Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday, on a Wednesday! This week, I’m continuing my coverage of 30 Rock (2006-2013, NBC), which is currently available on DVD and (mostly) streaming.

30 Rock stars TINA FEY as Liz Lemon, TRACY MORGAN as Tracy Jordan, JANE KRAKOWSKI as Jenna Maroney, JACK McBRAYER as Kenneth Parcell, and ALEC BALDWIN as Jack Donaghy. With SCOTT ADSIT and JUDAH FRIEDLANDER.

I thought I’d equivocate more in my adjudication this week, but I simply can’t: Season Five of 30 Rock is a notable, undeniable improvement over its direct predecessor. Although the show’s novelty of premise naturally continues to decline with age, there are many more outstanding, must-see episodes here (compared to Four) that better emphasize this series’ special, one-of-a-kind ethos, for it’s more often taking bigger idea-driven risks that better accentuate a key, delineating aspect of its overall identity: its roots in the comedy-variety world, and Saturday Night Live in particular. In addition to obvious gimmicks like a live broadcast and an entire episodic parody of a reality TV show (media satire that feels in the spirit of SNL and, literally, like a sketch itself), the individual ideas within seemingly normal entries that don’t play with form nevertheless boast more imagination content-wise, with a faster, funnier sensibility that also evokes the rhythms of SNL’s sketch comedy at its best. And indeed, such humor is at its best when backed up by what the sitcom genre uniquely offers to those that set themselves up well within it: established characters in a reliable premise. Specifically, Liz and Jack — whose connection stays centralized almost always — have a great Season Five that continues to display both in familiar but new ways, as they enjoy romantic relationships with partners who are each comedically distinct and thus conducive to more and different types of stories, many of which continue to provide character insight as well. In this regard — more than just boasting bigger laughs that reveal the broader idea-driven aesthetic 30 Rock has been smart to embrace in reflection of its own macro sense of self — Five is also a great year because it’s got welcome support from its sturdy situational constructs, proving to be a strong showcase, in total, of everything this series does well. Accordingly, while Five’s big swings make it a little more hit-and-miss than, say, Season Two — and again, the show was simply fresher when younger — like the peak era of Two, there’s something to appreciate about every episode. And to this series’ ongoing credit, though the remaining seasons won’t see Five’s same boost of energy, and they’ll continue to move inevitably further from the glory days of Two (and to a lesser extent Three), there’s no steep drop coming either; 30 Rock remains solid. That’s a standard re-established here.

 

01) Episode 82: “When It Rains, It Pours” (Aired: 09/30/10)

Liz tries to use her newfound allure with men to her advantage.

Written by Robert Carlock | Directed by Don Scardino

Season Five’s sophomore outing is a great character show for several of the regulars, evidencing how increasingly well-defined and therefore utilizable they’ve maintained post-premise-novelty. And with a bit of this year’s elevated comic spirit, this supportive foundation of character, and thus situation, helps create excellent sitcommery. That’s most true in the strong A-story, with Liz realizing, as the title says, “when it rains, it pours,” for now that she’s in a new relationship, she seems to suddenly be more attractive to men. It’s a rich comedic play against our expectations for her, the perennially awkward, messy, anti-Mary Richards heroine, as upon this discovery, Liz hopes to use her newfound allure to her advantage — attempting to manipulate an editor (played by a well-cast Paul Giamatti) who in turn uses her flirting to appeal to another editor on whom he has a crush. Funny! Additionally, Jack has hilarious self-recorded video inserts placed throughout the half hour that expand on what we know of him, while Tracy tries to arrive on time for the birth of his daughter but finds himself on Cash Cab, where he must answer questions if he wants to keep going — a big-laugh, idea-driven, sketch-like notion that, again, feels like a blend of SNL and a sitcom, which is the crux of this series’ brilliance.

02) Episode 84: “Live Show” (Aired: 10/14/10)

Liz is upset on show night that no one has remembered her birthday.

