The Writers' Room (2013) s01e04 Episode Script
New Girl
"New Girl.
" If you do that one more time, I'm gonna break your faces in.
It's the cult comedy about a single girl surrounded by too many guys.
No-no-- shut up! Who booby trapped me?! For Virgin TV creator Liz Meriwether, her own life provided much of the inspiration.
Shut up-- shut up! It's my mom! I made some decisions that may have involved alcohol.
I think networks are little afraid of characters that are a little broken.
You said "Broken," so let's go down to you, Jake.
Absolutely.
Keep it together.
Don't let the booze do the talking.
And, trusting a new talent was a gamble that almost didn't pay off.
That table read was maybe our worst table read of all time.
The entire episode was period jokes, and we were like, "This is gonna kill.
" Let's meet the people who turned a TV experiment into a smash success.
Outrageous success, horrible mistakes, last-minute changes.
Creators of today's most ground-breaking TV shows tell all in the place where it all starts.
"The Writers' Room.
" All right, I am joined in "The Writers' Room" with Liz Meriwether, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer, and Jake Johnson, who plays Nick.
Thank you for being here.
Uh, welcome to your "Writers' Room.
" It looks just like it, I'm sure.
- It is.
It's exactly the same.
- Yeah.
It is this neat.
And, I like that Liz has already wrote, "Shut up, Jake," on her pad.
"A," I wanna thank you for being resourceful, and for letting us know that your dynamic with Jake is to shut him down.
She's trying to get me to feel comfortable-- feel like I'm back at "New Girl"-- let's improvise! Back at home.
Yeah, let's do this.
Oh, good, gimme a suggestion.
Uh, gimme any object, any object.
The suggestion is Affection for Jess.
Oh, okay.
Go! Okay-- uh, just pitch.
All right, um, okay, take us back-- this is gonna be my lipton moment.
- All right, uh, a couple years ago - Yes.
Uh, you went in to pitch what became "New Girl.
" What was that like? I mean, 'cause it's such a nerve-wracking thing, I'm sure.
Yeah, originally, I think "Modern Family," you know, it was sort of blowing up, and I'd kinda gotten a chance to pitch a pilot, and I thought I had to do, like, a multi-generational family show 'cause I was, like, "Oh, those work, I guess.
" Basically I, like, kind of went into this meeting, and I was, like, you know, like, sitting like this on the chair, and, like, muttering to myself.
So you were "Jessin'" it for a second.
And, I was, like, I was, like, "I don't know.
There's, like, an old woman and, like, a young woman and, like, a middle-middle-aged woman and, like--" "A young-old woman.
" Yeah, yeah, ha-ha, and he was, like-- he kinda, like, paused and then, like, looked at me and was, like, I think you should just write about your life and write about people you know, and it doesn't matter if we sell it or don't.
You know, it's like, just try to make something that you're proud of, because 99% of television shows fail.
Like, just make something good.
Wow, he laid it on the table.
Yeah, and I mean, he was either being like a hero, or my pitch for the multi-generational show was just so bad.
I gotta put a bullet into this now! That's the nicest pass I've ever heard.
It is.
Write about somethin' totally different and leave right now.
Respect yourself, Liz.
- Aw, what a mentor.
- What a mentor.
Yeah, and then you walk out the door, and you're like, "Hey! He passed!" When they-- when they say things like, you know, "Make something you're proud of," in Hollywood, you know that they're kind of like-- Yeah, you're in trouble.
But, no, I mean, and so then, I just sort of, I went and kinda worked on, you know, a show about m-myself and some of my guy friends, and, um, yeah, they bought it in the room, and we-I-- then, like, it's always that moment where you're, like, "Yes!" And then, you're like, "Oh, God, I have to write it.
" What do I do now? And then, I wrote the pilot, and it was, uh, crazy and kind of a mess in the way that I write things, sort of without structure.
I was coming from theatre and film, and I'd never been on a s-- a TV writing staff before, and you know, let alone sort of had to run it, and I didn't know what to do, and I was, like, there's a room full of people that wanna help me, but I was, like, "No.
" I got this.
It-it-but, it was- it didn't come from, like, anything of just-- - I'm used to writing alone.
- Right.
I'm used to kind of the process of, like, taking it myself, going away and, like, you know, writing it, and you just can't.
- You can maybe do that on cable, but network-- - It's too fast.
I mean, we're-we did-- we did 25 episodes this year, and it just, it got to the point midway through the season where I was just, like, I'm not making these scripts better by taking them and, you know, going away by myself.
And, I kinda opened up and, like, let-- allowed the TV writing process that's been working for years - and years and years-- - 50 years of-- - to work, and it really helped, and for me, I-- like, as a showrunner, the moment when I had very little to do with a really good draft was the best part for me because I was, like, oh, suddenly, I've, like, I've kinda gotten-- They got it.
The-- I-- uh, these people kinda understand the show, and-and they're making it so much better than I could, - and that was, you know, a victory of, like-- - A life-saving moment.
I-I did-- I didn't do this, and this is great, and this is better than what I could've done, and, like, that's, like, to me that's the great part about writing for television, is, like, two minds are better than one.
Uh, Liz had a cool idea, I thought, which was that, like, the-that Jess's character was what would usually be the side character on the show or in a movie.
- Yeah, yes, and putting-- - And, moving that to the front position and then-- I think networks are a little afraid of characters that are a little broken, which is, like, the essence of our show.
Yes-- yes, which is great.
This is great.
This is a great segue.
'Cause you said "Broken," so let's go down to you, Jake.
Absolutely.
Keep it together.
Don't let the booze do the talking-- shoot.
Right on.
Good-good.
We're working well together.
Uh, what stuck out to you reading this pilot? It was really early.
I had worked with Liz.
You were-- he was the first person that I e-mailed the script to, actually.
- Yeah-- we-we did "No Strings Attached" together.
- Right.
Yeah, I mean, I knew that I definitely, uh, wanted it to work with him, and, uh, we had such a great time.
He's so collaborative and great-- I love actors that wanna be part of - the creation-- - Yeah.
Sort of process and not just people kind of punching a clock and coming in.
He texts me late-night, uh, ideas for Nick all the time, - and it's, uh, like-- - And, then they end up on the show.
Yeah, they totally end up on the show.
Like, the-the character-- the whole-- that brings up-- Honestly, the percentage is so low.
I was gonna ask.
We were tryin' to be kind.
We're tryin' to help ya out.
- This is a great place for us to really get real about it.
