Episode Guide

1. Lamony and the Laker Girls
The gang is forced to deal with the aftermath of confessions and impulse moves when the show is saved.

2. And the Nominees Are…
Excitement, a little friendly competition, and confusion are all in the air at the SPAs when Kim and Jeremy are up against each other for an award, and Rebecca shows up on Steve Sisko’s arm.

3. General Benjamin Bradley
Casey deals with Charlie's first crush, prompting him to evaluate his own romantic situation. With Rebecca back in his life, Dan is cautiously optimistic, certain that he may be jinxed at any moment. Meanwhile, the papers are finalized, the sale of CSC to Quo Vadumus is official, and the crew braces itself for changes under the new regime.

Episode 3.1: Lamony and the Laker Girls

Casey
Tune in tomorrow night when we’ll have highlights from the Wimbledon match that pitted sister against sister. And we’ll have an update on the increasingly vicious feud that is the Lakers locker room.

Dan
I’m Dan Rydell for Casey McCall and all of us over here at CSC. You’ve been watching Sports Night. Good night.

Casey
Good night.

Dave
Music. Go. Animation. Go. We’re out! (He pronounces the last word emphatically and the crew immediately begins high fiving each other and cheering)

(At the anchor desk, Dan and Casey are grinning and give each other five)

Casey
We’ve been saved.

Dan
We have.

Casey
No need to move to LA. No LA philharmonic. No Esa-Pekka Salonen of Hellsinki Finland.

Dan
No sir.

Casey (looking at Dan a little curiously; suspiciously. He wants to ask more than he’s letting on).
No Laker Girls.

Dan (deadpanning disappointment)
I fought on the wrong side.

(Casey continues taking his mike off and gathering papers, but he does not smile)

Cut to—Issac’s Office
Issac is sitting at his desk. He is reading and smiling when Dana walks in.

Dana
You should have told me Isaac.

Isaac
Good evening, Dana. Please. Come in.

Dana
This isn’t a joke. You knew about Calvin Tregar.

Isaac
I knew about the possibility of Calvin Tregar.

Dana
A possibility you should have let me in on.

Isaac
Dana…

Dana
Isaac. I’m your Skipper; I'm your first mate. I have to know what’s going on!

Isaac
You can't be my skipper and my first mate, Dana

Dana
Skipper means first mate.

Isaac
Skipper means captain.

Dana
(A beat) Skipper means captain?

Isaac
Skipper means captain.

Dana
Are you sure?

Isaac (smiling)
Pretty sure.

Dana (shaking her head)
I should have been in the loop.

Isaac
When you’re in the loop, Dana, the loop has a tendency to expand. I didn’t want to get yours or anyone else’s hopes up until we knew something for sure.

Dana
I need to be kept in the loop.

Isaac
You will be.

Dana
Promise?
(Off Isaac’s look)
I mean it, Isaac. Promise me I’m back in the loop. Promise me the show, our show, will not take any more abrupt turns without me knowing everything that you kn—

Isaac
Dana?

Dana
Yes?

Isaac
I’m happy too.

(Dana takes a moment to process and gives a small smile.)

Dana
I need to be in the loop.

Isaac
You will be.

(Dana heads toward the door and then she impulsively runs back and hugs Isaac and kisses his cheek.)

Dana (whispering)
I was scared.

Isaac
(Smiling broadly) You hid it well. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Dana (Strutting)
Yes you will.

Cut to the control room where only Natalie and Jeremy are left


Jeremy
Natalie…

Natalie
That’s my name.

Jeremy
I know.

Natalie
What’s up?

Jeremy
You know what’s up. (whispering) We should talk about—

Casey (walking in)
Hey! Anthony’s?

Natalie (she moves away from Jeremy)
Anthony’s!

Dan
Jeremy. I need to talk to you.

Jeremy
I need to talk to Natalie.

Dan
But mine is quick and must be done before we leave the office.

Jeremy (watching Natalie as she nods at him and she and Casey walk into the newsroom)
Fine. What’s up?

