Chapter 2: Television Opening

(Note: This is just the opening for the TV show. The rest of the story will be written normally as the show is being filmed.)

Scene: A tall white man with black hair and eyes in a blue polo shirt and khaki pants walks down a dock with a beach and palm trees in the background as the camera backs away.

"Hello, everybody! Bobby Provost here. And this is The Last Survivor XL: Fire and Water! It's the 300th time we have sent off castaways into deserted landscapes, and this season we are going back to the beginning. 16 contestants on two teams-nothing but a machete, cooking pot and tarp. And this isn't an easy 39 days. Oh, no."

Camera lowers into a boat before Bobby jumps down after.

"This season our castaways will be going large and in charge, needing to conquer the Southeast Asian jungle for 60 days! And now, *Grabs the controls* Let's meet the contestants on this season of Survivor XL: Fire and Water.

Shot of the white boat, towing a jet ski speeding away from the dock.

Narrator: "Let's meet the contestants on this season of The Last Survivor: Fire and Water."

Scene: A CGI of the red team flag waving as the background.

"From the depth of the Earth to the top of Indonesia's volcanic peaks, here is our red team, Berapi!"

"Hassim!"

-START-

Scene: A light brown colored man with curly black hair in tan suit and an open collared, light blue shirt leaning against a brick building.

Lower third: Hassim, 35 Olympic Skier

"Hello, my name is Hassim and I am a competitive skier."

"I am the youngest of five children of a wealthy Egyptian Banker. My older brothers are now the 6th generation of our family's businesses. My older sisters are all married into rich families. Me, I like snow."

Scene: Picture slide show of a small boy on skis.

Hassim: "I remember the first time I saw snow. I was three weeks from turning seven. My father brought our entire family to Germany. My oldest brothers were in their late teens/early 20s and Father was bringing them to their first overseas business trip for the bank. We got trapped by a surprise snowstorm and the small private airport couldn't handle the weather. So we were delayed two days. My older brothers followed my father's lead and were annoyed. My mother actually scared my twin 8-year-old sisters saying that the snow was the devil's work. I was outside rolling around and eating it. I obviously got sick afterwards which didn't help my poor sisters any.

For my eighth birthday, my father took me to Switzerland. It was just Father, Mother and me. I had a history of giving up on things if I wasn't instantly good at it, so Mother was hoping after failing horribly at skiing the snow bug would disappear. But I was actually really good. When my instructor brought myself and the other children back and told my parents that I was a natural and had even skied a circle around him laughing, my poor threw her hands in and the air *chucking while talking* and loosely translated said "God, why did you let the devil take my son!"

Scene: Video of him skiing.

Hassim: "I went to the same boarding school my father did in England, which he knew from old friends it had a ski club. I was the only one of my siblings to be schooled outside the country. I began competing and while there I was noticed by the national ski team. I won many competitions, but when the Olympics came, I didn't have citizenship at the time."

Scene: He and his wife showing off medals.

Hassim: "My girlfriend at the time, and now my wife, Lesley, did compete and won her first bronze. She's won 3 golds and 5 silvers since then. I had my citizenship by the next Olympics. I've never won an individual medal, but I do have this lovely bronze for the team competition."

Scene: Him giving a speech to teenagers.

Hassim: "I now work for the national Olympic team instead of competing. I get sent out to schools and ski clubs for presentations and scouting. Many of the younger children are surprised to see an Arab skier, but that's why I go out there, to show the love of snow is universal and ANYONE can become an Olympian."

Scene: Him sitting in a living room love seat.

Hassim: "Now for the somewhat embarrassing part. Why I am applying." *leans forward interweaving his fingers* "I was visiting my family in Egypt, and was complaining how hot it was even with the air-conditioning. I was being teased by my older brothers, saying I had gone soft in England. I said I had not and that I could take more heat than they could. And one of my nephews shouted "Go on The Last Survivor!" And then my other nephews and nieces got excited. And when I asked what that was, my second oldest brother said, 'Some show that takes place on a tropical island. The kids like it.' So I said I would apply and the children started jumping around excited that Uncle Hassim is going to be on TV then Grandma yelled at them to calm down.

So, after I got back to London, I looked up what The Last Survivor was… and instantly regretted what I said. But I promised my family I would do this. And I also know what having an Olympian on your show would do for ratings, so I am 100% certain I will be chosen to compete. I will be looking for your reply in the coming weeks."

-END-

"Sugar Pedal!"

-START-

Scene: Young Asian woman in a sailor school uniform, rainbow knee highs, pigtails with bright colored scrunchies with mesh and beads. Behind her is a gradated peach to white backdrop.

Lower third. Sugar Pedal, 18 Singer

"Hello! I am Sugar Pedal!"

TRANSITION

Scene: Professional video of Sugar Pedal performing at a concert with a group. She is visibly younger, 13 at most.

Sugar Pedal: "I am a K-pop singer. I was a member of E-Sweet for three years. I had a Iot of fun with the other girls. I was the youngest and everyone was like a big sister to me.

TRANSITION

Scene: Professional video of a solo concert. The crowd is smaller and seems not as energetic.

Sugar Pedal: I began my solo career two years ago. I love traveling all over the world, performing and meeting my fans.

Scene: Running clips of several reality shows, including one of getting knocked in the water with a padded pendulum.

