A good rule of thumb when it comes to 30 rock is the bigger the star, the weaker the episode. In its third goround, 30 rock often feels too listless to maintain that fragile dynamic, and by the time the cast of 80s legal comedy night court shows up in one episode, its hard not to. From season 3, episode 2 believe in the stars, liz asks oprah winfrey for advice when they. Alec baldwin, tina fey, jane krakowski and jack mcbrayer joined host tracy morgan as he flashed back to a special 2012 episode of 30 rock. The episode was written by coshowrunner and executive producer robert carlock and directed by beth mccarthymiller. Criss and liz decide to celebrate valentines day, but they need to buy a dining room table first. And mocking things to make social statements is what comedians do.
Jack worries that the situation has gone out of control, but liz assures him that oprah, who is coming to the studios, will be able to make them come to terms. Inspired by tonights episode of 30 rock, i decided to write this recap live instead of prewriting it like i usually do. What makes the 30 rock christmas episodes work so well is a double fakeout of holiday spirit. Watch all of the official clips from the series, the funniest moments and recurring jokes, and follow the adventures of the tgs crew of misfits. But in its defense, that is the binary american television prefers regardless of what the census says about how this country looks.
Liz tina fey and avery convince jack alec baldwin to come clean about things that hes been keeping from his mother guest star elaine stritch when. Its also pretty racist to assume this was written by white writers. Talking revolutionary comedy, tina fey and that blackface episode with 30 rock s toofer. Jack on tuxedos like many shows, 30 rock was a little slow out of the gate. Aug 08, 2018 tracey and jenna conduct a social experiment. Tv talk 30 rock christmas attack zone 120910 by djariya at 20101209 synopsis. Lutz mindlessly stacking and restacking empty cardboard boxes as hes questioned by jenna and tracy is the minute, studied humor that 30 rock does so well. Mark herring and the grey zones of blackface the atlantic. Jack entertains his motherinlaw, diana, as jenna frantically looks to pete to fill in lastminute as the producer of her first live performance on americas kidz got singing.
In believe in the stars, jeffrey tries to mediate the disagreement that jenna and tracy are having over the video game. The 30 rock moments you should never forget the atlantic. Oct 22, 2017 this is the official youtube channel for 30 rock. It was written by 30 rock producers dylan morgan, paula pell, and josh siegal. It wasnt the right choice for the show to make then and its even more shocking to think nbc allowed it. Theres an episode in season three where jenna and tracy are arguing about if its. Dealing with life in a studio at nbcs 30 rockefeller plaza the title is a shortening of that, the show centers around liz lemon, played by saturday night liv. A friend of mine expressed outrage over jenna s use of blackface on 30 rock s christmas attack zone and while i understand that blackface is awful and something we, as a society, should be passed by now, i find this to be a little hypocritical, as i know he has been a fan of the show for a while. On thursday nights episode of 30 rock, the show took the. The best of jenna maroney and paul lastname 30 rock. Created by tina fey, the series follows the lives of the head writer of the girlie show with tracy jordan tgs, liz lemon tina fey, the other staff members of tgs, and their network executive, jack donaghy alec baldwin. Okay, so technically it was a 2015 skit parodying a 2012. From season 3, episode 2 believe in the stars, liz asks oprah winfrey for advice when they are seated next to. Her introduction as jenna s jane krakowski florida panhandle conartist mom verna is a good place to start.
Liz tries to adjust to her stayathome lifestyle while criss works. Her introduction as jenna s jane krakowski florida panhandle conartist mom verna is a good place to. This episode sets up one of the greatest arcs of 30 rock. If youre a fan of 30 rock, you are well aware that some of their best episodes happen to be their christmas specials. Believe in the stars is the second episode of the third season of the american television comedy series 30 rock. Jan 31, 20 the 30 rock moments you should never forget. The best of jenna maroney and paul lastname 30 rock episode highlight clip 100319 liz lemons disastrous adoption evaluation 30 rock episode highlight. In one of the most excellent examples of 30 rocks hilariously executed messages on societal racial prejudice and its rejection of white guilt, the live episode in season six played on old tv tropes. Jan 31, 20 jack on tuxedos like many shows, 30 rock was a little slow out of the gate. This is the second episode of the third season of 30 rock and as of this moment, this episode is the greatest episode of this series to grace our screen.
Because 30 rock may have been just about the most clipfriendly sitcom of our time it was never a show for political correctness, propriety, or even sanity, and it was. She lets him know that she has to go to chicago for jury duty she never changed her residency because she wanted to vote. The west coast audience of 30 rocks live show got brian williams as a. As far as the offcolor jokes on this sitcom go, this is probably the most egregious. On an episode of 30 rocka sitcom with a sensibility directly channeling the demarest sensibilitythe jenna maroney character dresses as a black football player and her costume includes brown. Typically, an episode begins with the saccharine tv. Then came 30 rock, an extraordinarily ambitious show that featured a character named toofer on account of being black and a harvard alum, an entire episode centered around jenna. Every episode of 30 rock ranked film school rejects. The best of jenna maroney and paul lastname 30 rock episode highlight.