Dan
Well. As you know, Sports Night has been saved. We will no longer be dispersing, going our own separate ways, and much of what has transpired in the last few weeks now seems unnecessary in this light of a new day. We have been saved, Jeremy, and with this—

Jeremy
So you were using the less common, more ironic definition of “quick?”

Dan
Can I have your copy of The Godfather back? Mine still skips.

Jeremy
I’ll bring it in tomorrow. Though, you know, you could just buy a new copy of the movie instead of permanently borrowing mine.

Dan
This is cheaper.

Jeremy (rolling his eyes)
Anthony’s.

Dan (walking out of the control room to his office)
Anthony’s!

Cut to Dan and Casey’s office where Casey is staring at his desk and drinking a beer.

(Dan walks in and grabs a beer from the fridge.)

Casey
So I should move.

Dan
Huh?

Casey
I should move.

Dan
No. I heard you. But I don’t see the sudden need for you to move. Especially since you moving will involve me helping.

Casey
I have my own office. I should use it. Now that it looks like we’re gonna be on the air for awhile longer we should reassess the decisions we made when we thought we’d only be on the air for…well, not awhile longer. In any event, I should move.

Dan
Are you breaking up with me?

Casey
If you want me to stay I’ll stay.

Dan
For the kids, Case. You should stay for the kids.

Casey
I’m just saying we could have our own offices.

Dan (closing the door)
What’s up, Casey?

Casey
Nothing’s up.

Dan
Something’s up.

Casey
Things are up but nothing’s up with me.

Dan
Ah-ha!

Casey
What ‘ah-ha’?

Dan
You admit nothing’s up with you. So you’re down?

Casey
Logic doesn’t play one bit of a role in your life does it?

Dan
Not as such.

Casey
Must be nice.

Dan
It’s quietly liberating. (Getting serious). Seriously, Casey, what’s wrong?

Casey (he exhales and kind of smiles in spite of himself)
Nothing. It’s just. You had gotten kind of excited about LA hadn’t you?

Dan (shrugging and taking a swig of his beer)
It was a good alternative to this.

Casey
Are you disappointed?

Dan
What?


Casey
Disappointed. No LA weather. No Laker Girls…No breaking out on your own…

Dan
Are you writing a musical?

Casey
You know what I mean. After everything last month with the list and now your publicist…was this your chance to start fresh?

Dan
Casey. I love this show. I want to do this show. Our show. Really.

Casey (studying Dan’s face for a moment)
Good.

Dan (smirking)
Did we just have a little thing here?

Casey
Yeah, I guess we did.

Dan
And you’re the one who freaked out. You know, you’re kind of a woman, Casey.

Casey (scoffing)
My freak out was nowhere near as big as you getting pissed because I forgot the date we first went on the air.

Dan
Maybe not, but I did a better job diffusing the situation. Which is why you are buying my drinks tonight.

Casey (they clink their beers together in a toast)
Fair enough.

Cut to Anthony’s where the entire gang is sitting at a table with several empty glasses around. They look happy and tipsy.

Dana
Jeremy, teach me the quadratic equation.

Jeremy
Well, Dana's drunk.


Dana
I'm not drunk! I happen to have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and I'll have you know that I used to be very good at math.

Jeremy
Really?

Dana
Yes.

Jeremy (laughing)
And that was…when?

Dana
Well, I know enough math to be able add your salary back to the show’s budget.

Jeremy
Enough said. (Standing up) This round’s on me.

Dan
Nope. They’re all on Casey.

Dana
Thirst is a weird word.

Dan (laughing)
Dana you are so drunk!

Dana
I am not!

Jeremy
Everyone having the same?

Natalie
No. I want a Pina Colada.

Jeremy
You’ve been drinking Pina Coladas.

Natalie (looking at her empty glasses)
Then whose rum and Coke did I just finish

Chris (looking up)
Oh. That was mine. But it wasn’t a rum and Coke. It was Scotch.

Natalie
If I can’t tell the difference maybe I should sit this round out.

