HILL VALLEY BROWN OUT

Written by Wayne Kaatz
Directed by John Hays
Original Airdate: November 21st 1992
Transcribed by Gareth Thomas

Animated scenes are in black, live action scenes with Doc Brown are in red.




The desert. We hear the voice of Doc Brown, although we do not actually see him.

Doc: (v.o) Greetings, friends! Emmett L Brown down here, lost in the Nevada Desert, and searching for water.

The camera moves and we see Doc on screen. He is carrying his lab coat in his arms.

Doc: Some people believe it can be done with one of these, called a divining rod, or a dowser.

Doc picks it up. It is shaped like a capital "Y" (just like the flux capacitor...) and looks like it is made of sticks. Doc holds it so that the "stem" of the Y is facing the camera. A sound is heard, and Doc runs to the edge of the screen as if the rod is pulling him towards something.

Doc: Eureka!

Cut to the Hoover Dam. Doc now stands with the Dam in the background.

Doc: Hoover Dam! Here in the Colorado River! I of course believe that using this map of the area was a lot more intelligent choice.

Doc puts the map back in his pocket.

Doc: Divining rods do work very well as walking sticks, or.....

He puts the rod into the ground.

Doc: (continued) .....something to hang your coat on however!

He hangs his lab coat on the "forks" of the Y.

Doc: The Hoover Dam is capable of generating 1940 megawatts, and we could have used some of those watts in Hill Valley not too long ago. The electricity went out, and I felt absolutely, well, powerless!




It seems like a normal day in Hill Valley. We see Courthouse Square, whilst Doc narrates for us.

Doc: (v.o) It all started as we were preparing the annual Founder's Day Celebration.

There now appears to be a statue in the Square that has not been seen in any point in the history of Hill Valley. We close up on it and find out the statue is of "The Old Pioneer & His Mule Standing On A Hill".

Note: In the very first draft script of Back to the Future Part II, where Doc and Marty go to 1967 instead of 1955 to get the almanac back off Biff, there was a statue of the town's founder, William "Bill" Hill, who also was an old pioneer with a mule. The producers must have hijacked, er, borrowed, that idea from that script for this episode!

Man: (o.s) I hate Founder's Day.

We cut to a man using a hammer and nails to attach a flyer to a lamppost.

Man: Every year I put up these posters and.....

We get a close up of the poster. It says "Hill Valley Founder's Day Celebration. Festivities, Food, Family Fun".

Man: (continued) .....every year I hit my.....

Thumb, perhaps? He hits his thumb with the hammer.

Man: (continued) Thumbelina! Argh!

At the Brown House, Jules and Verne are busy using papier mache to make a mule shaped creature. Jules adds another bit of paper onto the mule.

Verne: (o.s) This mule looks more like a giant rat on stilts.

We cut to Verne. During the following he gets another piece of paper and puts in the glue.

Verne: We should have made a papier mache monster smash up truck! They're cool!

He throws the papier mache to Jules, and it hits him in the face. Jules peels it off.

Jules: The pioneer's mule is a sacred symbol of Founder's Day. The judges are sure to award us a trophy.

Verne: Or a big bad rat chow.

Verne wipes his dirty, sticky hands on Jules.

Jules: They should give you rat chow.

Jules wipes his hands over Verne.

Clara: (o.s) What's all that ruckus out there?

We cut to Clara who is sitting at the table cutting something.

Clara: Honestly, those boys don't realise that the spirit of Founder's Day is for all of us to work together.

Suddenly, Doc walks over the table with muddy shoes and a pile of food in his arms.

Clara: Emmett, get your filthy shoes off my costume!

Doc turns around.

Doc: But Clara beau, being in charge of the Food Booth, (he is struggling with the pile of food) ugh, is of the utmost importance!

He opens the cupboard (which is why he is walking over the table - he wouldn't have been able to reach it otherwise). Doc grabs a tin from the cupboard, but of course everything falls out on top of Doc.

Doc: Woah!

