TBF, Mags, you have been doing a lot of the heavylifting for the quest, so this will be in good hands.
To be clear to everyone, this is just me burning out on imagination of the quest, since my muse has been hitting me over the head a lot with so many different ideas that I just can't find myself too interested in this.
I'll still hang out here, though, since this still does have a sepcial place in my heart.
I'd like to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience while it lasted.
I'd also like to thank @Magoose, @Fluffy_serpent, and @Martin Noctis for doing so much to help prepare and write this quest. I couldn't have done it without you all.
Theoretically, there is nothing wrong with Public Schools, free education is an essential right, and in many places of the world public schools give a fantastic education totally free of charge...
In USA though, public schools are infamous for their abysmal quality...
Theoretically, there is nothing wrong with Public Schools, free education is a basic right, and in many places of the world public schools give a fantastic education totally free of charge...
In USA though, public schools are infamous for their abysmal quality...
I went to a public school in Florida for a while. The teachers were good, it was the rest of the students who just seemed to make a mess out of things.
But, from stories I've heard, the quality of teachers I had may have been the exception rather than the rule.
Yeah, when I heard that they banned Where Wild Things Are or Anne Frank's Diary, my already dwindling faith in humanity decreased a respectable amount...
But AFAIK the main problems seem to be the chronic deficits in government funding for schools (and the cascade effects it causes on all levles), and the decline in school safety...
Public school quality depends on municipal and local government funding and the taxes and donations collected from the community.
Personally speaking, I had very good teachers and faculty. The students were okay except for my one rowdy 4th grade class. Kids who caused trouble always got their comeuppance though. I think I also lucked out on a computer lab and lessons browsing the internet when they became common household items in 1st grade. If the area is well off enough, there really isn't that much difference between public and private schools. However, some private schools are usually also religious, so maybe that's something Bruce would consider for Mary's schooling.
As for the whole public school debate, it should be remembered that we live in Beverly Hills so any public school Mary will attend is part of the Beverly Hills ISD. Beverly Hills is a rich suburb city so Mary would be attending the higher end of the American public education system in terms of quality. It has three elementary schools which cover ages K-8, and then everyone goes to Beverly Hills High School which for the most part is normal but is noted to have a high academic stress experience, though that will be no problem for Mary and presumably the siblings no matter their intelligence won't have any pressure due to their family wealth allowing them to do whatever they want. I have no idea what Beverly Hills Pre-K is like in general.
Bruce also might be influenced in his decision from personal factors. Carrie and Todd both went to public school, and from Kindergarten through high school, Carrie was noted to be a popular "princess" type of student who most of the student body adored and idolized so she's probably a good metric to measure Mary's experience. Carrie had a decent time from elementary to middle school and she had lots of friends. In high school, things got rough and I'm unsure just how much that was due to the school itself though it wasn't helping Carrie. Carrie's issues mostly seem to stem from her Bi-polarism and a roughish home life with distant father, asshole stepdad and Debbie being consumed by work. Todd for the most part was well adjusted and okay in high school.
So a lot of Carrie's issues don't apply to Mary, though who knows for the Bi-polar for now. However, it should still be noted that Carrie in the end dropped out of high school so she might not be comfortable with Mary going to public school. There's also the issue of Mary and the other kids being the children of their parents. Part of Carrie's princess life at school was because she was the daughter of Ed Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, yet I think we can all agree that both Eddie and Debbie have nowhere near the fame or power of Bruce and Carrie. Bruce and Carrie probably have more wealth than 99% of the student body's families combined. So Mary might face more pressure in a public setting from being an O'Brian, though she'll probably get a lot of attention in a private setting too as rich kids would also love Star Wars. Beverly Hills High has a lot of famous alumni and kids of famous alumni, so Mary would be mingling among the elite but would have very few peers.
Another possible factor to consider is Brandon, where he was ruthlessly bullied and harassed in a public school to the point where he dropped out. Sharon might have had an easier time, but Brandon still dropped out and that can color things.
For now I'm leaning to private school, at least for pre-K. Could see Mary thriving in Beverly Hills high but those are my thoughts.
My vote Home scholing for the Comedy roll and then Private school.
The public school's system is not set up to deal with someone who has the intellectual capacity to graduate the day they walk in the doors. remember Mary practically did it all with Brandon alredy. Mary is not going to school to learn Math or reading, she is going to learn how to deal with other people who are not geniuses.Several students I interacted with did not have a good time with the outsourced Gifted and Talented proagram in the public school.
There are also safety considerations as Mary is unfortunately a kidnapping target as a child of a famous person, an anti-communist person, a rich person and for whoever Bruce has pissed off this week. She is also a World Class Calculator in her own right. Keeping her safe socialized and stimulated will need at least a custom lesson plan if not private tutoring and that's a lot to put on a public facility. A private one will at least have some basic expectations about dealing with children "Gifted" with money fame or skill.
I want to go for the home school option first, so we get the comedy but overall the home schooled people I have met always have gaps in their understanding and issues socializing that they are often resentful of. To a Degree Bruce has already said no to this when Mike Eisner overstepped and informed some professors about Marys skill Post Bruce s breakdown after the assassination.
As @Kaiser Chris pointed out, Brandon did not have a good time in the public system and I would expect as Marys companion some of that would have rubbed off on her, if only as the only person she knows who tried home schooling and public school.
As for Sharon @Magoose would you mind rolling to see what her school experience was like?
Having followed this closely for a bit, and getting a bit invested here in the story, I had 2 different pitch ideas for films, and this was one of them. I decided to settle on this one mainly because I think it's a fascinating story that doesn't get a lot of coverage in the media, and I was wondering if I could perhaps aid in the changing of that! So I present A Legion of Strangers! Also, my vote on the whole schooling matter is private, seeing as public schooling in America in general isn't...the best. Should also be noted that my cast list as of right now is WIP, so any suggestions would be fantastic!
Movie Pitch:
A Legion of Strangers
GENRE: War Drama/Historical Fiction
SUBGENRE: Drama/Biography
FORMAT: Live Action Movie
Set Up: The year is 1848. America is at war. In order to expand her territories in the West, and secure the newly created Republic of Texas as a state within the Union, America has invaded Mexico as a means of assuring it's power. Tens of thousands of young American men volunteer for service, including many famous American faces like Grant, Lee or Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. But our focus is on none of these men, but rather, a select group of Irishmen, and on their commander, John (or as he's known in his Spanish name, Juan) Riley. Defecting from the United States Army, he will go on to form the oft-forgotten but beloved Batallón de San Patricio, Saint Patrick's Battalion.
The beginning of the film shows some text on screen explaining the historical context (such as the Famine, America's tensions over slavery in new territories, and, mainly, the xenophobia faced by many Catholics and Irish immigrants). It ends with 'This film is dedicated to the countless legions of strangers, who fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves'.