(Everyone groans and pushes her playfully)

Dana
No! It’s a celebration, Natalie! Get her another margarita!

Jeremy
Pina Colada.

Dana
Whatever!

Casey
Man, are you drunk

Dana (grinning)
I'm not drunk. I'm happy.

(Jeremy leaves and Natalie turns toward Dana)

Natalie
I slept with Jeremy.

Dana
Well, I figured. You guys dated for awhile.

Natalie
No. I slept with Jeremy today…In Issac’s office.

Dana
WHAT!?

Natalie
Shhh!

Dana (quieter)
WHAT?

Natalie
It was impulsive. (Smiling) It was nice.

Dana
And now?

Natalie
Now it’s weird…now it’s lamony.

Dana
What is lamony?

Dan (overhearing this last part breaks in)
Lamony is a disease.

Casey
No it isn’t. Lamony is a type of, sort of, French dessert.

Natalie
You guys are idiots. Lamony isn’t even a real word. It’s a word I made up when I was in junior high school. See, I always had this fear that the world would end. But it wouldn’t just end, somehow we’d all know it in advance. Like, there would be one day left on earth and everyone in the world would know it and then—boom.

Casey
My god, did you grow up Catholic. (Dana chuckles)

Natalie
Yes I did. Anyway, (Jeremy walks up with the drinks) so I thought we’d all get a day where we knew the world was ending and then we would get to go around and make amends for all the things we did. Tell people we really do love them.

Casey
Confess our sins. Be forgiven.

Natalie
Blah, blah, blah. But I always wondered, what if we were wrong? What if we thought the end was the next day and the world actually continued. Then we’d have to deal with each other after we made all of these confessions and shared our real feelings. I needed a word for what that would feel like. So I made up lamony.

Jeremy
You’re an interesting woman.

Natalie [smiling]
You don’t know the half of it.

Dan
So our world almost ended…

Casey
Near death experience…

Jeremy
So we should prepare ourselves for lamony?

Natalie
Yep. You’ll see. We’ll have weird conversations, weird interactions, attempts to save face…

Dana
Well, I’m sold. (She takes a huge sip of her margarita) I lamonied with Issac tonight after the show.

Natalie
You’re using the word wrong.

Dana
You mean the fake word?

Natalie
Yes.

Dana
I'm using it wrong?

Natalie
Yes.

Dana (laughing)
Well thank you for that.

Kim
So how was your lamony with Issac?

Dana
Good. I saved face (looks at Natalie for approval) for seeming freaked out about the show almost ending.

Kim
Good!

Natalie
Guys you don’t lamony with someone.

Dan
(Turning to Casey) Hey, remember when you got all lamony on me tonight?

Casey (nodding)
Yes I do.

Natalie
You guys are impossible.

(Casey and Dan clink their drinks together in a toast)
Casey and Dan (in unison)
Lamony.

(Natalie rolls her eyes.)

Dana (she looks from Jeremy to Natalie and then at the group)
Guys we need more drinks.

Dan (looking at his nearly full drink and laughing)
Dana, we just got—

Dana (slightly whispering)
Natalie and Jeremy need a lamony.

Natalie
Smooth, Dana.

Dana (shrugging)
Well. I’m drunk.

(The group heads over to the bar and Jeremy scoots in closer to Natalie)

Natalie
Jeremy, I don’t know if this is the best timing for this conversation. I’m drunk.

Jeremy
I’m drunk, too.

Natalie
Yes, but I don’t think we have the same fears when we’re drunk. I’m afraid I’ll say something I’ll regret. You’re afraid you’ll trip.

Jeremy (looking at her quizzically)
Are you mad at me?

Natalie
No. But…(she rolls her eyes) Of course I am! I had to throw myself at you Jeremy! And you just looked at me like…

Jeremy
I distinctly remember doing more than just looking.

Natalie
Well, sure, eventually! Once we started…you know, you got into the spirit. But...Jeremy, I told you I still loved you and you just—You do this thing, Jeremy, where you are so—God!

