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This week's "30 Rock" was another episode in which the various plot threads existed more or less independently of one another, but unlike last week's subpar effort, "Mamma Mia" was elevated by several things: Liz's fangirling out on the titular movie and its parallels to Jack's situation, Alan Alda's fantastic (if brief) Alec Baldwin impression and an extended Liz-Pete pairing.
"I feel like we're half-assing this." Thus spake Grizz on this week's "30 Rock," and he pretty much sums up my feelings on the episode as a whole. Some nice moments here and there didn't really make up for a disjointed episode.
Most of "30 Rock" this week was a typically strong episode, with jokes coming from all angles, a solid subplot for Jenna and the return of Salma Hayek as Jack's love, Elisa. But the show also suffered from its occasional tendency of just ... ending without a really satisfying closer.
Liz's dilemma on "30 Rock" tonight? I've been there. Not the sexual harassment part, but I get that unexpected time off can put you out of sorts. And that very real feeling helped ground a pretty absurd episode of the show and make it all that much funnier.
This week, "30 Rock" felt like a little bit of an object lesson. You think the economy's rough on you? Try being threatened with having your straw budget cut as you watch rats crawling around on your soda cans. That, my friend, is some pain.
After a good-but-not-especially-funny episode of "The Office" tonight, facing a non-stop barrage of jokes on "30 Rock" nearly had me in tears. You could even say I almost Lizzed.
It was probably never meant to be, Liz Lemon and Drew Baird. He's just so goshdarn handsome, and Liz, for all her flights of fancy, really needs to live in the real world. But in going inside "the bubble" with their relationship, "30 Rock" gave us a very well-done episode this week.
Tonight's "30 Rock" teaches us a valuable lesson: if you want to get out of jury duty in New York City, you might want to rent the Chewbacca costume. Princess Leia is so passé.
Tonight's 30 Rock had its usual share of brilliantly funny moments, but I'm not sure whether I can fully get behind an episode that hangs an entire subplot on the subtleties of Harry and the Hendersons.
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