Private Practice- transcript for first few scenes

[Guest guest]

(first couple of scenes)

Private Practice

Season 2, Episode 1

Original Air Date: Jan. 8th, 2009

“Contamination”

Writer: Fred Einesman

Director: Kate Woods

Unofficial Transcript of Vaccine Storyline

By Heeren

Regular characters: , Pete, Naomi, , Charlotte, Dell, Sam and Violet (all doctors except Dell)

Additional Cast:

Jillian Armenante as Arlene (the mother)

-has a girl born in 2004

(There was more to this episode, but I’m just writing the info regarding the vaccine storyline)

SCENE ONE: Busy waiting room in doctor’s office. Kids throwing a ball around. Three boys and one girl (Betsey). The boys are all brothers, the oldest with autism, . The girl is the daughter of Dell, who works at the practice. The middle boy is , youngest is .

ARLENE: Oh Dr. Freedman!

COOPER: Arlene, Hi. Oh my god! Is this ? Dude, you’re a giant. Will, do you remember me? Hi . That’s a pretty cool plane. Hey, let’s go back. Come on.

(they walk into ’s office)

COOPER: So, where have you been? It’s been two years.

ARLENE: I moved the boys to Switzerland, for . I found this great experimental program there for autistic children. Nontraditional therapy, megavitamins, diet modification, along with art, music therapy.

COOPER: How’s it been going?

ARLENE: Better, I think. His temper’s under control, a little more. He’s obsessed with airplanes. Sometimes he’ll even talk to you.

COOPER: Wow.

ARLENE: As long as it’s about planes.

COOPER: Planes are good. Talking about planes… even better.

( hands a toy airplane from his office shelf)

COOPER: How’s his health otherwise?

ARLENE: Oh ’s fine. It’s actually. He caught a cold on the plane. Probably just some bug. But, you know. I wanted to be safe.

( lifts up on the exam table)

COOPER: How’d you like Switzerland ?

MICHAEL: They had a cable car and there’s this one place where you could take a chocolate tour.

( is feeling the boy’s neck)

More joking around with the kids while does the exam.

COOPER: 102. Does your throat hurt, ?

MICHAEL: No.

COOPER: OK. Open up for me, big and wide. Tilt your head back.

ARLENE: (all concerned) Dr. Freedman? What is it? What’s wrong? (end of scene)

SCENE TWO: Naomi & are chatting it up in the break room.

comes running in.

COOPER: We have to close the doors.

ADDISON: See, even realizes Pacific Wellcare is putting us out of business

COOPER: No, we have to close the doors. My patient has the measles and was in reception for half an hour running around. Everyone that was out- all our patients this morning where exposed.

ADDISON: Measles? My pregnant patients and the elderly…

COOPER: All at risk.

ADDISON: We HAVE to close the doors.

COOPER: We have to close the doors.

SCENE THREE: All the doctors in the hallway with about 20 patients.

ADDISON: I’m sorry for the inconvience, but the virus stays airborne for up to 4 hours. We need to make sure everyone who was exposed has been immunized.

PREGNANT WOMAN: Excuse me? Can I get the shot now? I have a lunch at 12:30.

ADDISON: Sorry. It contains a live virus. It’s not safe to take when you’re pregnant. But, if your blood comes back and your antibodies are low, then we can treat it with immunoglobulin.

WOMAN: And if that doesn’t work? Doesn’t measles lead to birth defects?

ADDISON: Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay?

SAM: We need to notify LA County Health. They are going to want to do a complete survey. I know.

gives annoying look

ADDISON: And they are always awful. And if we didn’t have enough to do this morning.

SAM: OK. I have a light day. You have to deal with this. I’ll speak to the health department. I’m in the mood for a fight.

SCENE FOUR: (back in ’s office)

ARLENE: Will’s fine.

COOPER: But, he hasn’t been vaccinated and he’s at risk to get this.

ARLENE: It’s the measles. When my parents were growing up everyone got it.

COOPER: And hundreds of people died from it every year. The vaccine changed-

ARLENE: Don’t even think of suggesting-

COOPER: There’s no proven link between vaccinations and autism.

ARLENE: It’s not just me. I have talked to dozens of parents. You vaccinated , and it was like a light went out inside him, and he’s living in some parallel world. (They show rocking while playing with cars)

COOPER: Arlene-

ARLENE: You don’t live with him. So don’t ask me to risk Will too.

Dell walks out of his office with his daughter (about 6 yrs old) and sees .

DELL: Hey, I can’t get a hold of Betsey’s Mom. I don’t know if she’s been immunized.

COOPER: Most kids have been.

DELL: You don’t know her mother, okay? She forgot to pick her up. You think she remembered doctor visits? Should I just give her the shot to be sure? I mean she played with that kid for like a half- hour.

COOPER: You have 24 hours to give the vaccine. So wait for the Mom and ask, spare her the needle if you can.