Jeremy
I’m so what?

Natalie
Suffice to say I don’t think you should be afraid of getting drunk and saying something you’ll regret.

Jeremy
Natalie—

Natalie
I’m going to the bar, Jeremy.

(Jeremy looks after Natalie as she goes and joins her friends and ushers them back to the table. Natalie sits on the other side of Dana at the far end of the table away from Jeremy.)

Casey (noticing the tension mutters out of earshot of Natalie)
Nobody ever said lamony was easy.

The next morning—Casey and Dan’s office
(Casey is reading a memo and leaning against the big desk. Dana walks in.)

Dana
Hey.

Casey
Hey.

Dana
Where’s Dan? We don’t have any decent film for Houston yet and he—

Casey
Have you seen this?

Dana (smiling)
Yeah. We did well this year, huh?

Casey
You’ve seen this and you didn’t tell me? How the hell do you explain that!

Dana
I actually explain it quite easily, Casey.

Casey
Well please explain it to me, Dana.

Dana (smiling and walking out)
I don’t answer to you.

Casey (relenting and following her out)
Well, that’s technically true. But still you should at least—

Dana (she turns to face Casey but continues walking backwards through the newsroom)
Technically it’s true? Oh, I’ll tell you something mister, it’s more than technically true. It’s true in practice. Watch. I’ll show you. See me? (she gestures to herself) Not answering to you?

Casey
Yes, Dana, you’re a sight to be seen.

Dana (smiling and pulling Casey into the editing room)
Why do you care? So Dan got nominated for Sports Personality of the Year. You and he both got nominated for Sports Anchor of the Year and everyone knows you’re a shoo-in since Steve Sisko took half the year off last year, so why do you care?

Casey
I don’t know.

Dana
You’ve always been the one saying Dan doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his work on the show. You’ve always said you can’t believe he gets nominated for awards that he doesn’t win.

Casey
I know.

Dana
Then why do you care?

Casey (shaking his head)
I don’t know.

Dana
I’m going to figure out what to do about Houston.

Casey (slightly befuddled)
I’m gonna…yeah.

(Dana looks at him sympathetically as she walks out. When she leaves he mutters to himself.)

Casey
Damn lamony.

Newsroom—Kim and Elliot are arguing.

Kim
I was hired in August—it couldn’t have been me.

Elliot
No. Phil was hired first, though.

Kim
Wait…OK, what did he say exactly?

Jeremy
What are you guys doing?

Elliot
Jeremy, have you heard any rumors that someone on the production team wasn’t supposed to get hired?

Jeremy
What do you mean?

Kim
Dave gave us all this pep talk before the show last night when we thought the show was being can—

Elliot
Don’t say it!

Kim
Oh, god, Elliot!

Elliot
It’s bad luck. Now that the show’s been saved we can’t say the C-word—it’ll curse us.

Kim

You're psychotic.

Elliot
You say that now.

Kim (sweetly)
I can say it later, too, if you like.

Elliot
Just say when the show “almost got a new caterer.”

Kim
Yeah, cause that makes so much sense.

Elliot
OK, what do you think we should call it?

Jeremy
Is there any reason for me to be here right now?

Kim
Jeremy, when the show almost got (she rolls her eyes) a new caterer, Dave mentioned that someone on the production team almost didn’t get hired. Do you have any idea who that was?

Jeremy
I really don’t.

Elliot
Don’t you care?

Jeremy
Uh, not as such, no.

Kim (glares at him)
You can go now.

(In the editing room, Dana is now sitting with Natalie. Natalie is sitting at the editing machine and Dana is behind her on the couch.)

Dana
So what are you going to do?

Natalie
I don't know.

Dana
Well, what do you want to do?

Natalie
I don't know.

Dana
What do you know, Natalie?

Natalie
I know you don't have footage for Dan for Houston and I know you're not going to get any if you're not nice to me.

Dana
Is this film even going to work? You said there’s barely anything on it.

Natalie
Well, that’s true, but we’re going to have to make it work….(turning to face Dana) I just don't want to put myself out there again.

