'30 Rock' - 'College': Donaghy, undeclared
Liz and Jack try to recreate the college experiences they didn't have in an uneven episode
Jack McBrayer and Alec Baldwin on "30 Rock."
A quick review of last night's "30 Rock" coming up just as soon as I minor in Bible sexuality...
"College" was an episode with a lot to like about it: the much-demanded return of writers room hijinks, and with it an amusing running gag about Jack as the voice of the pronunciation website(*); an introspective but funny Jack storyline that also had a good thematic parallel with Liz's; Liz horrifying Pete and Jack with her pizza-shotgunning ability; and one of the better homages I've seen to the "Where are they now?" gag at the end of "Animal House."
(*) And a meta joke about how Alec Baldwin wound up narrating "Thomas & Friends" for a couple of years.
But overall, "College" felt like one of those episodes we often got in the third season, where a lot of funny things happened but things didn't quite work as a whole. There's no sin in that - funny is funny, and we saw at various points in season four what it's like when the show is both disjointed and unfunny at the same time - but after the strong run of episodes we've had this season, the episode's flaws stood out more.
In particular, Liz having to embrace her unpopular destiny feels like a well the show has gone to a little too often, and that half of the episode definitely lagged behind Jack obsessing with the perfect microwave and being taught a lesson by his own voice. ("Goodbye, potato. Goodbye.")
Still, I laughed a bunch, and compared to another Thursday NBC comedy I'm bracing myself to write up, that is a wonderful thing.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupconrad
November 19, 2010 at 10:26AM EST Reply to Commentbest ep since season 2 i.m.o.
30 rock is really returning to form. the jack-voice stuff was a riot.
"wanna watch me shotgun this?"
"oh god, she meant the pizza."
"she unhinged her jaw!"
LJA Amen.
November 19, 2010 at 1:05PM ESTstudioplant
November 19, 2010 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentUneven episode maybe, pizza shotguning was a very strong finish. I laughed hard.
ensignackbar
November 19, 2010 at 10:31AM EST Reply to CommentNot the best episode, but the shotgunning the pizza bit got me. "She's unhinging her jaw!"
joshmassey
November 19, 2010 at 10:43AM EST Reply to CommentThe delivery guy twin was the only joke that bombed for me. Everything else was grade-A, and I could honestly watch a 2-hour movie of prankcalls involving Jack's voice.
Diane
November 19, 2010 at 10:49AM EST Reply to CommentWho played Chris the crewmember? It's driving me crazy, he looks so familiar!
sepinwall Daniel Sunjata from "Rescue Me."
November 19, 2010 at 10:52AM ESTolucy Daniel Sunjata from Rescue Me.
November 19, 2010 at 10:59AM ESTRod Daniel Sunjata from Rescue Me.
November 20, 2010 at 2:43AM ESTlztouchthedream Daniel Sunjata from various Laws and Orders.
November 20, 2010 at 4:48AM ESThmm2 Daniel Sunjata from "Take Me Out" (Original Broadway Cast)
November 22, 2010 at 5:42AM ESTBrendan So we agree that it was Daniel Sunjata?
November 22, 2010 at 1:28PM ESTKyle I'm not 100% certain, but I believe it was Daniel Sunjata from Rescue Me.
November 22, 2010 at 4:28PM EST
November 19, 2010 at 10:54AM EST Reply to CommentJust to join the sea of pizza shotgunning fans, I thought Community was better all around but that one moment might have been the biggest laugh I've had all season.
olucy
November 19, 2010 at 11:02AM EST Reply to CommentShowing Pete being dumb enough to fall for the phony voice prank was unbelieveable, but at this point I'll take anything that gives us more Pete. Plus it was funny that it worked out at the end, anyway.
danthraver Since when is this show about believability?
November 19, 2010 at 1:21PM ESTED209
November 19, 2010 at 11:10AM EST Reply to CommentAm I alone in believing the Indian Mocrowave development team and their fairly obvious Indian jokes was a lampoon of Outsourced?
Derek I thought that whole gag was directly aimed at Outsourced for a few reasons:
November 19, 2010 at 4:37PM EST*It was paralleling the fact that Outsourced is/was doing better ratings wise than 30 Rock after the Office with the whole, better sales after you left thing
*It was them poking fun of the Outsourced blatant racism
Chrissy
November 19, 2010 at 11:23AM EST Reply to CommentI agree almost completely (I didn't mind the delivery guy joke). Very enjoyable, but not quite up to par with some of this seasons better episodes. I loved that they took the Pete stuff to a fun place instead of an uncomfortable one, and enjoyed Lutz trying to be "that person".
The Liz plot did feel very, very overdone, and while there were a few funny jokes pretty much any other plot would have worked better here. Oh well, still a good 30 Rock.
conrad LIZ-ARD, LIZ-ARD, LIZ-ARD!!!
November 19, 2010 at 11:28AM ESTvelocityknown
November 19, 2010 at 11:40AM EST Reply to CommentI loved Tracy and Jenna holding mirrors up for each other.
