Just Shoot Me

A Work Com about Maya Gallo, a highly qualified but difficult-to-work-with journalist, who, after alienating one news anchor too many, is forced to take a job with the trashy Cosmopolitan-esque fashion magazine run by her estranged father. Originally focusing on the father-daughter bonds, it quickly became a workplace ensemble piece with supporting characters Finch (the dad's personal assistant) and Nina (an ex-model turned writer for the magazine) taking over as the main characters of the series.

Notably predated Ugly Betty (as well as Yo Soy Betty, la Fea) and The Devil Wears Prada with the premise of a non-materialistic woman working for a shallow magazine. Was ultimately canceled due to Executive Meddling and being bounced around the schedule.

Tropes used in Just Shoot Me include:
  • Adam Westing/As Himself: Ray Liotta as Kevin's cousin.
    • Mark Hamill shows up as...Mark Hamill. Fanboy Finch drives him nuts with endless questions about the Star Wars movies.
  • Aesop Amnesia: Maya repeatedly learned that she was subject to the same foibles as everyone else. Then completely forgot this lesson by the next episode.
  • All Asians Are Alike: Eliot drives away an advertiser by mistaking him for a Chinese food delivery guy.

"I AM JAPANESE!!"

Finch: Look, we were WASPs. I didn't have that whole Jewish, Italian, or whatever you guys have going on.

    • Jack Gallo is in fact half Jewish, as told in one episode. There are many Jewish managers in the fashion media world.
  • Benevolent Boss / Pointy-Haired Boss: Jack vacillates between the two. A flashback episode reveals that each of the main characters were hitting Rock Bottom before Jack discovered their talents.
  • Berserk Button: Eliot doesn't react well when you criticize his work
  • Big Breasts, Big Deal: Laura San Giacomo is at least a natural Double-D in Real Life. Maya often wore baggy clothes, and was often teased by Finch for this.
  • Bigger Is Better in Bed: Subverted with Finch, who happens to be unusually well-endowed, but is such a sicko that no woman will give him the time of day (to the immense relief of his male co-workers).

Jack: It's a story as old as time. Great product, bad sales department.

  • Book Dumb: Nina.
  • Breakout Character: Dennis Finch.
  • Bridge
  • British Rock Star
  • But I Would Really Enjoy It
  • Butt Monkey: Originally defined by his womanizing, Eliot gradually morphs into the show's punching bag.
    • Nina is often the victim of a conspiracy by Eliot and Finch to make a fool of her. Often these attempts backfire and Nina (usually unwittingly) comes out on top.
  • The Casanova: Eliot, but Finch later becomes one, often at inopportune times.
  • Chekhov's Ashes: In "Bye Bye, Binnie". Nina carries around the urn of her best friend's ashes, acting as if she were still alive. One morning she finds the urn empty and realizes that putting it in the mechanical bull at a bar was maybe not the best idea.
  • Chubby Chaser: Maya inadvertently dates a guy who is stealthily trying to make her gain weight. Once the jig is up, the boyfriend tries to entice Maya with promises of never having to diet again (which humorously causes Maya to rethink it for a second). "OK, fifty pounds and I'll buy the stretch pants!"
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Maya's roommate, Wally, who disappeared after the first seven episodes.
  • Cool Big Sis: Nina would sometimes play this role to Maya and/or Finch.
  • Creator Breakdown: In one episode, Maya dates the puppeteer behind a popular children's show. A panda Expy of Maya soon appears and each real-life date is somehow reflected on the show (such as the panda hogging all of the pizza). It gets so out of hand that Maya assaults him on live television.
  • Crossdresser: Nina spends en entire episode fretting about the auction of her famous bikini, which a Japanese businessman wants to turn into a museum piece. At the end, we see the businessman dressed in her bikini while dancing to disco music.
  • Deadpan Snarker: David Spade's Dennis Finch.
  • Did You See That Too?
  • Distracted by the Sexy: Various men around Nina. She does it on purpose.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?
  • Don't Look At Me: Finch, when he cries over King Lear.
  • Double Standard: Maya was basically a walking one. She routinely treated others, especially men, in a way that she would have denounced as sexist and abusive if anyone had done it to a woman. One of the very few times she was called on it (mocking and bullying Elliott for having been a nerd in high school), it wasn't even because she was being cruel, abusive, and hypocritical... but because it was distracting Elliott from his work!
  • Dude, Not Ironic: In "When Nina Met Elliot", after Nina realizes that she was the one who ran Elliot over that day he was going to propose to her girlfriend, the following exchange occurs:

Nina: You know what's ironic? The same day I ran Elliot down, is the same day I ruined his life forever.
Maya: That's not ironic, that's what happened!
Nina: So true.

Jack: I know hair, and that flock of yours isn't going anywhere!

Eliot: --But blue's the best.
Jack: [shrug] Well, blue is the best.

[Maya makes the Puss-In-Boots eyes]
Finch: [disturbed] Are you gonna throw up?
Maya: No... this is my "cute" face!
Finch: If you promise not to do that anymore, I'll help you.

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