- Let's do this.
And, if we didn't like some of Jake's suggestions-- Is this a weird intervention? Is that why they asked me on "The Writers' Room?" Let's shut the cameras off.
Let's do this.
Oh, this is a whole thing.
This is a whole thing.
You have to stop pushing.
This is not a real show.
This isn't even a studio.
I was wondering why my mom and my dad and my brother were doing the cameras.
My sister did make-up.
Dammit-- Going back to Liz for a quick second, the thing about Liz that is really great, and we-- I realized it on "No Strings," apart from her writing being good, is that she really is collaborative, so everybody on our show, even guest stars comin' in, she's not the kind - of creator who says, like, "You will do this.
" - Right.
She'll-you'll do the script, and you'll do it her way, but she wants people to have ideas, and then, really, what they do, all of 'em, is kinda the best moment wins.
- Yeah.
Absolutely.
- So it's not an ego process.
If it was funnier on page, then we're not usin' the improv.
If it all was funnier-- it just-- whatever works, it doesn't matter how it gets there.
That's the way it works on "The Writers' Room," too.
Yeah, we bring in the writer's assistants, the PA's, anyone who's got, just sort of, stuff-- they're welcome to come in.
Which is a way of, just, me not doing my job.
No, but there is something nice about the looseness, and it definitely comes across in the episodes.
Uh, th-this is one of those shows, we know that there's a huge fanbase.
People connect with these characters, and they are vocal about these characters.
Does-- is that intimidating? 'Cause I think people sometimes think, "That's my best friend.
" - But, it's also cool.
- Yeah.
I mean, it also, like-- I mean, it feels exciting that people get that, you know, they're diving in so much.
And, I-I get a lot of, you know, a certain character-- "Oh, that person is me," or, like, "That person is my friend," which is, like, a good-- you know, it feels like, okay, so we're still connecting with people, which is good.
Yeah.
Now, you talk about, like, it-it's obviously a very big community feel.
Do you guys find yourself, especially when you're in the writers' room or from the actors, uh, do some your personal stories or personal ideas or things that happened to you fall into many of the scripts? Almost all of them.
Honesty, I think, is important for our show.
Like, having it feel like it's grounded in some real thing is, you know, where our show, you know, lives, I guess, and we're always having kind of tonal conversations.
Is-is this too broad? Are we just doing this joke for a joke's sake? Because we-we laughed, yes.
Yeah, I kinda get up and, like, I'll just, like, rip everything.
- You feel free to-- and - I'll just freak out-- - You feel free to-- and be like, "This isn't working.
" And then, I throw it, and then I walk out.
I love it when she's super-dramatic.
But, I have an idea.
Then, it's really calm again.
But, in that-- in that process, do we ever think that-- you know, 'cause you're pulling from your lives, you're pulling, you know, you tell some story that might be about someone else or a family member-- do you ever have as a writer, or even if you shared that story, that moment of, like, ah, I-I wonder how they'll feel about this? - Oh, yeah.
- Completely.
Oh, we've had-- I-I think we've had several writers on staff have to go home to their wives and go, "So, are you cool? - cause we-- it's shot.
" - We already shot it.
- It's on television tonight.
- It airs tonight.
Remember Donick? Yeah, we had this, uh, we did this Halloween episode where we were looking for- we needed a-a terrible, uh, Halloween costume for, uh, Winston's girlfriend Shelby.
Oh, yeah.
Donick Cary, one of our writers, uh, his wife, uh, used to go as, uh, "Raining cats and dogs.
" She was wearing, like, a queen outfit with stuffed animals attached to the cape.
Every year.
Every year.
- It was a repeat? - Yeah, every single year.
It's, like, just gotta get the cape outta the closet every Halloween.
It's nice to have a go-to.
And, uh, he-she made a deal with Donick that we could do the story as long as she got the professional cats and dogs "Raining cats and dogs" costume when we were done use-- you know, we had a professional costumer make this.
Oh, my, that's fantastic.
A-an upgraded "Raining cats and dogs.
" So, in a way, he was sort of making a deal with the devil, 'cause it was like-- he was-- we were putting it on the show, but now forever, it's like, she's gonna be "Raining cats and dogs.
" You may have my story, but bring me my costume.
Coming up, romance the "New Girl" way.
We wanted it to be messy.
Like, things happen at such a break-neck pace.
Do it.
And, I was, like, "Wait, we're kissing now?" Welcome back to "The Writers' Room, New Girl.
" Then, Dave and, uh, Brett, you guys came to the party at what point? Yeah, w-well, we'd worked with Liz, like, five years ago on another pilot that didn't go, and then we were finishing up on-- It was an Artie Lang vehicle called "Uncle Artie.
" Yes.
Oh.
It's really funny.
It just shouldn't be shot.
Apparently, it-it went down the r-- all the way down the road, and it was between us and another show that they ended up picking up and-and quickly went away, and I contend that it would've been, uh, it-- it was a pretty solid show.
We would've lasted three episodes.
Yes-- they lasted two.
And, they lasted for two.
There was a good-- there was a good toothless woman offering to give a, uh, like, 11-year-old boy oral sex just-- - She wore her-- - Wait, that was in the pilot? - Yeah.
That-is that the "A" story, "B" story, or was that a runner? That was-- They were writing it for ABC Family.
We were-- we knew what market we wanted to hit.
She did have her teeth on a librarian chain - that she took out of her-- - She had it on a chain.
- Oh, see, that's respectable.
- She met him at a racetrack.
Oh.
It makes sense.
So, surprisingly, Fox didn't shoot that.
But, anyway, that-- I met them, and obviously, like, like, we, you know, hit-- we totally hit it off.
She sent us an e-mail sheet with the script, and she said, "Ya like my poop-shit?" And, well, we liked her poop-shit.
They're gonna bleep you.
Oh, not good.
So, we can't say "shit?" Do you like to sel-- do you like to self-deprecate your writing before you turn it in? I mean, just go, "Ahhh" I-- I've found that that really works.
- If you really, really lower-- - Push the bar down to here.
And, say, "Well, I know it--" - This is the worst thing ever-- and, then it's always the best.
- Yeah.
Yeah, y'know, it's not-- it's not at this pitch, but, you know, that kinda thing.
Yeah.
But now, and especially because obviously, we should just talk about the kiss, so what was sort of the thought behind something that clearly, if you look back, sort of started at the very beginning? To be perfectly honest in terms of our writers, I thought they've handled the Nick-Jess story so w-- like, well, in that, you know, the kiss happened quickly all of a sudden.
