Spin CGity “Pilot” Written by Gary David Goldberg- and Bill Lawrence First Draft March 8th, 1996

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 1. COLD OPEN ol EN FADE IN: INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - MORNING A MEETING ROOM IN CITY HALL, PACKED, LOTS OF SMALL TALK. ENERGETIC HUB-BUB. AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE SITS MIKE FLAHERTY. LATE 20’S - NOT ENGAGING IN THE SMALL TALK, SIPPING COFFEE, WAITING. EVEN IN REPOSE HE EMITS A DISCERNIBLE HUM. ANGLE ON THE CLOCK AS IT TICKS OVER TO SEVEN A.M. MICHAEL (GETTING UP, SOFTLY) All right let’'s begin. No one talks but me. EVERYONE IS IMMEDIATELY QUIET. ANGLE ON JAMES HOBERT - 22 YEAR OLD SPEECH WRITER. MID-WESTERN LOOK, TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE FROM KAREN, THE SMILING YOUNG FEMALE INTERN WHO HAS POURED FOR EVERYONE EL ELSE JAMES (HOLDING OUT CUP) Can I get a... MICHAEL (HOLDING UP A HAND, SHUSSHING!) Ah. JAMES I just want. .. MICHAEL Ah, ah. JAMES GLUMLY GIVES UP. CRADLES HIS EMPTY CUP. JUST THEN STUART BONDEK, LATE 30’'S - SOUR -LOOKING, RUMPLED ENTERS AND TAKES SEAT NEXT T TO NIKKI FULLER, LATE NEW YORK OVERFLOWS WITH ATTITUDE. STUART (TO NIKKI) Did I miss anything?

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 2. COLD OPEN NIKKI (SARCASTIC) not allowed to ~ talk. STUART (POINTS TO KAREN) You. I need coffee. THE EVER SMILING KAREN COMES AND POURS COFFEE FOR STUART. JAMES HOLDS HIS CUP OUT TOO. STUART TAKES IT FROM HIM. STUART (CONT'D) Yeah, you’re right. 1I’1ll need two cups. STUART HOLDS OUT THE SECOND CUP AND KAREN FILLS IT, HE PUTS BOTH CUPS IN FRONT OF HIM. MICHAEL All right. As of one minute ago the Sanitation Department is officially on strike. GROANS FROM EVERYBODY. MICHAEL (CONT'D) This is something that could drag on for days. Maybe weeks... PAUL THE PRESS SECRETARY STICKS A NERVOUS HEAD IN. PAUL I really need something to tell the press, Mike. They’re killing me. " MICHAEL It’'s already taken care of, Paul. Strike’s settled. Garbage will be (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT C PAUL LEAVES. PAUL_EXITS HE POINTS TO A JAR WITH SOME STRAY‘BILLS INSIDE. 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) picked up no later than 3 ‘o’clock. PAUL Really? MICHAEL Yeah. PAUL You're not lying to me are you? MICHAEL It's over. I swear. Spre;g ;he word. I love this job. MICHAEL All right that’s only gonna buy us a couple of hours. But, I don’'t want to be negotiating this in the: press. You all know the rules, anyone tells Paul the truth, they put ten bucks in the kitty. JAMES (STARING AT JAR) That’'s all my money . EVERYONE STARTS SPEAKING UP ABOUT THE STRIKE. OVERLAPPING OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS, ETC. "WAIT." JUST THEN PAUL STICKS HIS HEAD BACK IN. 3. COLD OPEN MICHAEL HOLDS UP HIS HAND

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 4. COLD OPEN MICHAEL Look, today is really gonna suck, —~ so let’s all try to hang together. James, you need to write one of your famous "Don’t Panic" speeches. Nikki, you gotta keep the Mayor’s schedule flexible today. And Stuart, I‘'m gonna have to focus on the strike, so everything else is yours. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET UP. JAMES REACHES FOR COFFEE. MICHAEL (CONT'’D) = Wait a second. JAMES, EXASPERATED PUTS DOWN HIS MUG. MICHAEL (CONT'’D) ' (BEAT) I want to say something. We’ve been in office seven months and the city’s not bankrupt and nobody’s in jail. No previous administration can make that claim. (BEAT) Now, today we've got garbage on the street and a weather report calling for temperatures in the mid 90's with no breeze. The city’s gonna smell like a giant foot. figure we're about an hour away from people hurling themselves into the East (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 5. COLD OPEN MICHAEL (CONT'D) river. Cops are going to be on . ~ our ass, Fire Department right behind ‘em. And you know who everyone’s going to blame, don’'t you? DOOR OPENS AND MAYOR_RANDALL WINSTON PEEKS IN. MID PATRICIAN GOOD LOOKS. YOU'D VOTE FOR HIM. YOU WOULD. AD-LIB "MORNING MR. MAYOR." HE RESPONDS "GOOD MORNING" THEN, TO MIKE. MAYOR Hey Flaherty, how's our city? MICHAEL Couldn’t be better, sir. MAYOR That’s what I like to hear. THE MAYOR LEAVES MICHAEL All right, let's go to work. EVERYONE RISES AND STARTS TO CROSS OUT. JAMES YAWNS. MICHAEL Jeez, James get yourself a cup of coffee. FADE OUT. END OF COLD OPEN