The film then opens on a young Irishman named John Riley, who originally was born in Clifden, County Galway. John, now fleeing the Potato Famine of Ireland, attempts to find a new life in America [1]. When he arrives, however, he finds xenophobia and bigotry everywhere he goes. Offered a chance of land and a salary with the US Army, he takes it, and is shipped off to Texas to fight in the Mexican-American War. John is shown to be a skilled, but rough soldier, one who doesn't follow orders well [2], which compounds his increasing isolation from his fellows over his Irish Catholic background. Nativists attitudes make Catholics like him and another fellow Irishman and friend Patrick Dalton feel singled out often, culminating in his and Dalton's floggings alongside a dozen other Catholics for "desertion" only because they had traveled (without permission) to the Mexican side of the border to fulfill their obligation to attend Sunday Mass. Riley, Dalton and 14 other men then decide enough is enough, and defect [3].
Initially treated with suspicion by the Mexican authorities, Riley and his men are eventually given status within the Army, with Riley himself receiving the rank of Lieutenant by General Pedro de Ampudia [4]. Shortly after, Riley and a company of 48 Irishmen (mostly fellow defectors) man Mexican artillery at Fort Texas, where he shows great courage and even saves the life of his friend Dalton. It is during this battle too he meets manufacturer and German Mexican immigrant Martin Tritschler, who helps Riley recruit German-speaking Catholics for the unit using pamphlets and word of mouth [5]. It works, and many Germans defect to the unit.
The first engagement of the Battalion as an official unit happens at the Battle of Monterrey. At the battle of Monterrey, the unit proves their artillery skills by causing the deaths of many American soldiers, and even defeat 3 separate assaults from the US Army, including units from an (credited appearance of) officer named Braxton Bragg [6]. The vast majority of the immigrants soldiers that fought for the Americans during the battle can be shown later defecting to the unit [7]. Amongst the men who join or defect are Stanisław Bar, a Polish Catholic who immigrated to Mexico, Silus, a slave who flees his master in the US Army and intends to prove himself and Anthony Farley, a 16-year-old Irishman who Riley and Dalton take under their wing.
Following the engagement at Monterrey, the Saint Patricks are shown to have grown in number, reaching over 400 men by Riley's count [8]. At San Luis Potosí, they have their distinct green silk flag embroidered there, designed by Riley himself and raised by him and Dalton, together with several other soldiers. The men are then shown cheering as it waves in the air.
Following Monterry, the unit then marches northward to join a larger force commanded by Antonio López de Santa Anna, sent from Mexico City. During this march, Riley, Dalton, and several other young officers meet to discuss the unit's future and whether or not Mexico can actually win against the United States. Riley insists that nothing is impossible, though doubt creeps into his tone. That night, Riley dreams of death hanging over the Saint Patricks' head.
Eventually, the unit once again fights in another battle, this time in the Battle of Buena Vista. Here, Riley commands the artillery to support a Mexican assault on American lines. During this same battle, they later decimate an artillery battery directly opposite them on the battlefield [9]. The film then cuts to Zachary Taylor, who orders the 1st Dragoons to "take that damned battery" [10].
Riley's men eventually repel the charge by the Dragoons, though this costs the life of Farley, who is shot and killed by a dragoon while attempting to aid in repelling the charge. In revenge, Riley orders a small number of troops to capture the 4th Artillery's cannons. Led by a commander named Lombardini, the division gets close enough to charge the artillery battery, bayoneting whoever remained and routing the rest, leaving the artillery free to take as ordered [11]. The unit later covers a Mexican retreat and rides out the day in a costly artillery duel with several American batteries, which kills or injures roughly one third of them [12].
The battle, despite being thought a strategic victory by Mexico, is claimed by the Americans as a win. With neither side being confidently able to claim the battle as a victory, Riley's doubts about Mexico's potential victory grows, even after several of his men (including Farley posthumously) earn the War Cross (Mexico's second highest honor in the field of battle). Silus contends with Riley that, even if they lose, they'll have proved themselves as free men, not slaves to a country that seemingly hates them.
A significant time skip later, and the Battalion are apart of a larger "Foreign Legion", made up of French, Irish and German Catholics, though some including Mexican-American born, Polish (lead by Bar), as well Canadian, English, Italian, Scottish, Spanish, and even Swiss soldiers [12]. The unit is ordered to defend Churubusco, a neighborhood in Mexico City. The fighting scene is the largest of the film, with wave after wave of American attacks bravely repelled by the Mexican forces (though out-numbered and, asides from the Saints, untested on the battlefield). Casualties of the battle include Silus (killed by a cannon), Bar (shot by an American soldier while ordering his men to defend) and many of the Saint Patricks.
During the last of the fighting, a Mexican officer attempts to raise the white flag. Outraged, Riley and Dalton kill the man [13], and insist on fighting to the last. The Americans attempt to oblige them, however, they eventually demand the surrender of the remaining men, which, with reluctance, Riley acquiesces. Dalton is outraged, but doesn't fight Riley. The remaining men, less than 100, are captured and treated as traitors by the Americans.
The final scene of the film is the mass hanging of at least 30 men at Chapultepec. In the final moments of the film, Dalton is shown to be amongst the men to be hung. Despite raising concerns with treatment, he is hung, with the commander presiding over it saying "I was ordered to hang 30, I'll hang 30 by god!". Dalton is the last to be hung, with his last words being "Viva Mexico! God Bless Ireland!" [14]
The ending text states that 35 Saint Patricks were killed in Churubusco, with 85 taken prisoner (including a wounded John Riley, Dalton, and several others); about 85 escaped with retreating Mexican forces. In all, some 60% of the San Patricios were killed or captured in the engagement. The survivors were reformed before the Battle of Mexico City some two weeks later and were stationed at Querétaro where the Mexican government had decamped, with some 50 members serving as a body-guard for the commander-in-chief. The unit 'would not survive the war, being disbanded after attempting to aid in the overthrow of the Mexican government'. Afterwards, the film cuts to the commemorative plaque in Mexico City, with the theme of the song "Saint Patrick's Battalion" playing in the background.
[1] It should be noted that in real life John did not originally emigrate to America, having actually emigrated to Canada first, before settling in Michigan in 1845.
[2] John had previously served in the British Army, and so likely would've had some basic military training under his belt, here in the film, however, he's shown to be more of a rookie.
[3] So far as the research I had done for this, both based on One Man's Hero (the film this is somewhat inspired by) and by the life of Riley and the Battalion themselves, I can't actually find evidence of an incident like this happening. So both OTL and ITTL it's safe to assume it was created as a plot device for the film.
[4] Happened IRL.
[5] Also happened IRL, but I'm not sure Tritschler and Riley ever actually met face to face.
[6] This is true to history, with Bragg having lead a company during the battle, many of whose members would later defect to the Mexican side.
[7] See above.
[8] According to several estimates the actual number may have only been 200, though some counts put it upwards of 700 men, mainly immigrant Catholics and even some escaped slaves if stories are to be believed. Though the film will round it out to 400 to keep it somewhat balanced.
[9] Historically accurate, with it being noted by an observer "a strong Mexican battery ... moved ... by dint of extraordinary exertions ... [that] commanded the entire plateau". (Source)
[10] Historically accurate as well. Though the source for this won't be published until 1999, although it could be discovered earlier ITTL.
