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The Fourth Season
(First new episode to air on a Tuesday night 8:30 to 9:00 PM) A despondent man (guest star Jon Lovitz), who is threatening to jump off the ledge outside Dave’s office, brings out the worst in Bill as the anchorman schemes to take his broadcasting career to new heights. However, the jumper has a message he wants to read on the air. Jennifer: I loved this episode when I first saw it. After a long summer of reruns, there was no other way for it to go. After having reviewed it some additional times, I'll admit it's no longer as untouchable to me as it was before, but I’ll still take issue with its naysayers. It’s as fast-paced an episode as you'll ever see, the whole staff gets to run around, get hoisted out of windows; heck, even Mr. James makes a speedy lunge for the ‘kill’ switch. If nothing else, a great season starter. Adrian: Paul Simms continues his customary habit of writing the first episode of the season. As such, "Jumper" features an incredibly inventive array of visual and verbal gags. My favorite gag involves Matthew getting caught in the rope for Bill’s harness and getting pulled towards the door. The gags involving Catherine and Lisa having a phone conversation in the office and Catherine not taking Bill seriously demonstrate how Simms was one of the few writers inventive enough to know how to use Catherine.
Mr. James hires an efficiency expert (guest star Lauren Graham, CBS’s Good Company, ABC’s Townies) to do away with WNYX’s dead wood, and the staff desperately tries to save Matthew’s job. Meanwhile, Bill tries to branch into television news in hopes of leaving the radio station before he’s fired too.
Dave watches as his control of the WNYX newsroom dwindles even further when Andrea (guest star Lauren Graham) brings in another man (Paul Gleason) to help with his duties. Jimmy films his own video biography, and Bill decides to explore his politically charged musical side. Jennifer: Dave is at his harried best trying to prove to Andrea that he doesn't need a guy named Steve to take over half his job. This becomes more difficult than anticipated when Bill decides that he wants to be a Mark Russell-style entertainer and Matthew refuses to stay out of the office despite the fact that he's still fired. The sheer absurdity of moments like Bill entertaining a crowd in the elevator keeps everything fast and furious. Still, my favorite scenes are those with Mr. James getting 'stage fright' in front of cameras that are filming him for a documentary. Stephen Root is absolutely priceless. Adrian:
The bottom line about this episode is that everyone does his or her
own thing in spite of Dave's consternation and eventual distress. The
disparate plot points include:
Efficiency expert Andrea (guest star Lauren Graham) has the WNYX staff in a sweat when she announces that a lie-detector test will be administered. Lisa admits to a shady past and is particularly nervous. Meanwhile, Jimmy’s gives a very unusual book reading, and Matthew may have found a new job.
Lisa tells everyone that Dave has dumped her. When Andrea (guest star Lauren Graham) gets wind of the news, she starts an investigation into their affair. Beth and Joe discover Matthew’s hidden career. Bill stirs up trouble over the airwaves when one of his "The Real Deal with Bill McNeal" reports is misconstrued by a fanatic listener. Andrea’s eventual solution to the crisis is to promote Lisa over Dave as News Director.
As Dave sinks lower and lower into a depressive funk over his demotion, he has a sudden epiphany — no more ‘Mr. Nice Guy.’ Dave’s new philosophy to become nothing less than "pure evil" secures Bill’s new position in the radio community as the latest shock jock to rule the airwaves. Also, Lisa’s insecurity over her new job as the boss gets the best of her. Matthew starts spending the night at the WNYX office, after he’s kicked out of his apartment building.
Catherine accepts an exciting job offer in London and must say goodbye to her beloved WNYX staff. However, when Jimmy tries to find out what events led up to her decision, everyone remembers (via flashback) in his or her own inimitable fashion. Finally, Joe discovers that Catherine liked him after all, setting the stage for a possible romantic rendezvous before Catherine takes flight.
Jimmy places a bet with fellow mogul Ted Turner (not seen) that WNYX will win a holiday talent contest. As an added bonus, he tells his employees he’ll rehire Matthew if they win. Determined to bring back Matthew, Dave leads his hesitant troops into battle, revealing a surprisingly impressive hidden talent in the process, until he meets up with his former nemesis Throwdini (guest star Kevin McDonald, The Kids in the Hall). Meanwhile, during their musical rehearsals Bill drives Beth to distraction with his inflated opinion of his singing talents.
(Special 8:30 PM Thursday Timeslot) A newly promoted Lisa gets a top-level business lesson when Jimmy finally reveals his coveted "secret of management." Meanwhile, Bill takes his affected manner to new heights when he hires a valet to attend his every need.
Dave and Lisa are stunned to learn that Bill is in the process of adopting a baby, but Bill surprises everyone with his gentle fatherly manner. Meanwhile, Jimmy enlists Beth to pose as a duchess at a wealthy bachelor auction, but it’s Joe who ends up paying a high price for attending the function. Also, Matthew’s jealousy over Bill’s interest in fatherhood rears its head when they visit a local playground.