Sugar Pedal: Shortly after I began going on many tv shows. Singing and dancing with the occasional quiz show. I've also been on several survival shows and I have been told by my handlers that your show is the most popular survival show in the West.

TRANSITION

Scene: Return to her in front of the background.

Sugar Pedal: "And this is Sugar Pedal signing out. Stay Sweet! *blows a kiss at the camera*

-END-

"Vegeta!"

-START-

Scene: Grumpy looking person with his arms crossed in Capsule Corp T-shirt and sweatpants standing in bare feet in a living room type environment.

Lower third: Vegeta, 37, Unemployed

*Talking in a monotone, annoyed voice* "My name is Vegeta. I am agreeing to apply to this idiotic thing because I lost a bet that was on my honor."

Woman off camera: *Cheerily* "Come on Sweetie! You can be more excited than that!"

Vegeta: *Turns head away from camera and glares at the woman* "Trust me, this is as excited as I get."

TRANSITION

Scene: Footage of Vegeta doing flips, kicks and punches in what looks like a domed training room.

Vegeta: "I am a Warrior. I know your people throw that around with no meaning and laugh at those who call themselves that. For my people, the title is EARNED. It's like being knighted or whatever the f—beep— you guys do." (Obvious change in voice tenor shows two different voiced sections spliced together) "No, I'm not telling you my race. I married outside my people and raising my half ass brat here, that should say enough!

Different woman off camera: "Vegeta! Calm down! You're screaming at the camera!"

Vegeta: "I am Calm! You're the one suddenly embarrassed to be my mate!

Wife: *exasperated* "All right, let's try this again…"

TRANSITION

Scene: Continuation of footage from the first section. Voice tenor makes it obviously the original second half of the voice over*

Vegeta: "What do you mean? Warrior is my job.

Someone talking softly off screen: *inaudible *

Vegeta: Bum?! I am not a bum! And what the hell is a Karate?!

TRANSITION

Scene: Vegeta standing in his shorts with a towel over his shoulders having just come out of the training room.

Vegeta: "So are we done with the bull sh—beep— so we can give this to the —beep—hole to edit and mail in? I'd like to actually do some real training today."

Kind elderly man's voice: "Yeah, were done."

Vegeta: "Good."

Scene: Vegeta throws towel off his shoulder and walks back through what looks like a ship's waterproof door. It shuts and the wheel spins. It makes a hissing sound that sounds like the sealing of a pressurized vessel.

-END-

"Ichiro!"

-START-

Scene: Asian man in his early 40s in a major league baseball uniform standing on a pitcher's mound. He has a pitcher's glove and is tossing a ball up in the air over and over again.

Lower third: Ichiro, 43 Baseball All-star

Ichiro: Hello everyone. I'm Ichiro. Newly retired star pitcher from the West City Titans.

He winds up for a pitch.

Ichiro: Now let's get this clip real started!

Ichiro throws the ball at the camera which triggers a transition.

TRANSITION

Scene: Montage of standard famous person's life story pictures all focusing on baseball as his one and only trait.

Ichiro: I am a born and raised third generation Westinian in our fair city. My family likes to joke I was born with a glove on my hand. I was on the neighborhood T-ball team, then Little League where I pitched the first no-hitter in my life winning my team the Little League World Series. I played on my high school team, go Jaguars, and was signed to the Titans' minor league team, the Atlas, right after graduation. I was called up to the Titans three years later and as they say, the rest is history.

TRANSITION

Scene: Video of a team celebration on the field at the winning strikeout of a game.

Ichiro: I know a lot of the team's fans were heartbroken when I announced my retirement, but I'd rather go out before my shoulder finally does. *Chuckling* Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen can only do so much at my age.

Scene: Photo montage of behind the scenes pictures of the team players enjoying each other company and hamming for the camera.

Ichiro: I've loved every second of being a Titan, from being an up and coming rookie being mentored by the best in their generation.

Scene: Photo of him and Yamcha with their arms over each other's shoulders holding beers.

Ichiro: To passing the same knowledge to the next generation.

Scene: Reunion photo of about 20 people in varying team uniforms and civilian clothes. Yamcha is standing next to Ichiro in the center standing rear row of the picture.

Ichiro: And no matter where we end up in life, our baseball family will always be eternal.

TRANSITION

Scene: Return to the original scene out on a baseball pitcher's mound. He does not have the ball.

Ichiro: So, if you're looking for someone who is a team player who can stand out in a line up…

Someone off camera bounces the ball across the ground. Ichiro catches it in his mitt then holds the ball up for the camera.

Ichiro: You just made your catch.

-END-

"Michael!"

-START-

Scene: Drone scenes of a yellow Ferrari racing down a clifftop highway looking over the ocean. Camera switches to ground level as the Ferrari slows down and enters a private gate way and makes its way up the hillside. Camera follows the car from behind before suddenly rising in the air revealing a gigantic mansion spreading in all directions in the desert hills. Camera switches to the car pulling to a stop and the driver side door tilts upwards instead of opening out. Camera focuses on the immaculately shiny leather business shoes as a man steps out. The camera rises slowly giving a side view of the man in a perfectly pressed off-black suit. It stops at his shoulders showing his hands adjusting his tie. The camera moves to the front for a close up of the man's blue eyes as he looks up from his tie. The camera finally shows a full-frontal view. He is a demonstrably handsome man with seductively slightly messy blond hair.