[11] Historically accurate, though the timing is changed to fit narratively with Farley's death and showing Riley's vindictive side.
[12] All true!
[13] The killing was done by common soldiers, and not by Riley and Dalton. This was changed to show how fierce but rash the two had become in their last battle.
[14] Dalton was hung separately in real life at San Ángel, but this is changed to have a more poignant ending scene and to be more cinematic.
John Riley - An immigrant, a soldier, a traitor. Many things can describe John, but one word above the rest is determined. Determined to escape the land of his oppression, determined to create a life for himself in America, and, once tossed aside by the United States, determined to carve a life for himself in Mexico. Riley will be characterized as a sympathetic, albeit complicated figure. A devout man who slays those he disagrees with, a believer in equality yet strict and sometimes authoritarian. A man who genuinely believes in creating a better life for himself, but one constantly betrayed by those around him.
Patrick Dalton- Dalton, the erstwhile comrade of Riley and one of his closest compatriots, Dalton is a combination of a few real life figures (such as the actual Dalton and one Captain Santiago O'Leary), and acts as sort of the perennial ally of Riley's, being trustworthy and mostly the voice of reason within the unit. A talented tactician, a smart man and someone with good, albeit bendable morals, Dalton's final death in the film is meant to be a poignant and tragic end for a man fighting for freedom.
[X] Plan Goslingarten
-[X]Devil's Hour: Dead Man's Gold: You are honestly really excited for this film and want to see what type of magic can be made. DC: 20
-[X]Get You're Scenes over With: You are going to Mexico, filming your scenes, and you are going to head home. Sorry, Francis, you have bigger -worries to worry about than Dune. DC: ???
-[X]Carrie's Movie: Carrie came back to you and put down her scripts. "Bruce, I wanna produce a Movie, can you help me do this?" (Begin a Production Miniturn for Killer Queen)
-[XThe Aftermath: Mike needs you to fly to Japan. He wants to rub it into the face of his enemies personally. DC: 30
-[X]And George Prepares for… Something: So George, what are you planning on doing this time… why are the Steves Here? There were the three big Steves. Wozniacki, Jobs, and Spielberg. DC: 40
-[X]Investing in the Future: You want to Spend some of that money you made into the company and make the whole thing better DC: ??? (Linetail what you want to invest in, and how much money you want to invest in it)
--[X] Purcahse Ardmore Studios. $50 million. You wish to support the Irish film industry by purchasing Ardmore as a subsidiary. It will also act as a great location site for Lucasfilms productions set in Ireland or Europe.
-[X]Distributing Deals: Since you have a Distribution Company, or rather, are one… You can meet the major movie theater companies and strike a Deal with them. Even when you had nothing to offer them. DC: ???
--[X] Distribute Sergiu Nicolaescu's Accident
-[X]Mary's First Day of School (Private): You are going to send Mary to a Private Preschool where she can be with other kids, but also so that she can be closer to home.
-[X]The Family Time: You need a night out with the family dammit! No more drama, no more work, just you and Carrie and the Kids!
-[X]Networking: Well time to start finding out who might actually be interested in meeting you. (Write-in what you want to try and network with)
--[X] Joshua Brand and John Falsey. The two are pitching a medical drama about doctors and their interns at an aging run-down hospital in Boston doing their best to save lives and deal with the changing times in medicine. Something about the pitch just gives you very strong MASH vibes and you feel it could be great on the network.
--[X] Barbara Avedon, Barbara Corday. Two veteran writers in television, the Barbaras are pitching a TV series about two female police detectives and their lives in New York. Cop shows seem to be all the rage, and a female buddy cop story has never really been told. Try to see if they're willing to work with LucasTV.
--[X] Barry Kemp. A veteran writer on Taxi, Kemp is pitching a TV series about a travel book author and his wife moving to rural Vermont to run an inn with the main focus being their daily interactions with the colorful townspeople and the many guests that pass through. Sounds like decent sitcom material.
--[X] Robert Butler. An Emmy award winning director who is the must have man for creating legendary series pilots, he's come up with a new police series called "Remington Steele", a show about a female private eye who creates a fictional male boss so people will take her agency more seriously, only to come into contact with a conman who assumes the fake identity and becomes the face of the agnecy. Rom com mixed with detective work, sounds fun.
Okay, lots of stuff happening this turn.
Distribute Devil's Gold and hopefully normalize the box office. Just in case, distribute the Romanian film Accident to keep our partnership alive and provide a fallback film for extra gross.
Get our cameo in Dune out of the way and help Carrie produce Killer Queen.
Deal with business nonsense with Sony and George's big tech thing. Also as a concession to Orion, acquire Ardmore since it's about to close down.
For Mary's pre-K, leaning towards Private for a safer environment, though I'm open to other suggestions if there are good arguments. Some lovely family time is a must.
Also, just focus in general on trying to grab as many good TV shows as we can. I'm going for in particular St. Elsewhere, Cagney and Lacy, Remington Steele and Newhart. Any other suggestions are welcome.
[X] Plan Goslingarten
-[X]Devil's Hour: Dead Man's Gold: You are honestly really excited for this film and want to see what type of magic can be made. DC: 20
-[X]Get You're Scenes over With: You are going to Mexico, filming your scenes, and you are going to head home. Sorry, Francis, you have bigger -worries to worry about than Dune. DC: ???
-[X]Carrie's Movie: Carrie came back to you and put down her scripts. "Bruce, I wanna produce a Movie, can you help me do this?" (Begin a Production Miniturn for Killer Queen)
-[XThe Aftermath: Mike needs you to fly to Japan. He wants to rub it into the face of his enemies personally. DC: 30
-[X]And George Prepares for… Something: So George, what are you planning on doing this time… why are the Steves Here? There were the three big Steves. Wozniacki, Jobs, and Spielberg. DC: 40
-[X]Investing in the Future: You want to Spend some of that money you made into the company and make the whole thing better DC: ??? (Linetail what you want to invest in, and how much money you want to invest in it)
--[X] Purcahse Ardmore Studios. $50 million. You wish to support the Irish film industry by purchasing Ardmore as a subsidiary. It will also act as a great location site for Lucasfilms productions set in Ireland or Europe.
-[X]Distributing Deals: Since you have a Distribution Company, or rather, are one… You can meet the major movie theater companies and strike a Deal with them. Even when you had nothing to offer them. DC: ???
--[X] Distribute Sergiu Nicolaescu's Accident
-[X]Mary's First Day of School (Private): You are going to send Mary to a Private Preschool where she can be with other kids, but also so that she can be closer to home.
-[X]The Family Time: You need a night out with the family dammit! No more drama, no more work, just you and Carrie and the Kids!
-[X]Networking: Well time to start finding out who might actually be interested in meeting you. (Write-in what you want to try and network with)
--[X] Joshua Brand and John Falsey. The two are pitching a medical drama about doctors and their interns at an aging run-down hospital in Boston doing their best to save lives and deal with the changing times in medicine. Something about the pitch just gives you very strong MASH vibes and you feel it could be great on the network.
