SCENES
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Scene Map 58
# PG SLUGLINE
1 2
INT PENTAGON — SECURE BRIEFING ROOM — DAY
2 3
EXT PALO ALTO — RESIDENTIAL STREET — DAWN
3 5
INT BIOCORE LABORATORIES — MARCUS'S OFFICE — DAY
4 6
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
5 8
EXT LOS ALAMOS — TEST SITE — DAY
6 9
INT CHEN KITCHEN — PALO ALTO — EVENING
7 11
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
8 12
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — TYSONS CORNER — NIGHT
9 15
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — NIGHT
10 15
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — BULLPEN — NIGHT
11 16
EXT HIGHWAY 101 — MORNING
12 18
INT REYES HOUSE — LATER
13 19
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — NIGHT
14 20
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — EVENING
15 21
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS
16 22
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — SAME NIGHT
17 22
EXT ATLANTIC — OFF THE OUTER BANKS — DAWN
18 23
INT SFO — INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL — DAY
19 24
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — DAY
20 25
INT SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ROOM — MORNING
21 28
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — DAY
22 29
INT REYES HOUSE — MIA'S BEDROOM — DAY
23 30
INT REYES HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
24 31
INT WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
25 32
INT PITTSBURGH — PARK FAMILY HOME — DAY
26 34
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FAMILY ROOM — EVENING
27 36
INT CHEN HOUSE — PALO ALTO — NIGHT
28 37
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
29 38
INT KELLERMAN'S LAPTOP — VIDEO — FLASHBACK
30 39
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — DAY
31 40
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
32 43
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — SAME TIME
33 44
EXT HIGHWAY I-79 — CONSTRUCTION ZONE — DAY
34 45
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS
35 48
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — CONTINUOUS
36 49
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
37 50
EXT ALLEY — NIGHT
38 52
EXT MONTREAL — RESIDENTIAL STREET — NIGHT
39 52
INT MOVING VAN — LATER
40 53
EXT QUEBEC HIGHWAY — LATER THAT NIGHT
41 54
INT MOTEL ROOM — NIGHT
42 55
INT WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
43 56
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
44 59
INT WEBB HOUSE — CHAPEL HILL — DAY
45 60
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
46 63
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
47 65
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER
48 70
INT MELBOURNE — SUBURBAN HOME — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
49 71
INT MADRID — HIGH-RISE APARTMENT — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
50 72
INT REYKJAVIK SAFEHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
51 74
INT RURAL PORTUGUESE FARMHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
52 77
INT PITTSBURGH — SQUIRREL HILL DINER — NIGHT
53 78
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
54 80
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
55 82
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — 4:23 AM
56 87
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — 4:48 AM
57 87
INT WASHINGTON APARTMENT — 5:17 AM
58 90
EXT UNNAMED EUROPEAN CITY — CAFÉ — MORNING
INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
58
# PG SLUGLINE
1 2
INT PENTAGON — SECURE BRIEFING ROOM — DAY
INT. PENTAGON — SECURE BRIEFING ROOM — DAY
INT. PENTAGON — SECURE BRIEFING ROOM — DAY No windows. Fluorescent hum. Thirty-odd suits and uniforms watch a wall of screens. A WORLD MAP, marked red. Banking networks failing. Power grids collapsing. Air traffic blinking out over the Atlantic.
2 3
EXT PALO ALTO — RESIDENTIAL STREET — DAWN
EXT. PALO ALTO — RESIDENTIAL STREET — DAWN