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 FADE IN: INT. CITY HALL - DAY WE’'RE IN THE MAIN STAFF OFFICE AREA. MACHINES, COMPUTERS, ETC. ACT ONE SCENE A A SENSE OF BARELY CONTROLLED CHAOS. TO ONE SIDE A DOOR TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. MICHAEL WITH KAREN. MICHAEL Karen, I need you to get Mr. Sabatino on the phone. Now; he’'s the head of the Sanitation Union, and he doesn’t want to talk to us, so you're going to have to do me a favor. You know how no matter what’s going on you’'re always so cheerful that it makes us all want to stab you through the heart? KAREN (CHEERFUL) Uh-huh. MICHAEL I want you to use that to get through to Mr. Sabatino. And if that doesn’t work I want you to lie, scream, cry, whatever... Dig down into the darkest corners of your soul. That where (MORE) CLUTTERED WITH DESKS, FAX OFF

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) violence reigns, and-no_one’s ever - been but you. KAREN (HAPPY) Okey-dokey. KAREN GOES. THE MAYOR’'S WIFE, HELEN WINSTON, ENTERS. SHE DOESN’'T SEEM HAPPY. EVER. HELEN Mr. Flaherty, you are aware that I'm the wife, correct? MICHAEL Oh yeah. HELEN — - Now, I was promised that the hours between one and three today would be kept open for my husband and I to have lunch together. And, yet what do I see on this schedule? (POINTS) o’clock - Mayor has walk-thru on Riker’s Island. MICHAEL And you don’‘t want to join him there for lunch? HELEN I really don’t like prison food. Not a lot of people do. And, yet come Friday night always hard to get a table. SRS

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 HELEN Who's responsible for this? . - MICHAEL Had to be one of the interns. JUST THEN JANELLE THE STRIKINGLY PRETTY, VERY SHARP YOUNG BLACK INTERN CROSSES NEAR. MIKE SEES HER. MICHAEL (CONT'D) (SWEETLY) Janelle? JANELLE (REFLEXIVELY) Wasn’'t me. (THEN TO HELEN) Nice scarf, ma’am. HELEN Oh thank you, dear. JANELLE KEEPS MOVING. MICHAEL (SOTTO TO JANELLE) You're good. JANELLE (SOTTO) And fast. SHE'S GONE. MICHAEL LOOKS AROUND FOR A VICTIM. HE SPOTS JACK, A LONG-HAIRED YOUNG INTERN. MICHAEL (CALLING) Jack? JACK COMES OVER, EAGER. JACK Yes, Mr. Flaherty? MICHAEL (SPINNING HIM TO FACE HELEN) It was Jack. You're fired, Jack. JACK But, I...

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Hey, hey, hey, tell your story . ~ walkin’ . HELEN Thank you. I trust this won’t happen again. SHE EXITS TO THE MAYOR'’S OFFICE. JACK - This is totally unfair. MICHAEL Take it easy. not fired. Go out get your haircut, come back tomorrow. From now on your name is John. HE GIVES 'JACK A PAT ON THE CHEEK, CROSSES TO NIKKI ON THE PHONE . NIKKI (SEXY INTO PHONE) It was just a run-of-the-mill orgasm. I mean to scare you. MICHAEL TAKES THE PHONE FROM NIKKI. MICHAEL (INTO PHONE) Bye sweetheart. HE HANGS UP. NIKKI Hey!.. MICHAEL You’re killing me. Look, I know the Mayor’s schedule is full, but (MORE) o

™ "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) you’'ve gotta find five minutes a-. day for him to spend with his wife. NIKKI To do what? MICHAEL I care. Let ‘em get a cup of coffee. NIKKI They hate coffee. MICHAEL They hate each other! Just find the time. We'’ve been over this before. NIKKI Sorry, Mike. I guess I’'ve been a little distracted. But, this guy I think he’s... MICHAEL (MOCK AGREEING) He’'s the one isn’t he? NIKKI (SIGHING) Yeah. MICHAEL Is he married? NIKKI He's like my soul mate.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Married? NIKKI Separated. .. MICHAEL Separated, really? NIKKI I think so. We don’t talk much, he’s usually with his wife. KAREN COMES OVER HANDS MICHAEL THE PORTABLE PHONE. KAREN (SMILING) I got the bastard. - MICHAEL TAKES THE PHONE. MICHAEL (INTO PHONE) Mr. Sabatino... Hey, there’s no need to use that kind of language. I'm Italian, too... Flaherty. SFX: WE HEAR THE PHONE CLICK DEAD. MICHAEL (CONT'D) On my mother’s side, you idiot. CUT TO:

) "SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE B INT. BACKSTAGE PRESS ROOM - DAY MICHAEL AND A DISTRAUGHT PAUL ARE BEHIND A DRAWN CURTAIN. PAUL The strike’s not over. It’s not even close to being over. You lied to me. MICHAEL - It’'s only ‘cause I love you, Paulie. PAUL I look like a fool. MICHAEL No you don’t. PAUL I don't? MICHAEL No. As far as you knew you were telling them the truth. You're the Press Secretary. You can’t lie to the Press. If you do they’1ll know and they’ll never trust you aggin. PAUL But, you can lie to me?

