Negotiation

"Negotiation" is the eighth episode of the second season of NewsRadio, and the fifteenth episode overall.

Synopsis
Jimmy announces that he is getting married, but hasn't found a partner yet. He has made a list of 36 potential candidates to begin his search.

Matthew is promoted to the position of Coordinating Producer. Lisa acknowledges to Dave that she realizes it's a meaningless title, but she finds herself in her usual end-of-year funk when she questions her own accomplishments, especially compared to her siblings, all of which are reported by her parents in an annual newsletter. Matthew gets carried away with his new authority, but is largely ignored by the rest of the staff, except for Bill, who secretly toys with him and convinces him that Lisa is holding a grudge over his promotion.

Jimmy brings by Melanie, a financial analyst, whom he is evaluating as a wife candidate, but has difficulty wooing her; Beth sets them up a lunch date. Lisa happily tells Dave that she is interviews for a job as a fill-in TV news reporter, as a way to explore her options. Once he finds out that the position is at MTV, he realizes that it's not likely to take her anywhere. Sure enough, when she films a segment interviewing members of Anthrax, she bombs horribly due to her lack of musical knowledge.

Jimmy returns from lunch, feeling that he needs to make his move and be more direct with Melanie about his intentions, of which she approves. They go through a negotiation process, but can not agree on annual vacation plans.

Lisa returns, admitting that she hated the MTV job. Matthew, still thinking that his new position was driving her away, decides to step down if she comes back - she agrees. Jimmy offers to have her profiled in the Washington Post as a way compete against her siblings. Melanie prepares to leave after completing her audit, but before she does, Jimmy follows Bill's suggestions and whispers something dirty in her ear, which catches her interest.

Main Cast
Dave Foley as Dave Nelson

Stephen Root as Jimmy James

Andy Dick as Matthew Brock

Maura Tierney as Lisa Miller

Vicki Lewis as Beth

Joe Rogan as Joe Garelli

Khandi Alexander as Catherine Duke

Phil Hartman as Bill McNeal

Guest Stars
Natalija Nogulich as Melanie Sanders

Anthrax (Frank Bello, Scott Ian, John Robert Bush) as Themselves

Written by
Dawn DeKeyser

Directed by
Leonard R. Garner, Jr.

Poduction Info
Production Code: 210

Original Airdate: November 28, 1995

In-Universe
Jimmy's search for a wife begins in this episode and lasts through the rest of the season.

Five candidates are revealed in this episode. Catherine is eliminated when she voiced her disgust over the list. Other candidates are Mrs. Fields (the cookie lady) and Mrs. Paul (the fish stick lady) who are both eliminated on account of being married, and Faye Dunaway. He claims that Ted Turner had a similar list.

Lisa's title at the time of this episode is Supervising Producer.

Lisa's brother Greg (age 27) works as press liaison for the Governor of Pennsylvania. Her brother Nick is Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her other brother Greg (age 23) just sold a game to Microsoft called Super Karate Monkey Death Car. This term would reappear in Jimmy's re-translated biography in the Season 4 episode of the same name.

This episode talks place around the Christmas holiday season.

Matthew first gets the nickname Spaz in this episode, thanks to Bill taping the name on his back.

Jimmy claims to know Bob Woodward, with an implication that he is Deep Throat.