--[X] Barbara Avedon, Barbara Corday. Two veteran writers in television, the Barbaras are pitching a TV series about two female police detectives and their lives in New York. Cop shows seem to be all the rage, and a female buddy cop story has never really been told. Try to see if they're willing to work with LucasTV.
--[X] Barry Kemp. A veteran writer on Taxi, Kemp is pitching a TV series about a travel book author and his wife moving to rural Vermont to run an inn with the main focus being their daily interactions with the colorful townspeople and the many guests that pass through. Sounds like decent sitcom material.
--[X] Robert Butler. An Emmy award winning director who is the must have man for creating legendary series pilots, he's come up with a new police series called "Remington Steele", a show about a female private eye who creates a fictional male boss so people will take her agency more seriously, only to come into contact with a conman who assumes the fake identity and becomes the face of the agnecy. Rom com mixed with detective work, sounds fun.
Eh, would have prefered to make the deal with lee Falk for The Phantom, or Peyo for Johan and Peewit, but this fits everything I wanted, and I guess it's better we get some good TV shows if we want to begin our new channel with a splash.
PBS Animated TV Show: American Girls: Felicity Merriman
A long time ago...well, more like in the early 2000s (Damn, I hate getting old) I remember that my sister tended to love this kind of books. At first I never gave it much thought, but one day when I had nothing to read I thought I'd give them a look...and I ended binging her entire collection. I don't know what it was, perhaps the fact that the characters never seemed to be childish but had depth to it, or that the main character was not a perfect little girl, but instead had her own flaws, her own strengths, as well as her own opinions while also showing her willing to learn and improve. Frankly, it was much better written than I expected.
It was not until later on I learned that it had been discontinued, which I still don't understand why. It was a really good story in my opinion, and the sidestories were also really fun. It was later I learned that the small books were only done to sell the doll collection that were created in 86'. But frankly, I think this could serve pretty well as an animated TV Show for PBS, sort of like what we did with A Classical Tale. Besides, we haven't done anything for girls exclusively lately, and this could help in tht regard.
I do want to make some changes though. The original story had the family owning slaves, but I think we can add a storyline where they can finally realize the hypocrisy and evil of owning another human being, eventually freeing them before the series ends, serving as a way to show the growth of not only Felicity but her family as well.
Thus, I give you:
PBS Animated TV Pitch: American Girls: Felicity Merriman GENRE: Historical/Slice Of Life/Drama SUBGENRE: Adventure/Family
FORMAT: Animated TV Show
Set Up: A series representing girls from various historical eras. Each character having a one season series that follows the girl in question through a variety of topics, among them include school, holidays, birthdays, overcoming challenges, etc., through a period of 2 years of their life. This season is set in English colonial America and the early American Revolutionary War period. Felicity Merriman lives with her family in colonial Virginia, where the movement toward breaking away from British rule is growing.
Animation: DreamWorks Studios Series Director: Don Bluth Writer: Valerie Tripp Length: 52 Episodes
Felicity Merriman: She is the daughter of Edward and Martha Merriman. Felicity is a daring and fiercely independent-minded girl. She is tomboyish, daring, adventurous, spunky, and both brave and foolhardy--she feels that if she can do something she will, despite the risks. She is very active for a girl her age, but is annoyed at her lack of freedom as a young girl and the ladylike things and personality that is expected of her. Felicity believes in fighting for what she wants and can be stubborn and headstrong; this helps give her a strong connection to Benjamin Davidson once they start to become friends.
Played By: Kellie Martin Alternate: Mary Kay Bergman
Edward Merriman: He is the father of Felicity. He runs a popular general store in town, Merriman's Store, with help from Marcus and Benjamin Davidson. Edward Merriman is a kind father to Felicity, understanding her high-spirited nature and affection for horses and outdoor activities where her mother does not. He treats his daughter like a fine lady when she comes to the store, much to her delight, and is a well-respected citizen of the town, even when he sides with the Patriots and refuses to sell tea before it is popular to do so. He is firm with Ben, but also kind.
Played By: Kevin Conroy Alternate: John Glover
Martha Merriman: She is the mother of Felicity. She is from a well to do plantation family--her father is the owner of a large plantation where she grew up. Martha is very strict and ladylike with a no-nonsense personality. She has had Rose working for her since before Felicity's birth. She is much more disapproving than Edward when it comes to Felicity's nature and unladylike actions. She does not approve of her hobbies when they are first discovered and would rather Felicity take interest in more ladylike pursuits such as stitches, cooking, and handwriting.
Played By: Melendy Britt Alternate: Marilu Henner
Anne "Nan" Merriman: She is the younger sister of Felicity. She is very prim and proper, in contrast to her older sister. She wants to be a lady and often tries to get Felicity to teach her what Felicity learned with Miss Manderly. Nan also loves fancy gowns and clothes and is fond of baby animals. Unlike Felicity, she is a careful seamstress even at her young age and enjoys helping with household duties. Despite their differences, Nan does look up to Felicity as an older sister.
Played By: Alison La Placa Alternate: Julie Dees
William Merriman: He is Felicity's younger brother, not quite three yet. He is an active little boy who likes playing in the mud, getting into mischief, and making messes. He enjoys following Felicity around and mimicking her actions, looking up to her sister's mischief and tomboyish ways. He tends to dislike wearing Breeches as he finds them uncomfortable, though he grows into them later on. He has a habit of forgetting his chores and going to play instead.
Played By: Nancy Cartwright Alternate: Christine Cavanaugh
Thomas Browne: He is Felicity's grandfather and Martha's father. He owns a large plantation, King's Creek with several enslaved people. He immigrated from England, along with his late wife. He is generous and kind to his family. He is a strict Loyalist and finds the Patriot cause to be foolish, the ranting of irresponsible scoundrels, and disloyal to the King; he is sure the colonies will be part of England forevermore. He catches an illness he does not recover from and dies near the end of the series in Willamsburg at the Merriman home.
Played By: Adam West Alternate: Lloyd Bochner
Polly Merriman: She is Felicity's youngest sister, born in the middle of the series. She is a rosy baby with sky-blue eyes and hair as orange as carrots. She was named by Felicity after Rose says she was almost born in the water like a polliwog. Polly is first mentioned technically when it is revealed that Martha Merriman is due to have a baby come the winter of 1775. She is born during a trip by carriage, where Felicity, Martha and Rose had to take refuge during a storm.
Benjamin Davidson: He is a friend of Felicity and an apprentice to her father. Ben is initially introduced as a quiet and shy young man who keeps to himself and sleeps in the loft above the stables. Felicity does not think much of him to start both because he is quiet and because due to his presence, she no longer is allowed to help her father and Marcus at Merriman's Store and so must go home and do housekeeping things she finds boring. As he gets to know Felicity and her family, he opens up and becomes a good friend to Felicity as she does to him.
Played By: Cam Clarke
Elizabeth Cole: She is Felicity's best friend. She and her family are originally from Lancashire, England. The Coles arrived to the American colonies in the fall of 1774, just before she and Annabelle start lessons with Felicity and Miss Manderly. Elizabeth's family are Loyalists and often she finds it hard to find her place among the colonies, though she believes in some independent notions that the colonies promote.
