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Finals Week 1 – Sydney v GWS: Final pulse

FINAL PULSE

TV miniseries

Written by
Tom Bally

 

INT – Hospital theatre. Complete chaos. Doctors shouting at each other. Machines beeping. Chief among these is DR. McVEIGH, bald and agitated, pointing and directing staff around the operating room.

 

 

 

ENTER – CHIEF PROFESSOR LONGMIRE. Tall, sturdy and stately; face showing no emotion despite the chaos.

 

McVEIGH

John what is going on here? I haven’t operated here in over a
year and most of the team haven’t even seen anything like it.
The board promised us a facility where we might have some
advantage in containing this situation.

 

LONGMIRE

The board promised a great number of things.

(shrugs)

It’s not ideal but we’ll have to make do. Meanwhile what’s the latest?

 

McVEIGH

We were OK for the first hour, hanging in there. But then
something gave. If it hadn’t have been for the backup it’d be
all over by now.

(He points to two men in lab coats, one a tall African, the
other with a rakish looking moustache.)

As it is, mistakes are being made, rookie mistakes, and we’re
losing people fast.

 

CUT TO – A shot of a dazed looking red-headed doctor slumped in a seat.
 

ENTER – DR KENNEDY, late 20s, big build but unsteady on his feet.
 

LONGMIRE

Kennedy where the hell have you been?

(notices Kennedy’s wobbly gait.)

My God man have you been drinking?

 

KENNEDY

(shocked at the accusation)

I was just coming in when these two guys dressed in orange,
one big, one small, ran past me. The small one whacked me in
the face for no reason. The only thing I recall after that was
the big one smirking.

 

LONGMIRE

Sounds familiar. But you’re ok now? You feel up to surgery?

 

KENNEDY

Yes.

 

LONGMIRE

Good man, because we’ve got a tough one here and morale is
going south.

 

The intercom speaker goes off.
 
Paging Dr. Parker. Paging Dr. Parker.

 

McVEIGH

Anyone seen Parker?

 
CUT TO – everyone shaking their heads.
 
CUT TO – McVEIGH
 

Probably flirting with the nurses.

(points vaguely around the operating room.)

Someone will have to step in until he gets here.

 

ENTER – SPECIALIST FRANKLIN. Massive build, has the sort of presence that dominates whatever space he’s in.

 

McVEIGH

Lance what are you doing slumming it back down in ER?

 

FRANKLIN

Well it’s been dead in the foot clinic the last hour or so.
Thought I’d come down and see whether you need some help.

 

McVEIGH

(Points to a position in the theatre)

Ok but don’t get in the way. And you’ll have to be prepared to
run back to the clinic because there’s no-one else up there.

 

CUT TO – JUNIOR DR. HEENEY, young and blonde, and a number of LAB TECHNICIANS wearing yellow smocks congregated around a complex looking machine.

 

HEENEY

So you just flick this switch and hold down this button for
three seconds?

 

Operates the machine and a green light goes on.

 

TECHNICIAN (has #18 on his smock)

Well yes technically that’s correct. But I won’t certify you.

 

HEENEY

Why not?

 

TECHNICIAN

(moving rapidly away)

Because.

 
HEENEY looking round. All the other TECHNICIANS are shambling away pretending to do something.

 

CUT TO – FRANKLIN hunched over an operating table.

 

FRANKLIN

Nurse, clamp.

 

Shot of clamp being thrown and going over FRANKLIN’s head.

 

FRANKLIN

(Irritated voice)

Nurse, clamp.

 

Shot of clamp being thrown and going over FRANKLIN’s head.

 

CUT TO – LONGMIRE and McVEIGH in a heated conversation over a moaning patient.

 

McVEIGH

John what do we do here?

 

LONGMIRE

(lost in thought, almost oblivious to his surroundings.)

I’ve seen this before somewhere. Only a few weeks ago, I’m
sure of it. But where, goddammit, where?

 

MCVEIGH

We haven’t got much time.

 

LONGMIRE

(nods then turns to the theatre shouting)

Nobody move. I don’t care whether you think you’re doing the
right thing but until I remember where I’ve seen this before
there’s no point in us trying to attack this situation. We’ll
just have to see what we can do to minimise the damage.

 

Intercom speaker goes off again.
 

Paging Dr. Parker. Paging Dr. Parker.

 

CUT TO –

FRANKLIN

(shouting)

We’re losing this one. Someone get me the paddles.

(lunges at a tray of instruments)

 

KENNEDY

(he and other doctors restraining FRANKLIN)

It’s over Lance. Just let it go. There’s nothing anyone of us
could’ve done.

 

CUE – sound of life support machine flat-lining. FRANKLIN and the others visibly sag.
 

CUT TO – DR PARKER in the entrance to the theatre. Boyishly handsome, munching on an apple.

 

PARKER

What did I miss?

 

CUT TO – Everyone gaping at him. Theatre in disarray, machine noise, tools and swabs everywhere.
 

McVEIGH points at him and starts to say something when suddenly the life support machine starts beeping again.
 

CUT TO – close up of LONGMIRE.

LONGMIRE

(whispering)

A second chance.

 

Theatre activity resumes.

 

FADE OUT – Credits roll to ‘Sweet Caroline’.

SYDvGWS

==

If it wasn’t obvious enough Tom Bally is not a screenwriter.

Comments

  1. Earl O'Neill says

    Neat!

  2. craig dodson says

    Depressing content, yet a very funny read Tom…onwards and upwards..

  3. One does wonder whether next week’s entry will be from the morgue or Bondi nightclub

  4. The Emerald Hill Chronicle says

    Lab coats to the ready….time to operate on a Crow Dr.McVeigh

  5. Close the hospital TEHC!
    You have run out of money and your staff are getting unhappy with the high living costs in Sydney.
    The Adelaidians are looking for a new hospital – transplant yours minus the unhappy doctors.
    Citrus

  6. Good work Tom. Laughter IS the best medicine!

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