Ep303

Episode 3.03
�The Good, the Bad, and the Lucky�
Written by Kasey M. Dunton

(Teaser.)
(We open on the SN logo (Black and white). We hear Dana talking, in the middle of a long story, most likely.)

Dana:
�Then he took me out to dinner, and then to his hotel room, so we�re going out now.

(Fade to Day I, Isaac�s office. Dana�s sitting in a chair with her feet on another one. Isaac� is behind his desk, looking as though he wants someone to �hit him in the head with that blunt instrument over there.)

Dana:
Well? Aren�t you going to say anything?

Isaac:
You mean you were talking to me?

Dana:
(Indignantly.) Yes!

Isaac:
Sorry.

Dana:
You aren�t.

Isaac:
I�m not what?

Dana:
Sorry.

Isaac:
Right.

Dana:
Isaac!

Isaac:
Don�t you have work you should be doing?

Dana:
No.

Isaac:
We�re a news-gathering organization, right?

Dana:
Right.

Isaac:
Then why not?

Dana:
It�s a slow news day.

Isaac:
Covering bridge again?

Dana:
No, we have all the time filled, but the first game starts at seven.

Isaac:
So what are you doing in here?

Dana:
Telling you what�s going on around here.

Isaac:
O�kay�

Dana:
Y�know, Isaac, you used to care about these things.

Isaac:
No. I never cared about these things. I just can�t fake it as well as I used to be able to. And you have all started noticing that.

Dana:
Oh, how you like to kid.

Isaac:
(Smiling.) Yeah.

(Dana stands and leaves.)

(Cut to: Day I, the newsroom. Jeremy is sitting at his desk, typing something, and Natalie comes up behind him.)

Natalie:
(Putting her hands over his glasses, covering his eyes.) Guess who!

Jeremy:
McGeorge Bundy.

Natalie:
Nope, McGeorge Bundy is still dead.

Jeremy:
Then, um�

Natalie:
Let me give you a hint. (She leans down and kisses him gently.) Now guess who.

Jeremy:
Robert Redford. (Natalie takes one hand away from his eyes and uses it to smack him in the back of the head.) Ow! Hey, Natalie, that hurt!

Natalie:
Sorry, Pumpkin, but you just said I kiss like Robert Redford.

Jeremy:
True.

Natalie:
How would you know how Robert Redford kisses?

Jeremy:
(Beat.) Perfectly fair question.

(Luckily for Jeremy, Dan comes walking through the newsroom.)

Danny:
Hey, Natalie, can I talk to you a minute?

Natalie:
Absolutely. (To Jeremy.) As for YOU, I�ll see you later, unless of course you have plans with Robert Redford �

Danny:
Natalie.

Natalie:
Okay. (Dan leads her a little ways away from most of the people.) What�s up?

Danny:
What do you do if you think someone has a stalker?

Natalie:
(With little concern.) Mandy?

Danny:
No. Rebecca.

Natalie:
You�re being stalked by your girlfriend?

Danny:
I�m not being stalked, Rebecca is being stalked.

Natalie:
(Wide-eyed.) How is she?

Danny:
Perfectly fine.

Natalie:
How?

Danny:
She thinks it�s me.

Natalie:
She thinks YOU�RE stalking her?

Danny:
She doesn�t think she�s being stalked.

Natalie:
Then why does she think you�re her stalker?

Danny:
She thinks I�m sending her these things, and since I�m her boyfriend, it�s no problem.

Natalie:
What did you send her?

Danny:
Nothing.

Natalie:
That�s a problem?

Danny:
Yes!

Natalie:
What did the stalker send her?

Danny:
Flowers.

Natalie:
So?

Danny:
They were signed S.S.

Natalie:
Minnow?

Danny:
Steve Sisco!

Natalie:
I doubt it.

Danny:
I don�t.

Natalie:
If it�s signed S.S., then why does she think it�s you? You�re D.R.

Danny:
Yes, I am aware of that. She thinks I�m trying to pretend it�s not me.

Natalie:
And?

Danny:
It�s not me!

(Fade to Commercial. End Teaser.)

Act I
(Day I. Open from commercial on Dana�s office. She is working at her desk. Sam pushes open the door and Dana looks up at him as he enters.)

Dana:
Good morning, Sam. (She smiles.)

Sam:
Hey, Dana, listen. The CSC West Market Analysis report just shipped in, and there are some problems with it, so I�ve gotta stay late and finish it after everything else I have to do. I�m sorry about dinner, but �

Dana:
No problem. I mean, it�s your job. I�m certainly not gonna tell you if you don�t come to dinner with me then it�s over. An ultimatum like that wouldn�t be fair.

Sam:
I appreciate it. (Starts to leave.)

Dana:
(Calling him back.) Sam. You�re really just working late, right?

