INDEFENSIBLE
A Psychological Thriller
Limited Series
Written by
James Ford Kenniff [email protected]
(929) 600-4636
https://www.youtube.com/@Indefensible-Novel
Indefensible
Genre & Format
Psychological thriller (high concept)
Prestige limited series
Eight one-hour episodes (ideally, weekly release to reduce spoilers)
Logline (spoilers are intentional)
Twenty years on death row.
She’s his last hope.
And the little girl he thought he killed.
A brilliant young attorney joins her legendary former professor to defend the man who murdered her
mother, hiding her identity from everyone, including the audience, until just before they flip the switch.
Comps
Indefensible is a story where justice, vengeance, and identity collide in a final, devastating turn. A morally
twisted blend of The Night Of, Gone Girl, and Primal Fear.
Think, The Firm meets The Sixth Sense.
Why This Story & Why Now?
For years I stood beside clients society had already condemned, watching how truth could be shaped,
justice manipulated, and mercy withheld. That experience changed the way I saw everything—especially
power.
Today, I write stories that interrogate that power. My limited-series project Indefensible explores what
happens when the pursuit of justice becomes indistinguishable from vengeance. It follows a young
attorney who appears to be saving a man on death row, until we discover she’s orchestrated his
execution. What begins as a legal thriller becomes a meditation on identity, accountability, and the stories
we invent to survive.
I’m the best person to tell it because I’ve lived it from the inside: I’ve witnessed the moral gray zones, the
performances, the quiet compromises that turn principle into survival.
And I think this is the right moment to tell it. We’re living in a time when truth itself feels negotiable, when
the justice system is openly weaponized by those in power, and when vengeance is increasingly
disguised as righteousness. Indefensible holds up a mirror to that world and asks what happens when we
can no longer tell the difference between justice served and justice staged.
Proof of Concept
https://www.youtube.com/@Indefensible-Novel
“Hope, in reality, is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
INDEFENSIBLE
Pilot
“The Thing with Feathers”
TEASER.
BLACK.
As in the complete absence of light.
SILENCE.
As in nothing at all.
We linger in the void for an uncomfortably long time.
“Is the internet down? Do I need to reboot the damn router
again?”
That long.
Until...
SMASH CUT TO:
Genres:
["Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Silent Judgment
INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT
A HOODED MAN is strapped into the electric chair.
It’s 11:54 p.m., according to the large digital clock on the
wall behind him.
He is all alone.
So are we.
We continue in COMPLETE SILENCE.
Just the ambient noise of our own living rooms.
We are those nosy and oh-so-fucking judgy neighbors watching
the drama unfold across the street from the safety of our
homes.
We spy on this incredibly personal moment and can only
speculate on what is being said.
INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT
We flip POV 180 degrees.
We see the back of the Hooded Man’s head in the foreground.
Past him is a large window covered in intersecting rolled
steel bars that almost look like decorative grilles.
Three rows of chairs can be seen through the window.
Six guests fill the back two rows.
The three seats in the front row are empty.
Unoccupied, more specifically.
On the rightmost chair is a large designer handbag. A black
blazer is neatly folded over the back.
A single framed 8x10 photograph sits on each of the remaining
two chairs.
The photo on the chair in the middle is of a beautiful young
BLACK WOMAN.
And on the final chair, a photo of a lighter-skinned LITTLE
GIRL with the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen.
We’re completely lost in this precious angel’s eyes,
Until...
The guests all look to their right, towards a window on the
door next to the Little Girl’s chair.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
A Moment Before Midnight
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
Through the window 90 degrees to the left, we see a very
young, very PERSISTENT WOMAN in a white sleeveless top,
arguing with two guards in the hallway. She’s waving a
document in their faces.
She’s not taking “no” for an answer.
She never has to.
The guards step aside, and the Persistent Woman disappears
from frame.
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
We shift POV another 90 degrees to the left to see the Hooded
Man again, this time through the window and bars that
separate the Execution Chamber from the Observation Room.
It’s 11:57 now.
No, just flipped to 11:58.
The Persistent Woman enters.
Still NO SOUND.
She takes the Hooded Man’s hands in hers and crouches down to
his level. It’s a very humanizing moment.
She really sees him.
After a beat, she lets go and removes the hood.
We see her from behind as she whispers into the (formerly)
Hooded Man’s right ear.
She shows him the document.
He appears puzzled at first.
His face transitions from confusion,
To comprehension,
To joy.
11:59.
SMASH CUT TO
BLACK:
END OF TEASER.
WOMAN’S VOICE
(over black)
The question I get the most is,
“How can you defend people like
Kerry Flynn?” The truth is, I went
to law school to defend people like
Kerry Flynn.
CUT TO:
FLASHBACK
TITLE CARD: “1L”
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
A Magical First Day at Law School
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - DAY
First of all, good morning. And, Go Blue!
It’s a beautiful day at the most beautiful law school in the
world.
It’s the first day of class. There’s a real buzz in the air.
Lots of nervous energy. Students making their way to class.
We track a random STUDENT in a maize hoodie - hood up. We
follow her from behind as she walks from the Lawyers Club
dorm exit, across the Quad, and up the steps to the Law
Library.
INT. LAW LIBRARY READING ROOM- DAY
Ok, this is just magnificent. It’s Hogwarts. We are literally
in Hogwarts.
We continue to follow the Student in the hoodie from behind
as she goes down a different set of steps inside.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Legal"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Anticipation at Auditorium 100
INT. LAW LIBRARY COFFEE SHOP - DAY
We think we lost her for a second, but then she pops past us,
20 ounces in hand. We follow her through the underground
hallways that connect the law library to Hutchins Hall.
INT. HUTCHINS HALL - DAY
Ultra-modern classrooms are retrofitted inside a building
that looks like it was built hundreds of years ago somewhere
in Europe.
The largest of these classrooms is Auditorium 100.
INT. AUDITORIUM 100 ENTRANCE - DAY
We continue to follow the Student in the hoodie. There’s a
long wait to get into the auditorium. Less than 1000 students
in the whole school; seems like all of them are here, waiting
to get inside.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Avery's Bold Stand
INT. AUDITORIUM 100 - DAY
Wall-to-wall students. Every single seat taken. People on
tables, floors. Crowds line the sides and back. The Student
in the hoodie disappears somewhere in the crowd.
The whole place hums like a courtroom just before a verdict.
AT THE DOOR -
A sudden ripple moves through the space.
Then: ROBIN STEINBERG (57) enters.
She is everything at once -
Cooler than any professor, more commanding than any judge.
Shoulder-length gray hair, jeans, sneakers -
She’s like a civil-rights Mick Jagger.
