"The Sword of Orion"
Written by
David Handelman & Mark McKinney
and
Aaron Sorkin
Directed by
Bob Berlinger
Final Draft - 1/19/99 (Yellow)
SPORTS NIGHT
"The Sword of Orion"
#N318
Cast
Sports Night
TEASER
FROM THE DARKNESS WE HEAR
(Kin (VO))
KIM (VO)
Five minutes to air. First team in the
studio, please. Five minutes.
INT. DAN AND CASEY'S OFFICE/NEWSROOM/CONTROL ROOM
CORRIDOR/STUDIO/CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT - (NIGHT 1)
(Dan, Casey, Dana, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will, Dave,
Alyson)
DAN AND CASEY ARE IN SHIRTS AND TIES AND ARE GETTING READY
TO HEAD FOR THE STUDIO. THEY'RE CLEARLY IN PRE-SHOW MODE
AS THEY GET EACH OTHER PSYCHED FOR THE SHOW.
DAN
I'm pumped.
CASEY
Me too.
DAN
I'm pumped up.
CASEY
Excellent.
DAN
Aren't you pumped?
CASEY
I am.
DAN
I'm ready.
CASEY
Excellent.
DAN
Five minutes to air.
CASEY
Best words in the English language.
DAN
Aren't they?
CASEY
Yes.
DAN
They're the best words in the English
language.
CASEY
Cinq minutes avant d'etre en direct.
DAN
And those are the best words in the
French language.
CASEY
Yes.
DAN
Oui.
DAN AND CASEY START TOWARD THE STUDIO AS WE
INT. NEWSROOM - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 1)
CASEY
Cinco minutos para salir al aire!
DAN
This is what I'm talkin' about.
CASEY
There's an internal clock.
DAN
There is.
CASEY
It's like athletes.
DAN
It's just like that. When that gun
goes off--
CASEY
When the bell rings--
INT. CONTROL ROOM CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 1)
DAN
It's game time, my friend.
CASEY
You can take it to the bank.
DAN
Most beautiful sound in the world?
CASEY
Funf minuten bis sendungszeit.
DAN
Well now you're just showin' off.
CASEY
Yeah.
KIM ENTERS FROM THE STUDIO
KIM
Good show guys.
CASEY
Good show, Kim.
DAN AND CASEY ENTER THE STUDIO AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 1)
DAN
Did Orlando Rojas pitch this afternoon?
CASEY
I do not know.
DAN
You don't know?
CASEY
I do not.
NATALIE IS AT ELLIOT'S DESK.--
DAN
Natalie.
NATALIE
Sir.
DAN
Did Orlando Rojas pitch this
afternoon?
NATALIE
That's a good question.
DAN
Thank you very much. Did he pitch this
afternoon?
NATALIE
I do not know.
DAN
Well thank God none of us work in
sports.
NATALIE
Hey, neither of you have heard from
Jeremy, have you?
CASEY
Since he left?
NATALIE
Yeah.
CASEY
No.
DAN
You haven't heard from him?
NATALIE
I heard from him the first night, but
not the second night and not tonight.
CASEY
Did you call his parents' house?
NATALIE
I left a message.
DAN
Maybe he's just busy.
NATALIE
Yeah.
CASEY
Maybe he met another woman and forgot
all about you.
NATALIE
Maybe I'll jam a number-2 pencil up
your nose.
CASEY
Maybe he's just busy.
NATALIE
Maybe that's right.
NATALIE CONTINUES INTO THE CONTROL ROOM AS--
RESET TO:
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 1)
DAVE
60 seconds to VTR, two minutes live.
CHRIS
This is a heads-up, we're two hours in
front of Baja-California right now.
WILL
We're three hours in front.
ELLIOT
Baja-California isn't on Daylight
Savings Time.
KIM
Everybody in the country's on Daylight
Savings Time.
CHRIS
Baja California isn't in this country.
DAVE
California isn't in this country?
CHRIS
Baja California isn't in California,
it's in Mexico.
DAVE
Baja California's in Mexico?
CHRIS
Yeah.
DAVE
(BEAT) What kinda stupid-ass--
CHRIS
I'm just sayin' heads up.
DAVE
(INTO HEADSET) Sports Night's at
Ready-1.
DANA
(TO THE ROOM) I'm pumped.
WILL
30 seconds to VTR.
DAVE
Live in 90.
DANA
(TO NATALIE) I'm pumped.
NATALIE
Why wouldn't he call me?
DANA
His parents are splitting up, Natalie.
