♪ Head above water I'm making a way ♪
♪ It's the first of the month And the bills ain't paid ♪
♪ I'm saying Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Yeah Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Keep my family close Pick me up when I'm low ♪
♪ Hold me down on this road And I'mma bring us back home again ♪
♪ Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Yeah Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ And today I'mma Get out my way, Momma ♪
♪ They try to spray But the spirit kept me safe, Momma ♪
♪ Again Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Yeah Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Hustlin' to survive I'm just doing my job ♪
♪ Feds be blocking my shine But the sun always rises here ♪
♪ Man, this feeling's like Good Times Yeah ♪
♪ Man, this feeling's like Good Times ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
[humming]
[gasping] Okay, okay, listen. I don't have any money.
Just a couple of lottery tickets under my bra.
[rat squeaking]
- Hood rat, is that you? - You know what it is. Run those groceries.
I'm not running nothing.
I said give me them groceries.
I said no.
- [gun fire] - [dramatic music playing]
{an8}[grunting]
{an8}[rat screams]
{an8}- [hood rat squeaking] - [Beverly grunting]
{an8}You're out of bullets.
{an8}[grunts]
{an8}[Beverly sighing]
{an8}You dirty rat. Those eggs were on sale.
{an8}[Beverly] Nobody takes breakfast out of my family's mouth.
[Beverly screams]
{an8}[soft music playing]
{an8}Guess who just killed hood rat? Ha!
{an8}Won't be robbing nobody no more. Three strikes and you dead.
{an8}Finally, some meat we can afford.
{an8}[laughing] Would you stop? We can at least afford the expired, regular meat.
{an8}Things are looking up. I'm killing it. Literally.
{an8}- Whoa. It's cold! - Oops, my bad.
{an8}Did you go to the employment office like I suggested?
{an8}I don't need the city pimp to find a job. I got irons in the fire.
{an8}See, my success is contagious.
{an8}Just watch. Getting your taxi stripped
{an8}by a Latino car theft ring will be a blessing in disguise.
{an8}How in the hell is that a blessing?
{an8}I just said it's in disguise.
{an8}All I know is something good is gonna come of it.
{an8}My right eye was jumping this morning. Now I gotta run.
{an8}I'm off to do a podcast about presidential hair
{an8}called Hairy Styles.
{an8}Whoa. Hot! Hot. Hot.
{an8}I know I am.
{an8}I'll be brutally honest with you, Reggie.
{an8}Your only experience is as a cab driver.
{an8}Means I know this city like the back of my hand.
Combined with no marketable skills.
"No marketable skills?" Don't make me come through this window.
Combined with your obvious short temper,
means there's really only one job you're qualified for.
Oh, hell no.
I'll never be able to show my face at home again. I can't do this.
You get a gun and all the free donuts you can eat.
{an8}All the donuts I can eat?
{an8}No. No. No. There's gotta be a better way to get free donuts.
{an8}Like running a donut shop.
{an8}You're too stupid to run a donut shop.
{an8}But you were tailor-made for this job, Reginald.
Congrats, you're on the force.
Son of a bitch!
Hey! She's your mama too!
Would you look at what I stepped on walking through the playground?
What are you doing in the playground? You know that's the junkies' litter box.
That. Right there.
That we've normalized that kind of behavior means we've given up.
[groaning] Don't be so dramatic. Listen, I'm headed over to Skoochie's.
If I'm not back before dark, organize a search party
and use my fourth-grade picture for the T-shirts.
It's my best picture yet.
I don't get it.
Why would you agree to paint a portrait of a gang leader?
It's called bartending.
They do somethin' for me, I do somethin' for them.
That's bartering.
But in case this is the day it all goes bad,
I wrote my socials on my extremities.
Stop! Stop. Save it for the morgue.
Aye, yo, Grey.
This bottom of the cracker barrel came at me for a free bindle
because he said the militant neighborhood girl took his last.
And by process of elimination, I'm here.
Man, don't take his shit, Grey.
Oh, there's my needle! Just in time for lunch.
[sinister tone]
[phone vibrating]
Hey! Did you get my gift?
{an8}This was from you?
{an8}All right, release the usual suspects you rounded up.
{an8}You know, it's a federal offense to send dead animals through the mail.