Lower third: Michael, 37, Tech Entrepreneur

"Hello everyone. I'm Michael."

Michael's white smile causes a glint in the camera.

TRANSITION

Scene: Footage from another show being given a rose by a woman.

Michael: "You may recognize me from my appearance on Lover's Oasis: Woman's Edition where I made it to the final three."

Scene: Series of magazine covers and full-page images in various states of dress.

Michael: "Or you may recognize me for being voted Sexiest Man alive for 7 years. Four consecutively, then I lost to Hercule that one year before regaining my title. I've also won many other awards like Handsomest CEO and Fastest Rising Entrepreneur."

Scene: Video of the outside of a beer factory with Weidemann emblazoned on the red brick building.

Michael: "And am humble enough to admit I am not a self-made man. I am the oldest son to the Weidemann dynasty. But I decided to carve my own road as a teenager so I declined my father's offer to join the company to pursue my passions."

Scene: Photo of a skyscraper with Weidemann Technology.

Michael: "I am the founder of Weidemann Technology."

Scene: Magazine article with a two-page spread of him and Dr. Brief shaking hands.

Michael: "We became a subsidiary of Capsule Corporation eight years ago. I have continued as CEO.

TRANSITION

Scene: Michael, wearing tan, way too short and tight swim shorts, dives off of a diving board into an infinity pool before reappearing at the ladder. The camera moves to sitting on the pool deck with the image framed by the sides of the ladder. The footage turns to slow motion as he rises from the water, getting a closeup of every single inch. The camera returns to normal speed as he swaggers over to a lounge chair looking out over the ocean sunset. A butler comes into frame and presents a glass of wine. The camera switches to a frontal view as he takes it and sets it down on the side table. He looks at the camera.

Michael: "You are probably wondering what a man like myself is doing on The Last Survivor. Well, when I was told I would not be chosen as the next Searcher on Lover's Oasis, I was told Bobby Provost was looking for big names for the 300th season. Brand new virgin location, beautiful beaches, tropical reefs, a lifetime supply of coconuts… So I thought, why not?" *he picked up the glass and held it up to the camera* To a successful anniversary season. Cheers."

-END-

"Becky!"

-START-

Scene: A plump, but still attractive woman with clearly dyed blond hair with brown roots appears on camera. Her skin is bright orange from her fake tan that clashes hard with her brightly colored makeup. She is wearing leopard print leggings that give her a muffin top and tight pastel top with a large U neck that makes her bra visible. She has large sunglasses on her head and is wearing cartoonishly large jewelry.

Lower third: Becky, 26, Reality TV Personality

*Woman holds her hands in two peace signs framing her face* "Hello! I'm Becky." *She raises her arms*

Camera drone pulls away revealing they are on a rooftop garden and pool area of a beachfront condo tower. The drone pans and films the entire beach and the endless line of hotels and condo towers.

"And my Daddy owns all this!"

TRANSITION

Scene: Becky sitting in a living room with multiple women laughing and gossiping.

Becky: "I'm sure ya'll recognize me from Real Wives of Beach City. The show follows my best friend and sister-in-law Talia, so of course I'm in every shot."

Scene: A middle aged man with greying hair in a tuxedo and an older woman in a gown that looks like an older version of Becky. They are posing on a paparazzi walkway to an event.

Becky: "My parents own the biggest condo development firm in the South sector."

The parents move off screen as a younger man with Talia walks up next.

Becky: "Talia's family owned the biggest hotel chain in the sector. Now that she's married, her dead parent's trust finally was given to her and her company has officially merged with ours."

TRANSITION

Scene: Snippets of Real Wives of Beach City play. Each one shows Becky more loud, obnoxious, and aggressive than the last.

*Cheery tone completely out of sync with the images*

Clip of her in a mud mask and tin foil dying her hair.

I'm pretty…

Clip of her berating a homeless man.

Kind…

Clip of her stealing a tip jar then tossing it into a busy highway.

Generous…

Clip of an argument where she ate a friend's entire brand-new box of donuts met for a gathering later in the day.

Sweet…

Clip of her throwing her newly ex-boyfriend's belongings off a five-story balcony aiming at his head.

Loving…

Throwing ex-boyfriends cat out the window.

Good with animals…

Clip of her speeding around a school bus almost running some children over.

And kids…

Clip of her throwing a vase at a maid and it shattering against the wall above the woman's ducking head. Fragments fall over her hair and back. Original audio playing softly behind the voiceover: "Talk back to me again and I will get you deported!"

"And beloved by all the people in our company."

Scene: Becky in a bikini in front of a tanning bed.

"I look forward to my latest reality TV debut!"

Becky opened the bed's door, laid down and shut it. Then her hand appears tossing one piece of the swimsuit after the other.

Woman with Spanish accent off screen: "Ma'am! Ma'am! You can't be naked in the beds!"

-END-

"Sam!"

-START-

Scene: Man in a casual grey suit stands against a wall with eggshell and cream patterned wallpaper.

Lower third: Sam, 27 Lobbyist

"Hello, I'm Sam. And I work for the Medical Alliance at the Planetary Parliament."

Scene: Amateur video of Sam walking across the stage at a college graduation.

Sam: "I graduated from Hosana University with a double bachelor's degree in Divinity in Politics and Business Holiness."

Scene: Video and still images of a convention.

