Over the past year, I took a TV writing course as a part of my MFA in Creative Writing through the University of British Columbia. During that course, we studied the art of writing teleplays, and during the course we produced a spec script, and an original pilot spec. A spec script is a TV writer's calling card, as it is what shows the agents and TV execs that you can actually write, and write well. A spec is a script is also based on an existing television show, and the reason for this is that if you can show that you have captured the tone and feel of a show that is not yours, then you can theoretically write for any show.
I don't believe I'll ever be a TV writer, as much as I'd like to be, because family commitments prevent me from trying to climb that ladder. But still, I found I enjoyed writing this form.
What follows is not fan fiction, I want to be clear about that, but is my own original spec script for the show Monk.
INT. SUNNYLAND COMMON ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Monk is standing next to the orderly who is guarding the exit.
MONK
Hi...Um...Hello.
(Beat)
Sir. I have to go through...that door.
Monk points.
ORDERLY
Sorry, but you can't do that.
MONK
Actually, I can...
Monk makes a moving aside motion with his hand.
MONK (CONT'D)
You just have to step out of my way.
The Orderly gets an angry look on his face.
ORDERLY
Are you threatening me?
Monk steps back, hands up in a placating gesture.
MONK
No! No. Not threatening.
(Laughs nervously)
Me threatening you? No, absolutely not. You're, you're very...large.
ORDERLY
I think you should go eat your food.
MONK
Well, that's the thing, you see. There's been a mistake. I'm not supposed to be here. A mix up. You see, my name's Adrian Monk, and I'm...I'm not supposed to be here. So if you wouldn't mind.
Monk makes another move aside gesture with his hand.
MONK (CONT'D)
I'll just be on my way.
The Orderly stares hard at Monk, unblinkingly.
MONK (CONT'D)
Or...or not. Food sounds pretty good.
Monk walks away.
INT. MONK'S APARTMENT - LATER
Natalie and Randy walk in the door.
NATALIE
Mr. Monk? Are you here? Hello?
Randy walks past her and looks around.
RANDY
He's not here.
NATALIE
Where else would he go?
RANDY
Doctor Bell, maybe?
CAPTAIN STOTTLEMEYER walks through the door.
STOTTLEMEYER
Is he here?
NATALIE
Captain Stottlemeyer! Thank god you're here.
Randy walks back from the hallway.
RANDY
He's not here.
STOTTLEMEYER
Tell me again what happened?
NATALIE
We were at the Sunnyland Retreat?
STOTTLEMEYER
Retreat?
NATALIE
It's, uh, a place where...
RANDY
It's a loony bin.
Natalie flashes Randy a look.
RANDY (CONT'D)
What? It is.
STOTTLEMEYER
Can you hurry it up?
NATALIE
We were there because a friend of Randy...
RANDY
Neighbor, actually.
NATALIE
Whatever. Neighbor. Her son committed suicide, but she thinks he was murdered.
STOTTLEMEYER
Okay. I remember hearing about that. The medical examiner ruled that it was a suicide. What id Monk say?
NATALIE
I don't know! There were these cranky old women, and then I was thrown out by the security guard.
STOTTLEMEYER
Thrown out? What did you do?
NATALIE
Nothing! I was trying to get to Monk.
STOTTLEMEYER
Maybe he's still there.
RANDY
I saw the tapes.
STOTTLEMEYER
Pardon?
RANDY
The tapes. The, uh, security tapes. Monk left out the side door.
STOTTLEMEYER
Are you sure he didn't just go for a walk?
NATALIE
Mr. Monk?
STOTTLEMEYER
Yeah, you're right. Something's going on. I'll put out an APB. In the meantime, let's go to Sunnyland and start canvassing the area around there.
All three leave the apartment.
INT. SUNNYLAND COMMON ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Monk sits down at a table with Isaac. There is an extra tray of food. Isaac points to it.
ISAAC
I got you something to eat. Hope you don't mind!
Monk looks down at his food. He doesn't like what he sees.
MONK
What is it?
ISAAC
It's dinner! Eat up.
MONK
I know that's what you call it, but what is it?
ISAAC
Dinner. Food.
MONK
Well, that's one opinion.
Monk looks at the food with distaste. It's a mishmash of unidentifiable vegetables, meats and a green-brown gravy.
MONK (CONT'D)
You know, it's really not natural.
ISAAC
What's not natural?
MONK
Your food, like that. It didn't grow that way.
ISAAC
No. But it tastes good this way!
MONK
You should try, you know, separating it. Then eating. Trust me. You'll thank me for it later.
ISAAC
Okay... Say! What happened to your head?
MONK
Someone hit me over the head.
ISAAC
What did you do?
MONK
Did you know Ken Casey? He was a patient here.
ISAAC
Ken? Sure! He was a great guy. He was my meal buddy. We ate together pretty much every day.
MONK
Really? Did he ever seem agitated? Did he seem violent or anti-social?
ISAAC
Ken? No way! I mean, anti-social, a little. But not in a bad way. He was just kind of shy, you know. A quiet guy.
MONK
Do you know why he was here?
ISAAC
Same reason most of us are here.
MONK
Which is?
ISAAC
(Smiling)
Beats me! Did you know Ken?
MONK
No. I knew his mother. Actually that's why I'm here?
Isaac smiles, looking very interested.
ISAAC
Oh, you bad boy! Do tell!
MONK
No! No..not like that.
Monk waves his hands in front of his face dismissively.
MONK (CONT'D)
She hired me. I'm a private detective. I used to be a police officer, actually...well never mind. Anyways, she suspected that Ken's death wasn't a suicide.
ISAAC
It wasn't?
Monk leans forward.
MONK
No.
(Whispering)
He was murdered.
Isaac gasps, holds his hands to his mouth.
ISAAC
No! Do you know who killed him?
MONK
I think so. I know he found something out. I read it on a letter he wrote.
ISAAC
What did he find out?
MONK
I don't know! It just said that he learned about something that he was going to take to the police.
There is a commotion in the room. Two patients start fighting, and other patients start gathering around them, cheering them on.
MONK (CONT'D)
What is this? A schoolyard?
Monk sees the Orderly by the door move to break up the fight.
MONK (CONT'D)
It's been nice speaking to you. I'd better go.
Monk hustles over to the door and opens it. He passes through and runs into the Japanese Nurse. Her name tag says Nurse Akiko.
NURSE AKIKO
And where are you going?
Monk points past her.
MONK
Uh, that way. Out.
NURSE AKIKO
No you're not.
MONK
Actually, I am. You see, there's been a big mistake. There's something going on. There was a murder, and I have to get to the police.
NURSE AKIKO
Really?
Nurse Akiko smiles at Monk calmly for a moment, then starts to scream hysterically.
NURSE AKIKO (CONT'D)
Help! Help! He's trying to rape me!
MONK
(Panicking)
What? No I'm not!
Monk turns around as two large orderlies come through the door and tackle him.
NURSE AKIKO
Hold him down!
They pin Monk to the floor. The nurse runs off for a moment then comes back with a needle. While Monk struggles, she injects him. Monk loses consciousness.
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