He's got some stuff going on.
NATALIE
Yeah, but--
DANA
He'll be back tomorrow.
NATALIE
Yeah.
DANA
You know what you should do?
NATALIE
What?
DANA
You should get pumped.
NATALIE
Yeah.
DANA
I'm pumped.
DAVE
Roll VTR, good show everybody.
KIM
Good show.
DANA
Dave, are you pumped?
DAVE
(TO CHRIS) What the hell is she--
CHRIS
She's pumped.
DAVE
(TO DANA) You're pumped?
DANA
I am. (INTO HEADSET) Good show,
fellas.
ELLIOT EXITS TO THE STUDIO
RESET TO:
INT. STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 1)
DAN
Elliot, did Orlando Rojas pitch this
afternoon?
ELLIOT
He's pitching tomorrow.
DAN
Did he throw in the bullpen yesterday?
ELLIOT
Yeah. Kelly was there, she saw him
throw.
DAN
How did his fastball look?
ELLIOT
Should be crossin' the plate any
minute now.
ALYSON
You guys are all set, have a good show.
DAN
We will have a good show, Alyson, you
know why?
ALYSON
Cause you're pumped?
DAN
Cause we're pumped.
CASEY
Dan's pretty excited.
DAN
And Casey's speaking in tongues.
CASEY
Alyson, did you know I speak four
languages?
DAN
You speak three languages.
CASEY
I speak four languages.
DAN
You speak French, Spanish and German.
CASEY
I dabble in a little English.
DAN
(TO CASEY) What were we talking about?
CASEY
I was hoping you'd know.
DAN
The point is we're pumped.
CASEY
Yes.
ALYSON
Do I have to keep standing here?
CASEY
No, go get pumped.
ALYSON
Okay.
ALYSON EXITS--
DAN
You wanna know what pumps me up?
CASEY
I know you like grape jelly.
DAN
Orlando Rojas. Orlando Rojas pumps me
up.
NATALIE
It's just strange that he hasn't
called me.
DANA
He's okay.
DAVE
In three...two...
DAN
Good evening from New York City, I'm
Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall,
those stories plus, we'll bring you
the Madness of March and a May-Day
from Missouri.
CASEY
We'll show you why McKenzie Blane
falls mainly on Tulane and we'll do
other things that rhyme as well. All
that comin' up after this.
You're watching Sports Night on CSC,
so stick around.
END OF TEASER
ACT I
(A)
INT. DAN AND CASEY'S OFFICE/NEWSROOM/CSC
CORRIDOR/STUDIO/SPORTS NIGHT CORRIDOR/SPORTS NIGHT ELEVATOR
LOBBY - DAY - (DAY 2)
(Dan, Casey, Rebecca, Atmosphere)
DAN IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION WITH REBECCA--
DAN
Orlando Rojas.
REBECCA
I don't know who that is.
DAN
Orlando Rojas the pitcher.
REBECCA
Oh, Orlando Rojas the pitcher.
DAN
Yes.
REBECCA
I don't know who that is.
DAN
He's pitching this afternoon.
REBECCA
Orlando Rojas?
DAN
Yes.
REBECCA
I don't know who that is.
DAN
That's hard to believe.
REBECCA
I took an elevator up 12 floors, Dan,
what did you want to tell me?
DAN
I wanted to tell you that Orlando
Rojas is pitching this afternoon.
REBECCA
You couldn't tell me that on the
phone?
DAN
You don't like it when I bother you at
work.
REBECCA
Hey, is it okay if I hit you in the
head with this big book?
DAN
That's Casey's.
CASEY WALKS IN--
REBECCA
Casey, is it okay if I hit Dan in the
head with this big book?
CASEY
Yeah.
DAN
She doesn't know who Orlando Rojas is.
CASEY
He's a pitcher.
DAN
(TO CASEY) He's pitching this
afternoon.
CASEY
(TO DAN) Orlando Rojas?
DAN
Yeah.
CASEY
Orlando Rojas gets Dan pumped.
DAN
He does.
CASEY
I didn't know that 'till you told me
last night.
DAN
He gets me pumped.
CASEY
I knew about grape jelly.
REBECCA
You guys, seriously, I'm just gonna
sit down in the middle of the room and
cry.
DAN
He's a lefty.
REBECCA
Who?
DAN
Orlando Rojas.
REBECCA
I have to go back to my office.
REBECCA EXITS AND DAN FOLLOWS AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. NEWSROOM/CSC CORRIDOR/STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (DAY 2)
AS DAN FOLLOWS REBECCA--
DAN
How could you have been married to
Steve Sisco all those years and know
nothing about sports?