Doc is now on the floor, standing on some tins and rolling across the floor on them.

Clara: Dag nabbit, Emmett!

Doc: Now Clarabelle, let's not be hasty!

Doc slips off the tins and goes flying through the air. Cut to Jules and Verne.

Jules: Perhaps Father can help us.

You guessed it! Doc lands on the mule, flattening it.

Verne: Some stinking help! And we were going to win a trophy!

Cut to the back door. Clara opens it and pushes Doc out. Doc now has his big pile of food once again.

Clara: You just work out in the lab and we'll holler when something else needs ruining.

Doc: Ah, Clara, you're so cute when you're sarcastic.

She closes the door on him, causing Doc to fall backwards again into one of his inventions - this one looks like a bathtub on wheels!

Cut to the garage, where Einstein is sleeping by the entrance. Doc, humming to himself, walks towards the garage. Once again he cannot see where he is going because of the big pile of food in the way. He then trips over Einstein, causing Einstein to yelp slightly.

Doc: Woah!

The pile of food lands, neatly, on the worksurface. Doc lands on top of it.

Doc: Thank you, Einie!

The telephone rings. Doc answers it.

Doc: Pre-Founder's Day Greetings!

Sheriff Taylor: (v.o) Emmett? This is Sheriff Taylor.

Doc: Hello, Andy!

Split screen. On the bottom is Doc, on the phone. The top half of the screen shows Sheriff Taylor in the bath - still wearing his hat.

Sheriff Taylor: I'm calling all the kooks, nuts and mad scientists in town with this warning. (He starts cutting his toenails) Don't do nothing wacko like sort out the power and fowl up our Founder's Day Celebration.

Cut to Doc on the phone. He is now standing up normally.

Doc: No, Sheriff. I was just perfecting the ELB "Hot-Diggity-Dogger".

We move around the room to see this machine. It has 2 big cylinders, one marked "Mustard", the other "Ketchup", next to a huge metallic container with an opening at the top. A pair of mechanical hands are at the front, and there is an on/off lever with 3 knobs above it as well. Doc is chucking bits of food into the opening.

Doc: (o.s, continued) This baby'll boil and serve 1000 wieners per hour.

Sheriff Taylor: (v.o) Phew! That's a lot of wiener waller.

Cut to the Taylor house. The Sheriff is now out of his bath and has a towel around his waist, pinned by his sheriff badge.

Sheriff Taylor: But heed my warning, Emmett, no monkey business!

He throws the phone into his bathtub. Doc, on the other end, hangs up. There is suddenly a bang at the door.

Doc: Huh? What?

He goes to open it, but Biff Tannen opens it for him. Slams it open for him, more like, as the door pushes Doc into the wall.

Doc: Oomph!

Biff: Brown? I'm throwing a party in a couple of hours.....

Doc pushes the door back and staggers, dazed, over to Biff.

Doc: Why, Mr Tannen, Biff! I'm touched! A party would be lovely!

Biff: I'm not inviting you, knucklehead. I need some chairs.

Biff spots the ELB Hot-Diggity-Dogger.

Biff: Good afternoon, and what goofball thing-a-ma-do-dad is this?

Doc: I was just about to test, uh, say, Mr Tannen, why don't I use you as a guinea, uh, offer you a hot dog?

They walk over to the ELB Hot-Diggity-Dogger. Doc turns the lever to "On" and turns the 3 knobs.

Biff: I am going to need the extra energy carrying back all those chairs you're loaning me.

Sausages (wieners) come out of the machine and the mechanical hands pick them up.

Note: The hands only have 4 fingers, like most cartoon characters, even though the BTTF characters all have 5 fingers.

Biff: (o.s) Me and some pals are going to watch the Founder's Day Tractor Pull Contest on Channel 93!

The hands put the sausages in bread rolls and add mustard and ketchup to them to make a hot dog. Biff is impressed.

Biff: (o.s) Hey, that's a little bit of all right!

Doc: It worked!

Biff now has a serviette around his neck!

Biff: Hey Brown, how did you.....?

