Watching 30 Rock

Happy New Year from this picture of the cast of 30 Rock!

30 Rock, Happy New Year

Good news, 30 Rockers! According to the NBC website, 30 Rock will be returning in January with new episodes! Now presumably, these are episodes completed before the writer’s strike shut down production of the show. I guess NBC was smart to hold some back, because I know I am aching for some new episodes …. I mean, I dig the reruns and all, but my DVR hasn’t recorded anything new for me in over a week! And after all the holiday madness, when we are in post-party hangover mid-January blues, some new TV shows will definitely hit the spot. And if this strike drags on, do not despair, as we will start recapping season one episodes (from DVD) as well as discussing DVD extras and Tina Fey commentary in the new year. What a way to start 2008!

As for last night’s rerun, it’s a reviewing of “Jack Get’s in the Game,” featuring guest star Will Arnett as Jack’s nemesis, Devin Banks. If you recall they are both competing for the job of General Electric’s CEO … Jack through “getting noticed” and Devin through marrying the boss’s unattractive daughter while convincing himself and everyone else that he’s not gay. Good times! In addition, we get a fat Jenna who spent the summer eating pizza and a Tracy who takes Kenneth the Page for his “work wife,” since his own wife Angie kicked him out. This is also the episode that features the classic “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” and one of the funniest moments of the season thus far:

So if you missed the show last night or don’t have your Tivo set to record reruns, you can watch the full episode at NBC.com or reread our recap. And now we all have January to look forward too!

30 Rock, Tina Fey, Will Arnett, 30 Rock recaps

Or maybe Entertainment Weekly is just thinking back fondly to those innocent times when we were all to naive to think such a thing as a writer’s strike could happen. Ahh, mid September how we miss you so.

Anyway, EW has named 30 Rock the very best show of 2007, can’t say we disagree with ya there but we do love slumin’ with A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (don’t tell our moms). Here’s what they say:

Tina Fey’s Emmy-winning sitcom earns every guffaw with its left-brain/right-brain zigzags. It’s incisive but squirrelly, satiric but joyfully goofy. In this second season, Fey feels genuine, bright, and occasionally nutty, but with enough sense to remark on her own madness. Tracy Morgan continues to perfect his blank-eyed craziness as an overindulged, posse-pampered comedian. And as purry, synergy-obsessed executive Jack Donaghy, Alec Baldwin is flawless, combining bone-deep insecurity with sky-high megalomania. Smart, playful, weird, and occasionally quite sweet, 30 Rock isn’t just the best comedy on TV this year, it’s simply the best TV.

There is a bit more to their love-fest but to read it we’d have to actually purchase Entertainment Weekly and we’re feeling a bit tight after blowing a bunch of cash on holiday essentials like more games where we can fake-murder stuff and Ugg boots for our pets.

So you may be thinking “wow that’s a whole lot of love that one mind-candy of a mag could be spraying on our little show”, but no, it doesn’t end there. They’ve also named Alec Baldwin in their 25 Greatest Performances of the Year article.

The episode that particularly caught their eye is from October 25th in the Rosemary’s Baby episode. As you may recall, this episode featured Carrie Fisher as a Liz Lemon’s strung out idol but what was a highlight was Jack reenacting Tracy’s childhood for a therapist in hopes of ridding him of his dog fighting dreams (and who doesn’t have those?)

Channeling Tracy’s dad via Redd Foxx, Jack explains why he left Tracy: ”I was young and confused, and your moms didn’t want me around no more. Now, pass me them damn collard greens!” Classic! The little act also featured a bit of Good Times, with a hint of Chico and the Man maybe? Something like that.

Anyway, we agree with all your 30 Rock praise EW. Maybe with a little love and a lot of other crappy shows on TV we can get people to tune in.