Elizabeth is quiet, shy, smart, and careful. She has a knack for sewing, as she's more patient, and she loves fancy balls and dancing.
Played By: Jennifer Darling
Annabelle Cole: She is Elizabeth's older sister. She is very snobby, proud, arrogant, and proper to a fault. She feels that everything in England is better than it is in the colonies which are wild, provincial, and uncivilized. She constantly belittles both her younger sister Elizabeth and Felicity Merriman, both in public and at their classes held together at Miss Manderly's. Annabelle is a fierce Loyalist and believes the Patriot cause is not only wrong, but foolishness. Despite this opinion, she develops a crush on Benjamin Davidson.
Played By: Renae Jacobs
Penny: She is a Thoroughbred Bay mare with a copper chestnut coat, dark hair, and a white blaze and stockings. Penny's prior owner is unknown before she is won by Jiggy Nye in a gambling game. Penny is mistreated by Jiggy severely, in large part because he cannot break her into behaving. Felicity takes an instant liking to Penny--privately naming her so-- and resolves to do ride her. Over the course of about five weeks, tames her enough to ride and rides her to her house to demonstrate.
Played By: Frank Welker
Jiggy Nye: He is the tanner in Williamsburg where Felicity Merriman lives, has no family since his wife died, and is the first owner of Penny.
He is initially a brash, mean drunkard and considered an unreliable, cold-hearted scoundrel who gambles and drinks away his money. He would rather abuse and destroys things than have them taken from him, and refuses to negotiate with anyone. He was good with animals before he became a drunkard. It is later in the series that he cleans up his act, enough that Felicity asks for help with Penny's delivery of Patriot.
Played By: Bill McKinney
Miss Frances Manderly: Miss Frances Manderly is the teacher of Felicity, along with Elizabeth and Annabelle Cole, and is a gracious gentlewoman. She is very ladylike and teaches young girls such skills such as needlework, tea service, and dancing; in other words, how to conduct themselves as young ladies. Aside from giving sage advice, she also helped her students get invitations for the Governor's Party, as well as gifting Felicity a journal to practice penmanship and handwriting.
Played By: Diana Muldaur
Rose: She is a woman enslaved by Felicity Merriman's family. Her specific age is never stated, but she has been enslaved and serving Martha Merriman since before Felicity was born, though she is often referred to as a "servant". Rose both cooks and is a maidservant to the family. Because of her position in the household and society, Rose does not speak back roughly to the elder Merrimans and refers to Felicity as "Miss Felicity." However, she is allowed to mildly discipline or correct the children in Mrs. Merriman's stead. She shows skills in spinning.
Played By: Ingrid Oliu
Marcus: He, along with Rose, is an enslaved man in the Merriman household. He primarily works in the store with Edward Merriman and Ben and helps care for the family horses. He also helps fix things in the home, showing skills as a repairman.
Played By: Bruce Weitz
William Yancey: A man who took in Anne after her parents died, as he had been a friend of her father's. Anne says he was not truly a friend and only wanted the money in her father's will for taking care of her. He and wife mistreat Anne, however, and forced her to address them as "Father Yancey" and "Mother Yancey." They make Anne steal for them during public events and beat her if she doesn't bring them enough. He lives on Nicholson Street near the jail.
Reverend Mr. Ullfers: The minister at Bruton Parish Church. Initially, Felicity and Elizabeth ask him about ghosts, because Felicity believes that Lady Margaret's ghost may be haunting their house. He explains that some people believe in ghosts and some don't, but he remains open minded. They also ask him about Anne's guardian, because the church has public records. He tells them her guardian is William Yancey, and he offers to pass a message to him. The girls thank him but decline so he doesn't realize why they are inquiring.
Anne: A girl who was taken in by William Yancy. She is a girl about Felicity's age with freckles and curly red hair, often wearing an oversized mob cap and a worn homespun dress; she also has bruises on her arms. Storms scare her because her father died on a stormy night. She's a skilled seamstress. She is often mistreated by him and forced to steal from others. Felicity eventually discovers this, and helps her escape him and get the help from her father (Edward Merriman) to get her a new place to live.
Mr. Whyte: A lawyer and friend of Mr. Merriman's. Mr. Merriman says he will talk to Mr. Whyte when he learns of the abuse William Yancey has inflicted on Anne. They will pursue charges against Mr. Yancey and help find another guardian for Anne.
Mrs. Whitehurst: She is Martha Merriman's dressmaker. Felicity remembers that Mrs. Whitehurst was looking for an apprentice who is hardworking, easygoing, and a strong seamstress. Mr. Merriman agrees to talk to her about an apprenticeship for Anne.
Mrs. Burnie: A laundress who's known for being very fussy. People find her peculiar and gossip that she's hard to get along with because she is so opinionated and dead set against change. She has vision issues that she tries to hide, but is eventually discovered by Felicity when she began to help her after ruining her laundry. The visits became more common to the point that Mrs. Burnie began seeing her as a friend, and accepts Felicity's offer of glasses, accepting that changes do not have to be bad.
Mr. Wentworth: A Loyalist man and plantation owner who is married to Mrs. Wentworth. He and his wife live on Oak Hill, a plantation near King's Creek Plantation. He is a guest to dinner with his wife, and dozes at the table, only waking to agree with her complaints passively. He and Thomas often go out to discuss the horses he has brought to look at, with Grandfather invites Felicity to come with them. For all his passivity, Mr. Wentworth has a passion for horses, the care and breeding of them.
Mrs. Wentworth: A Loyalist woman. She is very stout with a plump face, but with (to Felicity) sharp elbows. Mrs. Wentworth is a frequent visitor to the Merrimans both at their home in Williamsburg and at King's Creek Plantation; she and her husband have a plantation nearby named Oak Hill, and is an old friend of Martha Merriman. Felicity thinks that Mrs. Wentworth is the most talkative lady in all of Virginia and finds meals with her dull and that no one asks anything of her opinions. She and her husband do not appear to have children.
Caleb: He is the driver to Mrs. Wentworth's carriage. When the carriage crashes into the bank of a gully, Caleb is the one to inform them that the carriage is damaged and the horse is lamed. He then helps Mrs. Wentworth and Martha Merriman out of the carriage along with Felicity. He then leads them all to an abandoned house for shelter, starts a fire, and then--at Mrs. Wentworth's orders--heads back towards Willamsburg for help as she finds her clothes uncomfortable.
Fergus McLeod: A Scottish shopkeeper in Williamsburg, friend of Edward Merriman, and Fiona's father. Mr. McLeod is accused of being disloyal to the Patriots and summoned to appear before the Committee of Safety. He asks Mr. Merriman to testify on his behalf until the family receives a threatening letter from the writer of the accusatory broadsides. He is attacked by a mob and nearly tarred and feathered until Mr. Merriman steps in. He and his family choose to flee from Williamsburg instead of going to court.
