Writer's Note:

The first episode began as a simple two-person scene between a sales rep, Beth, played by myself, and her boss, Maura, played by Michele Mavissakalian, as Maura lets an obviously qualified and competent Beth go, citing the oft used term "restructuring." It was an efficient scene, but I felt some element was missing. About a week before the final readthrough, the inspiration came. Why not bring into the scene an efficiency expert who tries to sugarcoat bad news by delivering it with a sock puppet? I sent the rewrite to my friend, Duncan Murdoch, who I thought would be hilarious as Lowell Wishingbone, and all the pieces just came together dramatically and satirically.