Hope is trying to get over a recent breakup with her on-and-off-again boyfriend Tre whilst her mother, Mrs Kat is visiting and cramping her style. Brianna is secretly dating Jamie, a younger man, and trying to decide if she’s about that Cougar life. Chanise finds herself no longer an empty nester when she gets a surprise visit from her ex Lionel after he’s released early from prison.
SEASON 1: EPISODE 1 (It's Complicated)
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Episode One: It’s Complicated
SCENE 1
INT. HOPE’S TOWN HOUSE – BEDROOM - MORNING
FX: SUBTLE MOANS FILL THE AIR AS HOPE MASTURBATES
HOPE: Right there…. mmmmmm Yes.
HOPE: (V.O.) If you knew how long it’s been for me, you wouldn’t be judging right now. It’s been 3 months since Tre, and I broke up and I didn’t have any back-ups. Am I crazy or have I peaked sexually since I turned 40 two weeks ago? I mean, I am so damn horny. You know it’s bad when the trash man starts looking fine. I mean, his arms when he picked up the trash on Wednesday….
HOPE: Mmmmmmm. Uhhhhhh. Uh. Uh. Uhhhhh
FX: SUDDEN KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
HOPE’S MOM: Hope!
HOPE: Mom, wait!
FX: THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN.
HOPE: (V.O.) There I was lying on my back with my panties around my knees. My mom looking back at me as she frantically pullw the door closed. Shit!
FX: THE DOOR CLOSES
HOPE’S MOM: (OFF) I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to see if you were getting up anytime soon.
HOPE: Mom, it’s 8 a.m. on a Saturday.
HOPE’S MOM: (OFF) I know you’re not an early riser like your sister. Get back to, ummm, whatever you were doing. (PAUSE)
I made breakfast if you’re hungry.
FX: FOOTSTEPS OF HOPE’S MOM WALKING AWAY
HOPE: (V.O.) I hate it when she compares me to Faith.
HOPE: I’m coming.
(THEN TO HERSELF)
Not exactly the way I wanted to, but…
HOPE’S MOM: (OFF) Wash your hands!
FX: WE HEAR WATER RUNNING AS HOPE WASHES HER HANDS.
SCENE 1A
INT. HOPE’S TOWN HOUSE – KITCHEN – MORNING - CONTINUOUS
FX: HOPE STUMBLES OVER A FEW THINGS ON HER WAY IN.
HOPE: Mom, what is all of this?
HOPE’S MOM: Surprise!
HOPE: (V.O.) My mom always does this to me. She comes to visit and redecorates my entire house without asking. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the thought, but I like my place just the way it is. No matter how many times I say it though, she’s going to do what she wants.
.
HOPE’S MOM: You don’t like it.
HOPE: It’s different. (BEAT) I like it, I like it a lot.
HOPE’S MOM: Oh, I knew you would. Here sit down and I’ll get your breakfast.
FX: HOPE PULLS OUT HER CHAIR AND SITS DOWN. HOPE’S MOM GRABS A CEREAL BOX. AND POURS HOPE A BOWL.
HOPE: You got me out of bed for cereal?
HOPE’S MOM: I’m retired.
HOPE: From work or life?
HOPE’S MOM: Both. Now, eat your breakfast.
FX: HOPE EATS HER CEREAL AND HER PHONE RINGS.
PHONE: Dead to me. Dead to me.
HOPE’S MOM: Is that my son-in-law? Answer it.
HOPE: Mom.
FX: THE RINGING STOPS.
HOPE’S MOM: Honey, I know you just turned forty, but, trust me, before you know it, you’ll be 50. Then in your 60s and although I still look good for 68, I’m feeling it. Oh, and when stuff starts to shift. You’re going to be screwed.
HOPE: (V.O.) And so it begins, the broken record narrative that I’ve been hearing since my younger sister Faith got married before me several years ago. She has two kids in and doesn’t seem that happy to me. But, apparently in everyone’s else’s eyes, she has it all. And according to my mom- what’s love got to do with it?
