Land of Enchantment (The Curse)

Whitney (Emma Stone) and Asher Siegel (Nathan Fielder) are a newly married couple co-starring on their new HGTV show, Fliplanthropy, in which they use their real-estate-development company to help locals in Española, New Mexico, although their plans are often criticized as gentrification. While filming the pilot, producer Dougie Schecter (Benny Safdie) decides to exploit an interview with a Hispanic family in order to draw more emotion for viewers, making the Siegels uncomfortable.

After watching a cut from the pilot, Dougie tells Asher that the project is not working as it feels like an infomercial and that they need to retool it. During an interview, Whitney is questioned about the Bookends Buildings, properties owned by her slumlord parents which residents call "Hell on Earth". Asher loses his composure and aggressively shuts down the topic, but the Siegels are worried that the fragment will be aired. Asher talks with the reporter, insisting they are "good people" and convincing her that he can give her another news story if she drops the fragment. Dougie and Whitney argue when Whitney wants him to stop filming. Dougie lies and promises to stop, but tells Asher to give a little girl, Nala (Hikmah Warsame), a $100 bill under the pretense of using it as B-roll, but is actually trying to get Asher mic'd for his conversation with the reporter. When they finish filming, Asher takes the $100 bill back, angering Nala. She "curses" him, but Asher dismisses it.

Asher and Whitney have Shabbat dinner with Whitney's parents, Paul (Corbin Bernsen) and Elizabeth (Constance Shulman). Whitney unconfidently sings the bracha over the Shabbat candles and Paul asks why they light candles; Whitney gives an answer from her conversion class while Asher quickly and awkwardly finishes the Shabbat blessings. After dinner Asher is approached by Paul over their financial choices; Asher reassures him that they're "pumping" Española. Paul knows that Asher has a very small penis, and reveals that he suffers from the same condition but is nonetheless happy and successful enough to have loaned them $1,000,000. Asher is infuriated when he finds that Whitney told her parents that they are not trying to conceive children. At home, they have sex involving Asher using a vibrator on Whitney while they role play a cuckold fantasy.

Later, while Dougie is showing Whitney and Asher footage of a different exploitative reality show he worked on which was never picked up, Whitney sees footage of Asher with Nala. Believing in the "curse", Whitney makes Asher go back to the parking lot and give the $100 bill to Nala, but he is unable to find her. Asher checks on a local shelter for the unhoused, but he is only allowed to leave a message as their information cannot be divulged, so he has no idea if they really live there. At home, Dougie tries unsuccessfully to get Whitney to admit on record her insecurities with Asher. Asher returns, and lies about returning the money, claiming there is no "curse" anymore. While Whitney records her dialogue, Asher stares blankly before facing the camera.

The episode was written by series creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, and directed by Fielder.^[2]