Pushing Daisies 1x02 - Dummy

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 57

PUS HI NGDA I S I E S

E p ls o d e 3 T 6 5 0 1

"Dummy"

re7ri {-{-an 1^"


vr!f LuErl uy

Peter Ocko

Concept Meeting Draft


JuIy 6, 2007
ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. BOARDTNGSCHOOL 1

YOUNG NED/ bl-azer, white shirt and tie, stands alone, looking up
at the fagade of a brick and ivy prep school building.

fiARRA.rOR
At this very moment, in the town of North
Thrush, Young Ned was 9 years, 33 weeks, 5
hours and 77 minutes old.

Another BoY, books in hand, (the same schoor uniform) runs past
toward the buil-ding, Iate for cIass, bumping hj_m.

IVARRATOR (COMI'D)
Ee stood on the exact spot vhere, 4 veeks and
2 days previous7y...

The GHosrLY rMAGE of several suitcases and a steamer trunk


appear beside Ned...

TVARRA?OR (CONI'D)
...his father had deposited hin at the
Longborough SehooL for boys.

CLOSE ON NED

The hand of his FATHER (whose face we do not see) pats his
shoulder, brushes the hair from young Ned,s eyes...

MRRA"OR (COMI'D)
As Young Ned, s mother had died recently, there
was reassuring physicaT eontact and parting
words.

TIGHT on Dad's LfPS that mouth:

MRRATOR (CONI'D)
'I'77 be backr" he Lied.

We WfDEN as the father, suit coat, workingrman's felt fedora,


turns and warks away. As Ned rooks back at schoor, Dad and the
bags FADE AWAY... PULL BACK and we are...

INT. SCHOOL SCIENCE CLASSROOM 2

FrND Young Ned at a l-ab table, as several other UNfFORMED Boys


tafk and wrestre around him. A TOUGH classmate srides a nore
down the 1ab table in front of young Ned. rt reads "vour dead,'
I srcl .
PUSH INGDA IS IE S #I0I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / Q 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT ONE 2.

IVERRATOR
The sadness and dread which the boy felt were
not so much a product of the Longborough
S choo7...
__
A SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH

Four distingulshed OLD MEN and a severe OLD WOMAN,in tweed.

IfARRATOR (CONT',D)
. . .which had been founded by SociaL Daminists
with a coflmron Tove of the novel Lord of the
E lies. . .

BACK TO CLASSROOM__

I\IARRATOR(COMI'D)
Or even the passing of his mother.

3 r NT. Y OUNGNE D',S K TTC HE N(P I L O T )

M OMdrops.

-_
BACK TO CLASSROOM

The SCIENCE TEACHER, male, 50s, SLAPS a ruler on his desk,


returning order to the room. He begi-ns writing on the
bIackboard...

NARHATOR
Young Ned's acute diseomfort came from the
knowledge that when he touched a dead thing,
it cane back to 7ife.

Wi-th a flouri-sh, the teacher underlines and we reveal: "FROG


DISSECTION." Young Ned looks anxious.

A crumpled paper ball hits Ned in the head. He turns to see a


group of mean BOYS at another table laughing and poj-nting. SLOW
PUSH IN on Young Ned, growing angry...

lyARRAfOR (CONT'D)
The other boys assumed his introverted nature
was a product of weakness and coddling.

ANGLE - DISSECTION TRAY

A splayed-out dead frog, held on j-ts back to the tray with


colored ball-ended pushpins.

MRRATOR (COMI'D)
Thinking of revenge, and also not thinking at
a77, Young Ned volunteered Xo assist with that
day's scienee project.
PUSHING DAISfES #70I "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft ACT ONE 3.

YOUNG NED

Moves down the center aisle, sets one tray down at each table,
careful casually to brush each frog with a finger as he does...

EXTREI.{E CLOSE-UP

As his finger touches frog belly: the small_ SPARK.

BACK WIDE

As he contlnues settlng down the trays, one to a table...

NARRATOR (CONI'D)
Young Ned's secret gift sinply foTTowed the
ru7es, of which there vere three:

OUR "TOUGH'

Greedily pu1ls hls tray toward him, plcks up a scalpel...

TIGHT ON THE FROG

As the knife approaches its belly. . . the frog 's EYES SNAP OPEN
wj-th a look of surprise.

NARHATOR (COMI'D)
Touch a thing onces a7ive.

TIGHT ON THE WEBBED FRONT FROG LEG

As the leg struggles, then POPS out the PIN holding it down.

WIDE ON THE CLASSROOM

The other frogs do the same, LEAPING now from their trays. The
room ERUPTS in YELLING and PANIC. Young Ned drops to his hands
and knees to CRAWL out of the chaos.

ON THE FLOOR

With Young Ned, surrounded by the melee of legs and flying


papers. A FROG with PfNS stil-l- in its f lj-ppers lands in his
path. He GRABS it with both hands and we see the FLASH from a
SPARK within. He opens his hands, the frog is DEAD again.

rreRRAroR (coNI, D)
Touch a thing again: dead forever.
4 EXT. BOARDING SCHOOL 4

The doors burst open. Young Ned races out to a laroe nearlrr;--
PUSH INGDA IS IE S #I01 "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT ONE 4.

TREE

He hides behind it, slid e s d o wn t o s it at the base...

NARRATOR
Keep a thing alive for more than a minutet and
something else has to die.

sr x DE A D B rRDS farl ou t o f t h e t re e . Ne d i-s h o rrif ie d .

BACK TO TREE

A passing TE A CHE Rappr o a c h e s . . .

TVARRATOR(COMI'D)
His gift had onee again brought hin great
distress in place of great joy. Ee vowed to
keep the strange detaiTs of his strange Tite
secret from the world forever.

The teacher looks from the dead birds to younq Ned with
gr o wing look of shock a n d d is g u s t .

TEACHER
Dj-d you do this?

NARRATOR
So Young Ned did what his father had done to
hin only 31 days before...

YOUNG NED
Of course not!

IYERRATOR
He Lied.

The Teacher scrutinizes him a moment, then turns and wal-ks awav.
Young Ned's outrage slld e s in t o a s mile . P US H I N. . .

TVARRATOR(COMy D)
For the next 79 years, 34 weeks and 3 days,
Tying worked beautifuTTy.

The smile STRETCHES into the bigger, more mature smile of ADULT
NED, reveal we are--

INT. NED'S APARTMENT _ BEDROOM - MORNING

Ned li-es in bed.

ITERRAfOR
The boy becarne the Pie-Itlaker and the pie-Maker
deceived with ease.
PU SHIN GDA IS IE S #10I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t i-n g Dra f t ACT oNE 5.

REVEAI Ned lies in bed next to CHUCK. They are both dressed.

CHUCK
Ihis is strang e . I s t h is s t ra n q e ?

NARHATOR
UntiT Chuek.

NED
This is not strange.

CAMERA MovES to REVEAL they are not next to each other, but in
twin beds on opposite sides of the room.

NE D (CO NT ' D)
Unusual maybe. E c c e n t ric in a q u a in t wa v .
Like a dessert s p o o n

ffERRA"OR
charlotte charr-es had been arive for 2g years,
24 weeks, 3 days, II hours and 5j minute?
before she was murdered and her body dunped at
sea. Revived by the pie_Maker and givei a
second chanee at 7ife, she had nnny questions.

CHUCK
I have so many q u e s t io n s . My min d wa n d e rs .

NED
You need to feed 1t warm milk and a turkev
sandwich. Let it curl up in a sunny spot and
take a nap.

INT. NED'S APARTMENT_ KITCHEN

chuck at the stove scrambles eggs. Ned sits at the table set
for two.

CHUCK
Ho\,s many other people have you touched?

NED
People or animals?

CHUCK
Drgby doesn't count.

NED
Digby does count. No one has been throuqh as
much with me as Digby

smiles at DrGBY across the room, who wags hi-s tair.


PU SHIN GDA fS IE S #I0I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 1 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT ONE 6.

CHUCK
How many other humans have you brought back to
rt_re r

NED
ft's not l-i-ke I wal_k around revi_vinq chil_dhood
sweethearts wiIly-nilly.

CHUCK
What about with Emerson? You touch lots of
people with Emerson.

NED
For work.

CHUCK
Just because you ki1l them agaj_n as soon as
you get what you need, doesn,t make i_t any
different.

NED
Yes it does. And can we not sav "kill"? I
touch them agaj-n 1s all. They right back
to where they're supposed to be.".rrp

Chuck looks at him--

CHUCK
What am I? The rubber band that broke?

NED
(a breath, reassuring)
Chuck, you are the only human being I have
ever brought back to stay.

IVARRA?OR
The Pie-Iilaker was not used to teTTing the
truth, yet lying to Chuck was difticult.
NED
No one else has ever even made it past sixty
seconds.

IVERRATOR
But not impossibTe.
Ned covers with a smil-e. It comforts Chuck.

CHUCK
This i-s such a smal_I cheese box.

She opens the refrigerator.


PU SHTNGDA rsrE s #L}I "Dumm y " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p r Me e t in g Dra f t AC T o N E l.

NED
f 'm sorry?

7 TNT. CHUCK'S AUNTS' KTTCHEN (ONE WALL) - FLASHBACK


7
Y.UNGER (early 20s) .HUCK steps up to the
otder-moder_
ref rigerator with a large wrre-el oi cheese. Bal-ancing it in one
hand, she opens the dooi to REVEAL a very full
. and werr_
o r ganized (labe1s on e v e ry s h e lf ) f rid g e f u ll o f ma n y J if f er e n t
vrrse
^ L ^^ ^,o€S.

NARRATOR
The aunts who had raised chuek had tauqht her
to believe tlat the Large white appliaiee in
the kitchen had a fairly narrow purpose.