EXT. PALO ALTO — RESIDENTIAL STREET — DAWN A quiet block. Jacarandas. A gray VAN at the curb. Unmarked. Tinted windows. Been there awhile. INT. VAN — CONTINUOUS Two men. MSS. The passenger lifts a long-lens camera. Aims at
3 5
INT BIOCORE LABORATORIES — MARCUS'S OFFICE — DAY
INT. BIOCORE LABORATORIES — MARCUS'S OFFICE — DAY
INT. BIOCORE LABORATORIES — MARCUS'S OFFICE — DAY Research Triangle, North Carolina. A glass office. Framed photos: wife, two teenagers. Behind them, a boy in a hospital gown. Twelve years old. Smiling. DR. MARCUS WEBB, 51, on a video call. Tie loose. Tired in the
4 6
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY Monitors. A reclined chair. A neural interface cap. A PATIENT in the chair — late 30s, shaved head, Army discharge in her open bag. DR. LISA PARK, 36, adjusts the cap with precision that looks
5 8
EXT LOS ALAMOS — TEST SITE — DAY
EXT. LOS ALAMOS — TEST SITE — DAY
EXT. LOS ALAMOS — TEST SITE — DAY Desert. Distant mountains. A concrete pad. In the center: a two-ton block of poured concrete, rebar exposed. A cluster behind a blast shield. DR. AHMED HASSAN, 44, beard close-trimmed, sleeves rolled, at a control panel. Safety
6 9
INT CHEN KITCHEN — PALO ALTO — EVENING
INT. CHEN KITCHEN — PALO ALTO — EVENING
INT. CHEN KITCHEN — PALO ALTO — EVENING Warm light. DR. SARAH CHEN, 39, leans over KEVIN CHEN, 10, at the kitchen table. Python on his laptop. SARAH What's wrong with it?
7 11
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT Sparse. Almost monastic. No photographs. A single framed diploma — GEORGETOWN, MATHEMATICS — hung like a punishment. Kellerman on the couch. Five manila folders fanned on the coffee table.
8 12
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — TYSONS CORNER — NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — TYSONS CORNER — NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — TYSONS CORNER — NIGHT An unmarked suite. No signage. A bullpen of twelve workstations. Screens glowing in the dark. At a raised console: MARCUS CHEN, 32. Sharp suit. Sharper eyes. Younger than anyone in the room. Second-ranking person
9 15
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — NIGHT Smaller than expected. Government-issue. No windows. A single framed photograph on the bookshelf, facing away. He sits without turning on the desk lamp. The bullpen light through the glass wall is enough.
10 15
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — BULLPEN — NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — BULLPEN — NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — BULLPEN — NIGHT Through the glass, Chen crosses to JUDITH VARGAS, 40s, three monitors. Oldest person on the floor. CHEN I need a supplementary file.
11 16
EXT HIGHWAY 101 — MORNING
EXT. HIGHWAY 101 — MORNING
EXT. HIGHWAY 101 — MORNING Traffic. A gray Honda Civic — four years old, car seat in back — in the middle lane. INT. NADIA'S CAR — CONTINUOUS NADIA at the wheel. Travel mug. NPR low. Hair still wet. The
12 18
INT REYES HOUSE — LATER
INT. REYES HOUSE — LATER
INT. REYES HOUSE — LATER The insulin cooler still on the counter. The coffee cup unwashed in the sink. Mia's drawing — the sunglasses sun — left on the kitchen table. An iPhone buzzes. Three times. Goes to voicemail.
13 19
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — NIGHT
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — NIGHT
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — NIGHT 10:47 PM. Most lights off. A cleaning cart in the corridor. LISA at her monitor. A sound behind her. The door. LISA (not turning)
14 20
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — EVENING
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — EVENING
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — EVENING A family home. Framed photographs. A tapestry from Baghdad. AHMED in the kitchen doorway. Just home. Tie loosened. He is smiling at a photo Yasmin sent him — when the front door behind him opens without being unlocked.
15 21