Sam: "I was an active member of the campus Conservative Party's Youth Outreach organization and interned at the Conservatives for a Better Tomorrow, C-BeT, for four of my five years in college. Thanks to the friends I made, I was hired by the Medical Alliance right out of college.

Scene: Sam walking up the marble steps of the Planetary Parliament.

Sam: "And I was transferred to the central capital just a few months ago."

Scene: Close up video of a clearly teenage Sam singing in a church choir in full robes.

Sam: "One thing I've missed is singing in my hometown choir."

Video switches to an above camera showing the entire room, full to the brim with thousands of people.

Sam: "Even if it's one of the largest megachurches in the sector."

Scene: Photo of adult Sam and another man in a blue shirt and white clerical collar. He looks slightly older but otherwise identical.

Sam: "My twin cousin also graduated from Hosana and was an assistant pastor at the church before moving to the Asian outreach program in Korea. I mention him because we are a matched set. If I get chosen, he is my visitor. We haven't seen each other face-to-face in four years, and it might as well be dirty and stinky in the jungle."

-END-

"Lisa!"

-START-

Scene: Beautiful woman with long silky blonde hair and a red dress that put Jessica Rabbit to shame.

Lower third: Lisa, 33, Model and Actress

"Hello everyone. I'm Lisa."

Scene: Pictures of magazine covers show one after another. Lisa is either in almost nothing bikinis or lingerie. All her poses seductively emphasize her two greatest assets.

Lisa: "I began as a simple teenage clothes model at 14. But as I got older, my talents manifested and I was quickly noticed by adult clothing lines. My career took off after I turned 18. I'm sure many of you in the audience are familiar with my work.

Scene: Three-way split screen of movie beach scenes focusing on Lisa as an extra.

Lisa: "I began dabbling in acting at 20. And that is when I first met my late husband, Richie Sterling, owner of Sterling Studios."

Scene: Video of her on a red carpet with an extremely old man. Thin, wrinkled, covered in liver spots, and just a few strands of scraggly hair, he rolled up beside her in an electric wheelchair.

Lisa: "I continued acting in my husband's movies and television series until his untimely passing leaving me widowed at 25."

More clips of her posing on red carpets with other older men, 50s and 60s, in the entertainment industry or a handful of men her age that are known wealthy playboys.

"Since my late husband's death I have continued in the entertainment industry, even producing a music album. But my first love will always be modeling…"

Scene: Video of a recent swimsuit modeling photoshoot. This time she has a small scar near her belly button.

Lisa: "And I plan to do it as long as I can."

-END-

Scene: A CGI of the blue team flag waving as the background.

Narrator: "And all the way from the ocean floor to the white capped waves, the blue team, Samundra!"

"Casey!"

-START-

Scene: Young, smiling woman with long brown hair in jeans and a white T-shirt with green alien head with large, black eyes with the words "They Exist" underneath. She is standing in a large, mowed, open field with trees in the background.

Lower third: Casey, 31 Conspiracy Theorist

"Hello. My name is Cassandra. But everyone calls me Casey."

TRANSITION

Scene: Casey putting on a specialized saddle on a horse.

Casey: "I am a nurse specialized in neurological care, and I work at a horse therapy farm for paralyzed children. I've worked at this particular therapy facility for four years. I discovered this place through my residency at a hospital that had patients here."

Scene: Video of a young girl at a horse-riding competition.

Casey: "I grew up on a horse ranch, my parents were trainers and ran a horse-riding school. I started horse riding competitively when I was small all the way through middle school."

Scene: Newspaper clipping of an article of a car accident.

Casey: "That changed after the car accident that killed my mother and seriously injured my younger brother. We had to sell the ranch to move to a city with a good hospital. But even with the millions of zeni after the sale and all our previous money we bankrupted in less than a year. My brother died less than three months after he was evicted from the hospital. The fact there were no services for people like us made me want to become a nurse."

TRANSITION

Scene: Picture of Casey posing in an alien shirt surrounded by children in wheelchairs holding green alien plushies with their faces blurred.

Casey: "I'm nicknamed 'the alien lady' by the children."

Picture of a white man and woman in their early 20s posing with alien merchandise in an outdoor market.

Casey: "My parents met in Roswell during their summer breaks. My childhood was happy if unorthodox."

Selfie picture of her and Ancient Alien's host at convention.

Casey: "Believing in aliens isn't crazy anymore after the past few years. But it really hasn't slowed the community down."

TRANSITION

Scene: Casey riding a horse around a ring.

Casey: "My beliefs had caused a few issues with parents at my last job. I have been called naïve, but I honestly believe that good and evil have nothing to do with race, or in this case species. No species can advance into civilization without good people. If adults can correct children over the difference between 'can' and 'may', I see no reason why I cannot remind them that 'evil alien' is an adjective and a noun and not a single noun."

"This job is much more inclusive. Even if people and parents don't believe it themselves, they think it is a good fairy tale to tell the children to boost their confidence."

TRANSITION

Scene: Casey rides up to the camera, steps off the horse, and begins to speak.

Casey: "I hope you will consider me for your show. Thank you for taking the time to watch this video."

-END-

"Bob!"

-START-

Scene: Moderately overweight white man looking in his early 50s standing in front of a woods in an Army ball cap, blue jeans, and a white t-shirt with maroon writing reading Adirondack Tomahawks with a graphic of a war hatchet.

