"The Hungry and the Hunted"
Written by
Aaron Sorkin
Directed by
Thomas Schlamme
Final Draft - 8/18/98 - (Yellow)
1st rev. - 8/19/98 (Green)
2nd rev. - 8/19/98 (Goldenrod)
3rd. rev. - 8/20/98 (White)
SPORTS NIGHT
"The Hungry & The Hunted"
#N303
Cast
Sports Night
(TEASER)
FROM THE DARKNESS WE HEAR:
(Announcer #1 (VO), Announcer #2 (VO))
TWO FOOTBALL PLAY-BY-PLAY MEN ANNOUNCING OVER A TELEVISION.
THE CROWD NOISE CAN BE HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND.
ANNOUNCER #1 (VO)
...leaving them just two yards shy of
the first down, and Bob Palmero, what
do you do if you're the Florida State
Seminoles in this situation?
ANNOUNCER #2 (VO)
Well Bobby Bowden'd hate to burn a
time-out here.
FADE UP ON:
INT. NEWSROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 1)
(Casey, Isaac, Jeremy, Announcer #1, Announcer #2)
CASEY AND ISAAC ARE WATCHING THE END OF THIS GAME ON TV WHILE
MUNCHING ON A COUPLE OF HOAGIES. ISAAC'S CLOTHES REFLECT THAT
IT'S SATURDAY.
ANNOUNCER #1 (ON TV)
That's just what he's gonna do.
ANNOUNCER #2 (ON TV)
Yeah, he's gonna talk this over with
his quarterback.
ISAAC
He's gonna go for it.
CASEY
He's gonna kick the field goal.
ISAAC
He's gonna go for the first down.
CASEY
He's gotta score twice to win, why not
just get three right now. He's got the
wind at his back.
ISAAC
He doesn't have the leg.
CASEY
He's got the wind at his back.
ISAAC
I don't care if he's got the wind at
his back and a song in his heart, he
doesn't have the leg.
CASEY
So you'd call a screen?
ISAAC
I would not call a screen.
CASEY
I'd call a screen.
ISAAC
And you would lose the football game.
CASEY
You'd put it on the ground?
ISAAC
I'd put it on the ground.
CASEY
You're a crazy man from St. Louis and
you have no business being in sports.
JEREMY HAS ENTERED WITH A COUPLE OF TAPES IN HIS HAND, JUST
WANTING TO PASS THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHEN ISAAC STOPS
HIM WITH--
ISAAC
Jeremy--
JEREMY
Yes sir.
ISAAC
Florida State fourth and two on the
Purdue 39 and down by nine. What's
Bowden gonna do, kick or play?
JEREMY
I really don't know.
ISAAC
I'm asking what you think.
JEREMY
It'd just be a guess.
ISAAC
I want you to guess.
JEREMY
I don't like to guess.
ISAAC
Guess anyway.
JEREMY
Why?
ISAAC
Because it's fun. This job should be
fun.
JEREMY
I'm having fun.
ISAAC
You should have more.
JEREMY
I'm having a lot of fun.
ISAAC
Jeremy--
JEREMY
I'm having tons of fun.
ISAAC
Guess.
JEREMY
I don't know... He's probably gonna
split three wide receivers and put a
tight end in the back field with the
tailback in motion. A play-action
fake'll freeze the strong safety and
Kittis'll find his primary receiver
over the middle. It's a play called
Red Rocket Right, Slant-42, Z-Out.
He'll get the first down and probably
a lot more.
ISAAC AND CASEY STARE AT JEREMY FOR A MOMENT...
ISAAC
What're you insane?
CASEY
(RE: THE TV) They're not kicking.
ANNOUNCER #1 (VO)
Kittis lines up under center with
three wide receivers split and the
tight end in the backfield. Tailback
in motion, the play action fake and
Kittis has Renfro over the middle for
the first down and more! First and ten
Florida State on the 16. Incredible.
ANNOUNCER #2 (VO)
That's a play coach Bowden's got
called Red Rocket Right, Slant-42,
Z-Out.
ISAAC
You take a lot of the fun out of this,
Jeremy.
JEREMY
I've heard that before.
END OF TEASER
ACT I
(A)
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - THE NEXT DAY - (DAY 2)
(Dan, Casey, Isaac, Dana, Jeremy, Natalie, Kim, Elliot,
Atmosphere)
A STAFF MEETING IS UNDERWAY.
DAN
Newport's gonna put up a challenge,
New Zealand and Australia each have
new keels and Japan's looking for an
American tactician, maybe even a whole
afterguard. Now, interestingly,
Italy's developed a new hundred-and-
forty percent Genoa but the I.O.R.C.
says it may not meet specs because of
a bolt in the backstay.
