Sports Night Season 3

by Biggy734

This is merely one fan's interpretation of how season three would have gone. Follow your favorite Sports Night characters through the trials & tribulations of work and life.

2. Best Laid Plans

Sports Night episode 3.2: "Best Laid Plans" - Mythical Airdate: October 18, 2000

Open on Anthony's. Dan and Casey are sitting in a booth; Casey is leaning back against the wall with his legs up on the seat itself, looking frustrated. Dan is holding a glass, looking bored.

Casey: "All I'm saying is it's been a week."

Dan: "It's been nine days."

Casey: "Fine, it's been nine days, wouldn't you think she'd be over this by now?"

Dan: "Casey, how many times do we have to go over this. Every other minute you ask me if I think Dana would be over this by now and what do I say?"

Casey: "You say that you would think so."

Dan: "I say I would think so."

Casey: "Yes."

Dan: "So, you see my point here?"

Casey: "That I should stop asking you?"

Dan: "Now we're getting somewhere."

They both sit there, silent. Dan takes a drink; Casey shakes his head and then turns, facing Dan.

Casey: "It's just that...wouldn't you think she'd be over this by now?"

Dan sighs audibly

Dan: "Casey, listen to me. You screwed up."

Casey: "I made a joke Dan."

Dan: "Well, I'm not saying it was the worlds most colossal error. I'll admit that I don't see what the big deal is, but my opinion doesn't really matter. All I'm saying is you screwed up, she got upset about it, and you can't change that by sitting here and talking to me."

Casey: "So, you think I should do something?"

Dan: "I don't know what I think Casey. In fact, I don't even want to think. Ya know? It's been the same thing for the last three years with you two and, I've gotta be honest, I'm a little tired of it."

Casey: "Oh yeah, Dan, I'm loving it over here."

Dan: "Well, ya know, you do always seem to find a way to keep it going."

Casey: "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Dan: "Everything. Nothing. I don't know. All I'm saying is this...every time it looks like you and Dana are about to get together, one of you two do something to screw it up. Now, maybe, just maybe, that's..."

Casey: "A sign? Don't start with that Danny."

Dan: "Casey, I'm just sayin' that maybe you should give it up."

Casey: "Give it up? Oh, okay, that's one hell of an idea. I think I'll do that. I'll just spend the rest of my life knowing that there's a woman I love and I can't do anything about it."

Dan: "Sounds familiar to me."

Casey stares at Dan, confused, then it hits him.

Casey: "Rebecca?"

Dan: "Rebecca. And ya know what Casey? You don't see me sitting around whining and moaning about it do ya?"

Casey: "No, no I don't."

Dan: "So, I'm just sayin'..."

Casey: "Well, you're wrong. Yeah, you let Rebecca go..."

Dan: "I didn't LET her go Casey. I made a decision, I made a judgement based on other circumstances, circumstances that never fully developed and I've got to live with that every damn day for the rest of my life."

Casey just stares at Dan

Dan: "I guess I see your point."

Casey: "Thank you."

Dan looks at his glass and then lightly pounds the table and looks up

Dan: "So, clearly, you need a plan."

Casey: "Clearly."

Dan: "So, what is it?"

Casey: "I'm not good with plans."

Dan: "I remember."

Casey: "So..."

Dan: "You have no plan."

Casey: "None whatsoever."

Dan: "Well, there's always Napoleon's plan."

Casey faintly smiles

Casey: "That there is."

Casey thinks for a second, then looks at Dan.

Casey: "How about you?"

Dan: "How about me what?"

Casey: "What's your plan?"

Dan: "Plan for what?"

Casey: "Rebecca."

Dan: "Casey..."

Casey: "Dan, you just said, not two minutes ago, how you felt about her. She's back in New York. She's back downstairs. I mean, hell Dan, she's back in her office. We've been back now for nine days and you haven't even went to see her?"

Dan: "Casey, I don't..."

Casey: "All I'm saying is if I need a plan, you need a plan."

Dan: "I have a plan."

Casey: "Oh?"

Dan: "It's Napoleon's plan."

