Larry, Rachel and Hugh attempt to bounce back after the disappointment of Mr. First Lady; Rachel meets Michael and Ethan's new neighbor; a joke about a sitcom based upon Larry's life becomes more than a joke.

Rachel and Hugh write the script for Open Dorf Policy; Melissa will direct the pilot. An upset Sam leaves for Toronto, while Larry adjusts to living with his in-laws.

Larry goes behind Rachel and Hugh's back to rewrite a version of the pilot that Jen will like. Rachel has her first date with Mark-Paul; Hugh and Pat see Jen on a date of her own.

Melissa wants the script finished in time for a table read the following day, so Larry, Rachel, Hugh, and newly appointed showrunner, Dave, attempt to finish the draft while taking care of a sick Lois.

There are two pieces of huge casting news for the new sitcom. Larry gets all the bad news at once and hits rock bottom. An awkward love triangle becomes a quadrangle.

As rehearsals for the pilot begin, Melissa has her own ideas on how to make the show more "fresh." Jen is upset to learn Rachael Harris is playing her; Larry devises a plan to get Rachael fired. CBS wants to make the pilot more diverse.

It's tape night for the newly revamped Open Dorf Policy. Larry's scheme to get out of giving cast and crew gifts backfires. A run-in at the beach with Lois and Rachel leads Sam to believe Hugh still has feelings for Rachel.

CBS wants to make major changes to Open Dorf Policy. Mark-Paul asks Rachel to take a big step in their relationship. Melissa enlists the help of a famous friend to sing the pilot's theme song.

Mark-Paul and Rachel attend the Independent Spirit Awards together. An unassuming Hugh joins Larry in Austin to teach unauthorized "Groundlings-style" seminars to a group of Texas businesspeople.

Hugh, Larry, and Rachel deal with Melissa McCarthy eliminating them from their own project.

While Hugh, Larry, and Rachel make due without work, they hear Steven Spielberg wants to meet them for a new project, but it needs the whole team or nothing. Can they all get there together and on time?