DANA
Honest to God, I have no idea what
sport you're talking about.
CASEY
Dan's talking about the rough and
tumble, live on the razor's edge, run
till you drop, never say die world of
offshore yacht racing.
KIM
It's time for the America's Cup?
DAN
We're only a year and half away.
DANA
Well I don't want to get scooped, but
we can probably postpone our coverage
for, I guess, like a year and a half,
can't we?
DAN
Greatest sport in the world, Dana.
Great for kids.
NATALIE
All you need is 40 millions dollars and
a dream.
DANA
On the NHL--
DAN
"I must go down to the sea again, to
the lonely sea and the sky. To the
flung spume and the blown spray and
the... I don't know, the thing in my
eye."
DANA
Thank you.
DAN
That was a poem by Mr. Henry David
Thoreau.
CASEY
It's Wordsworth.
DAN
Or maybe Wordsworth.
ELLIOT
Might be Whitman.
KIM
Might be Byron.
DAN
It's not Byron.
CASEY
It is Whitman.
DANA
Okay--
ISAAC
It's not Whitman.
CASEY
I think it is.
ISAAC
It's not Walt Whitman.
CASEY
I'm sayin' I think it's Slim Whitman.
DANA
Fellas, we have 10 NHL games, 8 NBA,
two of them on the West Coast so let's
stay in business on 30 thru 50.
Edmonton's at Calgary and we'll pick
it up on the two a.m.
DAN
Can I say something?
DANA
Sure.
DAN
There's a chance it might be Dylan
Thomas.
DANA
You have to imagine, Danny, how much I
don't give a damn about blown spume.
DAN
It's flung spume and blown spray, but
actually I like your way better.
DANA
Elliot, Kim, I'm gonna need some
people to triple-up on games tonight.
JEREMY
I can do it.
DANA
You're not gonna be available.
JEREMY
Why not?
ISAAC
We want to talk to you about that.
DANA
Meet us in Isaac's office right after
lunch.
CASEY
Is Jeremy getting the call?
DANA
He's getting the call.
JEREMY
I'm getting the call?
DAN
(TO JEREMY) You're getting the call.
JEREMY
I don't know what that means.
ELLIOT
It means you're getting the call.
JEREMY
Really.
ELLIOT
Yes.
JEREMY
I still don't know what that means.
DANA
Isaac's office after lunch. Meantime,
Natalie's got--
JEREM
I'm sorry, I'm just--is getting the
call, you know, good?
DANA
Better than a poke in the eye.
JEREMY
Really?
DANA
Yes. (TO THE GROUP) Natalie's got--
JEREMY
How much better?
DANA
We'll talk to you about it after
lunch. Natalie's got a memo from
downstairs about next Thursday night.
NATALIE DISTRIBUTES SOME FANCY LOOKING ENVELOPES--
NATALIE
Just a note from the P.R. office that
the reception's black tie. The cars'll
pick you up after the show and wait
for you at The Four Seasons.
DAN
Is next Thursday next Thursday or this
Thursday.
NATALIE
This Thursday.
CASEY
Dana said next Thursday.
DANA
This coming Thursday. Today is Monday,
three days from now it'll be Thursday.
CASEY
We knew what today was, we just didn't
know what Thursday was.
NATALIE
It's Thursday.
DAN
Got it.
CASEY
Can I ask again, is it absolutely
necessary that we participate in this?
NATALIE
Yes.
CASEY
Yes I can ask again, or yes--
NATALIE
You have to go.
CASEY
Luther Sachs expects us to get off the
air at midnight, change our clothes,
hop in a car and go to his cotillion?
NATALIE
Reception.
DANA
These are pretty ornate invitations
for a reception.
NATALIE
What're you wearing?
DANA
The black Richard Tyler?
NATALIE
You're fine.
CASEY
(READING) "October the Eighth,
Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Eight,
A.D." (BEAT) A.D. They're worried I
might accidentally show up two-
thousand years before the birth of
Christ.
NATALIE
Half-hour. You have a drink, you have
a thing, they take your picture,
you're outa there.
CASEY
This Thursday.
NATALIE
Yes.
DAN
What shoes are you wearing?
CASEY
Whatever shoes are on my feet, Danny,
what the hell--
DAN
I was talking to Dana.
DANA
Manola Blahniks.
DAN
The black silk sling backs?
DANA
Yeah.
DAN
Good.
CASEY
(TO DAN) Thank you, Coco Chanel.
DANA
(CONTINUING) Bumpers in and out of
Commercial Six, we're holding on the
Pete Sampras announcement and Mike
Marovich may or may not be named
Athletic Director at TCU. Thank you,
that's all.
NATALIE
Back here at three o'clock.
