GOOD GUYS VS THE BAD GUYS

Good Guys Vs the Bad Guys.

Most of the shows and movies I come across share a common ground. While many of the movies and TV shows have good actors, the plot seems to suffer. Ever notice how some scripts read like a fill-in-the-blank script? Currently, it seems bad guys make their appearance, they commit a crime. An innocent bystander is caught up in the mess, police are called. Storylines are starting to become clones.

This is getting carried away.

Criminal minds a favorite show where the team really did not face any real criminal bad guys that created conflict, intensity, drama. Not within the team but in the environment in which they work.

If not that, how about:

The team is in the field, working with local law enforcement on a murder case, possibly the work of a serial killer. The crime scene is in a field across the street from a strip mall.

“Sheriff, what time do have?”

“Almost one.”

“Time to send everyone to lunch, any good places nearby?”

“Yes, Aunt Tillies Diner.”

“Really?”

“Best food in the area”

“Aunt Tillies it shall be.”

Inside the diner there is a well-dressed man, three-piece He finishes lunch, pays his bill, tips very well. Asks for direction to the men’s room.

Two robbers come running in, yelling.

“Nobody move this is a robbery, wallet, jewelry, everything on the table, NOW!”

Patrons comply with the order. The cashier empties the register.

One of the robbers quickly turns around hearing something bouncing off the ceiling. The smoke grenade exploded and in seconds the diner was filled with smoke. Moments later three shots are heard followed by a second three-round burst. The FBI agents and Sheriff recognize the gunfire, see the smoke. They stop what they are doing get in their car and race down to the diner, passing the well-dressed man exiting the parking lot.

It turns out Mrs. Marylin Jones, retired, a grandmother with a degree in electronics. Spent her working life designing missile guidance systems for the US Navy. She and her husband met at Cal-Tech married built a company designing covert weapons systems for the federal government.

They had one daughter, pregnant who was killed by the same person law enforcement was searching for. With a net worth of over two billion dollars, Mrs. Jones was financing her version of the FBI investigation team. A law firm under contract, two dozen private investigators, and an army of out-of-work and homeless folks were her field searchers.

The FBI criminal minds team stood for law, grandma wanted only one thing, revenge. For every legal move the FBI made, grandma’s legal team could counter.

THE SHOWDOWN

Mrs. Jones buys three buildings, contracts a construction company to get all three up and running, 24/7, three crews, at each place, plus catering, the price tag was irrelevant as far as she was concerned. Being savvy in the business, she had the contractor set up cameras in each club, while running the feed to her mansion. Online by invitation only, she sold tickets as a pay-per-view event. She wanted the killer to suffer worse than what her daughter did. A contract killing live on your local channel.

When the FBI got wind of this, instead of shutting her down, they would stake out all three places and hopefully beat her at her own game.

THE TWIST

The FBI agents tried to talk her out of it. This was a woman bent on revenge. They assigned a woman FBI agent to her. As the agent and grandma talked, they got to know each other somewhat.

“Agent, what is your name?”

“I’m SSA Jennifer Hernandez, why the large screen tv?”

“I intend to watch that coward suffer before he dies, I hired a hitman for the job, that dirtbag is going to suffer.”

“Mam, do you understand what you just told me?”

The hired killer was a south American hitman with warrants in multiple countries, he went by the name anaconda. He was the million-dollar premiere hired gun. His motto. “I always see my job through to the end.”

“Yes, I do, and I am looking forward to watching him BEG FOR MERCY!!!”

Agent Hernandez was stunned by the look of hate and rage in her eyes.

The showdown takes place at the second club. Those that paid the admission could watch on their TV, Laptop, or phone. FBI agent Jennifer watches feeling sadistic watching a person die on tv. Everyone gathered in the living room and watched the scene unfold.

The killer entered the club, found his target, a scuffle started, Mrs. Jones began screaming, “KILL HIM, KILL HIM!!! KILL THAT BASTARD!” Agent Hernandez watched hypnotically as it happened.

A smoke grenade is tossed, people panic, the killer sees his target, takes aim, the cameras zoom in showing the victim, only to see his head jerk back and his body slump forward. Silence filled the room. The man who killed her daughter and grandson was dead. Instant and quick, no begging, pleading whatsoever.

Mrs. Jones sat stunned; rage filled her mind. She picked up her chair threw it into the large screen TV. Screaming.

“HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SUFFER, DO YOU ALL HEAR ME!! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SUFFER THE SAME FATE; I’VE BEEN DENIED!!! NOOOO!!!!

She fell to the ground, grabbing her gut, crying, she on the verge of losing total control. The Gentlemen butler house manager called 911 then called her husband who was in Washington D.C. on business.

Rossi calls Agent Hernandez

“It's over, arrest Mrs. Jones, first-degree murder”

“Yes, Sir.”

The other agents gather around Rossi.

“I can’t believe it, educated, billion-dollar business. She had it all, now she faces life imprisonment, because of her age I doubt they’ll ask for the death penalty.”

