30 Rock: Larry King

30 Rock: Larry King
NBC
February 26, 2009
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Matt-Hubbard-written episode takes awhile to get going, but it's worth it to see how the threads cross over and pay off.  Tracy goes on the title character's talk show and for some reason is treated as an expert on economics (OK, he is wealthy, but that seems to mostly be dumb luck), and then he induces a worldwide financial panic, and he gives clues to where he's hidden money at 30 Rock, so Pete calls up for more specifics, is identified as "Peter Frampton, Guitar Icon," and still can't figure the puzzle out, but Kenneth, who's helping Liz retrieve her phone from a blackmailing cabbie, figures out that he himself is the safe place.  And meanwhile Jack must choose between love with Elisa (at this point, Liz has had sex twice in '09, Jack not at all) and saving the world's economy, especially GE.

Brian Berrebbi plays Reynolds here and previously was Dave.  Bill Walters is "ND Background" and would later be "Soup Kitchen."  Brian Stack makes his last appearance as Howard Jorgensen.  Frank Anello's fans will be pleased to see him appear as a member of the Production Staff.  And Meredith Vieira makes her second cameo on the show.

30 Rock: Reunion

30 Rock: Reunion
NBC
December 4, 2008
Sitcom
DVD
B

Matt Hubbard wrote this story where Jack ends up accompanying Liz to her 20-year high school reunion.  He's mistaken for a popular classmate, despite the age difference, but then "rich 50 is middle-class 38."  Liz, however, finds out that rather being the unpopular nerd she remembers, she was verbally abusive, which is believable given some of the times she's insulted her staff.  Meanwhile, Tracy and Jenna resent that Kenneth's cliched jokes in the elevator are more entertaining to the other riders than their own attempts to entertain.  And the episode kicks off with Don Geiss regaining consciousness and deciding to not yet retire.

Adam Smith, Jr. again plays the Propmaster.  Hotel Clerk Jeff Hiller would later play Stewart.  And Marceline Hugot appears briefly as Kathy Geiss.

30 Rock: Sandwich Day

30 Rock: Sandwich Day

NBC

May 1, 2008

Sitcom
DVD
B

The title of this Burditt & Carlock episode refers to the one day a year that the teamsters bring the staff wonderful sandwiches from a secret location.  Liz's writers eat her sandwich and she makes them get her another, which involves a drinking contest.  But Liz's more immediate problem is that Floyd is back in town and she's having trouble reading him.  Their reunion at the airport lampshades that rom-com trope.  And meanwhile, with Don Geiss still in a coma, his daughter Kathy (Marceline Hugot) is still the figurehead, and Jack has been banished to the weird and creepy (think David Lynch) 12th floor.  Note that Jack tries to revive Geiss by claiming that (the worst nightmare for both men) Hillary Clinton has become President.

Screener Johnnie Mae previously played a Nurse.  We haven't seen Brian Dennehy, here playing teamster Mickey J.,  in my TV collection since he was MP Ernie Connors on M*A*S*H.

30 Rock: Succession

30 Rock: Succession
NBC
April 24, 2008
Sitcom
DVD
B+

John Riggi's story, co-written with guest writer Andrew Guest (OK, he was script coordinator that season, but he didn't usually write scripts), is a great one, where actions rise and fall, against an Amadeus theme, musical and symbolic.  Although Devon Banks is engaged to Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot), Don Geiss chooses Jack as his successor, although he can't make the announcement until the board of directors approves.  Jack confides in Liz, promising to make her his successor.  She at first resists and then he shows her the salary.  The sequence of her reaction is hilarious: her mouth falls open and she slaps Jack, then she goes down to the writers' room and says, "Suck it, Monkeys!  I'm going corporate!"  When Pete worries about her abandoning him, she says he'll be promoted, too, and shows him the salary.  His mouth falls open and he slaps her.  She grins and says, "I know, right?"

However, although Liz quickly learns how to charm other executives, while "business drunk" and coming up with "Button Classic" for the microwave, Jack actually feels sorry for Banks, who looks miserable at the bachelor party.  And then Geiss goes into a diabetic coma, with a caped Dr. Spaceman called in to (mis)diagnose.  Banks maneuvers almost mute Kathy into her father's position as head of GE, so that Banks will be the puppetmaster.  And meanwhile, Tracy (we never learn how) conquers Uncanny Valley and invents a porn video game that is realistic without being disturbing, with Frank as his Salieri, and this is one of the best Tracy subplots I've seen.

Brian Stack again appears as human punching bag/punchline Howard Jorgensen.  This is the 2800th of my shows I've reviewed and I don't know if we'll hit 2900.  (Three thousand is very unlikely.)

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: Corporate Crush

30 Rock: Corporate Crush
NBC
April 12, 2007
Sitcom
NBC
B

In this episode, Jack bonds with Floyd, to the point that he's monopolizing Floyd's attention, until Jack gets together with posh Brit Phoebe (no last name, played by Emily Mortimer here and in the next two episodes).  Meanwhile, Tracy tries to sell Don Geiss (Rip Torn again) on his Thomas Jefferson movie idea.

Frank Anello is unsurprisingly part of the Production Staff.  Both Jenna, Pete, and most of the writers are absent.

30 Rock: The C Word

30 Rock: The C Word
NBC
February 15, 2007
Sitcom
DVD
C+

I'm not crazy about either of the two main threads here, but it is interesting to see the introduction of Rip Torn as Jack's boss, Don Geiss, here with grandchildren.  (I'm not sure if that would end up being canonical, but we'll get to that later.)  Jack goes to a diabetes fundraiser golf tournament thrown by Geiss, and he brings Tracy along, but Tracy gets mad when he realizes that Jack brought him there to entertain people.  But in the end Tracy tells a moving story about his nonexistent daughter who was diagnosed with diabetes.  In the other thread, Lutz calls Liz a not-actually-said-but-implied "cunt," apparently based on a real incident that happened to Fey, who wrote this episode, although Liz decides it's a sign she should be nicer.  (But then wouldn't she be called a pussy?)  Even Kevin's "romance" with another page doesn't really go anywhere, as he literally shoves her aside when Geiss asks for his coat.

Frank Conello is again an onscreen member of the Production Staff.  Rachel Hamilton is again Rachel, while Rachel Dratch is again Greta the cat wrangler.  Teresa Yenque is Teresa here and would later play Concepcion.  Tom Treadwell is Landis here and would be Executive #3.  Jenna is absent, although again it would be interesting to get her perspective on the Liz plot.