Rob suggests Alan appear on Project Greatness, which Alan initially disdains for not being funny. Rob eventually considers that this refusal works out in his favor, but unfortunately, Alan decides otherwise. With Rob on the brink from wracked nerves, Millie hatches a scheme to help — one that could help Rob right out of his job.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: Alan calls Rob into his office and tells him that he's got something unpleasant to do and had better just get it over with. It turns out that the "unpleasant thing" was admitting Rob was right, and his appearance on the show was a good idea.
- George Jetson Job Security: When thinking over the situation, Rob decides maybe Alan's coolness to the idea will work out all right. After all, if the show does well, Alan will receive all the praise and if it bombs, Rob will get fired. Unfortunately, Alan decides that Rob is employing reverse psychology and changes his mind. Over the week before the show, Rob becomes increasingly stressed.
- Hope Spot: Millie tells Laura that her fake letters said that Alan Brady is the best comedian and that it was good for him to do the program. Given that Alan's name was in the TV Guide, Laura thinks maybe things will still be okay. Then Millie mentions that she also praised Rob, whose name didn't appear.
- I Was Just Joking: Rob convinces Alan to make a risky appearance on a cultural show. Alan warns him that if the show bombs, Rob might lose his job. When the show is preempted by a flood, Rob jokes that Alan will probably think that the network caused the flood on purpose because the show was so bad. The phone rings:Rob: Hi, Alan... Alan, they wouldn't do that!
- Laughing Mad: Rob descends into hysterical laughter when he learns that Millie had sent fourteen fake letters to Alan Brady praising him and Rob for a high-risk appearance on a cultural program (which hadn't aired yet):Millie: Rob, what can I do?Rob: (laughing hysterically) Take advantage of my temporary insanity and get out of here!
- Never My Fault: Downplayed. While Millie accepts that she shouldn't have gone through with the scheme, she insists it was also partly Laura's fault for not directly forbidding her from doing it.
- Reverse Psychology: When Alan calls to reject the script, Rob is relieved, but stumbles into saying that they'll get someone else. Alan misinterprets this as reverse psychology and decides to do the show.
- Shout-Out: While proposing that he steal the letters, Buddy compares himself to Robin Hood.
- This Is Gonna Suck: After Rob walks in ranting about an extremely stressful argument he's had with Alan, Laura starts to tell him about Millie's latest Zany Scheme. Rob warns them that if it's not going to make him happy, he doesn't want to hear it:Millie: Oh, Rob! I'm so sorry, and you don't ever have to speak to me ever again!Rob: It's not going to make me happy, is it?