Written by Robert Carlock & Tina Fey | Directed by Beth McCarthy Miller

My choice for this year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “Live Show” — which was performed twice, once for the East Coast and once for the West — is not the funniest option on this list, and since it’s inherently atypical, I can’t even pretend it’s the best sample of what this series is usually like in Five. However, the decision to offer a live 30 Rock, which means a switch from the familiar single-camera framing to a multi-camera live-to-air setup, presented in front of a studio audience, is entirely warranted by the series’ situation. Not only does this type of program visually evidence the comedy-variety show on which the 30 Rock characters work — making it earned within the sitcom’s own narrative constructs — it’s also a chance to do the kind of sketches you’d see on such a program: a rarity for a series whose aesthetic identity has been predicated on an association with Saturday Night Live. In fact, it’s surprising that it’s taken 30 Rock until now to come up with an excuse to do a broadcast with full-on SNL-like scenes performed live for an audience (plus a bevy of special guests, the highlight of whom is Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the cutaway version of Liz Lemon). And yet, because the series smartly chose to be a single-cam in accordance with its era’s emergent notions of quality (and ordained by its backstage premise, à la Larry Sanders), this couldn’t be a regular part of its operations, meaning this whole thing has to be a gimmick by default — a stunt that loses some of its own novelty when repeated. Fortunately, it’s a gimmick that always makes the show’s ties to SNL explicit, and given that this particular sitcom’s comedic and narrative attributes, even when framed by the single-camera look, have increasingly evoked SNL as a matter of stylistic delineation, it’s, again, fundamentally situation-corroborating, opening up the series to a huge part of its DNA beyond merely the premise. Accordingly, when 30 Rock does this one-off “Live Show” it’s actually more itself than ever — reconnecting with its roots, delivering a memorable romp that displays just how much this season has reignited its creative spark by recapturing the sketch-like sensibilities that have always been vital to its appeal, ultimately rendering this the best ambassador for the series here in Five. (Oh, and as for my preference: West, East, or the DVD’s truncated blend of the two? If I had to pick, I’d say East, which is neither on home video nor streaming!)

03) Episode 85: “Reaganing” (Aired: 10/21/10)

Jack tries to council Liz on her relationship while Jenna and Kenneth conspire with TV’s Frasier.

Written by Matt Hubbard | Directed by Todd Holland

Kelsey Grammer plays a twisted version of himself in this hysterical outing that finds Jenna and Kenneth concocting an elaborate plot to cheat a bakery out of cakes by getting refunds for incorrect decorations that they deliberately set up — e.g., “Frajer” instead of “Frasier.” It’s a Bilko-esque scheme that mounts in lunacy and feels in the vein of Nat Hiken (the esteemed creator of both The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You?), one of the grandaddies of great idea-driven sitcommery and thus a TV legend whose aesthetic it’s fun and appropriate to see this series evoke (even unintentionally). Meanwhile, that subplot is balanced well with some strong character stuff for Jack and Liz in the A-story, as the former takes the latter to the airport where she is considering dumping her boyfriend (the recurring Carol, played by Matt Damon). It’s a simple notion that plays to these two regulars’ grounding emotional bond as the series’ “heart” while also enabling a lot of additional insight into Liz herself that helps make all of this kooky rom-com angst a little more motivated. So, this is a wonderful example of 30 Rock — a nice yin and yang of character concerns and identity-affirming comedic ideas.

04) Episode 92: “Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning” (Aired: 01/27/11)

Jack pre-tapes a disaster telethon while Liz and Tracy argue on his wife’s reality TV show.

Written by Robert Carlock | Directed by Beth McCarthy Miller

Another truly stellar sample, “Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning” delivers both outstanding moments for the characters along with some really funny idea-driven notions that are directly evocative of Saturday Night Live and its brand of humor. Also, it all operates within the basic TV-about-TV premise that further condones each story and provides the traditional, but therefore reliable narrative guardrails guiding everything wisely applied inside. For instance, the very thought of Jack prepping a disaster telethon (with a variety of possible inserts for whatever the disaster may be) is a riotous bit of media satire that speaks to his own need to be efficiently innovative (and competitive within the industry), enabling a predictable but hysterical centerpiece where the telethon ends up running in association with a natural disaster on an island that turns out to be owned by… Mel Gibson. It’s a topical jolt of cringey good humor with a classic comedic juxtaposition (it reminds me of a classic Mary Tyler Moore Show where Sue Ann’s food reviews were run with footage of pigs eating slop). Meanwhile, I love the subplot where Tracy and Liz have a metatheatrical feud amid the presence of his wife’s reality TV cameras in the workplace. For starters, the whole idea of Angie Jordan’s Bravo reality show is itself a genre parody that one could see as a recurring bit on SNL, but to contextualize a “typical” Liz vs. Tracy 30 Rock story within the lens of reality TV is an extra bit of sketch-like meta that takes this entry into the stratosphere of SNL-ian hilarity. And what’s more, the unique Liz/Tracy relationship — established back in the pilot — supports it all, making this some of the best sitcommery 30 Rock‘s ever done. (Robert De Niro notably appears.)

05) Episode 94: “Double-Edged Sword” (Aired: 02/10/11)

Liz and her boyfriend argue on a commercial plane that he’s piloting.

