Zoey's Extraordinary Boss is the third episode of NBC's musical dramedy Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. It aired on February 23, 2020.
Episode Summary[]
Zoey must decide whether or not to get involved in her boss's Joan's troubled marriage after she hears Joan sing a "heart song." Zoey creates a new program for the family to communicate with Mitch, but when his first word is not what they expected, Maggie reaches a breaking point.
Plot[]
Joan reminds the coders that the SPRQ Point Watch demo is in three days and asks them if they have made any progress. Zoey says they are working on it, but Joan is not content with this. Joan stresses how important her husband Charlie Bennett’s endorsement is—he carries a lot of weight in the tech world and last endorsed Uber. Finally, Joan lets the coders leave SPRQ Point at midnight after hours of work on the demo. Max questions why Charlie's approval matters so much, offending Tobin and Leif, who idolize Charlie. Zoey reminds Max that they have to meet up with Simon to help Mo audition to DJ for the SPRQ Point Watch launch party. While in the bathroom, Zoey hears Joan sing “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones. After Zoey leaves the bathroom and gets on the elevator, the song stops, but when Joan gets on the elevator, the song continues.
At the club, Zoey tells Mo that Joan just sang a heart song to her. Zoey wonders why Joan is unsatisfied, and Mo suggests that it might be related to her love life, which Zoey says she does want any part of. At Mo's insistence, Zoey says she will approach Joan later. Zoey joins Max, Autumn and Simon, and Max says Autumn can guess anyone’s drink right after meeting them. After Autumn guesses Simon's drink, a Mezcal Mule, correctly, she and Max go off to dance. Simon says he thinks Mo will be a great DJ for the launch party. Zoey and Simon discuss how their grief has affected them, and Simon mentions that he has felt guilty dancing after his father's death.
At the Clarke home, Zoey shows Maggie, David, and Emily a program she created to help Mitch spell out what he wants to say using a mouse. They watch Mitch spell out “lemonade,” which bothers Maggie a bit. When Maggie walks into the kitchen to get Mitch the lemonade he requested, Zoey goes and checked on her. She asks her mom if she feels alright, and Maggie expresses dejection that Mitch's first words in a long time were not special or meaningful.
The next day at work, Joan gets upset because someone ate all the Crunch Berries. Tobin and Leif argue over who deserves to be the lead programmer for Charlie's watch demo, and Max ridicules them for their obsession over Charlie. Max tries talking to Zoey about who should be the lead programmer, but she brushes him off and runs to talk to Joan. Zoey asks Joan if she is satisfied with her team’s performance. Joan admits she is pleased with the team's work, but she also confesses to Zoey that she has been feeling on edge lately. Joan admits that she has been frustrated with Charlie, but Zoey awkwardly leaves as Joan starts talking about her sex life. When Zoey gets on the elevator, the elevator music sounds like “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.” To Zoey's horror, the man with her on the elevator also has the song as his ringtone. Just as bizarre, as Zoey walks on the street, the car horns also honk to the tune of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."
While Zoey gets lunch with Mo at the park, he brings up the topic of Max versus Simon. Zoey protests this and says that Simon is about to get married, and Max is in a very "handsy" relationship. Mo thinks Zoey is jealous of Max and Autumn, and Zoey acknowledges that it is weird because she set them up. As Mo continues to discuss "Team Simon" versus "Team Max," Zoey hears the marching band parading by playing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Zoey asks Mo what he hears the band playing, and he says the band is playing "Yankee Doodle." Zoey laments that "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" has been following her everywhere, and Mo asks her if she has talked to Joan yet. When Zoey admits she has avoided the topic, Mo concludes that just because Zoey refuses to help someone does not mean her power will let her ignore them.
Zoey returns to SPRQ Point and walks into Joan's office. She asks Joan what is wrong with her and Charlie. Although Joan initially gives a vague response about her drama with Charlie, Zoey reassures Joan that she can vent to her. Joan asks Zoey if she wants a drink, and then she starts telling Zoey about her dysfunctional marriage.
Later, Zoey complains to her mom about having to hear about Joan's love life at work, but Maggie is exasperated by Mitch's requests. The doorbell rings, and it is Rick and Susan, who appear to be friends of the Clarke family. After the couple says they brought saltwater taffy, Zoey makes a dig at them about Mitch's inability to chew well. Maggie awkwardly invites them to stay for a cheese plate, and the couple goes off to talk to Mitch. As Maggie prepares the cheese plate for the guests, she sings “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.” When the song is over, Maggie says goodnight, but Zoey can tell something is wrong. On Thursday morning, Zoey brings bagels to the Clarke home for Emily. Zoey wants talks to David about Maggie and tells him Maggie might be in pain. Zoey suggests that they should keep an eye on her.
At SPRQ Point, Max comes up to Zoey and says that Joan is acting much nicer than usual. Joan summons Zoey into her office tells her she is bringing Zoey to a women in tech event with her in Daytona the next month. Joan also thanks Zoey for talking with her about her marriage and gives her a pair of Louboutins. Joan mentions that Charlie will arrive soon, but Zoey hears a song and remarks that it seems Charlie has already arrived. The coders and Leif start singing "Superstar," holding up Charlie over their heads and rubbing the floor at his feet. Charlie greets Joan, and Tobin and Leif approach Charlie, starstruck. Much to Tobin's dismay, Charlie says losing your virginity in Batter World does not count. Joan asks Zoey to join her and Charlie for lunch.