YOITNGERCHUCK (ANNA)
(calls o u t )
Aunt Li1y, is it okay to freeze the Camembert?
f'd rather not wedge it between the Edam and
the Paneer. Or I could air out tfre eouAa.
As Chuck starts to mak e ro o m. . .

IVARRArOR
In _fact, young Chuek did not refer
to a
refrigerator as aryrthing but a ,, eheese box,,
untiT she was seventeen.

BACK TO PRESENTDAY CHUCK

As we start to puIl bac k O UT T HE Wf NDO W. . .

NARRATOR (COMy D)
As chuek considered the iite sh6 courd never
go back to...

B EXT. OLIVE'S APARTI4ENT


R
olrvE has climbed out her open window and hangs
off horse_
p a ttern drapes, stretchin g lo s p y in t o Ne d ' s ip a rt me n t wit h
m ir r or on a stick. a

IVARRATOR
olive snook eonsidered the changes in her own
7ife. Foremost, the mysterio"r'ir"iiitil
cooking breakfast for the man she loved.

OLT\IE
That should be me in his breakfast nook, you
witch with a "8 . u
PUSH INGDA IS IE S #I0I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT ONE 8.

NARRATOR
From her perch, the jeaTous-yet-agi7e neighbor
was abl-e to eonfinn only one pTeasing detaiT.

OLIVE
There 1s a surpri-si-ng lack of physical
contact.

Olive loses her footing and swings into the waII, dropping the
m i r ror. It smashes (O. S . ) o n t h e p a v e me n t b e lo w.

O L I V E (CO NT ' D)
Ouch!

IVARRA"OR
One miTe to the West...

9 INT. EMERSON',S
OFFICE (TWOWAIL SET) g

The cl-assic gumshoe frosted glass door: "Emerson Cobb - Private


Investigator." SLOWPUSH IN on the SILHOUETTEof EIvIERSON,
kn ittinq as fast as he c a n . . .

fiARRATOR
frnerson Cobb was aTso adjusting to the arrival
of the dead girl who was not dead. Keeping
busy had always heTped to put his mind at
ease. Ee found the stockinette stiteh to be
espeeiaTTy relaxing.

His PHONERINGS, we watch him answer--

E''ERS.N
Emerson cobb.

IVARRArOR
But no stitch was a substitute for a good
murder ease.

EIVIERSON
Got 1t. I' lI b e a t t h e mo rs u e in f i-f t e e n
mrnutes.

He hangs up, returns to knitti.rg--

NARRATOR
As he finished purTing the row, he wished
aloud:

EI4ERSON
She better not come.
PUSH INGDA IS IE S #L}I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 1 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t AC T o N E g.

10 IN T . NE D'S CA R / E X T . MO RG UE_ DA Y 10
Emerson waits on the s id e wa lk a s t h e c a r p u lls u p . Ch u c k g e t s
o u t of the backseat we a rin g h e r s u n g la s s e s / k e rc h le f d is q u ii e .

CHUCK
Hi, E merson.

No t missing a beat, Eme rs o n s t e p s p a s t h e r in t o t h e f ro n t seat.


11 TNT. NE D'S CA R - CON T I NUO US 11
Emerson shuts the door, locks the doors before Ned can qet out.
Chuck bangs on the wj_ndow--

CHUCK
(muf f led )
Hey !

Emerson holds up a flnger to her ("one moment',), turns to Ned.

E}4ERSON
What she doing here?

NED
Sald she didn.t climb out of a coffin for me
to keep her in a box.

EIVIERSON
She the boss of you?

NED
I am the boss of me.

EMERSON
Dead girl's gotta go.

NED
Could a dead girl do that?

Ned gestures behind Emerson. REVEAL chuck has written wj_th


lipstick "open the Ismudged exptetive] doorl.'

EI4ERSON
What do you even know about her, ,side from
she had soft lips when she was ten.

NED
That should be enough.

EI,{ERSON
I don't like it.
PUSH INGD AIS IE S #I01 "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t ln g Dra f t A CT o N E 10.

Em erson unlocks the do o rs , g e t s o u t . rn a f la s h , Ch u c k g et s i n


th e back, slams, locks t h e d o o rs . E me rs o n b a n g s o n t h e wj _ n d o w .

EI4ERSON( CONT'D)
(muf f led )
TJar r I

Chuck holds up the same "one moment,' finger to Emerson. He


reacts, turns and heads toward the morgue.

CHUCK
What'd you guys tal_k about?

NED
I'd really like to get out of this car soon.

CHUCK
Emerson's not mad you brought your childhood
sweetheart back to l_ife?

NED
He barely knows vou,re here.

IARRA"OR
In fact, tuerson Cobb had finished knitting a
sweater-vest and two toaster cosies in the
week sinee Chuck, s return.

CHUCK
Do I really have to sit in back from now on?

NED
It's for your own safety.

CHUCK
You sound like mv dad.

NED
ff we touched by accident, you,d be dead.

CHUCK
He never said that. Thanks for bringing me,
by the way.

NED
Back to life?

CHUCK
To work. But back to lj_fe, too.

They share a sweet smile... she UNLoCKS her DooR. He LocKS THEM
AGATN.
PU SHIN GDA TS IE S #I0I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t AcT oNE 11.

N ED
q^
rvt -LL
iJ- ta s prob
Ar / a b ly b e t t e r if y o u s t a y in t h e
car for these morgue visj_ts. Someone might
recognize you . y o u re a lly c a n ' t c o me in .
12 INT. MORGUEOFFICE - DAY 12
Ned, chuck and Emerson stand before the coRoNER.

NED
(honest mis t a k e )
Dld I say can? B e c a u s e I ' ll s wa llo w mv
consonants so me t ime s . N, t . N, t . Ca n ' t c o me
in

EIIERSON
You got the hit and run?

CORONER
Who are you?

NED
We're from the government safety place?

EI4ERSON
Was that a question?

NED
( correcting )
Government safetv place.

coR;
Mnnn.

.ilIARRArOR
The faets were these: One Bernard Slaybaugh.

SLOW PUSH IN ON A PHOTOGRAPH:

A smj-ling group of three men and two women in white lab coats
holding clipboards. Bernard is in the middle.

NARRATOR (COMy D)
An automotive safety speeialist, 45 years, l0
weeks, 7 hours and 3 minutes old, was found
dead by the side of the road...
13 EXT. RURAI STREET 13
A BRTGHTYELLow "BUMps' srcN spattered with blood. FrND
BERNARD,laying nearby.
P U SH T N D
GArsrE S # 7 0 1 " D u mmy "07/06/07 concept M eeting Dr aft AC T oN E 12.

IVARRA?OR
...the apparent victin of a hit-and-run
driver. As there were no witnesses, the
police are offering a reward for infonnation
Teading to the arrest of the killer.
14 INT. MORGUE _ DAY 14

The sheet-covered bodv is sl1d out.

EIVIERSON
I'll- wait over there.

CHUCK
You don't llke dead bodies, do you?

E}TERSON
f don't l-ike it when they sit up and talk.

He looks at her, moves away. Ned pulls back the sheet.

BERNARD

His face has been FLATTENED/ l-ike Play-Doh against a window.

.HUCK
The poor man.

E}4ERSON
Touch the mother.

NED
I'm starting the watch.

Ned STARTS HIS WATCH, touches Bernard who sits up, Iooks around.

BERNARD
Hey.

NED

BERNARD
Why's everything so blurry?

NED
I think it's because your eyeballs are flat.

EMERSON
Ask the question.

NED
Mr. Slaybaugh, do you--
pu sHr NG DA TS TE S#70I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Concept Meeting Draft ACT ONE 13.

C huck cuts in front--

CHUCK
Do you have any last requests? Unfinished
business from this life we can heJ-p wlthe

E},lERSON
Don't l_et her do this .

BERNARD
fs this Heaven?

CHUCK
Coul-d be.

EMERSON
No, it's not.

BERNARD
fs that God?

NED
No, it,s not.

BERNARD
I'm just a llttle confused because I,m a
Buddhist.

CHUCK
Buddhlsm is fascinating. Did it help you l_n
your final moments?

EMERSON
She's wasting my mj_nute.

CHUCK
Your minute?

EMERSON
Sure as hell- ain, t yours.

NED
HEY. It's everybody's minute.
( checks )
Or, you know, twenty_two seconds.

EMERSON
Who killed you, Bernard?

BERNARD
Hang on.
(to Chuck)
Can you get a message to Earth? Can you tell
Jeanrne from promotions that I loved ir"..
PUSHTNGDATSIES #7OI "Dumm y "
0 7/ 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in q Dra f t ACT ONE 14.

c HUc K
of course.

NED
oh, r"Il::i,:l"',;,;:#y,l"tlo;,"" courdj ust
tell us who was aiiving ttie ni_f_ind_run
vehicle that k ille d y o u , I t h in k we c a n g e t
you some justj _ c e .

what hit-and-r,rrlruYro.s murdered by a crash


test dummy.

Ned touches Bernard and he slumps


back onto the tabre. off our
co nfused Mod S quad__

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE


P U SHfN GDA fS fE S #I07 "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT TWO 15.

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

15 INT. PTE HOLE - BOOTH 15

Ned, Chuck and Emerson enter...

EMERSON
I'm not God. But if I was, I would be an
angry God.

NED
We gave it our best shot. So a crash test
dummy killed Bernard. It's a clue.

EMERSON
Tt's a dead end. And not the kind of dead end
you can un-dead and then re-dead agaj-n.
( pointed )
Like you're supposed to.

CHUCK
It's my fault?

E}lERSON
When you get al1 jabberwocky in my minute,
it's hard to follow up on "the dummy dld it.'
T ar : f |' a aoJ - SOme real leadS no\,t.
:J-" '

CHUCK
Wow. You might actually have to do some real
Pf work.
(then)
How hard can your job be when Ned gives you
all the answers?

EMERSON
You'd be surprised.