The hands grab Biff's shirt and throw the hot dog down it. As he gets it out, the hands pour a drink down the back of his shirt.

Biff: Oooh-eee!

Doc is writing on his notepad.

Doc: "Customer bypasses beverage, perhaps should try diet soda."

Biff: Omph!

One of the hands slaps him on the back, causing him to fall out of his chair.

Biff: If I want abuse, I'll go home to Biff Jr!

Note: The missing link in the BTTF trilogy! Well, apart from all the various kids Biff has in the fan fictions out there. :-)

Doc is carrying a chair with a satellite dish on it. Behind him are other similar chairs.

Doc: Allow me to make amends with my ELB "Yo Bob, No Stop Folding Chairs". Radar equipped and programmed to scoot out of the way!

Doc demonstrates. He walks towards the chair, the satellite dish on it detects him, and the chair walks off by itself. Doc then holds up his foot.

Note: His socks have holes in them!

Doc: Thus avoiding injury to this little piggy!

Biff: Big deal! Just don't expect me to clean 'em when I'm done.....

The chairs get up and walk out by themselves, past the once again sleeping Einstein.

Biff:.....and don't keep bugging me about bringing them back!

He follows them out, but trips over Einstein.

Biff: Woah!

Doc: Now to test my "Super Sudsy Soap" for the clean-up cycle!

He has a syringe in his hand.

Doc: 2 drops ought to do it. 1 and 2.....

Suddenly a huge pile of soapy bubbles explodes from the garage, taking Doc out with them.

Doc: Perhaps that was one drop too many! (sniffs) Ah, but that lemon scent adds the perfect touch!

The bubbles start expanding. In the house, Clara is using the sewing machine.

Clara: Emmett Lathrop Brown. Scientist, husband and father; or just another name for disaster?

The soap bubbles get into the house, covering everything!

Cut to later. Clara is in the DeLorean, talking to Doc who is standing outside.

Clara: While you're cleaning up your mess, I'm taking the boys to the Tractor Pull Contest.

Verne: Yeah!

Jules: All right!

Clara: And find a new lab!

She speeds off in the DeLorean (let's hope she doesn't hit 88mph!).

Clara: Or you'll have to find a new family!

Doc: That Bunsen Burner will travel.

That evening. Doc is pushing the Hot-Diggity-Dogger down the street, past the Tannen house.

Doc: Hmm. Perhaps the McFlys will allow me to complete my work in their garage!

Biff, meanwhile, is adjusting the TV aerial by holding it out the window.

Biff: Is that better?

Ralph: (o.s) Oh yeah, perfect.

We cut to Biff's TV to see there is still some static. The Tractor Pull Contest is on, a tractor called "Muddy Mama" is on screen. Cut to the living room, where 4 of Biff's friends are sitting on Doc's chairs watching TV. Ralph, a large black guy, is the one who spoke earlier.

Ralph: That is, if it's snowing at the Tractor Pull Contest.

Biff: After the money I'll win on Muddy Mama, I'm gonna buy me one of those, uh, new satellite plates. Better reception, and, Swedish TV!

Biff's friends laugh.

Ralph: Biff, don't tell me you've bet on that broken down tractor? Monster Man's gonna knock Muddy Mama flat on her keister!

He laughs, and sits down on the chair, which collapses - sending him falling on his own keister!

Ralph: Oomph! What the...?

Biff: You kidding? After tonight, I'm going to be sitting pretty!

Shame his friends aren't sitting pretty! They are all ugly looking men with T-shirts that don't fit - we can see all their belly buttons, except for Biff's. Biff sits on a chair, but it starts walking with him on it.

Biff: Woah, woah, woah!

The chair crashes into the TV, causing the screen to smash.

Biff: Oomph! Wait 'til I get my hands on that nutcase Brown!

Lyon Estates. Doc and Marty are standing outside the McFly garage. The McFly house looks similar to the house in the films, although there are naturally a few differences. The garage is a separate colour to the rest of the house and now has a wooden door on it.

