Billys Disability

Jim has stated in some interviews and on his former podcast that DJ Qualls was supposed to die in the fourth episode, but after shooting his parts and cutting it together they enjoyed it so much that they decided to make him a more prominent cast member. If I remember correctly he will be missing from a couple of episodes.

If they are lucky enough to get another season, the plan is however to bring him back full time and bring in an actress to play Jim's mom from time to time, which if you know Jim's standup and podcast/radio interviews can lead to some hilarious episodes. However since the original plan to let the Billy character die is not gonna get used anymore, they must make him slightly healthier to make it realistic.

I got that wrong, it was Rodney that was supposed to die in the fourth episode, but they like him so much he is going to be in five episodes and in the unlikely chance of a second season he will be a full time part of the show.

I remember in episode 2 or 3 there was a shot of DJ Qualls in the background sort of bored and swinging his leg, leaned back in this chair, obviously not expecting to be in the frame. Next shot he was back to MD.

I have Muscular Dystrophy and also wondered about the slight recovery. I chalked it up to Billy being stimulated, no pun intended. You never gain strength with MD but I’ve noticed I can stimulate more use of what I have through exercise, swimming or whatever. Though I should be clear my form of MD isn’t as severe as Billy’s. Really Billy would die in real life at his age and the severity of his kind of MD. But whatever.

I’m kinda just glad to see an MD character on a show. People tend to misunderstand what’s wrong with me and treat me like a paraplegic. And it’s not easy to bring up what the BIG differences are -- I mean sexually, ha. What Billy goes through on the show I think is what a lot of us probably go through. Though I am not paralyzed. Just weak.

BTW anyone interested in DJ Qualls should check out Supernatural. Season 7 he became a semi reoccurring character, Garth. Doesn’t turn up but once or twice a season, but who seem to talk about him a lot, so maybe that’ll change.