'A Bad Dream Gets Real' (Unaired Pilot) by Roger Damon Price

SCENE 1 - KEVIN’S BEDROOM

(Slowly the camera pans across the room showing dirty clothes on the floor, an electric torch, and finally a boy (KEVIN) in bed listening to a radio through headphones)

CAPTION:
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1.22 AM GMT

VOICEOVER:
Teddington, a suburb of London, England.

RADIO ANNOUNCER:
And the time is 1.22 in the A.M. and you are listening to 106.3, the station that plays the best night time music for all you people listening out there.

(Kevin removes his headphones and rolls over)


SCENE 2 - HALL

(Looking out from a stage towards an audience, past the feet of a girl dancing)

CAPTION:
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA, 8.23 PM EST

VOICEOVER:
Winter Springs, Florida, USA, 8.23 PM Eastern Standard Time.

(Cut to: view of three girls dancing on stage, and then Cut to: backstage. Several women are signalling to the girls on stage telling them to smile, etc. Camera closes in on a girl in a pink dress (LISA) and her mother (MRS DAVIS))

LISA:
Mother, if any of my friends are out there in the audience, I'll be dead meat tomorrow at school. Dead meat, Mother.

MRS. DAVIS:
Don't worry, Lisa.

LISA:
Mother, please, I'm not your little girl anymore. I'm fifteen.

MRS. DAVIS:
I know, but you can still be my little star.

(Cut to: girls dancing and then to backstage again)

LISA:
I can't do this. I'll feel ridiculous. I'll never remember the words to this song.

MRS. DAVIS:
You'll be fine. You'll be wonderful. One of the judges tonight is a real Hollywood producer!

LISA:
Mother, the only thing he produces in Hollywood are commercials for dog food. The only actors in them are dogs.

MRS. DAVIS:
Yes, it's a great opportunity for you.

LISA:
(Under breath) Oh god.

(Cut to: stage, as the girls who are dancing finish. The audience is applauding. Lisa's nerve fails completely)

MRS. DAVIS:
You're on.

LISA:
Mom, I can't do this. I'm too scared.

(Lisa’s mother pushes her onto the stage, where she bumps into the microphone, almost falls and the paper containing the words to her song, scatter across the stage. She grabs the microphone for support as the audience begins to laugh. She knocks the microphone off its stand and then replaces it. The laughter continues. A strange lightning like field envelopes her and she disappears. Stunned silence for a second and then the audience begins to applaud. Cut to: backstage, where her mother has a stunned expression on her face. Another women leans towards her)

WOMAN:
What a great illusion. It's better than David Copperfield. How does she do it?

MRS. DAVIS:
(In a very quiet voice) I don't know. She was supposed to sing.

(Mrs Davis faints)


SCENE 3 - THE SEA

(Underwater. We see Lisa fall into the water from above. She swims to the surface and we can see land in the distance behind her)


OPENING TITLES


SCENE 4 - KEVIN’S BEDROOM

(Kevin is in bed. He writhes around and kicks off the covers. The strange electric field envelops him and he disappears. We then see him from above plummeting into the sea from a great height. He surfaces near Lisa. It becomes obvious that Kevin cannot swim. Lisa begins pulling Kevin towards shore and ultimately onto a tropical beach. Where they lie getting their breath back)

KEVIN:
Thanks, I don't think I'd have made it on my own.

LISA:
That's OK. Anyhow, my name's Lisa. Lisa Davis. Even in dreams, I think people should introduce themselves.

KEVIN:
OK. My name's Kevin. Kevin Wilson. Is this America? I've got a friend who's American, but I've never had any dreams about America before.

LISA:
To tell you the truth, I really don't know where we are but I don't think this is any place in America, and I've got news for you. This isn't your dream. It's mine.

KEVIN:
It can't be. I was in bed -

LISA:
It is. It's my dream. Slap me.

KEVIN:
What?

LISA:
Hit me. Slap me so I'll wake up.

KEVIN:
Don't be stupid. You saved my life. You don't need to wake up. You're in my dream.

LISA:
So then it won't hurt me. Slap me. Go on. Slap me. Hit me.

(Kevin taps Lisa on cheek)

LISA:
No, like this.

(Lisa slaps Kevin. The field envelops him and he disappears leaving a shimmering electrical field in the sand. Lisa runs her hand through the field. She starts running through the trees. A boy (ADAM) appears in front of her)

LISA:
No, just leave me alone. I just want to wake up.

ADAM:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Adam - Adam Newman.

(He holds out his hand. Lisa takes it hesitantly)

LISA:
I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that I'm tired of this dream, that's all.