CUT TO:
ACT I
(B)
INT. EXECUTIVE CORRIDOR - DAY - (DAY 2)
(Isaac, Dana, Jeremy)
DANA AND ISAAC TURN THE CORNER ONTO THE CORRIDOR AND HEAD
TOWARD ISAAC'S OFFICE MID-CONVERSATION.
ISAAC
That doesn't originate at the network
level, that's an FCC regulation.
JEREMY WALKS AFTER THEM--
JEREMY
Excuse me.
DANA
Hey Jeremy.
JEREMY
I wasn't sure. When you said after
lunch, is that after I eat lunch or
after you eat lunch?
DANA
What time do you eat lunch?
JEREMY
Any time you want.
ISAAC
Let's do this now. You worked for
Mark Sabath at USA Today.
JEREMY
Yes.
ISAAC
Mark's an old friend.
JEREMY
He used to mention that.
ISAAC, JEREMY AND DANA STEP INTO--
ACT I
(C)
INT. ISAAC'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - (DAY 2)
(Isaac, Dana, Jeremy, Natalie)
--AS DANA, ISAAC AND JEREMY WALK IN. DANA GOES TO THE PHONE.
ISAAC CROSSES TO HIS DESK, AND JEREMY STANDS NERVOUSLY. DANA
PICKS UP THE PHONE ON THE COFFEE TABLE AND PUNCHES IN FOUR
NUMBERS.
DANA
We think you're doing real well here,
Jeremy, and we'd like you to get some
segment producing experience. (INTO
PHONE) Natalie, I'm in Isaac's office,
would you bring me the material for
Jeremy. (BACK TO JEREMY) Thoroughbred
Racing, Golf Chat, Beach Volleyball...
ISAAC
It's not a prestige assignment, but it
lets us take a look at what you can
do.
DANA
We're sending you out this week to put
together two seven minute segments for
The CSC Outdoorsman.
JEREMY
The hunting show?
NATALIE ENTERS WITH SOME BOOKS AND PAPERS AND A BROWN PAPER
BAG--
DANA
Camping, fishing, hiking--
JEREMY
And hunting. I mean, there's hunting
along with the camping, the fishing
and the hiking.
DANA
Yes.
ISAAC
Is that a problem?
JEREMY
The hunting?
ISAAC
Yes.
JEREMY
No sir.
ISAAC
Good.
JEREMY
No problem.
ISAAC
Good.
JEREMY
It's just that I don't know anyting
about hunting. I've never hunted.
I've got a deli on the corner and they
deliver 24 hours so--
DANA
Natalie?
NATALIE
This is some briefing material we put
together for you, you should tak it
home and study it the rest of the day.
Tomorrow morning you'll take a van
with your crew up to the Adirondacks
where you'll meet Bob Shoemaker, the
professional guide, and Ed Bruckner
from the Cincinnati Reds, the guest
celebrity. Wednesday you're gonna go
after New England Blue Mallard,
Thursday you're going after deer. The
deer get very big in the Adirondacks,
so please be careful. Friday you come
home and cut your segments together.
All that information's in here, plus
all your contacts at the shoow.
ISAAC
Any questions?
JEREMY
Am I being punished 'cause I guessed
right on that play in the Florida
State game?
DANA
Jeremy--
JEREMY
Mr. Jaffee, it was a guess! You told
me to guess so I guessed!
DANA
What's he talking about?
ISAAC
A lucky guess.
JEREMY
That's right.
ISAAC
I'm late for a lunch. Jeremy, you'll
do fine. We'll see you at the end of
the week.
ISAAC EXITS--
NATALIE
(TO DANA) We've got a camera meeting
in the studio.
DANA
(GETTING UP) See you Friday. Knock our
socks off.
DANA EXITS.
JEREMY
(BEAT) He talked to Mark Sabath.
NATALIE
From USA?
JEREMY
Yeah, he's my old boss.
NATALIE
Isaac and Mark Sabath go way back.
JEREMY
Yeah, I know.
NATALIE
(HOLDING OUT THE PAPER BAG) Listen, I
made you some snacks for the ride up.
JEREMY
Really?
NATALIE
It's nothing. Candy and stuff I got
from the machine. Twinkies.
JEREMY
Thanks a lot.
NATALIE
Don't be so nervous, Jeremy. Enjoy it.
You're getting the call.
NATALIE EXITS--
JEREMY
(CALLING AFTER HER) I still don't know
what that means.
CUT TO:
ACT I
(D)
INT. STUDIO - NIGHT, THREE DAYS LATER - (NIGHT 3)
(Dan, Natalie, Atmosphere)
THE STUDIO IS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR SOME TECHNICIANS SWEEPING UP.