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FRONT HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS HOLD on Omar's face. We do not see what he sees. We see the light from the hallway on his face. We see his lips part. We see his breath stop. The gym bag falls from his shoulder. He does not drop it. His
16 22
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — SAME NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — SAME NIGHT
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — SAME NIGHT Station 3 and Station 4 green within ninety seconds of each other. VARGAS Station Three confirmed. Station
17 22
EXT ATLANTIC — OFF THE OUTER BANKS — DAWN
EXT. ATLANTIC — OFF THE OUTER BANKS — DAWN
EXT. ATLANTIC — OFF THE OUTER BANKS — DAWN Gray water. Gray sky. A thirty-two-foot charter — MARLIN DAY — cuts through chop, twenty-six miles out. MARCUS at the rail, holding a rod he has not cast.
18 23
INT SFO — INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL — DAY
INT. SFO — INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL — DAY
INT. SFO — INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL — DAY SARAH CHEN through security, wheeling a carry-on. On the phone. SARAH — be nice to Daddy, because Daddy's
19 24
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — DAY
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — DAY
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — DAY Five stations. Four green. One — STATION 5 — amber. VARGAS Station Five — subject acquired. In transit.
20 25
INT SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ROOM — MORNING
INT. SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ROOM — MORNING
INT. SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ROOM — MORNING A nondescript business hotel. Blackout curtains drawn. DANIEL CHEN, 41, in the chair by the desk. ER doctor's hands on his knees. Suit he flew in wearing.
21 28
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — DAY
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — DAY
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — DAY Chen in the doorway. CHEN The Chen husband is asking for the laptop.
22 29
INT REYES HOUSE — MIA'S BEDROOM — DAY
INT. REYES HOUSE — MIA'S BEDROOM — DAY
INT. REYES HOUSE — MIA'S BEDROOM — DAY Three days later. MIA on the floor in her black dress. She is drawing. On the page: two stick figures. Her mother. Herself. The sun in the corner has sunglasses.
23 30
INT REYES HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
INT. REYES HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
INT. REYES HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER Mourners. A folding table of food nobody is eating. CARMEN in an armchair by the window. ESTHER beside her. Holding Carmen's hand. ESTHER
24 31
INT WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY REBECCA WEBB, 48, at the sink. Shoes off. A glass of water in her hand, untouched. Her MOTHER arranges food into tupperware. REBECCA'S MOTHER
25 32
INT PITTSBURGH — PARK FAMILY HOME — DAY
INT. PITTSBURGH — PARK FAMILY HOME — DAY
INT. PITTSBURGH — PARK FAMILY HOME — DAY DR. JAMES PARK, 64, in an armchair. Watching the room. Holding tea he has not drunk. SUSAN PARK, 62, moves among guests. She has been crying for three days. She has stopped. She has work to do.
26 34
INT HASSAN HOUSE — FAMILY ROOM — EVENING
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FAMILY ROOM — EVENING
INT. HASSAN HOUSE — FAMILY ROOM — EVENING Women from the mosque in the kitchen. Cooking in quiet, efficient grief. LAYLA on the couch. YASMIN curled against her side, half- asleep. Omar upstairs — has not come down in two days.
27 36
INT CHEN HOUSE — PALO ALTO — NIGHT
INT. CHEN HOUSE — PALO ALTO — NIGHT
INT. CHEN HOUSE — PALO ALTO — NIGHT Framed photos on the hallway wall. A child's drawing of a robot on the fridge. A pot of cold soup somebody made. DANIEL at the kitchen table. Sarah's carry-on open. A folded sweater. Her conference badge. A novel with a bookmark
28 37
