SPORTS NIGHT: MARY PAT SHELBY (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about the staff members of a high-pressure, nightly cable program covering sports news. In this episode, Dana believes she has scored a huge coup when she books NFL linebacker and convicted felon Christian Patrick for an exclusive interview on the show. Everyone agrees that the interview with the high-profile figure (who was recently arrested for battering a woman named Mary Pat Shelby) should push the show out of third place and into a rare moment in the spotlight. Dana sends Natalie out to the Meadowlands to do the pre-interview with Patrick. After promoting the show nonstop all day, Dana gets word from Patrick's lawyers that they will allow absolutely no questions about their client's assault and battery case in the interview. Dana is disappointed, but she decides to go through with the interview as so many people are watching. Natalie returns from the pre-interview with a sore wrist. A rumor passes through the office that Patrick has been involved in another assault, and the Sports-Night group concludes that Natalie is his victim. Dana suddenly faces several different ethical and professional dilemmas. Ultimately, she tells Patrick's lawyers that she will have Natalie deny that Patrick assaulted her if they will allow questions about Patrick's earlier charges. The lawyers are on the verge of reluctant agreement when Christian Patrick arrives at the station. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 20, 1998 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:55273
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Sports - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1998-2000
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Apt Pupil" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - "Pleasantville" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - "The Waterboy" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - AT & T long distance
- TV - Commercials - Degree deodorant
- TV - Commercials - DiGiorno frozen pizzas
- TV - Commercials - MCI long distance
- TV - Commercials - Nasonex allergy medication
- TV - Commercials - Nissan automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Sprint long distance
- TV - Commercials - Taco Bell fast food
- TV - Promos - "Max Q"
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Secret Lives of Men"
- TV - Promos - "Twenty/Twenty {20/20}"
CREDITS
- Brian Grazer … Executive Producer
- Ron Howard … Executive Producer
- Tony Krantz … Executive Producer
- Rob Scheidlinger … Executive Producer
- Thomas Schlamme … Executive Producer, Director
- Aaron Sorkin … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Tracey Stern … Producer, Writer
- Rachel Sweet … Producer
- John Amodeo … Producer
- Matt Tarses … Co-Producer
- Stephen Putnam … Associate Producer
- W.G. Snuffy Walden … Music by
- Josh Charles … Cast, Dan Rydell
- Peter Krause … Cast, Casey McCall
- Felicity Huffman … Cast, Dana Whitaker
- Joshua Malina … Cast, Jeremy Goodwin
- Sabrina Lloyd … Cast, Natalie Hurley
- Robert Guillaume … Cast, Isaac Jaffee
- Brad Henke … Cast, Christian
- Jon Simmons … Cast, David
- Ray Wise … Cast, Bill
- Kayla Blake … Cast, Kim
- Greg Baker … Cast, Elliot
- Timothy Davis Reed … Cast, Chris
- Ron Ostrow … Cast, Will
- Jeff Mooring … Cast, Dave