Fiona McLeod: A girl who is a good friend of Felicity and Elizabeth Cole. Her family is Scottish. Fiona's father is accused of betraying the Patriot cause, she talks with the girls about her fears for his safety. Elizabeth, whose father had to flee as a Loyalist, comforts her and says she knows what it's like to miss a father. Their family leaves Williamsburg before his trial, and Felicity is not able to have a chance to say goodbye. The Committee of Safety rules against them and puts their house and store up for public auction.
Richard Capps: A business rival of Mr. Merriman and a member of the Committee of Safety. His apprentice is Walter. He has a short temper and is rude to both Ben and Mr. McLeod. Mr. Capps also refuses to pay back Mr. McLeod the money he owes. He frequently takes business trips to Portsmouth, and even though his store is struggling, he seems to always have a gold coin around if needed. He attempts to bid for the McLeod house when it is put up for public auction. However, he gives up against John Sutherland's high bid. Mr. Capps accuses Mr. Merriman of betraying the Patriots by selling goods to Lord Dunmore when it is him who is in fact selling to Dunmore.
Alexander Ramsey: A Scottish master printer of Williamsburg and a friend of Mr. Merriman's. He has a very busy shop and the broadside accusing Edward Merriman of betraying the Patriots was printed on paper from his mill. He successfully bids on the McLeod house when it is put up for public auction. It is eventually revealed that Zachary printed the broadsides against Mr. McLeod and Mr. Merriman, and Mr. Ramsey fires him. He replaces Zachary with Walter, Mr. Capps' former apprentice.
Clarissa Reed: A female master printer of Williamsburg. She is a friend of the Merrimans and publishes the Gazette, Edward Merriman's preferred newspaper due to its Patriot positions. Widow Reed has a son, Aaron. Mr. Merriman takes out an advertisement in the Gazette to defend Mr. McLeod from the accusation that he is a Loyalist. When Mr. Merriman is accused of disloyalty, Felicity takes out an ad in the Gazette to defend him and bait the "Mr. Puller" who is accusing him.
John Sutterland: A storekeeper and friend of the Merrimans. He owns a grocery store on Nicholson Street, is nearly bald, and carries a walking cane. He is friendly with Edward Merriman even though he competed with him to marry Martha Merriman. When broadsides accusing her father of treachery appear in town, Felicity starts to wonder if Mr. Sutherland is doing this because he maintains a grudge about Martha marrying Edward.
Walter: He is Richard Capps' general store apprentice and a friend of Ben's. Walter does not like Mr. Capps' attitude toward him, and he likes whenever he's away for a business trip to Portsmouth. When they suspect Mr. Capps of selling to the Loyalists, Ben and Felicity find a way to get him a letter so they can meet up. Walter helps Felicity and Ben find evidence against Capps. After Capps is sent to prison, Walter takes up Zachary's apprenticeship with Mr. Ramsey; he was not a fan of storekeeping anyway. Ben also describes him as "enterprising."
Zachary: He is Richard Capps' nephew and Mr. Ramsey's apprentice. He is described as a tall, yellow-haired boy with messy clothes and hair. Mr. Ramsey is impatient with him because he does sloppy work. His mother is Mr. Capps' wife's sister. Zachary is fired after it is revealed that he printed broadsides accusing Mr. McLeod and Mr. Merriman of treason, as well as opening and reading Mr. Merriman's mail. He is replaced by Walter in his apprenticeship.
Mr. & Mrs. Cole: They are the parents of Elizabeth and Annabelle Cole. The Coles are originally from Lancashire, England, and the family arrives in Williamsburg in the fall of 1774. Their family is portrayed as slightly wealthier than the Merrimans (seen by things such as their larger home and garden and the fact the girls had a governess when they lived in England.) Mr. Cole is arrested for being a Loyalist and imprisoned until Thomas gets him released. Following his arrest, he decides to head to New York and leaves his wife and daughters to look after their property.
Dawson: A young man from Yorkshire, England who has a thick accent. He's good at soothing a startled horse such as the colt he rides in the Publick Times races. He was hired to be a jockey and isn't afraid of spirited horses, as his father was a groom and he has grown up riding them from a young age. He worked for a while at the store, and was thought by the girls to be a thief, until the truth came out that he was trying to avoid the sailors who'd pressed him into service. The girls apologized and he accepted it. Though he still left as he still wants to work in the sea.
Mrs. Fitchett: A stout woman who loves to gossip. She is often seen first in walking into Merriman's Store, well dressed with a lady's hat covered in ribbons and feathers. She calls Felicity pretty and says that the lads will be flocking to her. She also asks Felicity if she is working on her sampler; when Felicity says she hasn't started, she replies that her two daughters were done by her age. Mr. Merriman says that Felicity isn't good at stitching as she lacks patience, and Mrs. Fitchett says that Felicity is high spirited and that she will find patience when she decides.
Mr. Halibut: A gardener in Williamsburg, seen working for Miss Manderly. Felicity has kept her spare shoes in a gardening basket in Miss Manderly's shed, and she panics when Mr. Halibut takes the basket to clean the garden tools before winter. Miss Manderly tells her that he also gardens for the Milners on Francis Street, so Felicity goes to their house and finds Mr. Milner there. He is surprised to see her run up to him with muddy stockings, but he silently holds out the basket for her to take her bag.
Mrs. Hewitt: An elderly woman who assists Felicity around the Merriman household while Mrs. Merriman is out of town. She is described as plump with gray hair and sharp black eyes. As a widow, she wears a black dress with black kerchief and white cap. When she was young, she used to cook for the governor at the palace, and she says she did it even as young as eleven (Felicity's age). Since her husband died, she has struggled with money, and she describes Merriman's store as too expensive for her.
Isaac Wallace: A free Black boy who is a friend of Benjamin Davidson and slightly older than he is. He serves as a drummer for the town's militia, and his family does laundry work; several times a month he comes to pick up and deliver laundry to the house. He tells Ben and Felicity briefly about his tasks as a drummer and shows them some of the various drumbeats he knows.
A.N.: So, I think we can start with this by next year, or the one after. So long as we do this before 86' then we should be fine. Hopefully PBS will be willing to accept another DreamWorks inspired educational animation story. Got to admit though, I have not read all the collected stories, so at best I will be able to put five of these pitches.
Also, just focus in general on trying to grab as many good TV shows as we can. I'm going for in particular St. Elsewhere, Cagney and Lacy, Remington Steele and Newhart. Any other suggestions are welcome.
Well, I don't know much about American TV of the 80s, but I think we should try to buy the adaptation rights for the works of some sci-fi classic authors, like Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, or Joe Haldeman, especially from Philip K. Dick who OTL died this year...
Ben wasn't sure about going to school. He liked being at home with Mummy. But Mommy couldn't always be there as Mummy needed to go to "work", which was somehow important. And he had babysitters instead. Even if they were Grandma, babysitters were less fun than Mommy. Grandma got tired quickly, and while she did things nearly right, only Mommy got his drink right. Mommy was also good at helping him play with the other kids at the park and stopping the too-big kids from hurting him. Grandma was okay, but some others were not good at it.