Dana
But it's Jeremy. You know how he feels about you.

Natalie
(turning back around)
You knew how Casey felt about you for ninety days last year and wouldn't do anything about it until he kissed you.

Dana
How did this become about me?

Natalie (smiling)
I lash out when I'm feeling defensive. I don't want to think about this anymore. Have you seen the list?

Dana
Yeah, we did really well this year! Congratulations, too, by the way, because the segment on the World Series was yours.

Natalie
Thanks! We’ve never done this well—six nominations is really something. Even if it is only the SPAs.

Dana
Of course it’s something! We should be proud! Do you think it would be obnoxious to send Luther Sachs an invitation with “Ha, Ha, Ha” written on the back.

Natalie
Maybe a little.

Dana
I just feel like I’m entiled to gloat a little. He gave up on us! She we get to rub his nose in it?

Natalie (absently)
Rub away. Oh! Wait! Here’s something! (She gestures for Dana to look at the screen.) Well, it’s not of the actual game, but the fans are cheering so something must have happened.

Dana
You know, maybe if there’s an entire game that was exciting enough to earn itself a 30 second spot on our show, we should consider hiring someone to, oh I don’t know, actually film the game.

Natalie
Well, I think that’s maybe something you should bring up at a meeting with someone.

Dana (chuckling)
Yes, I suppose I should. And I guess I shouldn’t get too far ahead of myself with that gloating just yet.

Casey and Dan’s office—Dan is writing when Casey walks in.

Casey
(In a slightly strained voice) So, congratulations.

Dan
Hm? Well good morning, Case. (He looks up at Casey curiously and then back down at the computer as he continues to type). Thanks, congratulations to you, too. Why do you sound weird?


Casey
I don’t. I’m just—what I can’t congratulate you? It’s the first time since we started the show that you got nominated for an award I didn’t get nominated for. I’m just saying congratulations.

Dan
Is that why you were congratulating me? Because I thought it was just for getting nominated at all.

Casey (shrugging)
Yeah. That’s what I meant.

Dan (staring at him for a second before dropping the gaze and looking down at his computer)
No, I don’t think that was what you meant.

Casey
No kidding, Danny, that impression of my ex-wife is getting uncanny.

Dan
Why are you being a jackass?

Casey
I just came in here to congratulate you. I’ve done that, and now I just want to do my job.

Dan
This is crap, Casey.

Casey
God, Dan, you know—

Dan
No! (He stands up and folds him arms) You know, when you made that list last month, I at least supported you—

Casey
When I made that list you had a level three nervous breakdown. And that’s not what this is so—

Dan
That’s exactly what this is, Casey, and it’s bullsh—

(Natalie walks in)

Natalie
Hey guys.

Casey
Hey.

Dan
Hey Natalie.

Natalie
You guys saw the list, right? (She grins) We did really well this year.

Dan
Yeah.

Casey
We saw it.

(Their answers overlap each other and they both sound tense)

Natalie
You guys realize by “list” I’m not talking Schindler’s, right? I mean the list of nominees for the SPAs. (Both Casey and Dan look at her solemnly. She takes the hint and backs out). Run down’s in five minutes.

(As Natalie walks out she runs into Jeremy. She steps to her right as he steps to his left and they are still in each other’s way. They each try the other direction and the same thing happens.)

Jeremy
We really should talk, Natalie.

Natalie
We have run down in five minutes, Jeremy.

Jeremy relents and lets her go by.

(The staff enters the conference room. Issac and Dana sit at the heads of the table, Natalie sits next to Dana and Jeremy sits next to Natalie, prompting Natalie to hiss “Not now, Jeremy.” He moves to the other end of the table. Casey and Dan walk in together but sit nowhere near each other.)

Dana
Alright, this should be quick. We’re teasing the new Kobe-Shaq quotes instead of the Ryder Cup so I need you guys to write a new intro. (She is met with silence, so she continues.) Plus, we need to cut Houston to 20 seconds because we really just don’t have a lot there. (Again, silence.) Is that alright, Dan?