ADAM:
I hate to tell you but it's not a dream or a nightmare. Look, I think what's happening to you is, well it's a little like what the old Australian Abo's call the Dreamtime. But you're not asleep. I mean, you are here. On this island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. By your accent, I'd say you're American, right?

LISA:
Yeah, but how did you -

ADAM:
That's kind of confusing. There's a place nearby where you can take a shower, get cleaned up if you like. Let's go.

(He puts his arm around Lisa and they teleport together)


SCENE 5 - KEVIN’S BEDROOM

(Kevin's bedroom. An alarm clock is sounding. Kevin's hand comes into view and he turns it off. We can hear his mother (KEVIN'S MOTHER) outside his room)

KEVIN’S MOTHER:
Kevin, wake up. Get up now.

KEVIN:
(From under covers) OK, OK, I'm up.

(Kevin's Mother enters room)

KEVIN’S MOTHER:
Every night, I have to nag you to go to bed, and every morning I have to come in and tell you again and again to get up.

(She pulls back the covers and sees sand and water in the bed)

KEVIN’S MOTHER:
Look at that mess!

KEVIN:
What mess?

KEVIN’S MOTHER:
How could you go to bed in that filthy state? And what's that awful smell? What have you been up to?


SCENE 6 - INT. SPACESHIP

(A cave like room. We can see Lisa climbing down a ladder into the room followed by Adam, who perches halfway up the ladder. Lisa is now wearing shorts and aTt-shirt)

LISA:
So this - whatever it is we're in. You're telling me we transmitted ourselves like radio waves, like faxes, from the beach to here?

ADAM:
Yep. You see, you and I are both teleporters, We're people who can disappear from one spot and reappear in another.

(Lisa is exploring the cave)

LISA:
And this place we've reappeared - it's about a hundred feet underground?

ADAM:
Yeah, it's almost directly beneath the beach where I found you.

LISA:
So is this a submarine or what? I mean, it seems really strange - out of this world.

ADAM:
Lisa, it is out of this world. It's an alien spaceship that was left here thousands of years ago for people like us to find.

LISA:
People like us. What do you mean?

ADAM:
Well, the ship says we're the next stage of human evolution. It calls us the people of tomorrow. The future people. The Tomorrow People. Yeah, well at least that's what I think it's saying.


SCENE 7 - STREET

(A bus draws up to a bus stop, where Kevin is waiting. He boards the bus, and sits down next to a red headed boy (MEGABYTE) who is playing a video game, banging him in the head with his schoolbag as he does so)

KEVIN:
Megabyte.

MEGABYTE:
Kevin.

KEVIN:
We've always been good friends, haven't we?

MEGABYTE:
Oh listen Kev, whatever it is, it's not my problem, and if it's money, I don't have any more to give you.

KEVIN:
I don't want money - as if you've got any. Do you know a girl called Lisa Davis?

MEGABYTE:
No, why? Should I?

KEVIN:
Well, she's American -

MEGABYTE:
Is she pretty?

KEVIN:
Yeah, I think so.

MEGABYTE:
Oh wicked! Come on, you can introduce us. What do you think, Kev?

KEVIN:
I can't - I don't know where she lives.

MEGABYTE:
Oh, jeez!

KEVIN:
I think she lives in America.

MEGABYTE:
Kevin, you're a waste of space.

KEVIN:
I'm only telling you about her because I know you're interested in dreams and parasites and stuff.

MEGABYTE:
No, no. It's dreams and parapsychology and stuff, Kevin. Telepathy and things like that.

(The bus stops at a bus stop. A group of schoolgirls begins to get on. The scene cuts back to Kevin and Megabyte)

KEVIN:
You see, this American girl in my dream last night. She slapped me. You can still see the mark on my face.

MEGABYTE:
What? You got that in your dream?

(A big guy (HULK) and a slightly smaller one (RAY) are pushing their way through the queue onto the bus)

KEVIN:
Then we were on the beach together, and when I woke up I was all wet and smelt a bit of fish and I was all covered in -

(Megabyte laughs)

MEGABYTE:
That's not parapsychology, Kevin. That's puberty. Hormones, zits, cooties, it happens to us all. Ha ha ha. Hormones, Kevin, hormones.

(The two bullies come up to Kevin and Megabyte)

RAY:
Oi, you, maggots, out of our seats.

MEGABYTE:
Oh oh - them again.

KEVIN:
This isn't your seat. We were here first.

RAY:
If I say it's our seat, maggot, it's our seat.

(He clicks his fingers and Hulk lifts Kevin out of his seat)

MEGABYTE:
Hey, let go of him.

RAY:
You're next maggot.