Still, he liked going to the park and playing games with the other kids there if they weren't too big. Kindergarten was supposed to be like the park except inside, and there would be a lot of other kids his age to play with, as well as toys that were different from home but had to share. He was supposed to learn things as well, like counting. Mummy wanted him to learn to count, but it sounded hard. Ben would try his best to learn and make Mommy happy. Mommy also told him to make friends and tell her about the toys and games he played there when she picked him up.
Ben was a bit worried. Some of the kids at the park were mean and not people he wanted to be friends with. Kindergarten might be the same. Ben also didn't see how any toy could be as good as his Batman toy. His father agreed and said Batman was the best. But Daddy was silly because Daddy was talking about the wrong Batman when someone called Adam West was Batman. Everyone knew that Bruce O'Brian was Batman,
Still with Batman in hand, he bravely said goodbye to his Mother and followed Miss Daisy into a room filled with brightly coloured things. And lots of other kids.
He found a corner to sit in and hold his Batman toy for courage. This place was not quite like the park it was inside and had different toys and there didn't seem to be any kids that were much bigger than him and likely to steal his things or push him into the sand. There wasn't any sand, just foam mats with lots of colours. Miss Daisy had seemed Nice, better than some of his past babysitters anyway. He was a bit scared, and then he saw the real Batman, come in and drop off a child, who was instantly greeted by some other children. Maybe she would be Okay?
----
"If you're so smart, why don't you teach the class?" Screamed the overwhelmed preschool teacher as she stormed out the door, leaving a classroom full of preschoolers looking at Mary.
Mary had only wanted to help Ben learn counting and maffs. She hadn't meant to upset Miss Daisy, but she kept repeating silly basic things like the Count did and not because she loved counting things like the Count did. Miss Daisy did it like she didn't think Mary understood or was able to understand. Like Mary was stupid and could only use real numbers and couldn't figure out how to work out abstract polynomials. The Count was obsessed with all numbers and got silly excited about them. Miss Daisy didn't; she just had that wrong smile like Nathans daddy when he was pretending to be taxman.
So Mary started calling out all of Miss Daisy's math errors and wrote the proofs to show Miss Daisy how to get better. Miss Daisy would understand that Mary could do maths, which is important. If Miss Daisy could be made to understand that Mary could do maths, then she could be made to understand that Mille was very good at stories, even if she wasn't good at talking. Or Wally was very good at pictures and movies even if he wasn't good at drawing. Or Nathan was good at wigging toys just right.
Now Miss Daisy had run away like a meanie rather than trying to be better. Mary felt her lip wobble as she fought back tears. Well, if the teacher was going to be a meanie about math's and go over boring things for babies like counting and the alphabet instead of easy things like probabilistic determinism and game theory then perhaps it was better that Mary did teach the class instead. This way Miss Daisy was only mean to Mary, not Nathan, Wally, or Millie.
So Mary needed to be a fun teacher, not a meanie teacher, find out what people were good at, and help them improve. She also needed to find out what they were not good at and help them get better at that as well.
She had learned some lessons from trying to teach Joseph and Sarah, and the main one was to make it interesting and fun, like playing dragon. Dragon was a good game for practising all the important things like drawing, talking, taking turns, and telling good stories. It was easy, with only a little maths involved.
Plan set Mary stood and spoke Cleary like daddy did when telling people important things. "I teacher now." She announced to the class. "Need help Mille, Wally and Nathan. We going to play Dragons." She was interrupted by Nathan's whoop of joy, which was followed by the excited looks of Wally and Millie. Intrigued, the rest of the class collectively decided to go along with what promised to be a fun game if the other kids were so excited about it. "Everybody sits in circle, and I get counters and dice, and we roll characters…"
"…Bug monsters jump out of the forest. What do?."
Various shouts of attack, run hide and try to make friends with it came from the group of small children. An assortment of wooden blocks, toy cars, action figures, and dolls that should have been left at home stood in for characters making up a very oversized adventure party. Two blocks supported a crudely drawn picture of a bug. Well, it was Wally's greenest scribble, but no child had any trouble picturing it as a bug monster. The specifics of the beast differed, but everyone agreed it was a bug monster.
"Not Shoutings. Hands." Mary insisted. The group obediently quieted down. "Attack? Four. Hide. Jack and Tiffany you say attack, and you say hide now. Choose. Can only do one."
"Hide then jump out and bite" Tiffany, A very primly dressed girl with hints of mud on her shoes, declared "It good plan". Toby, the scruffily dressed boy next to her, stopped picking his nose to nod in agreement.
"Okay. And talk? One. Steve. Okay party split and try to do different things. Most run to bushes. Steve have one talk turn then. Maby more. Need dice numbers, everyone Rollings time."
A cheer and a Bunch of varicoloured dice were thrown gently. Before being dived after by excited children who carefully picked up and put on their character papers for examination. Some dice were still missing after the first few attempts at throwing them, and the goal of reading the results had not been entirely understood.
"Okay, maffs time. Ready?" Excited nods ran around the group. Mary stood, and Millie rose along with her, entrusted with the official Ruler of Distance. They turned to the first person in the group on the left.
"Ben, you dwarf Stinkybeard Bathfoe the Third run to hide in bushes. Ready to tell me maffs?
"Six and four. StinkyBeard have afflet.. aff... runnings number of 5 so he go six and four and five far.
" Is how many?" Mary asked this was part of teaching, not just giving people answers.
Millie discreetly moved the ruler so it was easier to see and held her finger at the five. .
The crowd of preschooler held their breath while Ben counted six more to the eleven under his breath and then another four to the fifteen.
"Five-ten" he returned hopefully.
Mary looked stern for a second and then grinned "Yes Ben right. Fifteen" The group erupted into cheers the incredible maths display on Ben's part. "Millie see if Stinkybeard run into bushes."
Millie did so, walking over to the Batman action figure Ben had bought that was being Stinkybeard, and measured carefully to see if it was less than fifteen to the edge of the soft colored tile they where sitting on.
"Buthes" came the excited and Somewhat slurred reply owing to Millie speech difficulties. The group cheered again as the Batman figure was moved off the "road" and into the bushes "hidden" from the bug monster as Mary walked onto the next person to give them their turn…
It was an embarrassingly long time before the principal realized the teacher drinking in the lunchroom was supposed to be with a class and not just having a small pick me up between going back to the vicious little monsters they weren't paid enough to deal with. By then she had gone through so much alcohol that she was in no state to stand let alone walk and certainly not in a good enough state to teach a class. Why was she muttering about not only being sent back to but failing math kindergarten? Either way,not important right now, he needed to check on the children and see if he could arrange for a substitute, preferably before the little monsters injured themselves or worse destroyed valuable school property.
When he got to the class he was shocked to see how orderly the chaos was. One child stood at the front of the class with a pile of dice arranged into columns while the rest looked at them. As he approached, he could start to hear what she was saying.
… any more ways to make two dice say twelve? No. just two sixes. So getting twelve with two sixes dice hard like getting two because two dice sides good at adding up to seven but not good at adding up to twelve."
