Notes: (Re-edited and re-uploaded September 2010)

Guest Cast:
Clarence: Mike Damus

Formatting: The main differences between the way the episodes are presented here and true script format are that on this website, everything is left-justified, while script format has specific block-margins for dialog, etc., and that scripts are still traditionally printed in Courier (monospace) font. These episodes are also available on my Popular website (link is in my info) if you would like to read them as though they were printed scripts.

Legal whatchamacallit: Pre-existing "Popular" characters and situations are ©1999-2001 Touchstone Television, et al. For what it's worth, original material is ©2001-2010 by yours truly, the Wild Pikachu. Please don't steal this without asking first.

POPULAR: SENIOR YEAR

FALLEN ANGEL

TEASER

FADE IN:

EST. A SHOPPING MALL - AFTERNOON

SUPER: "Christmas Eve"

One of the area mega-malls, complete with packed parking lots.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SHOPPING MALL

Which is also packed.

CUT TO:

INT. A CHRISTMAS SHOP

Mike and Jane are looking at the displays of ornaments and
other Christmas-y things. Meanwhile, Brooke and Harrison walk
down another aisle, hand in hand, surrounded by Christmas
cards.

Brooke breaks away, picks up a card and shows it to Harrison.

BROOKE
Isn't this sweet?

HARRISON
Brooke...I have a confession to
make.

She puts the card away and faces him solemnly.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
I'm really...not much of a card
person.

BROOKE
(echoing)
You're not a card person.

HARRISON
You know that commercial where the
guy picks up the card next to the
cash register?

BROOKE
You're NOT the guy who picks up
the card next to the cash
register...

HARRISON
Actually, I aspire to be that guy.

Brooke, playing along, shrugs in mock fatalism.

BROOKE
I don't know, Harrison. I'm not
sure I can be with a guy who's not
a card person.

Before he can think of a comeback, she sidles up next to him
suggestively.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
(coyly)
But, you know, you COULD try to
convince me...

HARRISON
I swear, sometimes you're worse
than Sam—

The words are out before he can stop to think, and the playful
mood evaporates instantly.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
Sorry.

BROOKE
We can't just...pretend you
weren't with Sam.

There is a long silence, as they continue walking down the
card aisle.

HARRISON
How did the thing go? I didn't
hear...

Brooke shakes her head mutely.

HARRISON (CONT'D)
I thought you guys were going to
talk to her.

BROOKE
Carmen and Natalie went over there
yesterday.

The silence stretches out again.

HARRISON
And?

BROOKE
She started screaming and threw
them out.

HARRISON
What about Lily? Why didn't she
go?

BROOKE
We all talked about it, and we
decided...you remember what Mr.
Osbourne was saying, about lines
of communication? Lily's the only
one left she'll listen to. She's
our last resort.

By this time they have worked their way to the front of the
store, where Mike and Jane wander over to meet them.

MIKE
How are you guys doing?

BROOKE
I think we got two good minutes
before Sam snuck into the
conversation.

Meanwhile, Harrison is looking at the display of ornaments.

HARRISON
Hey, that looks kind of
familiar...

He reaches out and teases a green translucent ball with an
angel inside. Jane leans in to take a closer look.

JANE
Oh, we used to have one like that.
It was blue, though.

BROOKE
What happened to it?

Jane looks away for a long moment.

JANE
It was Sam's. From her dad. I
guess she took it with her.

With that, the decidedly un-holiday-ish gloom around the group
deepens.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SAM'S APARTMENT - EVENING

A sparse, foot-tall tree sits on the table, framed by the
window and the fading light beyond.

Sam walks into the tiny kitchen area, opens the refrigerator
and pulls out a beer. Meanwhile, Jaycee comes out of the
bathroom, primping her hair.

JAYCEE
Hey, thanks for letting me use
your stuff.

SAM
Sure, no problem.

JAYCEE
So, how do I look?

Sam eyes Jaycee's leather-jacket-and-minidress outfit.

SAM
The way you dance, are you sure
that's not gonna come off?

Jaycee takes the bottle out of Sam's hand, pops the top and
takes a swig before handing it back.

JAYCEE
Don't be silly—of course it's
going to come off. Eventually.

Sam just laughs, rolling her eyes.

JAYCEE (CONT'D)
Hey, last chance to come along.

SAM
(sitting down)
No...I don't feel like partying.

Jaycee considers that, and turns more serious.

JAYCEE
You know...no offense or
anything...I mean, I know your
home life sucks and all, but...

Sam shakes her head, looking into her beer.

SAM
I'm sure they've forgotten all
about me.

JAYCEE
Yeah, well, I know how that goes.

She reaches into her jacket pocket, pulls out a pill bottle
and sets it on the table. Sam, in turn, reaches into her bag,
retrieves a few folded bills, and hands them to Jaycee, then
pockets the bottle.

SAM
Thanks.

JAYCEE
Not a problem.

Sam gets up, beer in hand, and walks Jaycee to the door.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SAM'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

Out in the hall, Jaycee turns to face Sam.

JAYCEE
Okay...if things go, you know, and
I don't see you tomorrow, Merry
Christmas.

SAM
Merry Christmas, Jaycee.

They hug briefly, and then Jaycee is off. Sam takes a look
back into her apartment, but instead wanders away in the
opposite direction.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE ROOF OF SAM'S APARTMENT BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER

The door opens, and Sam emerges. She finds a piece of
equipment with a flat surface, and sits down. Then, setting
her beer down beside her momentarily, she fishes the pill
bottle out of her pocket, opens it, and taps out a couple of
pills. Finally, with her beer in one hand and the pills in
the other, she sits and stares up at the rapidly darkening
sky.

INSERT: THE NIGHT SKY

High above, beyond the glow of the city lights, a single point
of light shines.

CUT TO:

FLASHBACK

EXT. OUTSIDE - NIGHT

BLACK & WHITE

Sam, at about seven years old, perched on her father's lap,
looking up at the night sky.

YOUNG SAM
(pointing)
Look, Daddy! A star!

SAM'S DAD
You're right, Sammy. Make a wish.

YOUNG SAM
Star light, star bright, first
star I see—

CUT TO:

EXT. THE ROOF OF SAM'S APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

SAM
—tonight, I wish I may, I wish I
might...

She squeezes her eyes shut.

SAM (CONT'D)
...I wish, I wish, I WISH—

A noise behind her makes her jump, and when she jerks around
she sees:

CLARENCE
(with a loopy grin)
Hey, your wish—my command.

WHITE OUT.

END OF TEASER