The Surreal Justice of 'Business As Usual'

A: Alright, so if you're tuning in, you might notice something... a little off about our usual energy. Or, well, our gesticulations.

B: Yeah, because for the next, what is it, eighty-something minutes, we are literally podcasting with our hands tied behind our backs. And yes, this is absolutely for real.

A: It's true. This is our sentence. Our punishment for what some might call a grave journalistic offense: we leaked a screenplay. Specifically, 'BUSINESS AS USUAL'.

B: Authored by none other than our former student, Jackson Begley, when he was, what, seventeen? And yes, he explicitly said this script was *never* to see the light of day. Like, ever.

A: Look, we know Jackson's written some incredible stuff since then. He's a friend of the podcast, a brilliant writer. But this piece... it's a goldmine. And the 90 minutes of chair detention with tied hands? Honestly, it feels pretty fair.

B: We're taking our lumps. It's deserved, even if it feels a little… restrictive for conversationalists like us.

A: Alright, so moving into the actual meat of this wild ride, we meet our cast of characters. We've got Norman Pryce, who is basically the poster child for 'erratic boss energy.' Then there's Helmet Storm, his incredibly loyal—and, well, *infatuated*—subordinate. And finally, Dave, the new recruit who just stumbled into this mess.

B: Erratic is an understatement. I mean, we're talking about a guy who executes an employee, Helen, for selling Fun Dip... in the open, no less. Like, what kind of business model is this where a candy infraction means 'lights out'?

A: And let's not forget, during her execution, Norman is wearing a bra over his shirt. Just casually. It's that kind of bizarre detail that sets the tone for the whole script. Oh, and Helmet, completely deadpan, just hands Helen over and then the gunshots ring out.

B: Exactly! And Helmet... don't even get me started on Helmet kissing a picture of Norman while on the phone. The loyalty is less 'employee of the month' and more 'restraining order pending,' wouldn't you say?

A: Absolutely. It's surreal. And then, we get this incredible fourth-wall break. The narrator, in a storybook voice, starts chatting directly to the audience, asking if we're enjoying the program, and Norman is just having a full-blown mental breakdown on screen, screaming, 'Will you please get out of my head?!'

B: Which is immediately followed by the narrator trying to 'seal the inter-dimensional gate' with backwards speech. It's pure, unadulterated chaos. And what about Norman's rage monologue to Dave, where he screams about entitlement, only to immediately apologize because 'at this point in the movie I've got to have my big rage monologue'?

A: It's the perfect encapsulation of the dark comedy and parody Jackson was going for. It's all so self-aware, so over-the-top, and just gloriously messed up.

A: So, we arrive at the grand finale, Scene Six: 'Dinner With Pryce.' And what a dinner it is! Norman invites Helmet and Dave over, all smiles and sinister undertones about his vineyard's wine being 'to die for.'

B: Which, of course, it literally becomes. He's got his rat poison ready, puts it in their glasses, completely oblivious that they're also planning his demise. The irony is just...chef's kiss.

A: Absolutely. Then Dave sneaks into the kitchen, Norman pulls out his pistol, and we're plunged into this utterly chaotic, almost slapstick chase scene that culminates in the famous 'Ahah! Ahah! Ahah!' standoff.

B: And then both Helmet and Dave just... die. Just like that. And Norman, in his moment of triumph, goes back to the kitchen, sees two glasses, one of which he'd laced, and accidentally drinks his own poison. It's a full-circle moment of absurd justice.

A: Truly. It's the kind of ending that makes you instantly remember Jackson's disclaimer, right? How embarrassed he is by this script now that he's older. You can see why, but it's also incredibly hilarious.

B: Oh, absolutely. Look, we fully accept our 90 minutes of chair detention. We deserved it for leaking this. But I have to say, despite its youthful quirks, this script, 'BUSINESS AS USUAL,' is a genuinely fascinating and laugh-out-loud piece of early work. It's got a raw, unique voice, and honestly, we should probably read more of Jackson's old stuff.