"or two" piped up another voice.
"Yes, or two. But twelve better for squashing bugs skills example. So if want to have best chance of succeeding skill check need skills value less than seven. Because happens most. Is called distribution curve."
A series of nods and the presenter looked up and caught sight of him.
"Hello Mister. Is Miss Daisy finished crying now and ready to learn maffs or can Mary keep showing Maffs tricks for Dragon game?"
"Err keep playing, children."
He carefully closed the door and sat on the floor outside the classroom. That was at least high school-level material that the kid was casually throwing around and the little monsters looked like they where LEARNING. Some of his teachers would have trouble presenting the material. If she was at that level now level as a kindergartener, who was he supposed to hire as her teacher to keep her engaged? Somebody from NASA?
Daisy had better not drunk all the alcohol. He was going to need some help to deal with this mess.
_____
When Ben got into the car that afternoon he excitedly told his Mother about his first public school day.
He talked about how a double heeded axe was good at squishing bugs and how two six sided dice liked being seven. How Mary was very clever and good at maffs and could even do the Count's laugh right. He had met a girl called Millie who was cool because even if she said words funny she knew how to do adding's and takings away on a ruler and how Daisy had run away crying when Mary had accidentally been mean to her with maffs and the principal had to get her back and given Daisy a juice to calm her down.
Ben took a little while to slow his excited babble long enough for his Mother to interject. She said It sounded like he was happy with Miss Mary as the teacher and would like to return tomorrow?
Ben instantly said yes, but Miss Daisy was the teacher who always drank that stinky juice like that babysitter who never came back, and Mary was a classmate whose daddy was Batman.
His Mother was suddenly far less enthusiastic about Ben returning to that school tomorrow. Ben was not happy as he had been looking forward to squashing more bugs tomorrow when playing dragon.
Why is having experts when educating a very intelligent three-year-old and her friends a good idea?
See above
So as implied
[X] Plan Goslingarten
Inspired by
[]Mary's First Day of Homeschooling: Your daughter is incredibly smart so she is going to be taught by you. It's not hard, you managed to tutor Brandon, how is teaching your little girl supposed to be any harder? DC (For Hilarity ???
After chaos.
That was a BAD idea you have a better one now.
-[X]Mary's First Day of School (Private): You are going to send Mary to a Private Preschool where she can be with other kids, but also so that she can be closer to home
That was hilarious and adorable. Also, it's surprising what kids can learn when engaged in a learning activity. Mary learning and doing her version of her parent's Adlib Dragon play and their D&D sessions was maniacally cute.
(We open to pandemonium in the Clans Chamber of the Leprechaun Parliament as the wizened old speaker of the house tries to bring order, thumping his cane on the floor.)
Speaker: Order! Order in this chamber!
(Eventually, the pandemonium dies down, and the speaker coughingly clears his throat.)
Speaker: I–*Cough*–hereby declare this parliament now in session.
(We cut to a wide shot of the entire chamber.)
Speaker: On this day, we are gathered to discuss a most important of issues.
(He then shakily extends his hand outward and signals to people next to the entrance of the chamber, who are initially obscured by some shadows.)
Speaker: Come forward, Dr. John Seward and Mr. Donovan MacCool.
(All the leprechauns turn and mutter as the aforementioned John and Donovan make their way forward, revealed to be humans. They are giants among leprechauns, and the two are the subject of much hushed whispering and muttering. The two stop in the center of the chamber, rays of sun shining down on them, and Donovan takes his hat off in respect.)
Speaker: For what reasons do you present yourselves before this grand parliament today?
(Taking a step forward, John politely smiles.)
John: On behalf of the honorable Graudy Pernell, we, good sirs, are here...
(We smash cut to a shot of the face of a dead leprechaun, a large slash scar across his neck.)
John: ...to investigate the death of his brother Colim.
(A single piano note plays, the one at the start of every Netflix documentary, as the chamber erupts into a flurry of debate. Liam "Big Red" Deugall–a hulk among leprechauns–suddenly stands up and slams his hands against the divider.)
Big Red: We can't just let some alien who-knows into our affairs, rifle around our homes, and become privy to our secrets! It's never been done, and never will be!
(We rapidly cut between arguing leprechauns, with insult and jeer hurling turning to shoving and pushing. Eventually, the speaker manages to bring order back into the house, but the ropes of tension are still taut. He then turns to face John and Donovan with a kindly face.)
Speaker: Speak your minds, good sirs, and tell us why we should permit your entry into our affairs.
(John pauses and, closing his eyes, ruminates on an answer. After a few seconds, he opens his eyes and speaks.)
John: I confess that we are indeed strangers in this land, unfamiliar with your customs and untrained in your laws.
(We cut to John slamming a book onto a table as he and Donovan begin to invesitgate and read through a small mountain of books.)
John: It would be remiss and impolite of us to demand entry to that which we are not native to. I myself would not entertain such a thought.
(We cut to John and Donovan being forcibly escorted off of O'Riely clan grounds by several guard, protesting the treatment of them all the way.)
John: However, we are trained and skilled in ways that will assist in solving the mysteries at play here.
(We cut to the two investigating a wheelbarrow on the beach before again cutting to them performing an autopsy on Colim's body, Jack carefully cutting the man's body open with surgical precision.)
John: Therefore, I entreat with you, honorable members of paliament, to permit us humble servants entry. If not because of whatever gifts we can give, do it because we are honest men who wish to help.
(We cut back to John in the Clans Chamber as he points at a leprechaun in blue, the aforementioned Graudy Pernell.)
John: Grant this, and we can not only assist a grieving brother find peace–
(We cut to Graudy arguing with Big Red in the former's house, spit flying as curses are uttered between the two.)
John: –But bring justice unto the killer who has caused all this strife and chaos among you.
(We cut to leprechauns from different clans eyeing each other with distrust and throwing an insult every now and then. We then cut back to John as he solemnly raises his right hand and places it against his chest.)
John: And though we are not known to you, I swear that, if you let us, we will do our best to see this case through–
(We cut to John and Donovan as they sit across a coyly smirking Melodia, who casually waves a wand around as her minions keep their guard up around them.)
John: –come hell or high water–
(We cut to John and Donovan brawling with various fantastical minions and thugs, with John wrenching a club from a knocked-out goblin's hand before swinging it into a charging Far Darrig.)
John: –and get to the bottom of this mystery!
(We cut to John and Donovan as they enter into the warehouse of the pookas, a sordid and run-down building infested with rats and roaches. In the shadows, the pookas grin unwelcomingly at them.)
John: Even if we have to work until the devil's hour chimes for us!
(We cut to John and Donovan in a dark alley at midnight, a small lamp barely illuminating their faces.)
John: All that's left now...
(We cut back to John. He softly smiles.)
John: ...is for you to make your choice.
(We then fade to the title and release date as the music swells slowly.)
Author's Notes:
Another sacrifice omake to appease the omake gods. Enjoy a hypothetical teaser trailer for the movie and potentially something Francis, Felix and Ike showed off to their bosses.