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL I should hope so. (THEN) Nice . ~ suit. PAUL Thanks, I just... (REALIZING) I'm not going out there now. 1I’'ve got nothing to say. MICHAEL Sure, you do. Strike'’'s over. Settled. I mean we’'re still working out the fine points. But, Sabatino’s upstairs right now ready to sign. PAUL (SKEPTICAL) He's in the building? MICHAEL Yeah, you want to meet him? C’mon forget about the press. So they’ll get a little angry and impatient. Come up and meet him. PAUL (SMILING) I need to do that. Let’s get this thing going. PAUL SMILES AND PULLS OPEN THE BLUE IS IMMEDIATELY BOMBARDED WITH POPPING FLASHES AND THRONGS OF REPORTERS SCREAMING QUESTIONS. CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT . 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE C INT. PRESS ROOM - DAY PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL SWING. PAUL AT THE PODIUM. THE SIDE. PAUL .so, yes we do hope that New Yorkers continue to bag and dispose of their garbage in the usual manner. REPORTER #1 (FRANK) Thanks Paul. You’ve been very helpful. A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN, ASHLEY RISES, HAND UP. ASHLEY (TO REPORTER #1) Nice kiss ass question, Frank. What are you going for, free Knicks tickets? REPORTER #1 (FRANK) Shut up. My kid’s in town. PAUL (CALLING ON HER) Yes Ashley? ASHLEY So am I to understand guaranteeing that garbage pick-up (MORE) MICHAEL OFF TO

) "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 15. ASHLEY (CONT'D) will resume no later than tomorrow —~ morning? PAUL LOOKS OVER AT MICHAEL WHO IS DRINKING A GLASS OF WATER. MICHAEL NODS. PAUL Yes. You have my word. ASHLEY It’s amazing you're able to speak while he’s drinking a glass of water. (THEN) Just to be clear now, you said Sabatino’s here in this building meeting with-the Mayor's staff ready to sign an agreement? PAUL Upstairs, pen in hand. ASHLEY That’s interesting because I spoke to him about 15 minutes ago. He's out in Jersey and he said there’s been absolutely no progress made. PAUL WHIPS AN ANGRY "LOOK" ACROSS THE STAGE TO MICHAEL. MICHAEL SHRUGS "OOPS". CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE D EXT. CITY HALL STEPS - DAY REPORTERS MILL ABOUT. PAUL TRYING TO PLACATE. REPORTER ASHLEY ARE TOGETHER OFF TO THE SIDE. MICHAEL you beating up on Paul? ASHLEY I don't blame.Paul. I know who has his hand inside the pugge_t-. MICHAEL Thank you. That’'s a lovely image. (BEAT) So anymore questions? ASHLEY Yeah. What do you hope to gain by this? 1It's a strike. 1It’s not like people aren’t going to notice. MICHAEL We just can’t have you good and fair people in the media setting the agenda.on this. Don’t get me wrong, I know you have the Mayor's best interests at heart. .. ASHLEY Whatever. You're the one who has to sleep at night. MICHAEL AND THE YOUNG

"SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL That's right. ASHLEY Okay, then. MICHAEL Okay. ASHLEY See you tonight? MICHAEL My place? ASHLEY No problem. THEY KISS, A REAL ONE. CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE E INT. CITY HALL - DAY THE MAIN STAFF AREA - EVERYONE GATHERED. JANELLE ENTERS. MICHAEL What do you have for me on the sanitation strike, Janelle? JANELLE It hasn’t hit that hard, yet. The "Times" is thinking of 1eaé§flg with it in the late edition. MICHAEL I can’t have that. Stu? STUART Yes, Mike? MICHAEL Handle it. STUART PUSHES HIMSELF TO PHONE, STARTS DIALING. STUART You know if I was Deputy Mayor I would’ve handled it myself. MICHAEL Stu, I know you think you deserve my job. Everyone here knows. And, I'm sure most of your family (MORE) )

™) "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL knows. The question.is does anybody care? STUART I do. MICHAEL Make the call please NIKKI (BY TV) Hey, our guy's coming on. THEY CROWD OVER TOWARDS THE TV. MICHAEL (TO JAMES) Mayor prepared to speak about the strike, James? JAMES Faxed it this morning. Six pages spontaneous remarks. ANGLE ON STUART. STUART (ON PHONE) No, Dan. Listen, if you gotta run the story run the story... How's your.wife doin’?.. How's your girlfriend? They get a chance to meet yet? ’ BACK ON MIKE, NIKKI AND JAMES AT THE TV. MICHAEL Who's got the first question?

"SPIN" - PILCT 3/6/96 20. "‘ NIKKI Watkins channel four. He promised - us a cream puff. ANGLE ON THE TV - INTERCUT - MAYOR STEPPING OUT OF CAR. THRONG OF REPORTERS WAITING. WE SEE REPORTER FRANK WATKINS PUSH TO THE FRONT. REPORTER #1 (FRANK) How’'re you feeling, Mr. Mayor? MICHAEL That doesn’t count. REPORTER #1 (FRANK) Any comments on the strike, sir? Anything at all will be fine. - MICHAEL your Knicks tickets, Frénk. You're court side, baby‘ Say "hi" to Spike. ANGLE ON JAMES FOLLOWING ALONG FROM HIS NOTEBOOK AS MAYOR SPEAKS. JAMES (READING) I don't think we need to be overly concerned. MAYOR (ON TV) I don’t think we need to be overly concerned. JAMES (READING) We all want this settled quickly... MAYOR (ON TV) We all want this settled quickly...

"SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 JAMES Now mention the fake statistics. . MAYOR Besides, 88% of all major union strikes end in less that 48 hours, so this shouldn’t drag on... JAMES (TO MIKE) And there’s your sound bite. MICHAEL All right, we'’'re golden. MICHAEL STARTS OFF. REPORTER #2 (0.S.) Mr. Mayor, would you consider marching in the Gay Pride parade this week? MAYOR (0.S.) You gotta be shitting me. MICHAEL STOPS IN HIS TRACKS, TURNS. MICHAEL Did I just hear... that wasn’t... JAMES (HOLDING OUT NOTEBOOK) I didn’t write that Mike. I swear. Here you can look. MICHAEL Thai was just the satellite feed, right? Did that go out on the air?

n 'g PILOT n "y 3/6/96 PHONES BEGIN RINGING FURIOUSLY. STUART . = _ - I'm thinking that’s a yes. JAMES Oh, god, this is a code blue. NIKKI James, you really have to stop watching E.R. - STUART (MOCKING) Somebody, I need coffee. STAT. MICHAEL Focus people, this is big. All right he said it. 1It's out there. Now what? JAMES The best apology would be to just march in the parade. STUART He shows his face in that parade it costs us votes. I‘m not saying I like people with that mind set. But, we need ‘em. He can’t march. MICHAEL Okay. He can’t march. So, how do we stop the bleeding on the liberal

) "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 NIKKI I'll tell you if we had one gay . person on the staff this whole thing goes away. MICHAEL All right, everybody stop. ACTIVITY CEASES, EVERYONE TURNS TOWARDS MICHAEL. MICHAEL (CONT'D) Who in this room is gay? Let's see a show of hands. I need a gay person. NO RESPONSE. MICHAEL (CONT:B) No one even leaning that way? NO RESPONSE. MICHAEL (CONT'D) C'mon, no one here went to camp? (THEN) James? JAMES Why are you asking me? MICHAEL When was the last time you had a "0" for the nineties. I mean for you it’'s just a question of what kind of action you won't be getting. DA E R, PAUL I assume you all get TV. 1I’'d like (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT OFF JAMES’ 3/6/96 PAUL (CONT'D) to get a jump on our.-new problem. .. MICHAEL We’'re in great shape there. PAUL We are? MICHAEL Sure, an open administration. We even have prominent gay personnel on our staff. PAUL We do? Who? MICHAEL James . PAUL (BEAT) Oh, yeah. LOOK. CUT TO:

™) "SPIN" - PILO Ll 4 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE G ROOM - DAY MICHAEL IS AT THE URINAL DOOR OPENS MAYOR STANDS THERE KEEPING DOOR AJAR. PEOPLE CROSS BACK AND FORTH BEHIND HIM. PLACE. MAYOR Talk to me, Mike. Where are we at on the strike? MICHAEL No contact with Sabatino bdg got our proposal. We/re hoping continue picking up the trash while we’re in negotiations. MAYOR All right. We got anything else working? MICHAEL (LOOKING DOWN) Not me personally. MAYOR I need you to push forward on those two schools closing in the Bronx. I can’t show my face on this but it needs to be done. Whoever goes up there is really gonna take a beating. MICHAEL REMAINS IN

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL I'll send Stuart. - MAYOR All right, then. HE STARTS TO GO. MICHAEL Sir, there is the matter of that comment you made. MAYOR Oh yeah, Jeez, I didn’t mean it that way. C’mon, who wants to march in a parade? But, you're right. Completely my faulgf-_ Responsibility falls totally on my shoulders. (BEAT) Make it go away. HE LEANS IN AND FLUSHES FOR MICHAEL. MAYOR EXITS. MICHAEL As soon as I'm finished. CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT ONE SCENE H INT. MICHAEL'’S APARTMENT - NIGHT A GREAT NEW YORK APARTMENT. LOWER WEST SIDE. A LOT OF CHARACTER. WE’RE IN THE BEDROOM WHERE ASHLEY IS WORKING AT HER LAP TOP, TV TURNED ON TO CNN MICHAEL'S ON THE PHONE. CLOCK GOES TO ELEVEN. ASHLEY SHUTS OFF THE COMPUTER. TURNS OFF THE TV. MOTIONING TO MICHAEL. ASHLEY Eleven o’clock. Workday's over. MICHAEL HOLDS UP A FINGER "ONE SEC" CONTINUES TALKING. MICHAEL (ON PHONE) But, we can’'t let that happen. Mayor’s gotta be protected. ASHLEY CROSSES CLOSE LIFTS UP HER T-SHIRT SHE'S NUDE UNDERNEATH. MICHAEL (CONT'D) (IMMEDIATELY) I gotta go. HE HANGS UP. ASHLEY So, ... what do you wanna do? MIKE IS FRANTICALLY SLIPPING OFF HIS JEANS. MICHAEL (FAKE CASUAL) I don't know. Whatever you want to do. HE’S IN BOXERS AND A T-SHIRT. ASHLEY We could rent a movie.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Nah, I don't feel like .it. - HE TURNS OFF LIGHTS. ASHLEY We could read. MIKE SHAKES HIS HEAD "NO" AND MOVES CLOSER TO HER. ASHLEY (CONT'D) We could play Boggle. THEY'RE TOGETHER NOW. THEY LOOK IN EACH OTHER'S EYES. MICHAEL Oh yeah, that’s it. I want to play Boggle. SHE GRABS HIM THEY KISS PASSIONATELY. —%ghNE RINGS. ASHLEY ~ Forget the phone. MICHAEL (STILL KISSING) We have a phone? MACHINE CLICKS ON WE HEAR PAUL. PAUL (0.S.) Hi Mike, this is Paul. 1I’'ve got confirmation that the paréde thing is breaking in the morning. Might be a good idea to have James there to answer questions. Get back to me. See ya. HE CLICKS OFF. ASHLEY BREAKS THE EMBRACE. ASHLEY Have James there to answer ~ questions about what? 28. H