Lower third: Bob, 52 Sports Coach

Bob: Hello producers, I'm Bob Mackenzie and I am applying to The Last Survivor.

Scene: Footage of a tree-lined, very lazy downtown with on camera narrating as he walks backwards.

Bob: Welcome to Biglerville! We're a tight knit community that just surpassed 2,000 people. And as a reward…"

Bob stepped out into the empty road standing with a traffic light in the shot behind him. He raised his arms.

Bob: "The state gave us our very first traffic light!"

Bob puts his hands on his hips and looks over his shoulder.

Bob: "Isn't she a beauty?"

*HONK HONK*

Bob: "Whoops."

Bob and the cameraperson jump back onto the sidewalk. A red dually trunk covered in mud drives past with two large flags, one national and the other the yellow snake, flying from poles attached to the roll bar. As it heads down the street, a hitch scrotum is visible under the truck. Bob turned to the camera and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.

Bob: *Chuckling* "Well can't sum up home better than that right there."

TRANSITION

Scene: Footage of a high school dodgeball gym period with Bob clapping his hands and encouraging the teenagers.

Bob: I'm the local high school gym teacher. I was hired right after my stint in the army was done. My uncle retired on the condition I was his replacement. That was 23 years ago.

Slide show of army photos.

Bob: "My family has been in the army since the French and Indian War. My family was mildly disappointed that I only joined to pay for college, but that changed after my uncle pushed me to get an education degree to be his successor at the high school."

Video of a basketball game, followed by a football game.

Bob: "I am currently the high school basketball coach. I was also the football coach until 9 years ago when our program took off and we needed more volunteers to run things. My cousin's son is now the football coach."

Video of a little league baseball game.

Bob: "I also just retired from being the little league and T-ball coach. My eldest son just finished 15 years in the Marines. He's come home and has taken over from me."

Picture of Bob, his wife, and 4 younger men and a woman in uniform.

Bob: "My other three sons are also Marines and my daughter is in the Air Force. My baby girl was never one to keep her feet on the ground."

TRANSITION

Scene: Video of Bob playing the banjo and signing into a microphone.

Bob: "I also play banjo and guitar in the town bluegrass band. I picked it up thanks to my wife's family."

Video of an old woman playing the church organ and a middle-aged woman in church robes conducting the choir.

Bob: "My wife's family came into town as revival preachers in the late 1800's and never left. Their family ministered the town until a few years ago when the conference began rotating preachers. Dad's retired but still helps run the youth programs. Mom has been the church organist for 50 years. My wife became the choir leader shortly after our first son was born."

TRANSITION

Scene: Bob and his wife holding hands sitting on a bench on the screened-in porch. Behind the is a small grass lawn and the woods.

Bob: "If you guys are looking for someone of good faith who can bring small town values to shake things up this old formulaic show…"

A black bear comes out of the woods and starts to pull down the bird feeder.

Off Camera: "Dad! The bear's back!"

Bob and his wife turn around.

Wife: "Not again! We just replaced that."

Off Camera: "Mom take the camera."

Camera is handed off. A man in a Marines T-shirt comes into frame. He hops into the house and comes back out with a shot gun that must have been just inside. Bob walks out the door and picks up several large rocks from the landscaping.

Bob: "Hey! Hey you fucking bear!"

The bear turns to them. It seems skittish. Bob starts throwing the rocks. His son is behind him ready to shoot.

Bob: "Get out and stop eating our bird feeders!"

The bear runs off after getting pelted with several rocks.

The son lowers the shotgun.

Bob: Son of a bitch! This is the fourth time now. We're going to need to call animal control at this rate.

The two come back onto the porch and slam the door.

Wife: "So we're going to reshoot?"

Bob: "Yeah let's get set up again."

Hard cut to white text on black screen with Benny Hill theme as background music.

I USED THIS VERSION BECAUSE GRANDPA THROWING ROCKS AT A BEAR IS COOLER. PLEASE CHOOSE GRANDPA :)

-END-

"Jessica!"

-START-

Scene: A young, white woman in her late 20s with her blond hair braided into strips and pulled into a clip in the back of her head. She is wearing a light-colored, loose tunic with embroidered flowers and other swirl and paisley designs. She has very baggy wide-legged pants and sandals. She had a red dot on her forehead. She is standing in a professional shooting stage.

Lower third: Jessica, 28 Famous Crime Survivor

Jessica: Hello everyone watching this evening. I was born Jessica Miller. And I am a yoga instructor.

She sits cross-legged on a mat.

Jessica: I do not know how you found me. But you did, and was approached by the staff of The Last Survivor and invited to apply and basically guaranteed a spot. After talking it over with my community, I have decided to take you up on your offer.

I don't have anything about my life prior to 18 to show you, because nothing still exists. Honestly, Jessica doesn't exist. But I'm not going to be using my new name.

TRANSITION

Scene: Footage of a news broadcast about a kidnapping and assault. Then switching to a montage of newspaper headlines covering the case until convictions.

Jessica: Yes, I'm THAT Jessica Miller. For those who were born yesterday, the cliff notes are I was a homeschooled girl that went to a conservative religious college. There I joined a Christian yoga group my first semester. But as much as I enjoyed it, which with hindsight, it was actually calling me, I was unsettled. The Bible was drilled into me until I could quote it word for word before I was ten, but yoga was never mentioned. And everything in existence was in that book. Nothing could exist outside creation.