Two students flank her front and back like bodyguards,
grinning.
A woman, ERIN OYAMA (2L, biracial asian/white), brings up the
rear, carrying a water bottle the size of a fire extinguisher
for Robin.
Blazing the trail up front is DAVID BAKER (3L, Hispanic).
He’s carrying a colorful giant “spin for a prize” type wheel
over his head like a sacred text.
The crowd ERUPTS with attention -
And then, instantly,
SILENCE.
ROBIN
(smiling at the huge
crowd)
Ok, this is wildly unsafe.
Robin pretends to count heads with one hand while drinking
from her enormous water bottle with the other. She swallows,
breathes, and continues:
ROBIN (CONT’D)
I’m definitely losing my job for
this.
Students LAUGH. They are all star-struck.
Robin paces and scans the overflowing room. She owns the
stage. She owns every stage.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
So, how many of you are here for
the clinic?
Almost every hand shoots up.
Fucking gunners, every last one of them.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
And who’s just here for the show?
More hands go up. Laughs all around.
Robin walks to the corner and slowly DRAGS a single chair
across the floor. Once she reaches the center, she places it
in front of a table with more than a little ceremony. She
turns to the crowd while pointing at the chair.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
One chair. One chance. One student
walks out of here with a job that
will change another person’s life.
And possibly your own.
Robin smiles.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Can we get the wheel, please?
David again ceremoniously raises the wheel over his head and
gingerly places it centered on the table, directly behind the
lone chair.
We can see now that the wheel has six categories on it:
Affirmative Action, Capital Punishment, Gun Policy,
Immigration Policy, Reproductive Rights, and Same-Sex
Marriage.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Thank you, David. Erin, would you
do the honors?
Erin gives the wheel a hearty spin. It lands on “Capital
Punishment.”
ROBIN (CONT’D)
The gods have spoken. Let the games
begin.
(beat)
Who wants to talk about the
government killing people?
Robin scans the room for her first victim.
MALIK THOMPSON (24, Black) sits near the front.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Mr. Thompson. What is the State’s
interest in capital punishment.
Malik takes a deep breath. He speaks with a slight stutter.
MALIK
J-j-justice.
(more confidently)
Justice, professor. For victims who
sometimes can’t speak for
themselves.
Robin is being gentle now. She knows he has it in him. She
can bring it out.
ROBIN
Ok, so you think state-imposed
death is justice?
MALIK
N-n-no. No.
ROBIN
No? Why no?
MALIK
Because of how it’s historically
been applied. It...it...
BRYCE HAWTHORNE (mid 20’s, white) - smug, confident, and loud
- interrupts with a southern drawl that only partially mutes
his otherwise overwhelming rudeness. This boy is just
dripping with entitlement.
BRYCE
(mocking stutter)
It-it-it’s just nonsense. Some
people deserve to die. Full stop.
(MORE)
BRYCE (CONT’D)
You murder a child, I shouldn’t be
paying for three hots and a cot for
you for the rest of your sorry
life.
ROBIN
Mr. Hawthorne, you’re back! How
truly wonderful for us all! We’ve
missed you terribly since last
year’s game. You came so close...
It’s obvious Robin disagrees with everything Bryce says. But
she doesn’t hate him. He amuses her. And part of her may even
respect him.
You gotta give the guy at least some credit. He isn’t afraid
to voice his opinion in a room where pretty much everyone
disagrees with him on everything.
He chalks it up to being in a school filled with woke
liberals who hate freedom.
They chalk it up to him being a dick.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
So...are you here for the seat, Mr.
Hawthorne, or the show?
BRYCE
Well, ma’am, I AM the show.
Nervous laughter from the crowd.
ROBIN
Well, I think we are all the better
for that, Mr. Hawthorne. If I gave
you the seat, I’d worry you’d kill
all the clients.
BRYCE
I do have a different chair in mind
for some of them, ma’am...
ROBIN
I do not doubt that. So, you were
saying...
BRYCE
Look, the death penalty works. It
keeps dangerous people off the
streets. And frankly, some lives
are just worth more than others.
Bryce looks at Malik. But only for a second, as if he
realizes his glance is saying not necessarily more than he
wants to say, but more than he should be saying.
The crowd is silent.
Bryce is very intimidating. He’s shut them all down.
After a few beats:
ROBIN
So that’s it? We’ve solved this age-
old problem? No one sees any
potential holes in Mr. Hawthorne’s
argument? No one wants to take the
position against capital
punishment?
Robin watches. Measuring. Calculating. But silent.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Mr. Hawthorne says, “Yes” to the
death penalty. Why do you say,
“No”? Anyone?
A beat-
Then-
A voice:
WOMEN’S VOICE(O.S.)
Because the State shouldn’t be
killing innocent people.
Heads turn.
ROBIN
I’m sorry. What was that?
The crowd parts as a woman in a maize hoodie, AVERY SHAW (22,
biracial black/white), steps forward from the back of the
crowd. She pulls down her hood, and we see she’s absolutely
stunning.
And, as we shall soon discover, she’s even more brilliant.
Turns out, she’s the same woman we followed across the Quad.
And come to think of it, she’s also the (very) Persistent
Woman from the execution chamber.
AVERY
I said: The State should not be
killing innocent people.
Bryce LAUGHS.
Exactly the wrong move.
BRYCE
Who said he’s innocent?
Avery never breaks eye contact.
AVERY
I could give you a litany of
reasons why the death penalty is
garbage. It deters nothing. It’s
outrageously expensive. And it’s
racist to its core. I could cite
study after study, statistic after
statistic that show the death
penalty simply does not accomplish
anything you seem so convinced it
does. In fact, the truth is it
satisfies absolutely nothing at all
other than maybe society’s
seemingly insatiable lust for
blood.
Avery works her way towards Bryce. She has such a commanding
presence for such a young person.
AVERY (CONT’D)
But to do all that would take a lot
of my energy, and way too much of
these good folks’ time.
(beat)
And, besides, we don’t even need to
go there.
She steps closer to him.
She’s not afraid of him.
She’s not afraid of anyone.
She is in control now.
She owns him, the room, and the stage.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Let me ask you this: Does the
system make mistakes?
BRYCE
Excuse me?
AVERY
Mistakes?
Bryce scoffs.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Juries get it wrong sometimes.
Right?
Bryce. Cornered. But he can’t deny it.
BRYCE
Of course.
AVERY
In fact, since 1973, at least 200
people sentenced to die have later
been exonerated—DNA, bad forensics,
coerced confessions. Lives
previously thrown away like trash
suddenly resurrected.
