30 Rock

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This article is about the TV series. For the skyscraper located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, see GE Building.
30 Rock
The 30 Rock title card.
GenreSituation comedy
Created byTina Fey
StarringTina Fey
Tracy Morgan
Jane Krakowski
Jack McBrayer
Scott Adsit
Judah Friedlander
Alec Baldwin
Katrina Bowden
Keith Powell
Lonny Ross
ComposerJeff Richmond
Country of origin United States United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes31 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersLorne Michaels
Tina Fey
Joann Alfano
Marci Klein
David Miner
ProducersJerry Kupfer
Jeff Richmond
Production locationsNew York City New York City, New York, USA
EditorsDoug Abel, A.C.E
Camera setupSingle camera
Running time20-25 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 11, 2006

30 Rock is a multiple award-winning American television comedy series about the goings on behind the camera of the fictional live sketch comedy series, TGS with Tracy Jordan.[1] 30 Rock is set inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Although set inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the headquarters of NBC, interior scenes are filmed at Silvercup Studios in New York City.[2]

The show was created by former Saturday Night Live head writer and performer Tina Fey, who stars and has written numerous episodes, including the pilot episode. Fey is also one of the show's executive producers.

Fey portrays Liz Lemon, the head writer of TGS and the show's protagonist. Other important characters include her oily boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), TGS's erratic, mentally unstable star Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) and Liz's celebrity seeking best friend Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski), who is also part of the cast of TGS. The supporting cast of 30 Rock includes Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell, Scott Adsit as Pete Hornberger and Judah Friedlander as Frank Rossitano. At the beginning of season two, Katrina Bowden as Cerie Xerox[3], Keith Powell as James "Toofer" Spurlock, and Lonny Ross as Josh Girard also became series regulars, after being recurring characters in season one.[4]

In the show's first year, the series averaged a low 5.8 million viewers according to the Nielsen Ratings.[5] Despite this, it managed to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.[6] In her acceptance speech, Fey jokingly thanked "our dozens and dozens of viewers" for supporting the program.[7]

Overview

See also: List of 30 Rock episodes

Typically, the main story arc in each episode centers on Liz and her attempts to steer the show through one crisis or another while she struggles with her social life. 30 Rock typically features Liz and TGS's producer Pete Hornberger as the "straight" or "sane" ones who must deal with the show's cast of eccentric characters.

Its titular setting is a fictional version of the headquarters of General Electric subsidiary NBC. It is based on the real life National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Episodes tend to be set more-or-less around the time that they air (for example, the date is given as January 17, 2007 in "The Head and the Hair", which aired on January 18). 30 Rock also contains frequent references to contemporary events. For example, when Liz became obsessed with firing her romantic rival in "The Fighting Irish", she and Pete discussed Lisa Nowak's attack on Colleen Shipman. In addition, many references have been made to the approaching United States 2008 presidential elections. Also, in the episode, "Somebody to Love", a reference was made to the WGA strike, which was ongoing at the time, although the strike has apparently not affected the show's fictional writers.

Like the other sitcoms in NBC's Thursday-night lineup, 30 Rock uses a single-camera setup and does not have a laugh track or studio audience.

The series features a jazzy score that heightens comical moments. The music is composed by Fey's husband Jeff Richmond, who is also a producer for 30 Rock. Five short original songs have been featured in episodes, three of which were performed by Jane Krakowski and another performed by Tina Fey and Jason Sudeikis. The show has also covered three versions of already released or traditional songs.

Unlike most television shows set in New York City, 30 Rock is actually filmed in the city. Although establishing shots of 30 Rock are often repeated, outdoor scenes are filmed on location at Rockefeller Center or in other parts of New York City. Most of the indoor scenes are filmed at Silvercup Studios in Queens.[2] In the episodes "Cleveland" and "Hiatus", Battery Park City, Manhattan and Douglaston, Queens doubled for Cleveland, Ohio[8] and Needmore, Pennsylvania, respectively.

The first few episodes of season one mainly involved Liz trying to keep Jack from meddling with her show, though as the season progressed, the character of Jack Donaghy became less villainous as the show became more focused on its characters' personal lives. The origin of this shift can be traced to "Jack Meets Dennis" in which Jack decides to "mentor" Liz and she reluctantly agrees when she finds she has no better alternative. By this point, Jack seems to have gained some respect for Liz's writing abilities and has apparently ceased trying to alter TGS. Nevertheless, 30 Rock continues to satirize the commercialism of the television industry.