REBECCA
It wasn't all those years, Dan, it was
two and a half years.
DAN
Yeah, but they were two and a half
Steve Sisco years. That's like 25
regular years.
REBECCA
You think Neil Armstrong's wife was an
expert on astro-propulsion?
DAN
I think she's heard of the moon.
INT. CSC CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (DAY 2)
REBECCA
Sports isn't what I do for a living.
DAN
What do you do for a living?
REBECCA STOPS WALKING. SHE LOOKS AT DAN FOR A MOMENT.
REBECCA
What?
DAN
What do you do, exactly?
REBECCA
You know exactly what I do.
DAN
You're a market analyst.
REBECCA
Yes.
DAN
What does that mean?
REBECCA
I analyze the market.
DAN
Keep going.
INT. STUDIO - CONTINUOUS - (DAY 2)
REBECCA
It's hard to understand, Danny.
DAN
Oh I'm a very smart guy, Rebecca.
REBECCA
In any given quarter, somewhere
between 43 and 45 percent of
Continental Corp's assets are
represented by stock ownership in any
number of publicly held companies in
this country and around the world.
THEY EXIT TO THE SPORTS NIGHT CORRIDOR
RESET TO:
INT. SPORTS NIGHT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
REBECCA (CONT'D)
These assets are sold, bought, traded,
invested and maintained based in some
part on the analyses of the people who
work in my department. That's what I
do.
DAN
You don't really know, do you?
REBECCA
I do too know.
REBECCA KEEPS WALKING AND DAN FOLLOWS--
DAN
It was your husband's life and you
never even had a passing interest in
it?
REBECCA
I'm just saying I know precisely what
I do for a living, okay, I happen to
be a graduate of the Wharton School.
DAN STARTS LAUGHING--
REBECCA (CONT'D)
What?
DAN
Could you just say that part again: "I
happen to be a graduate of the Wharton
School."
REBECCA
Have people ever tried to kill you?
DAN
Yes, but I defend myself with my
superior wit and guile.
REBECCA
I'm going back to my office.
REBECCA GOES OUT THE DOOR, INTO THE LOBBY AND DAN FOLLOWS AS
WE
RESET TO:
INT. SPORTS NIGHT ELEVATORS - CONTINUOUS - (DAY 2)
AS REBECCA AND DAN COME INTO THE LOBBY--
DAN
Hey guess what.
REBECCA
What?
DAN
Orlando Rojas is pitching this
afternoon.
REBECCA
I heard.
DAN
Watch the game with me.
REBECCA
No.
DAN
It'll be great. I'll tape it and we
can watch it tonight.
REBECCA
No.
DAN
Why?
REBECCA
'Cause you like me right now. And you
love sports.
And I think when you see those two
things in a room together at the same
time, I'm gonna look a little less
like what you want.
DAN
I think you're wrong.
REBECCA
I have to go back to my office.
DAN
First of all, what makes you so sure I
like you right now?
REBECCA
Well you follow me everywhere I go and
you ask me out all the time.
DAN
(BEAT) You're reading way too much
into that.
REBECCA
Dan--
DAN
See, you may have attended the Wharton
School, but I graduated from a little
institution called Dartmouth, and I
took Psych 101, and on one or two
occasions I went to class.
So I know all about the likes of you,
Miss Missy. You've built yourself a
wall. A wall of pain. A wall whose
bricks are made of pain, and whose
mortar is made of tears, and whose-----
(THINKS)---what's the other one.
There's bricks and mortar and--
REBECCA
That's it.
DAN
Really?
REBECCA
Just bricks and mortar.
DAN
There isn't a third thing?
REBECCA
No.
DAN
Whatever. You got a wall.
THE ELEVATOR "DINGS".
REBECCA
I'm going back to my world now.
DAN
I'm gonna tear down that wall,
Rebecca. Bit by little bit.
THE ELEVATOR DOORS OPEN AND REBECCA STEPS ON AND JOINS
THREE PASSENGERS.
REBECCA
Okay. Bye.
DAN
I'm gonna tear it down! For I am Dan:
Doer of Good Things Where Women are
Concerned. (TO THE PASSENGERS) How
y'all doin'.
AS THE DOORS ARE CLOSING...
REBECCA
(TO THE OTHER PASSENGERS) We're just
friends.
CUT TO:
ACT I
(B)
INT. NEWSROOM - DAY - (DAY 2)
(Jeremy, Natalie)
JEREMY IS STANDING AT A DESK, TALKING ON THE PHONE.