But it got your attention, didn't it?
So would a nice edible arrangement. What's wrong with you people?
"You people?"
Yes, building managers, I mean.
You're so aggressive.
Again, building managers.
Well, speaking of that,
I wanna talk about how I can get more funds
so I can make the projects not just habitable but livable.
Wouldn't hate on a "World's Best Projects President" plaque.
{an8}Fine. Come to city hall tomorrow, and we'll chat.
{an8}Great! I'm gon' hang it right next to Black Jesus.
{an8}Ooh. Where'd they hang him? You know what? I don't wanna know.
{an8}Plausible deniability is everything in my line of work.
{an8}Wait. You giving Beverly an award?
{an8}No. No. No.
{an8}I'm simply getting Beverly to eat out of the palm of my ass.
{an8}If we plan to monetize
the prime lakefront property known as Do Or Die Projects,
we must convince the residents to move out.
And who better to convince the people than our savior, Beverly Evans?
- And what would she tell the people? - That we're renovating for six weeks.
And then they'll move back in?
Hell no!
[romantic music playing]
Mmm.
The fuck you want?
Uh, is Koochie... I mean, Skoochie home?
Skoochie! Your pizza here! And you know what?
You better not have ordered no anchovies again
'cause if I wanna eat healthy, I get a Filet-O-Fish.
Uh, it's not a pizza.
It's a painting. I'm an artiste.
You brave.
You painted his ugly ass ugly. You know your job was to fix that, right?
- Oh no. - You do know he a killer?
Uh, I forgot his beauty mark. I'll be right back.
Yo, J.R. That's your name, right?
I see you met my sister, Smooché.
I didn't know you had a sister. We have so much in common.
It's hard to imagine one of us dismembering the other.
Yeah, you know? Let's table that shit until I see my portrait.
Yo, J.R. Let me tell you somethin'.
- You killed that shit, G! [laughing] - Ooh.
My blemishes be telling my truth. Man, you a real one. I saw that.
Why you wasting your bag on a painting anyway?
It's for my wake. You never know when a ***** is gon' catch you lackin'.
You're not finna be putting me in the clouds,
with wings, a little halo over my head.
No, none of that. But real talk,
it'll be a dope-ass gift for Big Mama's 40th.
Hey, J.R. Look, why don't you do one for my sister too?
We could give Big Mama a whole set.
She can hang it up on her cellmate's side.
That's enough. Pizza Pizza a little too heavy on the likeness for me.
I don't need my blemishes telling nobody nothing.
As your older brother by 37 seconds,
and the leader of your set, and the only one in this room
who's packing heat, I say yes.
[sighing]
Get on my goddamn nerves.
J.R., when can you have it done? Next Tuesday is visiting day.
- [hip hop music playing] - [gulping]
[grunting] Monroe! You and your friends need to pack up your stuff and go.
Uh, move?
No, not move. That would imply this is your home.
Home is where the heart is, little girl.
And mine stopped right over there just the other day.
This is a city playground meant for children.
If the city cared, they'd do something about it.
But don't you care? Don't you want more out of life?
I did, sure. We all did.
- What happened? - Uh, we started doing drugs.
Drugs are better than a dream.
You can't feel a dream, but you can feel heron.
Well, the city may not care, and you may not care, but I do.
People shouldn't live like this. And kids should have a safe place to play.
Ha. You're so cute with your little ideas and your teeth.
Look, if you can find a solution that gets you to leave us alone,
I'm all for it.
Oh, I will. That's a promise.
Wait! Before you leave. Got any change?
Oh, don't worry. There's gonna be a whole lot of change.
Watch.
Welcome to the force, Evanston.
It's Evans.
You can call me Wyatt 'cause that's my name.
And as your partner, I want you to know I'd kill for ya.
Ah-ha. Legal or fucking not.
Any time.
I could be inside my wife, and I'd leave her to come have your back.
You understand me?
Huh? Oh. Oh yeah. Yeah.
We are a team. A brotherhood.
A clan... That's with a C.
Sorry. I don't usually give this speech to minorities,
which is awesome, by the way.
Big fan of affirmative action.
- [upbeat music playing] - Hmm?
[police sirens wailing]
What are you doing?
What do you mean? The cars got tinted windows, busted taillights.