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT Kellerman alone. The muted TV painting him blue. On the kitchen counter: the flip phone. A scotch poured and untouched. The silver USB from the safe. And — new — a single sheet of paper.
29 38
INT KELLERMAN'S LAPTOP — VIDEO — FLASHBACK
INT. KELLERMAN'S LAPTOP — VIDEO — FLASHBACK
INT. KELLERMAN'S LAPTOP — VIDEO — FLASHBACK Grainy handheld. A kitchen in a small Norwegian apartment. Morning light through a high window. TARIQ SHAH — 52, physicist's hands, kind eyes — at a table. A coffee cup. A spiral notebook beside him. He is showing
30 39
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — DAY REBECCA at a desktop. SARAH over her shoulder. On the screen, a blog in progress. Working title: THINGS I DO NOT BELIEVE. SARAH I'm going to publish it tomorrow.
31 40
INT CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY
INT. CARNEGIE MELLON — LISA'S LAB — DAY RACHEL KIM at her workstation. Lab coat. Coffee. The normal hum. A notebook beside her. Three names: DR. STEVENS — 6th floor
32 43
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — SAME TIME
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — SAME TIME
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — SAME TIME A soft knock. VARGAS. VARGAS Director. Something you should flag.
33 44
EXT HIGHWAY I-79 — CONSTRUCTION ZONE — DAY
EXT. HIGHWAY I-79 — CONSTRUCTION ZONE — DAY
EXT. HIGHWAY I-79 — CONSTRUCTION ZONE — DAY A construction zone. Traffic slowing. Single file. Rachel sees the sedan in her mirror. The driver on a phone. Rachel touches her brakes. The sedan matches.
34 45
INT KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS
INT. KELLERMAN'S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS Kellerman and Chen alone. The glass wall. The bullpen watching through it. KELLERMAN
35 48
INT ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — CONTINUOUS
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — CONTINUOUS
INT. ARCHIVE OPERATIONS CENTER — CONTINUOUS KELLERMAN Marcus. He hands over the resignation. KELLERMAN (CONT'D)
36 49
INT KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT
INT. KELLERMAN'S APARTMENT — NIGHT Kellerman at his counter. Duffel bag packed — burner phone, passport with a name that is not his own, cash in three currencies, a second silver USB drive we have not seen. He sets them beside his glass.
37 50
EXT ALLEY — NIGHT
EXT. ALLEY — NIGHT
EXT. ALLEY — NIGHT He scans both ends. Empty. Walks three blocks. Does not look back. A pay phone outside a gas station. Puts in a quarter. KELLERMAN
38 52
EXT MONTREAL — RESIDENTIAL STREET — NIGHT
EXT. MONTREAL — RESIDENTIAL STREET — NIGHT
EXT. MONTREAL — RESIDENTIAL STREET — NIGHT Light snow. Outremont. Old stone duplexes. A small moving van at the curb. From a second-floor apartment, a woman emerges carrying a suitcase. She pauses at the top of the stoop.
39 52
INT MOVING VAN — LATER
INT. MOVING VAN — LATER
INT. MOVING VAN — LATER Jean-Pierre driving. Snow on the glass. LISA Jean-Pierre. JEAN-PIERRE
40 53
EXT QUEBEC HIGHWAY — LATER THAT NIGHT
EXT. QUEBEC HIGHWAY — LATER THAT NIGHT
EXT. QUEBEC HIGHWAY — LATER THAT NIGHT The van on rural highway. Snow heavier. Wipers working. Headlights behind. A pickup, moving fast. Too fast for the conditions. Jean-Pierre checks his mirror.
41 54
INT MOTEL ROOM — NIGHT
INT. MOTEL ROOM — NIGHT
INT. MOTEL ROOM — NIGHT A cheap motel off I-95. Kellerman on the edge of a stained bed. The burner in his hand. KELLERMAN Elias.
42 55
INT WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — KITCHEN — DAY REBECCA at her laptop. The blog has a hundred forty comments. Most are sympathy. Some are strange. CARMEN_47: My daughter's name was Nadia Reyes. She died on Highway 101 eight days before your father. She did not leave
43 56
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT Sparse. Elegant. Window view of the Capitol at night. ARENDT at her desk. Glasses on. The door opens. No knock. CHEN. ARENDT
44 59
INT WEBB HOUSE — CHAPEL HILL — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — CHAPEL HILL — DAY