Avery lets that sit.
BRYCE
What you are talking about is so
unbelievably rare...
AVERY
Rare? What’s rare enough for you
when we are talking about a human
being? A specific, innocent human
being that the State is planning to
kill?
Avery slowly walks the room until she is standing directly
behind Malik. She rubs his back.
BRYCE
In any system of justice, there’s
always going to be some
collater....
Avery doesn’t let him finish. As she begins speaking, she
places one hand on each of Malik’s shoulders from behind.
AVERY
Easy for you to dismiss these real
people as “necessary collateral
damage” when the ones we toss away
every single day look a hell of a
lot more like Malik or me than you.
Malik glances over his shoulder back at Avery like she’s his
savior.
AVERY (CONT’D)
We need to fix our mistakes before
making ones we can’t undo.
Bryce is on the ropes.
AVERY (CONT’D)
So, when we build that perfect
system-you know, the one that
doesn’t purposely kill innocent
black and brown people - let’s come
back and have a real, honest
discussion about this so-called
“need” for the State to
intentionally kill its citizens.
But we’re not ready for that debate
today.
(beat)
YOU, definitely, are not ready for
that debate today. Until then?
Avery turns, slowly turns to look around the room. She’s got
them. And she’s got him.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Most respectfully -
When her eyes come full circle back to Bryce, she delivers
the final blow:
AVERY (CONT’D)
You and the death penalty can fuck
right off.
GASPS from the crowd.
Bryce chuckles and shakes his head. Speechless.
A delightful surge of energy fills the room.
ROBIN
Ok, ok. Enough. Don’t particularly
like the language. Love the
passion, though. Name?
AVERY
Avery Shaw.
ROBIN
(puzzled)
Ms. Shaw. Why don’t I know you?
AVERY
I just got in last night.
Robin blinks. Impressed. But also maybe more than a little
disappointed.
ROBIN
A 1L? I’m sorry, Ms. Shaw, this
clinic is only for upperclassmen.
Avery shrugs. Humble, bold, unstoppable.
AVERY
Well...who made that rule?
Robin smiles.
ROBIN
Well, Ms. Shaw. I did.
BEAT.
AVERY
Perfect. Then you can change it.
Robin stares. Deciding.
Then:
ROBIN
(taps the chair)
Ms. Shaw, take your seat.
A spontaneous swell - cheers, applause. Bryce smiles despite
himself, a touch of respect in the glare.
MONTAGE
A brief montage of the remainder of Avery’s first year.
-Avery studying in her room. Simple desk, light. But at least
it’s a single - and there’s a fireplace! The books on her
desk: Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, The Bluebook: A
Uniform System of Citation, and three novels in hardcover by
Grisham: The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and A Time to Kill. The
novels are displayed prominently as if prized possessions.
-Avery running across the Diag while the weather is still
nice. Pushing herself. Running HARD. Her ponytail bounces,
hiding and revealing the back of her neck with each stride.
-Avery in class. Actively participating.
-Avery having drinks with Malik at The Brown Jug. Bryce
stands above their table, and the three share a nice laugh.
-Late night study session in the library with piles of books
-Avery walking back from the library in the heavy snow.
-Avery diving off the starter’s block at the Canham
Natatorium. She’s got the googles and the cap. Looks like
she’s a very good swimmer.
-Avery in the clinic bullpen. Index cards arranged on a chalk
board. Avery writing on a white board while Erin and David
make suggestions. Robin looks on approvingly.
-Avery tossing a frisbee with friends on the Quad.
-Avery taking finals.
-Avery walking down University Avenue on a beautiful spring
day.
Genres:
["Drama","Legal","Social Issues"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Celebrating Success
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Avery sits with friends as they check their final grades
online.
FEMALE STUDENT 1
I passed!
MALE STUDENT
Me too! Barely though, in Con Law.
FEMALE STUDENT 2
I’m so relieved. How about you,
Avery? How’d you do?
AVERY
I did fine. So glad it’s all over,
right? We are officially 2L’s!
We see over Avery’s shoulder. Straight A+’s. Unreal.
FADE TO BLACK:
TITLE CARD: “2L”
Genres:
["Drama","Legal","Academic"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Unraveling Evidence
INT. COURTHOUSE — PART 41 — DAY
Packed gallery. Families. Reporters. The hum of fluorescent
lights.
At counsel table: Avery and Robin sit beside MARIA SANCHEZ
(30s), wrists free but posture still in chains.
On the stand: DETECTIVE LORING (50s), square jaw, square
story.
JUDGE
Ms. Shaw — your witness.
Avery rises. No theatrics. A legal scalpel.
AVERY
Detective, you logged People’s
Exhibit 12 — the ledger — into
evidence at 8:42 p.m. on May 12th.
Correct?
LORING
Correct.
AVERY
And you photographed that ledger on
your bodycam when you found it.
LORING
Yes.
Avery holds up a printout — a still from the bodycam.
AVERY
What’s the timestamp?
Loring leans, squints. A tiny pause.
LORING
9:57 p.m.
AVERY
Seventy-five minutes after you
logged it.
A ripple in the gallery. The Judge looks up.
LORING
We were securing—
AVERY
The ink on Page 3 appears glossy in
your photo. Was it tested?
LORING
No.
Avery slides a thin lab report across.
AVERY
For the record I’m showing
Detective Loring Defense Exhibit J,
already in evidence.
JUDGE
Continue.
AVERY
The manufacturer’s spec shows the
ink on Page 3 wasn’t in production
until 2022.
Beat. Loring swallows.
AVERY (CONT’D)
And May 12th was. . .?
LORING
Two thousand twenty-one.
AVERY
A ledger written in the future.
Logged before it was “found.” Still
wet seventy-five minutes later.
PROSECUTOR
Objection — counsel is testifying.
JUDGE
Overruled. The document speaks for
itself.
Avery looks at the Judge.
AVERY
Nothing further.
A breath held by everyone finally exhales.
PROSECUTOR
Your Honor, the People request a
brief recess to consult on next
steps.
JUDGE
Five minutes.
Gavel. Loring steps down. Defeated.
CUT TO:
INT. COURTHOUSE — HOLDING CORRIDOR — MOMENTS LATER
Avery and Robin stand with Maria and a COURT OFFICER.
MARIA
If they say no, do I go back?
AVERY
We’re not going backward.
Robin rests a hand over Maria’s — steady, human.
ROBIN
Breathe. Let them do what they
should have done a year ago.
Across the hall, the PROSECUTOR confers with a SUPERVISOR —
whispers, a resigned nod.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Legal Drama","Mystery","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A New Beginning
INT. COURTHOUSE — PART 41 — DAY (BACK ON THE RECORD)
Everyone in place.
