30 Rock: Secrets and Lies

30 Rock: Secrets and Lies
NBC
December 6, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ron Weiner's first of eleven 30 Rock stories has Jack realizing he has to come out about dating C.C. (Edie Falco again), despite the possible threat to his taking over upon Don Geiss's eventual retirement.  Meanwhile, Frank and Toofer fight and mock each other, and Jenna decides to act like more of a prima donna than before, to get more of Liz's attention than Tracy.  (And despite the resolution here, that trend would continue.)

Executive #3, Tom Treadwell, previously played Landis, while Executive #6, Andrew Polk, would return as Steven Spielberger [sic].  Blaine Horton would again play Sacha.

30 Rock: Cougars

Frank prematurely shoots down their
ship, but who can fight that chemistry?

30 Rock: Cougars
NBC
November 29, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
B

Although this John Riggi story is only a decade and change old, Jenna actually has to define the title term for Liz, when the latter starts dating the 20-year-old coffee delivery guy.  Frank goes "gay for" the guy, telling Jenna that he and she are not going to happen.  Meanwhile, Jack applies militarism to the Little League team that Tracy is coaching (community service).

Craig Castaldo, formerly Moonvest, is Radioman here.  Gay Man #1, Alan H. Green, would later be a Security Guard.  Frank Anello is, you'll be relieved to hear, portraying a member of the Production Staff.

30 Rock: Rosemary's Baby

30 Rock: Rosemary's Baby
NBC
October 25, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Jack Burditt story asks you to get past the fact that Carrie Fisher at 51 was too young to play a comedy writer from the '60s.  Her character is Liz's mentor, but I was actually more interested in the hidden world of NBC pages, and the funniest scene is the roleplaying therapy where Jack imitates Fred Sanford and J.J. Evans in order to help Tracy resolve some of his childhood issues.

Elijah Isaiah Cook is again Young Tracy.  Marcella Roy takes over the role of Young Liz, which she'd still be playing in 2012.  Paul Scheer plays Donny Lawson, the Head of Paging, for the first of two times.  Frank Anello, his fans will be pleased to learn, plays part of the Production Staff.

30 Rock: Jack Gets in the Game

30 Rock: Jack Gets in the Game

NBC

October 11, 2007

Sitcom

DVD
B+

This Robert Carlock story has some great threads and, yes, even the Tracy subplot works.  In order of my preference:

• Devon Banks (the still wonderful Arnett) returns, claims to have had the gay prayed away, announces his engagement to Don Geiss's plain and silent daughter Kathy (Marceline Hugot, who was a Nurse on Ellen), and tries to flirt with Kenneth, who reveals Jack's secret heart attack, so then Banks tries to "make Jack's heart explode," but Jack is a worthy opponent and wins this round;
• Kenneth decides that the way to reunite the estranged Jordans is by flirting with Angie, who plays along with this, but then Tracy wants Kenneth to have sex with Angie to make up for all the times Tracy cheated*;
• Liz, after Jack's nagging, decides to get her life together, partly symbolized by her ordering a piece of Ikea furniture called "Blerg," with an umlaut;
• and Liz wants Jenna to embrace her weight gain and change America's attitude about body image, but instead Jenna finds popularity with the catchphrase Jack came up with for her: "Me want food!"

There are a lot of funny, quotable lines, but also some good acting, as with Torn's performance as Don Geiss.  Donald Glover's second of four 30 Rock roles is the voice of a nameless Producer.  Frank Anello of course plays a member of the Production Staff.  Much of the regular cast is absent.

*This is another thread that would become ironic when we find out the truth about Tracy's "adultery."

30 Rock: Up All Night

Suzanne Somers look

30 Rock: Up All Night
NBC
February 8, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Jack and Bianca (Rossellini again) finally sign their divorce papers, after being separated since the late '80s, but he has trouble letting her go.  (Emotionally.  Rossellini wouldn't be back.)  The episode is also notable for (re)introducing Tracy's wife Angie (played from here on out by Sherri Shepherd) and a new romantic prospect for Liz, a man named Floyd (played by Jason Sudeikis).  However, Floyd meets Liz because he sent flowers to his girlfriend for Valentine's Day and they were delivered to the similarly named Liz Lemon by mistake.  Meanwhile, another future "couple" is being set-up, with Frank and Jenna having it out about his dislike of her, leading to them laughing together and sort of becoming friends.  And I guess you can say that Kenneth/Cerie starts here, although I don't think we're meant to take that at all seriously, especially since she makes up with her fiance.  Note the irony of Jack wanting to buzz Trump Tower with a helicopter, just to annoy "Donald."

Rachel Hamilton makes her first of two appearances as Rachel, while Rachel Dratch's role is Vlem the Polish (?) prostitute.  Joy Behar appears as herself, talking about losing her virginity at the '68 Democratic Convention.  This is one of the episodes that IMDB has Sue Galloway as uncredited for, although I've seen her before.  She plays Sue, one of the female writers, whom we'll eventually find out is European (Dutch and something I think).  So far she hasn't had any lines, although the brunette female writer has a couple here.  Fey wrote this episode and it's the first of eleven directed by Michael Engler.