Questa Lane
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- David Zellner
- Nathan Zellner
| "Questa Lane" | |
|---|---|
| The Curse episode | |
| Episode no. | Episode 3 |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | |
| Cinematography by | Maceo Bishop |
| Editing by | Adam Locke-Norton |
| Original release date | November 26, 2023 |
| Running time | 48 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Questa Lane" is the third episode of the American television satire black comedy The Curse. The episode was written by series creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, and directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner. It originally aired on streaming and on-demand for all Showtime and Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers on November 24, 2023, before making its on-air debut on Showtime on November 26, 2023. The episode was screened at the 2023 New York Film Festival.[1]
The series follows Whitney and Asher Siegel, a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring on their problematic new HGTV show, Fliplanthropy. Also joining them on their show is Dougie Schecter, a producer who is trying to make the best possible version of the show in order to reach a wider audience. In the episode, Asher buys a new property, reconnecting with Nala. Meanwhile, Whitney receives bad news about an establishment, which could negatively impact the pilot's prospects.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.033 million household viewers and gained a 0.00 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, themes and re-focus on the main storyline, although some criticized the pacing.
At an auction, Asher (Nathan Fielder) bids $62,500 for another property for the company's portfolio. Dougie (Benny Safdie) then shows Asher and Whitney (Emma Stone) footage of a focus group reviewing the pilot. The group is mixed on the format, but they also view Asher and Whitney as boring hosts, disappointing them.
Asher checks on the property, forced to use a drill to open the closed door. He finds Nala (Hikmah Warsame) with her sister Hani (Dahabo Ahmed), recognizing her as the girl who "cursed" him. He tries to give the $100 bill back, but the girls flee. Asher is forced to chase them through the neighborhood, until a man stops him and calls the police. An officer corroborates Asher's ownership of the property, and questions Nala's father, Abshir (Barkhad Abdi). Seeing that Abshir and Nala are squatting as they are unable to pay rent to the previous owner, Asher agrees to allow them to continue living rent-free for one year. As Asher and Whitney inspect the home, Nala explains that when she cursed Asher, she wished for the chicken to go missing from his dinner. Recalling that his meal kit had arrived without chicken shortly after meeting Nala, Asher begins to worry about the legitimacy of the curse.
Whitney receives her injection to stop the ectopic pregnancy, and is told that she cannot have sex for one month. Later, she learns that Barrier Coffee, one of the show's sponsors, has closed down without notifying them. Whitney is forced to meet with Fernando (Christopher Calderon), who is now out of job after being promised employment at the coffee shop. Whitney offers him a new job as a security guard. That night, he shows up at the abandoned establishment and stands watch with a gun.
At home, Asher helps Whitney when she has difficulty taking off her sweater. They laugh at the situation, and Whitney suggests recording it so she can upload it to Instagram and boost their image. However, the attempt at recreating it proves fruitless, and leads to an argument as Asher feels Whitney does not support him. They go to bed, with Whitney rewatching the argument on her phone, which was accidentally left on after they failed in recreating the event.
Production
Development
The episode was written by series creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, and directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner. This was Fielder's third writing credit, Safdie's third writing credit, and the Zellners' second directing credit.[2]