PROSECUTOR
The People move to dismiss in the
interests of justice.
A wave moves through the gallery.
JUDGE
Conviction vacated. This case is
dismissed and sealed. Ms. Sanchez,
you are free to go.
Maria sags — like someone cut a string. Avery catches her.
AVERY
Here, let me help.
Robin closes her eyes. Pure pride.
CUT TO:
INT. DETENTION — RELEASE PROCESSING — DAY
A fluorescent purgatory. Forms. Fingerprint scans deleted. A
property bin.
Avery reads each line to Maria, simple and slow.
AVERY
“Items returned: necklace, phone,
wallet, house keys.” Now let’s get
you home.
MARIA
I can’t believe this is happening.
Robin signs as supervising counsel, then steps back — lets
Avery be the point of the spear.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Legal Drama","Character Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
A Triumphant Reunion
EXT. COURTHOUSE STEPS — DAY
Doors burst open. Maria’s CHILDREN tackle her — tears,
laughter, the sound of a family reassembling.
Reporters surge. Mics wave. Flashes strobe.
REPORTER
Ms. Shaw, how does it feel to free
an innocent woman?
Avery crouches to the kids’ height.
AVERY
It feels like they’re going home.
REPORTER
And what about you? Are you going
home to celebrate too?
AVERY
I wish. I’ve got two midterms
before Thanksgiving. So it’s back
to the library for me. Just happy
to see justice served for a change.
Behind them, Avery’s phone BUZZES. Robin checks the caller
ID. Stops.
ON SCREEN: “CHAMBERS — JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR”
She looks at Avery, stunned, then passes the phone.
ROBIN
Answer it.
Avery steps aside. Hand on the brick wall. Calm.
AVERY (INTO PHONE)
Yes, Madame Justice. This is Avery
Shaw.
She listens. Eyes flick to Robin, who’s trying not to cry.
AVERY (INTO PHONE) (CONT’D)
I’d be honored.
She ends the call. No fist pump. Just a breath.
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE — DAY
Avery exits with a banker’s box. Heat off the pavement.
From the shade: Bryce, summer suit, South Carolina charm.
BRYCE
“Justice delayed is justice
denied,” right? Guess they
should’ve hired you sooner.
AV
Or believed her sooner.
BRYCE
Chambers call felt good? You got
the Sotomayor clerkship?
AVERY
They have the wrong number
sometimes.
BRYCE
Not today.
A beat.
BRYCE (CONT’D)
You ever think of bringing that
miracle-working south?
AVERY
Depends what needs fixing.
BRYCE
They’re always hiring in Columbia.
AVERY
Maybe one day.
She goes. He watches, eyes narrowing, intrigued.
CUT TO:
INT. ROBIN’S OFFICE — EVENING
Quiet pride. Sun through blinds.
On Robin’s desk: an envelope with the Supreme Court seal
addressed to AVERY SHAW. Next to it, a yellow sticky: “Open
when ready. — R.”
Avery doesn’t pick it up.
ROBIN
Take tonight. Celebrate.
AVERY
Tomorrow. There’s work to be done.
Robin smiles — approving the obsession she thinks she
recognizes.
CUT TO:
INT. LAW LIBRARY — NIGHT
Empty stacks. Blue light.
Avery lost in a pile of books and papers.
A text from Robin: “Proud of you. Thanksgiving. My house. No
excuses. You have to eat sometime.”
Avery replies with a fork emoji. Goes back to work.
Genres:
["Legal Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Snowy Evening Connections
INT. STEINBERG RESIDENCE – ANN ARBOR – EVENING
A large, elegant house in a quiet, snowy Ann Arbor
neighborhood. High windows show fading winter light; tasteful
art and books fill the foyer. Robin opens the front door.
Avery stands there, coat in hand, a take-out dish wrapped in
a simple box.
ROBIN
Perfect timing. Come on in.
They step inside. Avery glances around—this house is far
nicer than she expected.
AVERY
It’s stunning. Thank you for
inviting me.
ROBIN
My pleasure. I heard through the
grapevine that you were planning
dinner for one.
Avery slips off her coat. Robin leads her into a formal
dining room.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
I figured two is better than one
tonight.
The table is set for two: fine china, polished silver, a
modest autumn centerpiece. Avery takes a seat; Robin pours
water into crystal glasses.
AVERY
Thank you.
(beat)
I was planning to stay late, catch
up on work. But I’m glad I came.
Robin sets her glass on the table, watches Avery quietly for
a moment.
Robin’s face flickers—something small in her eyes.
ROBIN
You really are good at this, Avery.
But, you don’t have to be that
good.
(soft)
Sometimes being strong means
letting someone sit beside you.
None of us can do this work alone.
Trust me, I have tried.
Avery meets her gaze, hesitation in her expression.
They begin eating in comfortable silence. Avery studies the
room—books, art, photos. She stops at a framed photograph of
Robin, smiling with a younger woman.
AVERY
Your daughter?
Robin looks at the photo, then at Avery.
ROBIN
Hannah. She’s lives out of town.
Doesn’t come by much anymore, well,
since the work took over.
AVERY
That must be hard.
ROBIN
Yeah, it’s the quiet that gets to
me. Luckily, the work distracts me
from my thoughts.
Avery nods, understanding more than the words could say.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
And what about you. Any family?
AVERY
Nope. Just me.
ROBIN
I’m sorry, I...
AVERY
No, it’s fine. My dad died when I
was about 7. Mom passed a few years
back. They were older.
(changing the subject)
Anyway, I brought dessert! Just
something simple.
ROBIN
Perfect.
(smiles)
Simple is underrated.
Robin swallows a pill and pockets the bottle before standing.
She seems a little weaker today, or perhaps just a little
less invincible.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Let’s sit together a while before I
let you get back to work.
They lean back, plates cleared. Two colleagues becoming
friends. Enjoying a glass of wine. The hum of the house, the
wind outside.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Monday, the clinic meets again. Big
week ahead.
AVERY
I’m ready.
Robin studies Avery with a thoughtful look.
ROBIN
Good. Because this one isn’t just
another file.
Avery takes a breath.
AVERY
I know.
Robin stands, moves to a window and cracks it slightly; the
cold breeze enters.
ROBIN
Promise me something tonight?
AVERY
What’s that?
ROBIN
That you never stop putting people
first. Before case numbers, before
outcomes.
Avery places her hand over the notebook on her lap.
AVERY
I promise.
Robin closes her eyes briefly, then opens them and gives a
small, genuine smile. Is she in some kind of pain?