CHUCK
What do you call a crime novel where the Pf
can ask the dead guy who did it?
(beat )
A leaflet.

Chuck exits for the kitchen. Ned is amused...

NED
That was funny.
(off Emerson)
Funny-strange.

Ned heads for the back, Olive steps into his path--
eUSH INGDA IS IE S #1,0I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T W O L 6 .

OLTVE
Hi ya, Ned. You need me to walk Digby today?

NED
(distracted)
That'd be great, Olive.

She watches him join Chuck in the kltchen, sides up to Emerson


at his booth--

OLIVE
So what's the poop?

EMERSON
The poop?

OLIVE
The poop. The scoop, the skinny, the haps'
the dealio, the four-one-one.
( then )
l/I Irngo.

EMERSON
Rhubarb.

OLIVE
What's that mean?

EMERSON
PI secret code for "bring me a damn slice of
rhubarb. "

OLIVE
You know this isn't Pies-R-Us' or Pie Cityr or
Thousands-of-Pi-es-in-One-PIace-Dot-Com. This
j-s a bells-on-the-door, pies baking, Mom-'n'-
Poppy place. We chitchat here. Chit.

She hotds his gaze with her smile, waiting...

EMERSON
Chat?

OLIVE
You got it. Who's the funny girl stuck to
Ned?

EMERSON
Chi-ldhood sweetheart.

OLIVE
It still sweet? His heart?
PUSH fNGDA IS TE S #70I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT TV{IO L7.

EIVIERSON
Do I get my pie?

olrvE
Armost there.

EIV1ERSON
You want the truth?

fARRA.?OR
Olive Snook did not want the truth. But her
heart was ao fuII of Tove tor the Pie-Itlaker
that it reached up and nodded her head.

She nods.

EMERSON
He digs her.

She collapses on the inside.

OLIVE
f'II go get your pie.
(turns back)
Do they touch much?

EI,IERSON
Wish they would.

Ol-i-ve looks back to the--

16 INT. PIE HOLE - KITCHEN 16

Ned watches Chuck try to rol-1 out pie dough.

CHUCK
T was irrst trwino to hc'l n Bernard. Emerson
thinks f'm useless.

Ned takes over, careful not to touch her.

NED
Usel-ess is an empty soap dispenser i-n a
restroom. Standing around remj-nding people
what you could be doing but doing nothj-ng at
aII. You are not useless. More flour.

Chuck sifts more flour onto the counter.

CHUCK
I can't be ali ve-again for no reason. I
suppose I could be, but I can't be because I
can't bear that. So maybe f'm alive-again to
helc someone like Bernard.
"Dummy" O 7/ 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT TWO 18.
P USH INGDA IS IE S #IOI

NED
We'll find the killer. Emerson's good at what
he does.

CHUCK
A1l- Emerson cares about is the reward.

NED
Maybe that's enough.

CHUCK
(re: Bernard)
It's not enouqh.

NED
-Erour.

Chuck stoPs sifting.

CHUCK
What about Jeanine?

NED
From Promotions?

CHUCK
We should visi-t where Bernard worked. Jeanine
needs to know Bernard loved her. It was his
dying wi-sh.

NED
It's so sad.

CHUCK
We'll cushion the blow.

NED
Not a big fan of the blow.

CHUCK
We'll bring pie. Someone dies, You bring
food. It's what's done.

Ned blows off the excess flour, BLOWING OUR SCREEN to WHITE-

MIRRA?OR
vlith his head in a eToud of fTour and desite,
the Pie-I4aker realized that the feat he'd felt
tor so Tong was being baked by Chuck into
something new.

N INT. PIE HOLE _ DINING AREA T7


PUSHfNG DAISIES #I0I "Dummy" 07/06/01 Concept Meeting Draft AcT Two 19.

NED

NED
I'm actually excited.

PULL BACK as he and Chuck (carrying a pie in a box) exit from


the kitchen and out the front door.

OLIVE

Watches the happy couple walk away.

MRRA.TOR
As a rule, Olive never cried on the job. As a
very, very Targe lunp rose in her throat, she
calmed herself by inagining she was a speek of
space dust floating in the cosmos.

TRACK OLIVE as she walks back toward the counter, the b.g.
behind her slowly becoming a MOVING STAR FIELD j-n--

18 EXT. DEEP SPACE 18

As floating Olive recedes into the distance, WE PAN off to


REVEAI the EARTHT also floating j-n space. COMMERCIAI MUSIC
begi-ns. . .

FEMALE NARRATOR
The Earth is our only home. ff we don't take
arro nf i +

The EARTH morphs into a DANDELfON (a sphere of spores).

FEMALE NARRATOR ( CONT' D )


Who will?

A WTND blows the spores away, and we FOLLOW ONE as the sky
behi-nd becomes blue and the spore MORPHS into a DANDY LfON CAR.

19 EXT. RURAL ROAD _ DAY L9

The car dives bv--

FEMALE NARRATOR
Imagine a vehicle so revolutionary, it
produces no emissions. . .

Another anqle.

FEMALE NARRATOR ( CONT' D )


...because it runs, not on gasoline, but on an
extraordinary fuel derived from a renewable
plant found everywhere. . .
PUSHING DAfSfES #In "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept l,leeting Draft ACT TWO 20.

A SMILING LITTLE GIRL

watches the car zoom by. She bends and plcks a dandelion,

FEMATE NARRATOR ( CONT' D )


...the dandeli on.

THE DANDY LION CAR

Spins i-n space.

FEMALE NARRATOR ( CONT' D )


Introducj-ng the Dandy Lj-on SX. It'Il blow you
away.

PULL OFF the image to find it is on SEVERAL MONITORS in--

20 INT. DANDY LION CAR CO}4PANYSHOWROOM- DAY 20

A REAI DANDY LION CAR turns on a platform in the center of the


dandelion-themed room. TWO I{ODELS, dressed as sleek dande}ion
f l-owers, bright yellow eye-masks and f l-ower headdresses, stand
on either side of the car, gesturing to its various features.
OTHER FLOWER MODELS circulate.

The room j-s full of PEOPLE who gawk at the car, talk with suited
REPRESENTATIVES who wear big flower-shaped buttons readi-ng 'THE
REVOLUTION IS BLOOMING!" Chuck, with pie box, and Ned watch the
monitor. As the commercial starts to repeat--

CHUCK
A car that runs on dandelions. That is so
cool.

NED
Let's find Jeanine.

A well-dressed executive, MARK ETTER, mid-3Os, tall, fiL,


handsome, Af,L SMfLES, leads a DOZEN JAPANESE BUSINESSI4EN and
BUSTNESSWOMEN on a TOUR.

MARK ETTER
This wdy, people. Over here.
(in Japanese)
I want to show you what you've been waiting
for. The Dandy Lion SX.

The Japanese Businesspeople nod and gasp with excitement,


Iooking at the rotating car...
PU SHTNGDA rsrE S #r0r "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT TWO 2 I .

MARK ETTER
(j-n Ja p a n e s e )
I remind you that the car you see before you
does not run on gasoline but on new fuer irade
from the dandelion weed. please inspect the
car at your leisure for the next few minutes.
M ark backs off to ret t h e g ro u p g e t c ro s e , c h u c k a p p ro a c he s .

CHUCK
(also in J a p a n e s e )
Excuse me, my name is Charlotte. f l_1ke vour
car very much

YIARK ETTER
(rn Japanese)
I am Mark Etter, Vice president, Marketing for
Dandelion Worldwide Industries.

As they speak, several of the Japanese Businessmen take note of


the two caucasians speaking theii ranguage, watchlng the
conversati_on l_ike a tennis match

CHUCK
(j-n Japanese)
It is nlce to meet you. f was sorry to hear
about your employee, Bernard S1ayba"gh.

MARK ETTER

oidyou(it#B:??"?1,
CHUCK
(in Japanese)
He was an ol_d f riend.

REVEAI NED

watching the "tennis match" from the REVERSE ANGLE, just


surprised and impressed.

MARK ETTER
(j-n Japanese)
How can f be of assistance?

CHUCK
(in Japanese)
Can you tell me how to find...
(in Engtish)
Jeani-ne from promotions? It is a p e rs o n a l
m^ttar

MARK ETTER
"Jeanine from promotions,.?
p USH ING DAIS IE S #In "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T w o 22'

CHUCK
(in JaPanese)
Yes.

MARK ETTER
(in English)
Second flower from the right-

He gestures to one of the flower models on the rotati-ng


turntable.

CHUCK
Thanks a lot.

MARK ETTER
Have a nj-ce day.
(in JaPanese)
who wouid ti-ke to see all the col-ors available
for the DandY Lj-on SX?

As the Japanese all eagerly raise their hands, chuck and Ned
approach the turntable. -.
NED
You speak JaPanese?

CHUCK
"Hi." When you take care of shut-ins your
whole life, Lhere's plenty of time to read'

TVARRArOR
In fact, Chuck's Tove of Tanguage had begun
upon the discovery of a portabTe cassette t'aPe
player and several boxes of Tanguage courses'

CHUCK',S AUNTS' KITCHEN (ONE WAIL) - DAY - FLASHBACK 2I


2I INT.

YOUNGERCHUCK (Anna) sits at the kitchen tabl-e, wearing a


walkman and big headphones, Iooking at a big slice of cheese'

TSARRATOR
The player and cassettes had been Purchased by
her Zunis for their DarTing Darling's WorLd
tlater Ba77et Tout ' 77.

YOUNGER CHUCK
(in French)
The Jarlsberg is on the table.
(in German)
The Jarlsberg is on the table.
(in Swedish)
The Jarlsberg is on the table-
(in Chinese)
The Jarlsberg is on the table.
PU S H T N DA
G rsrE s # rn " D u mmy"O7/06/07 Concept M eeting Dr aft AC T T w o 23.