FADE
SCENE 2.
INT. BRIANNA’S CAR - MORNING
F/X: THE CAR IS RUNNING AND KISSING SOUNDS.
BRIANNA: (V.O.) So, this is what I’ve been missing. (BEAT) I’m making out in front of a coffee shop in a car. The last time I made out like this was when I lost my virginity in the back of Xavier’s car in 11th grade. What am I doing? (BEAT) He’s the youngest man I’ve ever date. Eighteen years younger than me, but I couldn’t help myself. Jamie puts the F in fine and he puts it down, down, DOWN! I’m testing the waters. I haven’t told anyone about us yet cause I ‘m not sure if I’m ready to be a cougar.
FX: THEY STOP KISSING
JAMIE: The coffee shop closes at 9 tonight. Are we still on?
BRIANNA: Wait. Babe. (BEAT) You have lint all over you. I can’t let you go to work like that. Just let me. One sec.
FX: BRIANNA GOES INTO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND PULLS OUT A LINT BRUSH.
JAMIE: (Laughing) Brianna, what the heck is that?
BRIANNA: It’s a lint brush.
JAMIE: Are you serious?
BRIANNA: Arms up.
FX: RUNS THE BRUSH OVER HIS SHIRT.
BRIANNA: There isn’t that better?
JAMIE: Much better. (BEAT) So, I’ll pick you up later?
BRIANNA: Jamie, baby, I thought we could stay in.
JAMIE: And thought we could get out, so, 10pm.
BRIANNA: What should I wear?
JAMIE: Wear what you like.
BRIANNA: Where are we going?
JAMIE: It’s a surprise.
FX: JAMIE EXITS. THE CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES, THEN IT OPENS AGAIN. JAMIE STICKS HIS HEAD BACK IN.
JAMIE: Panties optional.
BRIANNA: Whatever you say.
BRIANNA: Whatever he says? Who am I?
FADE
SCENE 3.
INT. CHANISE HOUSE - MORNING
FX: TALKING SOUNDS
CHANISE: (V.O.) I FaceTime with my son Legend every Saturday morning before track practice. My baby is a track star at University of Georgia. He’s the first one in the family to go to college. Okurrrrrr. (BEAT) He’s such a good boy and I’m not just saying that because I’m his momma. Everyone always says, ‘Chanise, you smother him.’ That’s my son. I pushed him up out of this cooch. So, mind your business. Besides, I can’t help being proud of my baby. We’re over here breaking generational curses.
LEGEND: (DISTORT) Coach said he thinks I could make the Olympic team.
CHANISE: Legend?
LEGEND: What? Mom. What?
CHANISE: I see that. (BEAT) You letting bitches put hickeys on your neck now? (BEAT) Don’t try to hide it now. You should have covered it up before getting on this video call.
LEGEND: Mom, please stop cursing and relax.
CHANISE: You really work my nerves. Bring a baby here if you want to.
LEGEND: Mom, you don’t have to worry.
FX: A WHISTLE BLOWS IN THE BACKGROUND
LEGEND: I have to get to practice. I’ll call you later okay.
CHANISE: Go ahead. I’m going to catch up with….
FX: THE FACETIME HANGS UP
CHANISE: …the girls. (BEAT) I love you too.
FADE
SCENE 4.
INT. YOGA STUDIO – DAY
FX: BUSY SOUNDS AND COMMOTION WITH PEOPLE SETTING UP. THE GIRLS ARE LAUGHING.
CHANISE: (Laughter) You didn’t lock the door?
BRIANNA: Masturbation 101. Locked doors and music.
HOPE: I literally froze.
BRIANNA: I thought she left.
CHANISE: Momma Kat don’t play about her time with her baby.
HOPE: No girl, she extended her stay until Mother’s Day.
BRIANNA: That’s an entire month away. (BEAT) You’re better than me. I can’t take my mom for more than 2 days.
CHANSIE: Try 2 minutes.
HOPE: I just hope she’s okay. You know, she’s become a little clingy in recent years. Which I love, but I feel like there’s something she isn’t telling me.
