| Allusions |
-----
Dan and Bobbi are on a television monitor in the control room.
Dan: (on-air) And that's going to do it for this edition of Sports Night. For Bobbi Bernstein and the entire crew here at CSC, good night.
Bobbi: (on-air) PBA Bowling is coming up next. Good night.
Will: Rolling credits.
Chris: Rolling sound.
-----
Dan and Bobbi are taking off their microphones.
Bobbi: You forgot to mention the bowling.
Dan: It wasn't on the Teleprompter.
Bobbi: It's on the hard copy.
Dan looks at the last page of his hard copy.
Dan: You're right.
Bobbi: Not a problem, Dan.
Dan and Bobbi start walking out from the studio.
Dan: But PBA bowling is redundant.
Bobbi: How so?
Dan: Well considering that its the Professional Bowling Association... "PBA bowling" is redundant.
Bobbi: All right. We're even.
Dan: We're not keeping score.
Bobbi: It's okay. We watch each other and help each other out.
Dan: But we're not in competition.
Bobbi: If you say so.
Dan: I'm not the competitive freak you think I am.
Chris and Will walk by Dan and Bobbi.
Will: Here's the ten bucks.
Chris and Will each hand Dan a ten-dollar bill.
Chris: Good call on the Bruins.
Bobbi rolls her eyes as she witnesses the transaction. Chris and Will head in one direction while Dan catches up to Bobbi.
Dan: It's not what you think. It was a friendly wager.
Bobbi: I'm not thinking anything, but you claim you're not a competitive freak.
Dan: It's what friends do. This is what we do.
Bobbi: Am I your friend?
Dan: Would you like to be?
Bobbi walks into the newsroom.
Bobbi: I'm going home.
Bobbi walks by Isaac, who is stationed at Jeremy's desk.
Isaac: Good night, Bobbi.
Bobbi: Good night, Isaac.
Jeremy walks to his desk, only to find Isaac sitting in his seat.
Jeremy: Isaac, no.
Isaac: Bishop to D-9, Jeremy.
Jeremy: I'm not going to play you in chess, Isaac.
Isaac: Come on, Jeremy. I want to learn from you.
Jeremy: You don't play chess.
Isaac: I know how to play chess, I just haven't played in a while.
Jeremy: First of all, you can't do Bishop to D-9 because there is no D-9.
Isaac: I said I haven't played in a while.
Jeremy: I would beat you.
Isaac: There's no harm in that.
Jeremy: No offense, Isaac- but the game of chess takes strategy, skill, patience, the ability to see the whole board, and also the knowledge of the actual board positions itself. There wouldn't be much competition because I've been playing this for years, Isaac. As long as I can remember, I played chess.
Isaac: Good. You can help get me back into shape.
Jeremy: I'm very good. I've been in competitions. I've won competitions.
Isaac: Even better.
Jeremy: Isaac? I just... I just don't want to embarrass you.
Isaac: Is this a war?
Jeremy: No.
Isaac: Will this game change my perspective of you.
Jeremy: It might if I wipe your pieces in 30 moves.
Isaac: Jeremy? It's just a game.
Isaac gets up from the chair.
Isaac: I'll tell you what. Sleep on it tonight. We'll play a friendly match tomorrow afternoon in my office.
Isaac starts walking toward his office.
Jeremy: Do I have a choice?
Isaac: No.
Jeremy shakes his head as he watches Isaac walk across the newsroom.
-----
Casey is sitting in the green room. He is repetitively crunching and straightening a one-dollar bill.
Dana walks in.
Dana: There you are.
Dana looks at the vending machine.
Dana: The machine's still full, and I don't see crumbs strewn about.
Casey: It won't accept my dollar and I have no change.
Dana: I'm sorry, sweetie.
Casey: I wasn't that hungry anyway. What did you want to talk about?
Dana: Ready?
Casey: I'm here. I've been here.
Dana locks the door to the green room.
Dana: I've been thinking about where we are in this relationship.
Casey: Okay.
Dana: And I've been thinking what we need to work on. Since we have good communication in our relationship, I think this is something we need to discuss and implement.
Casey: You're not going to make me go on a diet, are you?
Dana: No.
Casey: Good, because I can't keep up with fats, carbs, calories, points, assists, and rebounds.
Dana: You're fine. This idea is even better.
Casey: Idea?
Dana: Yes, it came to me the other day.
Casey: Okay.
Casey looks at Dana.
Casey: Are you fine?
Dana: Perfectly fine.
Casey: You just have this look-
Dana: What first attracts you to a woman? What makes you want to have a relationship with her?
Casey stares at Dana.
Casey: What kind of relationship?
Dana: A romantic relationship- our relationship. The kind of relationship which grows and love fully blooms.
Casey: I don't understand your meaning.
Dana: You love me.
Casey: Yes, and you love me.
Dana: Yes, but what exactly did you first like which made me attractive to you?