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) Uh, that's Goodwin.
Jeremy Goodwin and I'm not looking for
topography, just the general nautical
make-up. I need a chart.
NATALIE (OS)
He's back!
JEREMY TURNS AROUND TO SEE NATALIE RUNNING TOWARD HIM.
JEREMY HOLDS UP A FINGER TO INDICATE HE'LL BE OFF THE
PHONE IN A SECOND.
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) Yeah.
NATALIE GIVES JEREMY A QUICK KISS.
NATALIE
Hey.
JEREMY
Hey. (INTO PHONE) Right. That area's
way too far North, though.
NATALIE
My man has come back to me.
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) And what I need is a
chart.
NATALIE
(POINTING TO THE DESK) Did you get my
welcome back card?
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) Right. (TO NATALIE)
That was really nice. Thanks. (INTO
PHONE) I need a chart of that area.
Where the storm hit.
NATALIE
It says "Welcome Back" in big letters,
and then there's a drawing of me
holding a sign that says "Welcome
Back".
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) About 600 nautical miles
from the start buoy.
NATALIE
So it's actually two cards.
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) Okay, would you call me
at this number please?
NATALIE
There's also, as you can see, a box of
Good and Plenty.
JEREMY
(INTO PHONE) Thank you. (HANGS UP)
Thank you.
NATALIE
You're back.
JEREMY
I'm sorry I didn't call last night,
but--
NATALIE
Or the night before.
JEREMY
Right, but--
NATALIE
You wanna know how good I am? I'm not
even gonna ask why you didn't call.
JEREMY
Thank you, 'cause right at the moment
I've gotta get a hold of--
NATALIE
Why the hell didn't you call?
JEREMY
You know what, it was just one of
those things.
NATALIE
I get it.
JEREMY
Do you?
NATALIE
Yeah.
JEREMY
Thanks.
NATALIE
Why the hell didn't you call?
JEREMY
Natalie--
JEREMY'S PHONE RINGS. HE PICKS IT UP RIGHT AWAY--
JEREMY (CONT'D)
(INTO PHONE) Jeremy Goodwin. (BEAT)
Yeah I need a chart. (BEAT) Because
I'm trying to figure out how it
happened.
NATALIE
It's the big box of Good and Plenty.
CUT TO:
ACT I
(C)
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - 12 NOON - (DAY 2)
(Dan, Casey, Dana, Jeremy, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will,
Dave, Atmosphere)
DAN AND CASEY ARE SITTING IN THE OTHERWISE EMPTY CONFERENCE
ROOM, WAITING FOR A RUN-DOWN MEETING TO START.
AFTER A MOMENT...
DAN
There is a run-down meeting, right?
CASEY
Yes.
DAN
'Cause it was hard not to notice that
we're the only two people here.
CASEY
See the thing about me is I'm well
rounded.
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
For instance, I speak many languages.
DAN
Yes.
CASEY
And I can juggle.
DAN
I need this meeting to get underway.
CASEY
I play a little piano.
DAN
I want people to walk in the door right
now.
AND WITH THAT, PEOPLE BEGIN FILING IN THE DOOR...
DAN (CONT'D)
Look at that. That's a power I didn't
even know I had.
DANA
Good afternoon everybody. Will,
you're sitting in Isaac's chair.
WILL
I thought Isaac wasn't here.
DANA
We don't sit in Isaac's chair when
Isaac isn't here. All right, lets'
go, no foolin' around. We've got nine
items for this meeting and we're just
gonna go bam, bam, bam. No
interruptions. I think we can do it.
I'm feeling really good about this
meeting so far. I'm serious, I'm
getting a really good vibe from this
meeting so here we go. Ready? Elliot,
Item 1:
DAN
Dana?
DANA
This meeting sucks.
DAN
Yeah just one thing. This is for
everybody. I'm taping the Orioles game
and I'm not gonna be watching it 'till
the show comes down. Under no
circumstances do I want to know the
outcome of the game or how Rojas
pitched. I want to share a sports
experience with Rebecca, and I don't
want to know anything about this game.
CASEY
That's a bit problematic.
DAN
Why?
CASEY
As I understand it, it's our job to
get the information and report it to
others.
DAN
I've got all that covered.
DANA
Can we get started?
