AT RISE — Lights up on a giant flatscreen television and a couch facing it. After several beats, the front door bursts open and the four family members assemble around the television with great urgency. Chaos.
FATHER Only one minute to spare!
MOTHER I’ll make popcorn during the commercials!
FATHER Great idea!
SON Wait, the... The remote isn’t working!
DAUGHTER (leaping to the TV set) Just hit the button your— WHY ISN’T THE TV TURNING ON!
FATHER WHAT DID YOU TWO DO?!
SON and DAUGHTER
NOTHING!
MOTHER IS IT PLUGGED IN?
DAUGHTER IT IS PLUGGED IN!
FATHER WE’RE GOING TO MISS IT!
FATHER rushes to the TV set.
SON Oh no... oh God no...
MOTHER I can’t believe this is really happening. Take my hand, son. 2
He does.
MOTHER (cont.) We’ll face this together.
FATHER I’VE TRIED EVERYTHING! IT ISN’T WORKING!
DAUGHTER Dad, it... It’s fried. It’s fried.
FATHER “Fried”?
DAUGHTER We can’t watch the show. We can’t watch... any show.
Everyone falls into a stunned silence.
FATHER I failed you. I failed you all.
DAUGHTER (comforting) You did.
Long beat.
MOTHER (to SON) This is kind of awkward, but... what is your name again?
SON Mom! What the hell.
MOTHER Please don’t take it personally. I’m great with faces but awful with names.
SON It’s Brian, Mom.
MOTHER Brian. Brian. Right. Thank you.
Long beat. FATHER begins weeping. Large, broken sobs.
FATHER There’s no... there’s no point to popcorn now, is there? 3
DAUGHTER Maybe there never was. (a long, profound beat) Maybe there never was.
CUE MUSIC: Loud and orchestral. The end of an era. The end of everything. The...