22 INT. DANDY LION CAR CO}4PANY SHOWROOM 22


chuck and Ned have reached JEANTNE on the TURNTABLE...

JEANTNE
Hi! Flex your Flower power!

she,hands them each a promotj-onal foot-long pLASTrc FLowER from


a pJ_gfDunch. . .

JEANINE (CONT'D)
Would you like a fact sheet on the Dandv Lion
SX, the "spores car of tomorrow',? Get ita
"Spores car"? I think it,s cuce.

NED
Are you Jeanine?

JEANINE
A m T in trouble f o r ma k in g u p s lo g a n s ? , Ca u s e
I'11 say the , , b lo w y o u a wiy , . -t h in g , b u t it
seemed klnd of redundant witrr the commerci_ar
playing al1 the time.

CHUCK
A ctuallyr we,re h e re t o d e liv e r s a d n e ws .
A bout B ernard S la y b a u g h . . .

Chuck and Ned continue to speak to Jeanine, who ]1stens, but


r emains neutral...

NARRATOR
As Chuck and the pie_Maker relayed an
appropriateJy-detaijed lie of hbw they had
come to know of Bernard, s last wishei, they
studied her tace for a reaetion, but found'it
an unreadable mask.

JEANINE
Do you mlnd if f take off this mask?

NED
P' l o :q a

Jeanlne removes her yellow flower eye_mask.

JEAN]NE
Maybe you got the wrong flower, but I didn,t
Know any Bernard from Safety Testing.

Y ou're sure?
PU S H T ND
GA rsrE S # r}L " D u mmy"07/06/07 Concept M eetj- ng Dr aft Ac r r w o 24.

JEANTNE
I know what I know. Is that pie?

Jeanine grabs the box, won't let go.

CHUCK
Actual-ly, it was baked specj_fically for the
recipient of Bernard,s mlssage.

JEANINE
We1l, it's.silly to waste a perfectly good
pae. Man it smells good

Ned reaches out and dabs the corner of her mouth with a tissue.

NED
You,re droolinq.

CHUCK
But Bernard__

JEANINE
Well_, he , s dead, rlght?

NED
yeah. He's dead. Enjoy the pie.
Ned and chuck watch Jeanine rotate away from them. Across the
room, Mark Etter calls out:

MARK ETTER
Time to move on to our next stop, peoplel
(in Japanese)
We_need to move on, everyone. Next stop
.F
hA
1s
(in English)
"Crash Test Faciritv,,

As the group ,,Oooohs,,.


. .

CHUCK
A ',crash test faci_rity,, could mean...

NED
Dummies. FeeI like taking a tour?
Chuck smiles, excited. As they blend thc f.rrrr n-.lrn
into uvu! Yrvur/ anrl
qrrLr
head out of the room, we DrscovER__

JEANTNE

ROTATTNG AROUND tO thc bACK Of thE


PIAtfOrM, IN TEARS,
ravenously devouring the pie... shl begins wAtKrNG rN so
as to stay hidden...
'LACE
P USH TN GD AIS IE S #1OI "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 1 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT TWO 25.

IVERRATOR
SafeTy out of sight, the fTower beqan to weep,
knowing fuIT we77 that, Iike the tich sugary
desserl she binged on, her tears would temain
with her for onTy the next ten to fifteen
minutes, before they wouTd be purged from het
body, Tike they had nevet existed-

23 INT. CRASHTEST FACILTTY _ OUTERDOOR- DAY 23

Mark l-eads the tour group and Chuck and Ned to a large set of
SECURITYDOORS. A SECURITYGUARDstands nearby'

MARK ETTER
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Dandy
Lion Worldwide Cra s h T e s t F a c ilit y - -.
With a FLOURISH, he swipes his ID BADGE through a SCANNERand
the DOORSSLIDE OPEN with a whoosh' REVEALING--

24 INT. CRASHTEST FACILITY 24

A LARGE WAREHOUSE-SIZED SPACE, rro wj-ndows. The prominent


feature is a yellow l-1ne drawn down the middle of the floor,
Ieading to a BRICK WAIL.

A DANDY LION SX sits at the end of the yetlow line' a group of


LAB TECHNICIANS (from the first photo) surround the car, making
notes and checking on two ROLLING COMPUTER STATTONS with cables
connecting to the TWO CRASH TEST DUMMIES in the front seat of
the car.

MARK ETTER
Science Guys, I'd like you to meet the newest
Dandy Lion Dealers from a little territory I
Ilke to call Asia.
(in Japanese)
Asia rules! Number-one!

The Businesspeople respond 'tlHit" as a group.

MARK ETTER (CONT'D)


TeIl them what happens in here, Sclence Guy.

The tour group turns, Iistens attentively as a TECHNICIAN steps


forward, not accustomed to public speaking--

LAB TECNICIAN
Uflr, this is where we use electronic
anthropomorphic units--

MARK ETTER
"Dummy-des. . . "
PUSHING DAISIES #In "Dummy" 07/06/01 Concept Meeting Draft ACT TWO 26.

LAB TECNICIAN
...to test the Dandy Lion SX for structural
integrj-ty as well as the viability of all the
restraint and impact-initi-ated safetv svstems.

MARK ETTER
(in Japanese)
We crash things in here! Boom-des ka?!

A CHEER from the group. The Technician steps back as A SECOND


TECNICIAN pul1s a BIG HOOK on a strong CABLE extending from a
small hole in the brick wal-l (many meters away) and hooks it on
the front of the TEST DANDY LION SX.

MARK ETTER (CONT'D)


Who wants to pu1l the lever?

Al1 hands SHOOT UP, including Chuck's. Ned indlcates for her to
put her hand down.

Mark picks a member of the group. The MAN steps forward and
pulls the lever--

THE CABLE goes taught, pulling the car, faster and faster toward
the bri-ck wall- where 1t CRASHES in a dramati-c explosion of dust
and sparks. The GROUP CHEERS.

IERRA"OR
As the group thrilTed to the sight of twisted
metaT and si-nrulated loss of Tife and 7inb...

CHUCK

has wandered to a curtained-off area on the side. Pokes her


head throuqh--

MRRAfOR (COMy D)
Chuek came upon an equaTTy-chiTling sight of
h e r o w r\...

She GESTURES for Ned to come see. Ned backs away from the group
and jolns her at the--

25 INT. CRASH TEST FACILITY _ DUMMY HOLDING AREA 25

From the REVERSE, we see them poke their heads in together, very
cur.r-ous at what thev see. . .

CHUCK
one of these dummies is not like the other
dummies.

REVEAL the REVERSE a crash test dummy storage area, MANY ROWS
DEEP (DIGITAL EXTENSION?). SIX IDENTICAL CRASH TEST DUMMIES on
PU SHIN GDA fS IE S #I0I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T W o 2 7 .

the front row, hangj-ng f rom hooks. one on the end j-s missing
its ORANGE JUMPSUIT and PLASTTC FACE MASK,

NED
The mask is mi-ssinq.

CHUCK
And the jumpsuit, too.

CHUCK AND NED

CHUCK (CONT'D)
Maybe Bernard wasn'L crazy.

Qmil
p rl l l l s, o air
yr vEz a EaUII- t' ) L- IIeI a SO f t-_- IIVe"
, , f i v e , 'Wi t h the nlasf ir. d
^- . Ch_O t her d S( ) IL- W J - tn y IVeaW a y
r l owers.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO


PU SHIN GDAfS fE S #I0I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T H R E E 2 8 .

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

26 EXT. PrE HOLE (STAGE) - NrcHT 26


WE PUSH fN, through a window to fj_nd--

27 INT. PIE HOLE - BOOTH 27


Chuck and Ned and Emerson, seated. Three OTHER CUSTOI{ERS,
buy ing, eating. Olive behind the counter...

CHUCK
The dummy dj-d it.

NED
Or at least someone in a dummy mask and orange
jumpsuit.
( helping )
Chuck found the clue.

CHUCK
( smiles )
I found the cl ue.

EMERSON
Clue's a board game. "Professor did it in the
parlor with a rubber mallet" -- that,s a clue.
We find evidence.

NED
C'mon, Emerson. You gotta admit this means
somethinq.

EYIERSON
Could be a lead. I did some checking up on
the car company, too. They got a Iot ridj_ng
on this Dandv Li-on.

CHUCK
We gotta get back in there tonight.

NED
That's not how we do.

EI4ERSON
We gotta get back in there toniqht.

Ned looks to Emerson--

EI{ERSON ( CONT'D )
See if whoever took that dummv mask left
behind anv evidence.
P U SH INGDAT S IE S #1,0I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T H R E E 2 9 .

Chuck smiles, excited.

OLIVE

Watches the Mod Squad ta1k. She fantasizes quletly to Digby by


her feet as Ned stands, approaches...

OLIVE
Where are they going now, Digby? He's walking
over here, see him? Here he comes. Maybe
they're going dancing. They need a fourth.
"Would I mind?" No, I wouldn't. And you're
sorry you've played so hard to get? It's only
because I make you stupid with love? But what
of your dark-haired mysterious sweetheart?
Your srster you say? Why, you could never
have sex with your sister. This is wonderful
news, I'II go get my danclng shoes.

Ned has arrived behind her--

NED
olive?

Sh e startl-es--

OLT\rE
H f \7- |

NED
I'm going to be out l-ate toni-ght. A frivolous
thing, hardly worth explaining.

OLIVE
oh.
NED
Can you close up?

OLI\rE
I think I just did.

NED
SorrY?

OLI\rE
See you in the morning.

