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shows:
Burke's Law
("Who Killed the Tennis Ace")
[TV mystery/drama]
role: Harrold
"Spider" Author, an obnoxious, arrogant
tennis ace who has alienated those around him;
one kills him, ironically with a poisonous spider.
additional cast:
Patricia Jackson, his manager (Nana
Visitor); Dale Montrose, his mentor/sponsor (William
Windom); Stephanie Romanov, his betrayed girlfriend
(Liza Dean); athletic shoe executive (Michael Nouri).
network:
CBS, 1995 |
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Scene
begins with two reporters, a female and male, discussing
Spider's up- coming
tennis match. The female reporter was a former tennis
pro, and Spider's ex-wife. The male reporter asks her
if Spider's reputation of being "the bad boy"
who throws temper tantrums, and uses foul language is
an act, or the real thing. She tells him that it is very
real, Spider is an over-grown child, who who strives for
perfection on the court.
Meanwhile we see Spider, aggressively play against his
practice partner, and treating him brutally, it is not
practice but deadly serious. Watching him are his mentor,
Dale Montrose, and his manager Patricia Jackson who look
disgust at Spider's tactics.
SPIDER:
HIT IT COME ON... (his practice partner cannot keep up.
Spider is even more merciless, hitting the ball harder and
harder)... I'm trying to get a warm up here.... you call
that a back hand.
Spider
hits the ball so hard it knocks the guy over. The others
watch in disgust. Especially his manager. He swaggers
over to her, very cocky, and pours himself a drink.
She is disgusted with him.
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Spider
antagonizes his manager
25 sec; 950K |
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SPIDER:
(You can bank your 10% of the winner's check now, Patricia,
I'm ready.
PATRICIA:
You're also a son-of-a-bitch.
SPIDER: Who's
made you rich.
PATRICIA:
And made me suffer for it everyday (walking off in disgust).
SPIDER:
(Making kissing noises) I love you too.
He
walks off. The manager asks the practice partner if
he is okay. Spider does not seem to care. He walks past
the net where his benefactor, Dale Montrose is.
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Spider
antagonizes his benefactor
45 sec; 1.7 Meg |
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MONTROSE:
Looking great, Spider... strong... dontcha think you out
to see if he is hurt?
SPIDER: Who's
he, your next charity case?
MONTROSE: It's
just common courtesy.
SPIDER: Look,
old man, I don't need you to tell me
how to lead my life anymore. I don't need anything
from you, you got that (he taps him hard on the chest).
Just leave me alone.
Spider
walks away and is joined by another man, a representative
from sports product company, who also seems annoyed
by him. Again, as with the others, Spider is obnoxious
and arrogant with him.
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Spider
antagonizes his corporate sponser
30 sec; 1 Meg |
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EXECUTIVE:
Spider
(Spider ignores him and keeps walking he catches up)...
If you walk out on that court you better
be wearing Aries.
SPIDER:
(Smug) Why?
EXECUTIVE:
Why? How about this is called the "Aries
Open." How about we are paying you two million dollars
a year to be the our spokesman.
SPIDER: So
sue me, I'm tired of being exploited. Why
should Aries get rich off my name, when I can have my own
Spider Wear line and keep all the money for myself.
EXECUTIVE: You
signed a contract.
SPIDER: My
manager signed a contract! Talk to her.
Spider
walks off, and the executive, with hatred, watches him
walk off. 
Spider enters his apartment.
A
sexy woman, struts up to him and starts come on to him,kissing
him very erotically; but he does not respond, and seems
bored, and turned off.
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Spider
antagonizes his girlfriend
30 sec; 1000K |
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LIZA:
You're
all sweaty, I like that in a man (she continues to kiss
him seductively).
SPIDER: (Not
responding, and turned off) What do you think you're doing?
LIZA: I just
thought you could use a little loosening up.
SPIDER: (Disgusted)
What I could use, Liza, is some privacy.
You know I need to be alone before a match.
LIZA: Yeah,
but what about after?
SPIDER: (Pushing
her away) Don't cancel your manicure.
LIZA: Look, I saw the way you were looking
at the ball girl yesterday. I told you, you think you can
cheat on me (storming off).... You're going to regret it.
He
watches as she walks off and then opens a door. Inside
he struts over to a CD player and puts on some classical
musical.
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One of
Spider's enemies strikes
1:25 min; 3.2 Meg |
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Spider
begins a ritual. First he does some stretching, with
some hand motions like tai chi. Then he walks
over to a mirror, and lights two scented candles. He
takes off a gold chain necklace with a spider figure,
kisses it, and then drapes it over one of the candles.
Finally, he looks intently into the mirror and begins
to recite his strange mantra.
SPIDER:
Who are you?... The Spider! (He gets louder louder.) Who
are you? The Spider! Who are you? The Spider!
What are you going to do? Kill! What are you going to do?
Kill!
.... What are you going to do? Kill! Kill! Kill!
Kill!.... KILL!
Spider
goes to his closet, there are several tennis shirts
copies of what he is wearing, white with a red color
and a spider logon, he opens a tennis shoe box, and
inside is a large tarantula, which bites him. Frantic,
he groans in agony. He is gasping for air, and reaches
for a near-by table, knocking it over. He continues
to gasp, and search for something. He reaches for a
cell phone, and tries to call, but it is too late, he
gasps one final time, then dies, with a look of horror
on his face.

Later
we see his dead corpse on a gurney. The paramedic covers
his face, and he is rolled away.
By the end of the show Burke and his son solve the case.
It was his mentor/benefactor, who disgusted by Spider's
actions, believes that he needs to put a stop to such
a no good jerk as Spider.
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