"With Time Off for Bad Behavior," Chapters Fourteen to Sixteen

"The once-hilarious network flagship was now a run-of-the-mill sitcom populated with forced jokes and canned laughter."  Not unlike this book.  (Sorry not sorry.)

Rhonda and Donna sell a pilot to NBC called Little Doggies, "about two girls who leave their home in Seattle to become rodeo stars in New Mexico."  Barry wants to leave the show, too, but can't since Bobby refuses to let Tommy leave.

They start working on an episode about Uncle Sal coming to work for Billy & Patti.  Billy repeatedly puts Uncle Sal down.  Ben Fisher is so unhappy about "doing crap like this," he pulls a gun out!  Luckily, he's a bad shot.  Bobby manages to take the gun away, but he's unhappy because Bobby Mitchell shows should be fun.

Billy realizes that they'll all get paid for the whole season, even if it's not finished.

In the next chapter, Barry has a chance to do a cable show about "two girls from Missouri who move to the south of France to become lifeguards."

In Chapter Sixteen, he does the new show and it's not funny but it does have topless women, so it's a hit.  Barry gets back with his ex-wife.  And I'm grateful I didn't pay for this novel.