As a writer who’s been part of creating some unforgettable television moments, I can confidently say that the team behind “You’re The Worst” has truly outdone themselves. The show was a breath of fresh air in the rom-com genre, and its ending was as perfect as a well-cooked meal in a Michelin-starred restaurant (and we all know how much I love my food!).
Prior to taking the stage, Aya Cash vowed she would cry during the ten-year-anniversary reunion panel for You’re the Worst, and true to her word, she did. Her fellow cast members, Kether Donohue and Desmin Borges, also held back tears. Borges, discussing his role as Edgar, an Iraq War veteran with PTSD, became so moved that he requested tissues and a beer be brought onstage. Chris Geere (Jimmy Shive-Overly) couldn’t attend at the last moment but sent a video message instead.
Stephen Falk, the mastermind behind “You’re the Worst”, remained composed, as he’s not one for shedding tears easily. However, he is known to be quite a formidable trash-talker. When questioned about recurring jokes throughout the show’s five seasons on FX/FXX, including those targeting Moby, he was straightforward and candid: “Moby is the most popular Hollywood celebrity that many women I know have kissed and now regret deeply.
But gossip about the artist who gave us the song “Porcelain” was hardly the only thing on the agenda at this celebration of one of the best comedies of the 2010s. There was more discussion of running gags (leg-washing, Trash Juice, and Sunday Funday, which inspired a sing-along of the Sunday Funday theme song), how the cast members felt about where the characters landed in the series finale, and whether there could maybe be more You’re the Worst in the future. (Me: “So even though we just said what a perfect ending this was, I’m going to ask, would there ever be a possibility of—” Aya Cash, interrupting immediately: “Yes.”)
Watch the You’re the Worst reunion in full below, or read on for a transcript of the conversation.
Can anyone recall the experience of auditions? Chris mentioned that he traveled from England to Los Angeles specifically to perform scenes with possible Gretchens, and following a performance with Aya, he felt a strong sense of connection, stating, “This seems perfect, this feels incredible.”
Initially, it was FX who turned me down on that particular day. Chris was the one who got the role instead of me. So, I have a more straightforward take on that event. Later, I re-auditioned on my own in the Orange Is the New Black offices with Stephen and a small camera, essentially telling him to make my character more likable.
Stephen Falk: Indeed, that’s accurate. FX rejected it, saying “No, we don’t prefer her!” However, she was so impressive I argued, “You must consider her!” It wasn’t about a heroic tale for me, but I approached John Landgraf and expressed my opinion, “Please! I believe you’re mistaken, man!” To which he responded, in his position as the head of FX, “Get lost!
Kether Donohue: No one tells him he’s wrong! You’re probably the first person who said he’s wrong.
It seems likely! Afterward, I traveled to New York, recorded her again, and he responded, “Alright, alright.” Later on, at our initial gathering, he acknowledged, “You were correct.
Did Chris recall that the four of you had drinks together following the pilot and commented, “This might be it”? Is this the way you recall the events?
After our table reading session, instead of everyone heading out for a drink and musing about finding the right role, we decided to grab some food from In-N-Out Burger. This way, if someone received unfortunate news about being let go, at least we’d be enjoying burgers together during that moment.
K.D.: Getting fired after table reads is every actor’s nightmare. You’re always on edge wondering if the joke you delivered was funny enough. Afterward, we find ourselves anxiously discussing over In-N-Out whether any of our jokes landed at all. It was quite disheartening.
Desmin Borges: Do you remember your audition?
Originally, I was shooting a commercial for Audi cars under Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ direction, who also helmed our pilot episode. During this time, he suggested that I should try out for the show You’re the Worst. The audition process went smoothly, which led to a test deal and a reading session with Aya. Incidentally, Aya and I had crossed paths in 2000 – both of us hailing from New York City. At that time, Aya was quite renowned in the city, her headshot gracing every casting director’s wall. As a result, I was a bit apprehensive about reading with her, since she always seemed to land a pilot each season. However, we ended up having good on-screen chemistry during our reading session.
As a fervent admirer, allow me to recount an experience: When we visited In-N-Out Burger, there were numerous murmurs about potential dismissals. I remained silent in the background, confident that I had nailed the reading earlier. I thought to myself, “No way, they’re not firing me! I can assure you of that!” During my audition, I started the self-tape recording a bit early and considered Edgar to be a military man, so I dressed smartly and was quite formal. It was either a call or an email from Stephen after he watched the tape. He instructed me, “Dude, get your most worn-out shirt, leave it under your mattress for 24 hours, then re-record it. Don’t shave. Make it look like you’ve been up all night on heroin.” I followed his instructions and was walking in Central Park when my phone rang, offering me the part.