Marty: Hey Doc, our garage is your garage, although it may be a tad messy.

He opens the garage. A large pile of rubbish falls out.

Doc: Great Scott!

Marty: Hey, I said it was messy.

Doc: No, look at the power source!

It is just a simple plug.

Doc: This is a 1/10 outlet. Not nearly enough voltage for my custom power tools!

He looks out the window and spots a electric pylon.

Doc: Aha! Tapping directly into that transformer will suffice!

Marty: That sounds dangerous. Should I call 911 now?

Doc picks up a small bow and arrow.

Doc: Nonsense! This shall be as easy as pi r squared!

He attaches a plunger to the arrow, then his plug to the plunger. He fires the "arrow" towards the pylon, and it smashes a window.

Doc: That is, if I open up the window first.

Note: There was an open window right next to it!

The arrow heads towards the pylon, and makes contact, causing bright sparks to emit from the pylon. Cut to the Tannen house. Due to the main TV being broken, Biff and his friends are watching the Tractor Pull on a much smaller TV. They are shouting at the TV, egging on the tractors. They are all now lying down on the floor. Obviously, they have given up with Doc's chairs!

Biff: Come on Mama! Pull those fish heads! I know you've got the power, baby!

The power goes out.

Ralph: Ooh. Horrific party, Tannen.

We cut to an overview of Hill Valley, as the power goes out all over town. We hear the moans of angry people.

Doc: (v.o) Marty, I think I've done enough work for one night!

Marty: (v.o) Don't you mean enough damage?

We cut to another street. We hear someone called Barney talking.

Barney: (v.o) Sheriff Taylor, Sheriff Taylor! The power's off all over town!

In the Taylor household:

Sheriff Taylor: I know that Barney! I'd type up a warrant for Doc Brown's arrest, if my electric typewriter was working!

Outside the Brown house, Doc is walking up the street.

Doc: I wonder if Clara knows I'm responsible for blacking out the entire city?

He goes to his front door, where she opens it and chucks a suitcase at him before closing it again.

Doc: She knows.

Next day. Outside the market, a group of women are holding protest signs saying "Emmett Brown is Unfair to our Children!" and chanting.

Note: The market is taking advantage of this crisis. There are signs saying "Flashlights $75" and "Batteries $100"!

Women: Doc Brown is a clown! The lights are down in our fair town! Boo, Emmett!

Clara comes out of the store pushing a trolley full of food. The women suddenly surround her.

Woman 1: My son can't study by firelight! He's no way blinking you know!

Woman 2: (upper class accent) How do you expect Dennis to recharge my electric golf cart?

Dennis, the chauffeur, appears on screen pushing a trolley.

Woman 1: And we all missed the end of that Tractor Pull Contest!

Clara: Oh, for lamb's sakes, what are you ladies so head up about? Since the refrigeration units don't work, the produce is half price!

Dennis gives Woman 2 a tomato.

Woman 2: Which makes it cheaper to do this!

She throws a tomato at Clara. She ducks, but more fruit and veg head her way.

Clara: Argh!

She runs off down the street with her trolley, chased by the other women. They, in turn, are followed by Dennis.

Hill Valley Elementary School. Verne is being held on the roundabout against his will. Some bullies are holding him down, and chanting.

Bullies: Daddy is a genius, Daddy is a genius, there's lots of space, behind his face, because his brain's on Venus!

Jules: If you don't stop, you're gonna drop, when my fist comes between us! You release my brother this instant!

Note: Jules is a lot more confident in this episode than he was in Episode 20, "The Money Tree". In that episode, Jules had no friends, but got some at the end. Maybe, like with George McFly in the 1950's, having friends has made Jules more confident in himself and thus able to stand up to the bullies and protect his younger brother. A nice little insight on the character of Jules here, in my opinion.

Bullies: Sure!

They stop the roundabout, and Verne flies off.

Verne: Woah!

He lands on one of those horses you can "ride" on in playgrounds.

Verne: Thanks, skunkhead.