Joan describes to Charlie how his watch will mirror to all the devices in the room. Throughout Joan's pitch, Charlie is distracted and on his phone, and Joan gets upset with him for not paying attention. Joan and Charlie start arguing, and Joan insists that her work is just as important as Charlie's. Joan brings Zoey into the conversation, much to Zoey's chagrin. When Zoey brings something up that Joan told her about her marriage, Charlie gets offended and says he will not do the demo.
Max and the coders are crowded around a computer when Zoey tells them Charlie dropped out of the event. The coders are upset, but Max just wonders if he can eat Charlie's sushi. Simon overhears their conservation and asks what happened. Zoey tells Simon that Charlie dropped out and asks if he can replace him, and Simon sings “NO.” In real life, Simon says yes and walks away.
David and Maggie are at the grocery store on a lemonade run. When they realize the store is sold out of lemonade, Maggie gets very frustrated and bemoans how she cannot fulfill Mitch's request. Once again, Maggie laments how she thought Mitch would say something sweet, but he just asked for a beverage. David says they can just get lemonade Trader Joe's, but Maggie insists that Mitch prefers this lemonade. On their way out of the store, Maggie sees two sorority girls who have carts full of lemonade. Maggie asks if they can spare some lemonade, but the girls contend that they need all of it for their Beyoncé-themed lemonade party. Maggie, annoyed, starts grabbing lemonade and fighting with the girls.
At SPRQ Point, Simon admits he cannot find anyone to replace Charlie. Max says he can ask Shigeru Miyamoto, the game director at Nintendo, for a one-time favor, which impresses Leif and Tobin. Right after Max goes off to call Shigeru, Joan enters says Charlie is back in. When Zoey asks what happened with her and Charlie, Joan brushes it off. Max says he got Shigeru, but they all tell him Charlie is back in, and Max is crushed.
Mo brings his records to SPRQ Point, Simon takes them off his hands. Mo remarks on Simon's chivalry and declares that he is "Team Simon." Zoey tells Mo that she feels like she is not finished helping Joan yet and that she is worried about her. Mo applauds Zoey for wanting to help Joan without the universe telling her to. David calls Zoey and tells her that him and Maggie are at jail, and she should go be with Mitch.
When David and Maggie arrive at the Clarke home that night, Zoey is with Mitch. David pulls Zoey aside and tells her that says Maggie is handling the situation worse than they thought. Zoey admits to herself that problems will not just go away if she ignores them. David and Zoey agree to make a schedule to help their mom out, but they convince her first.
At SPRQ Point, Zoey is sitting with Max while they are adjusting the lights for the launch party. Max observes that Joan is back to being bossy. Zoey approaches Joan and says she is here for her if she wants to talk about what happened with Charlie. Joan confesses that she had to beg Charlie to come back and apologize to him. Joan laments how often Charlie has bailed on her before but admits that she keeps working on her marriage because she does not want to lose Charlie. Zoey tells Joan she deserves to be satisfied.
At the Clarke home, Zoey and David go to talk to Maggie. They say they want to give Maggie more help with Mitch. Maggie protests, but Zoey and David insist that they want to help make Maggie happy. Maggie sees that Mitch typed “You're amazing. Let them help.” using his computer program. Maggie gives in and says she will let Zoey and David help.
At the SPRQ Point Watch launch party, Zoey approaches Mo as he is DJing. Mo compliments Zoey's outfit and so does Max. Zoey and Max discuss Max's new hairstyle, and Autumn says she put product in Max's hair. After Max and Autumn go off to dance, Mo says Max is funny so he is now "Team Max." As Joan and Charlie are being photographed, Charlie tells Joan he needs to be out by 9:30. Joan is taken aback by this and tells Charlie he should stay in his hotel room longer, and then she leaves. Zoey finds Joan in the background, and Joan says they can just do an online demo. Joan muses that her and Charlie's marriage was always more of a business. Zoey tells Joan to do the demo since she knows the watch best. Joan starts singing “Roar” by Katy Perry and as she demos the watch at the party while the crowd dances. Zoey comes up to Simon and compliments him for his work on the party. Zoey tells Simon he should dance, so they go dance together. Mo says he is back on "Team Simon." Joan looks on appreciatively.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Jane Levy as Zoey Clarke
- Skylar Astin as Max Richman
- Alex Newell as Mo
- John Clarence Stewart as Simon Haynes
- Peter Gallagher as Mitch Clarke
- Mary Steenburgen as Maggie Clarke
Special Guest Star[]
Guest Starring[]
- Michael Thomas Grant as Leif Donnelly
- Kapil Talwalkar as Tobin Batra
- Andrew Leeds as David Clarke
- Alice Lee as Emily Kang
- Stephanie Styles as Autumn
- Bruce Dawson as Rick
- Ellie Harvie as Susan
- Justin Kirk as Charlie Bennett
Co-Starring[]
- Jinjara Mitchell as Sorority Girl #1
- Angela Nisheeta as Sorority Girl #2
- Peter Chao as Co-Worker
Songs[]
| Song Title | Original Artist | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction | The Rolling Stones | Joan Bennett |
| How Can You Mend A Broken Heart | Al Green | Maggie Clarke |
| Superstar | Jesus Christ Superstar | Leif Donnelly |
| NO | Meghan Trainor | Simon Haynes |
| Roar | Katy Perry | Joan Bennett |
Gallery[]