Chico and the Man, Alec Baldwin, Carrie Fisher, 30 Rock. Entertainment Weekly

Greetings fellow 30 Rockers! As I’m sure you all know, tonight’s episode is a rerun of “Seinfeld Vision,” the first episode of the second season, which featured Jerry Seinfeld as a guest star. This episode also led off some of this season’s product placement, as Seinfeld’s Bee Movie was promoted heavily. (We still haven’t seen the movie, so I guess that promotional money was wasted, at least in our household.) If you missed the episode, you can read the recap or watch the full episode at NBC.com.

In other 30 Rock news, our beloved Tina Fey was named one of the 11 Most Influential Women of 2007 by MSN.

Tina Fey is like that super-talented, super-smart, super-pretty girl you knew in high school who you really wanted to hate, but you just couldn’t because she was also super-nice. Fey was head writer at Saturday Night Live for years, then used that experience as fodder to create the Emmy-winning show 30 Rock, in which she not only stars, but also writes and co-produces. Wearing three hats could make it hard for Fey, as the current Writers’ Guild strike conflicts with her acting/producing roles. But just like that girl in high school, she seems to be keeping her integrity while not pissing too many people off. Now that’s true talent.

Tina is in good company, as this list includes Hilary Rodham Clinton, Benazir Bhutto, and Pat Summitt. On the other hand, the list also includes Elizabeth Hasselbeck (famous for arguing with Rosie O’Donnell), Carrie Underwood (famous for dating Tony Romo), Miley Cyrus (famous for, huh, something Disney-related), and the Obama Girl (famous for being on YouTube.) Quite a mixed bag, but as always, we like to see Tina get the recognition she deserves for being so freaking awesome.

30 Rock, Tina Fey, Seinfeld, MSN Influential Women of 2007

Anticipational Disorder - Kenneth introduces himself to the camera and announces that he has a rare disorder called Holiday Anticipational Disorder. He puts a Santa hat on Lutz and muses that some people only wear their Halloween costumes once a year. Josh appears with an old pumpkin that Kenneth has put in his dressing room. “Happy Halloween,” he announces as Josh throws out the pumpkin. Frank comes up to Kenneth with an Easter basket and tells him the holiday junk is driving people nuts. Kenneth instructs him to take it up with the Easter Bunny. Kenneth has a crazy happy look on his face through this whole sketch but I think he usually looks like that. He announces that March 28th is holiday anticipational disorder awareness day and Happy President’s Day.

Kenneth’s Gifts - Kenneth gives Cerie a gift certificate for unlimited hugs. Josh is pissed he didn’t think of that. For Jenna he has a Native American complaint catcher so next time she has a problem she can say it into the catcher instead of telling it to him. That’s about it for that one. Not too exciting. I think the few they give to non-card members are a bit shorter and this must be one of those. Don’t you wish you were me?

Winter Fun - Pete catches Kenneth wearing a Santa hat and playing with a train set as jingle bell sort of sounds are heard in the background. He warns Kenneth about the no Christmas decoration rule. Kenneth insists they’re not Christmas decorations but winter fun decorations since the snowman behind him is an atheist and there’s a golf ball (where baby Jesus should be) in the manger. Pete says all the stuff can stay but only for generic winter fun. After Pete leaves Kenneth turns on a sign behind him that says Christmas is #1.

30 Rock, American Express, Winter Fun Time, Holiday Fun Times, holiday anticipational disorder

In addition to the recent Golden Globe nominations honoring 30 Rock the show has also recently received nominations from the Writer’s Guild of America. The show was nominated for Best Comedy (writers: Brett Baer, Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Dave Finkel, Daisy Gardner, Donald Glover, Matt Hubbard, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Ron Weiner) and for the episode “Negotiation,” written by Matt Hubbard.

Now if there was only some way for the show to be nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony, a Pulitzer, and a Nobel Prize!

