TV Pilot Script - "Ashes to Ashes"

Logline: After a devastating house fire destroys his childhood home, a man grapples with the loss of his past while navigating the complexities of his parents moving in with him.

Scene 1:

INT. BYRON'S APARTMENT - DAY

Byron (30s), neatly dressed but slightly dishevelled, sits at his kitchen table, staring blankly at a half-eaten sandwich. His phone lies beside him. The apartment is modern, minimalist, a stark contrast to the chaos brewing inside him. The sound of a frantic ringtone cuts through the silence. He answers, his voice tight.

BYRON (Into phone) Hello? Dad? What is it?

A beat. Byron's face pales. He clutches the table, his knuckles white.

BYRON (Whispering) What? Are you… are you okay? Mom?

More frantic words from the other end. Byron closes his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

BYRON (Quietly) I’m… I’m coming.

He hangs up, the phone clattering onto the table. He runs a hand through his hair, his face etched with shock and grief.

Scene 2:

EXT. BURNED HOUSE - DAY

Smoke still curls lazily from the charred remains of a once-beautiful house. Fire trucks are parked on the street, their lights flashing intermittently. Byron stands amidst the debris, his parents, MARTHA (60s) and GEORGE (60s), clinging to each other nearby. The house is unrecognizable, a skeletal frame against the afternoon sky. Martha sobs quietly, George stares blankly at the ruins. Byron puts an arm around his mother, offering silent comfort.

Scene 3:

INT. BYRON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Byron's apartment is now crowded with hastily unpacked boxes and suitcases. Martha and George sit on the sofa, looking lost and overwhelmed. Byron tries to make them comfortable, offering tea and biscuits. The atmosphere is tense, punctuated by the occasional sigh or whispered comment.

MARTHA (Voice trembling) Everything… everything is gone. Fifty years of memories… reduced to ashes.

GEORGE (Quietly) It’s just… stuff, Martha. We’re okay.

Byron looks at his parents, his heart aching. He knows they’re trying to be brave, but the devastation is etched on their faces.

BYRON (Softly) It’s okay, Mom, Dad. You’re here now. You can stay as long as you need.

Scene 4:

MONTAGE

A series of short scenes showing the family adjusting to their new living situation. Byron helping his parents unpack, sharing meals, trying to create a sense of normalcy. Flashbacks interspersed – Byron as a child playing in the garden of the old house, family dinners, Christmas mornings. The contrast between the happy memories and the present reality is stark.

Scene 5:

INT. BYRON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Byron sits alone, staring at a photo album filled with pictures of his childhood home. He runs his fingers across the faces of his younger self, his parents, their smiles frozen in time. Tears well up in his eyes. He whispers to himself.

BYRON (To himself) It’s not just stuff. It’s… it’s who we were.

Scene 6:

INT. BYRON'S APARTMENT - DAY

Byron, Martha, and George are sitting at the kitchen table, having breakfast. The atmosphere is calmer now, a tentative sense of peace settling over them. Byron smiles faintly.

BYRON (Warmly) So… what do you say we go look at some houses this weekend?

Martha and George exchange a look, a flicker of hope in their eyes. They nod, a silent agreement passing between them. The camera focuses on Byron's face, a mixture of sadness and quiet determination reflected in his eyes. The future is uncertain, but they will face it together. The pilot ends on this ambiguous note, leaving the audience wondering about the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead.