Everything's a little clearer in the light of day...

Looking forward to a little afternoon delight... yeah, when "Afternoon Delight" is in your head at 7 a.m. it's going to be a long day.

I love writing. Not the act of writing, really, but having written. I also love Sports Night (see previous TV postings). And every 14-18 months I re-watch the entire series. I accidentally started this over the weekend and only got two episodes in.

The second episode masterfully sets up a number of big reveals through the episode while dealing with pretty heady stuff: failed relationships, being fired, and death. The thing that makes it all click is the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight."

The actors, writer, director and editors do a masterful job setting everything up for the episode and the execution is flawless. They're holding a workshop in making compelling entertainment. This episode cements the Dan-Casey (the two sports anchors) relationship for me as that relevant in so many ways. If you seen the episode, you know what I mean. It's the final moments when they bring all the discussion full-circle. What could be overwhelming "life crush" becomes enough of a defense so your team can take the field again (sports show = sports metaphor. Bite me).

And it's tied together by Casey and his love of the Starland Vocal Band. So this is really THE greatest website on the internet. Maybe go read the pilot if you haven't seen the show, but do not read The Cutman Cometh till you've seen the episode. You'll marvel on how it was all on the page but is really jerked out of the park with the timing in acting, direction, and editing.

Me, on the otherhand, I just read "The Cutman Cometh" and laughed myself silly. I've been putting off a :30 script and then just ran through it so now I at least have something on paper.


... I'm telling you, today will be swell. It'll be long, but it'll be swell.



THE IMAGE STAYS FROZEN ON THE SCREEN AS WE HEAR THE WHOOSH
OF THE SPORTS NIGHT MUSIC. AS THE SNAPSHOT GRAINS UP
SLIGHTLY, WE HEAR AN OVERLAPPING MEDLEY OF ON-AIR INTROS,
ALL IN VOICE OVER.

CASEY (VO)

Good evening--

DAN (VO)

Good evening. From New York City I'm
Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall--

CASEY (VO)

Good evening. From New York City I'm
Casey McCall alongside Dan Rydell--

DAN (VO)

Those stories--

CASEY (VO)

Those stories--

DAN (VO)

Those stories plus, we'll take you
live to the locker room at Arrowhead--

CASEY (VO)

--Tallahassee--

DAN (VO)

--Tuscaloosa--

CASEY (VO)

--through the ACC--

DAN (VO)

--a PAC-10 match up--

CASEY (VO)

--We'll bring you more on Jayson
Grissom--

DAN (VO)

--A.K. Russell--

CASEY (VO)

--Desmond Corey--

DAN (VO)

--Christian Patrick--

CASEY (VO)

--Leonard Mooker of Newton,
Massachusetts--

DAN (VO)

--Jack Jankowicz with the Marlins--

CASEY (VO)

--Ntozake Nelson's got something to
say about a world record--

DAN (VO)

--and Kelly Kirkpatrick in Green Bay.

THE PICTURE DISSOLVES TO THE BLACK SPORTS NIGHT CARD...

CASEY (VO)

All that comin' up after this. You're
watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick
around.

DAVE

We're out.

END OF SHOW