Jules: We have Father to thank.

At the Brown house, Doc and Einstein are lying outside Einstein's kennel, playing cards. Einstein is using the robotic hands that first appeared in Episode 1, "Brothers".

Doc: I wonder if the family will let me back inside tonight.

A Clara-shaped shadow descends on the pair. Doc turns around and sees his family with 2 dog bowls and a bag of food. One bowl says "Einie", the other says "Doc".

Note: Maybe Marty bought the "Doc" bowl as a joke for his friend some years back.

Clara is covered with fruit, and Jules now has a black eye and looks a mess. All 3 look angry. Clara puts food in both bowls, and the boys put the bowls on the floor before walking off without a word. Doc looks after them.

Doc: I suspect that this constitutes a negative!

Einstein starts eating his food.

Doc: Oh, if only there was a way I could make amends to the city! (thinks) I've got it! I know how to fix the problem! And provide unlimited free power to the entire city! And all I need are a few supplies from the Hardware Hut!

Note: The Hardware Hut first appeared back in Episode 7, "Time Waits For No frog/Einstein's Adventure".

Einstein barks.

Doc: No, go fish.

The Hardware Hut. Doc walks down the street, singing (badly!) to himself.

Doc: ("singing") The grey skies are gonna evaporate! Putting on a felicitous countenance!

A police car suddenly pulls up alongside, startling Doc and causing him to jump up a lamppost. Sheriff Taylor pokes his head out of the window.

Sheriff Taylor: Hold it right there, Doc.

Doc: Oh, Sheriff Taylor. Was I walking in excess of the speed limit?

Sheriff Taylor: Don't make me har har!

He grabs Doc and pulls him into the car. The car speeds off until we come to a sign saying "Hill Valley City Limits". The car stops and the Sheriff kicks Doc out of the car.

Sheriff Taylor: You're a threat to this town's welfare! Not to mention I've got to wash my dishes by hand, and compact my trash by foot!

He speeds off back into Hill Valley.

Sheriff Taylor: Show your face around here again and I'll put you behind bars!

Lyon Estates, later on. Doc, having snuck back into the city, is with Marty in his garage.

Marty: Doc, I don't think this is such a great idea!

Doc: (o.s) Now, Marty! Sheriff Taylor merely said not to show my face!

We now see Doc. He is in disguise! He has grey hair, and a ginger moustache and eyebrows. He is also wearing a cowboy suit.

Note: If you take away the moustache and big, bushy eyebrows, Doc looks more like Christopher Lloyd does in real life than Emmett Brown does at the moment!

Doc: How do I look?

Marty: Well, like a cross between Wild Bill Hiccock and the Phantom of the Opera!

Doc: Perfect! No-one will recognise me! Not even my own mother!

The Hardware Hut. Doc walks in, as if he were a real cowboy preparing to draw! He speaks to the owner.

Doc: Howdy, stranger!

Owner: (casually) Howdy, Doc.

Doc: Oooh!

Since he's been recognised, Doc walks out of the shop. Back in Lyon Estates, Doc and Marty are once again in the McFly garage.

Marty: Can't you just tell me what you need and I'll go get it?

Doc is now disguised as a Japanese lady!

Doc: You buying hardware would look very suspicious, Marty-san!

He walks off.

Marty: Oh yeah, I'd stand out like a sore thumb among all those gaisha girls!

Outside the Hardware Hut, Doc walks out with some supplies. The owner is with him. Sheriff Taylor is also there checking the parking meters.

Owner: Thanks, ma'am. Say, enjoy your stay here in the USA.

Doc says something in a high pitched voice before walking off. Sheriff Taylor comes over.

Sheriff Taylor: Say, while I'm here I might as well pick up a few things I've been needing.

He tries walking in, but the owner grabs him.

Owner: Oh no you don't, Doc Brown. That Sheriff disguise won't fool me! No way!

That evening, Lyon Estates. Once again, Marty and Doc are in the McFly garage.

Marty: (v.o) Hey, can you see all right?

