▁" f ant as ies " ▁and ▁" sex ual ▁past "). ▁They ▁watch ▁" fil ms " ▁of ▁past ▁events ▁and ▁en act ▁possible ▁scenarios ▁for ▁what ▁might ▁happen ▁in ▁H erman ' s ▁various ▁life ▁situations , ▁occasionally ▁vent uring ▁into ▁Ham mer ▁horror ▁movie ▁territory ▁or ▁( in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁Animal ) ▁por n ographic ▁films . ▁ ▁Fri ends , ▁co - work ers , ▁and ▁b oss es ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁show ' s ▁action ▁is ▁situated ▁at ▁the ▁Wat erton ▁research ▁department , ▁where ▁personal ▁situations ▁( r anging ▁from ▁old ▁friends ▁from ▁the ▁past , ▁various ▁dates , ▁sexual ▁l ia isons , ▁and ▁the ▁like ) ▁seem ▁to ▁cross ▁professional ▁ones ▁for ▁H erman ▁on ▁a ▁daily ▁basis . ▁H erman ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁studio ▁a partment ▁located ▁dow nt own , ▁which , ▁in ▁a ▁first - season ▁episode , ▁is ▁indicated ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁somewhat ▁length y ▁sub way ▁ride ▁from ▁the ▁Wat erton ▁offices . ▁The ▁only ▁other ▁rec urr ing ▁setting ▁is ▁Mac An ally ' s , ▁a ▁restaurant ▁and ▁pub , ▁which ▁pres umably ▁is ▁located ▁between ▁H erman ' s ▁residence ▁and ▁the ▁Wat erton ▁offices . ▁It ▁attract s ▁a ▁rather ▁ups c ale ▁client ele , ▁and ▁it ▁most ▁often ▁sets ▁the ▁stage ▁for ▁H erman ' s ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁characters ' ▁rom antic ▁purs uits . ▁The ▁regular ▁real - life ▁characters ▁are ▁as ▁follows : ▁▁ ▁Jay ▁Nich ols ▁( H ank