There have also been a handful of episodes in which Liz instead deals mainly with her own weaknesses and insecurities. Liz's love life is particularly unsuccessful and suitable romantic interests have so far proven to be short-lived. The show's self-awareness of this and other sitcom clichés (alternately avoiding and embracing them) has been one of 30 Rock's hallmarks.[9]

Characters

Although Fey's Liz Lemon is 30 Rock's main character, the show also has an ensemble cast. Fey, Baldwin, and Morgan are the only actors to appear in every episode.

File:30 Rock season 1 epiosode 11.jpg
Liz (Fey) and Jenna (Krakowski) aboard an elevator with the title characters of the episode "The Head and the Hair"
File:30 Rock season 1 epiosode 14.jpg
Tracy (Morgan), Jack (Baldwin) and Kenneth (McBrayer) at a golfing event in "The C Word"
File:Frank, Pete, Toofer, Jenna.png
Frank (Friedlander), Pete (Adsit), "Toofer" (Powell) and Jenna (Krakowski) look as Liz (Fey) is wearing a wedding dress.


  • Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) — The protagonist of the series, Liz is the head writer of TGS. She spends a great deal of time and energy trying to maintain her show's artistic integrity or, at the very least, keep it running. Consequently, she has a very sparse and unsuccessful social life and is especially a failure when it comes to dating.
  • Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) — Jack is Liz's unctuous, business-minded boss and his attempts to commercialize TGS can put him at odds with her. Nevertheless, Jack often looks out for her and he appreciates her creative abilities. Jack's title is "Executive Vice President for East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming" with General Electric.
  • Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) — A popular, unpredictable, low-brow movie star/comedian who is hired, at Jack's insistence, to be the new star of TGS. Tracy seems to be at least mildly insane, but his attempts to maintain his "crazy" image in the public eye go well beyond whatever level of actual mental derangement he suffers from. The other characters often strive to keep him under control.
  • Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) — The female lead of TGS and a long-time friend of Liz. Jenna seems to be considerably less intelligent than Liz and she is often portrayed as being a dumb blonde. Jenna's acting career outside of TGS is implied to not be doing well and she is therefore often on edge. Liz often acts as her rock.
  • Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) — A young Southern-born NBC page at the studio where the show is filmed. Kenneth is not particularly bright, but he is always very cheerful and friendly. He is extremely pleased with his menial job since he loves television so much. His innocence is at times suspect, and in one episode, Jack deadpans: "In five years, we'll either be working for him... or be dead by his hand."
  • Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit) - The show's producer and often Liz's confidant. A friendly-but-not-too-friendly, married-but-not-blind, middle-aged-but-not-at-all-old man, he is the most "normal" and "sane" character on the show.
  • Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander) - A childish, sarcastic and quick-witted writer for the show. He always wears a trucker hat, with a different short phrase in every scene; e.g., "EXTRA CHEESE" OR "1,000,000 POINTS."
  • Cerie (Katrina Bowden) (Season Two-, recurring previously) - A sexy and attractive receptionist for The Girlie Show. Cerie sometimes wears revealing outfits to work, has no interest in television, and is often portrayed as clueless. Her life's ambition is to be a "young hot mom" and "marry rich and then design handbags." One ongoing story arc involves her upcoming marriage to the unseen character Aris.
  • James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell) (Season Two-, recurring previously) - An uptight, strait-laced, sarcastic writer for the show. He generally writes for Tracy, but is constantly at odds with his stereotypical portrayals. Toofer is so named because he is African American and from Harvard, supposedly a "two-for-one" deal.
  • Josh Girard (Lonny Ross) (Season Two-, recurring previously) - A juvenile, not-too-bright actor and writer on the show. Josh is known mostly for his impressions. He was the male star of the show before Tracy was hired.
  • Minor characters - There are many notable recurring characters on the show, principally Dr. Leo Spaceman (Chris Parnell), Jonathan (Maulik Pancholy), Grizz (Grizz Chapman), and Dot Com (Kevin Brown).

