Battleground (2012) s01e10 Episode Script

1
WOMAN: Real stories, real problems.
This is Reel Life.
This week on Reel Life,
we take a look-see at democracy.
Full-contact campaigning
in the heartland of America.
The future of our nation will depend
on the egos, the personalities,
and the confrontations of the people
on the front lines of elections.
They are in it to win it for senate.
It's Demo-Crazy.
For many campaigns, debate night
is fraught with anxiety and fear.
Do we really wanna be the campaign
that runs that spot?
You really wanna be the campaign
that lost because we didn't?
As candidates meet for one night
in a confrontation of ideas,
platforms and personalities.
You clear it with me first next time.
You understand?
Yeah, I understand.
For the underdog,
an opportunity to seize the moment
and thrust themselves
into the political spotlight.
Stop trying to be like your dad.
That is not who you are.
For campaign manager
Frank "D-Day" Davis,
a possible pothole
along the avenue of victory.
SARAH: Okay, if everybody wants
to follow me, I'll show you the theater first.
It was built in 1939 and it's been a host
to a lot of really amazing speakers,
including JFK, Robert Frost,
- and Eleanor Roosevelt.
MEN: Wow.
There are two entrances
and you'll just use this one
because it heads straight to the theater.
And now if you're ready,
I can show you your dressing room.
I think you'll find it suitable.
There's a restroom
down the hall on your right.
Welcome to the university.
I should hit the head.
We should go over a few bullet points
for tonight, all right?
We'll be fine. Let's not over-rehearse
before the debate.
Which way did she say was the, uh?
She said it was to the right, senator.
I'll help.
He's having one of those days.
He's gonna need those notes tonight,
otherwise he could go off the rails.
Off the rails. Off the rails.
- We agreed to no notes for the debate.
- Who agreed to no notes?
- Who do you think?
- Tak! Unbelievable.
Hey, that person wants to do some
pre-interviews--
- Hey, did you agree to no notes?
- Yeah.
You clear it with me first next time.
You understand?
Yeah, I understand.
Somebody do some thing right.
- Why'd you miss the van this morning?
- I couldn't find my keys.
- What was her name?
- It's not important.
Was it Pepperman from Janesville?
- Doesn't matter.
- Come on.
Tak's mother passed away
when he was just 14.
Since that time, he's been by
his father's side on the campaign trail.
A son raised in the shadow
of his celebrated father.
So, what's it like
working for your father?
It feels like !
It's good.
I mean, he can be hard sometimes.
Right, he seems hard.
He seems especially hard on you.
I don't know, maybe.
He just likes things a certain way,
his way, so it can be challenging.
The show's over! It's over!
What about your mother?
What was it like for your mother to be
married to the infamous D-Day Davis?
I don't know, man.
I gotta go.
You get the edit back
on the Thompson spot yet?
Yeah, it's great.
Well, I've heard that Africa is great,
but I haven't seen that yet either.
- I thought we should wait for--?
- Play it.
MAN [ON VIDEO]:
Can we trust Congressman Thompson?
Five years ago,
he was married to this woman,
but left her for this woman.
And left her for this woman.
Now he wants to be your senator.
But is this all just a game to him?
Congressman Thompson,
just not right for Wisconsin.
The commercial? It's racist.
Perfect. Who put it together?
- Tak.
- Good work.
- Get this out to the affiliates right away.
- Consider it done.
- Senator, where's your flag pin?
MAKERS: Not sure.
[WHISPERS] Julie, honey, see if you can
go out and find the senator a flag pin.
- On it.
- Thank you.
Staff members pay a heavy price
for life on the road.
- What are you doing?
- Going to the meeting. What you doing?
- No, the commercial, it's racist.
- You're reading too much into it.
The daily grind of the campaign
affects not only their careers,
but their personal lives as well.
- Tak, you gotta pull it.
- No.
- It's racist.
- I'm not gonna pull it, okay?
It's the only thing I've done in the last
two months that they actually like.
- What's happening, Tak? I just feel--
- Julie, I don't know what that means.
- Okay.
- Hey.
Don't do that.
Uh-oh.
Something's wrong with the Beav.
Snap out of it, okay? It's game time.
- Need a little pick-me-up?
- You got something?
Always be prepared.
Let's go.
It is a non-stop, fast paced,
tumultuous journey
that takes a heavy toll on the body,
mind and soul.
JULIE: Hi, I'm looking--
- You're from the campaign.
Yes, I was wondering,
do you have any U.S. flags?
Well, let me see.
Ohio: Buckeye State, Wisconsin,
California: Golden State.
Nashville. We've got Volunteer 2001.
Proud of that one.
North Dakota. Missing South Dakota,
but, you know, whatever.