Jon hamm and tracy morgan in blackface sketch video 30 rock thu. It was directed by beth mccarthymiller, and cowritten by series creator tina fey and coshowrunner and executive producer robert carlock. Live show is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the american television comedy series 30 rock, and the 84th episode overall. Which joke on 30 rock would be the most controversial if was. When liz arrives back at the 30 rock studios, tracy is dressed in female drag with his body covered in white makeup and soon after, jenna enters in blackface and male drag. The episode featured nbc page kenneth jack mcbrayer educating the cast and crew of the fictional tgs with tracy jordan about their home, studio 6h. So grab your night cheese and try to refrain from lizzing while you read our ranking of the 30 rock christmas episodes 4. Created by tina fey, the series follows the lives of the head writer of the girlie show with tracy jordan tgs, liz lemon tina fey, the other staff members of tgs, and their network executive, jack donaghy alec baldwin 30 rock was a critical success, winning several major awards including primetime emmy awards. Considering this live, studio audienceenhanced episode is the second of. Still not a bad episode, but writers squeezed in one too many storylines into secret santa for it to be a top contender. Its the character of jenna jane krakowski who utters the. Which joke on 30 rock would be the most controversial if. Into the crevasse is the second episode of the fourth season of the american television comedy series 30 rock, and the 60th overall episode of the series. But 30 rock pluralized blackandwhite so there were suddenly blacknesses and whitenesses.
Fey and carlock wrote the episode, but theres a team of writers that worked on 30 rock including donald glover. This is not the first time jenna has worn blackface. Liz sits next to oprah on her flight from chicago to new york, tracy and jenna conduct a social experiment to settle a dispute, and kenneth is disillusioned. There was also jon hamm in blackface to demonstrate, as kenneth the page tells it, how nbc used to do sitcoms. As season five of tgs begins, liz and carol are forced to confront their relationship, jack and avery battle over home decorating, jenna becomes a tgs producer, and tracy struggles with life at 30 rock without kenneth. So grab your night cheese and try to refrain from lizzing while you read our ranking of the 30 rock christmas episodes. The episode originally aired live on the nbc television network in the united states on april 26, 2012, with separate tapings for the east coast and west coast audiences. Jenna reconnected with paul, after they mutually decided to dress up as the black swan for the new queers eve bash she in blackface as lynn swan, he as natalie portman in her new film. Youd kill me if i told you how the show works oprah winfrey in as a prominent guest star, so i. Mar, 2015 then came 30 rock, an extraordinarily ambitious show that featured a character named toofer on account of being black and a harvard alum, an entire episode centered around jenna maroneys. Argus is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the american television comedy series 30 rock, and the 77th overall episode of the series.
Ranking the 30 rock christmas episodes the geekiverse. Aug 17, 2019 as far as the offcolor jokes on this sitcom go, this is probably the most egregious. Sep 02, 2017 this is the official youtube channel for 30 rock. For this reason, liz lemon is widely seen by critics as a. Nov 06, 2008 this is the second episode of the third season of 30 rock and as of this moment, this episode is the greatest episode of this series to grace our screen. Elizabeth miervaldis liz lemon is the fictional protagonist of the american situation comedy 30 rock. She is portrayed by tina fey, who is also the creator of the series and its show runner. Et on nbc aired its second live episode thursday night. A friend of mine expressed outrage over jenna s use of blackface on 30 rocks christmas attack zone and while i understand that blackface is awful and something we, as a society, should be passed by now, i find this to be a little hypocritical, as i know he has been a fan of the show for a while. Buonopane later guest starred in the episodes cutbacks and jackie jormpjomp. Even so, pam engages tracy and jenna in a hearttoheart, and manages to settle their differences. Jenna appears in blackface and sings ease on down the road from the wiz.
Talking revolutionary comedy, tina fey and that blackface episode with 30 rocks toofer. Its incredibly hilarious, politicalsavvy, and it features the greatest guest star to be in this show yet, and that is oprah winfrey who successfully lampoons herself. Jon hamm mad men shows up in blackface to as kenneth. Indeed, with a slightly patchy pilot which had already been reshot once when the network recast original jenna. Apr 15, 2012 30 rock jenna s political identity episode highlight duration. The shows final episode will air january 31st, so for jack, liz, tracy, jenna and kenneth, for grizz and for dotcom, too, these are the end times.
Jenna appears in blackface and sings ease on down the road from the wiz knight rider 1982 tv series. The episode originally aired on the national broadcasting company nbc network in the united states on november 6, 2008. And so it has been for 30 rock just shy of the seasons midpoint, the final episode of 2010 seems like as good a time as any to pause and reflect upon how this year has been marked by a. Consequently my favorite 30 rock guest stars are the lowtomidlevel likes of david schwimmer, carrie fisher and tim conway while superduperdoublemegastars like oprah and seinfeld appeared in merely solid episodes.
Jack donaghy season 7, episode 6 of 30 rock or get episode details on. For the live episode in season six, 30 rock played on old television tropes. On thursdays episode, fey put jenna, whos played by jane krakowski, in blackface for the second time, and i nearly died laughing. Jenna maroney and her knock off janis joplin biopic thats just different variations on her name. Tina fey and 30 rock persistently touch the third rail that is blackface. Not only did 30 rock show jenna donning blackface once, but the joke was carried out in more than one episode featuring other characters. Knight rider 1982 tv series jack tells tyler brody that he can be the voice of. Jan 31, 20 as everyone continues to mourn the end of 30 rock tonight, we wanted to take a look back at some of the shows ballsiest clips. Apr 24, 2017 30 rock dons blackface for black swan 30 rock is never afraid to push boundaries, as evidenced by jane krakowski and will forte dressing up as natalie portman and lynn swann, complete with.
In a 2010 episode, jenna maroney donned blackface to look. In a 2010 episode, jenna maroney donned blackface to look like football player lynn swann while her boyfriend dressed as natalie portmans. Tracy in drag was an acquired taste that only frank seemed to appreciate. Jenna was singing tunes from the wiz in blackface, while tracy had donned white makeup, a blond wig, and a monster claw. The 38th overall episode of the series was written by executive producer robert carlock and directed by series producer don scardino.