ðə ɹˈiːzən wʌz ðæt ðeɪ hæd dʒˈʌst stˈɑːɹɾᵻd hˌævɪŋ ˈæktɚz dᵻɹˈɛkt ɪnðə sˈɪɹiz, ænd hɪz kˈoʊstˈɑːɹ mək nˈiːl hæd dʒˈʌst dᵻɹˈɛktᵻd ðə pɹˈiːviəs ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd; ðæt wʌz hɪz fˈɜːst tˈaɪm dᵻɹˈɛktɪŋ ænd ðɪ ˈʌðɚɹ ˈæktɚz wɜːɹ ɛksˈaɪɾᵻd ɐbˌaʊt ɡˌɛɾɪŋ ˌɪntʊ dᵻɹˈɛktɪŋ.
The reason was that they had just started having actors direct in the series, and his co-star McNeil had just directed the previous episode; that was his first time directing and the other actors were excited about getting into directing.