We cut into the garage to see that Doc is fiddling with something whilst Marty stand over him with a gas lamp.

Doc: A little lower.

Marty: (deeper voice) Can you see all right?

Doc: Finished!

He stands up, bumping his head on the lamp.

Doc: Oomph!

Note: Doc sounds very much like Abe Simpson from The Simpsons, who is voiced by the same person (Dan Castellaneta) who voices Doc here!

Doc: Behold, the world's most efficient generator! I call it, the "Hydro-Lunar-Solar-Winderator"!

The two leave the garage, Doc towing his invention.

Doc: Drawing energy from water, wind, sunlight and moonlight, it should supply unlimited free power.

They stop in the middle of the road. Doc pushes his foot down on a pedal and the invention suddenly expands as if being inflated! Marty looks up at it.

Marty: Yeah, too bad it also blocks traffic.

Mechanical arms stretch from the generator to a power cable and attach themselves to it.

Doc: OK, Marty, here goes nothing!

Doc pulls the lever to "On". The generator starts making a noise. Doc and Marty look at something.

Doc: Marty, look!

Power is being returned to the city!

Marty: Woah, hoah, hoah, brainstorm Doc!

Doc: Eureka!

Doc happily leaps around, until suddenly he accidentally slaps Sheriff Taylor, who is standing by a house.

Doc: Uh-oh.

Sheriff Taylor: Dr Brown! You remember what I told you about being caught inside the city limits?

Doc: Yes, Andy.

Sheriff Taylor: Well..... forget it. Thanks to you, the coffee machine down at the Courthouse is working again!

They shake hands, as a crowd cheers. At the Brown house, Clara is on an exercise bike.

Verne: Mom, hey Mom! The power's back on, the TV'll work by itself.

Clara: What I won't go through just so we won't miss Northern Exposure.

Jules is playing chess. He blows out some candles near the board.

Jules: Ah, no more tedious lifting the chess pieces by hand.

He presses a button and mechanical arms start moving the pieces.

Note: The board is a 5x4 board, rather than the 8x8 it should be!

Jules: Mother, do you think Father had something to do with this timely resurgence of electricity?

Clara hears a crowd outside.

Crowd: (o.s) Brown, Brown, deserves a crown! He brought light back to our town!

Clara: Yes Jules, something tells me he did.

Outside, the crowd walk up to the front door, carrying Doc.

Doc: Honey, I'm home!

Clara opens the door, and she, Jules and Verne stand there.

Doc: I hope you don't mind, but I brought a few friends for dinner!

Doc and Clara hug. That night, they are getting ready for bed.

Clara: Emmett, I'm sorry I got my (something) out.

Doc: That's okie-ma-dokey, Clara. I don't blame you for your indignation. But I make this solemn pledge. If I have anything to do with it, the electricity will never go off again!

He jumps into bed.

Doc: Goodnight boys!

In the boys' bedroom, Jules and Verne try turning off their bedroom lights, but they stay switched on. Einstein has the same problem. Doc tries turning off his lamp as well.

Doc: Hmm, that's peculiar!

He takes out the bulb.

Doc: This must be one of those long life bulbs.

Cut to an overview of the city. Every single light is switched on. There are the sounds of car horns, sirens, barking dogs and the angry complaints of the citizens. At the Tannen house, Biff is trying to get to sleep with an eye mask on. The phone rings, and he feels around to pick it up, eventually doing so. He bumps the phone on his head.

Biff: Oomph! (to caller) What? (pause) Oh, hi Ralph. Hey, hey, I got a bootleg video of the Tractor Pull Contest..... (pause) A mob to run Doc Brown out of town? Huh, let me shave and I'll be right there!

Note: Biff is, as always, clean shaven at this time!

He heads to his bathroom and opens his cupboard. A hairdryer (don't they have towels in the future? LOL!), electric shaver and electric toothbrush leap towards him with a mind of their own.

Biff: Hey!

