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Many people say that 30 Rock has lost its edge, but this episode was yet further proof (as if it needed any…) that it’s still THE best written comedy on TV, and has been remarkably consistent. I don’t understand why people think otherwise; I feel like people have an almost robotic, conditioned response to automatically hate on a TV show after its third or fourth season.
Seriously, name a show with better jokes and one-liners?
ReplyCopy URLMany people say that 30 Rock has lost its edge, but this episode was yet further proof (as if it needed any…) that it’s still THE best written comedy on TV, and has been remarkably consistent. I don’t understand why people think otherwise; I feel like people have an almost robotic, conditioned response to automatically hate on a TV show after its third or fourth season.
Seriously, name a show with better jokes and one-liners?
I agree with this! Although…I think it has more to do with the number of awards, than the number of seasons. After the show won its third Comedy Series Emmy, people suddenly began hating on the show (and this was before season 4 began)
Anyway, I thought this episode was great. It wasn’t the most laugh-filled, but I thought the situations and meta commentary was enough for 30 minutes of television. (Paul Ryan dropping out of the race was so weird…I wonder where they’ll go with that!) And the return of Cooter (one of my favorite guest stars from the show) just made me really giddy. (“Ow.”) But, hey, these writers can’t please everyone…
I’m about to watch it again!
ReplyCopy URLThis was an inspired episode. It’s ridiculous that Robert Carlock doesn’t have a writing Emmy by now. The metaness going on here with Tracy Morgan’s Govenor Dunston standing in for Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin and all of those “SNL” sendups couldn’t have been better. I’m glad the show stuck around long enough to do this too, or at least to another election cycle. And all of this VP talk airing on the night of the Biden/Ryan debates? That’s priceless. “[Joe Biden] is so amazing. He rides trains.” Tina Fey has her first tape submission possibility, if for her “organizational orgasm” scene alone. Alec Baldwin was on it like always. And my God, Tracy Morgan has a tape too. “There are nine types of legitimate rape.” LoL! Matthew Broderick was fun to see again. He was better here than he was the first time in “Cooter.” “Ow.” “After 2008, I went back to being a lobbyist. You know, just hanging out in hotel lobbies.” What can I say about Jane Krakowski’s greatness at this point? “Balls, balls, balls, balls, balls.” “You look like someone’s been slowly poisoning Sally Field.” LoL! You know there would have been people who would have bought that song off of I-Tunes (maybe not rent the video from Blockbuster though). Catherine O’Hara and Bryan Cranston were great as Kenneth’s family. It would have been nice to see more of them. I can see both of them getting Emmy nods. Cranston more than O’Hara maybe, but after the inexplicable Margaret Cho nomination, anyone’s fair game I guess. It’s weird to me seeing Cranston with hair. This, the Emmys, “Argo,” etc. Walter White is so ingrained on my consciousness at this point that I expect Cranston to be bald with a harsh goatee and Heisenberg pork pie hat at all times. Didn’t like James Marsden’s new buzz cut though. When that’s the worst thing I can say about an episode, I know I have a winner on my hands. And speaking about the backlash talk for a minute, that’s standard protocol for most older shows around here. I think people would have backlashed the “Arrested Development” if it had stuck around for this long, and I’m expecting some sort of backlash anyway if this new reboot doesn’t instantly match the high expectations people have for the show’s return. It’s par for the course really, and it’s too bad that those same people aren’t seeing how great “30 Rock” can still be in these later years. Same for “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” That show did some incredible work in its EIGHTH season, and no awards body gave them their proper due for it either. I see the same fate happening for “30 Rock” at the Emmys next year too even if the final episodes are outstanding, but whatever. At least it has its three deserved comedy series Emmys.
Some other gems tonight that got me in the gut:
“NBC.com got 100 hits today.” (Muahahahaha!)
“[Joe Biden] is so amazing. He rides trains.“
“Ron writes songs.” [Kenneth: “About being a loser?”] “Some of ’em.”
“If we print it out in Landscape, it’ll take it all.” (gotta love a good MS Word joke when they rarely come around)
“Money’s been tight ever since the market crashed on our home.”
“You’re supposed to say brava to women.”
“I’ll have my Jews on you so fast you’ll think you’re an Asian girl.”
“Does this song make you wanna doooooooooooo it? YOU’RE WELCOME!”
“You’re Glen, and I’m Sally.” (“Mad Men” 4-EVA!)
“Hey, where do you think you are, OFFICE-MAX?”Grade for “Governor Dunston”: A
ReplyCopy URLThis episode was genius. Wow. This final season is shaping up to be as terrific as ever.
No surprise that it was written by Tina Fey. This is definitely submisson material for the comedy writing award. I’ll be shocked if it isn’t nominated.
Also potential tape material for Alec Baldwin. And maybe Tina and Jane too.
I’m not going to even attempt listing all the great things about this episode.
A+
ReplyCopy URLThere were some things that bothered me about this episode, but in general it was still very good. The best part for me was either the Sex and the City parody or Jenna’s ridiculous storyline. I kind of wish they would have treated Jenna this way years ago when the show was at its Emmy height so Krakowski could win her own.
ReplyCopy URLI thought this was another great episode. True, I’m on board for pretty much anything with Ryan Lochte, but I thought the whole thing worked well. The Sex and the City ending with Liz was great, and some of the jokes are so well timed. When Grizz says to Tracy, “Well that went well,” and Tracy says that’s exactly the kind of button a woman couldn’t come up with, it was right after the writing credit for Tina Fey rolled. I love how they do that. Lots of hilarious moments, but my favorite was Jenna’s line about not wanting to get into a push-up contest with Julie Bowen to see who gets to play Kevin James’s mean wife who he doesn’t want to have sex with anymore. Funny and totally on-point.
ReplyCopy URLLots of hilarious moments, but my favorite was Jenna’s line about not wanting to get into a push-up contest with Julie Bowen to see who gets to play Kevin James’s mean wife who he doesn’t want to have sex with anymore. Funny and totally on-point.
My favorite moment as well. Jane Krakowski is phenomenal. Give that woman an Emmy already.
All storylines worked tremendously here. Not least because Tracy and Kenneth weren’t the center of any of them.I want Ryan Lochte as my sex idiot too…
ReplyCopy URLFun episode with Jack’s “The Great Escape” antics (Nina Arianda, yay!) and Liz trying to prove to Tracy that women are indeed funny. That seems to be a going thing in the news lately, so Tina Fey getting a chance to have her say was needed. Ryan Lochte’s “sex idiot” scenes were fun (I didn’t watch him at the Olympics, but I’ve seen some of his interviews, and yikes, the guy’s dumb as a brick). Loved the “Sex and the City” parody of course (the ballerina dress, the puns, the screen typing, etc.) and Jenna angling for her “Gerichair: America’s number one motorized stair-climber” endorsement. Jane Krakowski is truly a treasure. As much as I’ll miss pretty much everyone on “30 Rock,” I have a sinking feeling that Krakowski won’t land her next gig as easily as let’s say Alec Baldwin or Tina Fey will, and remember that those two have multiple Emmys to their credit and she sadly has none for years of excellent work. Sad reality of things, but oh well. You have your Tony win, at least!
Grade for “Stride of Pride”: B+
ReplyCopy URLThe episode was clever at points, but I wish they wouldn’t get so political sometimes, because it’s just gonna make the episode seem dated when we look back at it in a few years/syndication etc.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the Jenna parts, and it looks like they are setting up the next episode to be a great showcase for her. I hope it’s tape material for Jane Krakowski!
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