BRIANNA: It happens as they get older. It’s like role-reversal. They become the child and you become the parent.
CHANISE: I can relate, cause, I can’t wait to see my baby. We
Facetimed today.
BRIANNA: How is he?
CHANISE: He’s doing the damn thing. It seems like he’s been gone forever though.
HOPE: Girl, it’s been barely 8 weeks.
BRIANNA: It’s going to be an adjustment. You sacrificed a lot and you raised a great man, all by yourself.
HOPE: Think about all the time you get back to live your life.
CHANISE: I don’t even remember what that looks like.
FX: MEDITATION MUSIC PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND
INSTRUCTOR: (D) Everyone please give yourself the space you need. Then let’s inhale.
FX: A NOTIFICATION COMES THROUGH ON HOPES PHONE
HOPE: Let me turn this phone off before I get kicked out.
BRIANNA: (CLOSE) You’re back on “It’s Complicated?” I thought you were done dating online.
HOPE: (CLOSE) I go back and forth. Online dating is like a book. You pick up where you left off, except now you have new titles.
INSTRUCTOR: (D) And downward dog. And let it out.
ALL THE GIRLS: Haaaaaa
BRIANNA: (CLOSE) Look, I’m all for however you want to find love. But sometimes if you sit still long enough, love may find you.
HOPE: (CLOSE) Well, I sat in my place doing nothing for months the last time Tre and I broke up and guess what happened? Nothing. Bri, you ghosted the last guy you dated, and he seemed like a keeper.
BRIANNA: Not even close, a few weeks after we started dating, he asked me to stop wearing make-up and to not wear weave. Wait a minute, when you met me, I was wearing make-up and a weave.
CHANISE: (CLOSE) I remember the days when you couldn’t walk through the spot without a man checking on you, seeing if you need something and being like ‘I got you.’ Now, they be like ‘bae take the trash out’ and ‘when you going to take me out, I want to feel special.” I am not looking forward to getting back out there. At least with Legend, I had an excuse not to be bothered with all the extras. What am going to do now?
HOPE: (CLOSE) Well, you better get unbothered. Cause this right here is a whole new age of dating.
BRIANNA: (CLOSE) There’s still some good ones out there.
HOPE: (CLOSE) Maybe, but most of them are married.
INSTRUCTOR: Sssshhhhhhh
FADE
SCENE 5.
INT. YOGA STUDIO – LATER
ALL: Namaste
FX: COMMOTION OF PEOPLE MOVING AROUND.
BRIANNA: I love yoga. It opens the pores and lets all the impurities out.
CHANISE: Sure, smells like it.
HOPE: All it does for me is sweat out my natural.
BRIANNA: That’s not what you said last time.
HOPE: You right. It does help the flex ability. (BEAT) So, are you ladies down for Bluebirds tonight?
BRIANNA: I can’t tonight. I’m working.
CHANISE: You’re working on a Saturday night?
BRIANNA: I told Vivan I would help her out with this movie.
CHANISE: Still being her sidekick?
BRIANNA: Whatever.
CHANISE: Well, lock us in for next weekend. Since you have a schedule and all.
BRIANNA: We’ll talk way before then.
FX: BRIANNA LEAVES. WALKING AWAY.
CHANISE: Did you see that shit? She didn’t even flinch from what I said about Vivan.
HOPE: And that pep in her step.
H & C: Ohhhh, she’s getting some from somewhere.
FADE
SCENE 6.
EXT. HIDDEN HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD – LATER
FX: NEIGHBORHOOD SOUNDS. DOGS BARKING. PEOPLE SAYING HELLO. CHANISE OPENING MAILBOXES UP AND CLOSING THE.