Casey looks at Dana as if she's gone crazy.
Casey: Is there a correct answer to this?
Dana: Only your answer.
Casey: There isn't any sort of punishment if I were to say... answer this incorrectly?
Dana: Don't be silly. Why did you want to date me?
Casey thinks about it for a moment.
Casey: You're smart.
Dana: Yes.
Casey: And we have good chemistry.
Dana: Yes.
Casey: And we have good times together.
Dana: Yes.
Casey: And... and... and is there any more to this?
Dana: You did great.
Casey looks more at ease.
Casey: Good.
Dana: We're attracted to each other's intellect.
Casey: Okay.
Dana: We respect each other, we love each other, and we communicate well with each other.
Casey: Oh-kay.
Dana: Did you notice you didn't say anything about sex? No mention of fornication whatsoever?
Casey: I don't recall mentioning "getting our groove on."
Dana: That's what makes our relationship work.
Dana takes Casey's dollar and inserts it into the vending machine. It takes it immediately.
Casey: I think I understand what you are saying.
Dana: You do?
Dana pushes a button and a package of nuts fall to the bottom of the machine.
Casey: Kinda'.
Dana: So we're in agreement?
Casey: Okay.
Dana reaches into the machine and pulls out the package. She tosses it to Casey.
Dana: Great. So you'll be willing to do this.
Casey: Do what?
Dana: Forgo sex.
Casey opens the package and nuts go flying everywhere.
Casey: What?
Dana: I've been thinking it over the past few days, and it suddenly came to me. We have such a good emotional and intellectual relationship, and I think if we worked harder on it, it will help our overall foundation.
Casey: We have a good sex life, too.
Dana: Exactly. This isn't a purely physical relationship. I think if we stayed away from sex for a little while, it will strengthen the rest of our relationship- thus improving our sex life.
Casey: You don't want to have sex for six months?
Dana: We can do that. We can do it together.
Casey's jaw drops.
Dana: So we're together on this?
Casey: Y... y...
Dana: Casey?
Casey: Y... you... are you insane?!
Dana: You don't agree with me.
Casey: Of course I don't agree with you!
Dana: I thought you understood.
Casey: If I said that I want to have sex with you all the time, would we be working on improving that?!
Dana: No.
Casey: Then I don't understand your rationale for proposing this.
Dana: I know it's sudden, but if you look at the big picture, it will help strengthen our relationship.
Casey: Let me see if I get this straight. We've known each other since college, which is almost twenty years. We've been dating for nearly a year. We've had sex, I dunno, probably a lot of times. Now, at this point in our relationship, you want to forgo sex to strengthen it?
Dana: Yes.
Casey: Why?
Dana: You see, if we work on the basic things: communication, friendship, compromise-
Casey: I think we're compromising a lot here.
Dana: It's going to take discipline and it will cause us to focus on the truly important things.
Casey: But I don't understand. I didn't think there was anything wrong with our relationship.
Dana: There isn't.
Casey looks out the window and into the studio down below.
Casey: (to himself) I'm dating a crazy woman. I'm actually dating a crazy woman.
Dana: This will improve our relationship and it will help avert future problems.
Casey: You mean, like right now?
Dana: This is something we can overcome and do together.
Casey takes a deep breath and reluctantly turns around to face Dana.
Casey: How long?
Dana: There isn't a time frame.
Casey: If we're going to do this, we need to create some structure. There needs to be a time limit.
Dana: How long would you like it to be?
Casey: Six hours.
Dana: Six months.
Casey: Six mon... six months?! Two weeks.
Dana: Four months.
Casey: One month.
Dana: Three months.
Casey: Two months.
Dana: Good. Two months it is.
Dana walks over and hugs a shocked Casey.
Dana: We're going to do this together.
-----
Traffic slowly goes by a skyscraper. The morning sunlight reflects off the windows of the building.
Casey is walking down a hallway. As he walks by each door, he checks the nameplate to see if it is the room he is trying to find. He finds the one he is looking for and knocks on the door.
"Come in."
Casey pushes open the door and steps inside. As Casey enters, the door automatically closes behind him. He looks back at the door.
"Casey McCall, yes. Good morning to you. You like the door?"
Casey: Excuse me?
"You like the door? You're staring at it."
Casey: It's nothing. I just know... that my former boss would like one of those.
"Well, you'll find a lot things that other networks don't have, Casey. It's all right if I call you Casey, Casey?"
Casey: Sure. I've been called worse.
"Let me introduce myself. Stan Graham, executive producer of your show."
Stan takes the cigar out of his mouth with one hand and shakes Casey's hand with his other hand.
Stan: Welcome to HBO.
Casey: Thank you.
Stan: Sit, Casey. Have a seat.
Casey sits in a chair in front of Stan's desk.
Casey: So we're going to be working together and seeing a lot of each other, huh?
Stan: Working together, yes. Seeing a lot of each other, no.
