He talks of his directorial debut on an episode of the 1980's version of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and describes his trial-by-fire experience on that show.
He notes his various attempts to break into features, mainly with comedies he had written, but how their dark tone seemed to prevent them from getting produced. Chase tells how the television movie Off the Minnesota Strip, a gritty drama that had been a critical success, led to a reassessment of his talent within the industry. He describes landing a job as a writer and story editor on Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and getting hired on The Rockford Files starting in season three - his first credit as a producer. He talks of his move to Los Angeles and his work on low-budget features, and discusses his struggle to get work, despite being part of the Writers Guild. In his nearly five-hour interview, David Chase speaks about the films and television shows he watched growing up and the influence of rock 'n' roll in his early creative thinking.