British Comedy Guide

5 mins of TV show Script - Feedback Needed!!!

Hi everyone! I am currently writing a Script for a 6-episode British Drama/Comedy Series which I hope to pitch to networks sometime in 2012. This is my first script extract showing roughly 5 minuets of dialogue from the pilot.

I know it's long, but please read through it, or at least skim the first couple scenes, because I would really like feedback (as constuctive as possible please) so I know if I'm actually any good!

Working Title:: JOBSEEKERS: Sex, Drugs & Claiming Dole

EPISODE 1: Pilot
By Danny Turner

EXT: STREET - BUS - COLD WEATHER
JAKE SITS ON THE BUS, WEARING HEADPHONES AND LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AS THE STREET ROLLS BY. ON THE SEAT ACROSS THE BUS, A MAN HIS AGE (EDDIE) IS STARING AT HIM OVER HIS NEWSPAPER. JAKE LOOKS UP AT HIM, EDDIE HIDES BEHIND THE PAPER. JAKE LOOKS UP AGAIN AND EDDIE PULLS AN OVER-EXAGGERATED SAD FACE, HIDES IT WITH THE NEWSPAPER, THEN LOWERS IT TO REVEAL AN EXTREMELY HAPPY FACE. JAKE MOUTHS 'WHAT THE FUCK?' AND EDDIE LIFTS THE NEWSPAPER TO HIDE HIS FACE ONCE AGAIN.

CUT TO:

EXT: JOBCENTER - MORNING - COLD WEATHER
JAKE EXITS THE BUS REMOVING HIS HEADPHONES. BEHIND HIM, EDDIE FOLLOWS.

EDDIE
Jake? Jake!

JAKE
(Perplexed) Do I know you?

EDDIE
Yeah man, It's me, Eddie! Milton Hill Primary School!

JAKE THINKS.

JAKE
Eddie, Eddie - can't place it. Did you have a nickname?

EDDIE
Er - yeah, a really good one. It was -

EDDIE LOOKS AROUND. HE SPOTS A BILLBOARD ADVERTISING A CAR. IT STATES THAT IT IS 'THE BEAST'.

EDDIE (CONT.)
(Smug nod) - The Beast.

JAKE
(Sarcastic) The Beast? Really?

EDDIE
Yeah, well - the ladies had another name for me innit.

JAKE
Was it 'Massive Dickhead'?

EDDIE
LOL. You gotta remember? I came before you in the Egg-and-Spoon Race?

JAKE
I won the Egg-and-Spoon Race.

EDDIE
Yeah, well, I came second.

JAKE
There were only two people racing.
(Short Pause)
Hang on, the person behind me cried and threw his egg at Miss Harper -

EDDIE
Oh, must have been a different race then -

JAKE
It was you, wasn't it! Your nickname wasn't The Beast, it was The Rotton Egg!

EDDIE
Nope, got me mistaken, mate -

JAKE
Eggy-Eddie -

EDDIE
Not me -

JAKE
Runny Egg -

EDDIE
Now you're just bein' silly.

THEY BOTH STOP BEFORE THE JOBCENTER. EDDIE LOOKS AT JAKE.

EDDIE
Signin' on?

JAKE NODS.

EDDIE
Not seen you here before?

JAKE
First time.

THEY CONTINUE TO WALK TO THE JOBCENTER, WHICH LOOMS OVER THEM LIKE A FORTRESS. A GIRL (NAT) WEARING A BAGGY TRACKSUIT AND TIED-BACK HAIR STANDS NEXT TO THE DOOR, TRYING TO LIGHT A ROLL-UP. THE LADS PASS BY.

EDDIE
Just keep walking, mate. Avoid eye contact with the chav.

JAKE
What?

THE AUTOMATIC DOORS OPEN.

NAT
FUCK SAKE!

AFTER FAILING TO LIGHT THE ROLE-UP THE GIRL TOSSES THE LIGHTER AND IT PASSES BY JAKE'S FEET. HE LOOKS AT HER.

NAT
F**k you lookin' at?

EDDIE
Good luck with that one, mate.

EDDIE SLIPS THROUGH THE DOORS TO THE JOBCENTER.

JAKE
(Taken aback) Nothing, just -

JAKE SHRUGS IT OFF AND TURNS TO ENTER THE JOBCENTER. HE HAS TAKEN TOO LONG AND THE AUTOMATIC DOORS CLOSE HAVE CLOSED. HE ALMOST WALKS STRAIGHT INTO THEM. NAT LAUGHS.

NAT
Doors don't open for little wasteman, y'know.

JAKE STEPS BACKWARDS TO ALLOW THE DOORS TO OPEN AGAIN, BEFORE TURNING TO NAT -

JAKE
Yeah - bet your legs do though.

SMILING PROUDLY AT HIS QUICK REMARK, HE ATTEMPTS TO STEP INTO THE JOBCENTER BEFORE NAT CAN REPLY. HIS SMILE FADES AS THE DOOR ONCE AGAIN SLIDES SHUT. NAT STEPS FORWARD.

