"30 Rock" spoilers coming up just as soon as I patronize the local IKEA... Was it just me, or did that episode feel like it was about 15 minutes long once you took the commercials out of it? No pre-credits sequence, the least amount of Jack in any episode that I can remember, and the teamster storyline played like it had been hacked to bits. Everything was so rushed and disjointed, I would have wondered if this was a leftover pre-strike episode if it hadn't been for all the JetBlue jokes referencing stuff that happened during the strike.
Of course, even within an unusually thin episode, "30 Rock" still features plenty of funny moments. Baldwin's amused delivery of "Bush? Has it gotten that bad?" redeemed the episode all by itself, and we also got Liz on the treadmill (what's the opposite of power-walking?), Liz threatening to give everybody chins, our brief glimpse of the Charlie Kaufman-esque world on the 12th floor (complete with eyepatch-wearing receptionist), the random Cleveland put-downs (the tornado destroyed a liquor store and the liquor store museum), Brian Dennehy asking Frank and Lutz to kiss, ad Floyd's reaction to morning Liz ("Crone!").
But it needed several more script polishes (or editing work), and a whole lot more Jack.
(Odd; I want less Jack on "Lost," and more on "30 Rock.")
What did everybody else think?
I have to watch this show with closed captioning and it helped me catch the last line where the flight to Montreal was now "blurghing".
ReplyDeleteI agree, more Jack was needed, and while it wasn't horrible, I wasn't really liking the interaction between Floyd and Liz. Those were pretty bad lies and to "start over" despite them doesn't seem desperate enough for even Liz to do.
After seeing the promos, I could have weathered 23 minutes of Baldwin screaming, "Wake up! WAKE UP!"
ReplyDeleteNow I'm hoping next week brings a cameo from Mark Wahlberg, unicorn-hater.
I think the glimpse of the 12th floor netted me more laughs than an average feature-length comedy. Especially as someone who works on the 11th floor of a New York media company.
ReplyDeleteAnd OMG, the Mark Wahlberg thing, I almost forgot. That actually broke my heart a little, she looked so hurt.
Not the best of episodes but it was redeemed by the sheer hotness of Tina Fey in that red dress (as evidenced by the pic in this post).
ReplyDeleteI really loved this episode and I'm surprised to find such a short summary of it!
ReplyDeleteThere were lots of great bits (the Mark Wahlberg thing is funny to me as my sister also crushes on him, but since Alec Baldwin worked with him on The Departed, I think it's a poke at Wahlberg too), also Kenneth's surprise that whiskey just tastes like "hill people milk", but my favorite was the extended take on Liz eating the sandwich at the security gate and then exclaiming, mouth full of food, "I can have it all!" I love that side of this show, that anti-Sex in the City thing.
I want Jason Sudeikis to be a regular on this show. He's wasted on SNL. He's such a cutie! I was glad to see him back if only for one episode.
And I'm so disappointed that next week is the finale.
Wow, Alan... to each his own.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the episode on Hulu and it didn't seem rushed or disjointed at all. It was one of my favorite 30 Rock episodes.
I'm also a Jason Sudeikis fan. His mom is my travel agent.
Loved how the scene cut from Tracy saying he's a superstar and would have no problem swaying the teamsters over to him shucking and jiving.
ReplyDeleteLoved the flashback of Tina in college playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Loved Tina power walking and singing "I'm a bitch".
Jenna: "Can't drink? What am I, 12 and at my boyfriend's frat party?"
ReplyDeleteKenneth: "Drinking's against my beliefs, like gambling or freeway driving."
Tracy: "And I can't drink. I still got my Hollywood sock on"
"Hollywood sock". This show makes my stomach hurt from laughing.
"CRONE!" was awesome. And "hill people milk". And Brain Dennehy.
Did you miss how the tornado hit Detroit and PUT OUT several fires?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Liz exclaiming she's going to be Marcia instead of Jan, and then getting hit in the face with a ball.
ReplyDelete"My nose!"
Matt - I caught that and laughed out loud.
My favorite part was when everyone broke out of their respective drinking handicaps and joined Team Jenna. It's like the members of the Justice League all being freed from their respective weaknesses to overcome overwhelming odds! Haha, I'm such dork.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think this episode had the best plot lines, but it had plenty of really funny quotations.
ReplyDeleteOn the 52nd floor the elevator will open back up if you wave your hand in the doorway. Not so on the 12th floor.
ReplyDeleteDid I miss the memo or did Brian Dennehy lose a ton of weight?
ReplyDeleteAlso...was I the only one who recognized Peter Venkman as being a Ghostbuster immediately?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you weren't the only one. The minute he said Venkman I turned to my husband and said, "Uh...he just talked about a dude on 'Ghostbusters'." That was HILARIOUS.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteDid I miss the memo or did Brian Dennehy lose a ton of weight?
I tried to send you the memo, but I wasn't sure who to address it to.
It wasn't the best episode they've done, but it was enjoyable. Plus it had Tina Fey in "that dress", which made that scene perfect even before the stage management started.
So next week is the final, already? Damn. Still, it makes sense of why they seem to be writing Jack out at the moment. I assume Alec Baldwin is definitely back for season 3?
Lemon's studio assisted attempt to make Floyd jealous was my favorite part
ReplyDelete"I'm pretty tired from playing as hard as I work"
I was really impressed by Liz's sandwich scarfdown in the airport -- definitely the highlight for me. Especially the security guard yelling, disgusted, "Lady, you just ate FOIL!" after her sprinting form.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorites of this season. Very, very funny.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't bring up the funniest part of the whole show, the drinking contest! 'Your operation was for an un-descended testicle!'. 'Wrong again! It was for TWO un-descended testicles!'. When everyobdy joins in on the contest, 'This smells like hill people milk, I've been drinking this stuff since I was a baby!'. And the whole drunk singing scene!
Somebody help me! I know this episode is a parody of something. But what?
ReplyDelete"Now, you two kiss. You in the blazer, you be the girl." = Funny!
ReplyDelete