Dan
Yeah. That’s fine.

Dana
Don’t you want to know why we need to cut it down?

Dan
Why, yes, Dana, if you feel the need to tell me.

Dana (smiling and glancing at Natalie)
Well, it turns out that the cameramen, in their infinite wisdom, decided to focus all of their camera time on such salient details as the crowd, the referees, and, no kidding, two kids in the front of the stands who were playing video games during the entire second half of the game. (She chuckles.) Natalie and I are having a really interesting time finding any film with…what is with everyone today?

Dan
Nothing. Sorry. That’s…it’s funny. (He gives her an attempted smile.)

Dana
OK. Fine. (She looks around confused, but starts to scan her rundown.) So…cutting Houston back…and…we’re still about a minute fat in the 40s

Natalie
Is that before or after the ten-second cut of Houston?

Jeremy
It’s before.

Dana (Smiling, pleased that someone is actually speaking)
No. Actually, it’s after. We still need a minute back from somewhere.

Natalie
If you’re going to interrupt Dana answering me, Jeremy, can you at least try and get the answer right? (She glares at him)

Jeremy
Sorry, boss.

Natalie
Yeah.

(Issac eyes them and looks up quizzically at Dana)

Dana
OK, seriously, you guys—

Kim
Dana?

Dana
Yeah?

Kim
When you get a chance, I really need you to—

Dana
You know what? We can do it now. Whatever it is, whatever you need, it just got moved up on the agenda. What’s up, Kim?


Kim (looks sheepish)
We need to talk about what we want to say to refer to the show almost getting cancelled.

Elliot
Kim!

Kim
Elliot thinks we should say, “when the show almost got a new caterer.” I think we should call it “the blackout” or something that sounds cooler. What does everyone else think?

(Dana looks blankly from Kim to Elliot)

Kim
You want to move it back down to the bottom of the agenda, don’t you?

Dana
Yeah, I really do.

Elliot
But, specifically, is it my thing or Kim’s thing—

Dana
Um, yeah, we’re done here. But can whatever issue you are all having with each other please stop affecting, you know, my life?

Natalie
Back at noon.

Isaac looks at Dana

Isaac
Well, this oughta be a fun show.

Dana
You’re telling me.

Newsroom—Dana is reading a script when Natalie walks up.

Dana
Natalie what is this? This script is horrible. It’s not funny, it’s barely even cohesive.

Natalie
Yeah. Dan and Casey aren’t speaking to each other.

Dana
They’re not speaking to each other?

Natalie
They are not.

Dana
How are they not—

Natalie
They’re not.

Dana
This is ridiculous. Someone please remind them that this isn’t day care. Talk to them. Actually, I need you on Phoenix. Have Kim talk to them. And find out why Jeremy missed the noon rundown.

Natalie
I sent him out on assignment.

Dana
Where?

Natalie
New Jersey.

Dana
What’s in New Jersey?

Natalie (sounding not at all surprised or upset)
Oh no. I must have misspoke. There is nothing going on in New Jersey.

Dana
Where should you have sent him?

Natalie (shrugging)
I don’t know…the studio, probably.

Dana
Natalie!

Natalie
He’ll be back soon. (Dana gives her a look.) I’ll tell Kim to talk to Dan and Casey.

Dana (frustrated)
Great.

Casey and Dan’s office—Casey is sitting at the computer typing when Kim walks in.

Kim
Dana wants to know what’s going on with you and Dan.

Casey
Nothing.

Kim
OK. Don't you think Elliot's whole "new caterer thing sounds siller than--

Casey

Get out.

(She walks out and Casey keeps typing.)

Newsroom—Jeremy walks in after having made the trip to New Jersey and back. He heads for the editing room where Dan is sitting at the editing machine when Jeremy walks in.

Jeremy
Sorry. I didn’t know anyone was in here.

Dan
No problem. I’m just looking at tape. What’s up?