Casey shakes his head, then chuckles

Casey: "So, here we are, two grown men, two famous..."

Dan: "Semi-famous." Casey: "Two semi-famous television anchors, both with women we love and yet, we sit here...doing nothing."

Dan: "Napoleon would be proud."

Casey: "I believe he would be Danny. I believe he would be."

They both smile briefly and then Dan looks down at his drink and sighs again

Dan: "I need another drink."

Casey: "Right behind you."

They both stand up and head towards the bar as we fade to commercial

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Open on the editing room, Natalie is sitting at the computer, working on tape as Dana paces behind her.

Natalie: "What do you think about this?"

Dana: "What?"

Natalie pauses and then points at the screen

Dana: "Oh...right. (pause) That looks good."

Natalie: "Really?"

Dana: "Natalie, I don't know what to do about this."

Natalie: "Well, I could always use another clip."

Dana: "I'm not talking about that."

Natalie: "I know."

Dana sits down on the couch as Natalie turns around in her chair, facing her.

Dana: "You know I don't like Casey being mad at me."

Natalie: "Casey isn't mad at you."

Dana: "Yes he is Natalie..."

Natalie: "No, he's not. You're mad at him."

Dana: "Well...whatever...I don't see the difference."

Natalie: "The difference is all the difference Dana, you're mad at him."

Dana: "So?"

Natalie: "Stop being mad at him!"

Dana: "I'm not mad at him Natalie."

Natalie: "I know...but he thinks you are."

Dana: "Why?"

Natalie: "Because you're acting like you are."

Dana shakes her head

Dana: "I know."

Natalie: "So, what are you going to do about it?"

Dana: "I don't know."

Natalie: "Wait, let me make sure I have this straight. You're mad at Casey...except you're not mad at Casey, you just want him to think you're mad at him."

Dana: "Right..."

Natalie: "And there's no reason behind this?"

Dana: "Well, I WAS mad Natalie, I was mad at him for making fun of me."

Natalie: "Because he told you should date other men for six months?"

Dana: "Right."

Natalie: "What's the big deal about that?"

Dana: "I don't know."

Natalie: "You don't know in retrospect?"

Dana: "No, I don't know now, I didn't know then. I don't know why it made me mad Natalie, it was a perfectly good shot, he was clearly kidding around, and yet, for some reason, I suddenly didn't want to see him anymore."

Natalie: "And now?"

Dana: "I still don't. I don't understand it Natalie. Before I went in his office, all I could think about was Casey, all I could think about was how we'd finally get to go on our first date. And now...well, now, I don't even know anymore."

Natalie: "I'm confused."

Dana: "So am I."

The door opens and Jeremy sticks his head in.

Jeremy: "Hey Dana."

Dana: "Oh...hey Jeremy."

He turns to Natalie

Jeremy: "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Natalie: "Well, I'm talking to..."

Dana: "Go."

Natalie: "Are you sure?"

Dana feigns a smile and nods

Dana: "Yep."

Natalie: "Okay, I'll see you later."

Natalie leaves with Jeremy as Dana just sits there staring into space and then we cut to Natalie and Jeremy walking through the studio.

Natalie: "So, what's up?"

Jeremy: "Well, actually, a lot."

She stops Jeremy in front of the anchor desk

Natalie: "Like what?"

Jeremy digs in his pocket and pulls out a folded up envelope.

Natalie: "What is that?"

Jeremy: "It's a letter."

Natalie: "From who?"

Jeremy: "Rebecca...it's a love letter...I think."

Natalie stares at Jeremy

Jeremy: "To Dan! A letter to Dan from Rebecca."

He puts the envelope back in his pocket

Natalie: "Oh! Okay...well...wait, Rebecca is passing notes to Dan through you?"

Jeremy: "It looks that way."

Natalie: "How old are we again?"

Jeremy: "Tell me about it."

Natalie: "Okay, so, you've got a note from Rebecca to Dan, what's the big deal?"

Jeremy: "It's no big deal."

Natalie: "Well, then why did you need to see me."

Jeremy: "I don't know, I just thought I should share it."