CHANISE:(V.O.) The best part about working for the post office is I don’t have to take my work home. The worst part is when they say rain, sleet, or snow, they mean it. (BEAT) I’ve been at the post office so long that I landed one of the most prestigious routes around. I work in a high-end community called Hidden Hills. All the money folk live over here and even a few celebrities. You wouldn’t believe the gifts I get around the holiday season. Baaabby! (BEAT) So, I have to be very discreet, although one time I did help Hope to get some scoop on JLO when she was living here. (Laughing) I can laugh about it now, but I thought I was going to lose my job behind that bullshit. So, despite being in uniform, I try to always keep it cute. I never know when I might meet a nice rich man. The men with money in my hood were drug dealers, pimps, or a few sorted rappers. They would take a bitch to Red Lobster. Red Lobster was it back in the day the’. Right!
FADE.
SCENE 7
INT. HOPE’S CAR - LATER
FX: LISTENS TO MUSIC
HOPE: (V.O.) Taking my mom to run errands is an all-day thing. Thank God, this is our last stop. I told her I would ait for her in the car. I hate bumping into people I know when I’m not looking my best. But of course, that’s the only time it happens, when you’re looking a hot ass mess.
FX: SUDDENLY THERE’S A KNOCK ON HER WINDOW.
HOPE’S MOM: Hope, look who I found. He offered to bring my bags to the car. He’s such a gentleman. Don’t be rude. Say hi.
HOPE: (D) Hey.
HOPE: (V.O.) It’s no one other than my tired ass ex Tre. Of course, my mom would bump into this fool at Target of all places. Pretending that he wants to help my mom to the car so he can come begging. And now he’s standing here breathing on my window.
HOPE’S MOM: I’m going to take this cart back. You two talk.
TRE: (D) I’ve been calling you.
HOPE: (D) I can’t hear you. What?
TRE: I said, I’ve been cal... (BEAT) Can you be an adult for two seconds and roll the window down?
FX: HOPE ROLLS THE WINDOW DOWN A SMIDGE
HOPE: What?
TRE: I’ve been trying to reach you.
HOPE: And?
TRE: I know it’s been a few months since we’ve spoke. You know Hope, I feel like I can never live up to whatever it is that you want. I know it’s over. I know we’re done, but I didn’t want you to hear this from anyone else. I’m getting married.
HOPE: You’re WHAT?
TRE: I don’t know. I met Amy……
FX: HOPE REVERSES HER CAR AND IT SCREECHES AS SHE AIMS FOR TRE.
TRE: Yo! Yo! Yo!
HOPES’ MOM: (Screams) Hope! Hope! Whaaaaaaaaat are you doing?
FX: HOPE’S STOPS THE CAR ABRUPTLY. HER MOM GETS IN AND SHE ACCELERATES OUT OF THE PARKING LOT
HOPE’S MOM: What the heck happened?
HOPE: (V.O.) I couldn’t bear to hear her ‘I told you so’s. Or her telling me my expectations are too high. So, I played it off as just another argument. Argggghhhhhhhh! Why didn’t I keep going? I wanted to run him over so bad, for every time he told me he loved me, every time he told me he couldn’t live without me and for every time he begged me to stay.
FADE.
SCENE 8.
FX: CHANISE PULLS UP IN THE DRIVEWAY AND GETS OUT THE CAR. SHE PUTS THE KEY IN THE DOOR AND ENTERS HER HOME. SHE HEARS SOMETHING FALL.
CHANISE: Legend?
FX: CHANISE RAMBLES IN HER PURSE TO GET HER GUN AND COCKS IT.
CHANISE: I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing in my home, but today is your lucky…..
LIONEL: Hold up! Don’t shoot.
CHANISE: Lionel?
CHANISE: (V.O.) I know that voice from anywhere. Lionel’s my baby daddy. He got a 15-year bid for robbing a bank after I told his dumb ass to just get a regular job. I will admit shit was hard for us at the time. Legend was only 5 and I was temping at the post office. One part of me wants to kick him the hell out my house, but the other part of me wants to make up for lost time. So, of course I did what any real bitch would do. I welcomed him home.
FX: LIONEL AND CHANISE ARE HAVING SEX.
LIONEL: Daddy missed you!
CHANISE: I missed you too.
FADE