You know, we'd been buildin', and then we were doing-- And, we weren't planning it, either.
Then there was a crazy episode with, like, Max and I are trying to, you know, flirt with Brooklyn Decker.
Yep, mmm-hmm.
- And, I was like, "Wait, we're kissing now?" - Yeah.
And, even with things that happen later on this season that you'll see, like, things happen that will seem crazy when I'll first read 'em, and then when people watch, - their reaction is so strong-- - Yeah.
That it's handled in a way that, you know, it's fun to be part of.
We wanted it to be messy, we wanted it to feel organic.
I mean, I-I-I think there is a lot of-there's obviously a lot of, "Will they or won't they," on television, and I-I-I like it up to a certain point, but I think there's actually so much story that comes from people obviously, like, hooking up.
Yeah.
Doing stuff with each other.
I mean, like, they-- like, it just becomes like you're-you're opening into, uh, this whole world of conflict and comedy, and I don't think that - as soon as two characters kiss, everything is over and, like-- - Right.
No.
We're two old TV hacks.
Yeah, we've-we've-we're-- we're, like, save it, save it for five years down the road, and then- and then you realize, oh, it's a different age now.
It's, like, things happen at such a break-neck pace.
Do it, and we-- and, figure out the repercussions.
Originally, when we broke it, Schmidt kissed Jess at the end of the episode as just a big comedy thing.
Yeah.
And, uh, that wasn't working, so when we table read there was no kiss, and we got to this moment where the whole episode had built all this energy between these two characters, and we looked at each other-- we were like, "Now we're lying not to do it.
" Yes.
But, there's something great about our show, in- in when it works and things happen organically onset, we know kinda how to, y-y-you know, that's the best stuff that we get.
Finding the happy accidents, and you're like, "Oh, that happened.
" - Yeah, the-the melon breaking, and-- - Yeah.
And then, it gives us stuff to build off of and gives us episodes, and I-I feel like going into season three, we have the-- now we have this on our plate, and I don't see it as, like, "Oh, we've burned that out now.
" Uhh, there're so many opportunities now.
- Mmm-hmm.
- For Nick to mess up.
- And, he probably-- he probably won't.
- Yeah.
He's-- ha-ha-- he'll turn- he's gonna turn his life around.
That kid's gonna make it.
Lemme ask you-- um, go back in sorta the writers' room bit because sometimes someone says something or tells a story that might be true, and you're just, like, that's really horrible.
Well, it's funny because, uh, there were two or three things.
There was a story that Dave pitched about water, uh-- Watsu-- it's, like, this water massager.
- Water massaging.
- Yes.
Which became an aspect of that.
Then there was Jake's idea that he texted us the first season about talking to the man in the park, and then that table read was maybe our worst table read of all time.
We had a terrible table reading.
It was the worst table read of all time because, uh, our idea was that all of the guys in the house thought that they got - their period with Jess.
- Oh, yes.
And so, the entire episode was period jokes, and we were - like, "This is gonna kill.
" - It did not.
- And, we get to the table.
- No, it did not.
It doesn't go well.
We found the line.
It's like, just silence.
You know, it's, like, a bunch of, like, "Hey-- like, I got cramps.
" Like, it was just terrible.
Look at that.
That's-that's a good place to start.
We all know what we're thinking.
I think we all know that this has to change.
I think we all know where we're going with this.
But, after you're done sort of throwing up down the front of your shirt with panic that you've had a bad table read, we-- we've said that a lotta times what happens is, when you have a problem come up - like that, where you're like, "We're screwed"-- - Yeah.
It's, like, all hands on deck.
Everybody puts their energy into making it good, like now, and people really pull it out, and a lotta times those end up - being your funniest and your best episodes.
- Yes.
I think even the symbiotic relationship between what we bring to the table and what these guys bring to the table, it just opened it up in a whole different way, that, like, it-- - it just feels endless.
- Yeah.
And, it feels different than just "An apartment show.
" And, to give our staff credit, the truth of the matter is- is we have this issue on our show where, when drafts come in, they don't feel-- like, from great writers-- they don't feel like the show yet, and we're always goin', like, "What's wrong? And I think we figured out this year, the problem is that what we're used to seeing as this show is this combined experience of her voice, our voice, their voice.
We've got these great writers.
All of them work together.
- Everyone onboard.
- And, these guys doing their thing to it.
So when you get a piece of paper with someb-- one person's kind of, like, "Here's my episode," you're kinda like, "What's missing?" And, it's like, it is that kind of group contribution.
- Our show does not live on the page.
- No.
So, like, you get the-- you know, the drafts just aren't-- they don't feel like the show, which is like a-- it's like a crazy, frustrating Yeah, it can be.
Which is another great thing-- our editor, Steve Welch, and his team is paramount-important to the writing on this show, as well.
I mean, we really are a show-- and, a lotta single-camera shows might tell ya this-- but, our show definitely is built in post, and all of the different work that they do, all of the matching performances, and then somebody puts it together-- it's like another draft of the show.
Coming up, what happens when I ask one of TV's best writers to ad-lib? Liz has writer's block about an object.
Ha-ha, I have nothing.
- This is what it's like-- - We're literally screwed.
Welcome back to "The Writers' Room" with the creators of "New Girl.
" I wanna do one little, quick thing.
This is only for my enjoyment.
I want us to just quickly break a Nick-centric story.
For season three.
- Mouth Party.
- This'll be huge.
- Mouth Party? - Mouth Party.
- Mouth Party.
- Wait, that's the title? The working title, "Mouth Party.
" Okay, working title.
Okay, everyone write down, "Mouth Party.
" The title is "Mouth Party.
" Liz is gonna write down-- no, not right away.
Oh, God, I'm s-- this is really scary.
No, you write down any object, any object.
Oh, okay-- all right.
And then, Dave, why don't you write down a great location where we know a-a-at least a scene has to take place, ya know? And then, what do we wanna give, uh-- just make up one line of dialogue that we have to fit in.
- Okay.
- Okay? I'm really stressed out right now Like, I have never-- this is so stressful.
He gets to write down a place-- I gotta write down a whole line of dialogue.
And, for Nick, without-- without telling us, write down a weird thing that happened to you.
- Okay.
- Okay? - I got my line.
- Okay, great.
- I-I'm workin'.
- I-I have nothing.
Liz is-Liz has writer's block about an object.
- This is what it's like, I'm tellin' ya.