S.F.’s Alternate Version: I had no desire for him at all. [Chuckles.] The previous year, I’d worked on a pilot for NBC with Jeffrey Tambor and Dane Cook, which was as wonderful as it might sound. Des was part of the main cast too, but we were halted during production. They said, “Nope, no airing this anywhere. You can leave now.” I replied, “I moved to New York and you constructed a $2 million set!” I thought he was bringing misfortune, but it wasn’t him. It was Dane Cook.
The individual who was over two hours delayed for our meeting due to a flat tire on his motorcycle, leaving him stranded without an alternative means of transport. What bad luck!
Indeed, it seems to me that the fundamental idea of the series revolves around two individuals initially resistant to long-term relationships, eventually finding themselves in one. However, I also get the sense that the show explores ways to prevent oneself from becoming overly dependent or smothering, as per a phrase from the program – avoiding being a “sweater person.” Is this interpretation correct? I wonder if you agree with this perspective.
As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate the clever layer in this series. It seems to challenge the misconception of fearing one’s transformation into a ‘settled’ individual. The show subtly mocks the absurdity of resisting the inevitable passage of time, love, and domestic bliss. There’s an undercurrent of un-trendiness that they are consistently battling, even as they yearn for these very things.
In a particular scene with Aya, Kether uses the term “sweater people” while Lindsay laments about her monotonous, nearly-concluded marriage and Gretchen expresses exhaustion from their socializing and desire for a quiet night in with a cup of tea and a good book. The conversation escalates to the point where Lindsay slaps Gretchen. However, it’s unclear whether the slap was genuine or staged.
A.C.: They were often real!
K.D.: We’re Method actors.
Kether is an actor who lives fully in the here and now. It’s hard to predict his actions, but that unpredictability is part of the charm.
You recall those scenes, right? They were usually the ones where you’d think afterwards, “That was terrible, that was terrible, it was just awful.” Yet I remember thinking, “You are such an exceptional actor; there’s no way this didn’t turn out great.
K.D.: When I die I’m gonna regret being insecure so much.
A.C.: Aren’t we all?
Despite its humor, the series tackles some profound topics such as Gretchen’s depression and Edgar’s PTSD. A noteworthy instance is when Edgar enrolls in a therapy program using video games tailored to participants’ traumas, only to be dismissed after the VA supervisor discovers he had ceased taking the numerous medications prescribed for him because he believed they were causing more harm than good. What stands out to me in this scene is the mix of various moods, transitioning from light-hearted moments to an intense, dramatic climax at the end. Managing such a diverse range of tones must be quite challenging.
I personally find: I can’t argue against it; at some point, you have to surrender to it [feel a lump in my throat]. The exceptional job done by Stephen and the writers with Edgar is so compelling that it makes it effortless for me to let go and be part of it.
S.F.: It’s clear that Des is incredibly talented when it comes to writing. However, managing the tone can be tricky because it’s easy for it to go wrong. I guess if I were cooking, it would be like using too much of one ingredient and ruining the dish altogether.
In our second season, we proposed to FX that we wanted to take things more seriously. When you produce a TV show, if you manage to survive the first season, you need to present your entire second season plan to the executives. At the beginning of the third season, they started trusting us, but for the second season, our pitch was something like this: “Hey, we want to create a season focusing on clinical depression!” Their reaction was, “What? It’s a half-hour comedy!”. Our response was, “Yes, we understand, but we believe that we can pull it off, and we think the cast is intelligent enough, and our writers are strong enough to make it humorous.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’ve always admired Jenji Kohan’s unique perspective on the intricate relationship between tragedy and comedy. She often emphasizes that some of life’s biggest laughs can be found within the confines of a hospital room. Indeed, there’s a fine line between sorrow and humor, and I firmly believe that when you stay true to the essence of the situation, it creates a compelling narrative.
Have I ever encountered veterans expressing appreciation for my work on the show? Yes, I have. They’ve often said something along the lines of, “I truly value your efforts here.