Natalie: "Well...okay then. I'll see you later."

Natalie starts to walk off

Jeremy: "I don't want to give it to him."

Natalie stops and turns back

Natalie: "What?"

Jeremy: "I'm saying I don't want to give it to him. That's the big deal."

Natalie: "It's to Dan, Jeremy, you have to give it to him."

Jeremy: "Do I?"

Natalie: "Yes, you do."

Jeremy: "See, I think you're wrong. Dan is my friend, Dan is my good friend, and I know how this is going to end up."

Natalie: "No, you don't."

Jeremy: "Yes I do! It's going to end up the same way everything ends up around here and that's not good. I don't want to see Dan get hurt again and if I give him this letter than he will get hurt again, rest assured of that. And ya know what? It would be my fault. It'd be my fault because I gave him the letter in the first place. A letter I could just as easily take right over to that trashcan and throw away. In fact, now that I think about it..."

Jeremy starts to walk over to the trashcan

Natalie: "Jeremy, you can't do that and you know it. Give it to Dan..."

Dan: "Give what to Dan?"

Natalie and Jeremy both turn around, startled, as Dan comes walking in

Natalie: "Oh, hey Dan."

Dan: "Hey Nat...give what to Dan?"

Natalie looks at Jeremy, who looks at the trash, then to Dan. He then pulls the envelope out of his pocket and slowly hands it to Dan. He takes it and looks down at it

Dan: "What's this?"

Natalie: "It's from Rebecca."

Dan looks up at Natalie

Dan: "Seriously?"

Jeremy: "She gave it to me earlier today."

Dan: "Oh...well...okay. Listen, I gotta go."

Dan walks, almost runs, off as Jeremy turns to Natalie.

Jeremy: "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Cut to a transitional exterior shot of New York

(SCENE CHANGE)

Open on the Sports Night studio, Casey is sitting at the desk, looking over his script and making brief notes.

Casey: "Hey Natalie."

Natalie (over intercom): "Yeah Casey?"

Casey: "Where's Dan?"

Cut to the control room, Natalie looks at Dana

Natalie: "Where is Dan?"

Dana: "I haven't seen him."

Natalie: "Jeremy?"

Jeremy just shrugs and shakes his head no as Elliot walks in the control room.

Elliot: "Hey guys, where is Dan?"

Natalie: "We don't exactly know."

Isaac then walks in the control room

Isaac: "Jeremy, I need to see you after the show."

Jeremy looks surprised

Jeremy: "Why?"

Isaac: "After the show...hey, Dana?"

Dana: "Yes, Isaac?"

Isaac: "Where's Dan?"

Dana: "We don't know."

Isaac: "You don't know!? Dana, we've got a show..."

Dana: "I know Isaac, I'm handling it."

Isaac: "I'm going to walk back to my office now. When I get there, I expect to see our show and I expect to see Dan anchoring our show."

Dana: "You and me both."

Isaac walks out as we cut back to the anchor desk

Casey: "Natalie?"

Cut back to Natalie

Natalie: "We don't really know Casey."

Cut back to Casey, looking surprised

Casey: "I haven't seen him in about 4 hours, I had to write his script for him, he's just up and disappeared?"

Cut back to the control room and an over the shoulder shot behind Natalie, Dana, and Jeremy. We can still see Casey on the monitors

Dana: "It's beginning to look that way."

Casey: "Well, should we call out a search party? I mean, we do have a show to do tonight."

Dana turns to Elliot and Kim

Dana: "Go look for Dan."

Dave: "We're live in 30 seconds Dana."

Cut back to the studio as in walks Dan, fully dressed for the broadcast

Casey: "You can call off the search party."

Dana (over intercom): "You know where he is?"

Dan: "I'm right here."

Dan sits down

Casey: "I wrote the script..."

Dan: "Good."

Casey: "Where were you?"

Dan: "I don't want to talk about it."

Dan takes a deep breath as we cut back to the control room and Jeremy looks at Natalie, who shrugs.