DAN IS STANDING AT THE ANCHOR DESK IN STREET CLOTHES, LOOKING
AT A NEWSPAPER AS NATALIE COMES THROUGH.
NATALIE
What are you doing?
DAN
Reading the paper.
NATALIE
Why aren't you changed?
DAN
Into what?
NATALIE
Your tuxedo.
DAN
(REMEMBERING) Today is Thursday.
NATALIE
Yes!
DAN
Today is next Thursday.
NATALIE
It's this Thursday. This is next
Thursday.
DAN
I'll go change.
NATALIE
Wait. There are two cars downstairs.
DAN
Good.
NATALIE
I want you to ride with Isaac.
DAN
Fine.
NATALIE
I want you to ride with Isaac so that Casey rides with Dana.
DAN
That's fine.
NATALIE
I want Casey to ride with Dana.
DAN
I get it.
NATALIE
Do you?
DAN
I ride with Isaac, and Casey and Dana
fall in love.
NATALIE
Right.
DAN
Wow, is that a stupid plan.
NATALIE
Go change.
CUT TO:
ACT I
(E)
INT. NEWSROOM/DAN AND CASEY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 3)
(Dan, Casey, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will)
KIM IS HELPING CASEY WITH HIS TUX. FASTENING STUD AND CUFFS
LINKS, ETC.
CASEY
Ow.
KIM
Hold still.
CASEY
Your're stabbing me in the chest.
KIM
I'm stabbing you in the chest 'cause
you're squirming.
CASEY
I'm really pretty sure it's the other
way around.
DAN COMES OUT OF THE OFFICE PULLING HIS SUSPENDERS ON OVER
HIS TUXEDO SHIRT...
DAN
Casey?
CASEY
Yeah?
DAN
I've been thinking a lot about soccer
lately.
CASEY
And?
DAN
I'm pretty much through with that.
CASEY
Yeah?
DAN
Do you know to save my life I couldn't
name five soccer teams that play in
the MLS. I know there's Luxembourg.
CASEY
The MLS is an American soccer league.
DAN
Luxembourg doesn't play in this
league?
CASEY
No.
DAN
So I don't even know Luxembourg.
CASEY
Ow again.
KIM
This is what you get for being a grown
man who can't dress himself.
CASEY
I used to have a wife for that.
CASEY HEADS INTO HIS OFFICE AS DAN KEEPS TALKING--
DAN
I'll tell you what else. I'm starting
to get a little cheesed at people
telling me the reason I don't like
soccer is that I don't understand it.
I think I do understand it. I think I
understand it fine. I just think it's
a mind-numbing bore, and that any
reasonable person would rather be
playing it than watching it.
CASEY COMES OUT WITH A BOW-TIE AND TOSSES IT TO KIM--
CASEY
Well I know it doesn't match the pulse
pounding excitement of a good sailboat
race.
KIM BEGINS TYING THE TIE AS NATALIE PASSES THROUGH--
NATALIE
Wait'll you see Dana. She looks
amazing.
DAN
(CALLING OUT) Nobody move. Name five
tames that play in the MLS.
And Casey says it's an American soccer
league so you can't choose Luxembourg.
Go.
NATALIE STARES AT DAN DEADPAN--TAKING THE CHALLENGE--
NATALIE
Colombus Crew.
ELLIOT
Miami Fusion.
NATALIE
New Englad Revolution.
KIM
Tampa Bay Mutiny.
NATALIE
D.C. United.
DAVE
Chicago Fire.
NATALIE
Colorado Rapid.
CHRIS
Dalls Burn.
NATALIE
Kansas City Wizard.
WILL
Los Angeles Galaxy.
NATALIE
And the New York/New Jersey Metro-
Stars.
DAN STARES BACK FOR A LONG MOMENT BEFORE--
DAN
You all just made that up, didn't you.
AS CASEY HEADS BACK INTO THE OFFICE--
CASEY
You got smoked.
NATALIE
The cars are waiting downstairs.
Right? Dan? The cars?
DAN
Yeah, yeah.
NATALIE HEADS OFF AS DAN GOES INTO THE OFFICE...
RESET TO:
INT. DAN AND CASEY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS (NIGHT 3)
AS DAN WALKS IN--
DAN (cont'd)
Say, about these cars.
CASEY
What about 'em?
DAN
There are two of them.
CASEY
There are four of us.
DAN
Yeah, I was just thinkin' I could ride
with Isaac if you like.
CASEY
Why?
DAN
So you could ride with Dana.
CASEY
Why would I want to ride with Dana?
DAN
Why wouldn't you want to ride with
Dana?
CASEY
There's no reason I wouldn't want to
ride with Dana.
DAN
You see?