Episodes

Main article: List of 30 Rock episodes
Season Ep # First Airdate Last Airdate
Season 1 21 October 11, 2006 April 26, 2007
Season 2 15[10] October 4, 2007 May 8, 2008[10]

Notable guest stars

Main article: List of notable guest stars who have appeared on 30 Rock

Reception

Critical Reception

In its fall 2006 preview of new shows, TV Guide named 30 Rock the best new comedy. After five episodes, Tom Shales of The Washington Post wrote that the series has "consistently and considerably improved since its premiere" and called it "refreshingly bright, sweet and, lest one forget, funny." He described Baldwin's performance as "rare and rich" and a "crazy joy to watch" and declared McBrayer "the show's brightest discovery,"[11] quoting executive producer Lorne Michaels: "We're very high on [McBrayer]. He's obviously the breakout performer on the series. We like him, the network likes him, viewers like him, everybody likes him."

In its 2006 year end issue, Entertainment Weekly listed 30 Rock fourth on a list of ten best "Series of the Year."[citation needed] The show also appeared on similar year end "best of" 2006 lists in the New York Daily News,[citation needed] LA Weekly,[12] and the New York Times.[13] The Associated Press wrote that NBC's "Thursday night comedy block—made up of My Name Is Earl, The Office, Scrubs, and 30 Rock—is consistently the best night of prime time viewing for any network."[14]

On February 28 2007, Tim Goodman in the San Francisco Chronicle called: "30 Rock, the funniest sitcom of the new season and a show that has made a startling creative growth from its pilot to where it is now," adding "30 Rock is not to be missed. [...] this could be the beginning of the next great sitcom."[15]

In its 2007 year end issue, "Entertainment Weekly" again listed "30 Rock" on the list of "Series Of The Year". However, this time, both critics named it the #1 show in all of television.

Time magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 Returning Series of 2007, ranking it at #3.[16]

In 2008, the show's producing team was named Producers of the Year in TV Comedy by the Producers Guild of America.

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of 30 Rock awards and nominations

30 Rock has won and been nominated for a variety of different awards, including ten Primetime Emmy Award nominations for its first season alone. Also in its first season, the show won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

U.S. television ratings

Based on average total viewers per episode of 30 Rock:

Season Timeslot (EDT) Season Premiere Season Finale TV Season Rank Viewers
(in millions) 		18–49 (Rank)
1 Wednesday 8:00 P.M. (October 11, 2006 - November 1, 2006)
Thursday 9:30 P.M. (November 16, 2006 - March 8, 2007)
Thursday 9:00 P.M. (April 5, 2007 - April 26, 2007) 		October 11, 2006 April 26, 2007 2006–2007 #102 5.8 2.7/7 (#74)[5]
2 Thursday 8:30 P.M. (October 4, 2007 - December 6, 2007)
Thursday 9:00 P.M. (December 13, 2007)
Thursday 8:30 P.M. (January 10, 2008 - May 8, 2008[10]) 		October 4, 2007 May 8, 2008[10] 2007–2008 TBA N/A N/A

On December 29 2006, Nielsen Media Research (NMR) reported the results of having, for the first time, monitored viewers who use a digital video recorder to record shows for later viewing. NMR reported that 30 Rock adds nearly 7.5% to its total audience every week as a result of viewers who use a DVR to record the show and then watch it within a week of its initial airing.[17]

A March 2007 report from MAGNA Global, based on NMR data about viewership ranked by among adults 25–54, shows that as of the time of the report 30 Rock's viewers have a median income of $65,000, high enough to place the show tied at 11th in affluence with several other shows. This is during a period where for the season 30 Rock is tied at No. 85 in the 18–49 demographic.[18] As of January 2008, 30 Rock is one of the two most watched television shows with viewers having incomes of $100,000 or more. The other programme is The Office.[19]

Production

Crew

Producers

Executive producers: Tina Fey, Joann Alfano, Marci Klein, David Miner and Lorne Michaels
Co-executive producers: Robert Carlock, Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, Jack Burditt and John Riggi
Supervising producer: Adam Bernstein
Producers: Jerry Kupfer and Jeff Richmond
Co-producers: Irene Burns, Matt Hubbard and Margo Myers