Cut back to the studio as we pull back to see the opening VTR sequence ending on a monitor and it cuts to the studio

Dan: "Good evening, from New York City, I'm Dan Rydell, alongside Casey McCall. Those stories plus, we'll take you to Columbus where the Buckeyes bounced their quarterback."

Casey: "We'll take you to College Station where the Aggies made a major announcement and we'll go around the NHL with all the scores and highlights. All that coming up after this, you're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around."

Dave: "We're out. 90 seconds back."

Dan unhooks himself and walks back through the back of the studio. Casey sees this and does the same. We cut back behind the set where Dan is getting coffee

Casey: "Where did you go?"

Dan: "Casey..."

Casey: "Dan?"

Dan: "After the show."

Casey: "All right, let's do our show."

Dan: "Right."

Dan grabs his coffee as we fade to commercial

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Open on the control room, focused on Natalie and Dana

Dave: "We're back in 10."

Natalie: "So what are you going to do?"

Dana: "I'm going to talk to him after the show."

Natalie: "Really?"

Dana: "Yeah."

Dave: "In 3...2..."

We cut to the studio

Casey: "That's going to do it for us tonight."

Dan: "For Casey McCall, I'm Dan Rydell, and you've been watching Sports Night. We'll see ya tomorrow."

Casey: "Good night."

We pull back to see the credits begin on a monitor

Dave: "And we're out."

Dan and Casey begin to unhook themselves

Dan: "Rebecca gave Jeremy a note..."

Casey: "Gave Jeremy a note?"

Dan: "To give to me."

Casey: "Oh."

They both walk out of the studio, continuing their conversation

Casey: "So, she gave you a note?"

Dan: "Yeah."

Casey: "And?"

They come into the newsroom

Dan: "Well, it wasn't good news."

Casey looks back at Dan, worried, as they walk into their office and Casey shuts the door.

Casey: "What's is it?"

Dan: "She's leaving Casey. She's leaving again."

Casey: "Seriously?"

Dan: "No Casey, this an elaborate scheme I'm making up so I have a reason to be depressed."

Casey sits down at his desk

Casey: "All right, I'm sorry, keep going."

Dan: "She's moving Casey, she's leaving tomorrow, she's moving to Minneapolis."

Casey: "What's in Minneapolis?"

Dan: "Does it matter? She's leaving Casey. It's over."

Casey: "What are you going to do?"

Dan sits down on the couch

Dan: "Nothing."

Casey: "Nothing?"

Dan: "That's right. There's nothing I can do Casey. She's going to Minneapolis, I'm not leaving the show, so there's not a damn thing I can do about it. It's not going to be a fun couple of months, but I'll move on."

Casey: "Well, you're taking this kind of well."

Dan: "Casey, I sat in her office for 4 hours earlier, alone, for no reason. I'm not taking this well."

Casey: "Okay, you're not taking it well, but you're putting up a good front."

Dan: "Well, I'm trying."

Casey: "Is there anything I can do?"

Dan: "For me? No. For you?"

Casey: "Dan..."

Dan: "Casey, look at me. I tried Napoleon's plan, I showed up here all summer before we left for Sydney, I showed up here the last nine days since we returned and look what happened. She's gone. Once again, it's over for me, but you, well, you've still got a shot."

Casey: "Dan, I'm not..."

Dan: "Listen to me Casey, enough is enough. Stop playing games, go talk to her and settle this, one way or another."

Casey: "You think?"

Dan slowly nods as Casey stands up

Casey: "Okay, but I'm not sure about this."

Dan: "Just go to her Casey, go to her and be honest."

Casey: "Here I go."

Dan: "Good luck."

Casey walks out of the office as Dan opens the refrigerator and pulls out a beer

(SCENE CHANGE)

Open on Isaac's office, he's pouring himself a drink, when in walks Jeremy

Jeremy: "You wanted to see me sir?"

Isaac: "Yeah, shut the door and have a seat."

Jeremy shuts the door and then walks over and takes a seat in front of Isaac's desk as Isaac walks around the desk and sits down

Jeremy: "I'm not going to like this am I?"

Isaac: "Jeremy, I've got something I want to tell you."

Jeremy: "Okay..."

Isaac: "I'm retiring."

