Sports Night/Shane

Shane
Season 2, Episode 6
Airdate	December 7, 1999
Production Number	N-329
Written by	Kevin Falls and Matt Tarses and Bill Wrubel
Directed by	Robert Berlinger
← 2x05 Kafelnikov	2x07 → Kyle Whitaker's Got Two Sacks
Sports Night — Season Two

Shane is the sixth episode of the second season of Sports Night, and the twenty-ninth episode overall.

There is no such place as Hell, Shane McArnold hates New York, and Dan is having some problems.

Starring: Josh Charles (Dan Rydell), Peter Krause (Casey McCall), Felicity Huffman (Dana Whitaker), Joshua Malina (Jeremy Goodwin), Sabrina Lloyd (Natalie Hurley) and Robert Guillaume (Isaac Jaffe)

Guest Starring: Kayla Blake (Kim), Greg Baker (Elliott), Jayne Brook (Abby), Richard Steinmetz (Shane), Jeff Mooring (Dave), Ron Ostrow (Will), Timothy Davis-Reed (Chris)

Co-Starring: Dafidd McCracken (Patient)

Plot Overview

Dan and Abby are in a bar, talking, but it sounds more like a therapy session than a date. Dan confesses to having trouble talking to people when he was at college, and Abby asks if this has been happening more recently - it has.

Casey and Jeremy fill their plates at the buffet, then move to sit at a table with Natalie, talking about the interview Casey has the next day.

In the studio, Casey and Shane sit down for the interview. Shane invites Casey out for a drink; Casey is pleased. In the control room, Jeremy is derisive. Natalie is annoyed that the Vatican has proclaimed there is no such place as Hell, but Kim seems pleased.

Shane insults New York on camera. Casey wraps up the interview and they walk out. Shane excuses himself, pointing out that New Yorkers often say similar things; Casey reminds him that "no one hits my little brother but me," but promises to help him out.

Casey goes to see Dana, to ask if they can edit the tape to remove Shane's insulting comments. Casey feels that he owes Shane for helping him out when Casey was starting his career. Dana is very happy about the interview as it stands, and refuses.

Dan is recording a teaser for the show, with Jeremy at the controls, but messes up the name of a Russian tennis player. Casey pulls Dan out to talk about the problem with the interview, but, on hearing Dan has problems of his own, says he'll deal with it himself.

Dan finally gets the name right... but Jeremy isn't actually recording it, because Isaac doesn't like to waste tape. On the next try, Dan stops short before saying the name, and walks out. Jeremy talks to himself a little.

Casey goes to Isaac about the interview. Dana walks in and is unhappy that Casey went over her head. They walk out to the newsroom and argue about it. Dana wins.

Dan breaks in on another man's session to talk to Abby. This only works because the man is a fan. Abby lists a few of Dan's problems. Dan is upset, and agrees to try therapy for real.

At the bar, Natalie is once more talking about Hell, and planning to steal a spoon. Jeremy reassures her that she does the right thing because she is a good person, rather than out of fear of punishment.

Shane meets Casey at the bar. He is angry that Casey didn't edit out the segment. Casey apologises, but follows up with a short passionate speech about the Yankees and their fans.

Dan enters the bar as Shane leaves. He seems nervous, but he and Casey talk. Casey reassures him, and they join the rest of the team.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• This episode takes place on November 17th, 1999.

Characters

• Natalie was taught by nuns at Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow Elementary School.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• The last episode was called Kafelnikov, but the man was never mentioned in that episode. His was, however, the name that Dan stumbled over repeatedly - perhaps there was some reshuffling of scenes between these episodes?

Memorable Moments

• Dana dancing in her office.
• The other customers looking at Natalie for saying she's going to rob a bank.
• Casey's hand on Dan's shoulder.

Quotes

• Casey: How about a lifetime .303 batting average? How about 348 home runs? How about back-to-back 30-30 seasons?
  Jeremy: How about the fact that he's a twit?
  Casey: He happens to be a friend of mine.
  Jeremy: He also happens to be a twit.
• Dan: I did it again.
  Jeremy: Yes.
  Dan: I said 'Yegevny'.
  Jeremy: Yes.
  Dan: Instead of 'Yevgeny'.
  Jeremy: We could change the tease.
  Dan: What do you mean?
  Jeremy: Make it about Pete Sampras.
• Casey: I'm in a spot of trouble.
  Dan: Me too.
  Casey: McArnold committed a bit of a Big Apple faux-pas and Dana won't let me cut it.
  Dan: I'm undergoing some kind of nervous collapse.
  Casey: All right, so we're probably on our own today.
• Dan: Let's call it take five?
  Jeremy: Why not?
  Dan: What take is it really?
  Jeremy: We're up in the thirties now.
• Casey: Who knows with Dana? One day she's up, another day she's down. That girl's nuttier than a squirrel's cheeks in October. The point is... she's standing right behind me, right?
• Abby: Danny. Of all the psychological problems you have - and they are myriad - not being able to pronounce Yevgeny Kafelnikov is not one of them.
  Dan: Then why can't I pronounce it?
  Abby: It's a hard name to pronounce!
• Abby: You have a crush on me.
  Dan: Yeah.
  Abby: That's natural.
  Dan: I guess, because you're the healer, and you're also playing the role of the confessor as well.
  Abby: I meant 'cause I'm a babe.
  Dan: That too.
• Jeremy: She's actually not going to rob a bank, this is just sort of a hypothetical flight of fancy. Resume your late-night socializing.
• Casey: Do you wanna find some place to talk about it?
  Dan: (shakes head) Hey, do you think it would be OK if I, uh, just sat down... just sat down for a while?
  Casey: Of course it's OK, what's going on?
  Dan: I mean, there may be periods of time in the conversation when I don't say anything funny. There may be long periods when I don't say anything.
  Casey: Danny.
  Dan: I'm fine.
  Casey: I know. And I'm right here.
  Dan: I know.