Episode 6 of "The Franchise" centers stage on Eric's grand fireball sequence. As the crew battles exhaustion from a string of marathon late-night shoots, Daniel strives to boost their spirits. Bryson attempts to cheer everyone up with offers of Jenga sets, which fall flat. Daniel receives a call from his son, pleading for his return home, while Dag yearns to attend a house party to reconnect with a familiar face. Peter approaches Daniel with an urgent dilemma: a new supplement has left him with an unwelcome and persistent erection, placing the responsibility squarely on Daniel's shoulders. Adam, sensing an opportunity, pitches the idea of his band, Flight Mode, serenading the crew—a suggestion Daniel foresees will lead to mutiny.
On one corner of the set, Pat and Anita engage in a behind-the-scenes interview, where Pat practices delivering the line "Sparks will fly" with a flourish. Adam seeks Daniel's counsel on his "furtive running," prompting Daniel to realize the script likely intended "frantic" but refrains from officially correcting him on the spot.
While Eric prepares for his scene, Dag notices that Daniel has penned some dialogue on the script, to which Daniel nonchalantly responds that he's merely doodling. As Eric conducts his own behind-the-scenes interview, Steph informs him of an unexpected visit from Christopher Nolan, leaving Eric to ponder whether his fireball will be sufficient to impress the esteemed director, whom he hopes will cast him in a future project. Eric also finds himself rewriting Peter's monologue. Meanwhile, Dag is summoned to Peter's trailer, where she discovers him attempting to sync his phone with a vibrator worn by his wife. With a knowing smile, Dag assists him in making the connection.
Daniel, in the midst of a phone call with his mother, learns that Eric has retreated into his trailer, engrossed in contemplation. Inside, Eric reveals his anxiety: he wants an even more spectacular fireball to awe Nolan and potentially secure a future collaboration. His creative juices are also flowing as he rewrites Peter's monologue.
The crew's frustration with Eric's lack of shooting指令 begins to boil over, and Daniel attempts to defuse the situation by organizing a lottery, hoping to distract them. He also halts Adam and his band's musical performance, informing them that Eric has禁止it. In the midst of this tension, Pat arrives, aware of Nolan's visit, adding to the pressure on Daniel to ensure everything proceeds smoothly.
Elsewhere, Steph confesses to Dag her infatuation with Mollusc Man, despite both being married. Overhearing Bryson's phone conversation with his mother, Dag learns it's Bryson's birthday and offers congratulations before making a poignant remark about their wasted lives dedicated to an industry that faces imminent collapse in the next two years. This comment leaves the birthday boy in tears.
To Daniel's utter dismay, Pat emerges as the winner of the lottery intended to divert the crew's attention, only fueling their anger further. Adam, still bitter about Eric's refusal to let his band play, exacerbates the situation by egging on the crew.
Just then, Eric sends over the pages of his new script, prompting Daniel to rally the crew into action. However, the new script includes an extended monologue for Peter, who begins to gripe and invoke his contract terms. Meanwhile, the wind begins to pick up, and the crew handling the fireball warns Daniel that they must proceed now or abandon the shot altogether. Throughout this, Eric continues to relay instructions to Daniel via walkie-talkie, prolonging the shoot.
In a moment of decisiveness, Daniel switches off the walkie-talkie, feigning a technical malfunction. He takes charge of the scene, ordering the fireball to be ignited and assigning Peter just one line—a line Daniel had hastily scribbled earlier. With authoritative commands, Daniel guides everyone through the action, and the scene is wrapped up in a matter of moments. Daniel's face beams with satisfaction, and even Pat commends the execution of the shot.
Following the conclusion of the scene, Steph approaches Mollusc Man, initiating an embrace that subtly transitions into a fleeting kiss. Embarrassed by the moment, she hastily excuses herself to return home. Elsewhere, Dan inquires about Dag's party, to which Dag responds that her acquaintance had left with another guest.
Later, Daniel, Eric, Anita, and Pat find themselves engaged in conversation when they notice Nolan's arrival, immersed in an intense discussion with Dag. To their astonishment, they are soon joined by none other than Tom Cruise! Dag beckons Bryson over to join their circle, while the others observe curiously. Pat whispers to Anita, confessing that if Shane were to ask, he did attempt to approach Nolan but was politely rejected. He mutters under his breath that he prefers a director without too many ideas at the conclusion of "The Franchise" Episode 6.
