Leading up to the Writers Guild of Canada awards on April 23, TV, eh? will be posting a series of interviews with some of nominees. Aubrey Nealon was nominated in the TV Drama category for the “Day Game†episode of Flashpoint — one of four nominations in the category for the series, and his first ever TV script.
Can you describe the episode “Day Game” and how it fit into the Flashpoint season?
In “Day Game,” Team One is confronted by a bitter ex-cop named Gil whose life went off the rails when Parker rejected him from the force’s top unit, the SRU. Determined to prove himself, Gil orchestrates a heist at a stadium so that he can step in and save the day. Naturally things go violently haywire, and as the Team arrives to restore order, Gil gets Parker in his clutches. As the Team scrambles to rescue their boss, Parker is forced into a tense negotiation with a desperate and vengeful Gil. With his life on the line, the usually unflappable Parker erupts in an outpouring of pain and self-doubt that’s been building all season, leaving him questioning his ability to do his job.
What about this episode are you particularly proud of?
This was the first TV script I ever wrote, so I’m pretty proud that it got made at all. Like, someone put it on TV! That’s really cool.
But in terms of the writing itself, I did enjoy creating the character Gil, a guy who is intimately familiar with the SRU’s techniques and tendencies, and holds a deep, personal grudge against Parker. He makes for a fun and formidable opponent, I think — because it’s almost as if he’s watched the show before. He plays with the Team’s expectations about how critical incidents unfold, which allows me to play with the audience’s expectations about how Flashpoint unfolds — all while staying true to the spirit of the show.
What does this recognition mean to you?
A couple years ago I crashed the WGC awards party (paying the full $100 non-union entrance fee!) so that I could corner the Flashpoint showrunners, Mark and Stephanie, and grovel for a job. This year, thanks to this recognition, I’ll get into the party much more cheaply, and Mark and Stephanie will be obliged to talk to me whether I grovel or not.
