Save the Cat rankings

THE SALTON SEA script analysis

THE SALTON SEA script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Undercover informant Danny Flynne wrestles with grief over his wife’s murder while deep in the meth underworld. He forms an uneasy alliance with handler cops and a neighbor, battles corrupt dealers, and ultimately confronts his own moral boundaries in a final violent showdown, seeking closure and identity.

75 Save the Cat fit score 82% analysis confidence / 69 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

80%

Danny sits alone in a burning room, reflecting on identity and loss.

My name is Tom Van Allen ... or Danny Flynne ... I don't know anymore.
2

Theme Stated

Scene 2 / Page 2 / 5% target

70%

Danny’s lecture on meth history hints at transformation and the cost of escape.

3

Set-Up

Scenes 3-7 / Pages 3-7 / 10% target

85%

We meet Danny’s informant role, handlers Tanner and Garcetti, and his lonely life in the hotel.

4

Catalyst

Scene 8 / Page 8 / 12% target

80%

Danny meets Colette, introducing personal stakes beyond the drug world.

My name is Danny Flynne.
5

Debate

Scenes 9-14 / Pages 9-14 / 20% target

83%

Danny hesitates over vengeance, identity, and continuing undercover work amid escalating danger.

6

Break into Two

Scene 15 / Page 15 / 25% target

88%

Danny fully commits to the dangerous Pooh-Bear deal.

I clamped his head in a vice.
7

B Story

Scene 17 / Page 17 / 30% target

84%

Danny’s relationship with Colette deepens, revealing her peril and his capacity for care.

Because he'll kill me.
8

Fun and Games

Scenes 18-26 / Pages 18-26 / 40% target

87%

The undercover operations and brutal tests with Pooh-Bear showcase the ‘promise of the premise.’

You've got no choice.
9

Midpoint

Scene 27 / Page 27 / 50% target

86%

Danny reveals he’s planted a gun, raising stakes and his own agency.

I ought to just call this whole thing off right now.
10

Bad Guys Close In

Scenes 30-36 / Pages 30-36 / 65% target

85%

Corrupt cops and emotional ghosts tighten their grip as Danny digs into his wife’s case.

Closure? How do you find closure when her killers are still running around out there?
11

All Is Lost

Scene 65 / Page 65 / 75% target

90%

Danny kills his handlers, crossing a point of no return and seeming to lose his moral compass.

12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scene 67 / Page 67 / 80% target

88%

Trapped in a burning room, Danny faces despair and the cost of his choices.

13

Break into Three

Scene 68 / Page 68 / 85% target

75%

Danny is rescued, forcing him to confront what remains of his life.

14

Finale

Scene 69 / Page 69 / 95% target

80%

Danny meets Colette in daylight, implying a fresh start and resolution.

15

Final Image

Scene 69 / Page 69 / 99% target

80%

The coffee-shop reunion mirrors the opening’s isolation with hope for identity restored.