Jeremy
Nothing. I just needed a minute to…I don’t know.

Dan
Yeah. I know the feeling.

Jeremy
Oh, hey, congratulations about the SPAs.

Dan
Thanks. You too—we did really well this year.

Jeremy
So…

Dan
So…you’re blowing it with Natalie.

Jeremy
Did she talk to you?

Dan
No. I just know these things.

Jeremy
Right. Well, I don’t know how fix this.

Dan
Why don’t you tell her how you’re feeling? Tell her you love her.

Jeremy
It’s just…I think the problem that she’s having right now has less to do with her desire to hear me say I love you than she thinks it does.

Dan
What do you mean?

Jeremy
When I’m with Natalie I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. She’s smart and sexy and amazing—

Dan
And your boss.

Jeremy
You’re helping now?

Dan
Sorry.

Jeremy
She knows I love her. I’ve waited my whole life to meet someone as amazing as she is who isn’t overly concerned with what a dork I am.

Dan
Ah, the eternal struggle. So you found her, what’s the problem?

Jeremy
She’s too good for me. And I think she knows it. And I can’t help but think her concern right now doesn’t have something to do with…I don’t think she expects to have to…

Dan (realizing)
You think she’s pissed because she had to say it first.

(Jeremy is quiet and Dan pauses and considers this for a moment. A small smile spreads across his face as he comes to a realization.)

Dan
You’re wrong.

Jeremy
I’m not.

Dan
I think you are. I gotta go. (Dan starts for the door, but he stops in the doorway and faces Jeremy). But even if you weren’t, just tell her. It’s just pride and it’s not worth it. You wanna know how I know?

Jeremy
How?

Dan
Because nothing ever is. (Dan leaves and Jeremy watches him go.)


Newsroom—10:45pm

Dan is walking toward their office and Casey is walking away from it. They almost walk into each other. They stop and stare for a moment.

Dan
We need to talk.

Casey
We need to get to makeup.

Dan
We need to do this first.

(Casey turns and walks back into the office and Dan follows and closes the door.)

Dan (Dan smiles a knowing smile.)
Screw the Laker Girls.

(Casey gives Dan a look as Dan realizes what he just said.

Dan
That was unfortunate phrasing. I just meant—you know, how in Love Story, when she’s about to die and she says screw Paris—

Casey
Are you trying to tell me you’re dying of cancer or that you’re in love with me?

Dan
You think I regret not going. And that somehow this nomination proves that I could have made it without you. And you’re being like this because you’re afraid I’m going to decide I don’t want to be in your shadow anymore now that I have options.


Casey
Danny, you’re not—

Dan
No, I mean it. Not in a dramatic “I’m bitter” way. But I am. And I know it. But I know this too. I would do this show—our show—with you over anything else in the world.


Casey
Look, I know how it must have looked. But I swear this wasn’t that. I don’t think I’m better than you.

Dan
I know you don’t. I do. And I’m working on that.

(They stare at each other for a moment and then Casey begins to shift uncomfortably.)

Casey
So we’re not gonna hug or anything now are we? Because this conversation’s getting a little too…

Dan
Case, I just figured out what was going on with us because Natalie and Jeremy are having the exact same fight.

Casey
So hugging is maybe the thing we should be least concerned about?

Dan
Yeah.

Casey
So, hey, congratulations on the SPAs.

Dan
Thanks. We did really well this year.

Casey
Yeah.

Dana (running in)
Do you guys know anything about there not being any food?

Casey
Uh, yeah. The crafts services people…I think they’re striking.

Dana (realizing)
Oh no!

(Dana runs through the newsroom and finds Elliot and Kim arguing in the studio.)

Kim
That doesn’t make sense, Elliot!

Dana
You guys!

(They both look up.)

Kim
Yeah?

Elliot
Yeah?

Dana
Have you guys been using the “new caterer” thing around the crafts service people?

Kim
Um, probably.

Dana
That’s it!! Senior staff. Conference room. Now!

(She runs into the newsroom.)