Casey: Okay.
The middle-aged stout man starts to walk around his office. He uses his arms as he speaks and his cigar as a pointer.
Stan: I'm going to handle a lot of the behind-the-scene happenings with your show. I'm going to make sure you have the best crew, best interviewees, best set- the best people in the business.
Casey: Great.
Stan: We take all of our programs very seriously here, and we are competitive. It's a tight cable market out there, and we are at the top of it, Casey.
Casey: It's definitely distinguished by its awards.
Stan: Isn't it? We want wonderful programming. We want people to think of us as the network to show real, gritty, down-to-earth shows, movies, and specials.
Casey: Right.
Stan: And specials is what you have, Casey. You are special, and you are going to have a special show.
Casey: Special.
Stan: And what is going to make it special is the big things, Casey.
Casey: All the big things.
Stan: Big things! I see big things in your future, my friend. You and I are going to conquer the world of cable sports because we are going to combine- now get this- news with sports. We will have sports news stories for our show. What do you think?
Casey rolls his eyes as the producer looks out his window toward the city skyline.
Stan: You will no longer read scores and talk about 5-second highlights. You are going to tackle real stories and real issues.
Casey: That's great to be able to expand a story.
Stan: I've got some great people lined up to work with you Casey. Quinn Gibson will be directing and Alexis May will be your producer. She will be the one you get to spend a lot of time with.
Casey: I'm looking forward to meeting her.
Stan: And you will not be disappointed, Casey. You will not be disappointed.
-----
Jeremy, Natalie, and Dan are standing in the newsroom.
Dan: You're challenging Isaac to a game of chess?
Jeremy: He's been wanting to play.
Natalie: Jeremy's going to wipe the floor with Isaac.
Jeremy: I'm afraid I might.
Dan: Jeremy? Do you think it is a good idea to humiliate your boss in a game of chess?
Jeremy: I don't think it would be a wise career decision.
Dan: Have you thought about throwing the game?
Jeremy: No. I couldn't do that. Isaac is expecting me to beat him.
Dan: Well, you could make it close. Sacrifice a pawn here... oops... I've made my rook vulnerable to an attack. Giving up a few pieces wouldn't hurt.
Jeremy: It's risky when you try to lose a few pieces. It might make you more vulnerable.
Natalie: Then Isaac will win.
Jeremy: But I wouldn't want him to win. I still have a reputation to uphold.
Dan sees Bobbi walking through the newsroom.
Dan: I'll catch you two later.
Dan leaves Natalie and Jeremy to catch up to Bobbi. He reaches her just as she finishes talking with Elliott. Elliott walks off with an assignment.
Dan: Hey.
Bobbi: Good afternoon, Dan.
Dan: You know, we're getting into the height of the college basketball season-
Bobbi: Outside of March Madness.
Dan: Of course. I was wondering if you wanted to spend a few hours one night and work on a project- something to prepare us for the rest of the season and get us ready for the tournaments.
Bobbi: It sounds like a good idea.
Dan: I could order take-out or have it delivered.
Bobbi: Who else would be assisting us?
Dan: It would be just you and me.
Bobbi: Now it sounds like a date.
Dan: It's not a date.
Bobbi: You're not going to start sharing personal stories from your childhood, are you?
Dan: No.
Bobbi: I'll think about it.
Isaac walks up to Dan and Bobbi.
Isaac: Have either of you seen Jeremy?
Dan: Wanna' play that game of chess, huh?
Isaac: Who told you that?
Dan: Jeremy.
Isaac: Where is he?
Bobbi: He was just in the newsroom.
Dan looks over the newsroom.
Dan: It looks like he's run away. If you really want to play a game, I could play-
Isaac: No.
Dan: That was abrupt.
Isaac: I want to play Jeremy.
Dan: Am I not good enough?
Isaac: Yes.
Dan: Okay.
Isaac walks away.
Dan: I can play, you know!
-----
Natalie opens Dana's office door and hands Dana a couple of question and answer sheets for the night's interviews.
Dana: Thanks.
Natalie: No problem.
Natalie perches herself on Dana's couch.
Dana: Natalie.
Natalie: Yeah?
Dana: Don't you have some work you could be doing?
Natalie: Yes.
Dana: Then why are you here?
Natalie: What did you tell Casey last night?
Dana: Natalie!
Natalie: Well...
Dana: It's really none of your business.
Natalie: It kinda is.
Dana: No, it's really not at all.
Natalie: You always tell me things.
Dana: I know, but not this time.
Natalie: Is it 'cause we're in the office?
Dana: Natalie-
Natalie: 'Cause we can pretend that we're not.
Dana: I said not this time.
Natalie tries to read the expression on Dana's face.
Natalie: Okay.
Dana: Good. Can you get the second set of Q and A's to me in an hour?
Natalie: Yeah. You need anything else?
Dana: Nope.
Natalie: Okay.