These people.
I'm looking for U.S. flags. That's it.
- Colonies or states?
- States. That one.
Yeah, this one right--?
Yeah. Oh, look at that.
An original from the Franklin Mint.
- How much?
- I'm a trader not a seller.
Why don't you try Margaret.
JULIE:
Margaret? Right there? Thank you.
PARKIN: As conflict draws closer, the rivals
meet, their words wielded as swords.
Their agendas hidden
behind a shield of cooperation.
"No follow-up questions."
"Candidates can't address each other."
Sounds like you guys are trying to make
some drastic changes at the last second.
Steve, we're doing you a favor
by even showing up.
Not true.
You are down in the polls.
That is why you are here. Period.
You agreed, one follow-up question,
no notes.
And now at the last minute
you wanna change things?
The answer is no.
Yippy little dog sitting next to Hilder
wouldn't shut her trap.
This is a debate,
not speech day at a middle school.
This is what you agreed to, right here.
[YAPPING]
- I'll tell you what. Let's drop everything else.
- What?
Yeah. Let's just say a notepad
during the debate, right?
So Makers can take notes if he wants to.
That seems fair, right?
Yeah, that seems fair. It's fine.
- No, it's--
- No, it's--
- Yeah, it is.
- Yeah.
But was her point valid?
Had you agreed to take certain things out?
Doesn't matter.
Look, women in campaigns
feel like they need to work harder
to prove something.
You wanna be heard?
Wear a tighter dress.
Wear a tighter dress.
Wear a tighter dress.
I don't sell them, okay?
JULIE: Okay.
- This bear is eating a snowflake.
[WHISPERS]
Meet me outside.
[IN NORMAL VOICE] What do you need?
- I'm looking for a U.S. flag pin.
No, don't got it. I got flying pigs,
I got angels, I got states.
Okay. Ugh! I can't believe
I'm gonna ask you this.
Okay, do you have a South Dakota pin?
Yeah, I do. It's gonna cost you, though.
Hundred bucks.
For many, the line between
right and wrong soon becomes blurry.
The quest for victory,
an all-consuming struggle.
The pursuit of honesty,
a distant memory.
Train wreck. He doesn't wanna practice.
He can't remember the difference between
the NRA and the NEA. Heh, heh, heh.
We got a notepad approved
for the debate.
Right. Write notes on the third page down
so it looks blank on the top of the pad.
- What, problem?
- No, I can-- I got it. I got it.
- Good.
- I just--
I've been thinking about
that Thompson spot.
What? I already told you it was good.
What, you want more?
- No, I-- No.
- It's racist.
I was thinking about recutting it.
It's-- It seems a little over the top.
That's what we need, over the top.
I love it.
We're 15 points up.
Dad, do we really wanna be the campaign
that runs that spot?
You really wanna be the campaign
that lost because we didn't?
People don't remember the game, Tak,
they just remember the score.
Hey guys, 15 minutes till run-through,
and 30 till show.
FRANK:
Thanks, hon.
Give me a day. I'll make it better.
- You want a day?
- Yeah.
- You got it.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Do you still have that flag pin?
- I do, but it's not for sale.
I know. I wanna trade. South Dakota.
- Wow, she sold that to you.
- I know, it's great.
Okay, what just happened?
We honeymooned in the Dakotas.
When we got divorced,
she got the South, I got the North.
You know what? Honestly,
I think that she wanted you to have this.
- Really?
- Only if you trade.
Of course.
Okay. Awesome.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
The combatants enter the arena
stripped of their entourage
and teleprompters.
A mixture of courage and passion,
their only protection.
Senator, on the third page
is a series of notes on the debate,
talking points,
names of union endorsements,
- one-liners.
- Got it.
The crowds gather
to watch the carnage.
- You enjoy watching a train wreck?
- When it's not mine.
The camera is set
to capture the confrontation.
Either you get a new notepad,
or we leave and we go to press row.
And only one question remains.
Who will leave the coliseum victorious?
SARAH: We only have five minutes left
until the house opens,
so if the staff could start
making their way off stage.
Now, the candidates are allowed
two water bottles,
a blank notepad and one black pen.
So if a staff member could hold up those
notepads for me now, I'd appreciate it.
- Great. Thanks.
JULIE: Got it.
FRANK: Oh. What took you so long?
- People are crazy.
Hi, sorry, there's been a request
from the other candidates
that we check the notepads
at each podium.
- We did that.
- Great, but we'd like to do our own check.
Well, he's already started
taking notes, so
He can't take notes
until the debate begins.
Hey, relax. We're fine here.
Let's start the debate.
CORBOY: Yeah.
- We're not fine.
Either you get a new notepad,
or we leave and we go to press row.