Dana
Senior staff!! Someone get Isaac, check the studio and the editing room, and get in the damn conference room—everyone—now!

Natalie
Dana, we have five minutes.

Dana
Then you all better move fast.

(One by one, everyone sheepishly files into the conference room. The room is tense and people don’t look happy. Isaac sits down across from Dana and nods at her.)


Dana
Look, I don’t know what’s going on here, but it needs to stop. I get it. You’re scared. You’re relieved. You regret saying whatever it is you all said to each other and now you’re all so freaked out that you can’t wrap your heads around exactly what has changed and what hasn’t. But I need you to snap out of it. No more stupid fights and no more distractions. I need my team back. All of you. And I need you to bring your A-game.

Elliot
Dana—

Dana
Elliot, so help me if you say one word about a caterer—

Elliot
Different question. All of that actually started because Dave said that someone on the production team wasn’t the first choice for job. It’s driving us crazy. Who was it?

Dana
I honestly have no idea, Elliot. You were all my first choice for your jobs. (She looks at Dave.)

Dave
I heard the rumor a long time ago.

(On the other end of the table, Isaac chuckles.)

Dana
Isaac?

Isaac (smiling)
You know this, Dana. It was you. Dana wasn’t my first choice for her job. But she was my last choice. And that’s really all that matters. You know, my daughter asked me the other day why it is that what every religion has in common is a creation story. It’s just as possible to organize a faith around beliefs about what’s happening now or what will happen in the future as it is to organize one about beliefs about what happened then. But human beings are so convinced that how we got here means so much more than it actually does. (As he speaks the group begins to relax and starts to look more like themselves). That if you weren’t the first choice, maybe you’re not the best. Or if we almost got cancelled, then maybe we don’t deserve to be on the air. That how we got here determines why we’re here. Or what we can accomplish while we’re here. But it doesn’t. We get to do that.

Natalie
Dana. We’ve seriously got, like, a minute and a half.


Dana (looks over the group quickly and smiles)
Let’s go. Let’s do our jobs.

Natalie
The script still sucks.

Dan
We can redo the intro during VTR.

Dana
And you can fix up at least some of the upcoming segments during commercial breaks.

Jeremy
It’s not going to be our best show.

Dana
It doesn’t have to be.

Natalie (looks up at Dana and smiles at her)
Jeremy. Let’s talk after the show?

Jeremy
Yeah. OK.

(Natalie walks out of the room and while her back is to him, Jeremy calls out.)

Jeremy
I love you.

Natalie (turns and smiles)
I love you too.

Jeremy
I know.

Dana (walks by Isaac and squeezes his arm)
Thanks, Isaac.

Cut to Control Room—everyone is in their usual places chattering happily.

Dave
Let’s try and pull this off!

Dana
Natalie. What happens next? I mean, after lamony, then what?

Natalie
Well that’s the weird thing.

Dana
What?

Natalie (smiling thoughtfully)
Nothing. Nothing happens. We just keep…living.

(With that, Dana looks around and notices the sounds of the pre-show)

Kim
One minute to VTR two minutes live!

Jeremy
I’m going to need a shot sheet before the 30s.

Kim
We’ll get it.

Dan (smiling)
Good show.

Casey (smiling)
Good show.

Natalie
Preview animation.

Will
Animation’s up!

(Fade out)

Welcome

Hey Sports (Night) fans!

So I came late to my obsession with Sports Night, which is why after it's been off the air for five years I have decided to create a season three. It's written to take place right after season two, so the year is 2000-01. I tried to stay true to the sports events that were happening at that time (though there is a Winter Olympics episode even though the Winter Olympics were in 2002, not 2001). This is my first crack at fanfiction and it's been fun! I hope you enjoy reading and I'll try to update weekly!

Obligatory disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters and am not in any way affiliated with Aaron Sorkin or Sports Night. I do not have permission from anyone to write a season three of Sports Night. However, I realize that if you want to sue me, this statement won't stop you for a second. So I'll try a different tack: It's fanfiction. Seriously. Get over it.