DAN
First of all, you take the Orioles
game. Elliot, you re-route the LC-Wire
so that I'm not getting American
League scores in my office. Kim,
please pass this along to the staff
and establish a signal they can give
me if I'm approaching danger. Once the
American League wrap-up starts, I need
to be outfitted with a blind-fold and
Walkman and just to be on the safe
side, Dana, you better throw a Hefty
bag over the floor monitors.
DANA
(TO NATALIE) Kill me. Kill me now.
DAN
Here we go. Item 1. Elliot.
DANA
Yes--
JEREMY
I have something.
DANA
See we print these run-downs.
JEREMY
Tomorrow's the tenth anniversary of
the Governor's Cup.
CASEY
Jeremy, I didn't even see you there.
When did you get back?
JEREMY
I took the train down this morning.
DANA
What's the Governor's Cup?
DAN
It's a sailboat race from New York to
Nassau.
JEREMY
Ten years ago, a 68 ft. Merit Class
yacht called The Sword of Orion, which
was favored to win, went massively and
inexplicably off course and into the
path of winds gusting up to 90 miles
per hour with 30 foot seas. The
tactician, who was the son of the
boat's owner, was thrown overboard and
drowned. The rest of the crew was
saved four days later. I'd like to do
a piece.
DANA
What do you need?
JEREMY
I need to know what was going on on
the boat. And I need charts. I'd like
to know how they got there.
DANA
Well go ahead and keep Natalie posted.
Item 1--
CASEY
Wait a second.
DANA
Please.
CASEY
Hang on. Jeremy.
JEREMY
Yeah.
CASEY
How was the trip?
JEREMY
It was good. (BEAT) I'm done. That was
all I had to say.
DANA
All right. Item 1.
END OF ACT I
ACT II
(D)
INT. REBECCA'S CORRIDOR/REBECCA'S OFFICE/CORRIDOR - 4PM -
(NIGHT 2)
(Dan, Rebecca, Celia, Stuart, Phil, Atmosphere)
DAN AND REBECCA ARE TALKING AGAINST THE WALL. PEOPLE WILL
WALK BY FROM TIME TO TIME.
REBECCA
Yes, but I never said I was gonna
watch it with you.
DAN
It seemed like you secretly wanted to.
REBECCA
I didn't.
DAN
There was an understanding.
REBECCA
There wasn't.
DAN
A tacit understanding.
A WOMAN WALKS BY--
WOMAN (CELIA)
Hey, Dan.
DAN
Hey Celia. (TO REBECCA) You're telling
me you never watched a game with Steve
Sisco?
REBECCA
Could you stop calling him Steve
Sisco. The way you use his full name
drives me crazy. In fact everything
you do drives me crazy.
A MAN WALKS BY--
MAN (STUART)
Hey Dan.
DAN
Hey Stuart.
REBECCA
How is it you've become buddies with
everyone who works down here?
DAN
I have a way about me.
REBECCA
For you are Dan?
DAN
For I am.
DAN FOLLOWS REBECCA INTO HER OFFICE AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. REBECCA'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
REBECCA
Why's this game so important to you?
DAN
Orlando Rojas is pitching.
REBECCA
And he's really good?
DAN
We don't know yet. He's been out for
two years after shoulder surgery and
re-hab. I've interviewed him a few
times, you'd like him a lot. He's
really one of the good guys.
REBECCA
What team does he play for?
DAN
The Orioles. An Oriole is a kind of
bird.
REBECCA
There's nothing about you I don't
hate.
DAN
And you you're mysteriously drawn to
me.
REBECCA
Yes.
DAN
Come to my office at midnight. I won't
know anything about the game yet.
REBECCA
What happens if they win?
DAN
The Orioles?
REBECCA
Yes.
DAN
Nothing.
REBECCA
Nothing happens if they win the game?
DAN
No.
REBECCA
They don't go to the championship?
DAN
No actually the season hasn't started
yet. It's what's called an exhibition
game. They play about 30 of them
before the season starts as a tune-up.
REBECCA
Then why does everyone care who wins?
DAN
Nobody cares who wins. But if Orlando
Rojas can put some innings together
tonight, he may not get cut from the
team as quickly as most people think
he's gonna.
There's really nothing like seeing a
guy realize he's not done yet. Usually
it goes the other way. Watch the game
with me.
REBECCA
Dan, it's been a long week. I just
don't think I can wait around 'till
midnight. I'm gonna get this stuff
done and go home. Probably take a bath
and go to sleep.
DAN
You sure?
REBECCA
Yeah.
DAN
Should I stop trying to sell you?
REBECCA
I think it's time.
DAN
You want me to stop selling.
REBECCA
Yes.