Courthouse Square. A "Founder's Day" banner is visible. Biff's friend Ralph, who spoke earlier on in the episode, is standing on the statue of the Old Pioneer. Biff, with half shaven hair, is in the crowd.

Ralph: I say we end this electrical menace! Run the Browns out of town!

Biff: Then head over to my place to watch a video replay of the Tractor Pull Contest!

The crowd cheer and set off to the Brown house. Doc hears the crowd and peers out of the blinds.

Doc: Uh-oh, it appears a rabble has been roused! And something tells me they ain't selling Girl Scout Cookies!

Biff knocks on the front door.

Biff: Brown? Open up! Or I'll huff, and I'll puff, and, uh, I'll breathe out real hard!

Note: Yet another Tannen version of a saying!

The door opens, and Doc, Clara, Jules and Verne are all dressed up like Japanese women, just as Doc was earlier.

Doc: (high pitched) Nobody here but us gaisha!

Verne: Want a massage, geek-san?

Biff: Uh, no thanks honey, uh, uh, miss.

Doc: (high pitched) Very well then, back to our tea ceremony!

Doc walks backwards and trips over himself, causing his disguise to fall off.

Doc: (normal voice) Ouchama-gaisha!

Biff: (after a short pause) It's Brown! Grab him!

They do. Later, at the generator:

Biff: There's the bag of bolts that's causing all the trouble!

Ralph: I say, we destroy what we don't understand!

The crowd cheer. Doc, now back in his normal clothes, speaks to them.

Doc: Fellow Hill Valleyians, my generator simply overheated! Perhaps if I.....

Crowd: Boo!

Ralph: We need someone who understand mechanical things!

Biff: Hey! I hooked up my old TV antenna!

Crowd: Biff! Biff! Biff! Biff! Biff! Biff! Biff! Biff!

Biff: I know how to cool this thing off.

He has a bottle of soda in his hands. He shakes it, and the cap flies off. The soda shoots everywhere. Doc is being held by Ralph.

Doc: No!

Note: Doc's shirt, normally purple, is white for this shot!

The soda hits the generator, and the effects travel across town through the cables. At the Hill Valley Theater, a film called "Back to the Future" is now playing! Traffic lights and the lampposts near the Courthouse are affected. From the air, it looks like a giant fireworks display! Ralph grabs Doc.

Ralph: Doc Brown, help us!

Doc: Well, there is one way to dismantle the beast!

He grabs Biff's tape of the Tractor Pull Contest.

Doc: I'll need this videotape!

Biff: Hey! I paid $200 for that thing!

Doc uses the tape as a lasso to pull himself upwards.

Biff: Hey, what are you doing? I gotta rewind it and give it back by midnight!

Doc slides down into the generator.

Doc: Ooh, this thing could double as a Founder's Day Carnival ride! Argh!

At the end of the slide, Doc crashes into the wall.

Doc: Perhaps it would help to have a pillow here.

Doc pulls out the plug and the generator stops. The crowd outside start chanting again, and Doc opens the door to the generator to find Clara, Jules and Verne standing outside.

Doc: Thank you!

The crowd cheer. Cut to Courthouse Square, next day. Courthouse Square still has the "Founder's Day" banner up. A crowd is in the Square, including Marty, Jules and Verne, who are all wearing pioneer clothes and standing by the statue; Biff; Ralph; Woman 1 and her son from the supermarket; and various others. Doc walks up to them

Doc: Greetings, everyone! What a beautiful Founder's Day morning.

Verne: What good's a Founder's Day with no bash 'em up bumper cars?

Marty: No rock concert.

Jules: No electricity.

Doc: Well, I, uh...

Old Man: (o.s) Electricity?

Doc turns to see Clara standing behind him. Next to her is an old man - who looks strangely familiar.

Old Man: (continued) The founders of Hill Valley didn't have electricity.

Clara: Didn't have bash 'em up bumper cars either.

Verne: Mega boring!

Old Man: But they did have horseshoe tossing, barn dances.....

The Old Man stands right in front of the Statue of the Old Pioneer - and he looks exactly the same as the statue!

