Mike Schur was photographed Oct. 30 at his bungalow on the Universal lot. Photographed by Christopher Patey Mike Schur's résumé reads like a hit list of 21st century comedy: Saturday Night Live, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place and, his latest, Netflix's A Man on the Inside. For more than two decades, Schur has maintained his status as a leading sitcom writer - even as he juggles other roles, including 2023 WGA negotiating committee member and, more recently, author, publishing the philosophy survey How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question. But now, for the first time in as long as Schur can remember, he finds himself in uncharted territory, and he doesn't seem to have answers or a punchline. Related Stories TV Ted Danson Goes Back Undercover in 'A Man on the Inside' Season 2 Trailer TV 'A Man on the Inside' Sets Season 2 Date, Offers Up First-Look Pics "Writers and executives feel exactly the same: We're all uncertain about the future," he says. "And if you went all the way up the ladder, to the people who run these companies, if they were being honest, I think they'd say, 'We don't have a firm handle on a 10-year plan for the company - or for Hollywood.' " Fortunately for Schur, he has a comedy writer wife, J.J. Philbin, with whom he can commiserate. The pair are also working together for the first time on a forthcoming Peacock comedy starring Amy Poehler. "We are actively teasing out problems together, which is a fun twist in our marriage," Schur says. "It's been 20 years, so we ought to be able to survive this." Speaking in his Universal lot bungalow in late October, the morning after his 50th birthday, the NBCUniversal-based producer mused on buyers' murder obsession, Hollywood's aging issue and why recent mega deals aren't a new trend. Since The Good Place and your book, you've earned a reputation as an amateur philosopher. How has that changed your interactions in the industry? Not in the industry, but there have been a number of times when friends texted me, "Can you walk through this weird little ethical dilemma?" I love it so much. I am always extremely cautious in those situations. One of the things my editor made me do was remove 20 different instances of me saying, "I don't really know what I'm talking about" in the book. What do your wife and family think about this preoccupation? They enjoy making fun of me. My wife is very smart, and at my 50th birthday party, she made a lovely speech, and one of the things she said she likes about being married to me is that I care about this stuff. That is wonderful to hear because I love her and don't want her to leave me. And I believe that she's telling the truth, even if they're bored silly by my dithering sometimes. How are you handling turning handle 50? There were certainly moments after I turned 49 where I was like, "Oh Jesus, here we go." But I'm excited about what I'm working on, and my kids are an interesting age. I don't know. It all seems fine. At the dinner table, are you and J.J. more likely to discuss ethics or comedy writing? Comedy writing. The great thing about being married to another writer is that it's a weird job. We've essentially had parallel careers. Now we're working together for the first time on this show, Dig, so we're actively teasing out problems together. It's a fun twist in our marriage. And it's been 20 years, so we ought to be able to survive this. Tell me about your initial conversation with Ted Danson about A Man on the Inside. He's worked consistently for years, but he's never been cast as "old." You put him in assisted living that first season. That's what really appealed to him. He wants to see what it is like to be funny at every age. He was the funniest, most important actor on TV in 1982 when Cheers started, and he's been funny and great ever since. One of the many problems with Hollywood is how it treats older actors. It's shameful. Even when you're 75, you're supposed to be 67. Everyone's been pretending forever that they're younger than they are. There's a nice, easy zone you can get into when you don't have to pretend. You can't pretend. Ted Danson stars as a retiree turned amateur private investigator in Mike Schur's Netflix comedy A Man on the Inside, which returns Nov. 20. Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix Oh, there are many here who'd argue you can pretend ... I don't judge! Aging in general is a thing that people aren't very good about dealing with or talking about. I have an Irish aunt who was blown away when she learned people in America lie about [being younger]. She's like, "You're doing it all wrong. Lie up. If you're 58, say you're 64. People will go, "God, you look amazing.' " It is very hard to get anything on TV right now, especially comedy. What are buyers looking for? TV is very good about reflecting the mood of the country, and the mood is very sour and unpleasant. That's why, if you go to any streaming service, it's, "Murder in Pennsylvania!" "Th