Then the Fall semester ended and I went home for Christmas. And I googled yoga on my family's sole computer, that my parents had always tightly controlled. I was really surprised. I had literally no idea there were religions other than Christianity and devil worship up until that day. But later on, when my little sister used it for her homeschooling, she found Hinduism in the search history and went to ask my parents.

Jessica died that night. She was stripped naked, beaten, branded with a hot poker in the shape on a cross over the heart before being covered in ashes, tied up, shoved in a trunk, driven cross-country to New York before being dumped in an inner-city neighborhood in the middle of the night with a sign around my neck saying "Free to a good pimp or serial killer".

Jessica shifts uncomfortably.

Jessica: With everything I was taught, I'm sure my family members were searching for a black neighborhood so something bad would happen to me. But they ended up tossing me out in an Indian community. The only reason I didn't freak out when a bunch of dark-skinned people swarmed me was that one of the people had a red dot I recognized from Wikipedia. Sweetest old man I've ever met.

In the interim since the trial, I got into a community college. I got big into the arts and social work. Then the old man who had taken care of me since that night went back to India. He was an authentic Yogi, kinda like a Hindu monk for people outside the community, and he had come to the Western sector to help set up an authentic Indian yoga school. When he asked me to come with him to continue my studies, I dropped everything to move to India for five years.

As part of my studies to become a full fledged Yogini, a female monk, he sent me in his stead to help with another studio in a different city in the Western sector. That was two years ago. One of my students invited me to join their community collective. Sustainable living, urban farming, all that stuff. It's been good giving back to my new community.

Jessica sighs.

Jessica: When you guys came in calling me by my birth name in my studio, I panicked. I was able to get a hold of my Yogi in India and we meditated on it. He said that by coming on the show I would meet someone who would complete my journey.

Jessica looks up at the camera.

Jessica: That is the only reason I've agreed to come on this show.

Off Camera: That was nice, but we'll need to do another take with you not mentioning we approached you to join the show.

Jessica: "Do you really expect a nun in training to lie?"

Off Camera: *Sigh* "Someone call Bobby."

-END-

"Daisuke!"

-START-

Scene: An Asian man with short cut hair stands in a dojo in a white karate gi with a black belt with three stripes. The man puts his fist in his palm and bows.

"Hello everyone. I am Daisuke."

Scene: Daisuke driving a large SUV talking to the camera in the front passenger seat.

Daisuke: "Welcome to Oliveton. Too far away from West City to technically be a suburb. Too close to be a small town. But that's changing rapidly. In the past decade nine huge developments have been built. And every family wants some activity for their kids to do after school. My grandfather's small dojo has doubled its membership just from last year.

Pulls into a strip mall.

Daisuke: "And here it is. Our third expansion."

Parks the SUV in front of the building.

Daisuke: "I run this one. Let's take a look."

Scene: They enter the practice room and it's filled with children cheering and holding a banner. It says "PLEASE CHOOSE SENSEI FOR NINJA TRIALS!"

Daisuke: *walks in front of the camera* "Now you're probably wondering why that sign says "Ninja Trails and not The Last Survivor. Weeeeeell…"

Scene: Clip of the shortest time on the first round of Ninja Trials. The man slipped on the starting platform and fell in the water first thing. Picture returned to the room.

Daisuke: *face palms* Yeah… Yeah that was me… *takes a deep breath* "I competed on Ninja Trails for charity." *Looks over his shoulder* "And we raised over 10k didn't we?"

Children drop the banner and clap and cheer.

Daisuke: *Holds his hand up* "Ok they get the hint."

Children stop cheering.

Daisuke: *Turns back around* As much as I fulfilled my end of the agreement. I definitely did not fulfill the spirit of the deal I struck with the kids. Frankly… I'm looking for redemption. *Daisuke puts his fist in his palm and bows again* "I hope you will consider my application."

-END-

"Jerry!"

-START-

Scene: A black background appears with the logo of the metal band Black Slaughterhouse surrounded by lightning and flames hanging from metal scaffolding with stage lights. A white man in his late 30's in a black, torn sleeved t-shirt suddenly jumps in frame close to the camera. He has a tall purple Mohawk that extended into a braid halfway down his back, tattoos along the shaved sides of his head, around his neck, and sleeve tattoos along his shoulders and arms.

Lower third: Jerry, 39, Drummer

Jerry: *screaming* Hey everyone! It's Jerry for Black Slaughterhouse and let's get this party started! *Growls screaming as he sticks his tongue out revealing a piercing. *He brought his tongue up to the lens until the piercing touched it.*

TRANSITION

Scene: A camera in the scaffolding looked down at the stage and the first few rows of the crowd. Jerry at the drum set raised his arms. He hit the sticks together in rhythm to his shouting "One! Two! Three! Four!" Strobe lights and smoke machines go off as the speakers erupt with screaming, screeching and reverberation. The band members headbanged as they play.

Jerry: We've been touring constantly for years. But our agent thought it would be a good idea to mix things up a bit. Keep up the randomness and the crazy. So we're applying to reality shows, the nuttier the better.

Scene: The band in a room with their agent. Jerry's huge mohawk is now fully braided from his forehead to down his back. The agent takes a vanilla envelope and pulls out a pile of papers.

Agent: And the winners are… Jerry! You're the only one going on to the next round of application.

Jerry: *jumps up on the leather couch and raised his arms with devil horns* Woo!

Other bandmate: Why him?! What about the rest of us?

Agent: According to this, Jerry is the only one to pass the drug screening.

Different bandmate: Hah, hah. Jerry is a goody-two-shoes.

Jerry sat back down and sulked as the other band members laughed at him.

Agent: *slams packet on desk* Well at least Jerry can stay clean long enough to pass these tests!"

TRANSITION

Scene: A large, isolated house in the southern Florida woods. Two trunks, ATVs, two outboard boats and an airboat are strewn out front. Jerry opens a door into a home.

Jerry: *half sings* Ladieeeeeeeeees!

*Children voices off screen* Daddy!

Two girls, looking either side of ten, run up. Jerry kneels in time for them to wrap their arms around him. The girls have crazy braided hair full of ribbons and fake flowers.

*Adult woman off screen* "Hey Jerry. Got your favorite going."

Jerry walks into the kitchen and finds a large woman sautéing something at the stove.

"Swamp cabbage!" Jerry puts his hand on the woman's shoulder and takes a big sniff. He then kissed her cheek. "You're the best Mary. But who went out in the woods to chop it down?"

*Young woman sneaks up behind him and puts her hand over his eyes.* "Guess who?"

Jerry: Brook. *turns around and hugs her.* "I see you're skipping classes. Naughty girl."

Brook: Teacher's sick. So I drove over. You don't fly home often.

Mary: "I saw the email. It's legit."

Jerry: Well, I'm glad you're here, Because I have an announcement.

Brook: *rolled eyes* Like we couldn't tell from the camera crew.

Jerry: I *dramatic pause* Got chosen for The Last Survivor!

Youngest daughter: What's that?

Jerry: Daddy is going on a gameshow.

Middle daughter: Like on TV?!

Jerry: *chuckles* Yes on TV.

Middle daughter: *whining* Are you going to be saying bad words on this show too? We never get to watch.

Jerry: I'm not allowed to curse anyway. It's broadcast television, not cable.

Youngest daughter: *gasps in excitement* Mommy can we watch Daddy this time?! Pleeeeeease?

Mary: *sigh* I don't see why not…

The two youngest cheer.

Mary: *taps wooden spoon on the dish then puts it on the counter* "Food's done! Who's hungry?"

The two girls cheer even louder. Jerry joins them.

-END-

"Jamal!"

-START-

Scene: A tall black man with short box braids wearing a Parsley City Skidders American Football jersey standing in a basketball court with bright murals painted on the walls. His Jersey has the number 28 on it and the name Wheeler on the back.

Lower third: Jamal, 36, Retired Wide Receiver

Hello everyone. It's "Wheeling" Jamal Wheeler from the Parsley City Skidders. *Catches a football thrown from behind the camera. Spun it on his finger like a basketball briefly before tossing it in the air. He caught it clamping down on it with both hands with an audible thud.* Let's get this game started.

Scene: Video from the Worldbowl two years prior. Jamal has broken away from his pursuers and after a comfortable lead, turns around and runs backwards over the goal line with the ball lifted over his head.

Video voiceover over the screaming crowd: And Wheeler has broken past Thomson and is leaving him in the dust! No one is even close to him as he charges for the winning touchdown! And he turns around and skips backwards over the goal line! Wheeler leads his team to their 12th Worldbowl championship. His eighth appearance and fifth victory since being drafted 14 years ago. What a sendoff season. And the team rushes him as his does his signature dance in the endzone. What a game. Skidders 21 Shillelaghs 20. Poor Smith must be kicking himself missing that field goal in the second quarter…

Jamal: I am the newly retired wide receiver for the Parsley City Skidders. I earned one for the thumb during my time on the team and was Worldbowl MVP for three of them.

Scene: Jamal playing flag football with a group of tweens in the basketball gym from the introduction.

Jamal: I didn't come from the best neighborhood. So as soon as I got drafted, I began putting my multi-million zeni contract back into the schools, afterschool programs and scholarships. And now that I'm back home, I'm working with the programs I funded. Not as a boss or manager, just one of the volunteers.

Scene: Jamal is back at the gym holding the football. He spins the ball a few inches in the air catching it over and over again.

Jamal: Now everyone in the stands is probably wondering why I'm doing this.

Catches and grips the ball with another thud.

Jamal: Charity. *smiles and chuckles* It's always charity.

Points the tip of the ball at the camera.

Jamal: And I would like to thank my publicist and Bobby Provost himself for talking me into this hairbrained scheme of starving and becoming a human pop tart for the world's amusement.

Jamal throws the ball at the lens leading to a black screen.

-END-

"Vickie!"

-START-

Scene: An older woman in a paisley blouse with ruffled cuffs and collar and brown slacks stands in front of a painted cinder block wall. Her whitening hair is pulled into a clip on the back of her head.

Lower third: Vickie, 59, Professor/Triathlete

Hello entry judges of The Last Survivor. I am Vickie Taylor, 18th century English Literature professor at Poli'ahu University in Hawaii.

The camera follows her around the room until she stands in front of a large trophy case.

Vickie: And I am also a triathlete.

Scene: Family video of a young girl held up by her father from their balcony looking over a bike race down the hill. She is cheering and waving.

Vickie: I grew up in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Home of the Ironman Triathlon. My family home's lanai's overlooked part of the track so I have had a front row seat my entire life.