Sam:
Yeah, of course. What else would I be doing? (Smiles.)

Dana:
Nothing. I�ll see you at the rundown.

Sam:
Sure. (He leaves.)

(Casey enters.)

Dana:
Casey, did you get the change on Arrowhead and Denver?

Casey:
Yes. And thank you.

Dana:
For what?

Casey:
For not shouting it in my earpiece.

Dana:
Who did that?

Casey:
Natalie.

Dana:
When?

Casey:
The night of the Helsinki Mishap.

Dana:
And you remember this why?

Casey:
Wouldn�t you remember not being able to hear for three days?

Dana:
Yeah.

Casey:
Well?

Dana:
I see your point. What do you need?

Casey:
Who says I need anything?

Dana:
You came into my office.

Casey:
Right.

Dana:
What do you need?

Casey:
Nothing.

Dana:
Then leave.

Casey:
No.

Dana:
Why not?

Casey:
How are you?

Dana:
Fine.

Casey:
Really?

Dana:
Yeah.

Casey:
Okay.

Dana:
(Out of the blue.) Sam canceled dinner for tonight.

Casey:
Why?

Dana:
He has to work late.

Casey:
Dana.

Dana:
What?

Casey:
This is bad.

Dana:
No, it�s not.

Casey:
Remember what happened the last time something like this happened?

Dana:
There were a lot of �happened�s in that sentence.

Casey:
There were two.

Dana:
It was too many.

Casey:
Dana.

Dana:
I�m just sayin�.

Casey:
Do you remember the outcome of similar circumstances on previous occasions?

Dana:
Much better.

Casey:
I wasn�t rephrasing for the sake of the English department, I was rephrasing in hopes you�d answer the question.

Dana:
I don�t want to answer.

Casey:
You do want to answer.

Dana:
I don�t want to answer because then you�ll get all smug over a thing which was a lon time ago and therefor requires no smugness.

Casey:
Smugness?

Dana:
There will be smugness.

Casey:
There will not be smugness.

Dana:
Yes.

Casey:
Thank you, Dana the English minor.

Dana:
Any time.

Casey:
Answer the question already.

Dana:
Fine. (She doesn�t answer.)

Casey:
Any time, now.

Dana:
Do you want the answer or not?

Casey:
If I didn�t want it, would I put up with you right now?

Dana:
You might, if you �

Casey:
Dana.

Dana:
Okay. Fine. The last time someone canceled a date with me saying he had to work late was when Gordon canceled for Rainbow and Stars in order to go sleep with Sally.

Casey:
And what did Sam tell you?

Dana: He had to work late on the CSC West Market Analysis and therefor had to cancel dinner.

Casey:
Well?

Dana:
Casey, I even asked him if he was really just working late.

Casey:
Dana, no sane man in the world would answer no. It�s like when the study hall monitors asked if you were talking. Did anyone EVER answer �Yes�? No. Why? Because why would they give themselves up to a detention?

Dana:
Unless they were the dorky kid with the pocket protector and the �

Casey:
My point is that no sane man would answer no.

Dana:
But he looked in my eyes.

Casey:
So?

Dana:
So you can�t look someone in the eye and lie to them.

Casey:
But didn�t he look you in the eye when he told you he�d stay?

Dana:
That�s not the point.

Casey:
Then what IS the point?

Dana:
I�m right and you�re wrong and it�s time for the rundown. That�s the point.

Casey:
Ah. Okay. That makes me feel so much more informed.

(Cut to: Night I, the show. Start on the control room, but cut frequently back and forth to the studio throughout the scene.)

Dave:
Stand by 75.

Dana:
Let me see LA.

Will:
LA�s up.

(Cut to Studio.)

Danny:
While in LA, the Brewers had a hard time, getting only two hits off Hershiser, who�s been debating retirement for quite some time. Casey, do you think this might have any affect on his decision?

Casey:
Well, Dan, while I think it might, it�s been a decision 39 years in the making. Let�s go to Kelly Kirkpatrick who�s standing by with the Bulldog in the Dodgers lockerroom. Kelly?

(Cut to the Control Room.)

Kelly:
(Visible on monitor.) Thank you, Casey. I�m here with�

Dave:
We�re out. 2:20 back.

Natalie:
(Quietly, to Dana.) He canceled dinner?

Dana:
(Slightly annoyed.) Yes.

Natalie:
But you don�t think it�s a bad sign?

Kim:
Who doesn�t think what�s a bad sign?

Dana:
(To Natalie.) Remind me to kill you later.

Natalie:
(Innocently.) Why?

Dana:
To try and teach you a lesson about distinction?

Natalie:
Distinction between which two things? Myself and Robert Redford?

Dana:
Private conversations and rooms full of people.