We chatted with some veterans and asked them, “What should we focus on or avoid?” Their response? They find humor in these tough times – it’s their way to cope. So, making them laugh became quite a challenge for us.
In our conversation, we often discussed the scarcity of authentic portrayals of veterans on screen, particularly those who have never had the opportunity to be depicted. Many of them shared their frustrations about how vets are frequently shown in senseless violence, like attacking people in stores such as Best Buy for no apparent reason. This resonates deeply with me, even though I don’t share their background. However, the feelings of being damaged, misunderstood, and unseen throughout one’s life make it easy to find a shared experience.
I continue to communicate with several of them through Instagram or emails. Throughout our continued endeavors, I found myself constantly thinking, “I yearn to make them proud. I wish for them to feel recognized, acknowledged, and comprehended.
To honor the show and switch tones, I wanted to say that I watched the show when it was on — I loved it, I wrote about it at the time — but I went back to rewatch it recently and one of the things that stands out a little bit more when you’re bingeing it in a condensed period of time is all the running gags. So I want to talk about a few of them, and this is the part where you start talking shit about people again.
Initially, several jests about Moby can be found throughout the program. At one instance, Jimmy contemplates offering a scarf since it resembles Moby excessively. So, what’s the story behind Moby?
Regarding Moby, he’s the most prominent Hollywood celebrity who my friends have kissed, and they all express regret about it afterwards. That’s essentially it.
K.D.: Why?
S.F.: Why do they make out with him? That’s a good question!
Next: Sufjan Stevens’s broth restaurant. What is the deal with that?
One way of rephrasing the given text could be: “We often joked about Sufjan Stevens starting a soup restaurant. We thought it would be fun to create a fictional commercial featuring Sam and the group, as they had invested in Sufjan’s soup restaurant following Gretchen’s recommendation. However, things didn’t go as planned. We asked Sufjan if he’d join the commercial, but he politely declined.
A.C.: Let’s not pick on him now. I think we’re all grown-ups.
S.F.: No, he’s the best.
A.C.: But that just reminded me, Travis Barker was supposed to be on the show. Do you remember this? He was there, then left before we shot.
K.D.: He had to pick up his kids from school.
A.C.: Then it was Henry Rollins instead. Just wanted to let that out of the bag.
Trash Juice. Where did it come from?
At my former high school, an annual luau was held. They’d mix Kool-Aid, fruit, and vodka in a large bin, and participants would drink it. Waking up the next day, with your mom picking you up, you’d find yourself asking, “Oh no, why is my shirt stained red?
Did you guys ever drink any Trash Juice on set?
[Aya and Kether laugh.]
S.F.: I’m not sure if they actually drank it, it might have just been red food coloring. However, Kether frequently… We had a spit bucket on set, so sometimes there’d be food or cigarettes in a scene, then we’d pause filming and ask, “You don’t need to smoke anymore.” Yet, she’d still light up a cigarette. We’d remind her, “Kether, you don’t have to smoke at the moment!
K.D.: I’d go ahead and enjoy the frozen yogurt. Every time they gave me a chance, they reminded me that it was just for the scene and I didn’t need to eat it all. But I insisted, “I know it’s prop food, but I still want to finish it.” And I did.
At some point every one of the characters said “she a’ight.” What was the genesis of that?
In our creative brainstorming sessions, we found amusement in this concept. It seemed appealing to us that it would be passed on from one character to another.
I believe the reasoning is that Stephen isn’t easily impressed. It takes considerable effort to capture his admiration, so he gives off an “Okay, she’s alright” kind of impression. That’s the general feeling.
Why are you cleaning your legs, and what sparked that idea? I’m curious, how does each of you personally feel about the act of washing your legs?
A.C.: Can I just say, I was just asked about washing my legs in a press event for a different job, and they had no idea it came from You’re the Worst. They literally were like, “So do you wash your legs?” and I was like, “Haha, You’re the Worst!” And they were like, “Sorry?”
In one corner of our writing team, there’s a unique individual named Eva Anderson. One day, she shared an unusual habit – she doesn’t clean her legs in the writers’ common area. Needless to say, this revelation caught us all by surprise.
K.D.: Does she rinse?
S.F.: Well, I mean, she’s in the shower, so there’s rinsing happening. I think that was her point.
Sure thing!
Sunday Funday. Where did this come from?