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Off the record. About what it’s. like to be a gay man in the office. ASHLEY Since when is James gay? MICHAEL Since about five fifteen. ASHLEY GETS UP. MICHAEL (CONT'D) Look, you don’t understand... ASHLEY [ What? trying to manipulate the media to protect your ~ administration’s ass. MICHAEL Oh, so you do understand. (THEN) C’mon honey 11:05 work day’s over. HE RAISES HIS SHIRT. SHE TURNS AWAY. MICHAEL (CONT'’D) Funny, it worked for you. (BEAT) Look, can’t we just put the lying and on the back burner for now? . ASHLEY It's dishonest and immoral. MICHAEL Also, for later... ' SHE TURNS AWAY. (\ (MORE)

"SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) Oh, you're telling me you never . bend the truth a little for a story? This is a ruthless business and you'’'re as ruthless as I am. God, hard to say ruthless a lot. Ruthless, ruthless, ruthless... See? It can’'t be done. You want to try? ASHLEY You have no excuse for... . MICHAEL Look, you know what? I our little game tonight. ASHLEY Why not? Come on, we’ll argue for three hours, neither one of us’1ll change our opinion and then have great sex. MICHAEL I'd like to but, I know from experience that we can’'t skip ahead to the great sex part. And, I really be up all night. I'1l make it up to you. But, do you think you can sleep at your own place tonight? ASHLEY STARES AT HIM A LONG BEAT.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ASHLEY (DEEP BREATH) I car’'t. . MICHAEL Why not? ASHLEY I don’'t have one. MICHAEL Huh? ASHLEY I gave it up six weeks ago. MICHAEL So, then... We live together? ASHLEY Technically, yeah. ~ MICHAEL I feel I should have been told. SFX: PHONE RINGING. THEY IGNORE IT. ASHLEY I've been sleeping here every night for a year and a half. MICHAEL Yeah but, this is a big step. THE MACHINE PICKS UP. ASHLEY TURNS ON THE TV. STUART (ON PHONE) Michael, Stuart. Just got off the phone with that dick-head, Sabatino. Now he says he ain’t picking up no garbage 7 . (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 STUART (CONT'D) no-how. Meet you at the office in five minutes. MICHAEL I gotta go. ANGLE ON THE TV. A NEWS REPORT ABOUT THE STRIKE. MICHAEL (CONT'’D) Great. (GETTING DRESSED) Perfect end to a perfect day. END OF ACT ONE BACK ON MICHAEL. FADE OUT.

- PILOT 3/6/96 ACT TWO SCENE J INT. MAYOR'S LIMOUSINE - DAY MICHAEL AND THE MAYOR IN THE BACK TOGETHER STACKS OF PAPER ON EACH LAP. MIKE LOOKS HAGGARD, DRAWN IS GOING OVER MORNING PAPERS. MAYOR the Times say? MICHAEL (READS) Strike Cripples City." — - MAYOR What about the News? MICHAEL (READS) "Mayor Snubs Gay Community." MAYOR Anything in the Post? MICHAEL (READS) "Family Dog Drives Heart Attack Victim To Hospital,... As Mayor Snubs Gay Community." MAYOR I love the Post. MICHAEL HANDS SOME NOTES TO MAYOR. MICHAEL (STUDYING PAPER) Here are your (MORE)

I "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) remarks for the dedication. Pround to be a part of this... Proud of community on the rise..., Basically, you're very, very proud. NOTICING MICHAEL’S APPEARANCE. MAYOR You look terrible, Flaherty. MICHAEL Didn’t get much sleep. MAYOR Well, I had a lovely neighbors were nice enough to throw all their garbage on to my lawn. MICHAEL I think most people share that sentiment. I mean when you consider the scope of what we accomplish on a daily basis... MAYOR Don‘t spin it back to me. I did your job for seven years. People put their trash out at night. They don‘t want to see it again in the It;s garbage, Mike. Not an old friend.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL All this damage control. I feel. like I'm drownin’ here. MAYOR (BEMUSED) Why’d you take this job, anyway? MICHAEL I know. Maybe because I believe in you. Maybe because you believe in me. Maybe I'm just an idiot. (BEAT) How about you? MAYOR I did it to meet chicks. THEY SHARE A LAUGH. MAYOR Look, just keep pressing forward on our agenda. I’ll keep the perma-smile on, I’'ll be at the right places and I’'ll say the right things. Pretty soon we won’t have to deal with any New York City bullshit. We’ll have Washington bullshit to deal with. MICHAEL Count me in. MAYOR So, let’s just stay on top of things. Be prepared. Make sure (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MAYOR (CONT’D) we know what we’re doing at all . times. MAYOR STARTS TO GET OUT. MAYOR (CONT'’D) Where the hell are we? MICHAEL Prospect Heights. You got 67% of the vote here. Predominantly Hispanic. MAYOR (LEANING OUT) Buenos dias. SFX: CHEER FROM THE CROWD. CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT_TWO SCENE K FADE IN: INT. MAIN OFFICE - MORNING THE INTERN FORMERLY KNOW AS JACK, NOW WITH VERY §HQRT HAIR, IS HELPING HELEN PUT HER JACKET ON. MICHAEL ENTERS HELEN Thank you, young man. Now, what'’'s your name? JOHN-JACK - - (CAREFUL) John. HELEN (TO MIKE) He’'s much nicer than the other boy. MICHAEL Oh yeah. He’s a peach. HELEN LEAVES. MICHAEL CROSSES TO NIKKI. MICHAEL (CONT'D) Mayor wasn’t thrilled with his picture, Nikki. HE SHOWS HER A PARTICULARLY UNFLATTERING PHOTO OF THE MAYOR FRONT PAGE. TIRED, UNSHAVEN, IN A HALF-OPEN BATHROBE. NIKKI You said you wanted casual. MICHAEL He looks like a homeless guy. (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT PAUL COMES 3/6/96 MICHAEL Make a note of this.. No pictures before ten. No pictures before coffee. And, for God’'s sake no pictures in shorts. OVER DRAGGING JAMES WITH HIM. PAUL Michael as per your request I've scheduled a press conference today at five o’clock to introduce a key member of our staff who also happens to be homosexual. And, guess what? James just told me he’s not gay. MICHAEL Ten bucks in the Kitty, James. PAUL I can’t take this anymore, Mike. The lies... MICHAEL I thought we understood each other, Paulie. There are going to be times here at work... PAUL It’s not just about work anymore. ‘I don't know what'’s real and what’s not. I don’t even know if you guys like me. Does anybody like me?