Jeremy: "What!?"

Isaac: "I'm retiring Jeremy, I'm retiring and I'm doing it at the end of December."

Jeremy: "You're kidding me."

Isaac: "No, I'm not."

Jeremy: "But, sir..."

Isaac: "Jeremy, I've done what I wanted to do. I've taken this show into second place..."

Jeremy: "But, we're in third place."

Isaac turns his computer screen around and points to it. Jeremy's eyes widen

Jeremy: "We're a second place show!"

Isaac: "That's right. We're a second place show."

Jeremy smiles, but it slowly fades away

Jeremy: "We're a second place show, but you're leaving."

Isaac: "That's right."

Jeremy: "Well sir, I'd rather be in third place and have you here."

Isaac: "Now Jeremy, listen to me, I'm not upset about this, I'm not being forced out. I'm going because I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go home, spend time with my wife, read some books, and just relax."

Jeremy: "Well, if it's what you want, I'm happy for you."

Isaac: "Thank you."

Jeremy: "Sir?"

Isaac: "Yeah?"

Jeremy: "Why are you telling me this?"

Isaac: "Well, Jeremy, usually I tell things to Dana, she tells them to Natalie, and Natalie tells you right?"

Jeremy: "Right."

Isaac: "And then?"

Jeremy: "Well, by the time it gets to me, it usually gets all twisted and then I spread around false information."

Isaac: "Exactly. Well, now, you've got the right information to spread around."

Jeremy: "Sir, don't you think you should tell them yourselves."

Isaac: "Yes. But, I'm tired and I'm going home. Plus, I really don't want to listen to everyone argue with me. I've made my decision and that's that."

Jeremy: "So, you want me to tell everyone?"

Isaac: "That's right."

Isaac stands up as Jeremy does the same.

Jeremy: "Okay sir, I'm going to miss you."

Isaac: "Jeremy."

Jeremy: "What?"

Isaac: "I'm not leaving for 2 and a half months."

Jeremy: "Right."

Jeremy shakes Isaac's hand

Jeremy: "I'll see you tomorrow."

Isaac: "Good night."

Jeremy walks out as we cut to a transitional exterior shot of New York

(SCENE CHANGE)

Open on the editing room. Dana is sitting on the couch, when the door opens and in walks Casey

Casey: "Dana, I need to talk to you."

Dana stands up

Dana: "I need to talk to you too."

Casey: "Well, you go first."

Dana: "You go..."

Casey: "Okay, well, about last week..."

Dana: "I know, it's okay, I'm not mad about that. Truth be told, I'm not really sure I was mad about it before."

Casey: "Really?"

Dana: "Yeah."

Casey: "So...what exactly..."

Dana: "I don't know Casey, something just doesn't feel right."

Casey: "I know what you mean."

Dana: "You do?"

Casey: "I don't know what it is Dana. I've been depressed, but to be honest, it's only because I thought I should be. Honestly, I don't know how I feel."

Dana: "That's exactly how I feel, Casey."

Casey: "So, that's that then?"

Dana: "Well, it looks that way."

Casey: "And what conclusion did we come to exactly?"

Dana: "Well, I'm not sure, but I think we can summarize it by saying that it's just not time."

Casey: "That sounds about right."

Dana: "So we're good then?"

Casey: "We're fine."

Dana hugs Casey when the door opens and in walks Jeremy, Natalie, and Dan; all looking disappointed. Dana breaks her embrace.

Dana: "What's wrong?"

Dan: "Dana, Isaac's retiring."

Casey: "What?"

Natalie: "Isaac's retiring at the end of December."

Dana: "How do you know?"

Jeremy: "He told me Dana, he told me earlier."

Dana: "Where is he now?"

Jeremy: "He went home."

Dana looks disappointed, she turns to Casey.

Dana: "Isaac's retiring?"

They all five stand there, Dana looks worried as the other four just exchange glances and we fade to black

--

"Sports Night" is the creation of Aaron Sorkin and the writer of this story has no affiliation to him, nor to Touchstone Television, ABC, Disney, or anyone else for that matter.