THE DEPROGRAMMER (SAMPLE)

"IMPETUS" (PILOT)
Written by
Diane Carol Harder

Liliath & Penumbra

(323) 647-5327
dch@liliathandpenumbra.com

TEASER
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
SUPER: THE BROTHERS OF INFINITE JOY: DAY NINE
The thick curtains have been drawn, and everything has been
removed from the room aside from a mattress on the floor and
a few plates of half-eaten food.
A skinny YOUNG MAN named CORY (early 20s), his head shaven
and wearing only boxer shorts, squirms out of the sheets on
the mattress, covered in sweat.
Meanwhile, a WOMAN (40) whod be a WASP under different life
circumstances, kneels next to him, patting his forehead with
a damp cloth and whispering to him. This is ELIZABETH WALSH.
ELIZABETH
Thats it, Cory. What youre
feeling right now is withdrawal.
The Brothers were spiking the water
at the Holiness Centre with
powdered meth. Thats why you felt
so happy there all the time.
Cory starts to cry.
CORY
I cant believe none of what they
told me was true.
ELIZABETH
Im not going to lie to you - its
going to take a long time for you
to sort through your beliefs and
figure out what youre going to
keep and what youre going to
discard.
She smiles at him.
ELIZABETH (CONTD)
But youve already done the hardest
part. Congratulations.
He tries to smile back at her, but cant.
Theres a KNOCK at the door.

2.
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Out here, we can see that this is a typical middle class
home. Several people - including Corys WORRIED PARENTS stand huddled near the door.
Elizabeth steps out and her brassy and baby-faced best
friend, RUTH (35), moves forward, a concerned look on her
face.
RUTH
Theyre here.
Elizabeths eyebrows shoot up.
ELIZABETH
Wow. Ballsy move by the Brothers.
(to the others)
But theyre non-violent, so we can
handle this.
RUTH
Thats not why were worried.
YOUNG WOMAN (O.S.)
MU-NAN? MU-NAN! WHERE ARE YOU?!
CORY (O.S.)
KOGETSU?
Elizabeth runs back into the room.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Cory has thrown open the curtains.
Outside is a YOUNG WOMAN (early 20s), her head also shaved,
and wearing robes similar to those a Buddhist nun would wear.
With tears streaming down her face, she holds her hand up to
the window.
YOUNG WOMAN
I love you.
Cory holds his hand up to hers.
CORY
I love you, too.
Elizabeth approaches him.

3.
ELIZABETH
Cory, remember what youve learned.
He turns to her, his eyes wild.
CORY
Kogetsu was always true!
Elizabeth gets a little closer.
ELIZABETH
Yes, what the two of you feel is
real. But it was birthed in an
environment of deception.
Cory turns back to the window, trying to undo the latch and
open it CORY
Im coming, Kogetsu!
- but hes far too weak. It wont budge.
Elizabeth looks back at Ruth, whos standing in the doorway,
and smiles with relief - but Ruths face is a mask of horror.
RUTH
Look out!
Theres the CRASHING of glass - and Elizabeth ducks to protect her head - barely being missed by the garden gnome that was sent
through the window.
By the time she turns back, Corys already halfway out, being
pulled by the Young Woman and several other MONKS.
Elizabeth grabs at his foot, but he kicks free and goes out
the window.
Elizabeth turns to Ruth.
ELIZABETH
Wheres Martin?!
RUTH
He should be right there!

4.
They both run out of the room.
EXT. MIDDLE CLASS HOME - DAY
Barely any different from all the other single level detached
homes in the subdivision - aside from all the lawn ornaments.
Elizabeth and Ruth emerge from the front door to find Cory,
the Young Woman, and the monks standing with their hands up,
surrounded by MARTIN (50s), a farmer with an edge of steel
about him, and several of his BURLY FRIENDS.
ELIZABETH
Cory, I think youd better come
back inside.
He takes the Young Womans hand.
CORY
What about Kogetsu?
Elizabeth looks at the Young Woman, who looks back at her
with sad eyes.
YOUNG WOMAN
(mouths)
Help me.
Elizabeth nods.
ELIZABETH
She can come, too, if she wants.
But everyone else HAS to go.
Martin and his friends encourage the monks to be on their
way.
Elizabeth turns to Ruth.
ELIZABETH (CONTD)
(whispers)
This is not what I pictured myself
doing with my psychology degree...
Ruth shakes her head, smiling.
CUT TO:

5.
INT. INTEGRITY INSTITUTE COMPOUND - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AUDITORIUM - DAY
As dark as a movie theater during the trailers, since the
only lights are small and lining the bottoms of the walls.
Rows of cushioned chairs face a stage at the front, where a
large glass podium stands poised and imposing, a projection
screen on the wall behind it.
At the podium stands RAPHAEL KAYSON (mid-30s), dressed in
something similar to the black robes an Orthodox priest might
wear, except that he has a giant eye hanging from a chain
around his neck instead of a cross.
He watches as hundreds of his CULT MEMBERS, all dressed in
robes similar to his, file into the seats in complete
silence. He smiles at them.
RAPHAEL
Bring in the new recruits.
A line of FRESH-FACED NEW MEMBERS files across the front of
the room and turns to face him.
Raphael nods, and another line of CULT MEMBERS, this time in
white robes, files behind them, one for each New Recruit.
ONE OF THE WHITE-ROBED MEMBERS - an ordinary, wholesomelooking 20-year-old young man - looks up at Raphael with
glowing eyes.
Then he reaches around and covers his New Recruits mouth
with his hand.
RAPHAEL (CONTD)
(to New Recruits)
Lend me your voice so that I might
be loud enough to reach the world.
The New Recruits kneel, their mouths covered by the whiterobed cult members behind them, and lift their arms to him.
The White-Robed Cult Member closes his eyes, practically
radiating with ecstasy.
Raphael watches him, his smile growing.
END TEASER.