r "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 JAMES I like you, Paul. . - MICHAEL I like you, too. STUART I don’'t care for you that much. I never would’'ve said anything but you seem to be on some kind of "truth" kick. PAUL I was talking to my friends. STUART TAKES HIS WALLET OUT DROPS A TEN IN THE "TRUTH KITTY." STUART You don’t have any friends... HE STAYS THERE WALLET OPEN DROPPING BILLS INTO THE JAR. STUART (CONT'D) Your tie looks like something Diane Keaton would wear... Can anyone break a fifty? ‘Cause I'm just getting started. MICHAEL Look, I remember telling each and every one of you that there’d be times when we’d have to make some tough choices. That if you weren’'t ready to go to war for this administration I didn‘t need you here. Well, this is one of those times.

) SHRUGS SHAKES HIS HEAD AND MOVES OFF. EE PILOT 3/6/96 JAMES You never mentioned changing sexual preference. MICHAEL (BEAT) You ask one thing. TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT TWO SCENE L INT. NEWSROOM - DAY MICHAEL ENTERS. AS THE STAFF NOTICES HIM THEY BEGIN TO GROAN THEIR DISAPPROVAL. MICHAEL AMICABLY GIVES THEM ALL THE FINGER (A LA PAT REILLY) AS HE CROSSES TO ASHLEY'S CUBICLE SHE'S WORKING. MICHAEL Hey. ASHLEY LOOKS UP. (NON-COMMITAL) Hi. SHE GOES BACK TO WORK IGNORING HIM. MICHAEL (SHIVERING) Brrr! 1Is there a window open in here? ASHLEY What do you want, Michael? MICHAEL Well, I think we need to talk don‘t you? I mean you dropped a bomb on me last night and I know you probably didn‘t get the reaction you were looking for. ASHLEY Not at all. was hoping you’d say nothing then get dressed and leave.

) "SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Well, and correct me if wrong here, when most couples move in together they usually talk about it beforehand. had always understood that it was kind of a joint decision. ASHLEY You want me to say I was wrong? I have no problem with that. I was wrong. MICHAEL Great. 1I'm sure I was wrong, too... Somehow. ASHLEY Look, maybe this is just too hard. MICHAEL (TAKEN ABACK) What? ASHLEY I mean, work keeps us at each other’s throats. Maybe we should just keep the rest of our relationship platonic for awhile. MICHAEL * So, you're saying keep exactly what we have but without the sex... going to have to vote "no" on that. (THEN) Look, (MORE)

/"“ PILOT 3/6/96 43. MICHAEL (CONT'D) everything can stay the same. B Just get your old apartment back. ASHLEY I'm not going to do that. MICHAEL You don’t have to. Just say you are. I'll believe it. I want to believe it. ASHLEY So, you're saying that feel more comfortable pretending and living a complete lie than making even a semblance of a commitment? MICHAEL God, you make it sound ugly. ASHLEY I want us to move forward as a couple. We’ve been hovering fof a year and a half. 1I've tried to tell you what I need, I've tried to talk about what you want, I even moved in with you to force the issue, and you know what I . get? A joke. be honest. I'm tired of the jokes. MICHAEL We’'re just different that’s all. (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT’D) But, different is gcod. . That's . why great that we’'re together. I think we need people like you to keep people like me in check. And I think we need people like me to keep people like you from over-thinking things. (BEAT) AS THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER. MICHAEL (CONT’D) I also think people who need people are the luckiest people in the world. ANGRY, ASHLEY EXITS. MICHAEL (CONT’'D) See how different we are? I would have laughed at that.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 45. ACT TWO SCENE M INT. MAIN OFFICE - DAY ON THE PHONE STUART'S LISTENING INTENTLY, JAMES IS THERE, TOO. NIKKI (INTO PHONE) Well, what'’'re you saying?... No, there's gotta be some way that we car make this work. .. — - STUART STARTS SLOWLY PUSHING THE PICTURE OF NIKKI'S BOYFRIEND OFF THE DESK. NIKKI Well, fine, then... Good bye. SHE HANGS UP. STUART TIPS PICTURE OF GUY OFF DESK INTO TRASH. NIKKI (CONT'D) Well, that sucks. STUART Let me guess he’'s, "afraid your love is so overpowering that it'’s going to consume the both of you?" SHE SHAKES HER HEAD "NO." STUART (CONT'D) "If he loves you this much there’s no way he could ever love himself?"