30 Rock, Writer’s Guild of America

The Golden Globe nominations were announced last week and to our great delight, 30 Rock received three nominations: for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy; Best Performance by an Actress In a Television Series, Musical or Comedy (Tina Fey, of course), and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy (Alec Baldwin, well duh.) Awese! And what did Tina Fey apparently say upon hearing about her nomination?

I am excited and very grateful to the Hollywood Foreign Press, and I look forward to being the least glamorous person at the Golden Globe Awards.

Aw, Tina! You know your fans don’t expect you to be glamorous. I dare say that we might be a little disappointed if you went glamorous on us. We expect you to be funky and cool and funny and awesome and, yes, hot. Which you are, every time we see you on TV.

In other Golden Globe/30 Rock news, Alec Baldwin is offering to save the broadcast in the light of the current writer’s strike. See, as long as the writer’s strike is still in full swing, there is no one to write the oh so funny jokes we typically see in award show broadcasts. And with the writer’s strike, there is definitely no chance that someone will finally write some damn funny jokes for the first time in the history of awards shows. So this doesn’t leave much for the actual awards show television airing — just handing out the awards would get boring after a while, I guess. But Alec Baldwin is saving the day by offering to host the awards in his Manhattan apartment:

(From the Huffington Post)

Barring any imminent settlement of the WGA strike, the 2007 Golden Globe Awards will be held at my apartment on the Westside of Manhattan this year. I have cleared all of this with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The HFPA makes only one simple request and that is that you pre-order your meal selection NO LATER than Friday, January 4th, 2008.

The choices are as follows:

1) Tuna Salad, whitefish salad or egg salad (choice of one)

2) Ham, turkey, bologna, swiss cheese (choice of two)

3) Potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw (choice of two)

4) Pickles, relish, mustard, mayo, rye bread…all complimentary.

5) Beverages are as follows: Liter of red or white wine or 6 (six) cold bottles of Amstel (promotional) complimentary.

All other cocktails will be cash bar. (Sprite, Coke, Strawberry YooHoo and Diet Peach Snapple are complimentary)

Please e-mail your food order and e-mail your clip for the show to: TheglobesareatAlecs@AlecBaldwin.com

A quick Red Carpet, hosted by Radioman, will be held at the parking lot of Tavern on the Green before we are all shuttled to my apartment building. ‘Round…5:30-ish? Sound okay?

Looking forward to seeing you all on January 13th at my place.

What? A cash bar? Who would have thought Alec Baldwin would be so cheap. Although maybe celebrities are just as bad as college students when it comes to sucking up free liquor. (I remember my grad school days when a bunch of my fellow classmates got kicked out of a professor’s party after her husband caught them getting into his good vodka. I was never I vodka drinker.) But I will say that six cold bottles of Amstel Light sounds pretty good. I just hope the whole thing gets filmed for a Very Special Episode of MTV’s Cribs.

30 Rock, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Golden Globes

30 Rock and American Express are running a bunch of 30-second skits on the nbc.com/30rock site for card members called Holiday Fun Times. But don’t fret my gentle reader. If you’re not a card member, here’s a recap of all the skits on the site so far.

Secret Rodney

“Coming up Holiday Fun times from American Express” says Mr. NBC Announcer guy. “Anything else is a lump of coal,” replies an elf that looks a lot like Buck Henry.

Kenneth asks Pete if he can organize the secret Santa gift swap. Pete shoots him down since not everyone celebrates Christmas. Josh celebrates Hanukkah and Jenna celebrates The Secret. Instead Kenneth presents the first ever “Christmas Rodney, the first annual non-denominational (Christmas) gift exchange. Turns out no one is interested anyway. Wha-Whaaaaa.

Kenneth’s Surprise

Kenneth runs up with a Secret Santa box and explains the rules but it’s a bit different. It seems whoever’s name you pick has to buy you a present. Sweet. Jenna gets Kenneth and asks to trade since she got someone lame - Kenneth. Turns out all the names are Kenneth. Again, Wha-Whaaaa!

