Not My Cup of Tea

THE DOUBLE[S]

Alice, a seemingly ordinary office worker at the wellness company Trulie, begins to unravel after discovering she is part of a hidden hierarchy known as

Key takeaways

• The episode explores systemic oppression through a metaphorical hierarchy where 'Majors' dominate and 'Minors' are devalued based on appearance, success, and social status.

Main topics

• Workplace hierarchy and class oppression
• Identity crisis and self-worth

Notable quotes

"The Doubles. Episode 1."

"You don't ask, you don't get."

Conclusion

Alice's descent into madness is both personal and systemic—her hallucinations and rage stem

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:03) You can't do this to me! Who the fuck do you think you are? Speaker 2 (0:18) I'll give you anything you want. Just please, please let me go. No, Speaker 1 (0:24) no, no, not my hair. Please don't cut my hair. It took me five years to grow it this long. You'll kill my career. Speaker 2 (0:34) My double sent you, didn't she? Speaker 1 (0:36) This isn't supposed to happen to me. The Major! Untie me! This is Speaker 2 (1:06) The Doubles. Episode 1. Speaker 3 (1:33) Alice! Where Speaker 5 (1:35) were you? You missed Sunrise Office Yoga. Shh! You Speaker 2 (1:38) get us into trouble. Speaker 5 (1:40) I need to test something on you today. No. Speaker 2 (1:42) My face peeled for three days last time. Speaker 5 (1:45) No, no. It's a tea. Just a tea. Speaker 2 (1:47) What kind of tea? Speaker 5 (1:48) Magic. Mushroom tea. Okay, it might be slightly hallucinogenic, but that's why we're testing it. What? Speaker 2 (1:54) No. I'm swamped trying to decode audience Speaker 3 (1:57) data. Alice, since you're so chatty, maybe you'd like to share your daily intention with the staff. What? Uh, Speaker 2 (2:02) no. I'm good. Sorry. Speaker 3 (2:17) Namaste, everyone. Find a seat and the staff meeting shall commence. Speaker 5 (2:20) Uh, PM, I gotta finish that magic tea write-up and Alice is gonna help. Speaker 3 (2:25) Right. I'm gonna help. Fine. Scram. On my desk by lunch. Speaker 5 (2:30) Thanks, PM. You Speaker 3 (2:31) got it. Oh, come here. Concho! Oh, oh, okay. Ass cheeks like ripe cantaloupe, that one. Speaker 5 (2:43) Okay, what in the gluteus maximus is that? Speaker 2 (2:46) Concho is just some dumb Japanese game I told her about where the kids try and poke each other in the butt crack. She thinks it's hilarious. Speaker 5 (2:53) Okay, well, she's like begging to get me too'd. Speaker 2 (2:55) Oh, it's not that bad. You're lucky you're her favorite. She's never tried to touch my butt. Speaker 5 (3:01) Listen, everyone here, including Pete M., is aware of how essential you are. Speaker 2 (3:05) Well, not aware enough to land a promotion. Or a raise. At this point, I'd settle for a high five. Speaker 5 (3:11) Listen, you don't ask, you don't get. What Speaker 2 (3:13) if they laugh at me? Speaker 5 (3:14) Your inferiority complex is out of control today. Speaker 2 (3:16) The only thing I can control is how hard I work. The late nights will pay off. They have to. Speaker 5 (3:23) Oh, girl, you are brave going in there. Ew! Speaker 2 (3:27) What is that smell? Wilted kale? Curdled almond milk? Ew! This takeout bag has been sitting in the fridge for weeks. Someone stole my frickin' coconut yogurt. I Speaker 5 (3:39) thought you didn't buy in all this wellness bullshit. Isn't that yogurt like 25 bucks a pop? Speaker 2 (3:43) It is the only one that doesn't hurt my tummy. Tea time. Cheers. That's my girl. I taste like peat moss. And feet. Who Speaker 5 (4:00) is that? Speaker 2 (4:04) Hi, I'm a little lost. Do you mind pointing me in the direction of the conference room? Speaker 5 (4:09) Ciao, Bella. I'm Donovan. Speaker 2 (4:12) Celia. Celia Chow. I just moved here from London. Speaker 5 (4:16) And this loopy girl is Alice. Uh, Speaker 2 (4:20) hi. Speaker 5 (4:21) She's like employee number four. Okay, I guess she doesn't have a title, but she does pretty much anything PM wants her to do. Speaker 2 (4:27) Nice to... Oh, sorry. Yeah, sorry. Go ahead. Speaker 2 (4:33) Why are you carrying cauliflower? Oh, I love snacking on raw veg. I can't stand to eat any processed food. Right. Speaker 5 (4:42) You'll fit right in here then. Alice, why don't you stick that in the fridge and I'll show Celia to the conference room. Speaker 2 (4:49) Donovan, come here. Did you double bag that magic tea or does Celia look exactly like me? Speaker 5 (4:55) Oh my god, Alice. Don't be so racist against yourself. Not all Asians look the same. Do you hear that? What is that? Speaker 2 (5:18) I'm typing. No, Speaker 5 (5:19) no, listen. Speaker 2 (5:21) Oh, yeah. I think the crying's coming through the vents. I reported it to HR, but I still hear sobbing at least twice a week. Speaker 5 (5:28) That's creepy. Oh, and our salads are here. I ordered mine topped with dressing, so we need to hurry. What salad? Okay, wow. Kimmy with an I didn't take your order? It's for Celia's welcome lunch. Ugh. Speaker 2 (5:39) They always forget about me. So rude. Speaker 5 (5:43) Listen, do not take that personally. Mean girls are gonna mean girl. Speaker 2 (5:46) Right. So... Was I hallucinating this morning or did a naked man walk out of your bedroom? Speaker 5 (5:53) Don't make a big deal over it. What? Speaker 2 (5:56) You never have overnight guests. Speaker 5 (5:58) Do I need your permission? Speaker 2 (5:59) Of course not. Is it serious? Speaker 5 (6:03) I mean, it's seriously sexy. Only Speaker 2 (6:05) if you like overly manscaped body hair. Speaker 5 (6:08) Okay, what crawled up your butt today? Speaker 2 (6:09) Oh, wait. Check out this clip of Celia I found online. Speaker 5 (6:15) Ooh, Celia was in an underground punk band? Yeah. That's cool as shit. Speaker 5 (6:21) Wait, okay, this is really good. Speaker 2 (6:24) And this is after she was a National Geographic explorer and wrote a New York Times bestselling memoir. But before, she married a minor prince of Liechtenstein. Speaker 2 (6:36) Come on! Does she not look exactly like me? I... I... you Speaker 5 (6:42) know, I don't see it. I don't see it. Well, look Speaker 2 (6:44) closer! Come on, Speaker 5 (6:46) Al. You're like complete opposites in every way. Speaker 2 (6:48) Awesome! So I'm dumpy, boring, and unaccomplished. No, Speaker 5 (6:52) don't do that. You always do that. What? Speaker 2 (6:55) It's called self-deprecation, okay? When Speaker 5 (6:57) you say something, you give it form, and it becomes real. Speaker 2 (7:00) She asked for a one-on-one meeting. Speaker 5 (7:03) She's doing them with everyone. Celia's cool, I promise. Okay. Speaker 2 (7:09) Go get your salad. I know how much you hate limp lettuce. Speaker 5 (7:13) Love you. Speaker 2 (7:20) Another in? Little more. Snitch. More. Right there. Stop. Alice! The work crews are almost done here. Have a seat on my posh new sofa. Speaker 2 (7:35) Designer furniture, art on the walls. You move in fast! Well, fast is the only speed