- We're literally screwed.
- This might just be-- - You should just go tear down the board, because that's all we're gonna get from you.
Okay, well, Brett, give us what we have so far.
- Oh, okay, so this is my line of dialogue for Nick.
- Okay.
It's, uh "If you want that to happen, Winston, you're gonna have to take off that mustache.
" Great-- so we know Winston gets a mustache.
- So, uh, what-- - I have the object.
- What, uh, what's the object? - Superhero cape.
Oh, okay.
Superhero cape has something to do with this storyline.
And, I have "Ohio-themed restaurant.
" Preferably Toledo.
- And then, what's-- - So, there's a homeless-lookin' guy - who hangs out at the bar named Sid.
- Yes.
He's got a big beard.
- He was there when Nick tried to sell the porta-potty.
- Okay.
- I want Nick and Sid, uh, to take karate c-classes together.
- Perfect.
To stand up against, uh, bullies in the neighborhood - who have been messing with Schmidt.
- Okay-- perfect.
See, that's, like, an actually good idea.
All of our shit is stupid.
Then, but, we have to factor in the fact that you have the line.
Now, I'm gonna just go out on a limb-- we'll start.
"Mouth Party"-- maybe that has something to do with Winston's mustache.
- Yes.
- He says, "I'm growin' a mouth party," okay.
- Yeah.
That's good, that's good.
- I like that-- that's nice.
And then, like a mouth party, it's a mustache.
- It's very clear what it is, and he pronounces every word wrong.
- Yes.
- A "mousse-tache".
- I love a "mooth parte.
" A "mooth parte.
" A "mooth parte" exists.
"Mousse-tache.
" - So, why is Winston growing that? - I don't know.
Well, maybe he's cold.
Like, maybe he has, like, a cold face.
That's hilari-- ha-ha-ha! - Because he did-- he didn't pay the heating bill.
- Right.
It's, like, more of a face sweater.
- So, he's-- he has a face sweater.
- Yeah.
We've forgotten something important.
What's the "New Girl" doin'? Yeah, right.
The superhero cape.
What is the damn-- Oh, okay.
- She will not take off the superhero cape-- - She won't? - Because um - Well, I feel like there might be, like, a cold thing.
Like, if there's something in the loft with, like, the- - like, the-- it's freezing-- - That's the central part of the story.
So, like, the only thing that she has is, like, a superhero cape, - and he's growing the mustache.
- She puts it on.
She finds, actually, that she feels more powerful - when she's wearing it.
- Embodiment, yes.
She likes who she becomes when she's wearing it.
- She actually thinks she might have superpowers.
- Th-that's for sure.
- And then, she starts wearing it under her clothes.
- Yeah.
You joke-- this is happening.
Th-this is totally happening.
So, real quick, and then, all of sudden, the third act-- "Full mouth party.
" Jake as Nick says to him, "Hey, if you want that to happen, Winston, you're gonna have to take off that mustache.
" And, what did he want to happen? He wants Nick to pay the bill for the-- for the-- - That's perfect, yes.
- Yeah, 'cause it's freezing.
It's so real.
It's life, it's life.
Season three-- wrapped! I'm gonna just say two words to you.
"Season premiere.
" You're welcome.
Coming up, some secrets revealed.
I-I went home with a guy.
And, you won't believe what happened next.
Welcome back to "The Writers' Room" and Entertainment Weekly's "The Last Word.
" Uh, we are joined now by Jess Cagle from, uh, "Entertainment Weekly.
" - Welcome, Jess.
- Hey, thank you.
Thank you for joining our discussion.
Thank you, guys, for coming.
Yeah-- I'm gonna throw it to you.
I wanted to follow up on the-the parts of your real life that make it onto the show, an-and I would love to hear a specific thing that one of you brought to the table that ended up on the show, and what-- and then how it developed, what it ultimately became on the air.
Okay-- we could do that.
Mine's, like, super embarrassing.
- Go for it.
- That's perfect then.
The more embarrassing, the better.
I had this night, um, in New York.
I was, uh, you know, uh, I-I-I went home with a guy.
- I made some decisions.
- A gentleman.
I made some decisions that may have involved alcohol.
- And ended up, like-- - And, a mouth party, perhaps.
There may have been a mouth party with two people invited.
- Um, and anyway-- - Uh, you and another person, not multiple guests-- - in the m-mouth - Um, and, um, I'm really regretting this.
No-- this sounds like a good penthouse forum-- and, you won't believe what happened next.
Name and address-- I'm actually gettin' into this in a different way.
I'm like, "Jake, stop talking-- shut up!" Tell the story.
So I, like, it was, like, uh, it was kind of after-the-fact, and he was, like, "Oh, man, Katie, that was great," and like-- I was, like, old enough where, like, that just had never happened to me, and I was like, "Whoa.
" And then, I-I had this moment where I dec-- I, like, was-- I really wanted to just go with it.
I really wanted to just, like, create this alter ego of, like, Katie.
Like, he-he-he had heard, like, 30% of what I said, so he was, like, "You're Katie-- you're a freelance journalist," like, when I, like, I kind of reacted to it, and I was, like, I kinda wanted to go with it.
I wanted to be, like, yeah, like, I'm her, and like, I'm tryin' to, like, get my stuff into magazines.
And, like, you know, I'm like, "I was born Katherine, but I decided - to go with Katie.
" - The backstory.
And, like, I had this whole thing, and, you know, and, like, I kinda-- it was also just, like, so humiliating and, like, a weird moment, but, um, and those kind of low points I think end up-- I take them to the writers' room, you know, because it's kind of where you act out your demons, and then that became the episode "Katie" where she was, like, goes-- you know, creates this alter-ego for herself of Katie.
And now, the-tha-that guy and I are getting married.
No, I'm just kidding.
And, he still thinks she's Katie.
Yeah, he still thinks my name is Katie-- joke's on him.
Uh, anyway.
Well, I wanna thank everyone, Jess, for joining us, and thank you all for being part of "The Writers' Room.
" Best of luck with season three.
We need it.
We're looking forward to it.
Well, apparently, because you can't even pick an object.
- So - We have Mouth Party, tho.
Oh, we have Mouth Party, so forget our season premiere.
Thank you, Jake For more oh I have to do this.
For more of The Writers' Room all right, go to sundancechannel.
com I am Jim Rash, and we'll see you next time inside The Writers' Room.
And now let's all pretend like we got into a big fight.
- I'm telling you! - You are! You are! What's the matter with you!? I'm outta here! Get out of here!