Other Crew

Directors: Don Scardino, Adam Bernstein, Gail Mancuso, Michael Engler and Beth McCarthy
Writing staff: Brett Baer, Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Dave Finkel, Daisy Gardner, Donald Glover, Matt Hubbard, John Riggi, Tami Sagher and Ron Weiner
Original music: Jeff Richmond
Editors: Ken Eluto and Doug Abel
Assistant Editor: Alex Minnick
Cinematographers: Vanja Cernjul, Tom Houghton and Michael Trim
Production designers: Keith Raywood and Teresa Mastropierro
Art direction: Loren Weeks and Fred Kolo
Set decoration: Jennifer Greenberg
Costume designer: Tom Broecker
Casting: Jennifer McNamara
Sound Mixer: Griffin Richardson

Background

Four years before its premiere, Fey pitched the show that would become 30 Rock to NBC as a sitcom about cable news. NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly felt, in the words of Time, that "Fey was using the news setting as a fig leaf for her own experience and [he] encouraged her to write what she knew."[20] The show was subsequently reworked to revolve around an SNL-esque show.

The show underwent several changes during the months leading up to and following its debut. A May 2006 press release mentioned that sketches from The Girlie Show would be made available in their entirety on NBC's broadband website, DotComedy.com.[21] This aspect of the series was abandoned prior to its debut.

Originally, Rachel Dratch, Fey's longtime comedy partner and fellow SNL alumna, was to portray Jenna. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, Krakowski was announced as Dratch's replacement, with Dratch remaining involved in the show playing various characters.[22] Fey attributed the need for the change to the role itself, one Fey called a "straight-ahead acting part" better suited for Krakowski; Fey said she and Dratch "were both very excited about this new direction. [Dratch is] so delightful when she's deep in character and she's going to be playing a range of different characters."[23] "I think it's something that'll help the show be unique. And I think it brings a little sketch sensibility into a show where you're not going to see sketches."[24] An interview with Dratch revealed that she would appear in at least six episodes[25] and confirmed the reason for the change:

I think the big thing was—at least what they told me—that at first they wanted to have more comedy sketches in the show. Then they decided they weren’t going to focus on the sketches, so they needed more of a sitcom actress, as opposed to a character actress....That's the party line, at least—it’s what I can tell my parents![26]

Broadcast history

The changes prior to the debut did not help the show's early ratings. The show's pilot episode attracted 8.13 million viewers, third in its time slot and 58th for the week.[27] The ratings for the second episode entitled "The Aftermath" were down 21 percent.[28]

Although the second episode's ratings were revealed on the same day that NBC announced plans to replace expensive scripted shows in the 8–9pm time slot with reality series and game shows,[29] the network demonstrated an apparent confidence in the series a week later, announcing a new time slot for the show (Thursdays at 9:30pm ET) beginning in November 30 2006,[30] with the episode, "Jack Meets Dennis". The move helped reestablish a two-hour block of comedies on an evening NBC once promoted as Must See TV. NBC had renamed the block Comedy Night Done Right.

The third episode, "Blind Date", attracted 6.01 million viewers, making it 73rd in Nielsen's prime-time television in the U.S.[31] As November sweeps began, the show's fourth episode attracted 4.61 million viewers in its fourth week, making it 85th in Nielsen's prime-time television rankings.[32]

CTV, which had broadcast the first four episodes in Canada,[33] dropped the show effective November 30 2006 after a brief run during which it never entered the BBM Nielsen top 30.[34] CTV later re-added the show to its lineup on Sundays at 8:30pm ET, but moved the show to its secondary A-Channel system for the show's second season.

NBC waited until December 1 2006 to commit to a full season of the show, announcing the commitment the day after the show followed Scrubs for the first time.[35] The 30 November episode drew 6.6 million viewers, nearly a million more than the previously televised episode and 1.5 million fewer viewers that the show's pilot. The episode held around 75% of its lead-in Scrubs' audience.[36] The increase in viewership occurred in spite of the show's new time slot, opposite the second halves of Grey's Anatomy and a repeat of CSI, two of the three most highly-rated scripted series of the November 2006 sweeps.[37] The December 7 2006 episode continued its rise, drawing 6.8 million viewers and attracting its highest 18–49 demographic, that far in it's run, 3.2.[38]

