“Because they’re now friends and they really enjoy yakking, they try to smooth over the opinions in conversation,” McGuirk says. “What I often hear is, ‘Gosh, Eliot, I guess I can see what you mean,’ and ‘You’ve got a point there, Kathleen.’ What I want to hear is them clearly stating their differences.”

Each show is supposed to include a light segment, and at the moment they are toying with a discussion about couples who disagree politically. The script says: “Eliot riff. Kathleen riff. Last point.”

But they struggle to find the right tone. Pizza vs. Chinese food? Sounds trivial. Favorite novel? Spitzer hasn’t read one since college. Favorite actor? They both like Anthony Hopkins. Finally, they give up.

“That got a little too cute, which can happen,” McGuirk says.