(Hulk bangs Kevin's head against roof of the bus. Kevin teleports away. People scream. The bus screeches to a halt)


SCENE 8 - THE SEA

(Kevin is in the sea fighting with an octopus. Teleports back to bus with octopus. Throws it at Ray)

RAY:
Get it off, get it off.


SCENE 9 - BUS

(Kevin and Megabyte leap off the bus and run away)


SCENE 10 - INT. SPACESHIP

ADAM:
Now when the ship talks. Well, I guess it doesn't really talk, it sort of thinks thoughts that drift in and out of your mind. It's like when other people are talking, and you're only half awake. Anyway, it goes on to tell how it was left here thousands of years ago, before the earth moved and the seas rose. Now the beacon thing that draws us here when we teleport used to be on the land. It's under the sea now. That's why when you arrived, you ended up in the water.

LISA:
Are there any other . . . Tomorrow People like us?

ADAM:
Yeah, there will be. More and more.

LISA:
(Almost to herself) Kevin.


SCENE 11 - MEGABYTE’S HOME

(Megabyte's home. This place is very nicely furnished and very large)

MEGABYTE:
Wait here. I'll go and get you a towel so you can take a shower. And don't touch anything, OK.

KEVIN:
I always say you've got the most amazing house, Megabyte.

MEGABYTE:
Yeah, and now I got it all to myself. My dad, ah, went on a business trip, who knows where? My sister and my mom went to Scotland to watch some stupid ballet.

KEVIN:
I nearly drowned back there. The sea, why do I keep nearly drowning in the sea?

(Turns on TV - ‘Count Duckula’ is on. He sits down in a couch)

KEVIN:
What's happening to me, Megabyte? What's wrong with me?

MEGABYTE:
Well Kev, I've read a lot of books about this sort of thing, and what I think it is. Kev, yeah, what I think it is, is you're a teleporter. KEVIN (his eyes glued to the TV) I don't watch any more television than anyone else.

MEGABYTE:
No, no. You see, a teleporter is someone that disappears from one place and reappears somewhere else.

KEVIN:
There's no such thing.

MEGABYTE:
What are you talking about? Of course there is! How can you be saying such a thing, Kev? You know what you did, and I know what you did. I saw you do it. Oh, you're hopeless. Go take a shower.

(Megabyte throws a towel at Kevin. Kevin gets up and we can see water marks on couch)

MEGABYTE:
Now look what you've done!


SCENE 12 - INT. SPACESHIP

LISA:
So are we some sort of superbeings or what?

ADAM:
Well, I don't know about that. We're just the next stage of human evolution, I think. Superbeing! Sounds a bit stuck up, a bit pretentious, doesn't it?

LISA:
Well, I really don't look that good in tights anyhow.

ADAM:
You know, the spaceship says we have a duty.

LISA:
Oh wait, whenever my mom uses the word duty, she always means doing something you don't want to do. So, what does this spaceship of yours say our duty is then?

ADAM:
To stop the world from being destroyed. Well, keep it safe until there are enough Tomorrow People like us to make it a better place.

LISA:
Oh, is that all? And once we've done that can we go home?


SCENE 13 - MEGABYTE’S HOME

(Megabyte's house. Megabyte waves money at Kevin who is now wearing a bathrobe. Megabyte puts the money on the floor)

MEGABYTE:
OK, Kev. The money's yours if you can do it! Just teleport from there to here. It's just a couple of feet, OK.

(Kevin strains)

MEGABYTE:
Come on, come on. Try, try harder. Come on, COME ON!

(Kevin jumps over and picks up the money)

MEGABYTE:
No! Hey, what are you doing, no. Come on Kev, this is serious.

KEVIN:
Oh, it's no use. And we're already really late for school.

MEGABYTE:
School, who cares about school? Kev, you're the most important discovery since, since, I don't know, since Columbus first discovered America, and all you can think about is (in English accent) "We're going to be late for school". Give me a break.

(Kevin looks at TV screen. A news program is on and we can see Lisa's picture)

KEVIN:
That's Lisa!

MEGABYTE:
Who?

KEVIN:
Lisa, turn it up!

(Megabyte grabs the remote control and increases the volume)

NEWSCASTER:
(Speaking over amateur video footage of Lisa's teleport on screen) It was in Florida, last night, in front of an audience this fifteen-year-old apparently vanished into thin air and has not been seen since. An amateur cameraman recorded the scene and according to our experts the video tape is genuine. This is not a conjuring trick.

MEGABYTE:
We have to go there.

KEVIN:
What?

MEGABYTE:
We got to go to Florida.