Ned follows Chuck and Emerson out the door, holding it for Chuck
as they walk away into the night. Olive watches, turns around
the CLOSED sign, alone now.
PUSHINGDAISIES #I0I "Dummy" 07/06/0'7 Concept luleeting Draft ACT THREE 30.

ilARRATOR
Olive often imagined there was an orchestra in
her heart. Musicians, heard only by her,
except for those moments when her heart broke
open, and they were aTToved out to pLay.
MT T qTT' PTql' q

Olive SINGS. Greater minds than mine wiII choreograph this


well, but the polnt j-s that Ollve belts it out when no one,s
Iistening. If we ripped off the tone from "Si-ngin' in the
Rainr" it woul-dn't be the worst thing.

As she starts to put the chairs up on the tables--

OLIVE
( sings )
GUESS MINE TS NOT THE FTRST HEART BROKEN, MY
EYES ARE NOT THE FIRST TO CRy, I't4 NOT THE
FIRST TO KNOW, THERE'S JUST NO GETTIN' OVER
YOU. HELLO_-

The BELLS JINGLE as a YOUNG COUPLE, all smifes, ENTER--

o],rvE (coNT'D)
Hello. We're cl-osed.

They retreat, hand in hand, into the night. As the door shuts,
music returns, Olive finds DIGBY now--

oLIVE (CONT',D)
( sings )
|M JUST A FOOL WHO'S WTLLTNG, TO STT AROUND
AND WAIT FOR YOU/ BUT BABY CAN'T yOU SEE|
THERE' S NOTHIN' ELSE FOR YIE TO DO, I 'M
HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU_-

BELLS JINGLE as the door's unl-ocked. MANUEL, LatJ-no, mid-50s


cleaning guy enters, pulling a large floor polisher.

MANUEL
Hi, Olrve.

OLI\rE
Hi, Manuel.

He locks the door.

MANUEL
Wednesday is floor day.

OLI\rE
Yeah, okay.
PUSH INGDAIS IE S #I}L "Dummy" 07 / 0 6 / 0 1 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T H R E E 3 1 .

He puts on HEADPHONES, begins POLISHTNGTHE FLOORwith the


m achine, safely in his o wn wo rld a n d lo o k in g in t h e o p p o si t e
direction. MUSIC UPI Olj-ve CONTINUES/brave enough to move
r i ght behind him whe n n e c e s s a ry . . .

o l, rv E (c o NT ' D)
(going B I G )
B UT NOW ... THE RE ' S NO WHE RE T O HI DE . . .

D igby starts to HOWLa lo n g wit h the s in g ln g (re a l h o wls ).

o lrv E (c o NT ' D)
...S INCE Y OU P US HE DMY L O V E A S I DE , I ' M NO T I N
MY HEAD, HOPELESSLYDEVOTEDTO YOU, HOPELESSLY
DEVOTEDTO YOU.

M anuel pulls off his h e a d p h o n e s , t u rn s . B o t h o llv e and Digby


ST OP --

MANUEL
Yar r qa\z q^mathi nn?
"*l

OLIVE
Nope.

He puts back on his headphones. olive finishes quietly, wi-ping


down the counter...

OLIVE (CONT',D)
HOPELESSLY DEVOTED...
(tears )
TO YOU.

Spent, Olive crumples with a SIGH. Digby walks over and licks
her face.

.IIIIRRA?OR
WhiTe OLive eonsidered how much she Toved
Digby for paying attention to her when the Pie-
itaker woul-d not. And Digby considered how
much he Tiked sa7t...

28 INT. DANDY LION CAR COM.PANYSHOWROOM_ NIGHT 28

Dark and spooky now. The CAR, headlights onr still rotates,
giving an eerle effect. The monitors are freeze-framed on the
company LOGO. Emerson, Ned and Chuck walk cautiously across the
showroom floor.

ITERRA?OR
The Pie-Illaker considered what the sentence
wouTd be for breaking and entering with no
prior convictions.
PU SHING DAISTES #I0I "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft ACT THREE 32.

CHUCK
Coul-dn't they turn this thing off at night?

NED
Maybe it runs on dandelions, too.

As they exit, we see the--

SHADOW OF A PER.SON

Cast against the wall in the light from the turning car...

29 INT. CRASH TEST FACTLITY _ OUTER DOOR _ NTGHT 29

They approach the high security doors which are locked shut.

NED
We'II never get through these without an...

Emerson SNAP-PRODUCESan ID BADGE, holds it up--

NED (CONT'D)
ID badge. How you badge?

EIVIERSON
Contacted the company that makes this door
under false pretenses. They gave me a sample
ID badge which I digitally altered with the
magnetic code that matches up to the serial
number of this machine.
(to Chuck)
That cheatinq?

CHUCK
f dunno. Is this?

Chuck SNAP-PRODUCESher own, faces off agai_nst Emerson--

CHUCK (CONT'D)
f gave the security guard a hug goodbye. My
upper body distracted him whil_e these things I
cal-l- "hands" took this off his belt.

Chuck SLIDES her card through the sl-ot. The DOORS WHOOSHOPEN.
Chuck wal-ks through. Ned looks at Emerson, who srews.

NARRATOR
At that moment, the Pie-I&aker felt a mirture
of happineas and gaiLt.

30 INT. CRASH TEST FACTLTTY _ NTGHT 30

NED
Why is it always a mixture?
PUSH INGDAIS fE S #I0I "Dummy" 07 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT T H R E E 3 3 .

REVEAL he sits in a Dandy Lion sX with chuck, a DUMMybetween


them.

NE D (CO NT ' D)
This job was so humdrum before vou came.

CHUCK
f love solving mu rd e rs . Ma y b e it ' s a lit t le
strange that the first one I solved was mv
own. B ut I lo v e t h is .

NED
f love that y ou love it. But it is dangerous.
And I never even asked Emerson if it was okay.

chuck ruffres at this. They watch Emerson rooklng around the


far end of the room...

CHUCK
What do you even know about Emerson, besides
he privately investigates?

NED AND CHUCK

NED
What is so great about knowing? you lift up a
rock, do you flnd whipped cream? No, you find
worms. I say no to knowing.

CHUCK
We haven,t seen each other for twenry years.
Don't you want to know about me? I want to
know about vou.

NED
But we,ve all done thlngs we,re not proud of.
We all_ have secrets.

CHUCK
Secrets ?

Before this can be pursued, Emerson l-eans into the car--

EI4ERSON
Skeletons in the closet.

NED
ExactIy.
(rolli_ng with it)
How long have you been llsteninq?

EI4ERSON
(indicates the dummy room)
There are skel_etons in the cl_oset.
PUSHTNG DArsrEs #ror "Dummy" 07/06/oi Concept I'leeting Draft AC? ?HREE 34.

31 TNT. CRASH TEST FACILITY _ DUMMY HOLDING


AREA ?1

Il3ri,fl"til",irn#rr*;s"f::: "" our Modsquadlooksin ar us,


NED
ft's freezlng in here.

CHUCK
Those aren't skeletons.

REVEAT the REVERSE

CREEPY STLHOUETTED F_TGURES


hANg frOM thE
NOW, HEAVY hOOKS
hansins betweenthem. chuck rurns on the LrcHrs,
iiffff;.fll]ttt

NED
They, re dead b o d -ie s .

rndeed, they are.. Hung where the


crash test dummies it rr" , to be
a r e rov/s ('t's the fro n t ro w t h a t we s e e t h e r" " f ) -" t -Iused
Ieo tard-wearing bodies , b u rra p s a c k s o v e r t h e ir
heads.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE


P USH INGD AfS fE S #I0I "Dumny" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F o U R 3 5 .

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

32 INT. CRASH TEST FACTLITY - DUMMY HOLDING AREA 32

Ned, Chuck and Emerson stare at the hangj-ng bodies, aghast.


Emerson SHfVERS aqain.

CHUCK
Are thev dead?

NED
Pretty sure.

CHUCK
Murdered?

EVIERSON
Let's hope so.
(off their looks)
l'lurder victims have f amilles, and f amllies
offer rewards. We pin these dead corpses on
the Dandy corporates, w€'fl- never have to work
again.

CHUCK
How will- vou know the difference?

EIVIERSON
Your candy-ass won't be blockj-ng my view.

NED
Can we please get this over with?

A reluctant Emerson decides to stay. He hugs the edge as Ned


removes the HOOD off a body to find a MIDDLE-AGED MAN, RICK.
Ned touches hls hand, and we see the famil-j-ar POP of ELECTRICITY
as he comes to life, unfazed...

NED (CONT'D)
Hi.

RICK
Hey.
/avtondc hi q hr nA\

Rick. Rick Page. Last thing I remember I was


readj-ng a sales forecast in the bath. Geez,
those things are dull.

CHUCK
You ever hear of the Dandy Lj-on Car Company?
PU SHTNGDA rsrE S #70r "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F o u R 36.

RrCK
Nope. yog wanna open the kimono on why I,m in
a sj_lver leotard, hanging from a hook?

CHUCK
Do you have any thoughts or last requests

Em erson RoLLS his eyes, takes Ned.s hand and re-deads Mark.

NED
Hey!

CHUCK
Thj_s too creepy for you, Emerson?

EI\4ERSON
rf r wanted to mingle with a bunch of geeks in
l_eotards, I would have stayed 1n art school.

NED
You went to art school_?

rn his surprlse, Ned ACCTDENTATLY BRUSHES the hand of another


nangt-ng corpse, BETH, who awakes SCREAMTNG. Emerson SCREAMS,
too. Ned wheels and pu11s off her mask.

They both stop, Emerson shivers. Beth looks around curr_ous,


noti ces Ned and Chuck.

BETH
Hl- .

CHUCK
What's up?

BETH
f was just riding the Ferris wheel at the
State Fair and the teenager running 1t said I
could stay an extra turn.

CHUCK
Have you ever heard of the Dandy Lion Car
Company?

BETH
No.

E}4ERSON
Movj-ng on.

BETH
Wait a sec. I did donate my body to science,
and I checked a box that said I coul_d be used
to test automobile safetv.
PU SHTNGD ArsrE S #70I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F o u R 37.