DAN
Really?
REBECCA
Yeah.
DAN
Okay.
DAN FOLLOWS REBECCA OUT INTO THE CORRIDOR AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
REBECCA
Thanks.
DAN
Let me try to sell you.
REBECCA
Dan--
DAN
I knew that deep down you wanted me to
try and sell you.
A MAN (PHIL) WALKS BY--
PHIL
Hey Dan.
DAN
Hey Phil, what do you say.
REBECCA
(SHOUTING UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR)
All right everybody please stop being
friendly to Dan.
DAN
Number 1: There'll be pretzels.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(E)
INT. EDITING ROOM - 7PM - (NIGHT 2)
(Casey, Jeremy)
CASEY IS LISTENING AS JEREMY EXPLAINS A NAUTICAL CHART TO
HIM. ONE GETS THE FEELING THAT JEREMY WOULD BE TALKING
WHETHER CASEY WAS IN THE ROOM OR NOT.
JEREMY
400 miles into the race they were
still all within sight of each other.
But on the fifth night, around sunset,
Southern Cross logged that they'd lost
visual contact with The Sword of
Orion. Right around here. Two hours
later, Practical Knowledge had lost
sight of them as well. They tacked
East, working off a report that called
for 40 knot winds out of the South-
Southwest. They were right here when
all their on-board computers,
including the SatNav radar
malfunctioned. And not only did they
not know where they were, they had no
way of knowing that the call for 40
knot winds was off by more than half.
CASEY
Jeremy?
JEREMY
Yeah.
CASEY
Did something happen on this trip that
you wanna talk about? Did something
happen at home?
JEREMY
No. (BEAT) Just--my parents are
getting divorced.
CASEY
I know.
JEREMY
So--I mean. It is what it is.
CASEY
Yeah.
JEREMY
So it was a few minutes after midnight
when The Sword of Orion turned again,
making a course for 82 degrees South.
And that was the last mistake they'd
have a chance to make.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(H)
INT. CONTROL ROOM/NEWSROOM/EXECUTIVE CORRIDORS - 8:30 -
(NIGHT 2)
(Dana, Natalie, Chris, Will, Dave, Atmosphere)
DANA AND NATALIE ENTER FOR A MEETING WITH CHRIS, WILL AND DAVE.
DANA
I'd like to audition these graphics in
the 30's and leave time for any
changes. Would you put 'em up, Dave.
DAVE
I'm gonna put 'em up on a monitor, but
I think you should let us do the
talking.
DANA
Why?
DAVE
You frighten the people who work in
graphics.
DANA
No I don't.
DAVE
Yes you do.
DANA
The people in graphics are my friends.
NATALIE
That's not quite right.
DANA
I'm so nice to them.
NATALIE
That's one way of looking at it.
DANA
What's another way?
NATALIE
That oftentimes you express your
displeasure with their work in ways
that make them want to take their own
lives.
DANA
Fine. You people talk to them. Show me
30.
CHRIS
30's up.
DANA
Oh that blows.
CHRIS
(INTO HEADSET) Yeah, she's not wild
about it.
DANA
There's nothing of any value in what
these people have done.
CHRIS
(INTO HEADSET) She likes the colors a
lot.
DANA
I mean I've seen things that reek
before, but I think it takes a
particular lack of talent to produce
work of this quality.
CHRIS
(INTO HEADSET) Dana says maybe a
different font.
DANA
I think the situation's hopeless and
we're all doomed.
DAVE
(INTO HEADSET) She says "Keep at it.
You're very, very close."
NATALIE
Back here at ten.
DANA AND NATALIE EXIT AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. NEWSROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT 2)
DANA
(TO NATALIE) Anyway, I wouldn't worry
about it.
NATALIE
Dana, he's acting very strange today.
It's honestly not like him not to call
me, and he didn't respond at all to
the Good and Plenty and it was the big
box of Good and Plenty, and what's up
with his obsession about this boat
race.
DANA
I wouldn't call it an obsession.
NATALIE
No it is.
DANA
Is his father still living at home?
NATALIE
No he's at a motel now.
DANA
Is Jeremy very close to his father?
NATALIE
Jeremy worships his father. He's the
sweetest man.
DANA
It shouldn't be too hard to understand
why Jeremy's not in the best mood.
NATALIE
He's not telling me something.
INT. EXECUTIVE CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
AS DANA AND NATALIE TURN THE CORNER--
DANA
Jeremy?
NATALIE
Yeah.
DANA
Don't worry about it.