Doc: Now where have I seen that face before?

Ralph: Did they have tractor pulls?

Old Man: No, but they chased greased pigs, and the winner got a home baked apple pie!

Jules: Greased pigs?

Verne: Cool!

Marty, Jules and Verne stand up.

Marty: We can celebrate Founder's Day just like the founders did!

The crowd cheer. Clara whispers to the Old man.

Clara: I think they got the message.

Old Man: Yep. Now how about giving me a lift home in that fancy carriage of yours?

The crowd are still cheering.

Marty: I'll grab my guitar for the barn dance!

Ralph: The high school mascot's a greased pig!

Note: I wonder what Mr Strickland had to say about that!

Verne: Do we take the horseshoes off the horse before we toss them?

Doc is staring at the statue.

Doc: Aha!

He turns and sees the DeLorean disappear into the past.

Doc: Thanks Clara! (turns to statue) And thank you, Old Timer!




Back to Doc in the Hoover Dam.

Doc: We had the best Founder's Day of all time. In fact, we almost considered leaving the power off permanently, but the kids got tired of watching TV by candlelight.

Doc laughs.

Note: Um, if there was no power, how could they watch TV? :-) Unless all the mothers of Hill Valley did what Clara did earlier with her TV!

Doc noticed a water valve next to him.

Doc: Aha! Just what I was searching for! A handy water faucet. I don't think there will be any problem if I quickly use it to fill my canteen.

He turns it on and puts his water bottle underneath it. An alarm goes off, and Doc looks up, surprised. Cut to outside the Hoover Dam - the dam has opened and floodwater is pouring out of it!

Doc: (v.o) Gadzooks! This valve must open the gates!

Quick cut to a picture of Doc on screen, wearing, for some reason known only to him, an Indian head-dress! The words "Please Stand By" appear on screen.

Female Voice: (v.o) Accessing emergency demonstration during power failure.

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, is in his kitchen. The power is out. Bill Nye goes to a cupboard and opens it. He starts digging through the cupboard trying to find things as Doc speaks.

Doc: (v.o) If you're ever caught in a blackout and you can't find your way around, you can be the family hero by using ordinary household items to make an emergency candle.

Bill Nye is now at his worktable. As Doc says what you need, Bill Nye holds it up to the camera.

Doc: (v.o) You'll need some heavy string, a metal nut or washer, a small dish or ashtray, and a few ounces of vegetable oil. Vegetable oil makes good fuel because its energy is easily converted into heat.

During the following, Bill Nye does as Doc says.

Doc: (v.o) To make your candle's wick, tie one end of the string to the metal nut or washer, then cut the string at about 2 inches. Next, place the metal nut in the vegetable oil, making sure that the free end of the string stays above the surface of the oil. You may want to bend the string to ensure that it sticks out from the oil. The string soaks up some of the oil and allows it to mix with oxygen.

The words "3 things needed for fire" appear on screen. As Doc says each word below, it appears on screen.

Doc: (v.o) The 3 things necessary for fire are fuel, oxygen and heat.

Back to Bill Nye in his lab.

Doc: (v.o) Don't forget, scientists of the future, always exercise extreme care when utilising an open flame.

Bill Nye uses a match to light the candle.

Doc: (v.o) Your home-made candle should last for several minutes, plenty of time to find what it was you were looking for - a flashlight!

Back to Doc in the Hoover Dam. He is turning the valve off again.

Doc: Ugh. There! Phew! The water is again flowing to the generators and power has been restored.

Doc suddenly realises something.

Doc: Argh! (mutters to himself) I forgot to fill my canteen. I wonder if anybody would mind if I momentarily open the valve again.

He does so. The alarm goes off - again.

Doc: Well, I'm thirsty! How am I going to get water?

Someone, off stage, throws water all over Doc.

Doc: See you in the future.

THE END.

Spotted any mistakes? E-mail me at hillvalley@lycos.co.uk with the corrections.

Last Revised: September 22nd 2004

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