Dan: It's not time to dally with Sally.
Casey: Dan.
Dan: That was an unfortunate rhyme, but still.
Directed by Robert Berlinger
Written by Aaron Sorkin
After Isaac's editorial in the previous episode, Luther Sachs chewed him out, and Isaac is convinced he's eventually going to be fired, so he tries to have Dana prepare to take over for him if that happens, which she doesn't want to do. He also tells Dana not to tell anybody, but word gets out, and people start angling for each other's positions, which ticks Isaac off, and he chews everyone out before the broadcast that night.
Elsewhere, Dan tells Casey it's time for him to start dating again, but he's aghast when he sees Casey flirting with Sally. Casey claims he didn't know he was flirting with Sally, and Dana encourages him to try and flirt with her to see what it's like, which results in him paying her an unexpected compliment.
This episode contains examples of:
- By "No", I Mean "Yes":Dana: You're thinking about how you'd re-decorate my office right now, aren't you?Natalie: I was not!Dana: Yes you were.Natalie: I was totally not at all.Dana: In your little mind, you were measuring for new curtains.Natalie: I was not measuring for curtains.Dana: You'd keep the curtains.Natalie: And dump the plants.
- Call-Back: Isaac's worry about being fired.
- Dramatic Sit-Down: Played for Laughs:Dana: I got a note that said you wanted to see me.Isaac: Yeah, have a seat.Dana: Is anything wrong?Isaac: No. Sit down.Dana: You never send me a note.Isaac: I usually call your office.Dana: Yes. Or you have Marsha find me or you grab me at the run down and say can I see you.Isaac: Why don't you have a seat?Dana: But this time you sent me a note.Isaac: ...Dana, I need to move my day along just a little bit faster than this.Dana: I'm just saying if this is gonna be bad news, I'd like to sit.Isaac: Feel free.
- Geeky Turn-On: Natalie gets turned on when Jeremy is talking about what needs to be fixed with a computer. Discussed here:Sally: As we speak, one of your LC-SportsWire frames is misprocessing data while two of your associate producers stand over the monitor attempting to have phone sex.Isaac: God, please don't tell me which two.Sally: Just think about it.Isaac: Alright, my guess is it's Jeremy and Natalie.
- Oblivious to Love: Casey doesn't realize Sally is flirting with him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Dana freaks out when Isaac sends her a note saying he wants to see her, because he usually calls her office, has his secretary find her or just tells her after a rundown.
- Running Gag: Dana's inability to keep a secret (although here, it's not entirely her fault).
- Shout-Out: Dan thinks Sally is something out of Cocoon. He also calls her a Stepford Producer, and thinks she's planning to rule Metropolis.
- Title Drop: Casey calls Dana "smoky"; even though she's not sure exactly what it means, she likes it.
- Too Much Information:Dan: You could be having sex with Yoko Ono right now.Casey: Please don't ever say that again.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Isaac gives this speech to everybody.Isaac: Good evening, how are you all? (everyone responds at once) Who really gives a damn. My name is Isaac Jaffee. I run this place. Anybody else who runs this place, please raise your hand. (nobody moves) Good. Couple of things: I'm not quitting and I'm not getting fired. At least not today and probably not tomorrow. Let me add, Dana, that things that I say in my office, stay in my office.Dana: Natalie's my second in command, she's the only one I told.Natalie: Jeremy's my boyfriend, he's the only one I told.Jeremy: (looking down) I told many, many people. (everyone, particularly Natalie, looks at him)Isaac: Elliot? Kim? The production team is, in fact, a team, and you will work with and for whomever Dana tells you to.Dana: Thank you.Isaac: Shut up.Dana: Okay.Isaac: Finally, I'd like to say that while there are many programs here at CSC, and there's nothing wrong with healthy competition, we are all a family and we are to treat each other with professional respect.Sally: I think I can speak for everyone on the West Coast Update team when I say, we have nothing but respect for each and every man and woman who works on Sports Night.Dan: He's talking about you, ya freak!