NATALIE
(BEAT) Yeah.
DANA
The people in graphics are afraid of
me?
NATALIE
Yeah.
DANA
Excellent.
DANA GOES INTO HER OFFICE AS WE
CUT TO:
ACT II
(J)
INT. REBECCA'S OFFICE - 9:30 - (NIGHT 2)
(Dan, Rebecca)
REBECCA ENTERS AND SEES DAN SITTING AT HER DESK.
DAN
Eleven years ago he pitched a perfect
game.
REBECCA
This is my office. That's my desk.
DAN
A perfect game.
REBECCA
Who?
DAN
Orlando Rojas.
REBECCA
And a perfect game is good?
DAN
Listen, I know there's a lot of
jargon, but some of these are pretty
self-explanatory.
REBECCA
Dan, do you see that I have work to
do?
DAN
I see that you have work to do but I'm
not completely convinced that you know
what it is.
REBECCA
Get out.
DAN
You really won't watch a baseball game
with me, huh?
REBECCA
Not tonight.
DAN
(BEAT) All right. (BEAT) I'm not
discouraged.
REBECCA
Good.
DAN
I am Dan.
REBECCA
Yes you are.
DAN
I'll see you later.
REBECCA
Yeah.
DAN WALKS OUT AS WE
CUT TO:
ACT II
(K)
INT. EDITING ROOM - 10:50 PM - (NIGHT 2)
(Casey, Jeremy, Natalie)
JEREMY AND CASEY ARE STILL TALKING. JEREMY HAS A FEW BOOKS
AND MANY PAPERS SPREAD OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. CASEY IS
DRESSED FOR THE SHOW.
CASEY
Jeremy--
JEREMY
Listen to what Milton says in Paradise
Lost. He's basically saying that Orion
becomes an instrument of divine wrath,
perfectly controlled by God, to thwart
those who would defy him who "treadeth
upon the waves of the sea."
NATALIE STEPS IN--
NATALIE
Casey.
CASEY
Yeah.
NATALIE
Did you get a five-minute call?
CASEY
No.
NATALIE
Five minutes.
CASEY
Really?
NATALIE
Yeah.
CASEY
It's ten to eleven.
NATALIE
Right.
CASEY
We still go on the air at eleven,
right?
NATALIE
Yes.
CASEY
So--
NATALIE
I want to talk to Jeremy.
CASEY
No problem. Talk to me later, Jeremy.
JEREMY
Thanks.
CASEY
By the way, this is the second time
today I've been kicked out of a room,
and I go pleasantly and without
incident.
NATALIE
Thank you.
CASEY LEAVES...
JEREMY
There's a lot of great stuff on Orion,
the God and also the constellation.
Most people only see the belt, which
is formed by Delta, Epsilon and Zeta,
three second magnitude stars that are
equally spaced in a straight line.
Beneath the belt is a line of fainter
stars and of these stars, Theta isn't
really a star at all. It's actually
the brightest part of the Orion
nebula. So this great pink star in the
sword of Orion turns out to be
something far more...complicated and
interesting. (BEAT) My father's been
having an affair with a woman for 27
years.
NATALIE
(BEAT) Do you know her?
JEREMY
No.
NATALIE
How did your mom find out?
JEREMY
He told her.
JEREMY TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND SPEAKS SLOWER THAN HE USUALLY
DOES...
JEREMY (CONT'D)
You know...I don't know how quickly I
can get this piece done.
NATALIE
That's okay.
JEREMY
It's worth it, I think, to figure out
exactly how...this boat...that was
supposed to win...met with this kind
of disaster. (BEAT) I'd like to look
at a chart.
NATALIE
It's okay.
JEREMY
I'm sorry I didn't call.
NATALIE
Don't think about it now. It's time to
do the show.
JEREMY
I'm grateful for that.
DAVE (VO)
Back from commercial in 15 seconds.
CUT TO:
ACT II
(L)
INT. CONTROL ROOM/STUDIO/CSC CORRIDOR/NEWSROOM/DAN AND
CASEY'S OFFICE/NEWSROOM/CONTROL ROOM CORRIDOR - NIGHT -
(NIGHT 2)
(Dan, Casey, Jeremy, Natalie, Kim, Elliot, Chris, Will, Dave,
Rebecca, Alyson, Atmosphere)
CHRIS
15 seconds back.
CASEY'S GETTING A QUICK TOUCH-UP FROM ALYSON--
CASEY
(TO ALYSON) I'll tell you what else: I
can cook. Not everything, but
spaghetti I'm very good at...And
cupcakes.