CASEY
I'm asking why in particular you asked
me specifically if I wanted to ride
with Dana?
DAN
You don't want to ride with Dana?
CASEY
I'm happy to ride with Dana. But I'm
also happy to ride with you or with
Isaac.
DAN
Good.
CASEY
But what's more important is, why did
you ask me?
DAN
Why did I ask you what?
CASEY
If I wanted to ride with Dana.
DAN
I gotta tell you, at this point, the
length of this conversation is way out
of proportion to my interest in it.
CASEY
Well then let's leave it at that.
DAN
Fine.
CASEY
Except to say this. I just got done
with an hour long broadcast at the end
of a fourteen hour day.
I'm not in a mood to go to a party,
I'm not in a mood to have my picture
taken, and I'm not in a mood to notice
Dana's dress, notice Dana's shoes or
notice Dana's hair. Dana's not my
date, she's my producer, and the work
day is over.
CASEY GRABS HIS COAT AND HEADS OUT OF THE OFFICE WHILE
TALKING--
CUT TO:
ACT I
(H)
INT. NEWSROOM/CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 3)
(Dan, Casey, Isaac, Dana, Elliot)
AS CASEY STRIDES TOWARD THE EXIT--
CASEY (cont'd)
I'm not in a mood to notice anything
tonight.
HE SAYS THIS AS DANA ENTERS FROM THE OTHER END. DANA, A
FETCHING WOMAN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, IS LOOKING QUITE FINE
TONIGHT.
DANA
Forgot my purse.
DANA IS GONE. CASEY'S HEAD HAS TURNED 180 DEGREES AND HE GOES
FLYING OVER A CHAIR AND BEHIND A DESK. DAN, WITH HIS COAT ON,
COMES OUT OF THE OFFICE AND WALKS PAST.
DAN
(WITHOUT BREAKING STRIDE) On your
feet, partner, let's go.
ELLIOT HUSTLES IN.
ELLIOT
Danny where's Isaac?
DAN
In the control room.
ELLIOT HEADS INTO THE CONTROL ROOM AS WE:
RESET TO:
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS (NIGHT 3)
ISAAC, IN HIS TUXEDO, IS SITTING AND READING A NEWSPAPER AS
ELLIOT COMES IN.
ELLIOT
Isaac, Bob Shoemaker's calling from
the Adirondacks. Something's happened
with Jeremy.
ISAAC
(INTO PHONE) This is Isaac Jaffee,
what's goin' on?
WE HOLD ON ISAAC A MOMENT BEFORE WE--
CUT TO:
END OF ACT I
ACT II
(J)
FROM THE DARKNESS WE HEAR:
(Dana (VO), Dave (VO), Voice (VO), Natalie)
VOICE (VO)
Studio "A", this is Master Control,
you're up on Router 21.
DAVE (VO)
Thank you.
DANA (VO)
Five minutes to air. Natalie, go find
out why Dan isn't in the studio.
NATALIE EXITS.
FADE UP ON:
INT. CONTROL ROOM - THE NEXT NIGHT - (NIGHT 4)
(Casey, Dana, Chris, Will, Dave)
PRE-SHOW HUSTLE AND BUSTLE.
WILL
Chicago says their sound level's low.
DANA
Lemme hear 'em. (INTO HEADSET) Talk to
me, Chicago.
CHRIS
They are talkin' to you, Dana.
DANA
They're talking to me?
CHRIS
Yes.
DANA
They're talking to me right now?
CHRIS
Yes.
DANA
I can't hear 'em.
DAVE
Switch 'em to 4.
CHRIS
We're on 4.
DANA
I can't hear Chicago.
ON THE MONITOR WE SEE CASEY TAKE HIS SEAT AT THE ANCHOR DESK.
DAVE
We'll fix it.
DANA
You've got four minutes.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(K)
INT. DAN AND CASEY'S OFFICE/NEWSROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 4)
(Dan, Dana (VO), Natalie, Kim, Elliot)
DAN, DRESSED FOR THE SHOW, IS TYPING AT HIS COMPUTER AS
NATALIE COMES THROUGH ON HER WAY TO THE STUDIO--
NATALIE
Dan--
DAN
Natalie, what was the role of the nose-
tackle in the 4-3 defense we saw
Sunday?
NATALIE
He's containing the run.
DAN
Not if he's getting boxed out by the
center and the right guard. I need to
learn this before the bottom half-
hour.
KIM COMES THROUGH--
NATALIE
Kim, put together a cheat sheet for
Dan on the 4-3 in the fourth quarter
of the Redskins' game. Use Elliot.
DAN
Thank you.
KIM
(SHOUTING) Elliot!
ELLIOT
I'm sitting right here.