INT. WEBB HOUSE — CHAPEL HILL — DAY Thursday. Gray low sky. Porch light on. A rental car. MICHAEL PARK steps out. Crosses up the path. CARMEN REYES on the porch. CARMEN
45 60
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS Four adults. REBECCA, LAYLA, CARMEN, MICHAEL. And SARAH, sixteen, in an armchair by the window. Timeline notes on the coffee table. Layla's legal pad. Michael's phone with screenshots of Rachel Kim's final email.
46 63
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS Rebecca has not moved. Layla standing. Michael standing. Carmen seated, very still. MICHAEL (low)
47 65
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER Kellerman in a straight-backed chair. The four adults. Sarah back on the stairs. His duffel on the floor. On the coffee table, Rebecca has placed — carefully — his pistol, ejected magazine beside it.
48 70
INT MELBOURNE — SUBURBAN HOME — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. MELBOURNE — SUBURBAN HOME — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. MELBOURNE — SUBURBAN HOME — NIGHT (INTERCUT) PHILIP NDLOVU, 50s, Zimbabwean-Australian, at a kitchen window. His son visible through a door, asleep. PHILIP David. You should not be calling
49 71
INT MADRID — HIGH-RISE APARTMENT — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. MADRID — HIGH-RISE APARTMENT — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. MADRID — HIGH-RISE APARTMENT — NIGHT (INTERCUT) CRISTINA ARAGON, 48, in a robe, glass of wine. Her phone. CRISTINA David. Tell me it is not what I think it is.
50 72
INT REYKJAVIK SAFEHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. REYKJAVIK SAFEHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. REYKJAVIK SAFEHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT) GRETA HALVORSEN, 52, in a cable-knit sweater, kitchen table. GRETA David.
51 74
INT RURAL PORTUGUESE FARMHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. RURAL PORTUGUESE FARMHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT)
INT. RURAL PORTUGUESE FARMHOUSE — NIGHT (INTERCUT) Thick walls. Low ceilings. A wood stove. YOSEF BOUZID, 60s, at a small table, reading by a single lamp. His phone buzzes. He looks. Not surprised. YOSEF
52 77
INT PITTSBURGH — SQUIRREL HILL DINER — NIGHT
INT. PITTSBURGH — SQUIRREL HILL DINER — NIGHT
INT. PITTSBURGH — SQUIRREL HILL DINER — NIGHT NORA REINHARDT, 40, in a rumpled blazer, at a booth. Notebook. Coffee. The bell. MICHAEL walks in. MICHAEL
53 78
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — NIGHT Arendt. Chen. ARENDT How many handlers are refusing the recall.
54 80
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — LATER Kellerman's burner buzzes. Elias. KELLERMAN Yes. He listens. His face changes. Very slightly.
55 82
INT WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — 4:23 AM
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — 4:23 AM
INT. WEBB HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — 4:23 AM Kellerman in the doorway. Burner in his hand. Legal pad on the kitchen island. All four names crossed off. KELLERMAN It's done.
56 87
INT HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — 4:48 AM
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — 4:48 AM
INT. HELEN ARENDT'S OFFICE — 4:48 AM Arendt at her window. The envelope open in her hand. Inside: a single sheet. Her handwriting. She reads it once, to herself. We do not see the words.
57 87
INT WASHINGTON APARTMENT — 5:17 AM
INT. WASHINGTON APARTMENT — 5:17 AM
INT. WASHINGTON APARTMENT — 5:17 AM A small studio in Columbia Heights. SOPHIE KELLERMAN, mid- twenties, dark hair, asleep. Phone buzzes. Once. Twice. Three. She reaches.
58 90
EXT UNNAMED EUROPEAN CITY — CAFÉ — MORNING
EXT. UNNAMED EUROPEAN CITY — CAFÉ — MORNING
EXT. UNNAMED EUROPEAN CITY — CAFÉ — MORNING Cobblestones. A narrow street. A bakery. A school on the corner. At a sidewalk café, a man alone. Coat against the spring
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