On January 17 2007 NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced that he expected 30 Rock "to return next season"[39]. The episode "The Head and the Hair", competed against new episodes of CSI ("Sweet Jane") and Grey's Anatomy ("Six Days, Part 2") and attracted 5.04 million viewers, the fewest since the beginning of the November 2006 sweeps, and 80th in Nielsen rankings.[40]

On February 2 2007 NBC announced that 30 Rock would take a six-week break after the March 8 episode so the network can test out the new Andy Richter comedy Andy Barker P.I..[41] Andy Barker P.I. was cancelled four weeks after its premiere.[42]

Then on March 12 2007 NBC announced that 30 Rock would return sooner than previously stated.[43] On April 5 30 Rock returned for a 35 minute super-sized episode ("Fireworks") at (8:40pm ET) following a new episode of The Office.[43] The following week 30 Rock moved to its new time at (9:00pm ET), where it finished the rest of the first season. The season finale, "Hiatus", aired on April 26, 2007.[44]

On April 4 2007 it was announced that 30 Rock had been renewed for a full second season of 22 episodes.[45]

The following day (April 5 2007) Reilly explained that despite its modest ratings, the show retained 80% of its lead-in, he notes that the renewal of 30 Rock demonstrates NBC's commitment to the series, plus he added that the decision to move it to the 9PM slot was due to having the show serve as a better lead-in for The Office than Scrubs: "There was some evidence that Scrubs while a qualitatively good match is not demographically necessarily the best flow for the show."[46]

Following some negative publicity in his personal life, Baldwin announced his intentions to leave television the day after 30 Rock's season finale.[citation needed] On June 4 2007, Fey revealed that Baldwin had changed his mind and would be returning for the second season.[47]

On July 19, 2007, 30 Rock earned ten Emmy nominations, the second-most of any comedy series (after Ugly Betty, with eleven), including Best Comedy, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing. It won two Emmy awards on September 16 - Best Comedy Series and for Best Guest Starring Actress in a Comedy series (Elaine Stritch for "Hiatus").[48]

On September 4, 2007, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released 30 Rock - The Complete First Season on Region 1 DVD. The three disc collection includes all twenty-one episodes with subtitles in English and Spanish and with an anamorphic widescreen format.[49] The DVD includes one audio commentary with Fey, as well as others.[50]

The show began its second season on October 4, 2007 with a guest appearance by Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld was criticized as using the appearance as a plug for his upcoming feature film Bee Movie. Seinfeld, NBC and GE stated that this was done as metahumor.[51] The season premiere was viewed by a fourth place 7.38 million viewers [52][53] and a third place, yet series high, 3.4 in the key 18-49 demographic.[53][52]

The show's writers, including Fey, ceased writing new episodes with the advent of the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike on November 5, 2007.[54] Production ended due to lack of scripts on November 9.[55] This was midway through the production of "Episode 210".[56]

On November 19, 2007, in the midst of the writer's strike, the actors staged a live performance[57] of a yet-unaired script at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, a 150-seat black box in the basement of a supermarket, to raise money for the laid-off production assistants of the show. The event was called 30 Rock Live! and featured improvised commercials and a live musical score. The performance was of the then-upcoming episode, "Secrets and Lies", which aired on December 6.[58]

On December 14, 2007 NBC announced that 30 Rock would air their final produced episode on January 10, 2008 so it can start airing Celebrity Apprentice. It was not known at this point whether the show will resume production as the Thursday night schedule didn't list any further airings or reruns[59]. With the Writers Strike settled during the evening of February 12, 2008, it was announced that 30 Rock will resume production, with return to air tentatively scheduled for April 10, 2008. The number of additional episodes will be five, ending the season with 7 episodes short of the ordered amount.[60]

TGS with Tracy Jordan

File:TGS with Tracy Jordan.PNG
The TGS logo.

TGS with Tracy Jordan is the fictitious show-within-a-show attached to the situation comedy 30 Rock. TGS, as it is commonly known, airs weekly on NBC. It is mentioned in several episodes that TGS airs live on Fridays.[61][62]

At the time of the 30 Rock "Pilot", The Girlie Show had been on the air five weeks.[63] The show was named The Girlie Show up until the episode "The Aftermath".[64] The show then starred the fictitious performers Jenna Maroney and Josh Girard. This was until Jack Donaghy was assigned the position of network executive for the show, he encouraged Liz Lemon to hire the "straight up mentally ill" actor Tracy Jordan, he also fired the producer Pete Hornberger, who was later re-hired at Lemon's insistence. The change of adding Tracy Jordan to the cast was unwanted by many, mainly by the show creator-head writer-executive producer Liz Lemon and the main star Jenna Maroney. The Girlie Show was later renamed TGS with Tracy Jordan much to Liz Lemon's protest.[64]

The show is loosely based on the NBC sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live.