NATALIE
(TO DAN) Why aren't you in the studio?
DAN
I'm trying to avoid Casey.
NATALIE
Why?
DAN
He's making me crazy. He's been making
me crazy all day. It doesn't work for
me. I'm more comfortable when I'm
making him crazy.
NATALIE
Why is he making you crazy?
DAN
Well it seems he met a girl last
night.
NATALIE
Who?
DAN
Who do you think?
NATALIE
Dana?
DAN
Yes.
NATALIE
It was the dress.
DAN
It's 'cause you made me play musical
cars.
NATALIE
It was the dress and the cars.
DAN
In combination with a number of
things, not the least of which is that
she was spending time with another guy
at the party.
NATALIE
Now we're in business.
DAN
Boy I'd love to outa the loop on
this next piece of drama that's gonna
happen around here.
DANA (OVER PA)
Dan, we need you in the studio please.
DAN
(GETTING UP) But I don't think that's
gonna happen.
DAN HEADS TO THE STUDIO AS WE
CUT TO:
ACT II
(L)
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 4)
(Dan, Casey, Dana, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will, Dave)
DAN AND NATALIE WALK TOWARDS THE CONTROL ROOM/NEWSDESK.
CHRIS
We've got Chicago.
DANA
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Lemme
hear the studio.
ELLIOT CROSSES THROUGH INTO THE STUDIO.
WILL
Which studio?
DANA
Our studio!
CHRIS
You're not hearing him now?
NATALIE ENTERS.
DANA
No I'm not hearing him now.
DAVE
That's a problem.
DANA
Yes that's a problem. If I can't hear
the show I can't produce the show.
KIM ENTERS AND CROSSES TO THE STUDIO.
DANA (CONT'D)
They taught me that in producing
school. You now have ninety seconds.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(M)
INT. STUDIO/CONTROL ROOM/STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 4)
(Dan, Casey, Isaac, Dana, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will,
Dave, Atmosphere)
AS DAN WALKS IN AND JOINS CASEY AT THE ANCHOR DESK.
THROUGHOUT THIS HE'LL BE ATTENDED TO BY A SOUND MAN, HAIR AND
MAKE-UP, INTERNS HANDING HIM NOTES, ETC. KIM PASSES THROUGH
AND DROPS A PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT OF ANCHOR DESK.
KIM
Four three defense.
DAN
Thank you.
CASEY
(TO DAN) Lemme ask you a quick
question.
DAN
You know right now might not be the
best time for this.
CASEY
This is important.
DAN
What's the question?
CASEY
How many people can you think of named
Gordon?
DAN
How many people can I think of named
Gordon? Two.
CASEY
That's how many I got. Which were your
two?
DAN
Gordon Lightfoot and Gordon Liddy.
CASEY
Those were my two. Those were the
exact same two I got. Can you think of
any more?
DAVE (OVER PA)
We're live in 60 seconds. Roll VTR.
DAN
Can someone help me please?
CASEY
They can't hear you in there.
DAN
Great.
CASEY
Can you think of any more?
DAN
No.
CASEY
Neither can I.
DAN
Good.
CASEY
And it's my feeling that if those were
the only two you got, and those were
the only two I got, then those should
be the only two there are.
DAN
Granting the premise...
CASEY
And you should.
DAN
I am.
CASEY
You should grant the premise, Danny.
DAN
I do.
DAVE
30 seconds.
CASEY
'Cause we're two pretty well-educated
people and we both thought about it
and we both came up with only two
Gordons.
DAN
I am granting the premise.
CASEY
You should.
DAN
Casey--
CASEY
My point is that here we are. We're
going along in life and everything's
fine. As far as we know there are only
two Gordons out there. When all of a
sudden a third one comes along.
DAN
The guy talking to Dana at the thing
last night.
CASEY
(BINGO) The guy talking to Dana. The
guy out there talkin' to Dana. Gordon.
RESET TO:
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 4)
ISAAC ENTERS THE CONTROL ROOM
CHRIS
We've got sound.
DANA
Thank God.
RESET TO:
INT. STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 4)
CASEY
That was all I had to say.
DAN
Thank merciful God.
DAVE
In three, two--
CASEY
Good evening, from New York City I'm
Casey McCall alongside Dan Rydell.
Those stories plus grab your galoshes,
we're gonna take you out to the
Iditerod.
DAN
Why? 'Cause we just can't believe it
ourselves. Also grab your notebooks,
we're gonna take you inside the 4-3
defense on this week's edition of
Inside the 4-3 Defense.
CASEY
All that comin' up after this. You're
watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick
around.
DAVE
We're out. Back in 60.
DANA
Dave, Chris, Will, what are you guys
doing tomorrow morning at ten?