"SPIN" - PILOT JAMES PAYS 3/6/96 NIKKI (SHAKING HEAD "NO") _Spending time with me made him realize how much he still loves his wife. STUART Well, that’s new. JAMES a positive side. You're bringing families together. STUART So, how long did you actually date the guy? NIKKI You don’t care. STUART No, I do care, believe me, I really do. (BEAT) We have a pool. NIKKI Six days. STUART (CLAPPING HANDS) Yes! Six days. I win. Pay up, everyone. STUART. JAMES God, I never win. STUART That'’s ‘cause you always guess "forever."

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 STUART CONTINUES MOVING AROUND OFFICE COLLECTING. JAMES . . - So, I bet with my heart. NIKKI James, that’'s so sweet. THEY HUG JAMES HOLDS ON TIGHTLY. MAYBE TOO TIGHTLY. NIKKI (CONT'D) (LIGHTLY SCOLDING) That’'s enough, James. MICHAEL COMES OUT SEES JAMES HUGGING NIKKI. MICHAEL Hey, break that up. What are_you doing? There could be reporters around. You want to hug someone, hug Stuart. _ STUART OPENS HIS ARMS JAMES DECLINES. Al NTERS . PAUL All right, if we’'re actually going to go through with this charade of a press conference, we should probably take a couple of minutes to go over the kind of questions you’ll be asked. JAMES Is it really going be that big a deal? I mean it’'s not like it's front page stuff. 1Is it?.

"SPIN" - FILOT 3/6/96 48. PAUL (BEAT) You might want to call . your parents. JAMES TURNS TO MICHAEL, IMPLORING. MICHAEL PUTS A FATHERLY HAND ON HIS SHOULDER. MICHAEL You can use my office. JAMES AND PAUL GO OFF. MIKE CROSSES THE OTHER WAY STOPS IN FRONT OF THE TV WHERE THE STAFF IS WATCHING LOCAL NEWS. STUART This guy’s killing us, Mike. ANGLE ON TV WHERE CARTER HEYWOOD, A HANDSOME YOUNG BLACK MAN IS SPEAKING TO A REPORTER. CARTER (ON TV)}— -- No, this wasn’t just a "slight" to the gay community. We consider it to be symptomatic of a hostile and repressive administration. And, until we see significant changes we're going to harass and haunt the Mayor at every turn. We're going to make his life difficult for the next four years and make sure there aren’t four years after that. (LOOKING AT CAMERA) What do you people have to say about that? MICHAEL What do I say? You’'re hired. lYour desk is over there. I love you.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 FROM MIKE'S OFFICE. JAMES Mike I can’'t go through with this. I'm not going to do it. MICHAEL Relax you’'re not gay anymore. MICHAEL EXTTS, JAMES, TO JOHN-JACK, STANDING NEAR. JAMES As if anyone would believe that I'm gay. JOHN-JACK I'm gay. JAMES Hey I’'ve been there, man. CUT TO:

"SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 ACT (o] SCENE P INT. BACKSTAGE - DAY SHADOWY, MURKY. MICHAEL No, no this is not a publicity scam. CARTER So you’'re trying to tell me that if I took this job it help you guys out of a spot. MICHAEL I would never tell you that. You’re too smart. CARTER émarter than you, anyway. MICHAEL Bottom line, Carter. Where do you think you’re going to accomplish more? Standing outside and throwing rocks at us through the press? Or coming inside where you’'ll have a real place at the table and a real opportunity to influence policy? MICHAEL IS THERE WITH CARTER HEYWOOD.

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 CARTER You know you control me. —~ MICHAEL We’'ll have that written into your contract. CARTER You can put it right after the "I'm smarter than you" section. MICHAEL Look, I'm not trying to pressure you. I know this is a big decision. But, I'm looking for a yes or no. And, I'm it now. CARTER Yes. MICHAEL All right, then. Step this way. MIKE USHERS CARTER THROUGH THE CURTAIN. BRIGHT LIGHTS - CAMERAS FLASH. A PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS. . - CONTINUQUS AS MICHAEL AND CARTER COME OUT, THE MAYOR IS AT THE PODIUM. MAYOR .So, with those qualifications it’s easy to understgnd why I've hand picked Mr. be this administration’s liaison to the gay community. In addition he will head up a team that will (MORE)

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 52. P - MAYOR (CONT'D) r concentrate on minority issues. . - Glad to have you aboard, Carter. HE HOLDS OUT HIS HAND TO SHAKE. CARTER GIVES MICHAEL A "LOOK," SMALL SMILE THEN SHAKES THE MAYOR’S HAND AND STEPS UP TO THE PODIUM. MICHAEL MOVES OFF STAGE. CARTER I’'1ll be happy to take some guestions. THE REPORTERS BEGIN SHOUTING QUESTIONS AND SNAPPING PICTURES. ANGLE ON: MIKE AND ASHLEY OFF TO THE SIDE. ASHLEY Very impressive. = MICHAEL The guy’s for real. We ended up e in the right place. ASHLEY Great. I'd hate to see all that treachery and deceit go .unrewarded. MICHAEL Yeah, me too. NIKKI, JAMES, STUART AND PAUL SLIDE OVER. NIKKI (TO MIKE AND ASHLEY) You guys want to meet up with us for drinks? MICHAEL Not sure. We might not be dating anymore.