TGS is filmed live, on Fridays in Studio 6H inside of GE headquarters, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Liz Lemon won an emmy for her work on TGS.[65]

Similarities to other media

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Two shows debuting on 2006–07 NBC lineup, 30 Rock and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, revolved around the off-camera happenings on a sketch comedy series. Similarities between the two led to speculation that only one of them would be picked up. Baldwin said "I'd be stunned if NBC picked up both shows. And ours has the tougher task, as a comedy, because if it’s not funny, that’s it."[66] Kevin Reilly, then president of NBC Entertainment, was supportive of Fey, describing the situation as a "high-class problem":

I just can't imagine the audience would look at both shows, choose one and cancel the other out. In some ways, why is it any different than when there have been three or four cop shows on any schedule, or Scrubs and ER, which are totally very different?[67]

Evidence of the overlapping subject matter between the shows (as well as the conflict between them) is the fact that Aaron Sorkin, the Studio 60 creator, asked Lorne Michaels to allow him to observe SNL for a week, a request Michaels denied.[66] Despite this, Sorkin sent Fey flowers and wished her luck with 30 Rock after NBC announced it would pick up both shows.[68] Said Fey, "It's just bad luck for me that in my first attempt at prime time I'm going up against the most powerful writer on television. I was joking that this would be the best pilot ever aired on Trio. And then Trio got canceled."[66]

Fey wound up winning over Sorkin when Studio 60 was canceled after one season and 30 Rock was renewed for a second. Though 30 Rock's first-season ratings proved lackluster and were lower than those of Studio 60, Studio 60 drew increasingly mixed reviews and proved to be more expensive to produce. 30 Rock, on the other hand, attracted increasingly positive reviews and experienced less viewer fallout, then won the Emmy for best comedy series.

30 Rock's crew have reportedly made jokes about the similarity with Studio 60. For example, one early promo for 30 Rock portrayed Alec Baldwin mistakenly thinking he would meet Sorkin[citation needed] and, when asked on her "Ask Tina" space what she thought of criticism 30 Rock got, Fey jokingly replied that people who didn't like it were probably confusing it with Studio 60. Even the name of Jane Krakowski's character, "Jenna Maroney," evokes the name of comic actress Janel Moloney, who starred in Sorkin's biggest hit, The West Wing.

At least three 30 Rock episodes have subtly parodied Studio 60:

  • "Jack the Writer" contains a self-referencing walk and talk sequence, such sequences being commonly used on Studio 60 and Aaron Sorkin's previous shows.
  • "Jack-tor" - Liz tries to quote global education statistics, only to mess up and realize that she doesn't know what she is talking about.[69]
  • "Jack Meets Dennis" - Liz says the upcoming show will be "worse than that time we did that Gilbert and Sullivan parody". The second episode of Studio 60, "The Cold Open," included a parody of the "Major-General's Song" on the show-within-the-show.

However, none of 30 Rock's producers have given Studio 60 any serious criticism, positive or negative. In a November 1, 2006 interview, Fey said she'd seen the first two episodes of Studio 60. When asked what her impressions were, she jokingly replied, "I can't do impressions of Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry."[70]

That Girl and Mary Tyler Moore

Critics have often compared 30 Rock to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, with parallels especially being drawn between the relationship of Liz and Jack and that of Mary Richards and Lou Grant.[71][72] It has also been compared to That Girl.[73][74] Like That Girl and Mary Tyler Moore, 30 Rock is a sitcom centering on an unmarried, brunette career woman living in a big city where she works in the television industry.

The title sequence used in 30 Rock's pilot (which was not used in later episodes) was stylistically reminiscent of the opening sequences to That Girl and Mary Tyler Moore.