SCENE 14 - HALL

(The hall Lisa vanished from. On the stage we can see four pylons framing a dummy. Lightning arcs between the pylons. We see two men (GALT and MASTERMAN) standing at a control panel wearing dark protective glasses. We can see a huge man (BIG MAN) eating. The dummy explodes)

GALT:
No, no, no, no!

(Galt walks over to a second control panel)

GALT:
Um, look I'm sorry about that Colonel Masterman, I mean, Mister Masterman. Slightly too much power again, but I'll make some more adjustments and next time it will be fine. It's unfamiliar equipment, you see. It was designed by the KGB for mind control. Obviously now that they're all for freedom and democracy and capitalism they don't need mind control any more, so they sold it to us.


SCENE 15 - MEGABYTE’S HOME

(Megabyte is using a laptop computer)

KEVIN:
We can't just go to America.

MEGABYTE:
Sure we can. My dad installed this travel program in his computer so he could book us tickets anytime he liked. And I know just how to use it.

KEVIN:
But my mum? We can't just go flying off. What do I tell her?

MEGABYTE:
Ah, well. Hey, you've stayed over here for the weekend before, haven't you?. Today's Friday, remember. We'll be back by Monday morning. Don't worry about it.


SCENE 16 - HALL

(The hall. Galt finishes adjusting dials on a panel)

GALT:
There. Now when she teleports back into that she'll be trapped and then we'll have her. Well, you'll have her, Mister Masterman.

MASTERMAN:
If it doesn't barbecue her first or she doesn't just teleport right back again.

GALT:
Oh no, no, no, no. That's quite impossible. You see, the energy field disorientates the minds sense of orientation and um, no one can find their way out of there. And I'm sure that she won't be able to teleport out either.

MASTERMAN:
You'd better be right this time, Galt.

GALT:
Well, um, as I said we are contending with a learning curve situation here.

MASTERMAN:
Make it work, Professor.

GALT:
Um, we must allow for the slight possibility, the remote possibility that um, she may not actually teleport back here.

MASTERMAN:
In every case we know about all around the world, the kids have always reappeared in exactly the same place they disappeared from. And we've got to get hold of one.


SCENE 17 - MEGABYTE’S HOME

MEGABYTE:
Eh. There we go. I've booked us two tickets to Florida on the next flight which leaves in 2 hours and 40 minutes. We'd better hurry.

KEVIN:
Isn't that kind of like stealing?

MEGABYTE:
No, not really. I used some of my dads Frequent Flyer points. But don't worry. He won't notice. Here we go.

(Megabyte takes passport from drawer)

MEGABYTE:
He never notices anything I do. I'll go pack us some stuff.

(He puts his passport on a bench. Kevin picks it up and opens it)

KEVIN:
Marmaduke! That's really your name? Marmaduke, Marmaduke, Marmaduke, Marmaduke . . .

MEGABYTE:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, OK, OK. Now you know how much my parents hate me to give me a name like that. Oh no, how are we going to get your passport? We don't have enough time.

KEVIN:
I don't have a passport. We never go anywhere except Wales. So I guess that's it then. Good idea.

MEGABYTE:
No, wait a sec. My sister and I got our passports almost five years ago. The pictures don't look anything like us. Hey, that's it - you can go as my sister.

KEVIN:
No! No!

MEGABYTE:
Oh, come on, just for the flight.

KEVIN:
No!

MEGABYTE:
You can wear her dress.

KEVIN:
NO!


SCENE 18 - AIRPORT

(Foyer of an airport. Megabyte and Kevin (who is wearing a dress) are walking towards the camera. An elderly lady bends down and pinches Kevin's cheek, then walks off)

KEVIN:
Megabyte, I'm going to kill you for making me wear this dress, and that old lady who pinched my cheek and called me a darling little girl. Oh, this has got to be the worst day of my life.

MEGABYTE:
It got you past immigration and into the United States. Quit complaining. You can change right now while I go and find out about cabs and buses. The bathrooms are over there.

KEVIN:
I just want to get out of this stupid dress. Megabyte, which one should I use?

MEGABYTE:
Oh. I don't know, you ought to go in one and come out the other. You decide, Kevin. I'm going to see about transport.

(Kevin walks to the doors of the public bathrooms. He heads towards the Ladies and stops as a woman walks out. He then heads towards the Gents and stops as a large man dressed in biker gear walks out. Kevin stands between the two doors looking miserable)


SCENE 19 - INT. TAXI

(Kevin and Megabyte in taxi, driving down freeway. We can see Kevin is getting changed in the back of the taxi)


SCENE 20 - INT. SPACESHIP

LISA:
My mother must be going crazy with worry. I really ought to get back and see her. Can I go back home? I mean, you said, Kevin probably went back to his home after he teleported from the beach.

