ETHAN CASTING SIDE #1

Casting Side Transcribed By: Gaby

NOTE: This transcript has all the scene descriptions, camera movements, and all other stuff that was in the casting side that Choirmom got and posted on Fanbolt in their Sneak Preview board which was found by me in summer 2005. It is likely to air in "Put On A Happy Face" but as I said, no episode title on the side means posted in this section.

INT. BROWN AND ABBOT MEDICAL. ANDY’S OFFICE. DAY.

Where we find Andy, at his desk, talking to ETHAN HARCOURT, 17, a smart, soulful kid. One of the good ones. Right now, he’s doing his best to sound grown-up and confident.

ANDY
How long have you been on antidepressants?

ETHAN
About a year now? I started taking ’em maybe six months after my brother Mike died. My mom thought it would help.

DOCTOR BROWN
I’m so sorry. Do you mind if I ask –

ETHAN
Car accident. Which, if you knew Mike, is just so ridiculous. The guy was like a posterchild for DMV safety tips. He was good at everything though. Starting shortstop on the baseball team, had a scholarship to Boulder all locked up. It was the summer before he was leaving for school that it happened. I remember, he said that I could move into his room after he left. Gave me this.

He hands Andy a ratty baseball cap off his head. Andy sees a stitched inscription on the side.

DOCTOR BROWN
(impressed)
State Little League champs.

ETHAN
It was his lucky hat. He knew how much I wanted it. Nw I wish he hadn’t given it to me, though. Maybe if he was wearing it when that sonofabitch drove him into a tree…
(then, shaking it off)
Anyway. After it happened, I was pretty much a disaster. I started cutting school, sleeping all the time. My folks took me to a guy in Denver who put me on this stuff.

DOCTOR BROWN
I see. So it’s not working anymore?

ETHAN
Oh no. It works great. I got my grades up and a girlfriend and everything.

Not the answer Andy was expecting.

DOCTOR BROWN
Terrific. Then why are you here?

ETHAN
The thing is, my girlfriend and I are pretty serious now and we’re ready to take it to the next level.

DOCTOR BROWN
So you need contraception?

ETHAN
I wish. See, I can’t…

Finish the sentence. Or make eye contact with Andy. Who finally puts it together.

DOCTOR BROWN
Got it.

ETHAN
Yeah. It’s not fun.

DOCTOR BROWN
Right. Well, first off I hope you understand that it’s not your fault, Ethan. Erectile dysfunction is a common side effect of antidepressants. Your girlfriend should know that depression is an illness. A treatable one. And you’re doing great –

ETHAN
Yeah, I kinda don’t feel like telling her the whole anti-depressant thing. It’s not exactly great “date” talk. Plus, Karen is a really normal girl. I don’t want to freak her out with all my crap.

DOCTOR BROWN
Of course, that’s your decision.

Ethan hands Andy some folded up papers from his pocket.

ETHAN
But so, I went on-line and read that Viagra works fine with my meds, and it would help me be normal again.

DOCTOR BROWN
That may be. But you’re seventeen.

ETHAN
And a half.

DOCTOR BROWN
So we still don’t know if it’s safe for someone your age. Plus, you’re a minor. Which under the law, prevents me from writing a prescription unless I have parental consent. If you’d like, I could call your parents.

ETHAN
No, no. you can’t call them. They don’t need another thing to start stressing out over, trust me.

He stops, thinks about an alternative solution.

ETHAN (CONT’D)
What if I stop taking my meds? I mean, I’m normal now, except for the sex thing.

DOCTOR BROWN
If you think you’re ready to start weaning yourself off, I would talk to your other doctor about that. But if your quit cold turkey, you could have seizures. You could wind up feeling even worse than you did before you started taking the medication. At which point, I doubt you’d be interested in having sex at all.

Ethan sighs, frustrated. Feeling trapped by his circumstances. Andy empathizes, hands him back his cap.

ETHAN
So basically, I have like, zero options.

DOCTOR BROWN
You have a few, they’re just not options you like. Think about it for awhile. I’m not going anywhere.

ETHAN
Okay. Thanks.

And with that, Ethan walks out of the office. Andy watches him go, feeling badly. It sucks to be 17, impotent, and in love…