DAVE
We've got a basketball game at the
"Y".
WILL
It's a three-on-three--
DANA
Dave, Chris, Will, what are you guys
doing tomorrow morning at ten?
CHRIS
Fixing the sound system.
DANA
There you go.
DANA EXITS.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(P)
INT. STUDIO BACKSTAGE/NEWSROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 4)
(Dan, Casey, Isaac, Dana Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will,
Dave)
ELLIOT CROSSES THROUGH AND SAYS--
ELLIOT
Camera wrap is at 12:06. Let's not
get into golden time.
CASEY AND DAN CROSS THROUGH. THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO
THEIR
OFFICE--
CASEY
One more question.
DAN
(CALLING OUT) Can I get a teamster to
hit Casey in the head with something
heavy.
CASEY
How'd you know the guy's name was
Gordon?
DAN
We were introduced.
CASEY
At the reception.
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
By Dana.
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
Interesting.
DAN
Not really.
CASEY
You think they were on a date?
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
You think they were on a date.
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
I totally disagree. She introduced you
to him. Big deal. It's not like she
walked up to you and said "Dan, this
is my date, Gordon." I want to know
exactly what she said when she
introduced you to him.
DAN
She said "Dan, this is my date,
Gordon."
CASEY
Alright, we're crankin' this whole
thing up a notch.
DAN AND CASEY EXIT TO THEIR OFFICE.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(R)
INT. NEWSROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 4)
(Dan, Casey, Isaac, Dana, Jeremy, Natalie, Kim, Elliot,
Atmosphere)
JEREMY WALKS IN CARRYING HIS DUFFLE BAG AND A VIDEO-TAPE.
ELLIOT, KIM AND A FEW OTHERS ARE STILL AROUND. NATALIE,
FOLLOWED BY ISAAC AND DANA, ENTER THE NEWSROOM AND SEE
JEREMY.
NATALIE
You're back!
JEREMY
Yes.
NATALIE
Yay!
JEREMY
Thank you.
ELLIOT
How was it?
JEREMY
Good.
NATALIE
Really?
JEREMY
Yeah, it cut together pretty well.
NATALIE
We saw the rough cut a few hours ago,
we thought it looked great.
KIM
Really.
JEREMY
Thank you.
NATALIE
When you get the final cut, we'll send
it to your parents in a nice package.
It's your first on-screen credit.
They'll flip.
JEREMY
They'll like it.
DAN AND CASEY POP OUT OF THEIR OFFICE--
DAN
Welcome back.
JEREMY
Hey.
CASEY
How'd it go?
JEREMY
Real good.
ISAAC
Jeremy, can we see you a moment in my
office?
JEREMY
Yeah, sure. What's up?
ISAAC
My office.
ISAAC AND DANA DON'T WAIT FOR A RESPONSE BEFORE TURNING AND
HEADING DOWN THE EXECUTIVE CORRIDOR AS WE
CUT TO:
ACT II
(S)
INT. EXECUTIVE CORRIDOR AND ISAAC'S OFFICE - NIGHT -
(NIGHT 4)
(Isaac, Dana, Jeremy)
--AS DANA AND ISAAC, FOLLOWED BY JEREMY WALK INTO
ISAAC'S
OFFICE. ISAAC'S NOT HAPPY. HE CLOSES THE DOOR BEHIND JEREMY
BEFORE SAYING--
ISAAC
I was wondering why you were lying
just now.
JEREMY
What do you--
DANA
Jeremy, did you think we weren't gonna
find out?
ISAAC
What the hell happened out there?
JEREMY
It was nothing.
DANA
It was not nothing.
JEREMY
I got sick, I threw up.
DANA
They took you to a hospital. You
passed out.
JEREMY
I told them they didn't have to take
me to--
DANA
Bob Shoemaker said you were sweating
and hyperventilating.
JEREMY
It was hot outside.
DANA
Not in the Adirondacks in October.
JEREMY
Look--
ISAAC
Tell us about your hunting trip.
JEREMY STANDS SILENT FOR A LONG MOMENT. DANA AND ISAAC WAIT.
DANA
The first day you were going after New
England Blue Mallard.
JEREMY
Yeah. Bob and Eddie were using the IR-
50 Recon by Bushcomber. It's got a
sixteen inch microgrooved barrel with
30-30 mags, side-scope mount, wire-
cutter sheath, quick-release bolt, mag
catches and a three pound trigger.
So I figured we must be goin' after a
pretty dangerous duck.
ISAAC
You can wise-ass all you want, you're
gonna tell me what happened.
JEREMY
We shot a deer.
DANA AND ISAAC WAIT FOR MORE...