ROBIN
Good.
They sit together, side by side. The silence is somehow
comforting now. The snow continues to fall outside.
AVERY (SOFT)
This was nice. Thanks for having
me.
ROBIN
Thank you for saying yes.
They share a look — not mentor and student, perhaps two
survivors in a room.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
The Weight of Redemption
INT. LAW SCHOOL CLINIC – ROBIN’S OFFICE – NIGHT
The clinic is dark except for one light—the kind that hums
when no one’s talking.
Stacks of files cover every surface. Case names scrawled on
old cardboard boxes. At the center: Robin, sleeves rolled up,
surrounded by the weight of other people’s lives.
A knock at the half-open door.
ROBIN
Come on in, Avery. Close it.
Avery steps inside, still in her coat, a manila folder under
her arm.
AVERY
You wanted to see me?
ROBIN
Sit down.
Avery sits. Robin opens the bottom drawer of her desk, pulls
out an old brass key on a frayed blue ribbon.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
You’ve earned this.
She tosses it across the desk. Avery catches it.
AVERY
What’s it open?
ROBIN
The closet. The big one in the
records room.
Avery knows which one, but asks anyway.
AVERY
The one you keep locked?
ROBIN
The Flynn file.
A beat.
AVERY
You’re serious.
ROBIN
Dead serious. You’re ready.
AVERY
I thought that case was off-limits.
ROBIN
It was. Until tonight.
Avery studies the key. The ribbon is worn thin, the brass
dulled by time.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
You know why I came here, Avery?
Why I left trial work? Because of
that case.
AVERY
The only one you ever lost...
Robin sits back, eyes fixed on something invisible.
ROBIN
I still hear it sometimes — when
the clerk read the verdict:
“guilty.” And the applause. The
cheers in the courtroom. I’ll never
forget the roar of that crowd. They
were out for blood. And they got
their blood.
Avery says nothing. The silence fills the room.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
That man’s been sitting on death
row for almost twenty years because
of me. Because I wasn’t good
enough. Because I couldn’t make
them see what was missing.
AVERY
That’s just not true.
ROBIN
You know how everyone asks, “How
can you represent a guilty person?”
Try representing an innocent one!
The innocent ones are the ones who
will kill you in the end.
AVERY
What do you need me to do?
ROBIN
Start by telling me what you know.
AVERY
Honestly? Not much. Just what’s
online. He supposedly killed two
people, right?
Robin leans forward.
ROBIN
Avery. Come on. Cut the bullshit.
You’re the sharpest student I’ve
ever had. Pretend you’re the
prosecutor. What’s the case?
Avery takes a breath, her mind already moving faster than her
face.
AVERY
Okay. The Flynn family — old South
royalty. Judges, DAs, state
senators. Money, reputation,
power. The kind that closes ranks
real quick when one of their own
screws up.
ROBIN
And the victims?
AVERY
A single mother. Emma Brooks. Mid-
twenties. Nursing student. Black.
Poor. Beautiful.
Robin listens, eyes narrowing.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Her daughter, six years
old—nickname “Rabbit.” Bodies
dumped in the Broad River. Emma’s
was found days later, torn apart by
gators. Identified only by a small
tattoo at the base of her neck. The
little girl was never recovered.
Just her shoes.
Robin’s face tightens likes she’s heard these details a
thousand times, but never without flinching.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Privileged white man. Poor Black
mother and child.
(MORE)
AVERY (CONT’D)
Sympathetic victims. Unsympathetic
defendant. Story writes itself.
ROBIN
And what did I have?
AVERY
A case that was almost completely
circumstantial. No evidence Emma
and Kerry ever even met. No DNA at
the scene. No cell-tower data
linking him to the river. Just a
witness who “thought” he saw
Kerry’s truck near the bridge.
Admittedly, science was primitive
back then. But the headlines—those
were state-of-the-art.
ROBIN
You’ve done your homework.
AVERY
I like to be prepared.
Robin watches her—curiosity flickering.
ROBIN
That’s a little more than “what you
read online.”
AVERY
I guess I got interested.
ROBIN
Good. You’ll need to be.
Everything you just said? That’s
the surface. Underneath is the part
that still keeps me up.
Robin stands, crosses to the closet behind her desk. She
unlocks it, revealing rows of battered banker boxes labeled
**FLYNN** in faded Sharpie.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Twenty years of work. Trial
transcripts, investigative notes,
witness statements, victim
profiles. It’s all there.
She looks back at Avery.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Be careful with it. It’s not just
paper. It’s every mistake I ever
made.
Avery rises, holds up the key.
AVERY
You sure you want to hand this
over?
ROBIN
I’m sure I can’t look at it anymore
the same way. I need someone who
doesn’t see ghosts on every page.
AVERY
I can do that.
ROBIN
I know you can.
(beat)
But don’t let the story seduce you.
Everyone who’s opened that file
thought they’d be the one to fix
it. So far, they’ve all been wrong.
Avery nods, steady.
AVERY
Then maybe it’s time for my fresh
brown eyes.
ROBIN
That’s exactly what I’m counting
on.
Robin sits again, suddenly exhausted. The light hums louder.
Avery starts toward the door, then stops.
AVERY
Professor, why me?
Robin doesn’t look up.
ROBIN
Because you remind me what I used
to believe.
Avery studies her a moment longer, then turns and leaves. She
closes the door quietly behind her.
Robin stays where she is, staring at the empty chair across
from her.
Genres:
["Legal Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Echoes of Loss
INT. LAW SCHOOL CLINIC – RECORDS ROOM – NIGHT
The big steel closet door creaks open. Avery turns the brass
key Robin gave her. Inside—rows of banker boxes marked FLYNN,
dense with time.
She pulls one down, labeled “VICTIM PROFILES,” and sets it on
the table.
SOUND: the soft pop of old cardboard.
She opens the file. Neatly clipped police photos. EMMA
BROOKS. Early twenties. Bright, alive, even in a DMV
headshot. RABBIT BROOKS. Six. Big grin. Missing tooth.
Avery studies the photo of mother and daughter together —
Rabbit reaching her tiny hand high to grasp Emma’s fingers as
they cross a street.
AVERY
(quietly)
God, you were beautiful.
She lingers on Rabbit’s face, on those impossible blue eyes.
The kind of eyes people write songs about.
Avery’s own reflection glints faintly in the window above the
file— brown, tired, too knowing.
Avery flips to a typed page: TRIAL TRANSCRIPT – TESTIMONY OF
MRS. IDA JONES (NEIGHBOR). She begins to read.
AVERY (V.O.)
“I lived next door to Emma and
Rabbit for almost three years.
