This week’s episode was filled with stress. Andrew and David talked to Joanna about NBC not wanting her for the part, which made Maxine and Stan furious--it was exactly what they told them not to do.

By Christine Blackmon
Reality Reel Media
08.29.05

Maxine asks David and Andrew to stay away from the set-- all writers speak through the director.” Director Fred Savage asked them not to say anything to Joanna that would undermine her confidence. Andrew did not agree with the way it was handled and took matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile, Maxine and Stan had no idea on how they would save Joanna’s job. Dave and Andrew were addressed by Fred Savage: He spoke to Andrew's sister on the set and she, having heard the news, was not sure she could finish out the day. Fred Savage concluded that Joanna’s confidence was gone. David apologized to Fred-but that was not what it was about—it was about destroying her confidence.

David and Andrew got one more chance to prove that Joanna's right for the role when scenes for Joanna were rewritten, re-taped and sent over to the network. The network’s main issue: she looked too old.

NBC viewed Joanna's tape. They were still worried about her age. NBC called Maxine and told her that Joanna had the part—they thought she came a long way and they wanted to make sure and reinforce that she/her performance stayed that way. David was proud of his sister—“that she rose to the occasion and got the part.”

With seven days until taping each group had two run throughs to do. One run through would be for the producers and one for the network. The run through was the first time we saw the actors on stage. The producer run through for “Stephen’s Life” went great. Sean Hayes said the run through was unbelievable.

The Sperm Donor's run through did not go as well. Everyone's heart stopped--there wasn't a laugh. The flow of the scenes were not there—things were static. Amanda Bearse thought that the run though showed what they needed to work on. The dinner scene had to be rewritten and Mort was working hard to improve the character of Dalton.

Maxine doesn't think Shoe and Mark have the chops to write at this level—so Stan and Maxine asked their friends for help.