'30 Rock' - 'The Moms' Recap

(S04E20) "Very different indeed. Like a cantaloupe and a Ziploc bag of mushroom soup." - Jack, on Verna's breasts

Jenna's mother Verna is one of the most vile characters on television. With her trailer-park attitude , greedy ways, sleazy demeanor and breasts that don't match each other, she's a hard character to take. Which I guess is a compliment to Jan Hooks. So congrats, Jan Hooks, you're doing a great job!

This week's episode was 400 percent better than last week's 'Argus.' Not having a plot about Jack raising a peacock does wonders for an episode. It's also good to see all of the moms back. I wouldn't want to see Liz interact with Margaret every week or Jack argue with Colleen every week, but once in a great while is just right, and since Mother's Day is this weekend, it's appropriate. We also got to meet John Lutz's mom, and she may be just as disturbing as Verna in her own way because John Lutz played both parts (yes, the actor's name is John Lutz too!). The line about Lutz's mom knowing that he gives great back rubs was ... disturbing, to say the least. But we know why Lutz is Lutz.

I've always enjoyed Elaine Stritch's appearances as Jack's mom. There's no one else who can get under Jack's skin like she can. Of course, she gets right in the middle of the whole Jack/Avery/Nancy triangle and causes trouble, but in that Colleen-she's-causing-trouble-but-she-really-ends-up-helping way. Jack should listen to her more often, even if she does have a blunt way of going about things. I've always thought she was a caring mom, in her own way.

'30 Rock' always has a nice way of blending the surreal with the heartfelt moments, and Tracy's relationship with his "mom" was actually well done. He doesn't know his real mom so Pete gets him a fake one from an infomercial. That makes sense in the 'TGS' world. And Liz learned a lesson about meeting "Mr. Perfect." Let's hope that sticks with her because we need to see Liz move forward in her life.

Speaking of the world 'TGS,' how long has it been since we've actually seen some of the show? The show has to remember that it's about a Friday night variety series on NBC. This was also the second week in a row where we didn't see much of the writing staff. The song at the end, wasn't that something that Liz (or was it Kenneth) sang in a previous episode?


More thoughts:

- This week's edition of 'Bitch Hunter' was co-written by Matthew Weiner!

- Speaking of Weiner, I think it's outrageously cool that Liz's mom worked for Sterling Cooper after she got out of secretarial school. I wonder if she'd freak out if she met Liz's ex-boyfriend Drew?


- Pajamaralls would actually sell. "Now Less Flammable!"

- Buzz Aldrin's speech listing his accomplishments didn't include 'Dancing With the Stars.'

- Does 'Sex and the City 2' look like one of the worst movies of the year or what? I think I'd go see a big-screen version of 'Bitch Hunter' before I went to see that.

Quotes:

"Put the mimosas down, bitch!" - Will Ferrell

"I sexually assaulted Scottie Pippen in 1997." - Verna

"You know, my Johnny's single, and he gives excellent back rubs, I assure you." - Lutz's mom

"Her name may be Cheryl and she was wearing a red shirt in 1984." - Tracy's description of his mom

"Yes mom, I've memorized the names of all of the women in your water aerobics class." - Jack

Our Lady of Reluctant Integration - the church Collen's friend belongs to

"Ohhhhhh, the fiddle's in the creek and the frog's in the kitchen ... I'm sorry ma'am, that's not a song. You make me nervous." - Kenneth to Colleen

"Wrong tree, mom." - Jenna, about Verna flirting with Lee the wardrobe guy

"Not even common law? Then how do you get a discount at a mattress store?" - Verna to Liz

'Sherlock Homie.' - movie Tracy was in

"Two women. At the same time. What are you, Italian?" - Colleen to Jack

"I know it's gay, but it's my gay problem and I'm handling it!" - Jack to Colleen

"That's quality stitching ... damn the tiny brown hands that made this." - Verna, about Jenna's clothing

"I always called him Ed because our town had, like, five Buzzes." - Margaret

"You could have married him mom. Laura Linney could have played you in the HBO original movie 'Moon Wives!' " - Liz

"Change this to Latin America. I can't say Nicaragawua." - Avery

"He's in town. I saw him last night at Rupert Murdoch's Twister party. I mean ... regular party." - Jack, about Aldrin

"I once woke up in the National Air and Space Museum with a revolver in the waistband of my jean shorts." - Aldrin

"Now will you find someone and start a family before my hereditary dementia sets in?" - Margaret to Liz

"And then where will I be? I'll be circling the globe in my coffin rocket. Something I saw on TV. It's very expensive." - Colleen

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