ADAM:
Yeah, he'll have gone right back to wherever he came from. It's easy for us to do but teleporting somewhere else is not so easy, and it's pretty dangerous too. I mean you might rematerialise fifty feet in the air or inside a brick wall.

LISA:
Hang on, but you teleported out to the beach and we both teleported back here.

ADAM:
Yeah, well that's because I've had lots and lots of practice.

LISA:
So what are you saying, that I can't go back home?

ADAM:
Yeah, of course you can go home. That's one of the advantages of being able to teleport.

LISA:
Good, so I can go now.

ADAM:
Whenever you want. But your best bet would be to teleport right back to wherever you came from. I mean, you can always teleport back here whenever you want. The beacon'll guide you.

LISA:
And land me in the sea, again.

ADAM:
'Fraid so. Well, at least till you get the hang of it, anyway.


SCENE 21 - EXT. HALL

(Taxi pulling up outside hall)

MEGABYTE:
Yeah, this is the place. St Andrews church hall where she vanished from.

(They get out of cab)

MEGABYTE:
Here you go, keep the change.

CAB DRIVER:
Yo, little boy, you forgot your pretty dress.

KEVIN:
Keep it!

(Galt is once again adjusting his equipment as Kevin and Megabyte enter the hall)

KEVIN:
Crikey, what's that?

MEGABYTE:
Uh oh.

GALT:
What are you boys doing in here? No one's allowed in here. Get out of here.

KEVIN:
Keep your hair on. We're just looking for a friend. You haven't seen her, have you?

(Megabyte claps hand on Kevin's mouth)

MEGABYTE:
Sorry sir, sorry to bother you.

MASTERMAN:
No, wait!

(Kevin and Megabyte start running)

MASTERMAN:
Get them! Bring those boys back here.

(Outside the hall, we see Kevin and Megabyte running away pursued by Masterman and the Big Man, both of whom are wearing guns. The two men approach a pile of garbage on either side and circle it. They then seem to give up as if they have lost the boys. We see a close up of two garbage cans. The lids lift and we can see Kevin and Megabyte peering out from under them)

KEVIN:
Megabyte.

MEGABYTE:
Shhhh!

KEVIN:
I think they've gone. Now's our chance.

(The two boys are plucked out of their garbage cans by the Big Man who holds them up by their collars)


SCENE 22 - INT. SPACESHIP

ADAM:
Now, be careful. Because we do have enemies out there. Powerful ones.

LISA:
Why? What have they got against us?

ADAM:
With our special powers, they consider us a threat. They'd like to use us for their own purpose.


SCENE 23 - HALL

MEGABYTE:
Let go of me, you stupid gorilla. Let go.

MASTERMAN:
What's happening? Something's coming in.

(Lisa appears in trap. She starts screaming as the electricity envelopes her)

MASTERMAN:
Hold her, professor, hold her.

KEVIN:
Lisa.

MEGABYTE:
Teleport, Kevin, teleport.

KEVIN:
I'm trying, I'm trying.

MEGABYTE:
Concentrate Kevin, come on.

(Kevin teleports away. The Big Man drops Megabyte in shock)

MASTERMAN:
What the -

(Megabyte runs towards machinery)

MASTERMAN:
Get him!

(Slow motion scene of Megabyte dodging Masterman and the Big Man, picking up a chair and leaping towards Galt's machinery which he smashes. It explodes into a shower of sparks, and the electricity enveloping Lisa stops)

MEGABYTE:
Teleport, Lisa, Teleport!

LISA:
Who are you?

MEGABYTE:
Who cares! Just teleport!

MASTERMAN:
Grab her, Galt! Stop!

(Lisa teleports away. Galt and Masterman collide into each other as they arrive at the point she was standing)

MEGABYTE:
Yes!

MASTERMAN:
No!

(Big Man grabs Megabyte by the collar)

MEGABYTE:
Oh, oh!

GALT:
Well, at least we got one of them.

MEGABYTE:
No, not me. You've got the wrong kid!

[CLOSING CREDITS]



Kristian Scmid (Adam), Stephen Pollard (Kevin), Kristen Ariza (Lisa), Christian Terrier (Megabyte), Hugh Quarshie (Professor Galt), Ted Decker (Masterman), Linda Goens (Mrs. Davis), Callum Dixon (Ray), Tom Kerridge (Hulk), Eryl Maynard (Kevin's Mother), Sally McLaren (Newscaster), Jeff Farmer (Big Man)

Directed by Lorne Magory

TX:
N/A - Unaired Pilot

Notes:
*Introducing Adam, Lisa, Kevin and Megabyte