? Thanks. DARBY Caleb I have a job for you. EVAN Hold the door. EVAN Hey. SARAH Hey. SARAH We're stuck! EVAN Must be fate. SARAH Must be Darby. I think she somehow set us up. EVAN Good because I have been wanting to talk to you. Sarah... I’m sorry I overstepped my bounds. I shouldn't have acted like I knew what was best for you. SARAH Maybe I overreacted. You were just trying to be nice. EVAN I should have listened to you and respected your wishes. EVAN You might find this hard to believe... but I’ve always had trouble with relationships. SARAH Why would I find that hard to believe? EVAN I’d meet a girl who was fun. Then get bored and date a smart girl. And I could never resist a beautiful girl. But you’re everything. SARAH Now that's a smooth sales pitch if I ever heard one. EVAN No pitch. No lines. You wanted the real Evan? This is me. SARAH Pleased to meet you, Real Evan. EVAN The pleasure is all mine. They join hands. Kiss... SARAH We should probably go. EVAN If I had reception I could get us out of here... EVAN You could've gotten us unstuck at any time? SARAH Darby can’t really keep a secret. They share a laugh. CALEB I think that’s it. DARBY Thanks guys. SARAH Here it is. DARBY Perfect, thanks. Interesting elevator ride? SARAH Very, I’ll tell you about it later. You ready? DARBY I think so, I studied up on Derrick’s research last night. I just wish... SARAH Yeah, I know. Good luck all right and call me as soon as you are done. DARBY I will. REGGIE Are you just going to leave it like this? NOLAN I’m not sure what I can do. REGGIE How about admitting you were wrong? EVAN So then I think we should look at their appeal to the younger demo. D? D? DERRICK Sorry, um yeah that sounds good. EVAN You know you could still go after her. Do that pitch together. DERRICK No she can handle it. NOLAN Hey guys. Evan could you give us a minute? EVAN Sure thing. NOLAN Darby told me she wanted to do to pitch with you. DERRICK You both made it pretty clear that I wasn’t needed. NOLAN Darby had nothing to do with my decision. She didn’t know anything about it. DERRICK Is this you angling for me to run over there and join the pitch now for some reason? NOLAN No, this is actually me being honest. DERRICK I appreciate what you’ve done for me in the business. But with all due respect, you don’t know much about honesty. NOLAN Maybe not. But I’m learning. Derrick glances over at him. NOLAN She brought out a spark in you. And you in her. DERRICK I know. We worked really well together. NOLAN This isn't just about work. I don’t want to ruin an opportunity for her. Something that could mean more to her life than any pitch. NOLAN My dream has always been to build up my agency and leave it to Darby. I know I never considered your expectations in that regard... or even hers. And that was selfish. DERRICK I don’t know quite what to say here. NOLAN You don’t have to say anything to me. Just please don’t punish Darby for my mistake. DARBY ...and we see how Romeo and Juliet could have avoided all the tragedy if they had just had Suntrasoft messaging. All the creative for television, web, everything is connected by our tag line: “Suntrasoft. Because life is hard.” BRANT Your ideas are fresh, and the use of humor makes Suntrasoft more relatable. PAM I like that, too. The creative is great Darby, but what does the research say? DARBY The research, right. DERRICK I think this is where I come in. DERRICK Sorry I’m late. DERRICK Just had to get a few things straight. DERRICK So if you will look at your tablets you will see that the latest research shows that consumers in the target demographic... PAM I have to say I wasn’t sure you two would ever get on the same page but you really impressed me. You work well together. DARBY We think so. PAM We have a few more pitches to hear but you are definitely in the running. I will call you with our decision. DERRICK Thanks Pam. DARBY Yes, thank you. DERRICK I’m sorry. DARBY I’m sorry. DARBY I’ll go first- DERRICK No, I’ll go... DERRICK I might have some trust issues. DARBY I might have some daddy issues. Derrick smirks. DARBY Listen, we make a really great team. DERRICK I agree. DARBY What if we were to branch out? Together. DERRICK You mean start our own agency? DARBY I think we’d be unstoppable. DERRICK As incredible as that sounds... DARBY You don’t think it would work. DERRICK It’s not that. DARBY Then what? DERRICK Talk to your dad again first. Give him one more shot to make things right with you two. DARBY On one condition. DERRICK Alright... DARBY If we both stay we have to promise: Nothing that happens there interferes with our relationship outside work. DERRICK Sounds fair to me, but... DARBY But? DERRICK That means we should probably define what that is. Our relationship outside of work. DARBY You mean put it into words? DERRICK Yeah. DARBY I think I’ve got a better way. VANCE Caleb, you’re going down! CALEB I’m gonna slaughter you! REGGIE Hey guys, take a time-out. We’re meeting in the conference room. DARBY I brought you all in because I have an announcement. SIERRA Better not be Sarah’s birthday again. DARBY We just got word from Pam Davis... And we won Suntrasoft! DERRICK Great work, everybody! NOLAN I knew you could do it. DARBY Derrick and I did it together. Nolan nods, turning to her. NOLAN When Pam called to award us the account, she told me how fantastic you and Derrick were together. DARBY So you’re saying I was right? NOLAN Not just about that... NOLAN I do want you back in my life. But the way I went about getting that was wrong. I’m sorry. NOLAN I want you here. But I don’t want you to be me. I want you to run the agency how you see fit... NOLAN And I think you should run it with Derrick. NOLAN What do you think? DARBY I think that sounds... amazing. NOLAN You deserve to have it all. DARBY I hope I can... NOLAN I know you can, Darby. DARBY I’ve always wanted to make you proud. NOLAN Trust me. You have. DARBY Hey, just the guy I wanted to see. I got the grant for the community center. DERRICK You’re kidding! DARBY Nope, new computers all around. DERRICK That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. DARBY Back to the day job... does Monday work for the Suntrasoft kickoff meeting? DERRICK Yeah, I believe so... A beat. DERRICK We’re going to need designated times when we don’t talk about work. DARBY And how will I know when those are? DERRICK Well, I could give you a signal. DARBY Such as...? DERRICK Kickoff... kickoff... I just thought of a great idea for their Superbowl ad! DARBY Superbowl? If we’re going to spend that kind of money it should be for a virtual reality campaign... DERRICK Oh, please...