Bill's best friend Pete Killian, an Emmy-winning anchorman on 60 MINUTES, has died, so Bill applies for Pete's job while the network personnel look for ways to make him stay at WBFL.
Bill isn't happy when the guests booked to appear on his show are excruciating dull, or when the station manager hires Tamara Brooks to co-host his show.
Bill goes too far in upbraiding Woody to the point of hurting his feelings and prompting him to quit his job, so makeup man Newdell jumps in and takes the job with no training.
Actress Lauren Stockton guests on Bill's show and plugs her latest movie, in which Bill wants a part. So he not only wangles an audition for a role, but even suggests a few changes to the script.
Unseen station manager Wilkinson devastates Bill and the entire crew by suddenly announcing, through Karl Shub, that he is canceling the program and replacing it with reruns of "M*A*S*H."
Bill complains of dull guests on his show while Jo Jo tries to get him to commit to her in their personal life. His estranged, divorced daughter Melanie Wayne visits and makes his world even more uncomfortable.
Everyone is pleased with the current shows. But when ratings drop, Bill thinks the show is going under, so he calls a late-afternoon meeting for the staffers to berate themselves publicly.
Bill sees a picture of an attractive young flautist named Angela, falls in love with her instantly, and fanatically prods the staff to help him locate her. Meanwhile, Karl is annoyed that Bill doesn't respect his authority.
The staffers plan a surprise birthday party for Bill, who is targeted by Clara, an obsessed fan who telephones him repeatedly claiming to be the mother of his unborn child and wanting to kill him. Karl notices Bill's erratic behavior.
Author Dr. Solomon Sigourney appears on the show to discuss his book on toxic waste, but Bill ridicules him, which crushes Wendy, who booked the doctor on the show. When she confides in Carl, he encourages her to reprimand Bill.
Newdell pans a recent segment of the show. Bill pulls rank on him and wants him fired, so he quits. But there's concern that he might sue, in which case Bill needs to pay him big money to settle the possible lawsuit.