At the home, Rossi walks toward the house, he is met by a lawyer.

“Good evening, Agent Rossi”

“I’m Ray London, I’m Mrs. Jones attorney, her husband hired just hired our entire legal firm for this case. Plus we are waiting to hear from several publicity firms.”

“She engaged in contract murder, the evidence is overwhelming, we have the video of the crime.”

“She won’t do any time, I assure you, Agent.”

“How so?”

“Mrs. Jones, a retired engineer living her golden years with her husband, loses her only daughter, pregnant, to a killer, with a record a mile long. She hunts him down kills him, we are awaiting confirmation from her doctor, she has dementia, possibly advanced dementia. Now I ask you agent what juror will vote guilty on a grandma who lost her only daughter and first grandchild, facing a future with dementia, who gets of a sexual predator?”

Agent Rossi turns and heads to the car.

“Thank you.”

48 hours later the team ends up in a diner where they meet a gruff man having his coffee.

“Did you hear the news?”

“No”

“The feds blasted a private jet out of the sky.”

“How do you know that?”

“Rick here is ham radio operator talking to his cousin, he’s a commercial fisherman, down there by South America.

“I don’t get it.”

“Hey Rick, tell him your cousins’ story.”

“My cousin has a job as a commercial fisherman, his boat was out for the day to catch fish, when several fast boats come around, armed guys boarded our boat, told us to leave the area, about a half-mile away. So, we did. That is when a couple of fast boats came around and started chumming the water. Then they took off. We waited, about 5 minutes later a jet crashed into the water. A helicopter flew around the area then left. With that feeding frenzy, no one survived.”

Rossi makes a call to Washington, confirms that the hired gun owned a private jet.

Keeping the reader, viewer going on edge at times is one way that would make stories interesting.

Same show, Criminal Minds.

The team is investigating a series of kidnappings, seemingly nonviolent, high school kids get kidnapped, parents have the money and pay it. Kidnappers only ask for 15 to 20 thousand dollars.

But in a turn of events, they grab a high school kid. Right name wrong family. The intended kidnap victim is with his family on vacation.

But the kid they grabbed, good guy, shy, but got along with others, turns out to be a fledgling serial killer and starts taking the kidnappers out one by one.

The controversy stems from over for the first-time science has a serial killer that can provide breakthroughs.

A brain scan was performed for sports and an overprotective mother gives the clue. Dr, Reid knows a fellow research scientist that looks the information over. He confirms this as a breakthrough, the guy is on the path to becoming a serial killer, if they could work with him, they could stop him, learn and maybe stop future killers. Rossi and Dr. Reid make an offer a college education, all their son must work with the research team.

Parents do not like the idea, but a deal is struck, self-defense if he seeks counseling and participates in the research while in school. The deal is agreed.

He is escorted to school by two recent FBI graduates. Three days later a call is placed to Rossi, the student nor the agents never showed up. Agents retrace the route-finding the two murdered agents.

Controversy erupts did the FBI let a known serial killer loose on the public?

The third should focus on the mental aspects.

It is Monday morning, Agent Rossi comes grabs a cup of coffee, sits at his desk. Dr. Reid comes in greets his boss. The agents come in ready to start the day. The phone rings.

Rossi answers

“Good morning, FBI Agent Rossi speaking.”

“Good morning Congressman”

Dr. Reid motions his leaving, going to his desk.

As the other agents settle on for the day business the phones start ringing like an active boiler room phone operation.

Finally, Penelope comes in sees the chaos runs to her office and in no time the problem is fixed. But there is one last ring and Rossi picks it up, and before he can hello, he is interrupted:

“Hey man, how’s it going? Still feeling the effects of that hangover?”

“I’m sorry, who is this?”

“It’s me Larry, {Laughing}!”

“Oh, hi Larry, how are you feeling?”

“Waves for the other agents to come closer to listen in, activates the speakerphone.”

“Hey, listen up, it’s about our gun deal, slight problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

“I’m here at the warehouse, the shipment is in, but they have 100 full-auto AK-47’s, five thousand rounds ball ammo, two thousand rounds AP. But they have the RPGs but only 150 rounds instead of the 250 we ordered. They want to know if that’s a problem or can we wait for the remainder of the shipment.”

The team realizes that something bad is going down.

They do not know who the mystery caller is, or where the warehouse location is or why all these weapons are being stockpiled.

Now the team must pull together figure this out, with the only evidence they must go on is one phone call, from a person they know nothing about.

In my own view a story be it on TV or movie should take the reader or viewer on a path that let's experience a diverse range of feelings or emotions. Today I read too many stories that seem to have a message in them and nothing more.

Moby Dick, 1851, novel by American writer Herman Melville is a classic example of taking the reader on a journey of adventure.

The movie classic starring Edward G Robinson, Janet Leigh, “Grand Slam”. With its classic surprise ending.

These are ideas on what I would like to see in the movie or TV.