I finally started watching “30 Rock” earlier this year, and it has quickly become my favorite sitcom currently on television. Lorne Michaels and Tina Fey executive produce the series, and Fey also stars as Liz Lemon – the head writer of an NBC sketch series. Previous to “30 Rock,” of course, Fey worked as the head writer of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” — while I wouldn’t call the show autobiographical, simply referring to “30 Rock” as “Tina Fey’s Show” wouldn’t be wrong.
The premise of the show is simple: Liz Lemon — the least insane person at the NBC studio where she works — is trying to make good television while running her own frazzled life. She’s sort of like an Americanized (and smarter) Bridget Jones — passionate about her career, nearly hopeless in love, a bit nutty at times, and totally relatable (well, I’m not sure what that’s worth coming from me, I also relate to Dr. House and Kyle from “South Park”).
The series co-stars Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, the head of NBC Studios in New York, and Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, the star of the show-within-the-show. Both Baldwin and Fey have won various accolades for their respective performances, but the supporting cast shines just as brightly as the big-name stars — I have a hard time deciding who my favorite is from episode to episode. I’ve also enjoyed the recurring guest stars — my favorites: Will Arnett (formerly of “Arrested Development”) as Jack Donaghy’s Los Angeles counterpart and Rip Torn (co-star in “The Larry Sanders Show”) as the president of NBC Universal.
The show is a bit quirky, and it does take some getting used to, but the offbeat humor does grow on you – or it did me, anyway. The series is delightfully silly, but clever and sarcastic at the same time. The dialogue is witty and quick, and the characters are odd, but endearing. Although “30 Rock” won the Emmy for best comedy series this year, and it’s certainly more accessible than “Arrested Development” was, I do fear that its quirkiness will do it in, and it will be canceled before its time, but hopefully I’m wrong.
The first season of “30 Rock” is available on DVD, and it is currently in its second season on NBC at 8:30 on Thursdays after “My Name Is Earl.”
Elizabeth “Liz” Gartley, of Houlton, has a BA in media studies from Emerson College in Boston. She has studied abroad in the Netherlands and Australia, and most recently interned at a production company in Hollywood. She can be reached online at egartley@gmail.com or leave a message for her at your local newspaper office.
The premise of the show is simple: Liz Lemon — the least insane person at the NBC studio where she works — is trying to make good television while running her own frazzled life. She’s sort of like an Americanized (and smarter) Bridget Jones — passionate about her career, nearly hopeless in love, a bit nutty at times, and totally relatable (well, I’m not sure what that’s worth coming from me, I also relate to Dr. House and Kyle from “South Park”).
The series co-stars Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, the head of NBC Studios in New York, and Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, the star of the show-within-the-show. Both Baldwin and Fey have won various accolades for their respective performances, but the supporting cast shines just as brightly as the big-name stars — I have a hard time deciding who my favorite is from episode to episode. I’ve also enjoyed the recurring guest stars — my favorites: Will Arnett (formerly of “Arrested Development”) as Jack Donaghy’s Los Angeles counterpart and Rip Torn (co-star in “The Larry Sanders Show”) as the president of NBC Universal.
The show is a bit quirky, and it does take some getting used to, but the offbeat humor does grow on you – or it did me, anyway. The series is delightfully silly, but clever and sarcastic at the same time. The dialogue is witty and quick, and the characters are odd, but endearing. Although “30 Rock” won the Emmy for best comedy series this year, and it’s certainly more accessible than “Arrested Development” was, I do fear that its quirkiness will do it in, and it will be canceled before its time, but hopefully I’m wrong.
The first season of “30 Rock” is available on DVD, and it is currently in its second season on NBC at 8:30 on Thursdays after “My Name Is Earl.”
Elizabeth “Liz” Gartley, of Houlton, has a BA in media studies from Emerson College in Boston. She has studied abroad in the Netherlands and Australia, and most recently interned at a production company in Hollywood. She can be reached online at egartley@gmail.com or leave a message for her at your local newspaper office.
