Our Favourite Shows: 30 Rock by Cody McGraw

30 Rock is definitely one of my favourite shows of all time for many reasons. Not only is it hilarious, ridiculously well written, acted and executed, but it also has characters you wish were real.

I can’t name one woman in my life who hasn’t compared herself to Liz Lemon, nor can I name a man who wouldn’t want to be Jack Donaghy for at least one day. Who would have thought after the very weak pilot it would be one of the best shows to ever grace our screens? I know I have trouble imagining my life without Jack, Liz, Tracy, Kenneth and Jenna.

To celebrate the show's crossing of the 100 episode line this week we wanted to share our favourite 30 Rock episodes in no particular order. Your choices may differ but that’s what the comment section is for.

Black Tie – Season 1, episode 12 (originally aired Feb. 1, 2007)
This is first episode I realized 30 Rock was going to be an amazing television series. It centres around Jack inviting Liz to a prince's birthday bash and punches the whole Sam and Diane will-they-or-won't-they bullshit in the face, mocking it instead. Throw in a little Paul Reubens playing the inbred prince and Jack's ex-wife played by Isabella Rossellini and you’ve got some amazing television.

Best Scene: Bianca going ape shit on Liz after she tells her she and Jack are engaged.

Best Line:
Jack: “I just couldn't keep up with her, on any level. Socially it was a different party, a different charity event every night. I had to keep my tuxedo in my glove compartment. Sexually, she wanted it four or five times a day, always standing up.”
Liz: “Standing up? What? How does that even work?”



Rosemary’s Baby – Season 2, episode 4 (originally aired Oct. 25, 2008)
This episode is basically every fear all writers have rolled in a 22 minute ball. Rosemary (played by Carrie Fisher) is uproarious as an over the hill female writer Liz idolized in her youth and asks her to guest write on TGS only to prove herself as crazy. In pure Lemon fashion she follows her down crazy lane only to discover she’s looking at a future version of herself.

Best Scene: Jack impersonating Tracy’s entire family during his therapy session.

Best Line: Rosemary: “Help me, Liz Lemon. You’re my only hope!”



Succession – Season 2, episode 13 (originally aired April 24, 2008)
After being told by Don Geiss he will indeed become CEO of GE it comes time for Jack to choose his successor and he decides to go with the one who “always has his back” – Liz Lemon. However, his future son in law/former gay Devon Banks (Will Arnett) isn’t going down without a fight. No pun intended.

Best Scene: The Amadeus-inspired final scenes.

Best Line: Jack: “Business drunk is like rich drunk. Either way it’s legal to drive.”



Reunion – Season 3, episode 5 (originally aired Dec. 4, 2008)
Thinking she was a loser in high school, Liz returns to her hometown to attend her reunion and learns she was actually the school bitch. Jack tags along and pretends to be a long lost classmate who is embraced by everyone who hates Liz and it is, of course, simultaneously amazing and weird.

Best Scene: The bitter classmates try to “Carrie” Liz.

Best Line: Liz (after being told there is popcorn on the plane): “I want to go to there.”



Episode 210 – Season 2, episode 10 (originally aired Jan. 10, 2008)
In one of the most laugh-filled episodes of them all Liz is determined to buy real estate and must prove herself worthy, so she isn't there to be the voice of reason while Jack is off with his new love C.C. (Edie Falco) and Kenneth gets addicted to coffee.

Best Scene: Tie between Liz drunk dialing the Co-op Board for the condo she intends to buy and when the cast covers “Midnight Train to Georgia” with lyrics involving a departing Kenneth and gets told to shut up by Gladys Knight.

Best Line: Kenneth: "I don't drink coffee, sir. I don't drink hot liquids of any kind. That's the devil's temperature."



Photo: 30 Rock cast

Cody McGraw is many things but the thing you can actually call him to his face is the Managing Editor of The Little Red Umbrella. See more posts from him here or follow him on Twitter (@cody_mcgraw).



4 comments:

Unknown said...

Couldn't have picked them better myself!

Adam Bunch said...

I think my favourite might be the one where Fred Armisen plays Liz Lemon's neighbour and she reports him as a terrorist... but it turns out (ahem, spoiler) he's just applying to be a contestant on the Amazing Race.

CodyMcGraw said...

I could have easily made this a top 20. SO many good episodes. Worst episode was probably Greenzo..mostly bc I hate David Schwimmer.

Alex said...

Jack role-playing as Tracy's family is my favourite scene of the whole series. Brilliant! Also, I'm rather fond of the Oprah episode...

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