ALYSON
That's really nice for you.
CASEY
Thank you.
DAVE
In three...two...
DAN
That's all for us. We're off tomorrow,
but Sunday we've got the final round
of the Battle Creek Invitational,
we'll see if Fuzzy Zoeller can't close
the gap. You've been watching Sports
Night on CSC, have a good night.
CASEY
G'night everybody.
DAVE
Music
WILL
Go.
DAVE
Animation.
CHRIS
Go.
DAVE
We're out.
DANA
Good show.
NATALIE
Good show everybody.
DANA
It was a very nice show.
KIM
We were pumped.
DANA
I could tell.
NATALIE
It was a good show.
DANA
Yes. Would you tell graphics that the
wise thing for them to do is to leave
the building right now very quickly.
NATALIE
(INTO HEADSET) Hey. Dana says you guys
come on up for a well-deserved pat on
the back.
RESET TO:
INT. CSC CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
DAN AND CASEY ENTER AS ELLIOT COMES ALONG WITH A VIDEO TAPE.
ELLIOT
Here it is.
DAN
Ahhh, thank you very much.
ELLIOT
Have a good night.
DAN
Take it easy.
CASEY
G'night Elliot. (TO DAN) Listen, I'm
gonna go talk to Jeremy a bit. You
gonna watch the game in the office?
DAN
Yeah.
CASEY
I'll stop by.
CASEY PEELS OFF AS DAN CONTINUES--
RESET TO:
INT. NEWSROOM - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
AS DAN WALKS IN--
DAN
(SHOUTING OUT) I'm walking through the
newsroom now carrying the tape! Please
stop all conversation about Orlando
Rojas and the Orioles game!
DAN GETS TO HIS OFFICE AND WALKS IN AS WE
RESET TO:
INT. DAN'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
REBECCA IS STANDING THERE.
REBECCA
He slipped on a tangerine peel in the
locker room before the game. He
twisted his ankle pretty good.
DAN
Are you serious?
REBECCA
Boy did you bite down hard on that
one.
DAN
That was nice, you played a little
joke.
REBECCA
Steve made it clear that he didn't
want me in that world. It was very
important to him and I...he had a hard
time mixing those things. I want to
tell you that I appreciate the
extraordinary effort you went through
today. I want you to know I appreciate
it. And it's hard...because, well--
DAN
The wall of pain?
REBECCA
Sure.
DAN
With the bricks and the tears--
REBECCA
--and the third thing, yeah.
DAN
I'm gonna tear down that wall,
Rebecca. Bit by little bit. It may
take weeks, it could take months, but
I'm gonna do it. I don't care about
time when it comes to you.
I'm hunkered down for a long period of
wall-demolition. Just bit by little
bit. I expect the process to be
excrutiating, but ultimately worth it.
REBECCA
I've booked a suite at the St. Regis
for tonight. Room service has a bottle
of champagne chilling in the room
right now. Can I take you there
please.
DAN
Well that'll speed things up
considerably.
REBECCA
Follow me.
WE BEGIN TO HEAR THE GUITAR INTRO TO A SONG WE'LL RECOGNIZE.
DAN
Okay.
DAN STARTS OUT THE DOOR--
REBECCA
Dan.
DAN
Yeah.
REBECCA
Take the tape.
DAN
The tape?
REBECCA
Take the tape.
DAN
Excellent.
DAN TAKES THE TAPE AND THEY HEAD OUT THE DOOR. THE SONG
IS "SLOOP JOHN B."
RESET TO:
INT. NEWSROOM/CONTROL ROOM CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - (NIGHT 2)
THE SONG CONTINUES AS WE FOLLOW DAN AND REBECCA OUT. THEY
PASS BY THE GLASS WINDOW AT THE BACK OF THE CONTROL ROOM.
CASEY AND NATALIE ARE TALKING TO JEREMY IN THE EMPTY
CONTROL ROOM. CASEY SAYS SOMETHING THAT MAKES JEREMY
LAUGH. DAN TAPS ON THE GLASS AND WAVES, THEN HE AND
REBECCA MOVE ON. WE STAY ON THE SCENE IN THE CONTROL
ROOM...
"SO HAUL UP THE SLOOP JOHN B.
MY GRANDFATHER AND ME
CALL UP THE CAPTAIN ASHORE
LET ME GO HOME
LET ME GO HOME
PLEASE LET ME GO HOME
I FEEL SO BROKE UP
I WANT TO GO HOME..."
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF SHOW