Dave is happily surprised on his birthday by his former collegiate pals, an a cappella singing group called Chock Full O’ Notes, but when he discovers the reason behind their visit he has to make a tough decision. Meanwhile, Lisa turns tough on Matthew upon his return to WNYX. Also, Joe exhibits strong reactions to Dave’s visiting pals. David Cross, Bob Odenkirk and Brian Posehn guest star as Dave’s Wisconsin friends.
Dave and Lisa try to teach Bill a lesson about how hard it is to be the boss, but their plan backfires when they give Bill the job and he runs WNYX like a well-oiled machine. Meanwhile, Joe goes on strike against Jimmy’s company in support of his union brethren, but has trouble holding off his fix-it impulses. Also, Beth and Matthew respond to Bill’s every command with efficiency and effectiveness.
After Bill’s brief reign over WNYX, Dave and Lisa both realize that neither wants the News Director job, but Jimmy decides that a debate and employee vote is the only way to decide who’s the boss. Meanwhile, Matthew holds an election campaign of his own when he runs for Office Fire Marshall. Joe and his visiting brothers, Russ (guest star Bryan Callan), Jack (guest star Nick DiPaolo) and Al (Robert Hegyes), take sibling rivalry to a new level.
Dave, who is feeling increasingly paranoid, has a security door installed in the WNYX lobby, but the staffers are more concerned about Dave’s mental health than their own safety. Meanwhile, Bill lands a television commercial and enlists Lisa to act as his agent.
When Matthew announces that he’s part of the Big Brother program, Beth is surprised to learn that he has become the charge of Danny (guest star Michael Buchman Silver), a man roughly the same age as him. Meanwhile, Bill plays sleuth to Lisa’s personal life as he tries to prove to Dave that she has started dating again.
(Moved back to Wednesdays at 8:00 PM) Jimmy theorizes that Dave and Lisa’s productivity rises and falls according to their on-again, off-again relationship and tries to get them back together again. In order to further Jimmy’s plan, Bill feigns a romantic pursuit of Lisa in hopes of making Dave jealous. Meanwhile, Jimmy gives Matthew an electric toy car for his birthday, which causes havoc in the office when Matthew drives the gift inside the building.
Jimmy announces that he is going to take off on a global balloon trip. Lisa covers Jimmy’s high profile story, but Dave discovers where all the hot air is really coming from. Meanwhile, after Bill quits smoking again, he discovers a new habit that further haunts and disgusts Dave.
When a WNYX employee whom hardly anyone knew dies overnight in a bizarre office accident, Dave must convince his co-workers that he is not terribly distraught over the matter. Meanwhile, Joe is guilt-ridden over the man’s death, as he thinks that his copy machine tinkering sealed his office-mate’s fate. Later, Dave is in for a real surprise when he delivers the victim’s eulogy. Jennifer: NewsRadio at its most bizarre. See Matthew whip himself into a frenzy performing his Dungeons & Dragons-inspired song, Dave nearly get eaten by the office photocopier, and a guest performance by Tom Gallop (as the dead man's former college roommate) that can only be described as "bemused." Not that one can blame Mr. Gallop for not being able to keep a straight face. Having watched it just before writing this, the episode is much funnier than I remember it being, perhaps because it was overshadowed by that kicker of an ending.
When Jimmy brings in his extremely handsome young nephew, Walt (guest star Brad Rowe) for an intern position, Bill secretly competes with him for office hunk billing and Dave revels in his new mentor role. Meanwhile, a smitten Matthew nervously approaches an unsuspecting Lisa for a long-awaited dinner date.
Jimmy enlists Joe and Matthew to fight each other in a charity ultimate fighting match, but it’s a confident Matthew who surprises everyone, including Joe, when they finally meet each other in the ring. Meanwhile, Walt (guest star Brad Rowe) gets his nerve up to ask Lisa out, thus forcing Dave to face his jealousy.
All the "chicks" are out for the day, except for Lisa, who becomes upset that the men treat her like one of the guys and behave like frat boys in front of her. Meanwhile, Bill broods because no one thinks he’s funny. Making the office environment even more chaotic is the fact that Jimmy starts running tour group visits to WNYX, headed by a very dedicated Matthew.
In the series’ fourth season finale, acting host Phil Hartman poses a hypothetical question: What if WNYX took place on the doomed luxury liner Titanic? As ship captain, Dave sets a course across the North Atlantic, where he must deal with incompetent lookout/sailor Matthew as well as elitist aristocrat Bill. Lisa tries to navigate her way through the attentions of a smitten Walt (guest star Brad Rowe) and the ever-increasing jealousies of Dave. Meanwhile, ship handler Joe tries to convince a skeptical Jimmy that his office/boat is not in any imminent danger.
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