Kenneth’s Wish List

Kenneth appears before a camera to gift Santa his wish however it’s his secret Rodney list because of the whole non-denominational thing. Damn Sheinhardt Wig Company and they’re rules! Kenneth wants a hip replacement for his grandma, an autographed picture of James Vanderbeek and last but not least for every person he’s ever met to be happy…oh and a talking dog that solves mysteries.

Kenneth then takes the camera to the TGS set. He encounters Frank and Jenna kind of being asses until they realize it’s for Secret Rodney. Jenna wants all the orphans in the world to have a meal so they can feel like humans and Frank wants his collection of Stacked Rack magazines back that were ruined in a flood at his apartment. How sentimental. And Kenneth decides that’s a good time to cut.

James Vanderbeek, 30 Rock, American Express, Buck Henry, Holiday Fun Times

Cold opening: Jack is in his office (which is decorated for the holidays) when Liz comes in to wish him a Merry Christmas before they break for the holidays. Wait, TV shows get a holiday break, just like in school? I’m in the wrong career. He gives her a Christmas present: a new photo scanner/paper shredder (from GE, of course!) Won’t people just end up shredding their pictures by accident? Yeah, I need one of those for “scanning” my old prom photos.

Frank wheels a big cart filled with various bottles of booze into the writer’s room, already making a pre-apology for all the offensive things he is about to do at the office LucaChristmas Party and offering pre-forgiveness to his coworkers for when they leave him passed out by the elevator. I thank the fates that my office holiday party is over lunch and that we can’t drink because I’m sure my coworkers would just leave me in the parking lot. Everyone is cheering and is totally psyched about the party, especially Cerie who is hoping Frank will reprise is “horny Santa” gag from last year. I guess Frank isn’t gay for Jamie anymore.

Back in Jack’s office, he asks Liz if she has big plans for the holidays. Her family is coming! Yay, we get to meet more Lemons! They are going to see Jersey Boys! Jack can’t understand why Liz isn’t stressed out over her family’s eminent arrival. Her family hasn’t argued since Carter left office! Jack has invited his mother to join him from Florida but she is stranded due to Hurricane Zapato. He points to the big TV on the wall, showing the weather channel, amused the the eye of the storm seems to be right over his mother’s house. So much for paralyzing Irish guilt. He’s going to drive up to Vermont and surprise C.C. ….. or he would be, if Jonathan hadn’t just announced that Jack’s mother had taken a bus to Atlanta and talked Jet Blue into taking a ticket from Amtrak. Damn, she’s good! Jack’s mother is disappointed that Jack is still in the same office, since he is up for that promotion and all. Maybe he should let that dream die. I think Jack should start drinking, pronto. Jack’s mom greets Liz, insults Jack’s girlfriend, insults Liz and gets passive aggressive about her coat, all in the span of about 2.3 seconds. I want to call my Mom and tell her I love her.

Credits. Boop de boop. I love that head turn Jack does, although it seems completely out of character for him.

Next we get one of those AmEx commercials designed to look like part of the show. I don’t get paid to recap those. Moving on!

Liz and Jenna enter the writer’s room and Jenna pretends she didn’t realize tonight was LudaChristmas, except she is totally wearing a slinky dress under her coat. You got us good, Jenna. Liz says she isn’t going to the party because her parents and her brother Mitch are in town. Her brother Mitch has Trauma Induced Niveaphasia — he is stuck in 1985, the day before his senior class skiing trip. I would not want to be trapped in my senior year, hence the desire to shred my prom photos. We get a flashback to meet Mitch (Andy Richter)!

Kenneth the Page comes in to deliver presents from the parent company, Sheinhard Wigs. More photo shredders! Everyone throws them away, but Kenneth is appalled that no one has any Christmas spirit. No one understands Christmas. Just then a stripper arrives, there to have Christmas mints eaten off her body. She appears also to have tuberculosis. I hope they got a discount for that.
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So in lieu of no more 30 Rock episodes being produced, the folks who make lists have made more lists. In fact, nothing says end of the year like lists. VH-1’s entire December programing schedule is, what? Yes, lists!