Scene: Family video of the same, now older girl, running in a race with a number on her shirt.

Vickie: I was 8 when I entered my first triathlon, the Ironkids, and competed every year until I aged out at 15.

Scene: Split screen videos of teenage Vickie swimming and running track in high school.

Vickie: I killed the gap years by competing in my high school's swim and track teams and went to college partially on a swimming scholarship where I quickly transitioned back onto the triathlon team.

Scene: Modern video of Vickie crossing a finish line.

Vickie: I've competed every year I've could. Universities tend to be strict on sabbaticals, but it is always a good charity opportunity when I do get to go. And even at almost 60 years young, I'm still finishing alongside kids half my age.

Scene: Vickie speaking at a small hearing before a panel.

Vickie: As odd as it seems for an English Lit. teacher to be involved in Title IX issues, I am a large supporter of equal rights for women. I met my husband of 34 years on the men's triathlon team my junior year for my Bachelors and he's now on the Title XI compliance board for the Greater Islands District. He turned down a promotion to the Western Sector's federal board on the mainland so I wouldn't have to leave my job at the university. I really struck gold with him. It's always the woman's job to sacrifice their hopes and dreams to placate the men in their lives, never the other way around.

Scene: View of Vickie back in front of the trophy case, this time in bike shorts and a sport's bra. She is very well-muscled, even by men's standards, and her tight clothing reveals every hidden chiseled line. She takes a body-building pose, hands on her hips and lifting her right leg.

Vickie: Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to your response.

-END-

"Nick!"

-START-

Scene: An average looking white man with brown hair and in a cheap looking suit stands against a wall with eggshell and cream patterned wallpaper.

Lower third: Nick, 33 Tax Prepper

"Hello, I'm Nick. And I'm a tax preparer.

Scene: Nick talking to journalists in front of a courthouse.

Nick: I doubt I'm remembered. But I was part of the antitrust and corruption lawsuit against our family's banks and lending firms.

Nick holding a vanilla folder over his face being escorted by armed guards into a courthouse.

Nick: Apparently, something I said in a statement to the press contradicted something the lawyers told the court so I was dispositioned. Then I was personally charged with several crimes. I pled guilty at the advice of my family's lawyer and was told that the rest of my family was going to do the same.

That was a lie.

Scene: Several men in expensive suits walk down the courtroom steps under heavy guard and surrounded by press.

Nick: My family beat all charges, used the guilty plea to fire me and take away my parachute. They did however buy out all my stock options… Only to turn around and fund my wife's divorce. The judge gave her everything, right down to my underwear. That is not hyperbole.

I lost everything. My family. My friends. My home. And was literally thrown naked onto the street… where my ex-wife had lovingly called the police ahead of time so they were there to arrest me for public disturbance and nudity the second I was thrown onto the public sidewalk by family security.

TRANSITION

Scene: Nick working in an office.

Nick: I had nothing for the longest time. But then one of the greatest tragedies Earth has ever suffered got me back on my feet.

Camera pans out the window to show a huge grassy park with a lake.

TRANSITION

Scene: Nick walking along the lakeside path through the East City Crater Memorial Park, eventually stopping to look at one of the massive monuments scattered though the park with the names of the residents or workers who died in that location.

Nick: In the aftermath of 19 million people dying and half of East City being leveled, my conviction didn't matter anymore. They needed warm bodies with expertise. Nothing more.

I worked for the Invasion Council until the government ended the program four years ago. Since then I was headhunted by one of the charities that partnered with the council. A lot of the people who survived the blast were left with nothing, as unfortunately the major insurance companies were able overturn the government's attempt to force them to pay out in court arguing that alien invasion was not listed as cause of death and destruction in their policies, or in the case of the smaller ones simply filed for bankruptcy before the invading army was even driven off the planet.

It's been hard, but despite how satisfied the work I've done, I've always felt empty inside. At least until recently…

TRANSITION

Scene: Nick back in front of the wallpaper background.

Nick: I was really surprised when Bobby contacted me to come on The Last Survivor. It has been my favorite show since I was small and competing was a major dream of mine growing up. Of course, a major part of the show is the family visit, and I was really concerned about who I would be allowed to bring.

Then I found out Bobby went and contacted them himself. After the initial panic…

Nick smiles relieved and beings to tear up.

Nick: They welcomed me back.

Nick wipes his eyes.

Nick: Bobby even passed me a phone they gave him to specifically talk to me.

Nick bows to the camera.

Nick: So thank you, The Last Survivor. You've fulfilled a dream I never thought could happen.

-END-

Scene: Bobby Provost walks up a new beach. The white boat anchored in the background. The jet ski it was towing now up on the sand. He walks up the beach with the camera backing up. He tosses off the life vest into the sand.

Bobby: And those are our 16 contestants. Ready and willing to face the challenges ahead of being stranded into a brand-new virgin environment, but only one will be able to…

The camera, revealed to be a drone, rotates and flies into the air, keeping its camera on Bobby getting increasingly smaller on the beach.

Bobby: *raising his arms into the air* Claim the title of The Last Survivor!

Camera tilts over the palm trees and jungle while triumphant music plays before focusing onto the sky. A flash transitions into overlaying the season title graphic over the sky in the background.

The Last Survivor XL: Fire and Water

Indonesia

Opening Ends.