They didn’t have any family, but
they were family to me and my
husband.”
As Avery reads, her voice fades — replaced by the NEIGHBOR’S
VOICE.
FLASHBACK – EMMA AND RABBIT’S LIFE
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Morning Joy
INT. SMALL SOUTH CAROLINA APARTMENT – DAY
Sunlight cuts through lace curtains. The air hums with life —
sizzling eggs, a child’s laughter, a record playing faint
Motown.
Emma moves through the tiny kitchen like it’s her castle. She
hums along to the music, stirring a pan.
Rabbit — small, wild-haired, joyful — dances barefoot on the
linoleum.
NEIGHBOR (V.O.)
Boy, did she love that little girl.
Every morning you’d hear ‘em
singing like they had an audience.
Emma slides a plate in front of Rabbit.
EMMA
Toast before syrup, missy. We
talked about this.
RABBIT
Toast is boring.
EMMA
Toast keeps you alive. Syrup just
keeps you happy.
RABBIT
Then I pick happy.
Emma laughs — gives in — drizzles syrup across the toast.
NEIGHBOR (V.O.)
She didn’t have much, but she made
what she had feel like plenty.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Quiet Strength
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING – COURTYARD – DAY
Rabbit races down a patch of grass chasing bubbles. Emma
watches from the steps, tired but radiant.
NEIGHBOR (V.O.)
People talk about strength like
it’s loud. Hers was quiet. You
felt it when she smiled.
Emma stands, calls out—
EMMA
Rabbit! Bath time!
Rabbit groans, flops dramatically onto the grass.
RABBIT
You said we could watch cartoons
first!
EMMA
I said maybe. And I lied. C’mon.
Rabbit trudges toward her, arms crossed. Emma kneels, scoops
her up — Rabbit’s tiny arms lock around her neck.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Promises and Reflections
INT. APARTMENT – BEDROOM – LATER
Steam drifts in from the bathroom. Emma sits on the bed in a
tank top, towel around her shoulders. Rabbit crawls across
the bed and points to the back of her mother’s neck.
RABBIT
What’s that?
EMMA
My tattoo. You’ve seen it before.
RABBIT
But what’s it mean?
Emma turns, lets her see it properly — a black and white
tattoo of a rabbit holding a key with its feet, the end of
the key shaped like a heart.
EMMA
It means Rabbit has the key to my
heart.
Rabbit beams.
RABBIT
I’m Rabbit!
EMMA
That’s right, baby.
RABBIT
I want one.
EMMA
One what?
RABBIT
A tattoo. A rabbit just like
yours.
EMMA
Six-year-olds don’t get tattoos,
Rabbit. You tryin’ to get Mama
thrown in jail?
RABBIT
Promise me, Mama.
EMMA
Promise you what?
RABBIT
Promise me when I get big I can get
my own rabbit tattoo.
Emma smiles, but it trembles at the edges.
EMMA
When you’re big, you can do
whatever you want. I promise you
that, Rabbit.
Rabbit curls against her. Emma kisses the top of her head.
The light flickers — a power surge — and the image freezes on
the two of them, bathed in sunset.
FLASHBACK – EMMA AND RABBIT’S LIFE
INT. LAW SCHOOL CLINIC – RECORDS ROOM – NIGHT
Avery’s eyes glisten in the sterile light. She runs her
finger over the photo again — tracing the outline of Emma’s
tattoo.
Her reflection in the window looks ghostly. Her own brown
eyes stare back — wide, wet, burning.
She whispers to the empty room—
AVERY
This is going to be so much harder
than I thought.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Visitation at Broad River Correctional
INT. BROAD RIVER CORRECTIONAL – VISITATION ROOM – DAY
The air hums with the sound of old fluorescent light. One
wall clock, perpetually two minutes slow.
Robin signs the logbook while the CO checks IDs. She’s done
this a hundred times. Avery stands beside her, taking in
everything without staring too hard.
The door buzzes. A CO opens it, gestures them forward.
CO
Professor, we have your usual
table. He’s waiting.
They cross the gray floor. At the far end, KERRY FLYNN rises
from his seat. Late forties. Pale from indoor years. But
when he sees Robin, his whole face changes—like someone
opening a window.
He’s the Hooded Man from the Execution Chamber.
KERRY FLYNN
Professor Steinberg. You look the
same.
ROBIN
That’s the nicest lie I’ve heard
all week.
They share a smile that carries years of shorthand. Kerry
extends his hand; she takes it easily. Familiar. Warm.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Kerry, this is Avery Shaw. She’s
the next great thing.
KERRY
(to Avery)
Welcome to paradise, Ms. Shaw. And
welcome to the team.
AVERY
Thank you, Mr. Flynn.
KERRY
“Kerry” is fine. “Mr. Flynn” sounds
like someone they already buried.
And they haven’t buried me yet. But
goddamn, they are trying real hard.
He gestures to the chairs. They sit. A CO lingers a few yards
away, pretending not to listen.
ROBIN
How are they treating you?
KERRY
Same as ever. The water heater
died last week, so that’s the new
luxury. Cold showers build
character, they say.
ROBIN
Whose character? Theirs or yours?
KERRY
Definitely not mine. I ran out of
character about ten years in.
She almost laughs. This is their rhythm — gallows humor with
guardrails.
ROBIN
You still writing?
KERRY
When the paper shows up. They
switched vendors again. I think the
new one bleeds on purpose — every
word runs.
ROBIN
I liked the poems you sent. The one
about time?
KERRY
Time writes itself. You just hold
the pen and watch.
Robin studies him, quiet. There’s affection there — maternal,
guilt-colored. Avery notices it.
Kerry nods toward Avery’s folder.
KERRY (CONT’D)
So, what’s the verdict — am I still
guilty?
ROBIN
I don’t answer trick questions.
KERRY
Fair. Then let me guess — you’re
here to tell me patience is a
virtue.
ROBIN
I’m here to tell you we’re still
working. That’s more than most
people get.
Kerry nods, resigned but grateful. He glances at Avery.
KERRY
You read my case yet?
AVERY
I have. I’m still getting my arms
around the trial record. There’s a
lot.
KERRY
I apologize in advance. It’s not
bedtime reading.
AVERY
I don’t scare easily.
KERRY
Good. You’re in the right line of
work then.
He leans forward, elbows on the table, eyes intent.
KERRY (CONT’D)
What do you think, honestly? Do I
look like a killer to you?
Avery freezes. Robin cuts in before she can answer.
ROBIN
We don’t try cases in the visiting
room.
KERRY
I’m not asking for the record. I’m
just asking for the look.