NED
Is that... f crral ? Iranrf ing your body to a car
r .r ' r m nanr z?

BETH
Absolutely. Auto industry,s been using crash
test cadavers since the ,60s.

CHUCK
Human crash test dummies?

BETH
Sounds scary, but you know, when you're dead,
you're dead.
(a beat, pleasantly)
Am I dead?

Spark! Ned re-deads her.

33 INT. CRASH TEST FACTLITY _ OUTER DOOR 33


The doors sfide open and our Mod Squad burst our.

CHUCK
So there's nothing illegal about any of that?

NED
Why would Dandy Lion replace aII of their
crash test dummies with dead bodies?

34 INT. DANDY LION CAR COMPANY SHOWROOM_ CONTINUOUS 54

They enter--

CHUCK
And what happened to all the real dummies?

Emerson smiles slyly, about to open his mouth__

NARRATOR
Before tunerson Cobb could reply with a clever,
it sTightly insuTting, remark.-..
NED
(stops short)
shhh !

They all freeze, Iooking at the showroom.

NED (CONT'D)
Did you see that?

CHUCK
wnac /
PUSH INGDAIS fE S #I0I "Dummy" 07 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F O U R 3 8 .

NED
There !

ANGLE _ THE WALL

WE SEE, in the sweep of the revolvj_ng Dandy Lion Car,s


HEADLIGHTS, the huge shadow of a MENACING FLOWER. Chuck GASPS.
THEN:

JEANINE

Steps out of the shadows, holding her flower costume, looklng


scared.

CHUCK
Jeanine?

A WHOLE PTE

Rav enously attacked with a hungry fork...

IVERRA?OR
Returning to the Pie Hole with the wispy
fTower-mode7, the Pie-ItIaker and his
accompTices got the break they'd been waiting
tor.
35 INT. PIE HOLE _ BOOTH _ NIGHT 35

Jeanine sits across from the Mod Squad, eating a pj-e.

JEANINE
(mouth full)
I coln't ell oo j-ng afoe coe ay er a-ting ee.

CHUCK
What?

Jeanine hol-ds up a fJ-nger, chews some more, takes a big sip from
a glass of milk, then--

JEANTNE
I couldn't tell- you anything before because
they were watching me.

NARRATOR
And as Jeanine continued to eat her shoofly
pie, she told them the story of her Tove
affair with Bernard STaybaugh.
PU SHTNGDA rsrE S #r0r "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT FOUR ?q

36 INT. DANDY LION CAR COMPANYSHOWROOM


_ DAY

Mark Etter stands on the (NoT TURNTNG)turntable in front ofa


row of DANDELTON MODELS (incruding Jeanine), gesturr_ng
g r acefully to the Dan d y L io n s X . T h e y c o p y ' h is mo v e .

IVERRA"OR
They had met when the scientist had come to
watch sales training on a Long lunch.
BERNARDsits out of the way, eating a BrG sANDWrcH.
JEANTNE
_is clearly distracted, keeps looking over at him (and
the sandwich).

CAMERApusHES rN as Bernard, mid-bite, makes hls first eye


contact with Jeanine the Dandefion Model. She winks at iim. He
sm iles.

37 INT. DANDYLTON CAR COMPANYSHOWROOM


_ NIGHT 5t

The fogged-up bulb of a (e v e r-s o -s rig h t ly ro c k in g ) Da n d y Li o n SX


as it ROTATES in the empry room.

NARRATOR
The scientist and the waif feII deeply
7ove, -wo|Idin
hiding their affair from the Tike
a trade seeret.

A SWEATY HAND entwined in a DANDELTON LEAFY HAND smears against


the inside window d la ,,Titanic,,.
. .

3B rNT. DANDY LION CAR COMPANY _ SHOWROOM_ ANOTHER LATE NIGHT 38


Jeanine waves goodbye to the other models, checks her watch as
they leave. No sj_gn of Bernard.

ISARRATOR
But Jeanine from promotions felt a ehasm
growing betveen them.
39 INT. CRASHTEST FACILTTY _ OUTERDOOR ?q
Jeanine wai-ts outside the cfosed doors. The securi_ty Guard
reads the paper. The doors open, her face brightens', but TWo
o r HE R scrE NTrsrs exit p a s t h e r, t h e d o o rs c l_ o s in g b e h in d t he m .

TVERRArOR
As the Taunch of the flower car grew closer,
Bernard's hours grew longer. He becane
distant and hard to reaeh.
PUSHTNG DArsrES #r0r "Dummy" 07/06/07 concept Meeting Draft ACT FouR 40.

40 INT. DANDY LION CAR _ NTGHT (STAGE


) qO

Jeanlne eats a fast-food hrrrao- rol-lowsa car on an emptv


-
road (a11 we i:iiiinf,:";:"
""".r"tff:
IVIIRRArOR
Suspe^eting her Safety Scientist of being
unsafe, she began to spy. But there was no
other fTower, only mys-tbrious trips into the
darkness.
RESUME _ PIE HOLE _ BOOTH

Jeanine's seat is empry, a scraped-cleaned plate i_n front of


her- Emerson sits down across wrttr a srice of pre.

ETIERSON
Where'd she go?

Jeanine enters from the back, popping a mint into her mouth,
offering up the mints as she
"it*-aqal_n.
JEANTNE
Sorry. Restroom. Mint, anyone?

Chuck eyes her knowingly...

CHUCK
No thanks.

NED
Where was Staybaugh going on these night
drives ?

JEANINE
f dunno. I could never see. And when I
confronted him about it, he wouldn.t tell_ me
anything. I thought he was being paranoid,
trll he turned up dead
(to Emerson)
You gonna finj_sh that?

EI4ERSON
Yoq

CHUCK
I wish we knew what he was doinq.

JEANINE
Oh, I figured it out.

They look at her. she looks at Emerson's pie. Ned sLTDES it


across to her--
puSHrNG DArsrES #IoL "Dummy" 07 /06/a7 concept l4eeting Draft Acr FouR 4]-'

LATER
EXT. PIE HOLE - MO}4ENTS 4T
4T

Jeani-ne qets into her Dandy Lion SX'

JEANINE
It's just easie r if r s h o w y o u ' F o llo w me '

away, and Ned gets into his Mercedes, parked


As Jeanine pul1s
iu st behind--

CHUCK
Shotgun.

NED
Chuck. . .

CHUCK
C'mon. I reaIIY hate the back'

NED
Dead. Again. Forever.

CHUCK
Fj-ne.

Emerson shoots her a smile as she gets in--

42
42 EXT. RURAL ROAD _ NIGHT

Ned,svintageMercedestailstheDandyLionSX.

CHUCK
Why is she driving so slow?

NED
That car can't have a very big engrne'

EI4ERSON
Maybe she ate it.

Ned giggles.

CHUCK
It's not funny- She obviously has a very
serious disorder-

NED
Sorry. You're right.

CHUCK
Don't do that. Don't make me that girl'

NED
What girl?
PU SHIN GDAIS IE S #L}I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F o U R 42.

CHUCK
The goody-good girl who you have to be so
careful with. I ' m n o t ma d e o u t o f g la s s b e a d s
or balsa wood. I f y o u re a lly k n e w me , y o u ' d
know that. You make me that qirl and I will
jump out of th is c a r.

EI{ERSON
Hardly get a b ru is e a t t h is speed.

NED
Jeanine won't g o a n y f a s t e r.

Ned HONKSthe horn.

CHUCK
I4aybe I did lead a sheltered I j-f e, but t.hat, s
all gonna change now. And I wasn't even as
sheltered as you think. Aunt LrIy had a very
extensive col-lection of historic erotica
hidden in the milk cellar.

NED
The "milk cel-lar" ?

CHUCK
Whatever. The cheese-floor. The spooky place
under the house.

NED
Chuck, I don't think you're that girl.

CHUCK
How do you even know if you don't ask?

EMERSON
I will pay you both not to have this
conversation i n front of me.

CHUCK
Except it's not in front of you, is it? ft's
to the side and behrnd you.

NED
You can't sit up here, Chuck.

CHUCK
I like the front seat!

EYIERSON
You can have the seat. I want vou to have the
DEOL.

As Emerson starts to trv to climb in back:


PUSHING DAISfES #10L "Dummy" 07/06/01 Coneont Mootincr n;4fl ACT FOUR 43.

NED
Stop. Stop it...

KA_BOOI{!

OUT THE WTNDOW

The Dandy Lion SX EXPLODES into a bal-1 of fire.

NED SLAMS on the brakes as FLAI4ING CAR PARTS rain down on them.
A STDE MTRROR... A HUBCAP... A CHARRED DATSY HEADDRESS.

Beat. And then --

A BURNING BOX OF LAXATIVES drops onto the windshj-eld.

Emerson and Ned look on i-n stunned si-lence as Chuck leans INTO
FRAME from the backseat.

CHUCK
Oh, poop.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR


PUSHING DAISIES #In "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft ACT FrVE 44.

ACT FTVE

FADE IN:

43 TNT. HOSPITAI _ NTGHT 43


Jeanine, her head compretery wRAppED rN BANDAGES, lies in a
hospital bed. TUFTS of eunNT HArR and EyES are al_l that are
visible of the model beneath the mummy.

As a show of support, chuck draws beautifully-ARCHED EyEBRows on


the bandages over Jeani-ne's eyes with a BLACrt sHARprE.

CHUCK
There you go. Just like new.

Chuck steps back to admire her work, REVEA-LING she's already


drawn a set of LARGE/ RUBY-RED LIPS around Jeanj-ne's bandagld
mouth wi_th the RED SHARPIE in her other hand.

JEANINE
Do f l_ook okay?

Ned and Emerson stand at the foot of thc trort _ trying to remain
positive.

NED
I'11- say. You're runway ready.

JEANINE
Really? You don,t thj_nk these bandases make
me l-ook fat?

NED
Not at al_l.

