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30 Rock: The Funcooker

by Bob Sassone, posted Mar 13th 2009 2:40AM
30 Rock(S03E14) "Passing out? Cursing? On St. Patrick's Day? Is nothing sacred?" - Jack

Wasn't it great to see an episode of 30 Rock that revolved around NBC and TGS and the work of the staff? Sure, there was the plot with Liz trying to get out of jury duty, but even that was tied into her work life at the studio. We've had a lot of episodes that had the various characters scattered away from each other, involved with people and places that had nothing to do with NBC, so it's great to see the writing staff working together, Jenna going crazy at the studio, Tracy wanting to take over all of the advertising on the show, and Jack working on a new microwave product.

Like most episodes of 30 Rock, it's great to see all of the plots come together at the end of the episode: finding out where Kenneth came up with the name for the new pocket microwave (you'll never look at a microwave the same again) as Dr. Spaceman slams Jenna's head on a table during a live sketch; the arson case where Liz served as a jury member being such a parallel to Liz's life that she accidentally sets her office on fire with everyone inside; and the ruins of Liz's burned plastic organizers symbolizing that her plans to get her life together have fallen through (yet again). I really hope she gets her act together (and not just because I also think that new organizing stuff will help me get my life in order).

No mention of Drew in this episode at all, and with one of the plots revolving around a St. Patrick's Day that has already gone by, I wonder if this episode is out of order. You would think that Liz would feel better about her life if she was still dating the handsome doctor (Hamm still has one episode to go).

This wasn't the most laugh-out-loud episode, but it was funny. Cool to see Tina Fey dressed up like Princess Leia to get out of jury duty when Carrie Fisher herself guest starred last season.

Some quotes:

"No, I told you to buy more ProActive." - Liz, to Cerie, who thought she was told to be more proactive

"Are you pickling squirrel meat? Cause I can lend you my skullpresser." - Kenneth, to Liz

"It has a ham button! You used my idea!" - Liz, to Jack about the pocket microwave

"Sir, as I'm sure you know from reading my blog..." - Jenna, to the elderly parade organizer

"Wake up mother******!" - Tracy, to Jenna, after she passes out on live TV

"I only heard the thin part." - Jenna, to Liz, who said she was spreading herself too thin

"I understand now what it's like have too much on your plate. Between my medical practice and this job, I'm being pulled in a bunch of different directions." - Dr. Spaceman, to Jenna

"My lab work is in the field of sleep research, mostly because I checked the wrong box on a form once." - Dr. Spaceman

"It's being funded by the U.S. military and the WNBA." - Dr. Spaceman, on his sleep research study

"I've got my Princess Leia outfit and my copies of Playgirl magazines from the early '80s." - Liz, on her plans to get out of jury duty

"I really don't think it's fair for me to be on a jury since I'm a hologram." - Liz, as Princess Leia

"If you have enough money you can do whatever you want! Now I can appear on Martha Stewart Live. Oh, it's going to be raunchy!" - Tracy

"College students, the morbidly obese, and homosexuals." - Jack, on the holy trinity of marketing

"Shut up Lutz!" - Liz

"Shut up Lutz!" - Jack

30 Rock' Show & Cast Photos

    Actress Tina Fey arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com

    Actor Alec Baldwin attends HBO

    FilmMagic Inc/FilmMagic.com

    Actors Alec Baldwin and Jane Krakowski attend HBO

    Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com

    Actors Alec Baldwin and Jane Krakowski attend HBO

    Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com

    Actresses Tina Fey(L) and Amy Poehler attend the Governors Ball for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com

    Writer-actress Tina Fey leaves HBO

    Mark Sullivan/WireImage.com

    Actress Tina Fey and TV Host Stephen Colbert attend the Governors Ball for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com

    Actor Alec Baldwin attends the Governors Ball for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com

    Actress Tina Fey arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards Governor

    Jason Merritt/FilmMagic.com

    Actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards Governor

    Jason Merritt/FilmMagic.com

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8 Comments

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Kat

Oh gosh, I love Liz Lemon with a passion. Last night was kinda 'eh' for me, but I still loved it.

Have you read about how Tina Fey and Steve Carell are making a movie together (http://squareeyes.blinkx.com/?p=441)? It had me daydreamin' 'bout what it'd be like if Liz Lemon met Michael Scott...

March 13 2009 at 6:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brin

What? No love for the Janet Joppler song? Synonym's just another word for another word you want to use...

March 13 2009 at 5:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

Could we get some Diet Slice and pita chips up in here?

March 13 2009 at 3:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Diego M

wow this was a great episode.

"here comes the fun cooker"

that's gonna be on my mind for a while.

when jack was pulling letters i fell off my chair when he pulled out, n-i-g and then they zoomed to toofer and then he tried to get a bunch at once and spelled hitler.

i'm going as han solo next time i go to a jury duty thing.

March 13 2009 at 12:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Molly D.

The Leia thing was a throwback to SNL when Tina Fey was that character during a sci fi/fantasy phone sex sketch.

March 13 2009 at 8:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jmt

Jack pulling the letters out of the bag had me laughing out loud. This episode was all over the place, but it worked.

March 13 2009 at 6:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John D\'arc

The Leia thing is a callback to the Oprah episode, I think.

March 13 2009 at 4:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to John D\'arc's comment
Jim

Ditto. One of the funniest scenes of the year!

March 13 2009 at 9:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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