NAT
You callin' me a slag?

JAKE NERVOUSLY STRUGGLES WITH THE DOOR.

JAKE
What? No, I just said - your legs, they're nice an' that -

NAT
So you tryna' flirt wi' me?

JAKE
(Sarcastic) Yeah, that's it. Cos' all this aggression is, like, really turning me on.

THE DOOR FINALLY OPENS. JAKE JUMPS INSIDE. NAT BANGS ON THE DOOR FURIOUSLY.

NAT
(Shouting at the window) Little dick 'ed, my boyfriend will f**kin' waste you, yeah?

SHE BANGS ONCE MORE ON THE DOOR.

CUT TO:

INT: JOBCENTER - MORNING
JAKE SURVEYS THE ROOM NERVOUSLY. AROUND TWENTY PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED AROUND, SOME ON PHONES, SOME SEARCHING TOUCH-SCREEN PODIUMS FOR JOBS AND SOME SAT TALKING TO ADVISORS. ALMOST EVERY CUSTOMER IS WEARING HOODIES, TRACKSUITS OR BUBBLE JACKETS. JAKE STANDS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB WITH HIS INDIE JACKET AND JEANS. EVERYONE STARES TO SEE WHAT THE COMMOTION OUTSIDE WAS ABOUT.

JAKE
(Awkwardly) I - I think there's a problem with those doors -

NICK
Yeah, there's a little f**kin' nonce stood infront of it.

NICK WAS SAT AT THE WAITING AREA, WEARING A HOODED TOP. HIS OUTBURST WAS MET WITH LAUGHTER FROM SOME. JAKE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REPLY.

EDDIE
You just been told, mate.

JAKE
Oh, sorry, I was all out of eggs to throw at him.

EDDIE
LOL.

IN THE WAITING AREA, NICK IS QUICKLY SCRAWLING HIS JOB SEARCH DOWN ONTO HIS JOB SHEET. HE NUDGES THE GUY NEXT TO HIM.

NICK
Yo, mate. Let's see your job search. C'mon man don't be a raw ting.

THE GUY SIGHS BEFORE SNEAKILY PASSING NICK HIS JOB SHEET. NICK OPENS IT.

NICK
Yeaaah man, good shit. Web Designer, gotta put dat down. Salesman, putting dat. You applied for Debanhams?

BEAT.

NICK (CONT.)
You Pussy.

EDDIE PATS JAKE ON THE SHOULDER AS HE WALKS TO SEE HIS ADVISOR. JAKE IS NEXT IN LINE.

MAN AT COUNTER
(Bored and staring down at a form) NEXT.

JAKE STEPS FORWARD.

JAKE
It's Jake Tyler, I'm supposed to -

MAN AT COUNTER
(Still looking down at a form) Card?

JAKE
Excuse me?

THE MAN SIGHS AND FINALLY LOOKS UP.

MAN AT COUNTER
Card. Sign-on Card. It's not hard, son.

JAKE
Ahh, yeah. Sorry, It's my first time signing on, and -

MAN AT COUNTER
Nice story. Bet Mummy and Daddy are very proud.

JAKE STOPS OPEN-MOUTHED BUT DECIDES TO KEEP QUIET. THE MAN HANDS HIM HIS SIGN-ON CARD BACK.

MAN AT COUNTER
Go over to box 5.
(Short pause)
She a mate of yours?

THE MAN MOTIONS TO THE WINDOW. OUTSIDE NAT IS MAKING A RUDE HAND MOTION AND MOUTHING 'YOU WANKER'.

JAKE
Her? No, she's -

JAKE LEANS CLOSER TO THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER.

JAKE
(Whispering) Between you and me, I think she's a crack-head, she was shouting something about - giving out handjobs for drugs.

MAN BEHIND COUNTER
Did she now?

THE MAN LOOKS OVER JAKE'S SHOULDER AND WINKS AT NAT, WHO IS STILL MAKING THE HAND MOTION.

MAN BEHIND COUNTER
Hmmmm....

JAKE TURNS WITH A SMILE AND WALKS OVER TO THE ADVISOR SAT AT BOX NUMBER 5. AS HE IS PASSING THE WAITING AREA THE MAN CALLED NICK PUTS OUT HIS FOOT, ALMOST TRIPPING HIM OVER.

NICK
Watch it College boy! New f**kin' Trainers, yeah!

JAKE DECIDES TO IGNORE THIS AND CARRIES ON WALKING TO HIS SEAT. HE DROPS THE SIGN-ON CARD INTO THE BOX.

ADVISOR JULIE
Get out!

JAKE LOOKS DISGRUNTLED.

JAKE
Er... excuse me?

JULIE THE ADVISOR SUDDENLY NOTICES JAKE AND REVEALS THAT SHE IS ON THE PHONE.

ADVISOR JULIE
I will be with you in one second, cock, just take a seat and relax.

JAKE NODS AND TAKES A SEAT. JULIE CONTINUES CHATTING ON THE PHONE REGARDLESS.