Written by Kay Cannon & Tom Ceraulo | Directed by Don Scardino

There’s a lot of big narrative stuff happening in this installment that might typically preclude great things for character and/or comedy on other, lesser series. But 30 Rock deploys its unique sense of humor, and its strong well-defined regulars, to often elevate its storytelling, and that’s what happens in this very memorable half hour where Jack not only becomes a father (as Avery gives birth), but Liz breaks up with her pilot boyfriend Carol (Matt Damon), and Tracy finally accomplishes his dreams of winning the EGOT quadfecta. Now, the Tracy subplot is actually the least interesting — it’s used here to get Tracy Morgan off the show for a bit (the actor had a kidney transplant in real life), and that feels a bit… forced. However, everything else in “Double-Edged Sword” is clever and funny — specifically, the parallelism with the Jack and Liz stories, as both realize their respective partners are exactly like them. For Jack, this works well — they mesh. For Liz, it doesn’t and they aren’t — as evidenced when Liz is trapped on the runway in a plane that Carol is piloting. Their tension escalates to near-absurdity, effectively making the comic point of their incompatibility because they’re too temperamentally alike — a new conundrum for Liz that is inherently amusing and character-affirming.

06) Episode 95: “It’s Never Too Late For Now” (Aired: 02/17/11)

Liz pieces together a grand scheme concocted by the crew to help her get over her breakup.

Written by Vali Chandrasekaran | Directed by John Riggi

There are a handful of funny sketch-like notions explored in this excursion that maybe isn’t on the top shelf among this incredibly tight list’s absolute finest and must-include episodes, but it’s still a very solid sample of 30 Rock in its own right, indeed evidencing the series’ chosen comic sensibilities, which, more so than in the year prior, are better displayed to reveal its full situation via those clear Saturday Night Live ties. In particular, this is a topical, media-focused offering referencing a lot of pop culture and engaging moments of direct parody that feel like perfect subject matter for a sketch comedy show such as TGS, and of course, SNL — exhibited best in an Agatha Christie-esque climax where Liz weaves all the outing’s narrative threads together to solve the “mystery” of what happened the night before. It’s amusing and indicative of 30 Rock‘s overall tenor here in this strong fifth season. Similarly, the subplot with the writers and their band, busted up by a clear Yoko Ono analog, is another bit of idea-driven comedy in reflection of 30 Rock‘s unique identity, especially in Five. And the entire script is filled of such gags.

07) Episode 96: “TGS Hates Women” (Aired: 02/24/11)

Liz tries to combat the show’s anti-woman reputation by hiring another female writer.

Written by Ron Weiner | Directed by Beth McCarthy Miller

One of the funniest entries of the season (heck, of the series), this is another credit to Five’s enhanced comic verve, boasting an A-story that stems from the basic “behind-the-scenes-of-a-TV-show” premise but is rendered with such outrageous, go-for-broke comedy that it’s more reminiscent of something you’d see as a sketch on SNL — with the pairing of these two aesthetics elevating both. Specifically, Cristin Milioti is a hoot as Abby, a new writer that Liz has hired to combat criticisms in the press that the TGS show is anti-woman — a bit of winking self-parody that also works well within the literal TV-about-TV situation, with media satire inherent. Unfortunately, Liz soon comes to learn that Abby is a “very sexy baby,” portraying herself in a way that Liz finds to be demeaning. It’s hysterical and plays into the Liz character’s lineage as the sitcom’s evolved “working woman” — following in the footsteps of That Girl, Mary Richards, and Murphy Brown — with implied self-importance that’s also comedically exploitable. Meanwhile, Jack gets a new rival, for his new boss has a scheming granddaughter, played menacingly by a young and perfectly placed Chloë Grace Moretz — an atypical foe for Jack who’s equally intense and therefore funny. (Terrence Mann also appears.)

08) Episode 97: “Queen Of Jordan” (Aired: 03/17/11)

On Tracy’s wife’s reality show, Jack tries to get Liz to help bring Tracy back.