JEREMY (CONT'D)
In the woods near Lake Mattatuck on
the second day. There was a special
vest they had me wear so that they
could distinguish me from things they
wanted to shoot and I was pretty
grateful for that. Almost the whole
day had gone by and they hadn't gotten
anything. Eddie was getting
frustrated and Bob Shoemaker was
getting embarrassed. My camera guy
needed to re-load so I told everybody
to take a ten minute break. There was
a stream nearby and I walked over with
this care-package that Natalie made
me. I sat down and when I looked up I
saw three of them; small, bigger,
biggest.
Recognizable to any species on the
face of the planet as a child, a
mother and a father. The trick in
shooting deer is you gotta get 'em out
in the open. And it's tough with deer,
'cause these are clever, cagey animals
with an intuitive sense of danger. You
know what you have to do to get a deer
out in the open? You hold out a
twinkie. (BEAT) That animal clopped up
to me like we were at a party. She
seemed to be pretty interested in the
Twinkie, so I gave it to her. Looking
back, she'd have been better off if
I'd given her the damn vest. Bob kind
of screamed at me in whisper to move
away. The camera had been re-loaded
and it looked like the day wasn't
gonna be a washout after all. So I
backed away, a couple of steps at a
time, and closed my eyes when I heard
the shot. Look, I know these are
animals and they don't play bridge and
go to the prom, but you can't tell me
that the little one didn't know who
his mother was.
That's gotta mean something. Later, at
the hospital, Bob Shoemaker was
telling me about the nobility and
tradition of hunting and how it
related to the native American
Indians. And I nodded and said that
was interesting while thinking about
what a load of crap it was. Hunting
was part of Indian culture. It was
food and it was clothes and it was
shelter. They sang and danced and
offered prayers to the Gods for a
successful hunt so that they could
survive just one more unimaginably
brutal winter. Things they had to kill
held the highest place of respect for
them, and to kill for fun was a sin.
And they knew the Gods wouldn't be so
generous the next time. What we did
wasn't food and it wasn't shelter and
it sure wasn't sports. It was just
mean.
ISAAC TAKES A DEEP BREATH BEFORE STARTING IN SLOWLY...
ISAAC
Jeremy, why didn't you tell us how you
felt about hunting when we gave you
this?
JEREMY
Because you said you spoke to Mark
Sabath at USA Today.
ISAAC
What does that have to--
JEREMY
In fact I'm sure you spoke to him
before you ever hired me.
ISAAC
Of course I did. I also spoke to Dave
Heller at the Free Press and Tom
Monahan at the Sacramento Bee.
JEREMY
And they all said pretty much the same
thing.
ISAAC
Yes. They all said that Jeremy Goodwin
is a bright guy with a world class
understanding of popular sports but
that he didn't quite fit in and that
there was little chance that he'd
advance within their organization.
JEREMY
Due respect, Mr. Jaffee, but I've got
$80,000 in college loans to pay back.
My instincts told me to shut the hell
up and do what I was told.
ISAAC
Your instincts were wrong.
JEREMY
Not fitting in is how qualified people
lose jobs.
ISAAC
Yeah, but a lot of time it's how
people end up working here. You had an
obligation to tell us how you felt.
Partly because I don't like getting a
phone call saying I've put one of my
people in the hospital. But mostly
because when you feel that strongly
about something you have a
responsibility to try and change my
mind. Jeremy, did you think I was
gonna fire you 'cause you made a
convincing argument? It's taken me a
lot of years but I've come around to
this: If you're dumb, surround
yourself with smart people.
If you're smart, surround yourself
with smart people who disagree with
you. I'm an awfully smart man and Mark
Sabath is an idiot. He had you and he
blew it. You've gotta trust us. Fit in
on your own time, when you come to
work for me you show up to play.
(BEAT) I'm going home.
ISAAC GETS UP AND TAKES HIS COAT FROM THE RACK IN THE CORNER.
AS HE'S PUTTING IT ON...
ISAAC (CONT'D)
You don't know us very well. So if
it's hard trusting us at the
beginning, maybe it'll help a little
to know that we trust you. G'night.
ISAAC WALKS OUT THE DOOR. DANA GETS UP...
[handwritten note in margin: Music starts here]
DANA
G'night. I'll see you Monday.
JEREMY
(QUIETLY) G'night.
DANA EXITS LEAVING JEREMY ALONE. JEREMY SITS ON THE
COUCH,
PICKS UP THE PHONE ON THE COFFEE TABLE, AND DIALS A NUMBER...
JEREMY (cont'd)
(INTO PHONE) Dad, it's me. (LISTENS)
Nothing's wrong. I wanted to tell you
that something nice happened at work
today. (BEAT) I got the call.
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF SHOW