r ~ N PILOT 3/6/96 TURNS AWAY. JAMES Okay. See ya if it works out. PAUL (TO STUART AS THEY LEAVE) We're really meeting at right? STUART Yes. PAUL ‘Cause I went there the other night and you guys never showed. STUART (EXASPERATED) Are you really that insecure? MIKE GOES TO ASHLEY. MICHAEL So, you want to go have a beer? Or, you want to break up? ASHLEY You can’t stop can you? You're always so glib. MICHAEL I'm hoping glib means charming and lovable. (BEAT) I was glib again wasn't I? ASHLEY See ya. SHE STARTS TO GO. w

) "SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL Wait a second... . - ASHLEY What? MICHAEL I uh,.. That is... Well,.. Why is this so hard? They're just words. Put ‘em together. You’'re good with words. ASHLEY Are you done? MICHAEL (LOOKING RIGHT AT HER) I want you to move in with me. I know you already have. But, I mean for real. I would really like it. ASHLEY Like what? MICHAEL I'd like it if we lived together. ASHLEY (SMILE) Okay. MICHAEL (SMILE) Okay, then. (BEAT) So, you’ll keep your old apartment? ASHLEY Michael, I can’t...

) "SPIN" - PILOT THEY LAUGH. 3/6/96 MICHAEL (COVERING HIS EARS) ASHLEY GIVES HIM A QUICK KISS THEN. ASHLEY See you at home. TO:

) ‘ "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT TWO SCENE S INT. MCSORLEY'S PUB - NIGHT PAUL SITS ALONE AT A BIG TABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CROWDED BAR. WAITRESS Are you sure you don’t want to order yet? PAUL I'm all right. WAITRESS Not even a drink? PAUL No, no my friends’ll be here any minute. .. THE WAITRESS WALKS AWAY, PAUL SITS, SMILING, FOR A LONG BEAT UNTIL FINALLY HE PUTS HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE TABLE. MOANS. CUT TO:

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 ACT TW SCENE T EXT. CITY HALI STEPS - NIGHT THE MAYOR AND MIKE COME DOWN THE STAIRS MIKE CARRIES A BRIEFCASE. MAYOR (OFF WOMAN IN CROWD) Who's that woman in the red coat? I know her. Don’t stare. MICHAEL Janice Glassman. Head of The Women'’'s Caucus. Big Met Supporter. MAYOR (WAVING) Hey, Janice. JANICE Mr. Mayor. MAYOR We fill that hole at shortstop, get one good lefty in the bullpen we bring that pennant home this year. JANICE (CONFUSED) Uh, okay, right. SfiE GETS IN A CAB AND GOES. MICHAEL Met supporter, as in Metropolitan (MORE)

/’*). "SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MICHAEL (CONT'D) Museum of Art. - MAYOR Hey, she doesn’t like baseball I don’'t want her vote. MICHAEL HOLDS BRIEFCASE OPEN POINTS. MICHAEL Notes for the borough president’s breakfast tomorrow. Low income housing proposal. And a lot of other stuff you’ll never read. HE HANDS BRIEFCASE TO THE MAYOR. MICHAEL (CONT'D) I'm going to go back in and try Sabatino one more time. MAYOR Mike, it’s a strike. no quick fix there. Let it rest. Now, let me tell you what you're gonna do tonight. You’re going to go home get that pretty girlfriend of yours and you’'re going to go down to Union Square Cafe and have dinner there on my tab. Not including drinks. MICHAEL I

"SPIN" PILOT 3/6/96 MAYOR The city’s not going -to fall apart because you take one night off. I mean it probably will but, it will anyway . CAR PULLS UP. MICHAEL Okay. Whatever you say. MAYOR One more thing. think I‘'m going to march in that parade on Sunday. MICHAEL (DEAD-PAN) Wonderful. MAYOR I've been talking to Carter and a couple of his friends. Nice group of fellas. 1It’d bother me if I MICHAEL You have any ideas on how you want me to deal with the backlash? Between this now, and the garbage strike... We've got budget problems, schools are... MAYOR (INTERRUPTS) Michael. A LIMO PULLS UP. MICHAEL What?

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 MAYOR It's not my problem. . THE MAYOR WINKS AT MIKE GETS IN, THE CAR PULLS AWAY . FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWOQ

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 TAG INT. APARTMENT - DAY THEY'RE IN THE BEDROOM IT’'S REDECORATED - A DECIDELY LAURA ASHLEY FEELING. MICHAEL No, no I like it. ASHLEY You sure? MICHAEL Yes, yes it has a certain Charles Dickens devil-may-care early victorian strawberry jam thing working for it. ASHLEY What are you talking about? MICHAEL I don‘t know. I hate it. But who cares? I don’t spend a lot of time here anyway. ASHLEY Okay, and whatever you do don't let the cat out. ‘Cause he’ll just diséppear. MICHAEL So, you're saying we have a cat? ASHLEY Yep. 61. TAG

"SPIN" - PILOT 3/6/96 62. TAG — SHE KISSES HIM AND EXITS. MICHAEL CROSSES TO THE WINDOW OPENS IT r LEANS OUT. MICHAEL Hey kid. Yeah you. I'm gonna need that back. FADE OUT. END OF SHOW