“I can’t recall the origin of Sunday Funday. However, I do remember stepping out from the writers’ room and instructing them to create a song for it. Upon my return, they played the song for me, which I disliked vehemently. It seems they may have shared it with the cast immediately, as they expressed their enthusiasm for it, leaving me exasperated.
There was a Sunday Funday episode in every season with the exception of one.
S.F.: Indeed, we did. Frankly, it seemed overly repetitive to me, almost like a gimmick. It reminded me of “Slapsgiving” or similar recurring events. Now, I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with that! But it just felt like an easy way to appeal to the audience.
A.C.: They are the audience, Stephen! [Gestures to the audience.]
S.F.: Fuck you, guys! Chum for you!
Let me share some thoughts on the exceptional series finale, a topic that seems to be underdiscussed. Frankly, it’s one of the finest series finales I’ve ever seen. So, my initial curiosity is, Stephen, was the ending always your plan from the beginning?
S.F.: I think the big lie of TV is that the writers always know how it’s gonna end and they know the exact right moment. It’s bullshit. Anyone who tells you that is a liar. But I did know that I wanted the show to trace the very traditional steps of a relationship. If we had gotten a sixth season — we didn’t end it, they just canceled us — they would have then had a kid and done that stuff, and eventually moved into an old-folks home, then died in season 39.
It’s unclear exactly when we made the choice for them not to wed but to remain together, yet it seemed incredibly fitting for us. My wife, Christina, was the one who encouraged me to incorporate the montage accompanied by the Mountain Goats’ “No Children,” depicting what transpired after the event. Since I had a connection with John Darnielle due to his cover of “Little Boxes” from Weeds, I felt comfortable asking him for it.
So for each of you, how did you feel about where your character ended up in this finale?
Initially, I had hoped the whole thing would continue indefinitely, but that ended up being a letdown. As for that final scene, I do recall attempting some improvisation. Generally, Stephen isn’t fond of improv, and in this case, he said something like “cut it out.” And indeed, he was correct!
D.B.: I loved how it ended for Edgar. In the actual penultimate scene, when he told Jimmy that he didn’t think that he should marry Gretchen, I felt like there was a brotherly bond that we had been building to. To get to that place where he could be that brutally honest with somebody meant more than him moving to New York and becoming a comedy writer. I feel like he finally found himself then. There was even this one moment that was in there. Chris and I didn’t know the cameras were rolling and I think I put my head on Chris’s shoulder and we both said at the same time, “Love you, buddy.” That was what I remember being the end of Edgar.
Indeed, their relationship dynamics shifted significantly. Now they stand as peers. As for you, Kether, how do you feel about remarrying Paul once more?
K.D.: I’m not gonna lie, I forgot what happened!
S.F.: I mean, you did stab him! It’s a little weird that you got remarried to him.
In the writers’ room, did you try out different scenarios for what might happen to them?
It seemed to me that their paths would eventually lead them together. Over time, she appeared to grow and mature, but I’m not sure about Paul.
K.D.: Did she mature?
Absolutely, I agree with that. Des’ analysis of his character is spot on. Our intention was indeed to make them equals, as it often goes in romantic comedies. Typically, there’s a secondary character, or a sidekick. However, when I embarked on writing this rom-com, I thought, “I don’t want mere sidekicks,” because everyone deserves to be the main character of their own story.
Isn’t there a scene somewhere in the series where Lindsay and Edgar say, “We’re not the sidekick”?
S.F.: Yeah, they have self-awareness.
K.D.: Beyoncé!
D.B.: That’s the Beyoncé monologue.
In my scenes with Des, I’d often find myself giggling nonstop due to his humor. To keep from laughing and ruining the takes, I’d have to focus on the ground instead. It was like, “I can’t maintain eye contact during your shots, or else I’ll burst out laughing.” So, I just fixed my gaze on the floor instead.
Although we’ve just mentioned how ideal this conclusion seems, let me venture a question – is there any chance that…?
A.C.: Yes.
K.D.: Let’s consider creating a mini-series, similar to how Sex and the City produces a film instead of regular episodes. How about we produce a film then?
It’s fantastic that you’re suggesting “You’re the Worst” in Dubai, but unfortunately, it can only happen if Fox (FX) decides to make it so. We’re all eager and ready!
What if we crowdsource the funding?
In that case, isn’t it the responsibility of FX to cover the cost of Zach Braff’s movie since it didn’t gain popularity? I won’t ask you all to watch it.
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2024-11-21 21:55