Where are They?

With a kill team two blocks away, a sixteen-year-old's blog converging five bereaved families, and a story breaking at dawn, a covert director has one night to return five living scientists to their families before his own agency buries the truth — and him — permanently. Other loglines ›

Take the Tour Download PDF
You're the showrunner. When a note flags a problem, take the problem seriously, but treat its fix as one option among many. You know what your story is going for. Take what serves it.

Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Proposition

A high-stakes geopolitical thriller told not from the perspective of the spies or the scientists, but from the shattered families left behind and the guilt-ridden bureaucrat who must undo his life's work.

AI Verdict

Click a reader's card to open their full review

OpenAI
 Recommend
Score 8.0
Grok
 Recommend
Score 7.5
Gemini
 Highly Recommend
Score 8.5
Claude
 Recommend
Score 8.3
DeepSeek
 Recommend
Score 8.3
Average Score: 8.1
Key Takeaways
For the Writer:
To elevate this script, focus on bolstering the endgame by introducing tangible friction and costs to the resolutions, ensuring character arcs like Kellerman's moral shift feel earned through earlier incremental developments. Preserve the script's strengths in tonal restraint and emotional specificity—such as the clinical vs. human contrast and silent moments—while addressing structural repetitions in the middle acts to maintain momentum and deepen reader investment in the families' stories. These adjustments will enhance the script's moral complexity and emotional payoff without compromising its distinctive voice.
For Executives:
This script offers strong value as a sophisticated, morally charged thriller with broad appeal for adult audiences, akin to high-end adaptations like 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', boasting emotional depth and procedural precision that could attract top talent. However, risks include pacing issues in the middle act and convenient plot resolutions that might undermine credibility and audience engagement if not addressed, potentially limiting commercial viability; market perception could be positive for festivals and streaming platforms, but revisions are needed to tighten the narrative and avoid alienating viewers with unresolved logic gaps.

How 5 AI Readers Scored The Script

Claude GPT5 Gemini DeepSeek Grok Average spread Row tint: weak mid strong excellent
Premise i
8.8
Plot i
8.0
Structure i
8.4
Character i
8.0
Dialogue i
8.2
Tone / Voice i
9.0
Theme i
8.8
Marketability i
7.8
Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 50% Thriller 60% Crime 40%

Setting: Contemporary, spanning several months, Various locations including the Pentagon, residential areas in Palo Alto, research facilities, and international settings

Themes: The Moral and Personal Cost of Covert Operations and Secrecy, The Fragility and Manipulation of Truth, The Enduring Strength and Complexity of Family Bonds, Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Ambiguity, The Quest for Truth and Justice, Identity and Transformation, The Interconnectedness of Global Powers and Their Influence, The Nature of Loss and Grief

Conflict & Stakes: The central conflict revolves around the ethical implications of a covert government program that has led to the disappearance of scientists, with personal stakes for the families involved and moral dilemmas for the operatives.

Mood: Somber and tense, with moments of introspection and urgency.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: A covert government program that manipulates the lives of scientists and their families, exploring the moral implications of such actions.
  • Plot Twist: The revelation that many characters believed to be dead are actually alive, complicating the narrative and emotional stakes.
  • Distinctive Setting: The juxtaposition of high-stakes government operations with intimate family dynamics across various locations.
  • Innovative Ideas: The exploration of ethical dilemmas in a contemporary context, blending thriller elements with deep emotional narratives.

Comparable Scripts: The Bourne Identity, Enemy of the State, The Manchurian Candidate, The Americans (TV Series), The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Constant Gardener, Snowden, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 8.14
Key Suggestions:
To strengthen the script's emotional core and narrative flow, focus on deepening character arcs for secondary characters like Marcus Chen and Sarah Webb by incorporating more backstory and internal conflicts, which will enhance relatability and engagement. Additionally, refine pacing by tightening scenes with excessive detail, ensuring that tension builds consistently and avoids audience disengagement, ultimately making the story more impactful and cohesive from a craft perspective.
> Go to Screenplay Insights
Story Critique

Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.

Key Suggestions:
The script excels in building tension and exploring emotional depths through its conspiracy thriller framework, but to enhance its craft, focus on tightening pacing for consistent engagement, reducing the character count to allow for deeper, more resonant arcs, and weaving exposition more organically into dialogue and actions. By prioritizing character motivations and emotional stakes, the narrative can achieve greater authenticity and impact, transforming potentially confusing elements into a compelling, streamlined story that captivates audiences on a personal level.
> Go to Story Critique
Characters

Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.