Natalie:
One�s a conversation, one�s a room full of people.

Dana:
Natalie.

Natalie:
Okay, okay, okay.

(Cut to studio.)

Casey:
Thank you, Kelly. That just about does it for tonight, and remember, if you�ve got a fantastic girlfriend, don�t cancel a date with her to go sleep with someone else.

Danny:
(A little shocked, but covering it.) That�s all for us, but we�ll be back tomorrow night, the exact same but with different suits. I�m Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall, and what you just saw was Sports Night. G�night.

(Cut to Control Room.)

Dave:
We�re out.

Will:
Roll credits.

Chris:
Animation.

Will:
Go. Music.

Chris:
Go.

(Focus on Dana. She�s livid.)

Dana:
(Getting up.) Natalie, start searching for a new anchor, one of them is about to be DEAD!

Natalie:
Which one? (Dana glares at her and she shuts up.)

(Dana storms out to the anchor desk.)

Danny:
(Quietly.) Good luck, buddy, been nice knowin� ya. (He gets up and makes himself scarce as quickly as possible.)

(Casey laughs weakly and Dana glowers at him.)

Dana:
What the hell was THAT, Casey?

Casey:
Dana, listen �

Dana:
I mean, I realize you feel threatened by Sam, but the show is supposed to be separate from that, remember? You�re an award-winning journalist and you pull a stunt worthy of Steve Sarris!

Casey:
I�m sorry �

Dana:
I don�t want to hear it, Casey. (Beat.) I�m going back to my office.

Casey:
Why?

Dana:
I�m waiting for Sam to finish.

Casey:
What if he leaves without you?

Dana:
He has to pass by my office. I�ll see him.

Casey:
Dana �

Dana:
Shut up and go home, Casey.

Casey:
Fine. (He starts storming out.)

(Cut to: The Newsroom, Night I. Jeremy is getting his stuff and Natalie walks past him.)

Jeremy:
Hey, Natalie, ready to go home?

Natalie:
What?

Jeremy:
Are you ready to go home?

Natalie:
Home?

Jeremy:
Or did you want to go to Anthony�s for drinks?

Natalie:
I thought you had plans with Robert Redford.

Jeremy:
Natalie, I was trying to make a joke.

Natalie:
(Under her breath.) Please tell me we aren�t gonna argue about Henry Youngman.

Jeremy:
Natalie.

Natalie:
Jeremy.

Jeremy:
I like to make you laugh. So I make jokes.

Natalie:
You need practice.

(Cut to show time lapse. Show a digital clock reading just after 3 a.m. Pull back to show the clock is on Dana�s desk and she�s sitting in her chair, looking bored. Through her window, we see Sally walk by, and Dana looks curiously at her. A few moments later, Sam and Sally walk past together. Dana gasps and watches them go. The camera follows them as they go through the studio and exit.)

(Cut to Commercial. End Act I.)

Act II
(Open on Day II, Dan and Casey�s office. Casey is in early, working on something, and Dan walks in.)

Danny:
Hey! You�re still alive!

Casey:
(Unamused.) Yeah.

Danny:
After the rabid Dana on the loose last night, I thought you were a gonner.

Casey:
(Dryly.) Good morning to you too, Danny.

Danny:
Rebecca got chocolates from her stalker.

Casey:
Really?

Danny:
Signed S.S.

Casey:
Minnow?

Danny:
Sisco!

Casey:
The Thong Song guy?

Danny:
Steve!

Casey:
Okay.

Danny:
She thinks it�s me, though. I stopped down at her office before I came up here, and she kissed me and said �How did you know I love German chocolate?�

Casey:
Did you?

Danny:
Did I what?

Casey:
Did you know?

Danny:
No.

Casey:
Would Steve?

Danny:
I don�t know.

Casey:
Would the Thong Song guy?

Danny:
No.

Casey:
Okay.

Danny:
But see, this causes a problem.

Casey:
(Changing the subject abruptly.) Y�know something, Danny?

Danny:
I know many things, Casey.

Casey:
(Ignoring him.) I�ve been lucky lately.

Danny:
Explain your logic.

Casey:
It�s just�there�s a sense that things have been good lately.

Danny:
(Straddling the chair across the desk from Casey.) Let�s recap.

Casey:
Okay.

Danny:
Sam has left with Dana almost every night this week.

Casey:
Right.

Danny:
You have to act indifferent when you want nothing more than to rip his head off.

Casey:
Mmhmm.

Danny:
And Dana royally chewed you out last night because you said something stupid on national television.

Casey:
Yes.

Danny:
And this is you being lucky?

Casey:
Absolutely.

Danny:
How do you figure?

Casey:
You only named three things.

Danny:
Yeah�

Casey:
Which are more like two things.