Written by Tracey Wigfield | Directed by Ken Whittingham

Several previous excursions this season have found humor from lampooning reality TV — specifically, the Bravo template used as the model for a new “show” centered around Tracy’s wife Angie, buoyed with histrionic conviction by the underrated Sherri Shepherd — and it’s worked well, for this is some media satire that plays both with 30 Rock‘s TV-about-TV premise and the SNL sensibilities it invites, as that late-night staple also sends up popular culture with similarly parodic set pieces. However, this half hour is fully structured as the reality show, which means that it totally breaks from 30 Rock‘s usual setup (as a single-camera sitcom with creative comic cutaways) to become something else: the form of the media it’s mocking, a Bravo reality show. In this regard, it’s another gimmick, but just like the live broadcast earlier in Five, it’s a gimmick that’s rooted entirely in 30 Rock‘s identity and therefore condoned, especially here, when it’s still a novel idea that’s fresh and exciting — just like a new sketch. More than that though, this offering utilizes the reality TV construct, and the characters’ awareness of present cameras, to explore them comedically in new but believable ways; as Jenna seeks attention, Jack can’t deal with the lack of control over his image, etc. That’s fun, and helps attach this bizarre, atypical outing — a showcase for Shepherd and guest Titus Burgess (who are also deployed to compensate for the fact that Tracy Morgan is still not back full-time) — to additional elements in the regular situation, making this quintessential 30 Rock: a memorable stunt nevertheless earned by its situation that defines this series’ comic capabilities. (Oh, and Susan Sarandon as Frank’s former teacher and age-inappropriate love interest is another bit of inspired casting.)

09) Episode 100: “100 (I)” (Aired: 04/21/11)

Liz must get Tracy for TGS’s 100th show as a gas leak slowly drives everyone crazy.

Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock & Tina Fey | Directed by Don Scardino

30 Rock honors its own 100th episode with a two-parter that originally aired in a single hour-long block, commemorating the show’s history with well-placed clips and a lot of self-referential reverence motivated by the convenient fact that it’s also the 100th episode of the sketch comedy show on which they all work, TGS, which is gearing up for a live broadcast… that might be its last if they can’t get Tracy Jordan back. Obviously, that whole Tracy story was born out of necessity when the actor needed to take a leave — he’s been essentially absent for weeks, and the series has indeed missed him (churning out a few great showings in spite of his notably missing presence) — and it’s a bit of forced jeopardy that 30 Rock has already used before in its first season. But I must admit that I love this two-parter — and Part I especially, which has the benefit of introducing its idea-driven setups before descending into the calculated madness of Part II, which climaxes well, but with less support from the leads than here, when the plot enlists the mounting tension of a gas leak to earn all kinds of comic absurdity… and with more of an eye towards character than story, as Jack, in particular, debates with a hallucination of himself on whether his mentorship of Liz has held him back professionally. That’s a terrific notion that finds dramatic substance within the series’ core relationship and thus its human situation — and the positive adjudication of their bond is the type of ultimate self-affirmation that celebrates the series, earnestly, as a situation comedy. So, this two-parter brings many sketch-like laughs (and a lot of special guest cameos), but more importantly, it honors the characters and the premise — a testament to 30 Rock‘s legitimate excellence in this genre.

10) Episode 102: “Everything Sunny All The Time Always” (Aired: 04/28/11)

Jack leaps into action when Avery is kidnapped by the North Korean government.

Written by Kay Cannon & Matt Hubbard | Directed by John Riggi

The last two entries in Five are a bit of a postscript following the big 100th, but this — the season’s penultimate — is a lot of fun, mostly because it takes a big risk narratively that pays off comedically, as Jack’s now-wife Avery (Elizabeth Banks) is captured and held hostage by the North Korean government. That’s, on paper, a really serious, dramatic idea… yet it’s played entirely for laughs, in accordance with 30 Rock’s modus operandi, thanks to the sheer absurdity of the setup, and via the sketch-like, SNL-ian choice to have Margaret Cho play the North Korean leader. Cho is hysterical — another bit of ingenious casting who furthers the link between this series and its comedy-variety show roots, for this is exactly the kind of audacious, topical, outrageous parody you’d find on Saturday Night Live. Also, the cameo by Condoleezza Rice — whose presence reminds of the political punch 30 Rock has always packed (again as an extension of its SNL DNA) — is a memorable boon to the half hour, making this a segment of 30 Rock that could only be a segment of 30 Rock, and therefore the type of sitcommery I love.

 

Other episodes that merit a look include: “Mrs. Donaghy,” an on-the-nose Liz/Jack show that I just couldn’t find room for on my list given the competition, and “Brooklyn Without Limits,” which boasts a handful of funny notions and some good character moments, along with a fun guest stint by John Slattery as a politician whom Jack is attempting to prop up at the behest of the company. Now, there are a lot of other entries I could briefly address here — again, I spot something to enjoy in all 23 — but I’ll be brief and cite just a few: “Gentleman’s Intermission,” which I note for its confirmation that Jack and Liz still, and mutually, need each other’s friendship at this point in the run, “Plan B,” which has some wonderful media satire alongside guest turns by recurring players Ken Howard and Will Arnett, and “100 (II),” the second, sillier half of the special two-parter mentioned above.

 

*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Five of 30 Rock goes to…

“Live Show”

 

 

Come back next week for Season Six and a new Wildcard Wednesday!