Key Suggestions:
The character analysis highlights strong foundational elements in the script's characters, but to elevate the narrative, focus on deepening emotional resonance and backstories. For instance, exploring internal conflicts and moral dilemmas in key characters like Kellerman and Rebecca can create more nuanced arcs, enhancing audience engagement and thematic depth. Additionally, incorporating suggestions for dialogue and relationship dynamics will help balance the thriller elements with heartfelt human experiences, making the story more relatable and impactful.
> Go to Characters
Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

Key Suggestions:
The script excels in building emotional depth and suspense but risks alienating audiences through uneven emotional pacing and a heavy reliance on negative emotions, leading to potential fatigue. To enhance its craft, focus on incorporating more varied emotional tones early on, such as brief moments of joy or humor, and deepen character empathy by adding subtle, personal details that humanize antagonists and explore cultural nuances, ensuring a more balanced and resonant narrative that sustains viewer engagement without overwhelming them.
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Goals and Philosophical Conflict

Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.

Key Suggestions:
The analysis reveals a compelling arc in the protagonist's goals and philosophical conflicts, but the early resolution of the core philosophical conflict at 70% may weaken the story's tension and thematic depth. To enhance the script, focus on extending this conflict into later acts, allowing for greater emotional stakes and a more gradual character transformation, which could make the narrative more gripping and resonant from a craft perspective.
> Go to Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Themes

Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.

Key Suggestions:
The script masterfully weaves themes of secrecy and moral cost, but to elevate its craft, focus on tightening the pacing in the middle acts where multiple character arcs intersect, ensuring that emotional beats land harder through subtler, more intimate moments of revelation. Additionally, enhancing the ambiguity in character motivations—particularly for figures like Kellerman—could deepen audience engagement and reinforce the ethical dilemmas, making the narrative more compelling and less predictable.
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Logic & Inconsistencies

Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.

Key Suggestions:
The script's inconsistencies and plot holes, such as abrupt character reversals and implausible operational details, disrupt narrative flow and audience immersion. To strengthen the story, focus on adding subtle foreshadowing for key shifts, clarifying logistical elements like forensic cover-ups, and ensuring character decisions feel organic, which will heighten tension and make the thriller more believable and emotionally resonant.
> Go to Logic & Inconsistencies

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice

Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.

Key Suggestions:
To enhance the script's creative depth, focus on amplifying the introspective elements and subtle emotional undercurrents, as seen in scenes like Scene 9. Consider refining dialogue to ensure it consistently reveals character motivations without becoming overly explicit, and explore opportunities to deepen the ethical dilemmas through more varied character perspectives, maintaining the voice's strength in concise, resonant storytelling to heighten audience engagement and emotional impact.
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Writer's Craft

Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.

Key Suggestions:
To improve this screenplay from a craft perspective, focus on enhancing dialogue subtext for richer emotional layers, refining pacing to maintain consistent tension, and deepening character development to create more relatable and arc-driven journeys. These adjustments will amplify the script's moral complexity and audience engagement, building on its strong foundation in tension and ethical dilemmas.
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Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
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Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
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World Building

Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.

Key Suggestions:
The script's world-building effectively creates a tense, interconnected global landscape that supports themes of secrecy and loss, but to enhance creative depth, focus on refining character arcs to ensure emotional authenticity shines through the high-stakes espionage. Consider adding subtle cultural nuances in dialogue and settings to avoid stereotypes and strengthen audience empathy, while tightening technological elements to prevent them from overshadowing human elements, making the story more relatable and impactful.
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Correlations

Identifies patterns in scene scores.

Key Suggestions:
The scene patterns analysis highlights that while the script excels in building tension and emotional depth to drive conflict and character arcs, it risks pacing issues in reflective or grief-toned scenes that lack sufficient stakes or progression. To improve creatively, focus on weaving more tension and conflict into these quieter moments and accelerating character development earlier in the story, ensuring a more balanced narrative that maintains audience engagement without sacrificing emotional authenticity.
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Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
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Script•o•Scope