Jeanine turns to Chuck.

JEANINE
That's so sweet. Is he always this sweet?

CHUCK
I wouldn,t know.

Chuck and Ned share a look.

EMERSON
Look, some crazy car bomber went to a l-ot of
trouble to stop you from showj_ng us whatever
it is you were going to show us.

Chuck takes Jeanine.s hand.


P U SHIN GD AIS IE S #I0I "Dummy" 07 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F I V E 45.

CHUCK
Jeanine, what didn't the kill-er want you to
show us?

JEANTNE
The bodies.

NED
What bodles? The dead bodies? We al-readv --

JEANINE
No. The ones in the biq hole.

44 EXT. FIELD/DITCH _ NIGHT 44

Emerson, Ned and Chuck stand with thelr backs TO CAMERA -- thei-r
shapes SILHOUETTED against the night sky.

CHUCK
How sad.

NED
Why would somebody do this?

CAMERA POPS IN CLOSE on the threesome as Emerson shruqs his


shoulders.

EIqERSON
Only one way to find out.

Taking a step forward, Emerson DROPS OUT OF FRAI4E. Ned and


Chuck leap after him. CAMERA PANS DOWN TO REVEAL they are all
standinq in --

AN ENORMOUSDTTCH

Fifteen feet long and eight feet deep and FILLED WITH CRASH TEST
DUMMIES.

CHUCK
Dummies.

NED
I don't get it. Why are there dead people on
hooks and plastic dummies in a grave?

EtlERSON
'Cause dead people don't talk. Usually.

Suddenly, a NONDESCRIPT SHAPE in the foreground of the frame


moves, blocking our view. CAMERA RACK FOCUSES TO REVEAL the
nondescript shape is a MAN'S TORSO (SHOULDER TO WAIST). Our
heroes are not alone.
P USH fNGD AIS TE S #I0I "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t A CT F I V E 46.

rN THE DITCH

Ned and Chuck join Emerson, who is kneeling over a crash test
dummy with his COMPUTERINNARDS EXPOSED. Chuck kneels next to
Emerson, staring at the dummy's CIRCUfTRY l-n awe.

CHUCK
What i-s all that?

EIqERSON
Each one of these guys is fitted with a
computer hard drive. And where there's a hard
drj-ve in a hol e, there's usually something to
hi-de.

NED
Coul-dn't they just erase it?

EYIERSON
Not that easy.

Ned glances off and frowns.

NED
Somebody doesn't want these dummies to reveal-
what thev're hidinq.

Emerson shoots Ned an annoved l-ook.

EPIERSON
Yeah, f know 'ctJz I just said that. But the
question is who?

NED
Actually, the questj-on is mute.

CHUCK
What?

Ned points OFF CAMERA.

Everyone swlngs around to see

A FIGURE

Standi-ng on the ridge above them. He steps from the shadows to


REVEAL he's wearins a CRASH TEST DUMMY JUMPSUIT AND MASK.

BACK TN THE DITCH

Chuck inches back, terrified.

CHUCK (CONT',D)
Ned?
PUSHTNG DArsrES #r07 "Dummy" 07/06/07 concept Meeting Draft ACT FrvE 47.

NED
Emerson?

EIqERSON
Run!

As Emerson turns to run, the crash test dummy poj-nts two TASER
GUNS at them and FfRES.

zAP! zAP! Emerson and Ned are hit by the Taser's BARBS and
falf to the ground, writhing in pain. chuck runs for the far
side of the ditch, but the dummies beneath her feet make running
al_most impossible.

Chuck fafls.

As she scrambles to her feet, a set of legs in crash test dummy


overalls jump down in front of her.

CHUCK'S POV

The crash test_dummy killer blocks her path. Reaching into hrs
POCKCI, hC PU1lS OUt A STUN GUN. ELECTRTCAI CHARGE CRACKLTNG
hE driVCS it iNtO CAMERA ANd WE SMASH TO BLACK.

45 TNT. OLIVE'S APARTIVIENT_ NTGHT 45


"Brady Bunch" faux darkness as olive spooNs on her horse-themed
sheets, with Digby.

fiARRArOR
As the Pie-Itaker, s brain erackled with J-OTOOO
voTts of eleetricity and then \ost
consciousness, OLive would have no such luck.
OLIVE
Digby? You awake?

He is.

oLIVE (CONT'D)
I can't sleep either.

She takes a breath and closes her ewos err.ain

IVARRA.rOR
CT.osing her eyes only made her visions of the
Pie-I4aker,s Tate-9ight date with the pertqr
brunette from nowhere more vivid -
and
uncensored.
H e r e ye s p o p o p e n a n d she sits up, shiver ing with disgust...
PUSHING DAISIES #l-0I "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft AcT FIVE 48.

OLIVE
Oooohhh. Yuch.
(to Digby)
C'mon. We need to wal-k.

As Digby happj_}y hops off the bed--

46 CLOSE UP ON NED 46

He wakes, trying to get his bearings.

NED'S POV _ FOGGY AND DISTORTED

Chuck 1s staring at him -- just inches from his f ace. He pul-l-s


away from her in a panic.

ON NED _ BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A DANDY LION SX

SittiNg UP StTAlght INSIDE A CLEAR PLASTIC BODY BAG. CAMERA POPS


WIDE TO REVEAL __

47 TNT. CRASH TEST FACILITY _ NIGHT 47

Emerson (backseat) and Chuck (passenger seat) are also seat-


befted into a Dandy Li-on SX. And rike Ned, they roo are
cocooned in CLEAR PLASTIC BODY BAGS, their HANDS TIED. From the
backseat, Emerson nudges Ned.

Ned spins around to see Emerson gesturing frantically to the


front windshiel_d. He turns back to see

THE CRASH TEST DUMMY KILLER

Lugging the crash test CABLE toward them, he stops in front of


the car. BAI{! with a villainous flourish, he diops the cable,s
heavy steel- hook on the hood and lets it slowly sciape down the
front of the car.

SCCCCRREEEEEEEECH.

48 TNT. DANDY LTON SX - NIGHT 48

CAMERA PUSHES fN on our heroes. As they grimacer w€...

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FIVE


PUSHING DAISIES #]-OI "Dummy" 0 1 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT SIX 49.

ACT SIX

FADE IN:

49 INT. CRASH TEST SITE - NTGHT 49

Strapped in the Dandy Lion, our heroes stare at the BRICK WAIL
looming before them at the end of the long yellow lj-ne. The
dummy, hook in hand, pauses to admire his handiwork.

MARK
Guess I don't need this anymore.

He whj-ps off his mask -- it's Marketing Executlve Mark Etter.

MARK (CONT'D)
Spin control- j-s a dirty business.

He notices that a SPLOTCH OF GREASE has gotten on his hand. He


withdraws a nicely-pressed HANDKERCHIEF from his pocket...

MARK (CONT',D)
Luckily the body bags keep thlngs nice and
- ^^+

As the Marketer dabs at the grease splotch on his hand with a


handkerchief, CAMERA PUSHES IN CLOSE.

50 EXT. RURAL ROAD _ NIGHT - FLASHBACK 50

CLOSE ON the same handkerchief dabbing a different stain off the


Marketer's hand. Thi s stain is BLOOD.

CAMERA PULLS OUT TO REVEAL Mark Etter, dressed as the crash test
dummy, standlng at the side of the road (with the "BUMPS" sign).
At hls feet is a body bag holding a body.

NARRATOR
Murder was not new for I{arketer l4ark Etter...

He unzips the bag and dumps Bernard's BODY onto the road.

tlltRRA?oR (coMI'D)
Ee had previousTy perfected his stain-free
sTaughter style on Bernard Slaybaugh,
erstwhiTe Tover of models and automotive
safety...

51 INT. CRASHTEST STTE _ NIGHT _ FLASHBACK 51

Bernard Slaybaugh struggles to pull a badly-burned crash test


du mmy (stiIl smoking) o u t o f a p o s t -c ra s h -t e s t Da n d y L io n S X .
He lays the dummy on a table and examines it with tender
concern.
PU SHIN GDA fS IE S #In "Dummy" 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t j-n g Dra f t ACT SIX 50.

IVERRA?OR
The faets were these: through a series of
erash test ez<perinents, Bernard Slaybaugh had
Learned...

CAMERAPULLS BACK REVEAIfNG a mountain of crash test dummies


a I1 simllarlv burned a n d d e s t ro v e d . o f f B e rn a rd ' s h o rro r:

IfARRA?OR (CONT'D)
...that the Dandy Lion was a deadly dud.

52 INT. CRASH TEST FACILTTY - DAY _ FLASHBACK 52

Bernard shows Mark a mangled and burned crash test dummy.

IVERRATOR
Bernard begged the I{arketer to caneeT the
car's Taunch. But ltlark Etter had other
plans. . .

M ark E tter offers B ern a rd a wa d o f c a s h t o b u y h is s ll-e n c e.


Bernard rejects the bribe with a flourish and storms away.

IS;IRRATOR(CONI'D)
The company had invested miTTions in the Dandy
Lion canpaign...

Le ft alone, Mark E tter s t u d ie s B e rn a rd ' s ma n g le d c ra s h t e s t


dummy. Slowly, he reaches down to its chin and RIPS OFF ITS
MASK.

NARRATOR (CONI'D)
...8e knew that paying off the inevitable
Tawsuits wouTd sti77 be cheaper than haTting
production of the ear.

CAI,{ERAPUSHESIN ON Mark Etter holdinq the dummv's mask uo to


his face.

53 INT. CRASHTEST FACILITY _ OUTERDOOR- LATE NIGHT _ FLASHBACK3

Bernard approaches the s e c u rit y d o o rs . T h e s e c u rit y g u a rd' s


chair is emptv.

Bernard swipes his ca rd in t h e s c a n n e r. T h e d o o rs d o n ' t op e n .


