1x15 - “The Numbers Are In”
By: Jessica Boggs
FADE IN:
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - MORNING
When we last left off of Network, Tara is discharged from the hospital after fainting at the Psych Med
premiere party the night before. This week on Network, we start out with the morning after, where guess
what? The numbers will be in. Kasey returns to the office after a night at the hospital, joined by Jesse.
Leah is in waiting at the conference room.
premiere party the night before. This week on Network, we start out with the morning after, where guess
what? The numbers will be in. Kasey returns to the office after a night at the hospital, joined by Jesse.
Leah is in waiting at the conference room.
Leah: What took you guys so long?
Kasey: We stayed at the hospital all night.
Jesse: Luckily, Tara is in the clear. Now, Kasey and I should get some coffee.
Leah: It would be much better if you two would just go to bed early tonight and sleep whatever it is off.
Kasey (grabbing coffee): Good idea.
Kasey and Jesse have their first cups of coffee for the day, while Leah is grabbing a stack of papers of
what appears to be reports. Then, Charlie comes in. She appears grim.
what appears to be reports. Then, Charlie comes in. She appears grim.
Charlie: Guys! It is rotten in the state of Denmark!
Leah (puzzled): What is going on, Charlotte?
Charlie: The...the...the numbers!
Kasey: The numbers for what?
Charlie: Psych Med.
Kasey quickly snatches Charlie’s phone and gasps in horror.
Kasey: Oh my God. It’s not good.
Leah: What is it?
Kasey: A 0.5. Is that it, Charlie?
Charlie: Yes, it’s a 0.5. In adults 18-49.
Jesse: The lowest in-season scripted premiere in history. How is this even possible?
Leah: That’s what I want to know.
Charlie (turning to Jesse): And you, with s*** for brains, will be to blame for this.
Ash immediately comes into the room, in panic.
Ash: 0.5? 0.5?!?
Jesse: Yep. It’s that low.
Ash: Adults 18-49?
Kasey: Yep. That demographic.
Leah: What are we going to do now?
Charlie: Jesse is to blame for this!
Ash: Charlie, Jesse is not to blame for this.
Leah: I think we are all collectively responsible. Let’s just have a meeting.
Ash: I can agree to that. Everyone, since we are in the conference room, let’s go ahead and discuss
its future.
its future.
Charlie: Okay, so I’ll be back.
Matt joins in, and the executives are ready to meet. Leah gives everyone a copy of the reports.
Leah: We spent a ton of money on Psych Med. Because of the premiere ratings, we may be losing
money.
money.
Kasey: And what will happen to the advertiser sales?
Matt: This is a strange conundrum already.
Ash: Psych Med is not long for this world, I’m afraid. But we need to hold a vote and quickly.
Kasey: But how?
Jesse: Basically we’ll hold a majority vote. All in favor of canceling and pulling, say aye.
Kasey, Leah, Matt: Aye!
Jesse: I’m not opposed.
Ash: The ayes have it. But we have to wait and see for next week’s numbers to see how they will
stabilize.
stabilize.
Kasey: If it rises, then it has a shot.
Jesse: But if it falls, the vote will go into effect. That number is seriously low for our standards.
Matt: But what are we going to replace it with if that action is taken?
Jesse: I honestly have no clue.
Leah: Here are some reports.
Jesse looks at the report in astonishment after Leah hands him midseason pilot reports. Kasey turns
to Matt.
to Matt.
Kasey: Surely that 0.5 was a strong one.
Matt: Always the optimistic one.
All of a sudden, Charlie returns.
Charlie: More bad news.
Ash: What now, Charlie?
Charlie: That 0.5 is a 0.470 in unrounded ratings.
Leah (puzzled): What the f***?
Matt: That is even worse.
Kasey: So much for being optimistic.
Leah: I would be surprised if that bomb is on the air after next week is done and over with.
Could this DOA show get any worse? Would it stabilize? We will find out the answer on next week’s
Network.
Network.
FADE OUT
NETWORK is written and executive produced by Jessica Boggs and production is overseen by TVRGO. NETWORK is one of The TV Ratings Guide's first ORIGINAL SERIES, an exclusive feature of The TV Ratings Guide.
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