Ordinary Lies

Season #1 Episode #1

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As the titles run we fly across a SEA OF CARS. Car after

car after car, an array of colours, gleaming in the sun.

This is JS Motors. A huge GARAGE and CAR SUPERMARKET. It

is coming to life for the day as workers start to arrive.

There is a buzz about the place, banter, smiles from the

staff as they head towards their various sections.

It’s work, yes, but they are happy to be here.

We pick out the boss, MIKE (40s, slick, never a hair out of

place, driven), as he enters - a part of the team, but

also, somehow, managing to exude authority...

FAT JASE, PETE, KATHY, VIV and TRACY are all arriving for

work. BETH is there already as are GRACE, EMMA, JEZ, RICK,

MARRIANE and ZIGGY.

2 INT. MARTY’S HOUSE - STAIRS/KITCHEN - DAY 1 - 08.15 2

MARTY McLEAN (mid 30s, unshaven - married young, three kids

and a hefty mortgage make him look older than his years)

hurtles down stairs, dragging on his sharp salesman’s suit.

He mutters to himself about his lateness, cursing...

He slams into the kitchen where his wife KATRINA is

struggling to do the breakfast routine - she is clearly in

much pain (stomach pain/IBS) and has a HOT WATER BOTTLE

clasped to her stomach. Their three kids - JESSIE (14),

JAKE (12) and JOE (9, studious) - are getting ready for

school...

Morning chaos.

KATRINA:

(with slight edge)

Morning.

MARTY:

Why didn’t you wake me?

KATRINA:

(soldiering on, and making

a show of it)

We did. We shouted.

MARTY:

Well I obviously didn’t hear you

KATRINA:

Marty, you didn’t roll in ‘til two,

so I thought you might wanna sleep

off the fumes -

Marty doesn’t react to her pain/hot water bottle, this is

clearly common sight for him.

Ordinary Lies Episode One Yellow Amendments 1A

2 CONT:
2

MARTY:

(assessing the kids, all

said in a huge rush)

Where’s your tie? Joe, is it

swimming day or is that tomorrow?

JOE:

Tomorrow.

MARTY:

Jess, tell me you finished the

Hitler project

JESSIE:

Yes.

MARTY:

And what did you learn?

JESSIE:

He wasn’t very nice.

MARTY:

Excellent.

(glances at the clock -

sh*t)

I’ve gotta go.

During all this... Marty has been grabbing toast from the

toaster, buttering it for the kids, grabbing jam, marmite etc

-i.e Doing what he does every morning - getting them all

ready because Katrina struggles.

MARTY (CONT’D)

(to Katrina)

You gonna be okay to drive

KATRINA:

I’ll manage - once the Colpermin

kicks in

Ordinary Lies Episode One Yellow Amendments 2

2 CONT:
(2) 2

He blows Katrina a kiss.

MARTY:

(to Jake)

Xbox Golf tonight - championship -

we’re having money on it -

Marty exits grabbing a MUG OF TEA when JAKE isn’t looking

and takes it with him. Jake clocks it.

JAKE:

Hey!

Marty away...

3 INT/EXT. MARTY’S CAR/STREET - DAY 1 - 08.30 3

Marty driving along at speed, reckless driving. As he does

so he shaves with an electric razor and delves around in

the glove compartment for mints and chewable vitamins.

Barely looking at the road, when he glances back up he

suddenly notices ROAD WORKS and a LINE OF TRAFFIC.

MARTY:

Shiiiiit...

Brakes, screech... and he just, just, avoids hitting the

car in front. He punches the wheel in frustration.

Now he’s really late.

4 EXT. JS MOTORS - CAR PARK/SERVICE AREA - DAY 1 - 08.45 4

Marty’s car sweeps into JS Motors staff car park, he parks

erratically and dives out.

But the car park is situated next to the SERVICE AREA.

Which unfortunately means he has to do the walk of shame

past half a dozen oily mechanics.

Ziggy, Rick and others applaud and jeer sarcastically.

Ordinary Lies Episode One Yellow Amendments 3

4 CONT:
4

Marty does a theatrical bow.

One of the mechanics, RICK, yells across, singing

RICK:

‘We have all the time in the

world...’

Laughter from the lads. Marty shrugs it off, flicks the V-

sign and hurries along...

Straightening his tie and setting his face to ‘business as

usual’ he heads for the SALES OFFICE...

5 INT/EXT. JS MOTORS - MIKE’S OFFICE/CAR PARK - DAY 1 - 5

08.46

MIKE - the boss of JS Motors - is on the phone in his

office... he has a wall mounted screen divided into FOUR

CCTV VIEWS, which he watches as he talks...

MIKE:

(into phone)

Answer the question... Sam, just

answer the bloody question - do

you think I was born yesterday.

DO-YOU-THINK-I-WAS-BORN

YESTERDAY?

During this he watches Marty duck down below the window

behind his office and crawl (unseen) on his hands and knees

to avoid being detected arriving late.

MIKE (CONT’D)

(places hand over

receiver and calls out)

Are you watching this?

KATHY (O.S.)

(from next room)

I’m watching.

Mike swings his door open to where his assistant, KATHY

KAVANAGH (late 40s, mother figure to them all, loves a moan

and a gossip but anchors the whole place) is sat.

MIKE:

(covers the phone, says

to her -)

Get him in here -

She nods again, instantly rising to go.

6 EXT. JS MOTORS - FORECOURT - DAY 1 - 08.50 6

YOUNGISH COUPLE are on the forecourt, they are eyeing up a

RED FAMILY SALOON. Marty heads over with a big smile.

Ordinary Lies Episode One Yellow Amendments 4

6 CONT:
6

MARTY:

Vauxhall Corsa - most reliable

car on the road, one previous

owner, a vicar’s wife. Trust me,

this car’s done less miles than

the Pope Mobile...

The couple smile.

Marty holds his hands up like ‘fair cop’.

MARTY (CONT'D)

I know what you’re thinking -

‘here he is - the salesman, with

his patter - he’s gonna bully us

into something we don’t want’.

Well let me tell you, hand on

heart, I am not that guy -you

know what you want -you’ve done

your homework, you know the size,

the model, the colour - how much

you can afford to spend. Am I

gonna change that? No. So out of

courtesy, I’ve come to say hello -

and if you need anything, I’m

right here - Marty Mclean, at

your service -

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