He tries again and again. He hears a noise and turns and stares
as the "crash test dummy" takes out a TASER and ZApS him.
Bernard crumples to the qround.

IfERRA?OR
He would ensure that the Dandy Lion SX would
bToom on Xime...
PUSHING DATSIES #tOt "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft AcT Srx 51.

54 TNT. CRASH TEST FACILTTY _ NTGHT _ FLASHBACK


54
Bernard 1s body bagged in the d.river,s seat of a crash test
Dandy Lion. The dummy pulls the lever and the car is pul1ed by
the cable into the brick wall.

IfERRATOR
...and no one would stop hin.

RESUNIE _ CRASH TEST SITE _ AS BEFORE

Mark Etter conti_nues his villai_nous rant:

MARK
I'm determined to launch the car and no one
will stop mel Not Bernard Slaybaugh, not some
dandelion model_ and certainl_v not. . .

55 INT. DANDY LION CAR _ CONTTNUOUS 55


OUR HEROES' POV

Mark Etter gesticulates wildry as he RANTS, MUFFLED AND


UNINTELLTGTBLE.

Off our heroes befuddled expressi_ons:

IVERRA?OR
As lQark Etter continued his monologae, unaware
that, it was compTetely inaudible from within
the sealed body bags within the car...

Resigned to her fate, Chuck looks at Ned, who still struggles ro


get free...

c-\uckpondered
Xffi{":":":E':l*""" seerned
to
die just as things were starting tb get good.
She turns forward with a slgh. we see through the bag--

CHUCK
(M.o .s. )
S on of a bitch.

Ne d gives up, looks ove r a t Ch u c k . . .

rARRA?OR
And Xhough he couldn,t hear her, Ned suddenly
wanted to te77 her ever,ything: pet peeves ana
favorite -dreans
foods, his fears, hls and aII
the pure joy she had brought into his Life.
N ed gazes at chuck, stilr u n a b re t o v o ic e h ls f e e lin q s .
P USH TN GDA rsrE S #I0I "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT srx 52.

ButmostTy,
o" x:"8:o:"(::ff'xJ, the one
personal detail he dreaded the most.

NED
f'm sorry abou t y o u r d a d . f d id n ' t me a n t o
kilt him.

chuck cocks her head, quizzical and unabre to hear him.


56 INT. CRASHTEST SITE _ NIGHT
s6
M a rk crescendoes to the e n d o f h is c ra z v ra n t :

MARK
...and that is wh y y o u me d d lin g id io t s mu s t
li |
urg ^ a

He waves the hook threateningly at our heroes, then crouches to


attach i_t to the car's underiiae.

57 TNT. DANDY LTON CAR _ NIGHT


5]
Seerng the end is near, Chuck and Ned look at each other.

CHUCK
(mouths )
Goodbye.

They lean 1n for a LONG, DEEP Krss through their body bags.
BACKSEAT

Behind them, Emerson struggles


-hrs with tj-ed hands to pul1 someth:-ng
from his pocket. Finallyr fingertips j-nch out the KNITTTNG
NEEDLES. sErzrNG THEM, he JABS them thiough hls body nag
-s...
58 TNT. CRASH TEST FACILITY - N]GHT
58
Mark Etter struggles to attach the crash test hook to the car.
It slips from his hand to the ground.

59 TNT. DANDY LION CAR _ NIGHT


59
Emerson, hands freed, unzips Ned...

E},IERSON
Drlve !

Ned reaches for the KEys in the ignition as Emerson unzi_ps


Chuck. She smiles, happy to see [:_*__

CHUCK
Thank vou.
PUSHING DAISIES #707 "Dummy" 07/06/07 Concept Meeting Draft ACT SIX 53.

60 INT. CRASH TEST FACILITY _ NIGHT 60

Mark Etter, stj-ll crouched in front of the car, hears the REV of
the engj-ne. With a YELP, he jumps out of the way as the car
PEELS OUT.

61 INT. DANDY LION CAR - NIGHT 61

Ned turns hard, accelerating toward a TUNNEL ENTRANCE.

62 EXT. DANDY LION CAR COI4PANY _ NIGHT 62

Our heroes hurtle out a driveway onto the street. Behind them,
Mark Etter runs out and gets in his own CAR to give chase.

63 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 63

The Dandy Li-on SX rounds the corner with Mark Etter's car on its
+ ^..i 'l
Ldf,f r

64 rNT. MARK ETTER',S CAR - NrcHT (STAGE) 64

Gripping the wheel tightly, Mark bears down sn hi c hra\z

65 rNT. DANDY LION SX (STAGE) 65

Ned glances to hls rearview mirror.

NED
I can't lose hi-m!

TVARRATOR
If onTy the Pie-I{aker had heard the kiL7er
excTairn that the Dandy Lion SX was much more
than the eco-friendly car of the futura...
66 INT. DANDY LION SX _ NTGHT 66

The dashboard controls go halrwire -- BLINKING AND FLASHING as


the RADIO cycles through static and stations.

IfARRA?OR
If only he'd heard it vas also a deathtrap. A
dandelion-fueled ti.late bonib. . .

Ned, Chuck and Emerson look on in confusion.

67 rNT. MARK ETTER'S CAR - NrGHT (STAGE) 67

MARK ETTER
Come on. Just a littl-e f aster. . .
PUSHING DAISIES #10I "Dummy" 07106/07 Concept Meeting Draft ACT SfX 54.

68 ON THE DANDY LION'S SPEEDO}4ETER 68

Inching toward twenty-nine miles per hour.

...that 'fTRRAfORa cruising


upon reaehing speed of
thirty miTes per hour, a catacTysmic chain
reaction hrculd occur that would bTow the car
and its precious human cargo to smithereens.

CHUCK (o.S. )
LOOK OUT!

CAMERA POPS OUT WIDE to reveal Chuck frantically pointing to a


FIGURE standing 1n the road in front of them. fT'S OLIVE
walking Digby. OLIVE SCREAI4Sin the headlights.

The Mod Squad SCREAIvISas Ned slams on the brakes.

69 EXT . PIE HOLE _ NIGHT 69

OLIVE'S POV

As the car skids to a halt just inches away from her, Ol-ive's
gaze falls on Ned behind the wheel of the Dandy Lion.

ON OLIVE

Smiling dreamily, squinting into the headlights.

ilARRA?OR
Olive vas pleased.

Ned leans out of the Dandv Lion--

NED
Are you okay?

OLIVE
I am now.

}IARRATOR
llhatever the Pie-Itlaker had been doing that
night did not seelrr. especiaTTy romantie.

NED
Can you help us get out of these body bags?

As she smiles--

10 TNT. MARK ETTER'S CAR 70

He slghs, puts his head down on the steering wheel. We hear a


SIREN, see the RED AND BLUE FLASH of police lights from behind.
PUSH TN GDA rsrE S #In "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 Co n c e p t Me e t i-n g Dra f t ACT Srx 55.

]T EXT. DANDY LION CAR COI\PANY - DAY 7I


The buj-lding FADES AWAY, replaced by a f ie ld of f lo we rs .

IVERRArOR
Unlike the Pie-Itlaker and his friends, the
Dandy Lion Car Contpany did not survive the
cloud that settled over it once the day, s
events were brought to light
72 INT. POLICE MUG SHOT ROOM (ONE WAIL) _ DAY 72
Mark Etter holds up his PRrsoN NUMBER, squints for a FLASHBULB.

IfERRA"OR
Those responsible vere punished for their
wieked ways.

PULL oUT to A NEWSPAPER--

Mark's MUG sHor j-s front page news. Above it, the headline
readsz "Dandy Liar sentenced to Dandy Life Behind Bars.',

73 rNT. HOSPITAI _ DAY OR NIGHT


13
Jeanj-ne, in her bed, now wearing a JET-BLACK wrc (no bandages),
looks at a FRAI4ED PHOTO of Bernard.

IfARRA?OR
Others, strengthened by the news that their
Toved ones had not died in vain...

REVEAL she is finishlng a plate of hospital food.

NARHATOR (CONI'D)
Reached out for the help they wanted.

REVEAI the BrG, rMposrNc NURSE who sits across from her
watching her. Jeanine smil-es, pushes the tray away and'picks up
a modeling magazine...

74 INT. EMERSON'S OFFICE _ DAY 74


Emerson knits.

rERRA?OR
ffierson Cobb realized he would not be qtitting
his hobby anyrtime soon, as the dead girl vho
was not dead appeared to be staying put.

He finishes and stuffs a HUGE wAD OF REWARD MoNEy into the newly-
knit sock, slides it into a hole in the wa1l.
PUSH fNGDA rsrE S #ror "Dummy " 0 7 / 0 6 / 0 7 c o n c e p t Me e t in g Dra f t ACT srx 56.

]5 EXT. PTE HOLE _ DAY


75
Ned leads Chuck to his Mercedes.

NARRATOR
A tact the pie-Maker celebrated.

NED
Get in. The f ro n t .

Chuck smj_l_esand they both sit into__


76 IN T . NE D'S CA R _ DA Y
76
Ned has i-nstalled a PLEXTGLASDrvrDER between the two front
seats' There are ArR HoLES cut for communication and
GLovES attached to the partition. TNCUBATOR
chuck seems shocked.

cHUcK
You did thls"

NED
you can drive now, too, you want.
if

CHUCK
(re: the g lo v e s )
What are these?

NED
They're for... u h , s t e e rin g e me rg e n c t _ e s .

Ee Lied. 'VERRA?OR

CHUCK
perfect. That' s wh a t I t h o u g h t .

TVERRA"OR
She lied, too.
Chuc k uses her ru b b e r rrr
i ncubpf tor nl ntza .r-^
gl ove to take N ed,s hand in
her s . T h e y s mi l e

ITAT]ET
VV f .
'\TTM

END OF SHOW

You might also like