References and footnotes

  1. ^ Prior to "The Aftermath", the show-within-the-show was called The Girlie Show.
  2. ^ a b "New York-Based Television Programs". Back Stage. 2006-08-24. Retrieved 2008-02-23. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ Dos Santos, Kristen (2008-03-04). "Exclusive! 30 Rock Scores Will Arnett, Chris Kattan and Mariah Carey (in Our Dreams)". E! Online. Retrieved 2008-03-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "30 ROCK; Thursdays on NBC (8:30-9 p.m. ET); Season Premiere: Thursday, October 4". NBC Universal Media Village. Retrieved 2007-10-14. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ a b "2006-07 primetime wrap". The Hollywood Reporter. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2007-10-14. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) Cite error: The named reference "2006-07 primetime wrap" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 59th Primetime Emmy Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2007-09-16. Retrieved 2008-02-18. {{cite press release}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ M. Silverman, Stephan (2007-09-16). "Sopranos and 30 Rock Win Top Emmys". People. Retrieved 2008-02-23. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ Webb Mitovich, Matt (2007-06-12). "Funny Business: Tina Fey Previews 30 Rock's Future". TV Guide. Retrieved 2007-10-14. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Gallagher, Kona (2007-09-21). "2007 Fall TV Preview: 30 Rock On NBC". Blend Television. Retrieved 2008-02-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d "30 Rock showatch". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2008-02-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ Tom Shales (2006-11-16). "'30 Rock,' Solid Enough to Rebuild a Thursday Foundation". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  12. ^ Robert Abele (2006-12-27). "Sit Up and Watch". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  13. ^ Alessandra Stanley (2006-12-24). "Where the Tube Beats YouTube". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  14. ^ Terry Morrow (2006-12-29). "NBC leads year's best series". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  15. ^ Tim Goodman (2007-02-28). "NBC right to boast about its comedies on Thursday nights". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  16. ^ Poniewozik, James; Top 10 New TV Series; time.com
  17. ^ December 29 2006, 'Studio 60' Gets Bump from DVRs, Zap2it.com. Retrieved October 14 2007.
  18. ^ Downey, Kevin (March 5 2007),In their TV tastes the rich are different, Media Life. Retrieved October 14 2007.
  19. ^ "NBC RANKS #2 IN 18-49, AS 'AMERICAN GLADIATORS,' 'DEAL' AND 'SVU' PACE THE NETWORK'S WEEK OF JAN. 14-20" (Press release). The Futon Critic. 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite press release}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ James Poniewozik (2006-09-18). "Do Not Adjust Your Set". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  21. ^ "Breaking News". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
  22. ^ "'Ally' Cat Krakowski Joins '30 Rock'". 2006-08-17. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  23. ^ Lee-Anne Goodman. "Fey hopeful about success of '30 Rock'". Retrieved 2007-10-16. Wayback Machine cache from 2006-10-12}}
  24. ^ Noel Murray (2006-11-01). "Tina Fey". Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  25. ^ Dretch ended up appearing in eleven first-season episodes.
  26. ^ Emma Rosenblum (2006-09-23). "Rachel Rolls With It". Retrieved 2007-10-16. From the October 23, 2006 issue of New York
  27. ^ "Week of October 9th-15th/2006 complete ratings Options". rec.arts.tv. 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  28. ^ Fitzgerald, Toni (2006-10-19). "NBC Wednesday sitcoms get a beating". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  29. ^ Keller, Richard (2006-10-19). "NBC Universal to slash jobs, reorganize news division". TV Squad. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  30. ^ "NBC RE-MAKES TWO-HOUR COMEDY BLOCK ON THURSDAYS WITH RETURN OF 'SCRUBS' AND MOVE OF '30 ROCK' TO JOIN 'MY NAME IS EARL' AND 'THE OFFICE' BEGINNING NOVEMBER 30". The Futon Critic. 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
  31. ^ "Week of October 23rd-29th/2006 complete ratings". rec.arts.tv. 2006-11-01. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  32. ^ "Week of October 30th-November 5th/2006 complete ratings". rec.arts.tv. 2006-11-07. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  33. ^ "Canucks on show patrol". Variety. 2006-05-25. Retrieved 2007-12-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ McKenzie, Rob (2006-11-30). "The Fey whisperer: Oh, Tina!". National Post. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  35. ^ Adalian, Josef (2006-12-01). "NBC orders full season of '30 Rock'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ "Nine More for '30 Rock'". Zap2it. 2006-12-01. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  37. ^ "QUICK TAKE FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2006 (BASED ON FAST AFFILIATE RATINGS)". American Broadcasting Company. The Futon Critic. 2006-11-03. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  38. ^ Berman, Marc (2006-12-08). "Prime-Time Ratings: Thursday 12/07/06". Programming Insider Feedback. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  39. ^ Grossman, Ben (2007-01-17). "Full-Season Pickups Slated for NBC". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  40. ^ "Week of January 15th-21st/2007 complete ratings". rec.arts.tv. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  41. ^ "NBC Sets Dates for 'Donnellys,' 'Andy'". Zap2it. 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  42. ^ Adalian, Josef (2007-04-09). "NBC cancels 'Andy Barker, PI'". Variety. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  43. ^ a b Sassone, Bob (2007-03-12). "30 Rock moving, Andy Richter getting the shaft again". TV Squad. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  44. ^ scrubsswitchtimeslots,0,7549862.story?coll=zap-tv-headlines "'Scrubs,' '30 Rock' Flip Spots". Zap2it. 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  45. ^ Yahoo News (04-05-07)
  46. ^ Grossman, Ben (2007-04-05). "30 Rock Rolls On, Friday Night Lights Next Up". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  47. ^ "Fey: Baldwin voluntarily returns to 'Rock'"
  48. ^ From EMMY.org (September 8, 2007)
  49. ^ From TV Shows on DVD (May 25, 2007)
  50. ^ "Cover Art & Commentaries for Season 1"
  51. ^ Gorman, Steve (2007-10-03). "Seinfeld plugs own movie in "30 Rock" guest spot". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  52. ^ a b Kissell, Rick (2007-10-05). "CBS, ABC battle on tight Thursday". Variety. Retrieved 2008-02-15. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  53. ^ a b Berman, Marc (2007-10-05). "Prime-Time Ratings: Thursday 10/04/07". PI Feedback. Retrieved 2008-02-15. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); line feed character in |title= at position 20 (help)
  54. ^ Gorman, Steve (2007-11-05). "Hollywood writers start strike after talks collapse". Reuters.com. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
  55. ^ Baldwin, Alec (2007-11-11). "What the Strike is Costing Us". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
  56. ^ The TV Grid
  57. ^ Sklar, Rachel (2007-11-20). "30 Rock Live! Dry-Humping, Boob-Grabbing And Other Fun Times At The UCB". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
  58. ^ Performance featured James Carville; "Secrets & Lies" guest stars James Carville as himself
  59. ^ "NBC DETAILS FINAL WAVE OF 'EARL,' '30 ROCK,' 'SCRUBS' EPISODES". The Futon Critic. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  60. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2008-02-14). "NBC renews series, announces premieres". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-02-14. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  61. ^ "Jack-Tor". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 5. 2006-11-16. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |episodelink= (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  62. ^ "Corporate Crush". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 19. 2007-04-12. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |episodelink= (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  63. ^ "Unaired Pilot". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 1. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  64. ^ a b "The Aftermath". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 2. 2006-10-18. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  65. ^ "Blind Date". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 3. 2006-10-25. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  66. ^ a b c Who's on First: Shows about Shows, an April 2006 article from The New Yorker
  67. ^ Tina Fey's Brash Bid for Prime Time, an April 2006 article in The New York Times
  68. ^ "Tina Fey's Weekend Update: Aaron Sorkin calls her out!"
  69. ^ Canning, Robert (2006-11-17). "30 Rock: "Jack-Tor" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  70. ^ Murray, Noel (2006-11-01). "Interviews: Tina Fey". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  71. ^ "There's 'Moore' to '30 Rock' Than Meets the Eye". Entertainment Weekly. 2007-04-02. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  72. ^ Moore, Frazier (2007-01-19). "Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin help make '30 Rock' funny". NWI. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  73. ^ Poniewozik, James. "Tina Fey". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  74. ^ Martin, Ed (2006-10-11). "30 Rock Brings New Energy to Television Comedy". Media Village. Retrieved 2007-12-23.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to 30 Rock.



Template:S-awards
Preceded by Emmy Award Winner - Outstanding Comedy Series
2007 		Succeeded by
incumbent


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