And tattle?
You can call it whatever you want,
but we're leaving.
Let's just debate.
All right. Congressman, we're out.
Okay. Okay. We'll do it your way.
Can we have one of your notepads,
please?
SARAH: Right away.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
MAN: Senator Makers, has the recent
shooting at Waukesha High School
affected your views of gun control?
That's a good question.
I, like all Wisconsin--
Americans, was deeply saddened
by the shooting.
There are those who would use events
such as these to take away our-- Our--
TAK:
Second.
MAKERS: Important amendment rights.
Where was I going with that? Uh--
- You enjoy watching a train wreck?
- When it's not mine.
- You coming over tonight?
- Tak, I--
I can't.
- I can't.
- Cool.
Nice play on the notepad, by the way.
You got us.
That wasn't a play.
I know you think
this is all some sort of game,
but I wanna win
because I believe in my candidate.
- So do I.
- No, you don't.
All you care about is winning.
Stop trying to be like your dad,
that is not who you are.
At least, not who I thought you were.
You left your keys.
What's up, KJ?
yourself, Corboy.
[MEOWS]
You got that coffee?
The eight-hour bus rides,
the lack of sleep,
the intense pressure,
all build until one day a person breaks.
MAN: How does it feel having a famous--?
- Get the out of my face!
MAN: Hey. Don't touch the camera.
- Get it the out of my face!
The show's over!
The show's over!
JULIE:
Tak, what is going on with you?
TAK:
I'm just so sick of those questions.
You're like a different person.
Jesus Christ. Shut the up, Julie.
- You don't talk to me like that.
- Then don't say stupid .
I'm not different. I haven't changed.
- This is who I am.
- This is not who you are.
JULIE:
This is not you. I don't know who this is.
The guy I fell in love with
would not hurt me like this.
He wouldn't attack the camera,
and he wouldn't
have made that commercial.
You're better than that, Tak.
No, I'm not.
Then it's over.
Good.
[JULIE SIGHS]
I canceled the spot.
We're doing something else.
They're already airing it, Tak.
FRANK: Senator Makers obviously
wasn't threatening the congressman.
We just think that all of the lies
and exaggerations about our campaign
and about our record need to stop.
I mean, the voters are tired
of all the bickering. They want solutions.
Tough night.
Hey, if you can't take the ups and downs,
don't ride the carousel.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Sir, right this way.
One more interview with Channel 7.
- You look lovely, Tabitha.
- Thank you.
CORBOY: Right this way.
- I need to talk to you.
- I have an interview with Channel 7.
- It's important.
- Now. I need to talk to you right now.
- Okay, okay. Let's talk.
TAK: Why didn't you tell me?
- Because I knew this is how you'd react.
It's a good spot.
- You should be proud.
- I'm not.
- Well, what's done is done.
- I want you to pull it.
We're trying to win, Tak.
Just because your girlfriend doesn't like a
commercial doesn't mean we won't use it.
That-- It's not just that! It's--
It's everything.
Would you vote for Makers?
- Yes.
- Why?
Because, and this is very important
for you to understand,
he's who's paying us.
You got that?
Then maybe we need to start
taking candidates that we believe in.
Fine, if you wanna go ahead and do that,
you do that.
But I'm not going back
to eating cake in retirement homes
and begging for money. I'm just not.
At least the wins would feel like wins.
They feel like wins to me.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I'll tell you what. Why don't you take
the rest of the campaign off, okay?
We'll get Corboy to cover for you.
Go on a little vacation, and in a month
we'll start working on mid-terms.
I'm sorry, Dad,
I'm done.
Well,
you do what you have to do.
Hey. Do you need help?
SARAH:
Oh, yeah. That'd be great. Thanks.
You okay?
TAK: It was a long day.
- Yeah.
I'm Sarah, by the way. I don't think
we've officially been introduced.
TAK:
Chris.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
SARAH: You want me to tell you a joke?
- Okay.
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
William Shakespeare said,
"All the world is a stage."
We are the writers of our stories,
the producers of our dreams,
the actors who must hit our marks,
deliver our lines,
and face our deepest challenges.
Well, the show is over for tonight
and the theater will soon be dark,
but the curtain will rise again.
Tomorrow, good friends.
Until then, good night.
[BLOWS]
WOMAN: This Friday on an
all-new episode of Prom-Misses.
It's party time, bitches!
The big night is here, but not everything
is going according to plan.
Will Jillian's dream of a perfect evening
turn out to be a nightmare?
Will Parker work up the courage
to tell Bailey how he really feels?
Will Cece's out-of-control behavior
have consequences that affect graduation?
Senior year is almost over,
and this night is full of prom hits
and prom misses.