I think they're starting to get control over how they use Kenneth also, keeping him in the background rather than giving him his own storyline every episode.
Good job 30 Rock. They're making a serious run for best comedy on TV, too bad for them Community and Modern Family are just unstoppable rolls.
mack Agree about Community being on par recently (I wish they would stop doing parodies/homage for a little while) but ModFam has been too predictable to win again.
November 19, 2010 at 12:36PM ESTBut yes, perfect use of Kenneth.
chuchundra
November 19, 2010 at 12:03PM EST Reply to CommentEh, this episode points out why they don't use the writers room all that often anymore. Those guys just aren't that funny.
mack
November 19, 2010 at 12:33PM EST Reply to Comment"Also, I found myself oddly bothered by the one microwave developer having to point out that Jack and the delivery guy looked the same."
I read it as a more layered joke: it was not that he pointed out the similarity but that he was worried about his own perception - a step up from the usual inverse-racism joke.
Also 30 Rock nailed what Outsourced has been trying to do for 8 episodes in just 2 lines plus a joke of how Jack was only clued into the change in personnel by looking at the name tags.
The Liz plot is repetitive though but it was executed better than season 3 level so I didn't mind it as much.
DavidW
November 19, 2010 at 12:44PM EST Reply to CommentI also welcomed the return of Star Wars references: Jabba's pleasure yacht and the microwave being the TK-421.
theo TK-421, why aren't you at your post?
November 19, 2010 at 1:43PM ESTJerry V. "This is Hi-Fi... high fidelity. What that means is that it's the highest quality fidelity. It has the TK-421 modification which gives it 4 quads per channel. So basically you get twice the bass with the TK-421."
November 19, 2010 at 5:06PM ESTchez
November 19, 2010 at 12:50PM EST Reply to CommentLoved the tag. It has been done so many times but 30 Rock made it even funnier. It did make me realise that I like my parodies/homage to be jokes rather than a central plot, which is why I have been having a bit of a disconnect with Community this season (except last week's episode).
Every single one of Lutz's line was sad and hilarious. Perfect delivery too.
Rinaldo
November 19, 2010 at 1:03PM EST Reply to Comment"In particular, Liz having to embrace her unpopular destiny feels like a well the show has gone to a little too often"
This was really the only negative for me. Liz has had to accept that her job is to be unpopular, right from the start (in Season 1, accepting that she'd be perceived as a [runt]). And in general the show is too smart to simply reset Liz's awareness to zero every few weeks.
Yes, I know this situation, like other intervening iterations, is a bit different. That's why it doesn't bother me TOO much. I'm just glad to see it pretty reliably funny again these days. If only they'd find more use for Danny. (I know Cheyenne Jackson has an occasional role on Glee now, but I bet they could work it out if they wanted to.)
JimBriggs
November 19, 2010 at 1:54PM EST Reply to Comment"Don't worry about getting to the point. I'm going to live forever."
berselius
November 19, 2010 at 2:10PM EST Reply to CommentHORNBERGER!
lib4
November 19, 2010 at 3:51PM EST Reply to CommentThe Thomas the tank engine comment was classic. As a father of twin two year olds i get to hear Jack Donaughy voice quite often when not tuned into Boardwalk, Walking Dead and 30 Rock
Gajic
November 20, 2010 at 12:58AM EST Reply to CommentTracy slays me at least once an episode with a throw-away line. "Your boos do not scare me. I know that most of you are not ghosts."
Derrick Amen!
December 1, 2010 at 12:23AM ESTJen
November 20, 2010 at 6:59AM EST Reply to CommentAgree that this rivals a season 2 ep in hilarity.
When Jack said "You wouldn't believe how my voice has been used..." for a minute I thought they were going to reference the incident with his daughter's voicemail. I was excited/horrified - did anyone else think they were going to "go there?"
Jerron that would have been amazing
November 20, 2010 at 12:26PM ESTJerron
November 20, 2010 at 12:21PM EST Reply to CommentI about sick and tired of seeing Liz and the whole self deprecating thing. She could still laugh at herself and be not such a joke at the same time
Stanislaw
November 22, 2010 at 4:32PM EST Reply to CommentI agree that the delivery guy joke would have worked much better if the developers had simply exchanged surprised looks with one another without saying anything.
nath
November 22, 2010 at 7:41PM EST Reply to CommentTwo things I loved that you didn't mention, Alan:
-Lutz trying to act like Jack's pal. "Come on, Jack, let's get out of here!"
-The practical joke the writers play on Pete backfiring when it turns out that a guy in a pancho hanging out, playing guitar, and drinking brews is *exactly* what Jack needs right now.
Moriarty
November 23, 2010 at 8:25AM EST Reply to CommentDetails:
Jack: "Oh, my good!"
Tech indian guy: "Wich one?"
Saludos.
December 2, 2010 at 1:53AM EST
December 2, 2010 at 1:54AM EST Reply to Comment"Lemon, Lesbian Frankenstein wants her shoes back."