30 Rock has graced the tres place on TV Guide writer Matt Roush’s Top Ten Shows of 2007. Says Roush:

30 Rock
The funniest show too few are watching, and easily the most inspired comedy airing anywhere on TV, NBC’s gloriously wacky and sharply written satire goes behind the scenes of a dysfunctional comedy series where corporate lunacy reigns. Tina Fey is terrific as the frazzled and forlorn showrunner/den mother, and there’s true genius in Alec Baldwin’s career-high craftiness as her hilariously inscrutable boss.

Rock on sister, or er, brother. We agree. C’mon smart people it’s ok to watch TV. Really, there’s lots of good stuff on. Don’t be afraid, come towards the light, get tivo, grow an extra ass. Seriously, TV is the new film. Or maybe we just haven’t seen very many good films this year. But we do love us some Dexter and I did watch most of the Ken Burn’s seven-part documentary about World War II called, The War (despite Lori calling me a nerd whenever I put it on).
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Do you like lists? I like lists. I’m not sure why, maybe I just enjoy organization. And I do like “best of” lists, especially when I know, watch, eat, listen to, read, drive, wear, or own whatever is on that list. Maybe that is insecurity or the desire for a sense of superiority or whatever. (I am cool! I am all about what is current and hot and must-have!)

And here’s a list I can feel some of that smugness about: Time magazine has published a series of lists, aptly called the “50 Top 10 Lists of 2007.” This includes lists in general categories News, Arts & Entertainment, Science, Business, Tech & Sports, and Pop Culture.

Why am I telling you all this, my dear and lovely Watching 30 Rock readers? You all are so smart (not to mention hot, rich, and famous) that I’m sure you already know: because 30 Rock is listed as #3 on Time’s list of the Top Ten Returning TV Series. Yeah! We’ve all known it for a while and I’m glad that the show is getting a little more mainstream attention and kudos. Here is what Time has to say about the show:
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Yesterday, Lori questioned Tina Fey as to the where abouts of one Rachel Dratch.

But just because Rachel Dratch is no longer Tina Fey’s partner in crime, doesn’t mean she’s just hanging around the 30 Rock set hoping to be cast as a Hispanic maid or crazy cat lady. No, Dratch is out in the world doin’ stuff. We’ve been able to keep a close watch on what Dratch is up to thanks to her blog. Unfortunately, said blog is very sparsely updated so we know she’s been out supporting writers and protesting on the street. We also know she’s been spending a lot of time on cute overload which we can dig since absurd cuteness is drastically underrated in society.

So Rachel Dratch, please update your blog more regularly, or at least tell us your favorite cute overload moment. We particularly like the cat that shoves itself into a vase. Good times.

Rachel Dratch, Cute Overload

Dear Tina Fey,

Okay, I first want to tell you that we have really, really been enjoying season two of 30 Rock so far. Funny, funny stuff and if I tried to quote back everything we have loved then we would be here for a while. But our favorite episode so far is probably “Cougars” because Frank was gay for Jamie. Gay for Jamie! I hope this comes up again, even briefly, because we totally love Gay-For-Jamie-Frank.

But that’s not why I am writing to you tonight. I am writing because I have a question. It might be a litle uncomfortable but I am going to be direct. Even if it is a little awkward. Tina Fey, where is Rachel Dratch? We are seven episodes into season two and we haven’t seen her at all, not one cameo, not even one glimpse in a crowd scene. Just what is up with that? No need for the cat wrangler? The blue dude? Elizabeth Taylor? Barbara F’n Walters? Come on, Tina Fey!
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Cold Opening. Jack and CC (Edie Falco) are making out in his office. She’s concerned but Jack squashes that since those creative types are easily distracted….btw, look how cute my dog is sleeping on the couch!

