30 Rock: The Moms

30 Rock: The Moms
NBC
May 6, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Cannon & Carlock episode, some of the mothers of the performers and writers show up for a special Mother's Day episode of TGS.  It's the backstage drama, including in one scene between Frank and his mom (I'm omitting Patti LuPone and Judah Friedlander from the overcrowded tags),  that is the real focus here.  Note that Colleen Donaghy meets Avery and she pushes Jack to choose between his two girlfriends.

Frank Anello continues his streak as a member of the Production Staff.  John Anderson plays Astronaut Mike Dexter again, and Will Ferrell is back as Shane Hunter.

30 Rock: Argus

30 Rock: Argus
NBC
April 29, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this episode written by Morgan, Pell, and Siegal, the title thread is the weakest, although it's not bad.  Jack inherits Don Geiss's pet peacock Argus and, with help from Liz and Kenneth, really mourns Geiss for the first time.  Meanwhile Tracy seems to be typically selfish in insisting on being Grizz's best man, but Tracy knows that Dot Com is in love with Grizz's fiancee, Feyonce.  And Liz and Pete are suspicious of Jenna's new boyfriend, Paul (Will Forte, who previously played Tomas).  I like the twists in plotting and expectations in this episode, and I just wish it was funnier.

Marceline Hugot is back as Kathy Geiss.  Carmen Osbahr is again a Puppeteer, this time working the peacock puppet (although it is a live bird in some shots), while Peter Linz would be a Puppeteer in a future episode.  Frank Anello makes a welcome return as a member of the Production Staff.  This is the only episode directed by producer/composer/actor/husband Jeff Richmond that I'll be reviewing on this blog, so I've decided not to tag him.

30 Rock: Khonani

30 Rock: Khonani
NBC
April 22, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
C+

IMDB has this listed as the same date as the previous episode, but it's simply not as good.  Jack promises to decide between Nancy and Avery but instead sidetracks himself into resolving a conflict between two janitors: the title character and Subhas (Subhas Ramsaywack).  Meanwhile, Liz throws an engagement party for Cerie out of vengeance against their co-workers, and Tracy puts his dog's shock collar on himself in order to become a more doting husband.  It would take much sharper writing to make these plot threads more than passable, and this is the 600th C+ I've given on this blog.

30 Rock: Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter

30 Rock: Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
NBC
April 22, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B

Fey & Cannon wrote this episode, which is better than most that season.  Jack's triangle would get old before season's end, but here him being unable to decide between Avery and a newly divorced Nancy is funny and believable.  Meanwhile, Toofer quits because he doesn't want his job through tokenism (despite his nickname, which is lampshaded when he returns), and Liz attends singles events with Jenna and sometimes Nancy.

Steve Hely, who wrote "Black Light Attack!" earlier in the season, here plays Jerem.  Will Ferrell makes his first of three appearances as Shane Hunter, the star of the controversial and nonexistent NBC series Bitch Hunter.

30 Rock: Floyd

30 Rock: Floyd
NBC
March 25, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B-

As you can guess from the title, this episode marks the return of Liz's "best boyfriend," in a script written by Paula Pell, who played Pete's wife Paula.  Liz hopes they'll get back together, but he's getting married to a woman named Kaitlin (Kristin McGee, who'd previously played an Exercise Lady).  Meanwhile, Jenna, Tracy, and eventually Pete have erotic dreams about Kenneth, and Jack and Danny get involved in a prank battle against Frank, Toofer, and Lutz.

Lester Holt and Meredith Vierira return as themselves.

30 Rock: Don Geiss, America, and Hope

30 Rock: Don Geiss, America, and Hope
NBC
March 18, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Burditt & Wigfield episode, Jack tries to find meaning in his career as Don Geiss is dead and NBC is bought by Kabletown.  Meanwhile, Tracy, who had previously confided in Jack that he's actually 100% faithful to Angie, tries to save his career when his fidelity is revealed by an ex-nanny.  And Wesley, whose last name turns out to be Snipes, tries to convince Liz that they are each other's settling soulmates.

Geiss's Grieving Mistress Stefanie Grassley previously played one of Tracy's Fans, while Scott Bryce, who was Michael Templeton before (and had a role on Who's the Boss?), plays Dave here.  John Anderson again plays Astronaut Mike Dexter.  Marceline Hugot returns as Kathy Geiss, and James Rebhorn is back as Dr. Kaplan.  This is the first of three episodes directed by Stephen Lee Davis.

30 Rock: Future Husband

30 Rock: Future Husband
NBC
March 11, 2010
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Despite the gap of a month since the previous episode, this picks up not long after.  Jack is trying to figure out how to manage his relationship with Avery and where the lines between work and romance are, especially since she's a financial reporter and she's heard a rumor that Kabletown is buying NBC.  (A rumor that would prove true.)  Meanwhile, Liz has met her "Future Husband," in the form of an Englishman named Wesley, played by Michael Sheen.  In this and later episodes, they don't connect and yet they're drawn together.  Again, a B was tempting, but I didn't really care about the Tracy & Jenna thread about his attempts to get a Tony Award.

Maechi Aharanwa reprises her role as Keisha, while James Rebhorn would reprise his role as Dr. Kaplan.  Brian Williams is back as Brian Williams.  This time, "30 Rock Regulars" means only Maulik Pancholy as Jonathan.  This is the first of two 30 Rock scripts by Jon Haller, while it's Tracey Wigfield's second of nine.