Old-fashioned lab coats tend toward a boxy look, with a couple of patch pockets on the front. Kooser estimates it costs around $40 to $50 for a regular lab coat, with some fancier ones costing more.

With that, Elizabeth reverts to her lab coat and simple makeup — but slightly more than usual. It’s a look she feels comfortable enough with for her to be in front of the camera.

Among the things he selected was my lab coat. “I bought that coat at a uniform store in Seattle, where doctors and nurses get their scrubs. It’s what I wore in the pilot, which we shot in 1992, and on ...