" If you do that one more time, I'm gonna break your faces in.
It's the cult comedy about a single girl surrounded by too many guys.
No-no-- shut up! Who booby trapped me?! For Virgin TV creator Liz Meriwether, her own life provided much of the inspiration.
Shut up-- shut up! It's my mom! I made some decisions that may have involved alcohol.
I think networks are little afraid of characters that are a little broken.
You said "Broken," so let's go down to you, Jake.
Absolutely.
Keep it together.
Don't let the booze do the talking.
And, trusting a new talent was a gamble that almost didn't pay off.
That table read was maybe our worst table read of all time.
The entire episode was period jokes, and we were like, "This is gonna kill.
" Let's meet the people who turned a TV experiment into a smash success.
Outrageous success, horrible mistakes, last-minute changes.
Creators of today's most ground-breaking TV shows tell all in the place where it all starts.
"The Writers' Room.
" All right, I am joined in "The Writers' Room" with Liz Meriwether, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer, and Jake Johnson, who plays Nick.
Thank you for being here.
Uh, welcome to your "Writers' Room.
" It looks just like it, I'm sure.
- It is.
It's exactly the same.
- Yeah.
It is this neat.
And, I like that Liz has already wrote, "Shut up, Jake," on her pad.
"A," I wanna thank you for being resourceful, and for letting us know that your dynamic with Jake is to shut him down.
She's trying to get me to feel comfortable-- feel like I'm back at "New Girl"-- let's improvise! Back at home.
Yeah, let's do this.
Oh, good, gimme a suggestion.
Uh, gimme any object, any object.
The suggestion is Affection for Jess.
Oh, okay.
Go! Okay-- uh, just pitch.
All right, um, okay, take us back-- this is gonna be my lipton moment.
- All right, uh, a couple years ago - Yes.
Uh, you went in to pitch what became "New Girl.
" What was that like? I mean, 'cause it's such a nerve-wracking thing, I'm sure.
Yeah, originally, I think "Modern Family," you know, it was sort of blowing up, and I'd kinda gotten a chance to pitch a pilot, and I thought I had to do, like, a multi-generational family show 'cause I was, like, "Oh, those work, I guess.
" Basically I, like, kind of went into this meeting, and I was, like, you know, like, sitting like this on the chair, and, like, muttering to myself.
So you were "Jessin'" it for a second.
And, I was, like, I was, like, "I don't know.
There's, like, an old woman and, like, a young woman and, like, a middle-middle-aged woman and, like--" "A young-old woman.
" Yeah, yeah, ha-ha, and he was, like-- he kinda, like, paused and then, like, looked at me and was, like, I think you should just write about your life and write about people you know, and it doesn't matter if we sell it or don't.
You know, it's like, just try to make something that you're proud of, because 99% of television shows fail.
Like, just make something good.
Wow, he laid it on the table.
Yeah, and I mean, he was either being like a hero, or my pitch for the multi-generational show was just so bad.
I gotta put a bullet into this now! That's the nicest pass I've ever heard.
It is.
Write about somethin' totally different and leave right now.
Respect yourself, Liz.
- Aw, what a mentor.
- What a mentor.
Yeah, and then you walk out the door, and you're like, "Hey! He passed!" When they-- when they say things like, you know, "Make something you're proud of," in Hollywood, you know that they're kind of like-- Yeah, you're in trouble.
But, no, I mean, and so then, I just sort of, I went and kinda worked on, you know, a show about m-myself and some of my guy friends, and, um, yeah, they bought it in the room, and we-I-- then, like, it's always that moment where you're, like, "Yes!" And then, you're like, "Oh, God, I have to write it.
" What do I do now? And then, I wrote the pilot, and it was, uh, crazy and kind of a mess in the way that I write things, sort of without structure.
I was coming from theatre and film, and I'd never been on a s-- a TV writing staff before, and you know, let alone sort of had to run it, and I didn't know what to do, and I was, like, there's a room full of people that wanna help me, but I was, like, "No.
" I got this.
It-it-but, it was- it didn't come from, like, anything of just-- - I'm used to writing alone.
- Right.
I'm used to kind of the process of, like, taking it myself, going away and, like, you know, writing it, and you just can't.
- You can maybe do that on cable, but network-- - It's too fast.
I mean, we're-we did-- we did 25 episodes this year, and it just, it got to the point midway through the season where I was just, like, I'm not making these scripts better by taking them and, you know, going away by myself.
And, I kinda opened up and, like, let-- allowed the TV writing process that's been working for years - and years and years-- - 50 years of-- - to work, and it really helped, and for me, I-- like, as a showrunner, the moment when I had very little to do with a really good draft was the best part for me because I was, like, oh, suddenly, I've, like, I've kinda gotten-- They got it.
The-- I-- uh, these people kinda understand the show, and-and they're making it so much better than I could, - and that was, you know, a victory of, like-- - A life-saving moment.
I-I did-- I didn't do this, and this is great, and this is better than what I could've done, and, like, that's, like, to me that's the great part about writing for television, is, like, two minds are better than one.
Uh, Liz had a cool idea, I thought, which was that, like, the-that Jess's character was what would usually be the side character on the show or in a movie.
- Yeah, yes, and putting-- - And, moving that to the front position and then-- I think networks are a little afraid of characters that are a little broken, which is, like, the essence of our show.
Yes-- yes, which is great.
This is great.
This is a great segue.
'Cause you said "Broken," so let's go down to you, Jake.
Absolutely.
Keep it together.
Don't let the booze do the talking-- shoot.
Right on.
Good-good.
We're working well together.
Uh, what stuck out to you reading this pilot? It was really early.
I had worked with Liz.
You were-- he was the first person that I e-mailed the script to, actually.
- Yeah-- we-we did "No Strings Attached" together.
- Right.
Yeah, I mean, I knew that I definitely, uh, wanted it to work with him, and, uh, we had such a great time.
He's so collaborative and great-- I love actors that wanna be part of - the creation-- - Yeah.
Sort of process and not just people kind of punching a clock and coming in.
He texts me late-night, uh, ideas for Nick all the time, - and it's, uh, like-- - And, then they end up on the show.
Yeah, they totally end up on the show.
Like, the-the character-- the whole-- that brings up-- Honestly, the percentage is so low.
I was gonna ask.
We were tryin' to be kind.
We're tryin' to help ya out.
- This is a great place for us to really get real about it.
- Let's do this.