CUT TO:

EXT: JOBCENTER - MORNING - COLD WEATHER
NAT IS STILL OUTSIDE TRYING DESPERATELY TO LIGHT HER ROLL-UP. A SMARTLY-DRESSED MAN WALKS PAST.

NAT
S'cuse me mate, you got a light?

THE MAN CARRIES ON WALKING.

NAT
Could answer me y'know! What? Do I look like a f**kin' alien or summat?

THE MAN DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE HER. SHE SLUMPS AGAINST THE WALL. SHE HOLDS THE LIGHTER UP TO CHECK THE GAS, THEN SHAKES IT. THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER STEPS OUT OF THE DOOR AND APPROACHES NAT.

MAN BEHIND COUNTER
So what's this I heard about handjobs for drugs, ey?

NAT
(Disgusted) F**k you on about?

MAN BEHIND COUNTER
Listen, I've got none of the hard stuff, but I got some hash if you can give me a quick one?

CUT TO:
INT: JOBCENTER - MORNING
JAKE IS STILL SAT WITH JULIE THE ADVISOR. NAT AND THE WORKER CAN BE SEEN OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.

ADVISOR JULIE
So - Jake - why did you decide to apply for JobSeekers allowance?

OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, NAT CAN BE SEEN HEADBUTTING THE WORKER.

JAKE
Well, I just left college, decided to take a gap year for work experience, and -

ADVISOR JULIE
Hm-hm, hm-hm.

JULIE BEGINS TYPING ON HER COMPUTER.

JAKE
- and, well, yeah I'm just looking for a job, really.

ADVISOR JULIE
Of course. So where would you like to work? Say, pulling pints at a bar, maybe?

OUTSIDE THE WORKER IS CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR WHILE NAT CONTINUES TO PUNCH HIM.

JAKE
Well - I was hoping for something in the media, it's my ambition to become a filmmaker you see -

ADVISOR JULIE
Ahh, okay. Well, there's loads of telemarketing opportunities -

JAKE
Nah, it's not really my thing -

OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, THE WORKER GETS UP AND CAN BE SEEN ATTEMPTING TO CHASE NAT.

ADVISOR JULIE
There's a cleaning position available at the SunDown Hotel?

JAKE
Well, that's not really relevant to media, is it? Anything there that requires actual GCSE's? Cos I've got an A in English, well, a B, but -

ADVISOR JULIE
There's a corner shop looking for someone to stack the shelves?

JAKE SIGHS. BEHIND HIM, NAT PUSHES THE WORKER'S FACE AGAINST THE WINDOW WITH A 'BANG'.

Thank you for reading
:)

I know this isn't a thorough critique, I just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading that.

Yep, I read this when it was on another thread and enjoyed it. I do think it's a lot more than five minutes though, so be careful when it comes to... timing. And the Jake and Eddie dialogue at the start could be cut and trimmed a little. But there are some great jokes here, and, for some reason, I love the idea of a grown man doing the happy face/sad face thing to another adult.

I really enjoyed it too, good job. Not too many characters to keep track of and good dialogue. But like Evan says, does need a bit of trimming, don't know if this is your first draft or the final one? I think with the right actors this could work really well

Quote: Fi Muretta @ November 24 2011, 9:48 PM GMT

I know this isn't a thorough critique, I just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading that.

As brief as this critique is, at least I know my script has a fan, so thank you for that! :P

Quote: evan rubivellian @ November 25 2011, 9:17 AM GMT

Yep, I read this when it was on another thread and enjoyed it. I do think it's a lot more than five minutes though, so be careful when it comes to... timing. And the Jake and Eddie dialogue at the start could be cut and trimmed a little. But there are some great jokes here, and, for some reason, I love the idea of a grown man doing the happy face/sad face thing to another adult.

On my second draft I'm goin' to have a read-through with a few friends to get a definitive timing, but thanks for the heads up. :)

I've decided to cut a lot of dialogue and keep it as snappy as possible, and maybe make it more relevant to the overall plot of the episode. I'll keep some of the random dialogue though, such as the whole nickname/egg-and-spoon race thing, because people seem to get a kick out of that. I'm glad you enjoyed the happy/sad face thing, I think it says a lot about this character.

As always, thanks for your comment! Your comment, as well as the comment on my other thread, has really got me psyched about getting on with this project :D

Quote: Goose24 @ November 25 2011, 9:36 AM GMT

I really enjoyed it too, good job. Not too many characters to keep track of and good dialogue. But like Evan says, does need a bit of trimming, don't know if this is your first draft or the final one? I think with the right actors this could work really well

As this is a pilot I've planned to introduce the 6 main lead characters slowly, through the eyes of Jake, then deeper into the episode/series the various characters will interact more and more, hopefully to major comic effect :)

This is the very first draft, so theres a lot of room for change yet. I'm hoping to improve all aspects, so if theres any critisisms with certain actions/dialogue, even the tiniest niggling problem, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks for taking the time to read through and thanks for the comment!

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