May 18, 2011

Seinfeld Spec Scene

Note: I wrote this a long time ago before learning proper television formatting.

If you want to write for television, you often need a spec script - a sample of a script for an existing television series that you wrote to demonstrate your abilities to construct a coherent story and dialogue.  I chose to write a spec script for Seinfeld.  Here is a sample scene.













INT. JERRY’S APT.

[Jerry stands in his kitchen with the phone to his ear. George sits silently on the couch reading a magazine.]

Jerry: Are you trying to tell me that I ate three helpings of dog meat?  I thought it was corned beef hash!... Why didn’t you tell me?... Well of course I wouldn’t have eaten it if I knew if was dog meat!  I wish you would have told me! Aaah, forget it!

[Jerry hangs up.]

George: What was that all about?

Jerry: It was my mother, lying about meat products again.

George: The last person who lied about meat to me was that hooker in Times Square, I should have known that wasn’t a bratwurst in her pocket.  Turns out it was a penis (snort laugh).

Jerry: So how did your date go with Lisa?

George: Not so good. She said the whole “bald thing” bothers her.  I told her I could wear a wig but she insisted that if it’s not my real hair then I am SHIT OUTTA LUCK!

[Elaine enters]

Elaine: Please tell me you have toilet paper.

Jerry: Sure, I got a whole bunch of Charmin, what’s wrong?

Elaine: Ugh, you would not BELIEVE how much diarrhea I’ve had today.  Just now as I was walking here I had to stop and drop a load in a KFC, only to find that there was…

Jerry: No Charmin?

Elaine: No Charmin.

George: Don’t tell me it was the KFC on 34th!

[Elaine looks guilty and ashamed]

Jerry: You mean to tell me you walked ten blocks completely unsanitary?... Unbelievable. 

George: What the fuck is wrong with you, why didn’t you just go into another bathroom?

[Frustrated, Elaine storms into the bathroom]

George: What got into her?

Jerry: I’m more concerned about what came out.

[Kramer bursts through the door, unlit cigar in hand]

Kramer: Jerry I got it!

Jerry: (Sarcastically) Oh boy, here we go.

Kramer: Hair Today, Here Tomorrow.

Jerry: What?

Kramer: It’s the name of my new business – get a load of this Jerry – a service where people can grow out their hair then cut it, send it to a wig company where they dye it any color you like and then get it sent back so they can have a wig of their own hair in the color they always wanted, it’s brilliant!

[Elaine walks out of the bathroom]

Kramer: Elaine, let me ask you a professional question…

Elaine: Sure.

Kramer: Does the carpet match the drapes?

Elaine: I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?

[Elaine strips down nude and strikes a pose]

Kramer: (Shocked) GIDDY UP!

Jerry: Oh for cryin’ out loud.

[George ponders then has an epiphany]

George: That’s it… I could turn my carpet into a wig and then Lisa would have no reason to object to me because it would be my real hair! 

[George stands up, excited]

George: Kramer you’re a genius!

Kramer: Well I wouldn’t argue with that (bites cigar and smiles).

END SCENE   


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