Run for the Money (Vice Principals)
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Episode 4
- Danny McBride
- John Carcieri
- Jeff Fradley
| "Run for the Money" | |
|---|---|
| Vice Principals episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Jody Hill |
| Written by |
|
| Cinematography by | Eric Treml |
| Editing by | Jeff Seibenick |
| Original release date | August 7, 2016 |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Run for the Money" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American dark comedy television series Vice Principals. The episode was written by series co-creator Danny McBride, co-executive producer John Carcieri, and Jeff Fradley, and directed by series co-creator Jody Hill. It was released on HBO on August 7, 2016.
The series follows the co-vice principals of North Jackson High School, Neal Gamby and Lee Russell, both of which are disliked for their personalities. When the principal decides to retire, an outsider named Dr. Belinda Brown is assigned to succeed him. This prompts Gamby and Russell to put aside their differences and team up to take her down. In the episode, North Jackson prepares for a homecoming football game against their longtime rivals, Percival High School.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.708 million household viewers and gained a 0.3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the episode's humor, character development and performances (particularly for Kimberly Hébert Gregory).
While checking her burnt house, Brown (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) is informed by an officer that the fire must've been arson. She is forced to move to a hotel with her kids, Luke (RJ Cyler) and Mario, with both proving to be uncontrollable and annoying her. The officer's claim also makes Brown consider that her kids were responsible for the arson.
North Jackson's rival school, Percival, vandalizes the school during the night, as part of an incoming homecoming football game. Gamby is also introduced to Mrs. Libby's replacement, Janice Swift (Ashley Spillers), and Gamby (Danny McBride) introduces her to the school. Gamby is also remaining in a sexual relationship with Abbott (Edi Patterson), but tells her not to say anything. Gamby meets with Russell (Walton Goggins), who states that they can vandalize the school and make bad claims against Brown, and it can be disguised as Percival. Reluctant at first, Gamby cedes in. That night, they join Percival students in vandalizing the school while wearing masks.
Having seen the damage, Brown drives to Percival accompanied by Gamby and Russell. The school's principal downplays their actions, also reiterating that they will win over North Jackson. Gamby is disappointed that their preparations are inferior to Percival's, and also finds Brown crying in her car. At her hotel, Brown confronts her kids for misbehaving, and even suggests they might have been involved in the arson as they skipped classes that day. Her children then open up about how they disliked moving away from Philadelphia without even consulting, to which she explains she just needed to be away from their father.
At a school rally, Brown gives a motivational speech, which influences the school's spirits to be lifted. Feeling that may ruin their chances, Russell suggests rigging the game by drugging their players, with Gamby opposing to that. On the game night, Gamby catches Russell drugging the team's water. They fight over the water, accidentally spilling it all over themselves, panicking Russell as the liquid gets absorbed in their skin. They quietly leave the locker room just as the effect of the drug starts kicking in. They watch from the stands as North Jackson wins the game, their first victory against Percival in 9 years. As the crowd celebrates Brown, Russell tells Gamby that he just made Brown a martyr.
Production
Development
In July 2016, HBO confirmed that the episode would be titled "Run for the Money", and that it would be written by series co-creator Danny McBride, co-executive producer John Carcieri, and Jeff Fradley, and directed by series co-creator Jody Hill. This was McBride's fourth writing credit, Carcieri's third writing credit, Fradley's first writing credit, and Hill's third directing credit.[1]