And, if we didn't like some of Jake's suggestions-- Is this a weird intervention? Is that why they asked me on "The Writers' Room?" Let's shut the cameras off.
Let's do this.
Oh, this is a whole thing.
This is a whole thing.
You have to stop pushing.
This is not a real show.
This isn't even a studio.
I was wondering why my mom and my dad and my brother were doing the cameras.
My sister did make-up.
Dammit-- Going back to Liz for a quick second, the thing about Liz that is really great, and we-- I realized it on "No Strings," apart from her writing being good, is that she really is collaborative, so everybody on our show, even guest stars comin' in, she's not the kind - of creator who says, like, "You will do this.
" - Right.
She'll-you'll do the script, and you'll do it her way, but she wants people to have ideas, and then, really, what they do, all of 'em, is kinda the best moment wins.
- Yeah.
Absolutely.
- So it's not an ego process.
If it was funnier on page, then we're not usin' the improv.
If it all was funnier-- it just-- whatever works, it doesn't matter how it gets there.
That's the way it works on "The Writers' Room," too.
Yeah, we bring in the writer's assistants, the PA's, anyone who's got, just sort of, stuff-- they're welcome to come in.
Which is a way of, just, me not doing my job.
No, but there is something nice about the looseness, and it definitely comes across in the episodes.
Uh, th-this is one of those shows, we know that there's a huge fanbase.
People connect with these characters, and they are vocal about these characters.
Does-- is that intimidating? 'Cause I think people sometimes think, "That's my best friend.
" - But, it's also cool.
- Yeah.
I mean, it also, like-- I mean, it feels exciting that people get that, you know, they're diving in so much.
And, I-I get a lot of, you know, a certain character-- "Oh, that person is me," or, like, "That person is my friend," which is, like, a good-- you know, it feels like, okay, so we're still connecting with people, which is good.
Yeah.
Now, you talk about, like, it-it's obviously a very big community feel.
Do you guys find yourself, especially when you're in the writers' room or from the actors, uh, do some your personal stories or personal ideas or things that happened to you fall into many of the scripts? Almost all of them.
Honesty, I think, is important for our show.
Like, having it feel like it's grounded in some real thing is, you know, where our show, you know, lives, I guess, and we're always having kind of tonal conversations.
Is-is this too broad? Are we just doing this joke for a joke's sake? Because we-we laughed, yes.
Yeah, I kinda get up and, like, I'll just, like, rip everything.
- You feel free to-- and - I'll just freak out-- - You feel free to-- and be like, "This isn't working.
" And then, I throw it, and then I walk out.
I love it when she's super-dramatic.
But, I have an idea.
Then, it's really calm again.
But, in that-- in that process, do we ever think that-- you know, 'cause you're pulling from your lives, you're pulling, you know, you tell some story that might be about someone else or a family member-- do you ever have as a writer, or even if you shared that story, that moment of, like, ah, I-I wonder how they'll feel about this? - Oh, yeah.
- Completely.
Oh, we've had-- I-I think we've had several writers on staff have to go home to their wives and go, "So, are you cool? - cause we-- it's shot.
" - We already shot it.
- It's on television tonight.
- It airs tonight.
Remember Donick? Yeah, we had this, uh, we did this Halloween episode where we were looking for- we needed a-a terrible, uh, Halloween costume for, uh, Winston's girlfriend Shelby.
Oh, yeah.
Donick Cary, one of our writers, uh, his wife, uh, used to go as, uh, "Raining cats and dogs.
" She was wearing, like, a queen outfit with stuffed animals attached to the cape.
Every year.
Every year.
- It was a repeat? - Yeah, every single year.
It's, like, just gotta get the cape outta the closet every Halloween.
It's nice to have a go-to.
And, uh, he-she made a deal with Donick that we could do the story as long as she got the professional cats and dogs "Raining cats and dogs" costume when we were done use-- you know, we had a professional costumer make this.
Oh, my, that's fantastic.
A-an upgraded "Raining cats and dogs.
" So, in a way, he was sort of making a deal with the devil, 'cause it was like-- he was-- we were putting it on the show, but now forever, it's like, she's gonna be "Raining cats and dogs.
" You may have my story, but bring me my costume.
Coming up, romance the "New Girl" way.
We wanted it to be messy.
Like, things happen at such a break-neck pace.
Do it.
And, I was, like, "Wait, we're kissing now?" Welcome back to "The Writers' Room, New Girl.
" Then, Dave and, uh, Brett, you guys came to the party at what point? Yeah, w-well, we'd worked with Liz, like, five years ago on another pilot that didn't go, and then we were finishing up on-- It was an Artie Lang vehicle called "Uncle Artie.
" Yes.
Oh.
It's really funny.
It just shouldn't be shot.
Apparently, it-it went down the r-- all the way down the road, and it was between us and another show that they ended up picking up and-and quickly went away, and I contend that it would've been, uh, it-- it was a pretty solid show.
We would've lasted three episodes.
Yes-- they lasted two.
And, they lasted for two.
There was a good-- there was a good toothless woman offering to give a, uh, like, 11-year-old boy oral sex just-- - She wore her-- - Wait, that was in the pilot? - Yeah.
That-is that the "A" story, "B" story, or was that a runner? That was-- They were writing it for ABC Family.
We were-- we knew what market we wanted to hit.
She did have her teeth on a librarian chain - that she took out of her-- - She had it on a chain.
- Oh, see, that's respectable.
- She met him at a racetrack.
Oh.
It makes sense.
So, surprisingly, Fox didn't shoot that.
But, anyway, that-- I met them, and obviously, like, like, we, you know, hit-- we totally hit it off.
She sent us an e-mail sheet with the script, and she said, "Ya like my poop-shit?" And, well, we liked her poop-shit.
They're gonna bleep you.
Oh, not good.
So, we can't say "shit?" Do you like to sel-- do you like to self-deprecate your writing before you turn it in? I mean, just go, "Ahhh" I-- I've found that that really works.
- If you really, really lower-- - Push the bar down to here.
And, say, "Well, I know it--" - This is the worst thing ever-- and, then it's always the best.
- Yeah.
Yeah, y'know, it's not-- it's not at this pitch, but, you know, that kinda thing.
Yeah.
But now, and especially because obviously, we should just talk about the kiss, so what was sort of the thought behind something that clearly, if you look back, sort of started at the very beginning? To be perfectly honest in terms of our writers, I thought they've handled the Nick-Jess story so w-- like, well, in that, you know, the kiss happened quickly all of a sudden.
