Steven Wright, Tim Matheson, and Catherine O’Hara Starred in Trying Times Episode “Get a Job” In 1987

In 1987, PBS aired Trying Times, its first original comedy series, as part of a Canadian-American co-production with the CBC. The anthology-style show featured scripts from acclaimed writers like Christopher Durang and Spaulding Gray, with an impressive cast that included Rosanna Arquette, Candice Bergen, David Byrne, Jeff Daniels, Geena Davis, and more. The episode “Get a Job” starred Steven Wright, Tim Matheson, and Catherine O’Hara, blending deadpan humor with the show’s signature offbeat storytelling. Trying Times ran for two seasons until 1989 and was later incorporated into CBC’s Lies From Lotus Land.