Danny:
O�kay�

Casey:
So it�s not bad, all things considered.

(Cut to Day II, Sam�s office. Dana knocks tentatively on the door frame and looks very nervous.)

Sam:
(Not looking up.) Come in.

Dana:
Sam?

Sam:
(Looks up and smiles.) Hey, Dana, what�cha up to?

Dana:
I�I need to talk to you.

Sam:
Well, c�mon in and shut the door.

(She walks in, then turns to close the door. Sam gets up and walks to her. As she turns toward the room, he wraps his arms around her. She pushes away from him.)

Sam:
(Puzzledly.) Dana �

Dana:
Preferred vacation spot?

Sam:
What?

Dana:
You told me once you�d met Sally and she was the preferred vacation spot for the men I date.

Sam:
Dana �

Dana:
(Quietly.) Why did you cancel our dinner last night?

Sam:
(Reasonably.) I told you, I had to work late.

Dana:
On what?

Sam:
(Gently.) The budget report.

Dana:
(Nods.) You told me it was the CSC West Market Annalysis.

Sam:
Dana, honey�

Dana:
(Starting to lose her composure.) Don�t �honey� me, you son of a bitch! I saw you!

Sam:
Listen, Dana, I don�t know what you�re talking about.

Dana:
(Finally exploding.) What was she doing up here at 3 a.m., hm, Sam? And I suppose you�re gonna tell me it�s just a coincidence that you walked out with her? Like I�m some idiot who can�t tell the difference between me and her? I may not be a 6-foot Amazon goddess, but I�m not blind, Sam! And I saw you leave with her after you�d broken a date with me! (She stops her rant and looks at him with teary eyes.) Y�know, you were right in what you said. Every man I�ve dated since I�ve come to New York has slept with Sally while they were dating and/or sleeping with me. And yet I never seem to catch on, do I? I leave myself open to it every time. Last night, I kept trying to convince myself it was a nightmare. But it wasn�t. It was the truth. (She opens the door to leave, then turns back momentarily.) And to think I trusted you. (She storms out.)

(Casey is walking through the newsroom. Dana intercepts him.)

Casey:
Dana? Are you -?

Dana:
Could we talk in my office?

Casey:
I�sure. What�s up?

Dana:
In there, okay?

(Casey nods and follows her into her office. He seems slightly confused, and Dana�s acting very weird, more weak and vulnerable than usual.)

Dana:
(Shutting the door behind them and turning to face Casey.) You were right.

Casey:
About what?

Dana:
About what Sam canceling dinner meant.

Casey:
Dana, what happened?

Dana:
(For a moment, she doesn�t speak. When she does, it�s very quietly.) He slept with Sally.

Casey:
(Nodding gravely.) Yeah.

Dana:
(Becoming edgy.) Well? Aren�t you going to gloat and say �I told you so�?

Casey:
No.

Dana:
There�s not going to be smugness?

Casey:
No smugness.

Dana:
Why not?

Casey:
Because I know how upset you are, and it would be mean.

Dana:
Never stopped you before.

Casey:
Dana.

Dana:
What?

Casey:
Stop talking.

Dana:
Why?

Casey:
Because I can�t kiss you when you�re talking.

Dana:
I�what?

Casey:
(Quietly, moving toward her.) I just said that I would like very much to kiss you right now, but I can�t do that so long as your mouth is open.

Dana:
(Nodding, surprised, and her heart of recent ice is visibly melting.) Okay.

Casey:
(Gently thumbing away the tears which have already fallen.) And kissing you doesn�t mean I have to date other women, right?

Dana:
(Smiling weakly.) No.

Casey:
(Quietly.) Good.

(He pauses, seeming hesitant, then takes her face gently in his hands and kisses her long and deep. As the kiss begins, we hear �This Kiss� by Faith Hill, beginning with the chorus and continuing throughout the scene.)

It�s the way you love me,
It�s a feeling like this.
It�s centripetal motion.
It�s perpetual bliss.
It�s that pivitol moment.
It�s, ah, subliminal.
This kiss, this kiss!
It�s criminal.
This kiss, this kiss!

(They part, and both of them are grinning widely.)

Casey:
Dinner at Anthony�s?

Dana:
After the show.

Casey:
Got it.

Cinderella said to Snow White,
�How does love get so off course?�

(He walks out of her office, practically skipping. He continues through the newsroom to his office and halts � as does the music � as he steps into his office and sees who�s waiting for him.)

(A semi-tall, dark-haired woman stands impatiently in his office. Her icy blue eyes glare. Her hair is pulled back, and she wears a dark dress suit. Dark red lipstick accents her pale complexion.)

Casey:
(Very shocked.) Lisa.

Lisa:
(Coldly.) Hello, Casey.

(Fade to black. End Act II.)

�To be Continued