You know, we'd been buildin', and then we were doing-- And, we weren't planning it, either.
Then there was a crazy episode with, like, Max and I are trying to, you know, flirt with Brooklyn Decker.
Yep, mmm-hmm.
- And, I was like, "Wait, we're kissing now?" - Yeah.
And, even with things that happen later on this season that you'll see, like, things happen that will seem crazy when I'll first read 'em, and then when people watch, - their reaction is so strong-- - Yeah.
That it's handled in a way that, you know, it's fun to be part of.
We wanted it to be messy, we wanted it to feel organic.
I mean, I-I-I think there is a lot of-there's obviously a lot of, "Will they or won't they," on television, and I-I-I like it up to a certain point, but I think there's actually so much story that comes from people obviously, like, hooking up.
Yeah.
Doing stuff with each other.
I mean, like, they-- like, it just becomes like you're-you're opening into, uh, this whole world of conflict and comedy, and I don't think that - as soon as two characters kiss, everything is over and, like-- - Right.
No.
We're two old TV hacks.
Yeah, we've-we've-we're-- we're, like, save it, save it for five years down the road, and then- and then you realize, oh, it's a different age now.
It's, like, things happen at such a break-neck pace.
Do it, and we-- and, figure out the repercussions.
Originally, when we broke it, Schmidt kissed Jess at the end of the episode as just a big comedy thing.
Yeah.
And, uh, that wasn't working, so when we table read there was no kiss, and we got to this moment where the whole episode had built all this energy between these two characters, and we looked at each other-- we were like, "Now we're lying not to do it.
" Yes.
But, there's something great about our show, in- in when it works and things happen organically onset, we know kinda how to, y-y-you know, that's the best stuff that we get.
Finding the happy accidents, and you're like, "Oh, that happened.
" - Yeah, the-the melon breaking, and-- - Yeah.
And then, it gives us stuff to build off of and gives us episodes, and I-I feel like going into season three, we have the-- now we have this on our plate, and I don't see it as, like, "Oh, we've burned that out now.
" Uhh, there're so many opportunities now.
- Mmm-hmm.
- For Nick to mess up.
- And, he probably-- he probably won't.
- Yeah.
He's-- ha-ha-- he'll turn- he's gonna turn his life around.
That kid's gonna make it.
Lemme ask you-- um, go back in sorta the writers' room bit because sometimes someone says something or tells a story that might be true, and you're just, like, that's really horrible.
Well, it's funny because, uh, there were two or three things.
There was a story that Dave pitched about water, uh-- Watsu-- it's, like, this water massager.
- Water massaging.
- Yes.
Which became an aspect of that.
Then there was Jake's idea that he texted us the first season about talking to the man in the park, and then that table read was maybe our worst table read of all time.
We had a terrible table reading.
It was the worst table read of all time because, uh, our idea was that all of the guys in the house thought that they got - their period with Jess.
- Oh, yes.
And so, the entire episode was period jokes, and we were - like, "This is gonna kill.
" - It did not.
- And, we get to the table.
- No, it did not.
It doesn't go well.
We found the line.
It's like, just silence.
You know, it's, like, a bunch of, like, "Hey-- like, I got cramps.
" Like, it was just terrible.
Look at that.
That's-that's a good place to start.
We all know what we're thinking.
I think we all know that this has to change.
I think we all know where we're going with this.
But, after you're done sort of throwing up down the front of your shirt with panic that you've had a bad table read, we-- we've said that a lotta times what happens is, when you have a problem come up - like that, where you're like, "We're screwed"-- - Yeah.
It's, like, all hands on deck.
Everybody puts their energy into making it good, like now, and people really pull it out, and a lotta times those end up - being your funniest and your best episodes.
- Yes.
I think even the symbiotic relationship between what we bring to the table and what these guys bring to the table, it just opened it up in a whole different way, that, like, it-- - it just feels endless.
- Yeah.
And, it feels different than just "An apartment show.
" And, to give our staff credit, the truth of the matter is- is we have this issue on our show where, when drafts come in, they don't feel-- like, from great writers-- they don't feel like the show yet, and we're always goin', like, "What's wrong? And I think we figured out this year, the problem is that what we're used to seeing as this show is this combined experience of her voice, our voice, their voice.
We've got these great writers.
All of them work together.
- Everyone onboard.
- And, these guys doing their thing to it.
So when you get a piece of paper with someb-- one person's kind of, like, "Here's my episode," you're kinda like, "What's missing?" And, it's like, it is that kind of group contribution.
- Our show does not live on the page.
- No.
So, like, you get the-- you know, the drafts just aren't-- they don't feel like the show, which is like a-- it's like a crazy, frustrating Yeah, it can be.
Which is another great thing-- our editor, Steve Welch, and his team is paramount-important to the writing on this show, as well.
I mean, we really are a show-- and, a lotta single-camera shows might tell ya this-- but, our show definitely is built in post, and all of the different work that they do, all of the matching performances, and then somebody puts it together-- it's like another draft of the show.
Coming up, what happens when I ask one of TV's best writers to ad-lib? Liz has writer's block about an object.
Ha-ha, I have nothing.
- This is what it's like-- - We're literally screwed.
Welcome back to "The Writers' Room" with the creators of "New Girl.
" I wanna do one little, quick thing.
This is only for my enjoyment.
I want us to just quickly break a Nick-centric story.
For season three.
- Mouth Party.
- This'll be huge.
- Mouth Party? - Mouth Party.
- Mouth Party.
- Wait, that's the title? The working title, "Mouth Party.
" Okay, working title.
Okay, everyone write down, "Mouth Party.
" The title is "Mouth Party.
" Liz is gonna write down-- no, not right away.
Oh, God, I'm s-- this is really scary.
No, you write down any object, any object.
Oh, okay-- all right.
And then, Dave, why don't you write down a great location where we know a-a-at least a scene has to take place, ya know? And then, what do we wanna give, uh-- just make up one line of dialogue that we have to fit in.
- Okay.
- Okay? I'm really stressed out right now Like, I have never-- this is so stressful.
He gets to write down a place-- I gotta write down a whole line of dialogue.
And, for Nick, without-- without telling us, write down a weird thing that happened to you.
- Okay.
- Okay? - I got my line.
- Okay, great.
- I-I'm workin'.
- I-I have nothing.
Liz is-Liz has writer's block about an object.
- This is what it's like, I'm tellin' ya.
- We're literally screwed.