ROBIN
You look like a man who’s been
waiting a long time.
KERRY
That’s the polite version.
ROBIN
It’s also the true one.
A long silence. Kerry nods. He turns to Avery again.
KERRY
You got family in the business?
AVERY
Not exactly.
KERRY
You look like you belong here,
though. The room, I mean. Like
you’ve been doing this forever.
AVERY
Maybe because it feels like I’ve
been preparing for this forever.
Kerry sits back. The light hits him in a way that makes the
gray of his uniform almost white.
KERRY
You ever been down south before,
Avery?
AVERY
First time.
KERRY
It’s loud. You’ll like it. Even
the silence down here makes noise.
Avery nods, unsure what to say. She glances at Robin.
ROBIN
We’re filing a few new motions.
Nothing we can promise, but there’s
movement.
KERRY
Movement’s more than I had last
year.
AVERY
We’re going to get you through
this.
Robin looks over sharply; the words are too certain. Kerry
smiles — small, genuine.
KERRY
You sound like you mean that.
AVERY
I do.
KERRY
Then I’ll take it.
A CO approaches, taps his watch.
ROBIN
We’ll be back soon.
KERRY
You always say that. But what makes
you different from everyone else,
is you actually come back. You’re
the only one I know who keeps
saying and doing the same thing.
He stands. Robin rises with him. Avery follows.
Kerry shakes Robin’s hand, then Avery’s. His grip is careful,
almost protective.
KERRY (CONT’D)
Thank you for coming, Ms. Shaw.
AVERY
Of course, Kerry.
KERRY
That’s better.
(to Robin)
I like this one. She learns real
quick.
ROBIN
You have no idea.
He smiles once more, then the CO leads him away. The door
slams. The sound hangs.
Avery closes the folder. Robin doesn’t move until the silence
has settled.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
You can’t do that. You can’t tell a
man sitting on death row that he’s
getting out.
AVERY
I didn’t say that.
ROBIN
You said, “we’re going to get you
through this.” You think he heard
the difference?
AVERY
He needs something to hold on to.
ROBIN
Then give him something true. The
truth’s heavy enough.
Avery looks down at the file in her hands.
AVERY
He believes in you.
ROBIN
That’s the problem. I believed in
me, too.
Robin picks up her bag, exhausted but composed.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
Come on. The air out there’s at
least moving.
They start toward the door. Halfway there, Avery speaks,
quieter.
AVERY
I wasn’t lying.
Robin stops but doesn’t turn.
ROBIN
I know. That’s what worries me.
They exit. The lock echoes behind them.
Genres:
["Drama","Legal"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Friendly Banter in the Corridor
INT. BROAD RIVER CORRECTIONAL – CORRIDOR – DAY
Fluorescent lights overhead.
Kerry walks, arms down at his side. A uniformed guard, MIKE
(Black, 50’s) walks beside him, keys jangling. They talk like
old friends. Over a decade together will do that.
MIKE
You know, no one will shut up about
your lawyer. You know the hot older
one with the gray hair.
KERRY
No one? Or just you? Because you
went on for days the last time she
came.
MIKE
Days, you see Kerry? You weaken
your argument by
(emphasizing)
Exaggeration.
KERRY
Oh, do I? Please elaborate,
counselor.
MIKE
Ok, ok. I know you’re the lawyer,
or technically you were a lawyer,
but come on, you were never a
lawyer like her. What’s her name
again?
KERRY
Professor Steinberg. I’m alive
today because of her.
MIKE
Yes. You and everyone else in the
state on death row. That woman so
smart she gets the Supreme Court to
save not only your pasty white ass,
but EVERYONE for, what, 15 years
now?
KERRY
Sixteen, next month.
MIKE
God damn. To look that fine, AND
have that big a brain. Wooey! The
things I’d do to her. You really
have no idea.
KERRY
Oh please. That woman is way too
classy for you. What would you
possibly ever talk about?
MIKE
Smart person stuff, Kerry. We would
talk about the stuff really smart
people talk about. Especially, the
smart stuff really smart people
talk about after making love all
night long. And during the day too.
We so hot for each other, we take
it whenever, wherever we can. You
wouldn’t understand, not being a
really smart person yourself.
(MORE)
MIKE (CONT’D)
But there’s a special language we
have - that all really smart people
have - is what I’m sayin’. You just
wouldn’t understand, Kerry.
Because, like I said - no
disrespect - but, you’re just not
one of us.
KERRY
No. I’m sure I wouldn’t.
Kerry nods. He waves toward a nurse rolling a cart outside a
cell.
KERRY (CONT’D)
You see that? She smiled at me.
First one in—what? Five years?
MIKE
THAT is what we call progress, my
friend. Progress with a capital P!
KERRY
Maybe.
Mike stops at the door to Kerry’s cellblock.
INT. DEATH ROW - DAY
MIKE
One step at a time. Before you know
it, we’re on a double date down at
the old Olive Garden, you and Nurse
Jackie, and me and my gray-haired
goddess. You and Nurse Jackie
fighting over the last breadstick
while me and Professor Steinberg
say so many smart things they go
right over your head. Maybe, after
the salad course, the Professor and
I make love in the family restroom.
KERRY
Sounds so classy. A man can dream.
MIKE
Now you’re talking, my man. Keeping
the dream alive keeps the man
alive. Nothing else matters.
Mike gives a tight smile and nods. He gives Kerry a quick
fist bump through the bars before he goes.
The lights flicker overhead. Kerry closes his eyes.
FADE TO BLACK:
TITLE CARD: "6 MONTHS LATER”
TITLE CARD: “3L”
Genres:
["Legal Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Avery's Inspirational Speech
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - DAY
Packed house. The DEAN at the podium
DEAN
And now, our student speaker...Ms.
Avery Shaw.
Applause. “A-Ver-Y” shouted from random classmates in the
crowd.
AVERY
Today, we earn a power most people
never get: the power to give
someone hope.
Beat. The crowd leans in.
AVERY (CONT’D)
We’re taught to argue the law and
leave our feelings at the door. But
people don’t come to us as cases.
They come as mothers, fathers,
sons, and daughters. They love and
are loved. They come to us as the
last thread holding a family
together.
Robin watches from the stage with pride.
INTERCUT
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Hope Amidst Despair
INT. DEATH ROW - SAME
Kerry studies a worn drawing: a woman and a child in a sunny
yard. He smooths it open and then tucks it away in a book.
A shaft of light warms his face. He closes his eyes as he
soaks it in.