I can't even see the tags through the weed smoke,
but I bet they're expired.
They look perfectly innocent.
Just some well-intentioned kids blowing off a little steam.
Must be that chronic steam, huh?
You need to get back in your vehicle.
Whoa, I'm just stretching my legs, officer.
Sitting being the new cancer and all.
Freeze! Turn it back up.
That's my jam, man.
Don't make me cite ya for breaking the laws of classic rock.
My personal fave is Kid Rock.
Looks like a full-on pharmacy back there.
That's at least 30 years. Life if they were Black.
Yeah. Well, lucky for them, they are blessed with white skin,
which makes them just small business owners
who happen to be the backbone of this great country, I'll have you know.
Here's an investment.
Go buy yourself some frozen custards, ya crazy kids.
Okay, talk fast.
Running the projects as well as I do takes up a lot of my time.
Bet you didn't know it could be this good.
No, we did not.
Well, it can be even better. And here's how.
Voilà! Total projects remodel.
We're talking full revamp. All sorts of amenities.
{an8}A pool, a fitness room, even a legit salon for your Lashes-By-Lisa friend.
{an8}Yes, we know about her.
{an8}It sounds too good to be true.
{an8}I get it.
{an8}But this is all because of you. Feel free to take a victory lap.
All right. I mean, I'm not dressed for it, but okay.
[panting]
What are you doing?
I'm, uh, taking my, uh, victory lap.
I didn't mean literally.
My bad.
Look, your leadership has given us
the confidence that it's the right time for this transformation.
All I want is for the people I represent to get what they deserve.
{an8}And now they're going to, with your help.
{an8}Consider it done.
{an8}Now what are you doing?
{an8}I'm already taking my next victory lap!
{an8}You people really like running, don't you?
You sure you don't want me to drop ya off at home?
Eh, I like to walk.
Sitting being the new cancer and all.
Well, suit yourself, Evander.
[soft music playing]
[gun fire]
Shit, I forgot to change my uniform.
What the fuck? Is that Reggie?
Mimi, I'm off that cheap shit. Just pure titty milk from now on.
- [pipes banging, squeaking] - [Reggie grunting]
[Reggie screaming]
[screaming] What the... Reggie?
Uh-oh, uh-oh. Sorry, baby. I'm, uh... I'm going to the bathroom.
Didn't want you to come in. It kills the mystery.
[sniffing] Ugh! The mystery is solved. It clearly crawled up inside you and died.
Maybe what you're picking up is the sweet aroma of success. Yeah.
I got a J-O-B.
Aw, baby, I'm so proud of you.
I knew it was only a matter of time before my shine rubbed off. What is it?
What's what, Bev?
This job that's got you smelling so... successful.
Ah, ah, I'm working for the Bureau of, uh, of Sanitation.
- [Beverly] You mean department? - Oh, we're above them, baby.
Only high-profile waste. You know, uh, stuff that's hazardous.
Anyway, I'll be right out after a quick shower.
Ugh. Why don't you soak, babe? Matter of fact, let me go boil some water.
Maybe with a dash of lye.
[keypad beeping]
Ah. Look, if you don't stay still, I'll never be able to finish.
If you don't finish this, you'll never be able to do a lot of shit.
Like, see tomorrow.
Ha. You know, threatening my life isn't helping my inspiration.
So? It's fun. It brings me joy.
Look, the sooner we get this done,
the sooner you can go back to whatever it is you like doing.
Hmm.
Messing with you might be my new favorite hobby.
Yeah... Uh. Excuse me for a minute.
Okay, this is not worth a trip to the emergency room.
She probably keeps a blade in her mouth.
Ooh. But she's so pretty.
No! No, no, no. Ignore her beauty and just paint.
Okay, dick. And, break.
[gulping]
[soft music playing]
[Beverly humming]
Hey, Mom.
Yesterday I was talking to Monroe and his friends on the playground,
and I think we need to figure out how to get them the help that they need.
Once we do that, the park will be safe.
And once the park is safe, we can clean up the sidewalks
and the rest of the neighborhood.
There's no telling how nice this community could be. Are you with me?
"Bev Gardens."
- Mom. - Isn't it beautiful?
[Grey grunting]
Mom, I gotta go paint today.