- This might just be-- - You should just go tear down the board, because that's all we're gonna get from you.
Okay, well, Brett, give us what we have so far.
- Oh, okay, so this is my line of dialogue for Nick.
- Okay.
It's, uh "If you want that to happen, Winston, you're gonna have to take off that mustache.
" Great-- so we know Winston gets a mustache.
- So, uh, what-- - I have the object.
- What, uh, what's the object? - Superhero cape.
Oh, okay.
Superhero cape has something to do with this storyline.
And, I have "Ohio-themed restaurant.
" Preferably Toledo.
- And then, what's-- - So, there's a homeless-lookin' guy - who hangs out at the bar named Sid.
- Yes.
He's got a big beard.
- He was there when Nick tried to sell the porta-potty.
- Okay.
- I want Nick and Sid, uh, to take karate c-classes together.
- Perfect.
To stand up against, uh, bullies in the neighborhood - who have been messing with Schmidt.
- Okay-- perfect.
See, that's, like, an actually good idea.
All of our shit is stupid.
Then, but, we have to factor in the fact that you have the line.
Now, I'm gonna just go out on a limb-- we'll start.
"Mouth Party"-- maybe that has something to do with Winston's mustache.
- Yes.
- He says, "I'm growin' a mouth party," okay.
- Yeah.
That's good, that's good.
- I like that-- that's nice.
And then, like a mouth party, it's a mustache.
- It's very clear what it is, and he pronounces every word wrong.
- Yes.
- A "mousse-tache".
- I love a "mooth parte.
" A "mooth parte.
" A "mooth parte" exists.
"Mousse-tache.
" - So, why is Winston growing that? - I don't know.
Well, maybe he's cold.
Like, maybe he has, like, a cold face.
That's hilari-- ha-ha-ha! - Because he did-- he didn't pay the heating bill.
- Right.
It's, like, more of a face sweater.
- So, he's-- he has a face sweater.
- Yeah.
We've forgotten something important.
What's the "New Girl" doin'? Yeah, right.
The superhero cape.
What is the damn-- Oh, okay.
- She will not take off the superhero cape-- - She won't? - Because um - Well, I feel like there might be, like, a cold thing.
Like, if there's something in the loft with, like, the- - like, the-- it's freezing-- - That's the central part of the story.
So, like, the only thing that she has is, like, a superhero cape, - and he's growing the mustache.
- She puts it on.
She finds, actually, that she feels more powerful - when she's wearing it.
- Embodiment, yes.
She likes who she becomes when she's wearing it.
- She actually thinks she might have superpowers.
- Th-that's for sure.
- And then, she starts wearing it under her clothes.
- Yeah.
You joke-- this is happening.
Th-this is totally happening.
So, real quick, and then, all of sudden, the third act-- "Full mouth party.
" Jake as Nick says to him, "Hey, if you want that to happen, Winston, you're gonna have to take off that mustache.
" And, what did he want to happen? He wants Nick to pay the bill for the-- for the-- - That's perfect, yes.
- Yeah, 'cause it's freezing.
It's so real.
It's life, it's life.
Season three-- wrapped! I'm gonna just say two words to you.
"Season premiere.
" You're welcome.
Coming up, some secrets revealed.
I-I went home with a guy.
And, you won't believe what happened next.
Welcome back to "The Writers' Room" and Entertainment Weekly's "The Last Word.
" Uh, we are joined now by Jess Cagle from, uh, "Entertainment Weekly.
" - Welcome, Jess.
- Hey, thank you.
Thank you for joining our discussion.
Thank you, guys, for coming.
Yeah-- I'm gonna throw it to you.
I wanted to follow up on the-the parts of your real life that make it onto the show, an-and I would love to hear a specific thing that one of you brought to the table that ended up on the show, and what-- and then how it developed, what it ultimately became on the air.
Okay-- we could do that.
Mine's, like, super embarrassing.
- Go for it.
- That's perfect then.
The more embarrassing, the better.
I had this night, um, in New York.
I was, uh, you know, uh, I-I-I went home with a guy.
- I made some decisions.
- A gentleman.
I made some decisions that may have involved alcohol.
- And ended up, like-- - And, a mouth party, perhaps.
There may have been a mouth party with two people invited.
- Um, and anyway-- - Uh, you and another person, not multiple guests-- - in the m-mouth - Um, and, um, I'm really regretting this.
No-- this sounds like a good penthouse forum-- and, you won't believe what happened next.
Name and address-- I'm actually gettin' into this in a different way.
I'm like, "Jake, stop talking-- shut up!" Tell the story.
So I, like, it was, like, uh, it was kind of after-the-fact, and he was, like, "Oh, man, Katie, that was great," and like-- I was, like, old enough where, like, that just had never happened to me, and I was like, "Whoa.
" And then, I-I had this moment where I dec-- I, like, was-- I really wanted to just go with it.
I really wanted to just, like, create this alter ego of, like, Katie.
Like, he-he-he had heard, like, 30% of what I said, so he was, like, "You're Katie-- you're a freelance journalist," like, when I, like, I kind of reacted to it, and I was, like, I kinda wanted to go with it.
I wanted to be, like, yeah, like, I'm her, and like, I'm tryin' to, like, get my stuff into magazines.
And, like, you know, I'm like, "I was born Katherine, but I decided - to go with Katie.
" - The backstory.
And, like, I had this whole thing, and, you know, and, like, I kinda-- it was also just, like, so humiliating and, like, a weird moment, but, um, and those kind of low points I think end up-- I take them to the writers' room, you know, because it's kind of where you act out your demons, and then that became the episode "Katie" where she was, like, goes-- you know, creates this alter-ego for herself of Katie.
And now, the-tha-that guy and I are getting married.
No, I'm just kidding.
And, he still thinks she's Katie.
Yeah, he still thinks my name is Katie-- joke's on him.
Uh, anyway.
Well, I wanna thank everyone, Jess, for joining us, and thank you all for being part of "The Writers' Room.
" Best of luck with season three.
We need it.
We're looking forward to it.
Well, apparently, because you can't even pick an object.
- So - We have Mouth Party, tho.
Oh, we have Mouth Party, so forget our season premiere.
Thank you, Jake For more oh I have to do this.
For more of The Writers' Room all right, go to sundancechannel.
com I am Jim Rash, and we'll see you next time inside The Writers' Room.
And now let's all pretend like we got into a big fight.
- I'm telling you! - You are! You are! What's the matter with you!? I'm outta here! Get out of here!