JACK and NOAH are back in their apartment. NOAH hears the phone ring.
NOAH
It’s Martin.
JACK
He’s calling you this time?
NOAH
How much you want to bet he’s gonna tell me the same thing he told you?
JACK
Only one way to find out.
NOAH answers the phone.
NOAH
Hi Martin!
MARTIN
I’m gonna get right to the point: your ratings suck. Your show fell another 35 percent last night.
NOAH
We really think we’ll be able to fix this with a little retooling.
MARTIN
A little retooling is not enough. These numbers are easily cancelable. There is one proposition I can make though: get your show-runner more involved. The marketing team thinks they can use that to better promote your show.
NOAH
I don’t know how much work he’ll realistically agree on doing.
MARTIN
Then The DC Network will have to pull Working As A Family from the schedule. It’s either more Ed or no show.
NOAH
Got it.
NOAH hangs up the phone.
JACK
What’d he say? You know if he called me I’d have it on speaker and we wouldn’t have to go over this.
NOAH
He wants Ed to get more involved or else they’re gonna pull Working As A Family from the schedule. Ratings are down a lot again from last week.
JACK
There’s no way Ed will agree to that.
NOAH
I think he will once he finds out. Here, I’ll call him now.
NOAH dials ED’s number.
JACK
Put it on speaker.
NOAH puts the phone on speaker.
ED
What.
NOAH
Hello to you too!
ED
My time is precious. What.
NOAH
The ratings for Working As A Family suck. The network wants you to get more involved, they think it’ll help.
ED
Okay.
NOAH
So...are you gonna help?
ED
Sure. I’ll write an episode and send it over to you in a few minutes.
JACK
A few minutes?!
ED
Who was that?
NOAH
Thanks for the help, Ed!
NOAH hangs up.
JACK
I’ll say it to you then: A few minutes?!
NOAH
He was probably joking. I’m gonna make myself a sandwich.
NOAH leaves for the kitchen. He returns in 10 minutes.
NOAH
Good sandwich. Just got the script.
JACK
That somehow took longer than I thought. Now let’s see this masterpiece.