Just so you know, there's a chance I could die.
Okay, baby. I'll pray for you.
Hail Mary, full of Bev Gardens.
Reggie, you will not believe what I'm about to tell...
I can't talk! I gotta go to work.
They found a weave ball in the mainline outside Lori Lightfoot's house.
The biggest one anyone's ever seen. The size of Greenland. Maybe bigger.
Sounds serious.
A weave ball like that would shut down the whole city.
Reggie, you dropped something.
Oh. Uh, uh, thanks, Bev. Gotta go. Bye.
What a beauty.
[stammering] I know it's in here somewhere.
Your paints are pretty,
but, um, why you need all those different colors for?
You think you painting the Sixteenth Chapel or something?
I think you mean the Sistine Chapel?
No, I mean the chapel on Sixteenth Street.
The Sixteenth Chapel.
They got that dope-ass mural of Black Jesus at the Last Cookout
with him and his crew eating ribs and shit.
Ah, yeah, that technicolor jogger they got JC in is dope. Got it!
Anyway, I need all these different colors
because the human eye likes to be deceived.
I could just render your dimples with a darker shade of your cheeks,
but it wouldn't convey your natural sparkle.
So, I added some purple, even some rose,
that way it would capture the way you light up a room when you smile.
You giving all the Picasso gangsta vibes.
Believe me, I'm no gangsta. I'm not about that life.
You could be. I mean, we be having fun.
Fun? Yeah, okay.
Well, why you gotta say it like that?
We do more than kill people and get money.
We're a family... that kill people and get money.
We protect each other too.
Oh, you mean like Brandy and Ray-J?
That's what I like about you, Junior.
You so gullible.
[soft music playing]
If you please keep your hands on the wheel and remain in your vehicle, we can work...
Don't tell me what to do.
My taxes pay for this sidewalk.
And we really appreciate it, but we already called in your tags,
and unfortunately, you have like six outstanding warrants.
And that's just from this morning. So come on, bro.
If you could just do us a solid, huh? Turn around...
If I get a clean shot, I'm taking it.
Heck no, with a cherry on top.
First lesson of good policing is de-escalation.
[man screaming, groaning]
He's assaulting two officers!
I mean, yeah, but they kinda asked for it, didn't they?
Besides, how else are they gonna learn?
Are you seeing this?
Can't get this training in the gym.
Gun! Don't make me disable you with non-lethal force!
[gun cocking]
Damn you!
[moaning, groaning]
Wow.
You hear about dirty cops,
but you never think it's gonna be your own partner.
[police sirens wailing]
[Grey mumbling]
[soft music playing]
[grunting]
Hmm.
[people growling]
Stop!
[panting]
[all growling, moaning]
See you when you turn your life around.
Another day, another victory.
Man, didn't I tell you to leave them junkies alone?
[grunting]
Welp!
Man, you're strong.
Me Jamaican. Sixteen brother, 14 sister, one bathroom.
Me have to fight me way to the toilet.
Good to know, but why are you manhandling me?
I wanna know what you think you doin'.
I'm shipping them to Betty Shabaz Ford Clinic
to clean 'em up, so this could be the playground it was meant to be.
Nah, Grey. This time you going too far, man.
That was my marketing team, and I warned you to leave 'em alone.
Did you say, "marketing team?"
Yeah, this is how I make my living.
When white people see fiends around, they pay them premium prices.
Now you messin' with my money. What am I supposed to do?
Go home and be taken care of or some shit?
Yes! You're a baby!
Man, I'm not a baby. Man, don't you ever call me that.
I'm a boss. You hear me? I'm a motherfucking boss...
[nanny] Calm on down and take a binky.
Mmm. Boss.
You seem nervous.
You gotta relax and open yourself up.
Trust me.
This open enough, Junior?
[soft music playing]
Uh, yeah. Yeah, that's pretty open.
I think I can see your gallbladder. Are you double-jointed?
Do not move.
The way the light is reflecting off your piercings is bananas.
Speaking of bananas,
is that a paintbrush in your pants, or are you happy to see me?
Oh, I'm very happy.
You don't get lighting like this every day.
But stop playing with your nipples, please.
You're messing up the shadows.
Two days on the force and you're already a public relations nightmare.
