Ask Not Cut Scenes

ENTER the cafe. She (Liz) stops short at the sight of Max and Tess sitting together, then heads for Maria. Max gets up and intercepts her.

MAX
I need to talk to you.

LIZ
I'm...in a hurry. I have to talk to Maria--

Max pulls her into a private moment anyway.

MAX
You need to hear this. I'm not giving up. I love you.

LIZ
I know, but that's not--

MAX
direct and intense
No. You don't know. You think I'm going to forget about you or just get over it or something. But I'm not. And I'm here to tell you...that I'm coming for you. Liz

He holds her eyes for a moment, then goes back to his booth. Liz stares after him as Maria comes up beside her.

MARIA
Now that is a great man.

----

This is the scene after Max has come into the Crashdown to tell the others of Nasedo’s death...

MICHAEL
Okay. We have to get Nasedo to the pod chamber. Use the healing stones to revive him. (to Max) Where is he? Max, where’s Nasedo?

MAX
My room...

ISABEL
Your room!

MICHAEL
You left a dead body – an alien body in your room for Mommy and Daddy to find? What the hell’s the matter with you, Max! Where’s your head!

LIZ
Leave him alone.

----

Sometimes what is written in the scripts is more revealing that what aires. Take this scene for instance:

INT STOREROOM – DAY – CONTINUOUS

In a blur of motion, a figure whirls around in the DARK room – there’s a BRIGHT LIGHT EMANATING from his hand! An alien energy burst?

Max instinctively ducks and throws out a hand to ward off whatever seems to be coming at him. As he’s bathed in a REDDISH GLOW from o.c. he closes his eyes and braces himself for the impact.

But nothing happens.

He carefully opens his eyes to see A WALL OF ENERGY a few feet in front of his still outstretched hand. (We should be able to see through the wall. Think of it like a crackling and multi-hued forcefield.)

On the other side of the energy field, sits a teenaged STONER, staring at the iridescent light show while he cradles a joint in one hand and a small lighter-torch in the other.

(Which we now realize was the source of the bright light seemingly reaching out for Max from the darkness.)

Max is shocked -- he had no idea he could do something like this. He pulls his hand back and the field DISAPPEARS. The Stoner blinks a few times...then exhales a cloud of SMOKE. He gives Max a wasted smile.

STONER
Dude. Did you see that?

MAX
See what?

The Stoner blinks again...then gets an even bigger smile on his face.

STONER
(re: joint)
All right...

Max takes a deep breath and steadies himself.