BACK TO:
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - SAME
AVERY
We don’t always get a perfect
system. But we do get a perfect
chance to make a difference. To be
that one person willing to stand
with those the rest of the world
has condemned. To stand between a
human being and the end of their
story. To give them the hope that
there is a second act. That there
must be a second act.
Nods from many. More tears.
AVERY (CONT’D)
And that there WILL be a second
act!
INTERCUT
INT. DEATH ROW - SAME
A guard comes watching a game on his cellphone.
MIKE
Gamecocks in overtime. You called
it.
KERRY
(grinning)
Did you ever doubt?
GUARD #2
You cost me 50 bucks, Flynn.
BACK TO:
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - SAME
Avery sets both palms on the podium. Grounded.
AVERY
Hope isn’t a luxury. It’s survival.
When someone finds the courage to
hope again, they’re saying, “Hey
world, I’m still here.” It’s our
job to say. . .
INTERCUT
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Hope and Despair
INT. DEATH ROW - SAME
Kerry is handed two envelopes. The first is a letter on the
University of Michigan Law School Innocence Project
letterhead. It’s from Avery and the last words of the letter
are verbatim the last words of her speech:
AVERY (V.O).
“I’m here with you. And I’m not
going anywhere. Not until we walk
out those front doors together.”
BACK TO:
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - SAME
Boisterous applause. Not a dry eye. Standing ovation. Until:
Suddenly, everyone’s looking at their phones.
Avery looks around. Confused.
AVERY
(to Robin)
What? What’s wrong?
INTERCUT
INT. DEATH ROW - SAME
Kerry opens the second letter. Devastated.
BACK TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Legal"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
A Graduation Divided
EXT. MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL QUAD - SAME
Robin grabs Avery and pulls her aside.
ROBIN
The stay. It’s over.
Avery is rocked.
ROBIN (CONT’D)
They’re going to execute him.
AVERY
When?
ROBIN
Midnight. New Years Eve.
Beat.
AVERY
Well, I guess I’m taking the South
Carolina bar exam this summer.
The Dean tries to restore order.
DEAN
Let’s give it up one more time for
Avery Shaw and the entire Class
of...
CUT TO:
Hundreds of graduation caps flying up against a clear blue
sky.
MATCH CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Legal"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Fleeting Hope
INT. DEATH ROW - SAME
Kerry staring at the blank ceiling in his cell.
END OF PILOT
LIMITED SERIES FINALE BOOKEND
To preserve the audience experience, the pilot (and almost
all of the limited series) conceals the central truth of
Indefensible: Avery is not saving Kerry Flynn — she is
killing him. The final scene of the show returns to the
pilot’s opening moment, and it is only here where its true
meaning is revealed. Those final pages are included here as
they are necessary to demonstrate the complete dramatic
design.
When we arrive back in the execution chamber at the end of
the series, we finally hear what Avery whispered to Kerry at
the beginning: She got him a new trial. He’s not going to
die.
But as Kerry soon finds out, that magnificent relief he feels
is far too fleeting.
And now the final scene:
* * *
Genres:
["Drama","Legal","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Revenge in the Execution Chamber
INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
AVERY
That would’ve been great, right? If
I really got you free. Freedom,
finally. After all these years.
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
We pull back to see Avery from the POV of the Observation
Room. We, and the guards and the guests, can only see her
back. And as in the beginning, we cannot hear what anyone is
saying in the Execution Chamber.
We then push back into the Execution Chamber, with sound.
INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Kerry almost missed what she said. He’s confused.
AVERY
It really was a slam dunk case of
prosecutorial misconduct.
(MORE)
AVERY (CONT’D)
They really screwed you over. It
was so blatant. I don’t know how
anyone didn’t see it before. It
would have been so easy for me to
save you. Seriously. Child’s play,
really.
(beat)
Speaking of children...
LONG BEAT.
AVERY (CONT’D)
Remember Rabbit, you piece of shit?
(beat)
Because I sure as hell remember
you.
* * *
A Sixth Sense/Usual Suspects type reveal montage is shown
where we see how it all was done: how Rabbit (Avery) was
rescued, raised, and how Avery (Rabbit) ensured Kerry would
die. Innocuous moments throughout the entire series are
completely recontextualized. We then return to the Execution
Chamber.
* * *
INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Avery replaces the hood over Kerry’s face and gets up to
leave. As she walks out, she nods to the guard in the hallway
manning the switch.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
AVERY/RABBIT
(to guard)
Thanks, Frank. I’m done here.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Silent Desperation
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Kerry desperately attempts to free himself from the chair.
It’s futile at this point. But he keeps fighting.
We can’t hear anything as we watch from the Observation Room.
But we have to assume he is screaming in terror.
Avery walks in to the Observation Room and goes to the front
row. But instead of returning to her chair and her designer
handbag and her blazer, she...
Picks up Rabbit’s photo from Rabbit’s chair and assumes her
proper place in HER chair.
Avery picks up her mother’s photo on the chair to her left
and holds both photos close to her heart.
Her eyes return to Kerry who continues to desperately try to
break free.
He wills his body to move in every possible direction.
Until the switch is flipped.
And his body moves even more violently.
This time, involuntarily.
Until he no longer moves at all.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Indefensible Revelation
EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
We watch Avery from behind as she slowly walks away from the
prison, not a care in the world.
She stops and looks out over the water. She takes out her
attorney ID, admires it for a beat, and then places it on the
railing.
She rubs her eyes. Seemingly exhausted. Then removes her
contacts and places them on top of her ID.
The contacts are DARK BROWN.
Avery reaches back to put her hair in a bun. We close on the
back of her neck - a tattoo is present now. It definitely was
not there before. It is the same exact tattoo that Emma, her
mother, had.
Avery tosses her ID and her contacts into the Broad River and
continues walking away from us and the prison.
AVERY/RABBIT (V.O.)
The question I’m asked the most is,
“How can you defend people like
Kerry Flynn?”
Beat.
AVERY/RABBIT (V.O.)
The truth is...
Avery STOPS. Takes a BEAT.
THEN TURNS,
She’s looking right at us. Right through us.
With her blazing blue eyes.
The same eyes Rabbit had.
AND SHE BREAKS THE FOURTH WALL...
AVERY/RABBIT
(directly to camera)
I went to law school to defend
Kerry Flynn.
SMASH CUT TO
BLACK:
AWKWARD SILENCE, over the blackness (the internet, again?!),
then:
A GAVEL SMASH echoes over the void,
CONVICTING US ALL,
As the echo trails off, the white title card “Indefensible”
appears over the black.
“Criminal” by Fiona Apple plays, and as the credits begin to
roll.
Fiona SINGS:
“I’ve been a bad, bad girl...”
THE END