I don't think anyone's ever come and gone this fast.
I tried telling him, Captain. You gotta believe me.
Captain, you're gonna fire me? Just for doing the right thing?
Have you even been paying attention the last several years?
Or ever, really? Cops who screw up don't get fired.
You two are getting promoted.
[upbeat music playing]
Oh, ho-ho. Yo-yo, this is what I was talking about.
This is some nice work, J.R.
Now, usually, I'd beat your ass for showing my little sister's titties,
but this is real art right here.
Plus, Big Mama gon' get all the commissary with this on her wall.
Man, here you go. You got a real gift, straight up.
Now step before I rob you. Burgundy Brigade got business to handle.
Well, I guess I'll see you.
Probably not, Picasso. We don't really run with the same crew.
You were really a great model.
You mean you liked my nipples.
No. I mean, yes, but not just them.
Yeah, we made a good team. It was a vibe.
And now it's done.
But I wanna see you again.
Well, unless you claiming B.B., it ain't gonna happen.
[grunting]
Hey, uh, Skoochie. What I gotta do to roll with you guys, man?
You wanna be a Burgundy?
I know I don't have much experience, but I am from the projects.
I'm a terrible student, and my teachers don't believe in me.
Is that enough for membership?
Unfortunately, we all full up at the moment, you know?
- [gun fire] - [man screaming]
A position just opened.
So... that's it? I'm in?
Almost. We just need to stamp your application.
But I didn't fill out an applica...
[Junior grunting, groaning]
I'm talking all sorts of amenities, mixed-use commercial and residential,
and even market-rate units to, you know, bring an influx of capital to the area.
If they make all these upgrades, they gonna raise the rent too?
We don't have to reapply, do we? 'Cause they drug test when you reapply.
Do this mean the smoke alarms gonna work now?
Y'all think she thought about all that beforehand?
This is not Delphine. This Beverly we talking about here.
Right. [laughing] Right.
You're only questioning it
because you didn't know it could be this good.
But don't worry, I've also gotten them to guarantee,
in verbal, to provide us vouchers for temporary housing
until the remodel is complete.
[all chattering]
And in six weeks, we can move back into a completely upgraded building.
Just imagine living in a place where everything works.
How about air conditioning in every apartment?
I know y'all be hot. Bodies in there sizzling like bacon.
You get an air conditioner,
you get an air conditioner, you get an air conditioner!
[all] Beverly! Beverly! Beverly!
Just sign your names here,
which says you agree to be out of your apartment within 48 hours.
- [man] Me first! - [woman] Get outta my way!
Dammit, Skoochie.
Told them fools not to rob you.
[coughing] Thank you, but they didn't rob me.
Wait, I guess they did. [groans]
But they also jumped me. I'm officially Burgundy.
You... joined?
Yeah. I wanna be close to you.
Aw, that is so sweet.
I knew you was a Picasso gangsta. We should get you out these clothes.
Okay. Do I get Burgundy gear?
It's more pink, but I think you'll like the way it fits.
[soft music playing]
Now I know that ain't no paintbrush in your pocket.
Actually, it's two.
But, uh, go ahead and check my other pocket.
[upbeat music playing]
Hey, Grey. We clean.
I mean, we didn't take a bath,
but we clean.
[Grey] They say it takes a village to raise a child.
But sometimes, it takes a child to revitalize a village.
Jen-Jen, come to spend-spend. What you need, girl?
Oh, this is eerie.
The junkies are working. Wait, are you wearing a wire?
Nah, I ain't wearing no wire. What I look like, 12? I'm only 2.
You know, I thought I wanted some drugs,
but this feels too safe. I gotta go.
Nah, G. Didn't I tell you not to mess with my money?
Uh, I think you said somethin' like that, yeah.
Oh, so that's what we do.
Just face it, Dalvin. Things have changed.
Great job, guys.
Remember, one day at a time, and one bag of trash at a time.
Oh, let's hurry. The sun's setting over the lake.
Wait till you see how beautiful it is with your eyes all the way open.
[soft music playing]
I hope you're happy, Evansberg.
You got us promoted to the worst neighborhood in the city.
I didn't sign up to be a cop to put my life in danger.
Are you as afraid as I am?
You got no idea.
[theme music playing]