OK, obvious joke, but isn’t she adorable??!! Anyway, Jack and CC are making out but she’s worried about how much time she’s spending with Jack since she’s trying to sue his parent company. And in walks Liz who tries to shield herself from the lip-locky carnage with a folder. Jack covers quickly by introducing CC as Lakeshia Gutierrez Arafat. (did I spell that right?). Liz doesn’t seem fooled by that and makes a smooth, quick exit, “Lemon Out!”

Frank enters the writer’s room wearing a Harvard sweatshirt. He’s entitled since he performed stand-up there over the weekend but Toofer doesn’t think so. “You do not want to make a Harvard man angry.” And everyone laughs.

Jack is waiting for Liz in her office and reveals to Liz that CC and he are lovers. Liz doesn’t like to hear the word “lover” unless it’s in between the words “meat” and “pizza.” I’m kind of with her there. I’ve been with Lori for over four years and if she called me her lover I’d pretend like I didn’t speak English. Not really, but it’s kind of a yucky word that makes your brain automatically think of the two (or three) people it describes in some foul sex act. Meat and pizza doing it, good, your parents.. BAD!

Anyway, Liz knows CC is suing the company (mainly Sheinhardt wig company) for turning some kids orange…kind of like Michael Kors but with more hair and less flambalatory attitude. Jack is torn because the corporation has a very strict “bros before hos policy.” Liz recognizes that Jack is really into CC and he acknowledges it’s serious, serious enough to hold a dinner party so his friends can meet her. He invites Liz to attend but wants her to be discreet and not dress like a “small town lesbian.” You know, this is just how my family reacted to me after I came back from Missouri for Thanksgiving.

Jenna comes in and announces to the team that they’ve won an award. Well not really, but she’s won a best actress in a movie based on a musical based on a movie for the film version of Mystic Pizza the Musical. Tracy comes in and is less than thrilled by the 3.6 seconds of attention Jenna is getting for her award. “It’s going to be one of those weeks,” says Pete. Pete!

Liz runs some recon with Tracy to see what’s bugging him. He’s bugged because everyone wins awards but him and he feels like a big ol’ failure. Liz says she forgot to tell him that he’s getting a Lifetime Achievement award from the Pacific Rim Emmy’s. Heh, Rim. Tracy is psyched since he loves Japanese culture especially Godzilla.

Liz instructs Pete to make Tracy a Pacific Rim Emmy (soder some moons onto a basketball trophy). Jenna is amazed at how Liz panders to Tracy to make him happy but is bummed she doesn’t get that kind of treatment. Liz insists Jenna is her rock and doesn’t need to be pandered to.

Frank tourments Toofer some more dressed in full Harvard gear and even has a Cygnet pin on his pants (it should be on his jacket), Toofer angry!

Tracy wants to know when he’s going to Japan to accept his Emmy but Liz tells him the show is tonight. Tracy told his kids they could watch his dad get an award. Liz says she’ll set something up and Tracy wants Liz, Jenna and Josh there to watch him accept his accolade. Jenna scolds Liz for rewarding Tracy’s bad behavior and insists she gives him anything he wants. Uh-oh.
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Interested in an inside glimpse of the Saturday Night Live studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza? Brian Williams (NBC Nightly News host and recent SNL host) gives you a look on this brief 30 Rock tour. No appearances from Tina Fey or the rest of the cast (or even any cast members from SNL) but interesting nonetheless.

So after you are done looking at that picture of Mr. Williams being all serious and journalistic, click the smaller picture of him below for an occasionally snarky video tour of part of 30 Rock. Mr. Williams, make a guest appearance on 30 Rock! You seem cool!

'Early Nightly': Touring 30 Rock

30 Rock, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Brian Williams, SNL, Saturday Night Live, SNL Studio Tour