(Why Adam got shot instead of Joe)
  
A flight of fancy by
BeckyS 
 

I'd heard that the script was originally written with Joe shot, and Adam as the rescuer. This makes a certain amount of sense, as a writer would probably be more likely to think of Adam carrying Joe than Joe carrying Adam (actually, it was Pernell’s stand-in, Betty Endicott).

Although I think the story works better with Adam (he wouldn’t have half the internal conflict Hoss and Joe had), I still just have to wonder when and how the script change came about . . .

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

MIKE [flipping through the script]: Here we go again, I'm gonna get shot and I'm gonna have to spend the whole week lyin' on the ground groaning and moaning. No lines, nothing to say, nothing to do.

DAN: Yeah, I remember when I got shot in the back that one time and just laid around in bed all week. [thoughtful pause] You know, Pernell hasn't gotten shot lately . . . Hey, Pernell! Wake up!

PERNELL: Huh? What?

MIKE: Asleep again. That's the third time today. This is supposed to be a script meeting, Pernell.

PERNELL: Well I'm tired. I still haven't caught up from that location shoot last week in the desert. Dragging Lee around, carrying buckets of rocks, hammering, hammering, hammering . . . [starts to whistle "John Henry"]

LORNE: That was a tough one, all right, and this one isn't going to be much easier. You have to carry Mike around this time.

PERNELL [breaks off whistling to groan]: Why can't I ever be the one to lie around? Why can't someone carry me once in a while?

DAN [smirking]: 'Cause Mike, here, couldn't do it.

MIKE: Hey, I could, too! See? [flexes arm muscles]

LORNE: Now, Mike, no one's casting aspersions—

PERNELL [interrupting LORNE, with smirk]: Now that I'd like to see.

MIKE: All right, I'll show you then. How much you want to bet I can carry you from your chair to the door? [about ten feet]

PERNELL [thoughtful]: If you can carry me that far, I'll trade parts with you. I could sure use the break.

[MIKE & PERNELL shake on it while LORNE looks on with concern and DAN with glee.]

DAN [searches through the script for the right page]: Pernell, you have to get down on the floor — Mike's gonna have to pick you up all the way from the ground, just like in the script.

LORNE [shaking head, speaks to himself]: I'm sure glad David isn't here today . . .

MIKE: Uhnnn. Ahhh-hnnnn. *&%^, what've you been eating lately???

PERNELL [from other side of the room now]: Watch out . . . watch out . . . UMMPH!

LORNE [looking down at PERNELL and MIKE, tangled on the floor]: You two all right?

PERNELL: I think we ought to use Betty . . .

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

And so history was made. Sort of.